Scientific American.com

How an incorrect value of pi almost got codified into law

COVID and the 1918 flu pandemic gave us playbooks on how to prepare for the next pandemic. But we aren’t using it.

Mummy aroma may provide insight into social class and historical period, according to a team of trained mummy sniffers

The company says it has solved the first problem of scientific relevance with a quantum processor faster than could be done with classical computers—but others disagree

Critical minerals are in demand around the world for military, technological and other uses. A geoscientist shares what’s known about Ukraine’s reserves, which could help the country recover from war

Tech giants joined states and cities as a pillar of resistance on climate action during President Trump’s first term. Now the coalition is in turmoil

“Stand Up for Science” shows how science supporters are coming together

No new human cases of avian influenza have been reported, and poultry infections are low so far in March. But infections in cats are continuing, and new research is raising concerns about the virus

On COVID’s fifth anniversary, the U.S. is facing an outbreak of tuberculosis in Kansas that makes strong public health systems as important as ever.

A report from the Natural Resources Defense Council looked at how states balanced transportation needs with climate and equity efforts

Top advisers in NASA’s Office of the Chief Scientist are among the first to go amid a government-wide downsizing effort

A new report finds that butterfly populations in the continental U.S. declined by one fifth between 2000 and 2020—but it’s not too late

The U.S. National Academy of Sciences should denounce the antiscientific policies of the Trump administration

COVID’s emotional and educational strain on children still lingers, but educators and mental health specialists say they are far from a “lost generation”

Animal emotions—including joy—may be key markers of conscious beings

Despite headlines, there were fewer food recalls in 2024 than in 2023, but more people died from food poisoning linked to outbreaks

Microplastics can cut a plant’s ability to photosynthesize by up to 12 percent, new research shows

For the second time in two years, a commercial lunar lander built and operated by Intuitive Machines has fallen over on the moon

Mathematicians discuss some of the most compelling unsolved problems in the field

Masculinity isn’t “toxic” by itself, but the strain boys feel from society and parents to meet unrealistic expectations is