What does it mean to live in a universe that is ever-expanding? Will discoveries about early galaxy formation and extrasolar planets change our assumptions about our place in the world? If believing in the power of a placebo can trigger the body’s immune-system responses, could religious faith help promote healing, too?

Probing environmental reports on the size of the Gulf oil spill, the possible risks of chemicals commonly found in drinking water, and the fate of an endangered fish in the Colorado River are among the winners of the 2010 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards.

A soldier and a mother may share some interesting brain chemistry, according to a study in the 11 June issue of Science.

The hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin, perhaps best known for its roles in maternal behavior and social bonding, also appears to foster “parochial altruism,” according to Carsten De Dreu of the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and colleagues.