Scientific American

Seasonal changes have more effects on your biology and behavior than you might realize

The Nancy Grace Roman Telescope will probe dark matter and dark energy, discover exoplanets and study stars

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

Sermorelin, tesamorelin and other growth hormone peptides are being touted as antiaging elixirs, but what evidence is behind those claims?

The Roman Space Telescope will spend more than a quarter of its time staring at the Milky Way’s bulge, a star-packed central region of our galaxy that may swarm with small, rocky exoplanets

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

Play a bonus science crossword that ties into even more stories from the September 2026 issue of Scientific American.

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on a mission to probe dark energy, hunt for distant worlds and transform our view of the universe

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

The human brain has upward of 86 billion neurons, connected by some 100 trillion synapses

In its hunt for dark matter, the XENONnT experiment has detected the rare, feeble glow of neutrinos smacking into electrons

Here are four reasons solar energy has seen a meteoric rise in recent years

How many times do you have to fold a piece of paper to make a doughnut? After decades, a mathematician has determined the most efficient technique

After a flawless launch, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on a mission to solve some of the universe’s biggest mysteries

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

Our obsession with ‘maxxing’ every aspect of our lives could actually be stressing us out

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will open a whole new window on the cosmos. Here are 10 things it’s likely to show us

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

Seven Rasmussen, an astrobiologist and author of the new book Cloudy with a Chance of Starships, gives readers a tour of the astonishing science behind modern searches for alien life

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

School districts are banning AI, states are limiting educational technology in classrooms, and Meta will set new “school mode” restrictions — here’s what to know

The fast-growing private-school network is handing much of instruction over to artificial intelligence. Researchers say the science is far from settled

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

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

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

Spirals, ellipticals, irregulars, oh my!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A groundbreaking study hints at a hazy boundary between “life” and “non-life,” as well as two distinct origins of biology on Earth

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

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