Scientific American

In a near-total lunar eclipse, the moon turned red-orange for viewers in North America, Europe and Africa

Flex your math muscles with this weekend’s brain teaser. Play now

Astronomers are lining up to leverage NASA’s soon-to-launch Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which boasts capabilities unlike any previous off-world observatory

Reading hasn't been around for long, evolutionary speaking. Instead, the brain recruits systems evolved for other purposes

NASA’s newest major observatory will include the most advanced planet-imaging tech ever flown in space. Here’s how it works

The disaster has claimed hundreds of lives, and at least 1,400 people are missing

The evidence in favor of and against video games promoting aggressive behavior is murkier than you might think

Recent changes to the implementation of the Endangered Species Act could put wildlife at risk

Spirals, ellipticals, irregulars, oh my!

It’s a weird meteorological coincidence on the heels of Dolly Parton’s death

Fossilized Galápagos corals show clear evidence that today’s El Niños are much stronger than those in the past

In a clinical trial, people with obesity saw clear health benefits on the keto diet that they didn’t see on two other popular eating regimens

The Nepal disaster appears to be a “cascading event,” where one hazard seems to have triggered another, experts say

A pair of new studies point to the role of early menopause and hormone treatment in cognitive decline, but more research is needed, experts say

Meta agreed to implement new safety measures, including a default two-hour daily limit for using Facebook and Instagram, for users under the age of 18

A massive flood potentially caused by a chunk of ice breaking off from a glacier has swept away bridges, schools, and other buildings and killed at least 160 people

According to a new poll, more Americans also think they have seen a UFO now than they did in the past 53 years

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the hardest to treat and most serious forms of cancer

Historian Jill Lepore explains what tech leaders miss in their favorite stories—and why the fight over AI data centers may be where the machine stops

New research shows that water becomes electrified as it slides down smooth surfaces, leading to corrosion

Jaw-dropping patient videos and miraculous testimonials ignited a frenzy in China over a technique that aims to improve drainage from the brain in dementia patients. Now it is entering trials worldwide

On the 20th anniversary of Pluto’s infamous demotion, Mike “Pluto Killer” Brown explains why any reversal of that decision would be driven more by nostalgia than science

The more scientists try to understand dark energy, the more its mysteries seem to grow. NASA’s newest space telescope is custom-built to crack the case

The Red Planet’s global geography of low-lying northern plains and rugged southern highlands seems to have surprisingly deep roots, with profound implications for Mars’s ancient habitability

Two robots beat Usain Bolt’s 100-meter-dash record—but likely couldn’t survive in the real world

In a 2023 podcast interview, Heidi Overton called for the creation of “alternate systems” for publishing research that would back conservative policy

This near-total eclipse will be visible from the Americas, Africa and Europe—here’s how to see it

A request for information from the Department of Health and Human Services seeks public input as to how vaccines are categorized

An investigation into the incomprehensibly, unfathomably large amount of money the U.S. owes

When fully grown, the octopuses that survive could eat up to four blue crabs per day in the Mediterranean Sea

A strengthening El Niño may surpass any seen since the 19th century and will usher in another record hot year or two

After a spike in infections in July, this explosive-diarrhea-causing outbreak may be coming to an end

The world’s oceans hit 21.10 degrees Celsius last Saturday, breaking a record set in 2024

Even as cases of diseases such as measles rise, childhood vaccinations are declining, thanks to changes in public health policies and antivaccine sentiment, experts say