Scientific American.com
Readers Respond to the December 2024 Issue
Letters to the editors for the December 2024 issue of Scientific American
See How Drought Whiplash Led to California Wildfires
California is experiencing wider swings between wet and dry spells
Contributors to Scientific American’s April 2025 Issue
Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories
AI Needs to Be More Energy-Efficient
Artificial Intelligence uses too much energy. Developers need to find better ways to power it or risk adding to the climate crisis
Is ChatGPT a Drug? Metaphors Show What Students Think of AI
Analyzing the metaphors we use to talk about ChatGPT can reveal how we’re thinking about the new tech
How I Diagnosed My Rare Neurological Condition after Decades of Hiding It
A personal quest and progress in brain science finally put a name on baffling behaviors
Science Crossword: Blacked Out
Play this crossword inspired by the April 2025 issue of Scientific American
A New Picture of Schizophrenia Emerges, and So Do New Ways to Treat It
As a complex picture of schizophrenia emerges, so do new ways to treat the disorder
‘Dark Matter’ May Be a Whole Shadow World of Mysterious Atoms and Forces
Dark matter could be an entire dark sector of the universe, with its own particles and forces
Smarter Flood Protection Is Inspired by Nature
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has uncharacteristically been working with nature instead of bulldozing it into submission. Will this enlightened approach prevail?
Dinosaur Armor and Weaponry Was Even More Impressive Than Researchers Thought
Studies of the horns, spikes, plates and clubs of dinosaurs could help settle a long-standing debate over their function
mRNA Vaccine Technology Appears Targeted under Trump and RFK, Jr.
Scientists say that officials from the National Institutes of Health urged them to remove references to mRNA vaccine technology
Medicaid Cuts Kick Down on People Caught in the Opioid Epidemic
Proposed cuts to Medicaid could undo advances in treatment for opioid use disorders, risking more overdoses, deaths and stress on the U.S. health system
Fiji Iguanas Crossed the Ocean from the Americas Millions of Years Ago
A genetic analysis reveals that Fiji’s iguanas are most closely related to lizards living in North America’s deserts. How is this possible?
Scientists Create ‘Pockets’ of Music from Inaudible Ultrasound Waves
Inaudible ultrasonic beams steered around obstacles can create pockets of sound in an otherwise quiet room, acoustics experts report
Should Kids Do Chores?
They may tell us they hate chores, but kids who help around the house report feeling accomplished and competent, not to mention happy
World's First Carbon Capture Plant Powered Directly by Wind Planned
A planned project in Texas could be the world’s first direct air capture development to rely primarily on electricity produced on site by wind power
New Form of Parkinson’s Treatment Uses Real-Time Deep-Brain Stimulation
A new form of “adaptive” deep-brain stimulation adjusts itself based on the brain’s unique signals
