Scientific American

How to Understand Your Child’s Screenings for Autism and Other Conditions

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0000

The predictive value of childhood screenings for autism and other conditions depends on how common the condition is, a limit that parents need to understand

The Brain Really Does Choke Under Pressure

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 18:30:00 +0000

Study links choking under pressure to the brain region that controls movement

Vote for Kamala Harris to Support Science, Health and the Environment

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 16:15:00 +0000

Kamala Harris has plans to improve health, boost the economy and mitigate climate change. Donald Trump has threats and a dangerous record

Caterpillars Sense Hungry Wasps’ Electrical Field

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:45:00 +0000

Predators’ electricity gives caterpillars an early warning

Understanding the Origins of Life on Earth Could Help Find Life beyond It

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:30:00 +0000

We can’t yet tell how life got its start on Earth. That’s one great reason to keep looking for life elsewhere

AI Could Help Save Us from Conspiracy Theories, and Massachusetts Could Help Save Us from Our Trash

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

AI fights conspiracy theories, Massachusetts leads the way on waste reduction, and more in this week’s science news roundup

Summer 2024 Was the Hottest Ever Measured, Beating Last Year

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 20:00:00 +0000

The year 2024 could easily shape up to be the hottest ever measured, climate scientists say

A Huge Tsunami Caused by a Thinning Glacier Created a Seismic Event for Nine Days

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Scientists have traced a baffling monotonous planetary hum that lasted for nine days back to a glacier in Greenland

Elon Musk Owes His Success to Coming in Second Place

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, owes his superstar success to self-satisfied competitors who blew obvious opportunities

Is a Supermoon Really Special?

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 10:45:00 +0000

Supermoons are popular in the media, but are they really so different from how our extraordinary moon ordinarily appears?

Astrophotography Tips from an Astronaut on the International Space Station

Fri, 13 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

NASA flight engineer Matthew Dominick’s astrophotography helps us see our world—from space.

The Devil in the Details, Chapter One: The Doctor Who Said No to Thalidomide

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Starting with her rejection of an FDA application for thalidomide in 1960, physician and pharmacist Frances Oldham Kelsey took a stand against the now infamous drug

Scientists Will Engineer the Ocean to Absorb More Carbon Dioxide

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 13:05:00 +0000

A research consortium plans to revive geoengineering trials of the controversial iron fertilization technique to pull carbon dioxide from the air, despite public backlash

Polaris Dawn Astronauts Perform First Private Space Walk in a Stellar Success for SpaceX

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:35:00 +0000

The world’s first commercial space walk, performed by billionaire Jared Isaacman and SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis, tested new technology and was practically flawless

Why This Great Mathematician Wanted a Heptadecagon on His Tombstone

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Mathematician Gauss left behind a trophy case of mathematical achievements to highlight on his tombstone, but above all he wanted a regular heptadecagon etched on it

Abortion Could Be Banned Nationwide If Trump Resurrects This Zombie Law

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Using the Comstock Act to nationally ban abortion would defy modern public opinion and the law’s historical interpretation, experts say

What Giant Data Breaches Mean for You

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 10:45:00 +0000

The security expert who created Have I Been Pwned? shares advice for protecting sensitive data

Europa Clipper, NASA’s Mission to Jupiter’s Oceanic Moon, Is ‘Go’ for Launch

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 17:30:00 +0000

The Europa Clipper spacecraft is only weeks away from lifting off on an epic voyage to one of the solar system’s most enigmatic and enticing moons

Presidential Debate Features Fracking while Climate Change Is Mostly Ignored

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 16:15:00 +0000

Donald Trump all but ignored climate change at Tuesday’s presidential debate while Kamala Harris voiced support of both fossil fuels and increased clean energy spending

How Retinol Cosmetics Change Skin at a Chemical Level

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Experts explain the differences between popular retinol products and the way they trigger molecular changes deep in the skin

PFAS in Pesticides Could Pose a Greater Multigenerational Threat Than DDT

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

A looming and poorly regulated PFAS threat comes from these chemicals’ common use in pesticides on farms nationwide

Mars Missions May Be Blocked by Kidney Stones

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 10:45:00 +0000

Astronauts may have the guts for space travel—but not the kidneys

How Forensic Scientists Continue to Identify 9/11 Victims 23 Years after the Attacks

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Forensic scientists are still working to identify victims of the 9/11 attacks using advancements in technology and techniques developed over the past two decades.

The World’s First Nuclear Clock Could Unlock the Universe’s Dark Secrets

Wed, 11 Sep 2024 04:00:00 +0000

After decades of work, physicists have finally broken into the atom to build the first nuclear clock

Kamala Harris’s Ascent Shows How Political Hardball—And Smart Polling—Pays Off

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000

So far, enthusiasm for the Harris campaign has vindicated Democratic Party elites’ decision to push Joe Biden out of the race. Was this just a lucky guess based on political vibes? Or were there actual data supporting the decision?

Polaris Dawn Astronauts Launch on Daring Private Mission

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000

Polaris Dawn’s astronauts will travel farther from Earth than anyone since the early 1970s and will attempt the world's first private spacewalk

Nicotine Analogs Pose Possible Health Risks Yet Evade Regulation

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:45:00 +0000

Nicotine analogs allow e-cigarette makers to avoid traditional tobacco product regulations. But data on their safety in humans are lacking

Brewing Hurricane Francine Heads toward Louisiana, Ending Atlantic Hurricane Lull

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 22:20:00 +0000

Tropical Storm Francine formed on Monday, ending a lull in the Atlantic hurricane season. It is expected to hit Louisiana as a hurricane

How Wildfires Create Rain and Change the Weather

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 19:10:00 +0000

Because wildfires create their own wind patterns, they can also spawn their own weather. Here’s how it works

The First Person to Receive an Eye and Face Transplant Is Recovering Well

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 15:00:00 +0000

A man who received a partial face and eye transplant after a serious accident does not have any vision in the transplanted eye, but the eye itself is still alive

A New Quantum Cheshire Cat Thought Experiment Is Out of the Box

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

The spin of a particle seems to detach and move without a body—a strange experimental observation that’s stirring up debate

We Must Secure Our Future in a Hotter, More Dangerous World

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Defending the U.S. is much more complicated in an era of climate change

Invasive Jellyfish Clones Overrunning British Columbian Lakes; Measles Cases Increasing in Oregon

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

This week’s news roundup: Jellyfish clones are multiplying in British Columbia’s lakes, measles cases are on the rise in Oregon, and a new study finds cell phones aren’t linked to brain cancer.

U.S. Deaths from Heat Are Dangerously Undercounted

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

By vastly understating the number of heat-related deaths, medical officials make it harder to improve heat safety and save lives

Boeing’s Starliner Crew Mission Returns to Earth, but Its Astronauts Are Still in Space

Sat, 07 Sep 2024 04:01:00 +0000

Starliner’s first crewed test flight has concluded with a successful touchdown—and two astronauts still in orbit awaiting a different ride home

The Surprising Benefits of Gossip

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 11:30:00 +0000

Social scientists are uncovering the intricate group dynamics of gossip

Atlantic Hurricane Lull Puzzles Scientists

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Meteorologists predicted a busy Atlantic hurricane season—and a recent lull in activity doesn’t negate that

Lunar Swirls Arise from Ancient Underground Force Fields on the Moon

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:45:00 +0000

Wispy whorls on the moon’s surface are as lovely as they are strange. Scientists are starting to unravel their origins

How to Balance Caregiving for Loved Ones with Personal Well-Being

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 10:00:00 +0000

Caring for aging loved ones brings its own set of emotional and physical hurdles. Experts offer guidance on finding support.

Learn How Astronauts Take Photos from NASA Flight Engineer Matthew Dominick

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 20:30:00 +0000

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick speaks with Science Quickly host Rachel Feltman about how he captures jaw-dropping images from space

Scientists Make Living Mice’s Skin Transparent with Simple Food Dye

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 20:30:00 +0000

New research harnessed the highly absorbent dye tartrazine, used as the common food coloring Yellow No. 5, to turn tissues in living mice clear—temporarily revealing organs and vessels inside the animals

The U.S. Should Teach Kids to Think Logically

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Training in symbolic logic is critical in many careers, for responsible citizenship and better lives. It is also an underexploited antidote to today’s bizarre conspiracy thinking

School Phone Bans Are Extremely Popular. Here’s What the Evidence Says

Thu, 05 Sep 2024 10:45:00 +0000

As a result of phone bans, millions of students will stuff their phones into fabric pouches this fall

Brutal Southwest Heat Wave Will Extend Streak of 100 Days of 100 Degrees F

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 18:50:00 +0000

Summer has been brutally hot in the Southwest, toppling records set just last year, and the heat isn’t over yet

How Testosterone Changes the Immune System in Trans Men

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:15:00 +0000

A small study of transgender men taking testosterone revealed changes in immune pathways involved in responding to viruses and inflammation

The Search for Dark Matter Just Got a Lot Harder

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:00:00 +0000

Dark matter may be lighter in mass than once hoped

Black Hole Detectors Fulfill Moore’s Law

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 13:00:00 +0000

A famous prediction that microchips improve exponentially over time can be applicable in unrelated developments, such as the technology used to discover colliding black holes

Why Do Cats Hate Water?

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Not all cats are hydrophobic

The Olympics Breaking Fiasco Undermined Serious Hip-Hop Artists and Scholars

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:00 +0000

The “Raygun” Olympics fiasco points to how hip-hop scholarship is at risk of being colonized and undermined in academia

Cutbacks to U.S. Antarctic Science Risk Geopolitical Shifts at the South Pole

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 10:30:00 +0000

Reductions to American research at the South Pole could affect the politics of the southernmost continent