Scientific American.com

How Are AI Chatbots Affecting Teen Development?
More and more kids are turning to artificial intelligence chatbots for social interaction. We are scrambling to understand the pros and cons of their use
More Teens Are Getting Vaccines
Bucking national trends in childhood vaccination rates, more teens are getting recommended shots, including for measles and whooping cough
Can a Generative AI Agent Accurately Mimic My Personality?
A large language model interviewed me about my life and gave the information to an AI agent built to portray my personality. Could it convince me it was me?
These Seabirds’ Pooping Habits Shock Scientists
The first detailed observation of the bathroom habits of Streaked Shearwaters at sea leave scientists with a surprising load of questions
Laboratory Microbes Put Chocolate Flavors under Scientists’ Control
From hints of citrus to caramel, premium chocolate’s complex flavors derive from fermenting microbes on cocoa bean farms—and a new study suggests they can be grown on demand in the lab
Can Cosmic Rays Help Alien Life Thrive?
Beneath the surfaces of distant planets, microbes might subsist on harsh radiation rather than starlight, a new study suggests
What New Human Ancestor Has Been Discovered, and How a Virus Outbreak in China Could Reach the U.S.
China is having a fast-rising chikungunya outbreak in a place that has never had one before.
Cholera Plagues Sudan amidst Civil War, and Climate Change Is Making It Worse
An ongoing civil war in Sudan has forced millions of people to flee their homes and move to camps, where a lack of water and sanitation infrastructure, along with heavy rains, are fueling a massive cholera outbreak. What role does the environment play in how the outbreak is spreading?
Human Embryo Implantation Revealed in First-Ever 3D Images
Analyzing embryo movements in uteruslike environments could offer clues to improving the success rate of in vitro fertilization
The Scientific Debate over Colossal’s ‘De-extinct’ Dire Wolves
Colossal Biosciences bold announcements about its project to replicate dire wolf traits have drawn criticism from many scientists, but the billion-dollar firm is not backing down
How Social Media Algorithms Are Changing the Way People Talk
Algorithmic social media is driving the creation of new slang at a breakneck pace. Linguist Adam Aleksic, also known as the Etymology Nerd, explains how
Scientific American Is Older Than the Discovery of Neptune
Neptune’s discovery was a race that ended not long after this magazine came to be
What Is Experimental Archaeology? Sam Kean Explores Ancient Tools, Surgeries and Feasts in Dinner with King Tut
In his new book, Sam Kean reveals how re-creating ancient tools, techniques and traditions can unlock secrets about how our ancestors lived—and what they felt.
Why Are Rabbits Sprouting Tentacles?
Rabbits spotted with hornlike growths on their face in northern Colorado are doing better than they look
Trump Cuts Could End U.S. Exploration of the Outer Solar System
The U.S. planetary science community is sounding the alarm about plans to discard a nuclear technology that has powered dozens of NASA missions over the past 50 years
New Brain Device Is First to Read Out Inner Speech
A new brain prosthesis can read out inner thoughts in real time, helping people with ALS and brain stem stroke communicate fast and comfortably
Why AI ‘Therapy’ Can Be So Dangerous
Using AI chatbots for “therapy” is dangerous, mental health experts say. Here’s why
What Is a Glacial Outburst Flood? Alaska’s Suicide Basin Explained
Meltwater from a glacial lake outburst is flooding Juneau, Alaska. Such events are likely to happen more often as climate change destabilizes ice and glacial lakes fill with more meltwater
New Human Ancestor Identified from Fossil Teeth
Ancient teeth found in Ethiopia belong to a never-before-seen species in the Australopithecus genus of human ancestors
These Spiders Puke Up Toxic Digestive Fluid to Marinate Their Prey Alive
Without a venomous bite, some spiders use a disturbing second option to prepare their food