Articles Alert - The Scientist - Magazine of the Life Sciences
Abstract
The Scientist has asked a group of experts to periodically comment upon recent articles that they have found noteworthy. Their selections, presented here in every issue, are neither endorsements of content nor the result of systematic searching. Rather, they are personal choices of articles they believe the scientific community as a whole may also find interesting. Reprints of any articles cited here may be ordered through The Genuine Article, 3501 Market St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19104, or by telephoning (215) 386-4399. GEOSCIENCES By Peter J. Smith Department of Earth Sciences Open University Milton Keynes, U.K. / L Geophysical and petrologic constraints on bulk lunar composition indicate both differences and similarities between the Moon and the Earth's mantle. The differences probably rule out the fission origin of the Moon, and the similarities rule out capture. Impact-fission seems the most likely. S. Mueller, G.J. Taylor, R.J. Phillips, "Lunar composition: A geophysical and petrological synthesis," Journal of Geophysical Research, 93 (B6), 6338-52, 10 June 1988. Although there are apparently no plate-tectonic processes on Venus, horizontal deformation features can be seen on the planet's surface. Modeling suggests that they maybe due to gravity spreading above areas of temperature-induced ductile deformation. S. Smrekar, R.J.