Scientific American.com
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 have 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
What’s the Roundest Object in the Universe?
Finding a perfect sphere is actually pretty difficult
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Arecibo Message
On the 50th anniversary of the “Arecibo message,” we present a reflection on humankind’s first attempt to send a transmission to intelligent life in the cosmos.
What RFK, Jr.’s Health Cabinet Position under Trump Might Look Like
Federal health scientists voice concern over an anticipated takeover by medical skeptics in Trump’s second administration
What Bird Flu in Wastewater Means for California and Beyond
Wastewater in several Californian cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, recently tested positive for bird flu. But understanding disease risk and exposure to humans isn’t so straightforward
This ‘Human Computer’ Created a System for Measuring Vast Distances in Our Universe
Visual artist Anna Von Mertens looks to astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt and her vision of the universe for inspiration
Generative AI Could Generate Millions More Tons of E-Waste by 2030
Generative AI could saddle the planet with heaps more hazardous waste
