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 Features Is there anybody out there? Searching for aliens through historyThe desire to contact intelligent life on other planets is much older than the UFO craze and the SETI movement. In fact, it goes back to the Ancient Greeks…  Cosmic cannibals: the hunt for supermassive black holesIn the chaotic core of our Milky Way galaxy hides a ravenous cauldron of annihilation: a supermassive black hole. We follow astronomers on the hunt for new insights into these mysterious objects.  Rebuilding science in IraqIraq is rebuilding its science base, but fear of attack means refugee academics are slow to return.  Speed demon: the scramjetWith continuing tests planned for the Australian outback, the 8,000 km/h scramjet is edging towards reality.  Tomb raidersArchaeologists are turning to particle physics to probe deeper into ancient structures for hidden knowledge and treasure. The key to it all is a curious particle, the muon.  I'd love to have a beer with a VulcanSlim Dusty was one of the biggest Australian country music singers of all time, who sold more than seven millions albums and singles, but few people realise he was Trekkie, and recorded a song about Star Trek.  Genetic testing: Do you really want to know?An individual's genetic code is becoming an open book thanks to kits that scan for genes linked to traits and diseases, from cancer and baldness to infertility and memory loss.  Maps highlight malfunctions in the mindAdvances in brain scanning are allowing psychiatrists to move from cautiously diagnosing symptoms to actually seeing the underlying malfunctions of the mind.  Doomsday: Five catastrophes that could wipe out civilisationModern civilisation may be the most advanced in history – but it could still be toppled by calamity like so many before. Here are some of the more likely dangers that might take us to the brink – or beyond.  Marine reserves proliferate worldwideMassive ocean reserves, larger than Spain and created as one of the last acts of the outgoing U.S. President, are among a multitude of marine parks cropping up across the planet.  Dawn of the robotsThey're already here – driving cars, vacuuming carpets and feeding hospital patients. They may not be walking, talking, human-like sentient beings, but they sure are clever… and a little creepy.  Big friendly giant: the Giant Magellan TelescopeSize definitely matters when it comes to telescopes, and a new seven-mirrored monster looks like being the biggest and best of them all.  Orbital express: here comes the space elevatorForget rockets - advances in nanotechnology may soon make a trip into space as easy as riding an elevator.  Real vs fake Christmas trees: which are better for the environment?A living pine tree fills your house with an earthy aroma; fake trees are cheap and easy to store, but when it comes to the environment, which should we choose?  Birth of the Moon: a runaway nuclear reaction?How the Moon arose has long stumped scientists. Now Dutch geophysicists argue that it was created not by a collision, but a runaway nuclear reaction deep inside the Earth. 
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