The world's changed a lot since 1994, and some of the signs of modern times -- obesity, Internet addiction - may find their way into the book that describes -- and guides diagnosis of -- psychiatric disorders. The latest Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, better known as DSM-V, will be landing with a massive thunk on physicians' and researchers' desktops in 2012, but until then, the American Psychiatric Association still has a lot of work to do in determining how the guide will be updated, the L.A. Times reports.

Part of the allure -- and possibly the downfall -- of the trend toward science-based cooking is the promise of perfection. Harold McGee, the Cook's Illustrated magazines and America's Test Kitchen, Alton Brown's books and series, PopSci's own Ted Allen -- all suggest that by following certain simple rules, measuring carefully and understanding the way ingredients behave, the home baker or cook can produce a superior dish.

Without a doubt, the most fun thing I've worked on in my five-plus years at PopSci is the Gray Matter column. Nearly every month since mid-2002, contributor Theo Gray has come up with new ways to illuminate the world of elemental chemistry, often by setting things on fire. But far from your average YouTube-loitering pyromaniac, Gray combines sharp, lively writing with a gifted professor's knack for making the complex simple.

PackBots roam the streets of Iraq defusing bombs. Remote-controlled SWORDS robots shoot rifles and rocket launchers with deadly accuracy. Predator drones piloted by soldiers in Nevada drop missiles on Iraq and Afghanistan. The Wasp robot flies over neighborhoods full of insurgents, recording what's below with a camera as small as a peanut.

If this sounds like a futuristic science fiction story, it's not. As of today, over 12,000 robots are working in Iraq, up from zero five years ago.

Michael Crichton, best known as the author of such books like Jurassic Park and movies like Westworld, died last night from cancer at his home in Los Angeles, California at the age of 66. He is survived by his wife Sherri and his daughter Taylor. A medical doctor with a degree from Harvard, Crichton’s works and movies brought science to a mainstream audience, introducing readers to concepts like cloning and chaos theory.