Prehistoric sea beast discovered, and ion engines are the future of space travel

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SUBSCRIBE DIGITAL | RENEW | GIFT Discover Newsletter:  03/12/2015 Prehistoric Jumbo Shrimp Were 6 Feet Long A newly discovered species of arthropod was the first gigantic filter-feeder.   DISCOVER BLOGS D-BRIEF Lots of Cases of Synesthesia Are Based on Alphabet Magnets Up to 6 percent of synesthetes were influenced by Fisher-Price colored letters.  MORE  |            THE CRUX With Gene Therapy We Could Direct Our Own Evolution Increasingly genetically modified humans walk among us, thanks to gene therapy.  MORE  |            D-BRIEF Video: Hermit Crabs Line Up By Size to Exchange Shells When a new shell washes ashore, a surprisingly orderly swap takes place.  MORE  |            THE CRUX Ion Engines Are the Future of Space Travel Electrically-powered ion engines can propel spacecraft far faster than chemical rockets.  MORE  |            SERIOUSLY, SCIENCE? Drinking Alcohol Actually Makes Your Face More Attractive A ruddy face may be the key to why people who’ve had alcohol are judged more attractive.  MORE  |              THIS MONTH IN DISCOVER MAGAZINE Hubble's Greatest Hits Katherine Kornei NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope 25 years ago this month, and it has done nothing short of rewrite how we see the universe.  MORE  |            Why Science Supports the Fist Bump Caleb O'Brien When it comes to staying clean, bumping is better than shaking.  MORE  |            What to Read in April Discover Staff Lie down on the couch, reveal your hedonism and get the real truth on food.  MORE  |            An Interactive History of General Relativity The most important developments over the last 100 years.  MORE  |            Win the Ultimate Einstein Prize Pack We’re giving away some great Einstein gear plus a one-year subscription to Discover!  MORE  |              RECENT PHOTO GALLERIES  Six Extinct Animals, and How We Can Bring Them Back  The Human Body Under the Microscope  8 Discoveries Astronomers Didn’t Mean to Make