Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

— Arthur C. Clarke's Third Law

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Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.
Updated: 14 hours 52 min ago

Meditation’s Benefits Stretch Beyond the Person Who Meditates

Fri, 06/27/2025 - 9:00am

Often framed as a boon for personal wellness, meditation helps us connect with and support others, too

Categories: Astronomy

New Proof Dramatically Compresses Space Needed for Computation

Fri, 06/27/2025 - 7:00am

Surprising new work bucks 50 years of assumptions about the trade-offs between computation space and time

Categories: Astronomy

Could the Solar System Lose a Planet to a Passing Star?

Fri, 06/27/2025 - 6:45am

Close stellar encounters could change the structure of our planetary system, potentially dooming Earth or other worlds to oblivion

Categories: Astronomy

Creating Bird Flu Vaccines for Humans at a Biosecure Laboratory

Fri, 06/27/2025 - 6:00am

This San Antonio, Tex., lab takes biosecurity seriously. Suit up with its scientists and go behind the scenes of the science of vaccine creation.

Categories: Astronomy

Does Using ChatGPT Really Change Your Brain Activity?

Thu, 06/26/2025 - 4:45pm

Scientists warn against reading too much into a small experiment about ChatGPT and brain activity that is receiving a lot of buzz

Categories: Astronomy

These Actions Could Make Vaccines Safer. But RFK, Jr., Isn’t Pursuing Them

Thu, 06/26/2025 - 3:00pm

Vaccines are safe, but they could always be safer—here’s what would make a difference

Categories: Astronomy

A Gigantic Megacomet Is Erupting as It Zooms through the Solar System

Thu, 06/26/2025 - 12:15pm

Recent observations have revealed carbon monoxide venting from the largest comet ever seen, providing clues about its origins in the mysterious depths of the outer solar system

Categories: Astronomy

Heat Domes Are Hotter and Lingering Longer—Because of the Arctic

Thu, 06/26/2025 - 11:15am

A rapidly warming Arctic is driving long-lasting summer extremes, such as this month’s sweltering temperatures, new research suggests

Categories: Astronomy

Math Enthusiasts Unite to Have Rover Calculate Pi on the Moon

Thu, 06/26/2025 - 6:45am

Later this year a tiny rover will carry out an unusual lunar task

Categories: Astronomy

What Is Thimerosal? Why Most Vaccines Don’t Contain Mercury Anymore

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 5:30pm

Thimerosal, which contains an organic compound of mercury, has mostly been phased out as a preservative for vaccines. Here’s how we know it is safe and why we still use it in some vaccines given to adults

Categories: Astronomy

Archaeologists Recreate Prehistoric Tools to Build a Canoe for 140-Mile Ocean Voyage

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 3:20pm

Researchers and expert seafarers teamed up to re-create an ocean journey from more than 30,000 years ago

Categories: Astronomy

Use Summer Break to Build Closer Bonds with Your Children

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 2:00pm

The kids are out of school, and some of the pressures may be off. Here’s how you can further connect with them to make next year a little easier

Categories: Astronomy

Trump Administration Ousts National Science Foundation from Headquarters Building

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 10:25am

Employees at the National Science Foundation say they’ve been blindsided by a plan for the Department of Housing and Urban Development to take over their offices

Categories: Astronomy

Sexual Synesthesia Paints the World in Color at the Moment of Orgasm

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 9:30am

Scientists are just beginning to document sexual synesthesia, a phenomenon that can bring consciousness-altering washes of color and fantastical scenes at the moment of orgasm

Categories: Astronomy

A Sodom and Gomorrah Story Shows Scientific Facts Aren’t Settled by Public Opinion

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 8:00am

Claims that an asteroid or comet airburst destroyed the biblical Sodom captured the public’s imagination. Its retraction shows that scientific conclusions aren’t decided by majority rule in the public square

Categories: Astronomy

When Do Babies Become Conscious?

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 8:00am

Answering the question of when consciousness emerges is deeply tied to the mystery of what it actually is and how it can be measured

Categories: Astronomy

See Vaccine Recommendations Backed by Science in These Handy Charts

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 7:00am

These graphics will guide you through science-based vaccine guidelines for children and adults

Categories: Astronomy

How Bird Flu Went from Devastating Poultry Farms to Infecting Dairy Herds

Wed, 06/25/2025 - 6:00am

The bird flu was long known to poultry farmers. Here’s why the dairy industry was caught off guard by its jump to cattle.

Categories: Astronomy

How Perfectionism Hurts Parents and Their Kids

Tue, 06/24/2025 - 2:30pm

New research highlights the risks and occasional rewards of parental perfectionism

Categories: Astronomy

How to Keep Your Home Cool in Extreme Heat

Tue, 06/24/2025 - 12:45pm

When extreme heat arrives, here are science-based tips to keep your home cool, from the most efficient way to use air conditioning to strategic uses of fans

Categories: Astronomy