Discover magazine's December cover story features the "50 Best Brains in Science" and the editors have included Luis von Ahn, assistant professor of computer science, on their list. They cite his work on human computation, including his reCAPTCHA project to improve Web security while digitally transcribing old books and periodicals and his games with a purpose (GWAPs) that use human intelligence to help computers overcome their shortcomings.

"I don't think we've even scratched the surface of what we can do," von Ahn told Discover.

Others on the list include University of Cambridge theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, Erie, Pa., cancer therapy inventor John Kanzius and UCLA mathematician Terence Tao.