Scientific American.com

The Link between Weather and Migraines Explained by a Neurologist
A neurologist explains why weather changes from heat waves to thunderstorms might bring on painful headaches
China Powers AI Boom with Undersea Data Centers
China is pulling ahead of the rest of the world in sinking data centers that power AI into the ocean as an alternate way to keep them cool
Cosmic Explorer, Laser Breakthroughs and the Next Generation of Gravitational-Wave Research
After 10 years of gravitational-wave research, the LIGO Lab team at MIT is getting ready for the next generation of detectors.
Aging Rates Vary by Country. Politics Might Be Why
Social inequality and the decay of democratic institutions are linked to accelerated aging, but education seems to slow the process
AI Weather Forecasts Missed the Texas Floods, and Trump NOAA Cuts Will Stymie Research
The Trump administration wants to reduce the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s budget by $2.2 billion, eliminating research that might help advance AI weather models
Monster Black Hole Merger Is Most Massive Ever Seen
A U.S. gravitational wave detector spotted a collision between fast-spinning “forbidden” black holes that challenge physics models
Pneumonic Plague Infections in Modern Times Show the Black Death Isn’t Dead
A person in Arizona recently died of pneumonic plague—a rare and severe form of the disease. An expert explains how the bacteria that spurred the Black Death centuries ago continues to claim lives
Bird Flu Is Killing Wildlife, and Experts Fear the Ecological Toll
Bird flu fears have focused on the poultry and dairy industries and human health. But wild animals are threatened, too—at scales no one fully understands
Could Bird Flu Spread between Humans? Here’s What It Would Take
The H5N1 avian flu is circulating in cows and other mammals. Whether it will make a permanent leap to humans is another question
Bird Flu Is out of the News but Still Circulating
Bird flu was nearly everywhere in the U.S.—in chickens, cows, pet cats and even humans. Cases have gone down, but experts warn that it hasn’t disappeared
How Influenza Reassortment May Make Bird Flu More Dangerous
Influenza viruses like bird flu can mix and match their genomes, and this has played a role in at least three of the last four flu pandemics
Doctors Discover New Blood Type—And Only One Person Has It
Newly discovered “Gwada-negative” is the rarest of 48 known blood groups
Earth’s Poles Have Shifted because of Water Dams
When large masses of water are moved from one place to another, this changes the shape of Earth and leads to a phenomenon called true polar wander
Texas Failed to Spend Federal Aid for Flood Disaster Protection
Many states, including Texas, have not used billions of dollars from FEMA intended to reduce damage from flooding and other disasters
Science-Backed Ways to Deal with Stress
Better assessment of stress and tailored approaches to combat it could give clinicians the tools they need to fend off lasting damage to health
Vibrio Bacteria in Beach Water Can Make You Seriously Ill
Illnesses from stealthy pathogens known as Vibrio are advancing northward along numerous coasts, potentially ruining your summer vacation
DeepMind’s AlphaGenome Uses AI to Decipher Noncoding DNA for Research, Personalized Medicine
This AI system can analyze up to one million DNA letters at once, predicting how tiny changes in noncoding regions trigger everything from cancer to rare genetic disorders—and potentially revolutionizing personalized medicine
What New Biological Age ‘Clocks’ Say about Longevity, according to Eric Topol
Super Agers author Eric Topol unpacks the rise of biological age tests—from organ clocks to immune system clocks—and how they might revolutionize early diagnosis of disease
Weight Stigma Persists for Some Patients after Bariatric Surgery
While bariatric surgery can result in significant weight loss, weight stigma can persist years after the surgery.