Scientific American.com
Paxlovid COVID Treatment Is Most Beneficial for Unvaccinated People with Risk Factors. Others May Not Need It
A recent study suggests that Paxlovid is ineffective at treating symptoms in people with mild illness or those who have been fully vaccinated. It is still a lifesaving medication in vulnerable groups
Heat and Floods Are Increasingly Hitting Coastlines with a One-Two Punch
Compound events in which coastal flooding and heat waves occur at the same time are happening more often as the planet warms
Physicists Finally Know How the Strong Force Gets Its Strength
New discoveries demystify the bizarre force that binds atomic nuclei together
We Are Living in the Pyrocene, the Age of Fire that We Created
Ancient prophecies of worlds destroyed by fire are becoming realities. How will we respond?
Does Dark Energy Change over Time?
In just one year of observations, a program that is creating the largest 3D map of the universe to date has sniffed out hints that dark energy may be stranger than scientists supposed
What Is Pollution Doing to Our Brains? 'Exposomics' Reveals Links to Many Diseases
The new science of "exposomics" shows how air pollution contributes to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, bipolar disorder and other brain diseases
Space Junk from the International Space Station Struck a Home in Florida
Three years ago astronauts threw out the largest piece of trash ever tossed from the International Space Station. Now some of it has punched a hole through a house in Naples, Fla.
A Random Influx of DNA from a Virus Helped Vertebrates Become So Stunningly Successful
Insertion of genetic material from a virus into the genome of a vertebrate ancestor enabled the lightning-quick electrical impulses that give animals with backbones their smarts
Black Scientists Are Building Their Own Vital Communities
A person-centric scientific conference demonstrates that gathering can counter the isolation of underrepresentation
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