New Issue: Orbital Catastrophe Ahead? Read Now

In Case You Missed It

Top news from around the world

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

ITALY

Europe’s most restless volcano, Mount Etna, is slowly sliding into the sea under its own weight. If part of it collapses suddenly, researchers say it could trigger megatsunamis in the Mediterranean Sea.

INDONESIA


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


The construction of a hydro electric dam and power plant in North Sumatra’s Batang Toru forest caused orangutans from an endangered, newly described species to flee the project site. The government has sent guards to monitor the apes, which have built their nests on local plantations.

THE NETHERLANDS

A court of appeals in The Hague has ruled that the Dutch government needs to take action to help stop climate change. The ruling states that the country must reduce greenhouse gas emissions to at least 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.

BULGARIA

The world’s oldest intact shipwreck was discovered at the bottom of the Black Sea, off the coast of Bulgaria. Radiocarbon analysis suggests the wood vessel dates back to 400 B.C.

KAZAKHSTAN

An astronaut and a cosmonaut escaped a Russian spacecraft that experienced a launch failure shortly after takeoff. Nick Hague and Alexey Ovchinin landed safely after their capsule made an emergency separation from the rocket.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

Health authorities detected the first polio outbreak in Papua New Guinea in 18 years. The three cases were identified in Morobe Province, where sanitation is limited and vaccine coverage is low.

Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism

Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.

When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.

Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber

Thank you,

Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American

Subscribe