Scientific American

How did we get here?

Some mathematicians have predicted when humanity’s downfall might occur—though the circumstances are unspecified

The first participant has been treated in a landmark clinical trial of cellular reprogramming, which aims to rejuvenate aging cells

The great American brain drain could define science for a generation

Mikhail Verbitsky was detained at an Armenian airport last Thursday on charges of inciting terrorism

There are bright futures ahead for our first-ever Young American Scientist honorees

Dogs spontaneously aid struggling humans the way young children do—whereas cats wait until they stand to benefit

Start your morning with today’s Spellements. Create as many words as you can from our daily selection of letters—including one tied to recent science news. Play now.

Scientific American used expert recommendations and data analysis to identify 28 exceptional early-career researchers

Billions of emerging insects will likely trigger predator population surges—but some species mysteriously opt out of such bounties

This partnership marks the latest foray into space exploration for Relativity Space, which aims to build cheap, reusable rockets

Robots and AI are running experiments around the clock, from battery chemistry to cancer therapies. But can they be trusted to get it right?

Famed AI wins in Go let human players rethink their moves in a whole new way

Even if you aren’t going to be within the path of totality, you can still watch the solar eclipse as it happens with Scientific American

Some countries have seen a stark decline in academic freedom over the past decade

Early research suggests that some mental health conditions could stem from metabolic disorders. If so, the findings could change how we treat mental illness

A cold, cherry-blossom-hued exoplanet supports bizarre clouds chock-full of salts

Fable 5 was built to help with advanced cybersecurity work. Its sudden shutdown highlights a dilemma at the heart of AI security: the same tools can aid both defenders and attackers

A galaxy appears to be missing the invisible substance thought to hold such objects together, further challenging long-held assumptions about how galaxies form

People are increasingly turning to AI for mental health support—but its design is “antithetical” to mental health care, experts say

These young scientists are making waves in their own ways. Keep an eye on them—great things are ahead

Galapagos sharks have been spotted scrubbing off parasites with help from manta rays

Tropical Storm Arthur is the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season and will bring heavy rains and potential flash flooding to the Southeast

Understanding the behavior of supermassive black holes

Why the human brain can't fathom what it means to be a trillionaire

Graves of hunter-gatherers in Siberia point to a deadly disease outbreak dating to some 5,500 years ago, a new DNA analysis finds

Exploring ice cores to foresee the effects of climate change

Neuroscientist Kauê M. Costa talks about surprising results that are changing how we think dopamine works and how the brain really learns

The Trump administration is mulling new rules that would give political appointees final say on research grants

It’s a complicated time to be a young scientist in America. Lessons from history can tell us what the future might hold

Novo Nordisk said this security incident affected patient data, including health information and birth year

This sparkling galaxy is home to a set of supernova remnants that showed variable brightnesses over 14 years of data

Scientists have modeled the potential size of this current outbreak, which some experts think could become one of the worst Ebola epidemics on record

Find the lengths of the sides of the square in this math puzzle

The former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention talks about threats to U.S. science and ways they can be stopped

The noted robotics expert discusses the need for better communication to the public on the value of basic science

The Internet pioneer talks about tenure and publications and shares what needs to change for U.S. science to forge ahead

In his final interview, the “swashbuckling” geneticist pointed the way for science

The noted virologist talks about how to rebuild the U.S. scientific enterprise

The Fermilab physicist on curiosity and doing what you love

Creating AI platforms to discover new therapeutics

On steering the path forward for research and innovation

The Nobel laureate shares how artificial intelligence will change the way science is done

The Department of Energy official discusses what will drive tomorrow’s innovation

The director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory discusses changing the pace of scientific research

Characterizing the “Little Red Dots” to decipher the beginnings of galaxies

The famed climatologist talks about how science in the U.S. is under attack

The well-regarded meteorologist shares advice for young scientists to become as good at communication as they are at discovery

Formulating software for the study of plant genomes