Scientific American.com
How Do Tides Shape Earth and the Solar System?
The ocean’s twice-daily rise and fall is only the most obvious effect of tides—they slow Earth’s spin and shape stars and galaxies, too
Measles Is Back, and That’s Scary
The deadly virus was practically eliminated in the U.S., but now it’s infecting more people.
Scientists Found a Way to Supercharge Cancer-Fighting Cells
The bioengineered immune players called CAR T cells last longer and work better if pumped up with a large dose of a protein that makes them resemble stem cells
How Will EPA’s New Rule about ‘Forever Chemicals’ Protect Your Drinking Water?
A new EPA rule will limit PFASs, or “forever chemicals,” in your drinking water for the first time. Here’s what that means for you
Why Some People Always Get Lost—And Others Never Do
Experience may matter more than innate ability when it comes to a sense of direction
U.S. Carbon Removal Needs Have a $100-Billion Price Tag—Per Year
The U.S. needs to vastly increase taxpayer spending on direct carbon removal technology to meet President Biden’s climate goals, the Rhodium Group says
Why We Believe the Myth of High Crime Rates
The crime issue, a focus of the 2024 presidential election, is sometimes rooted in the misplaced fears of people who live in some of the safest places
Did the Eclipse Give You the Amateur Astronomy Bug? Here’s How to Get Started
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, a professional astronomer, talks about her own adventures in astrophotography—and offers tips and tricks for new amateur astronomers.
Climate Action Is a Legal Obligation, European Court Rules
The European Court of Human Rights found that climate change is a human rights issue, providing a blueprint for Europeans to force their governments to tackle rising temperatures
Peter Higgs, a Giant of Particle Physics, Dies at 94
The Nobel Prize-winning theorist’s prediction of the Higgs boson sparked a half-century quest of discovery that reshaped physics—and our understanding of the universe
Why Batteries Come in So Many Sizes and Shapes
A rectangular nine-volt battery is basically just a bunch of smaller batteries in a trench coat
How a Theory about Climate Change Led to The Feminine Mystique
In 1958 Betty Friedan wrote an article that changed science journalism—and her career
Animal ‘Queens’ Reveal Surprising Complexities of Social Power
In a new nature documentary about matriarchal species, the males are mostly absent
Ring This ‘Fish Doorbell’ to Help Migrating Animals Get Through a Dutch Canal
An online underwater livestream lets worldwide volunteers ring a “fish doorbell” to help fish fulfill their reproductive missions
Think Seeing Is Believing? Think Again
We think that what we see represents stone-cold reality. Science has found out how wrong we can be.
An Eclipse Is a Moment of Solitude—Even When You’re in a Crowd
Even among hundreds of people, experiencing an eclipse is a joyous solitude
Rural Americans Are Dying at Increasingly Higher Rates Than City Dwellers
The urban-rural mortality rate gap in the U.S. is increasing, especially among young women and Native Americans. Limited access to health care could help explain why
Recycle Your Eclipse Glasses to Share the Awe with Others
The nonprofit Astronomers Without Borders is collecting gently used eclipse glasses through Warby Parker and other sites to enable people to see future eclipses
How Likely Is a Major Earthquake in New York City—And Is the City Prepared for It?
After an unexpected magnitude 4.8 earthquake rattled the New York City area, questions abound regarding how likely it is that a major earthquake could occur there and whether the city is prepared
No Spoilers, Please! Why Curiosity Makes Us Patient
Curiosity makes people hungry for knowledge—but not necessarily in a hurry