Scientific American

OpenAI released 10 AI-generated results over the weekend. Some mathematicians are unhappy with their approach

The backlash raises a bigger question for science communicators: Where should AI fit into their work?

A solution to part of the Cohen-Lenstra conjecture helps resolve a long-standing mystery about quadratic forms

After 49 years in space, NASA’s Voyagers are running low on power—but an audacious move should extend the tenures of the two spacecraft

This new cache of material includes footage of a U.S. military plane’s infrared display recorded during an exercise over the Gulf of Oman in 2021

This technique could lead to new treatments for antibiotic-resistant bugs, but some scientists say the technology could be misused

The last common ancestor of all living things may not have been alive at all

Dogs are known to recognize and respond to human facial expressions, but a new study shows how deeply they understand our mood

This flu shot, mFlusiva, was shown in a clinical trial to be up to 27 percent more effective than a standard flu jab

One in six people are thought to experience loneliness, and that can have a serious knock-on effect on their mental and physical health

This summer has been marked by multiple outbreaks of foodborne illness, with thousands of infections and two deaths arising from cyclosporiasis and hundreds of cases of Salmonella infections

One in 7,000 people carry this gene mutation

This behaviour may shed light on one of the defining features of our own species: our extraordinary relationships with other animals

A puzzle about dots on a page led to one of the most profound areas of modern math

This artificial intelligence system largely accomplished the task it was built to solve, and researchers outside DeepMind have already been carrying its work forward

The Arctic is heating faster than the rest of the planet. New data illustrate how dire that is

New guidelines say testing sperm for DNA damage could help explain recurrent pregnancy losses

Folding a piece of paper makes it thicker. How many folds would it take to reach the moon—and beyond?

Psychedelic-assisted therapy could open a new path for treating cocaine use disorder, which has no approved medications yet

Scientists analyze an accidental SpaceX impact on the moon as cyberattacks target U.S. water systems and a new mRNA flu vaccine is approved by the FDA

Charles Darwin predicted in 1875 that some members of the Saxifraga genus could be carnivorous—now scientists have finally proven him right

Europe is full of buried explosives left over from 20th century wars, and the continent’s wildfires are now big enough, hot enough and last long enough to reach them

If humans are to spend more time in space, scientists need to understand how life in microgravity affects eating and drinking

A rare fossil find shows a tooth embedded an ichthyosaur’s vertebra, where it was likely left when a giant pliosaurid chomped down on this dolphin-resembling reptile

A fundamental law of human language has now been found in both songbirds and whales

This sweet film uncovers bitter disagreements among urban ecology and conservation experts that go way beyond just one owl

Some female daddy longlegs will perform fellatio, perhaps to avoid potential violence from males, while males of another species entice females with a secretion on their penises

A U.K. safety evaluation found agents powered by Anthropic and OpenAI took unauthorized actions online, exposing a growing problem of control

While “protein maxxing” is all the rage, reducing your protein intake could add years to your life

Dry conditions and climate change are putting forests across the country at risk for disaster

Scientists analyzing modern genomes may have found a long-lost branch of the human family tree

This marks only the second extinct ice age amphibian found in North America—and it gives researchers vital information about the ancient climate

A proof-of-principle experiment used concentrated sunlight to produce entangled photons

Musk outlined his vision to investors after SpaceX posted a $542-million loss from its space launch sector in its first quarter as a public company

An active ingredient in magic mushrooms, psilocybin has shown early promise for treating eating disorders

Here’s everything you need to know about this eclipse, from the weather to the best viewing locations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn’t had a full-time leader in almost a year

Mountain lions (also known as cougars or pumas) make roads safer by scaring deer and elk that can cause collisions with cars into more remote areas

A million-dollar math mystery may someday be resolved in a physics lab. A new study brings this vision one step closer.

Strange whirlpools of plasma seen in the sharpest images ever captured of our star help explain the deep origins of Earth-threatening space weather and more

Most of the world’s population carries at least a little Neanderthal DNA

It may be time to rethink our relationship with the sweet stuff

Fauci previously served as the chief medical officer to President Joe Biden and led the U.S. COVID pandemic response effort during the first Trump administration