Science
Scientific American
Dirty Little Secrets
Extremophile molds are invading art museums and devouring their collections. Stigma and climate change have fueled their spread
10+ min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Archaeology Is Reviving the Smell of History
How reconstructing long-lost smells connects us to the past
6 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Heal Injuries Faster
Toss out the old advice that rest is the best recovery strategy
4 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Can a Time Capsule Outlast Geology?
A ridiculous but instructive thought experiment involving deep time, plate tectonics, erosion and the slow death of the sun
10+ min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Fiery Amoeba
A newfound organism thrives in record-breaking heat
2 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
50, 100 & 150 Years
GIANT ATOMS
3 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Nature's Tile Shop
Life keeps evolving these geometric patterns
2 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Battle of the Breeds
A large dataset shows that some dog stereotypes are based in reality, and others might be unfair characterizations
1 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
The Milky Way's Disk Keeps Getting Weirder
The disk of our galaxy is not flat but warped and waving
5 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
A Winning Loser
If the cards shown here are rearranged to form four new poker hands of five cards each, what is the low- est possible winning or tying hand?
1 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Athletic Drill
Woodpeckers turn their entire bodies into tapping machines
2 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Growing Story
Ancient lichens might have paved the way for plants
2 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Smoke Detector
\"Sleepy lizards\" aren't so sleepy when it comes to fire
2 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
DEADLY MIRROR
A new form of life, eerily like us, is almost within reach of science. It could destroy our planet. Here's how to stop it
10+ min |
February 2026
Scientific American
The First Stars
Astronomers hope to soon spot the universe's earliest stellar inhabitants
9 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Is All Math Solvable?
Thousands of notoriously difficult problems in computer science are actually the same problem in disguise
7 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
The Neuroscience of the “Parenting Paradox”
Separate brain processes cope with moment-to-moment versus big-picture experiences, which helps to explain how parenting both increases and decreases aspects of well-being
5 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
AI Coding a Dyslexia Tutor
How one mom used a GPT to help her son learn his own way
7 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
The Hardest Problem
Bruised theories. Accusations of pseudoscience. Machines that claim to be sentient. The field of consciousness research could be on the verge of a revolution— or once again be relegated to the fringe
10+ min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Selective Sound
Why do some people with schizophrenia hear voices?
3 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Pressing Paws
Felines followed a winding path to domestication
3 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
A Bright Light in the Dark
IN DECEMBER I WAS IN STOCKHOLM, Sweden, for the Nobel Prize award ceremony, a celebration of science and discovery that feels like a national holiday in that country.
2 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Spider Illusionists
These webs appear to host their inhabitants' doppelgängers
1 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Collision Course
The ancient moon- forming planet Theia probably came from the inner solar system
3 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
R2-D2 Tweets
Droid-imitating birds test the limits of avian vocals
2 min |
February 2026
Scientific American
Probiotic Hope and Hype
Despite their popularity, supplements with billions of \"good\" microbes help only a few illnesses, research shows
3 min |
January 2026
Scientific American
Mondays Really Are More Stressful
The start of the workweek can be a biologically measurable stressor, with consequences for long-term health that can stretch into retirement
4 min |
January 2026
Scientific American
Tiny Display
An e-paper breakthrough brings extremely high-resolution color
2 min |
January 2026
Scientific American
Fine-Feathered Snack
A bat's tracker documents a dramatic midair hunt
2 min |
January 2026
Scientific American
OUR ROBOTIC PICTURE
Will mechanical helpers ever be commonplace at home, at work and beyond?
10+ min |