The universe is like a safe to which there is a combination. But the combination is locked up in the safe.

— Peter De Vries

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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: 10 hours 13 min ago

Why Working Out Is Good for Your Gut Microbiome

Wed, 06/18/2025 - 6:00am

We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat”—especially when it comes to gut health. But what if your workout matters just as much as your diet?

Categories: Astronomy

Flesh-Eating ‘Screwworm’ Parasites Are Headed to the U.S.

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 3:15pm

Screwworm parasites primarily infect livestock, but human cases have risen in Central America after the pests escaped containment

Categories: Astronomy

Scientists Find Universe’s Missing Matter in Intergalactic ‘Cosmic Fog’

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 2:00pm

Researchers have used cosmic explosions called fast radio bursts to illuminate the intergalactic medium

Categories: Astronomy

Wind and Solar Energy Are Cheaper Than Electricity from Fossil-Fuel Plants

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 12:00pm

Even without subsidies, renewable energy is staying competitive with power from gas and coal

Categories: Astronomy

Google AI Grant to iNaturalist Prompts Community Outcry

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:30am

The nonprofit iNaturalist announced that it received a $1.5-million grant from Google’s philanthropic arm to develop generative AI tools for species identification. The news didn’t go over well

Categories: Astronomy

Greenland’s Ice Sheet Collapse Could Be Closer Than We Think

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

The collapse of the world’s second-largest ice sheet would drown cities worldwide. Is that ice more vulnerable than we know?

Categories: Astronomy

Contributors to Scientific American’s July/August 2025 Issue

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

Categories: Astronomy

A Beginner’s Guide to Ethical and Sustainable Fashion

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Outsmart greenwashing with tips for more sustainable clothing

Categories: Astronomy

Science Crossword: Throwing Shades

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Play this crossword inspired by the July/August 2025 issue of Scientific American

Categories: Astronomy

Why the Climate Warming Goal of 1.5 Degrees C Isn’t a Lost Cause—Even If We Overshoot It

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Earth will likely warm by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, but we can’t give up on trying to get temperatures back down

Categories: Astronomy

Is It Possible to Treat Psychopathy Before It Starts?

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

New strategies help to reduce callous and unemotional traits in children, guiding them toward productive lives

Categories: Astronomy

Seeking Sustainable Fashion and Cracking a Greenland Mystery

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Inside this double issue of SciAm, you’ll find black holes that burp up their stellar meals, metal detectorists that hit pay dirt, hope for psychopathy, the truth about testosterone and a consumer guide to sustainable clothes shopping

Categories: Astronomy

Hotter Nights after Scorching Days Threaten Heart Health and Mental Well-Being

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

When nights stay hot, more people die, many from cardiovascular problems. But there are simple methods you can use to stay cooler and healthier

Categories: Astronomy

Why Some Black Holes Keep ‘Burping’ Light after Eating a Star

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

After black holes devour stars, sometimes the feast comes back up

Categories: Astronomy

Math Puzzle: Fill the Polygon

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Puzzle out the sequence of numbers that fill these polygons

Categories: Astronomy

Denmark Let Amateurs Dig for Treasure—And It Paid Off

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

The Danish government deputized private detectorists to unearth artifacts buried in farm fields. Their finds are revealing the country’s past in extraordinary detail

Categories: Astronomy

Poem: ‘Prayer to Fireflies’

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Science in meter and verse

Categories: Astronomy

The Fast Fashion Backlash Is Fueling a Sustainability Revolution

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Trade impulse clothing purchases for botanical dyes, upcycled apparel, creative mending, flexible sizing, and more

Categories: Astronomy

July/August 2025: Science History from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Toxic cigars; dueling with a swordfish

Categories: Astronomy

Readers Respond to the March 2025 Issue

Tue, 06/17/2025 - 9:00am

Letters to the editors for the March 2025 issue of Scientific American

Categories: Astronomy