September 2009 Issue: Point. Click. Kill.

Illustration by Nick Kaloterakis

Features

Point. Click. Kill: Inside The Air Force’s Frantic Unmanned Reinvention

The age of remote-control warfare isn’t coming–it’s here, and not even the Air Force, which made it happen, is entirely prepared. Here, a firsthand look at the struggle to train thousands of drone pilots virtually overnight. By Eric Hagerman

PopSci U: Seven of the Country’s Coolest SciTech Courses

So you want to explore the deepest caves? Design the cars of the future? Fire rockets? Don’t wait until you graduate. Here are 10 college programs that offer the most fun per credit—and can help you land your ideal job. By Rena Marie Pacella

Real Genius: Eight Brilliant Inventors Still in High School

While their peers worry about zits, these rising young stars are designing lunar bioreactors and new cancer drugs. What did you accomplish before turning 18? Meet our eight future Edisons here. By Blaire Briody

MIT For Free

The world’s most prestigious universities have begun posting entire curricula on the Web—for free. But how much can you really learn with a DIY online education? I enrolled to find out**. By Josh Dean
**