Some voting districts are tilted intentionally toward one party or another—a factor in the midterms. Geometry plays a critical role in gerrymandering
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The world’s biggest dark matter search saw a particle it cannot explain
Sermorelin, tesamorelin and other growth hormone peptides are being touted as antiaging elixirs, but what evidence is behind those claims?
The Trump administration has so far been silent on flu, COVID and RSV vaccine guidance for the coming season, even as these diseases kill thousands of people every year
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The findings, which were made in mice, may offer a new way to prevent a common chemotherapy side effect that can last well beyond treatment
Author Sarah Pierce explores dating apps, loneliness and human connection through a novel about a corpse-matching algorithm
The world is set to blow past the Paris Agreement’s longtime threshold “within the next few years,” according to a new report
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Giving old mice semaglutide—commonly sold as Wegovy or Ozempic—extends their lifespan remarkably, a new study finds
In a critical maneuver on Thursday, the mission successfully deployed its two science orbiters—beginning the final phases of its arrival at Mercury
A floating island in a Canadian reservoir moved more than 30 kilometers across the water—here’s why
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Seasonal changes have more effects on your biology and behavior than you might realize
The endangered animals displayed a first in raccoons and their kin
Experts explain why a monsoon storm turned so deadly
The strange structure appears to have formed recently, but nobody can explain exactly why
After one of the worst natural disasters in the region’s history, attention is turning to the looming super El Niño
The human brain has upward of 86 billion neurons, connected by some 100 trillion synapses
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“My earliest smell memory comes from the first plastic drinking glass I sipped from. I can vividly recall the sharp, kind of tangy smell and taste. It wasn't exactly pleasant and was very noticeable.”
— Paula
A recent CDC analysis says that, between 2016 and 2024, the rate of high blood pressure among pregnant women rose by 73 percent
Scientists named this oddball creature after the Demogorgon from Stranger Things
The Nancy Grace Roman Telescope is headed toward a Lagrange point, a critical position in outer space where gravitational forces behave in specific ways
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Math Puzzle: A puzzling picture
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Cybersecurity experts are volunteering to keep America’s utilities safe from attacks
The proposed changes, which would have given control of science funding to appointed bureaucrats, were criticized widely by the scientific community
The Nancy Grace Roman Telescope will probe dark matter and dark energy, discover exoplanets and study stars
September 2026 Issue
Around 15,000 satellites currently circle Earth, but nearly two million satellites are planned to launch in coming years. This precipitous rise will bring Internet access to many who lack it but could also have dangerous consequences for astronomy, our planet's atmosphere—and the future use of Earth orbit.
Elsewhere in the issue: The Spy Telescope Hunting for Dark Matter | What Really Happened on Easter Island? | How Clean Tech Became Unstoppable
Play a bonus science crossword that ties into even more stories from the September 2026 issue of Scientific American.
In a near-total lunar eclipse, the moon turned red-orange for viewers in North America, Europe and Africa
Avalanches like the one that devastated parts of Nepal and Tibet are becoming more common thanks to climate change. Here’s where else is at risk
The disaster has claimed hundreds of lives, and at least 1,400 people are missing
Spirals, ellipticals, irregulars, oh my!
After a flawless launch, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on a mission to solve some of the universe’s biggest mysteries
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
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
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
Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the hardest to treat and most serious forms of cancer
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
In its hunt for dark matter, the XENONnT experiment has detected the rare, feeble glow of neutrinos smacking into electrons
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
Two robots beat Usain Bolt’s 100-meter-dash record—but likely couldn’t survive in the real world
NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will open a whole new window on the cosmos. Here are 10 things it’s likely to show us