March 4—This week, a biotech company uses woolly mammoth DNA to create the "woolly mouse." Plus, big promises from companies building private space stations, and virtual reality tasting is on the way. That and more below!

--Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor

Top Stories
Company Seeking to Resurrect the Woolly Mammoth Creates a 'Woolly Mouse'

On their quest to bring back the extinct woolly mammoth, Colossal Biosciences has developed the woolly mouse

Private Space Stations of the Future Promise Luxury. But Can They Deliver?

Several companies have contracts with NASA to design private space habitats to replace the International Space Station once it’s gone

A New Device Lets You Taste Things without Actually Eating Them

This tiny instrument lets users taste things—without actually eating them—by releasing a combination of chemicals that reconstruct different tastes. But replicating associated smells and textures will take some time

New NASA Space Telescope Will See the Universe in 102 Colors

NASA’s SPHEREx mission will survey the entire sky in 102 different “colors” of light, offering scientists an unprecedented look at the earliest days of the universe and much more

In the Quantum Realm, Time’s Arrow Might Fly in Two Directions

Scientists studying a centuries-old mystery of physics suggest two “arrows of time” control the evolution of quantum systems

Trump’s ‘Iron Dome’ Space Weapons Plan Ignores Physics and Fiscal Reality

Proposed U.S. space defenses against hypersonic nuclear missiles are unnecessary, impractical and would trigger a dangerous new arms race

If you're enjoying this newsletter, consider a subscription to Scientific American. Dive deeper into the stories that matter most to you!

WHAT WE'RE READING
  • AI is solving the toughest math problems.  | IEEE Spectrum
  • Turn off your read-receipts—hackers and scammers can exploit them. | Vox
  • Skype is shutting down. When it first launched, its end-to-end encryption was the first of its kind.   | TechCrunch

From the Archive
Virtual Reality System Lets You Stop and Smell the Roses

A wireless device worn on the face or lip can produce fragrances such as lavender and green tea in a virtual world