The SciencesMay 1, 2012
Worth Pitching? Two pitches that made it to The New York Times
Stories by Charles Q. Choi
Charles Q. Choi is a frequent contributor to Scientific American. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Science, Nature, Wired, and LiveScience, among others. In his spare time, he has traveled to all seven continents.
The SciencesMay 1, 2012
Worth Pitching? Deception on LinkedIn
The SciencesApril 30, 2012
Worth Pitching? Impossible Math
April 27, 2012
Certainty Principle: People Who Hold False Convictions Are Better at Retaining Corrected Information
Researchers have used imaging technology to spy on the brain as it corrects strongly held beliefs, shedding light on how we might learn from our mistakes.
The SciencesApril 20, 2012
From the Writer s Desk: Storytelling on Story Collider, images
The SciencesApril 20, 2012
From the Writer s Desk: Storytelling on Story Collider
Mind & BrainApril 16, 2012
Hierarchy of Color Naming Matches the Limits of Our Vision System
The time needed for us to reach consensus on a color name falls into a hierarchy that matches the human vision system's sensitivity to red over blue, and so on
Mind & BrainApril 12, 2012
Visions: A Different Point of View
TechnologyApril 11, 2012
Visions: On the Run from Wolves
Space & PhysicsApril 1, 2012
A New Radio Telescope Will Scan for E.T's Calls
A giant telescope will soon begin its search for the first stars and galaxies
Space & PhysicsApril 1, 2012
Scanning for E.T.'s Calls
A giant telescope will soon begin its search for the first stars and galaxies
TechnologyApril 1, 2012
A New Crop of Digital Science Books Will Change the Way Students Learn
Next-generation science e-books may help keep young people engaged
March 21, 2012
Reign Check: Abundant Rainfall May Have Spurred Expansion of Genghis Khan's Empire
It is generally thought that changing precipitation patterns impacted the rise of the Mongols and their domination of the Eurasian continent in the 13th century--but was it rain or drought?
TechnologyMarch 1, 2012
New Ratings Site Mines Credit Card Data
The site uses credit card data in an effort to make a more reliable, objective measure of customer trust in a store or restaurant
HealthFebruary 7, 2012
Custom-Designed Proteins Could Counteract Chemical Weapons
Computational design of new enzymes could lead to cheap and efficient degradation strategies for chemical warfare agents that we have not seen yet
TechnologyFebruary 3, 2012
A Modest Proposal: Contact Lenses for Virtual Reality on Smartphones
TechnologyFebruary 3, 2012
Virtual Reality Contact Lenses Could Be Available by 2014
The tiny full-color megapixel displays could be the ultimate computer interface for troops--transparent and hands-free
Space & PhysicsJanuary 31, 2012
Gigantic Radio Telescope to Search for First Stars and Galaxies
The array could be the most complex and versatile radio telescope ever attempted, with the capacity to sweep the entire northern sky in 45 days for low-frequency radio waves
The SciencesJanuary 24, 2012
From the Writer s Desk: The Dangers of Press Releases, Follow-Up
The SciencesJanuary 24, 2012
From the Writer s Desk: The Dangers of Press Releases
Space & PhysicsJanuary 20, 2012
Catching a Gravity Wave: Canceled Laser Space Antenna May Still Fly
The ambitious Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, a casualty of tightening budgets, could rise again
HealthDecember 27, 2011
Case Closed? Columbus Introduced Syphilis to Europe
Syphilis was one of the first global diseases, and understanding where it came from and how it spread may help us combat diseases today
Space & PhysicsDecember 23, 2011
Solar Wind May Explain Planet Mercury's Puny Magnetic Field
Computer models suggest a so-called dynamo process in the planet's molten core is dampened by the solar wind
Space & PhysicsDecember 5, 2011
Monster Black Holes Are Most Massive Ever Discovered
The discovery, of objects 9.7 billion solar masses large or more, suggests there is still much to learn about how monster black holes grow