Scientific American

Psychedelics can create a new “hidden order” in brain activity that could explain how these drugs alter our sense of self

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will soon launch to unravel the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter

Researchers are finally learning the mechanism behind one of the most prescribed medicines in the U.S., primarily used to treat or prevent type 2 diabetes

Two American companies are pursuing rival manufacturing strategies for these long-promised cells in an industry China dominates

For decades, an influential theory blamed the Rapanui for their own downfall—a story made famous by Jared Diamond’s book Collapse. New evidence tells a different tale

The country’s latest mission, Chang’e 7, will be the first ever to land directly at the moon’s south pole. Whatever it finds there could radically reshape a new space race

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

Cryptographers use points along a curve to build tough codes

Testosterone is a longtime favorite of the bodybuilding crowd, but now the hormone is being touted for perimenopause, “looks maxxing,” and more

SpaceX and other companies want to put millions of satellites into space. Could orbit run out of room?

Music and math often come together in ways we don’t expect

The space agency’s Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, which studied cataclysmic cosmic explosions, is expected to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere later this year

The unicorn of the sea’s spiral tooth has long been a scientific enigma

Could this secret cellular weapon be the key to longevity?

The combined drug works by nudging the body’s own immune system to make proteins that attack and destroy melanoma cells

Neuroscience is revealing how our brains are wired for narrative

This study was originally published in 2024 and was criticized as being misleading by other scientists at the time

Five common microorganisms found on Earth could survive at the lunar south pole, a new study finds, presenting a contamination risk for future human missions

The same people affected by extreme weather are also likely to worry that they will face a future disaster, according to a new poll

The star S301 swoops so close to our galaxy’s supermassive black hole that it could, for the first time ever, reveal that dark behemoth’s rotation

Beijing’s success shows how close China is to the U.S. in the new space race

Companies are making big bets on technology to solve lingering challenges in the clean-energy rollout. Here are four of the most ambitious projects

Miniature models of the human brain can be kept alive for years, allowing scientists to study neural development and brain diseases

Overton is a medical doctor with ties to the “Make America Healthy Again” movement

Zipline’s tethered delivery system lowers packages from the sky. Now it has to show that people want the service

The SpaceX rocket fragment hit the moon at several times the speed of sound on August 5

Moiya McTier explores what makes human creativity unique in the age of AI

A recent change in ownership is an opportunity for SciAm to be even better and have some fun

The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule protects the nation’s forests from logging and other industry activities

Explore the Tetris paradox in this math puzzle

The conservative think tank’s report claims that high-intensity and elite sports training has lasting effects on menstrual cycles and fertility

Play this crossword inspired by the September 2026 issue of Scientific American

We are rightfully told to eat more fiber. But our depleted gut microbiomes may not benefit from superhigh levels

Golden Dome’s most audacious element would require a vast constellation of weapons that does not yet exist. Defense companies are already lining up to build it

Science in meter and verse

Letters to the editors for the April 2026 issue of Scientific American

From eclipse awe to vaccine debate, earthquake recovery and coffee’s benefits

Researchers have nailed down an elusive quantity called baryon number, which may be responsible for the cosmic mismatch between matter and antimatter

A new study shows that each neuron can do multiple computations at once thanks to hundreds of sprawling branches

China plans to send container ships along Russia’s northern coast, reviving environmental concerns about the fragile polar region

This study has been touted by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont as proof of the benefits of a universal, single-payer health care system, but the research hasn’t been peer-reviewed

In a retrospective study, people taking estrogen-only hormone therapy for menopause were less likely to see signs of dementia

El Niño years typically mean warmer ocean temperatures and less wind shear in some parts of the Pacific—and that means more potential for hurricanes

Follow all the latest updates about the August 12 eclipse with Scientific American

Betelgeuse, the sky’s most famous red supergiant, is well studied but poorly understood