Scientific American.com
December 2024: Science History from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago
Alcohol in space; basking in the limelight
Book Review: An Expansive New Translation of a Haruki Murakami Classic
In End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland, the title is flipped, but cyberpunk pleasures remain
How the Science of Curiosity Boosts Learning
Understanding curiosity can help people—and robots—learn faster
Concussions Are Remarkably Common and Can Cause Long-Term Problems
New diagnostic techniques can pick up these brain injuries and ensure people get help
Horse Domestication Story Gets a Surprising Rewrite
Archaeological and genetic discoveries topple long-standing ideas about the domestication of equines
Book Review: How Oak Trees Warn Us about the Limits of Adapting to Climate Change
Oak trees have genetic flexibility that allows them to solve ecological problems. But even they will need our help to survive climate change
Curiosity, Horses and Hypochondria
Discovering weird new shapes, turning oil rigs into reefs and making the ocean absorb more greenhouse gases
Contributors to Scientific American’s December 2024 Issue
Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories
Readers Respond to the July/August 2024 Issue
Letters to the editors for the July/August 2024 issue of Scientific American
Famous Star Hasn’t Formed Planets, and We Don’t Know Why
The nearby star Vega, featured in the 1997 movie Contact, appears to have a smooth disk devoid of giant planets for reasons we can’t explain
Exotic Powder Pulls Carbon Dioxide from the Air at a Record Rate
A unique crystalline compound soaks up CO2 with great efficiency
Trump’s Energy Pick, a Fracking Executive, Could Stymie Renewable Development
Chris Wright, CEO of a fracking services company and Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Energy, has said “there is no climate crisis”
Enjoy Holiday Food without the Anxiety
Food anxiety can peak during the holidays. Here’s how to manage it and enjoy yourself
Climate Change Is Altering Animals' Colors
Lizards in France have grown lighter in color and so are many insects and birds across the globe. The effects of a changing climate are plainly visible throughout the animal kingdom
Drought across the U.S., H5N1 in Canada and Uranus Data Reevaluated
A serious bird flu infection in Canada, a troubling projection of future plastic waste and dispatches from a global climate convention.
Some Counties Voted for Trump and Approved Climate and Conservation Measures
Four counties in Florida that voted for Trump also voted to conserve open space, reduce flood damage and protect habitat
The Arecibo Message, Earth’s First Interstellar Transmission, Turns 50
In 1974 we beamed a radio transmission into space that changed the way we think about our place in the cosmos
Fun Facts about Teeth across the Animal Kingdom
Anglerfish have invisible fangs, narwhal tusks are extra-long canines, and more facts from the weird and wonderful study of teeth will astound you
Curly-Tailed Cats Communicate with an ‘Accent’
A genetic mutation makes some cats’ tail curl over their back, giving them something akin to an accent when they communicate with other kitties
Ending NASA’s Chandra Will Cut Us Out of the High-Resolution X-Ray Universe
The Chandra X-ray Observatory is facing closure. Shutting it down would be a loss to science as a whole
