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This Week In C&EN

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Current Review

Gravity

Space movies, such as "Gravity," are almost always grandiose in their storytelling aspirations. The enormity of space, the raw power of a space shuttle, the existential quandary of whether we are alone in a vast universe, and (as is the case in "Gravity") an inevitable crisis that must be resolved to steer astronauts to safety.

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Current Recommendation

'How To Survive A Plague'

The history of science movies and the Oscars is not a very long one. Aside from the technical achievement awards, an occasional nomination for acting merits, or the rare sci-fi extravaganza that garners a Best Picture nod, the Academy Awards tend to eschew films with a scientific bent. But this year a documentary that focuses on the interplay of science and activism has received a nomination for Best Documentary Feature. "How To Survive a Plague" is director David France's stunning account of how activists brought the AIDS epidemic to the attention of the government and science community in the disease's early days.

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Recent Recommendation

'Last Call At The Oasis'

Watching the havoc caused by Hurricane Sandy and other recent water-related natural disasters, it's hard to imagine that global water shortages represent an environmental crisis on par with climate change. But if current water use habits do not change, or if major technological advances to help recycle water are not implemented, this is precisely the scenario we are facing—a majority of 21st-century conflicts being fought over water.

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