Using 3-D printers to replace a hand
Ethan Brown, 8, adjusted his Cyborg Beast hand. Materials for a prosthetic hand made on a 3-D-printer can cost as little as $20 to $50. Some specialists say they work just as well, if not better, than devices that cost much more.

Kevin Liles/New York Times

The proliferation of 3-D printers has had an unexpected benefit: The devices, it turns out, are perfect for creating inexpensive prosthetics.

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/02/14/BostonGlobe.com/Obits/Images/200_val_fitch-478.jpg Val Fitch, 91; won Nobel in physics for Big Bang work

Mr. Fitch shared the Nobel Prize for detecting a breakdown in the overarching symmetry of physical laws.

Latest Science headlines

Astronaut cleared for next spacewalk

US astronauts will venture back out this weekend, despite a helmet water leak on their previous trip outside the ISS.

Portland, Maine

Scientists cite dramatic sea level rise off coast

Researchers say sea levels off of Portland, Maine, rose an “unprecedented” 5 inches during 2009 and 2010.

Eugenie Clark, 92; scholar more at home with sharks

Dr. Clark’s childhood rapture with fish led to a life of scholarly adventure in the littorals and depths of the Seven Seas.

More Science headlines

Ideas

The Internationalist

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2015/02/20/BostonGlobe.com/Ideas/Images/aleppo-souk-combined.jpg A daring plan to rebuild Syria — no matter who wins the war

With the battle still ongoing, a huge team of Syrian planners plots the restoration of Aleppo and beyond.

Science In Mind

An image taken with the new expansion microscopy technique, showing neurons in the mouse hippocampus, a portion of the brain involved in memory.

MIT scientists find way to more easily map the brain

Researchers have found a controlled way to cause a tissue sample swell to roughly four and a half times its size, making it easier to excamine.

Technology

Ecovent uses battery-powered vents controlled through a smartphone app.

Home system learns how hot, cool you like it

A Boston-based startup is building smart air vents, capable of precisely controlling the temperature in every room of your home.

Health & wellness

Trainer Tom Cochrane looked on as (from left) Joseph Gianni, 10, Tim McNamara, 11, Noah Riedel, 12, and Michael Crowley, 12, did lunges at Team Fitness Franklin.

More young athletes work out for sports

A Kentucky organization claims that more than one million children and teenagers now hire a personal trainer each year.

Columnists

THOMAS FARRAGHER

Memorable lesson was mentor’s gift
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited by US Speaker John Boehner to address Congress next week.

JEFF JACOBY

Spat over Netanyahu’s speech doesn’t change US-Israel relations
Senator Elizabeth Warren attends a US Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing Feb. 24.

JOAN VENNOCHI

Can Warren be the new Ted Kennedy?

TOM KEANE

Walmart’s pay hike isn’t altruistic
Last year, Christian Vazquez threw out 15 of 29 runners attempting to steal.

DAN SHAUGHNESSY

Vazquez is in good position to contribute

SCOT LEHIGH

The coming charter debate
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

opinion | Michael A. Cohen

Democrats should boycott Netanyahu’s speech
A Tough Mudder competitor wears a camera at a 2012 race.

JOANNA WEISS

The risk-takers vs. the extremists

Evan Horowitz

Screening tests often don’t help against cancer
Larry Lucchino, left, and Chairman Thomas Werner.

DAN SHAUGHNESSY

Lucchino, Werner share optimism

alex beam

Trapped in a Golden State, away from Boston’s snow
Jonathan Gruber was one of four people removed from the Massachusetts Health Connector Board.

JOAN VENNOCHI

Removal of Gruber is not the more important story

Instagram

//c.o0bg.com/rf/image_90x90/Boston/2011-2020/2013/12/17/BostonGlobe.com/Metro/Images/a4a68392593311e3a80a0a154a02c3a8_7-7210--90x90.jpg Boston Globe Instagram photos

A live stream of Instagram posts from The Boston Globe photo department.