Fossil Fuels Must Be Phased Out to Avoid Drowned Coastlines
New research suggests rising oceans could swamp the world’s coasts by the end of the century—sooner than previously anticipated
Stories by David Biello
Tiny Ocean Plants Geoengineer Brighter Clouds
Marine life seems to create a reflective sunshade above the Southern Ocean
70 Years Since the First A-Bomb, Humanity Still Lives in Its Afterglow
Iran’s attempt to develop nuclear weapons will not be the last challenge faced in a journey that began with the world’s first fission bomb test during World War II
Zero Carbon or Bust
Scientists remind policy makers that CO2 pollution must end--and soon
Book Review: The Only Words That Are Worth Remembering
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
Flight Takes Off across the Pacific Powered Only by Sunshine
A solar-powered plane will fly for an estimated five days and nights—or ditch in the ocean
The U.S.'s Quietest Places
If you are looking for some quiet zones in America, then this map is for you. National Park Service researchers recorded and mapped ambient sound from all over the country.
Why Carbon Is the Best Marker for the New Human Epoch
Black balls that litter the planet may prove the best marker for a new geologic epoch recognizing humanity's outsized impacts
![A Multitude of Microscopic Wonders Discovered in the World's Oceans [Slide Show]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/611054DF-86D4-4E4F-829EFAE3F9AA8F45_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
A Multitude of Microscopic Wonders Discovered in the World's Oceans [Slide Show]
The four-year study took thousands of samples at hundreds of sites
BP Oil Spill Responsible for Gulf of Mexico Dolphin Deaths
New autopsy results confirm mass dolphin strandings largely stemmed from BP's 2010 Macondo well blowout
![Nuclear Power Seems Doomed to Dwindle in the U.S. [Infographic]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/71CA4370-D368-4EF3-AFAEFD9928118FEF_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
Nuclear Power Seems Doomed to Dwindle in the U.S. [Infographic]
The transformer fire at Indian Point Energy Center on the Hudson River is just the latest incident plaguing the U.S. nuclear industry
How to Prevent More Deaths When the Earth Quakes
The solutions are simple but not easy to adopt, as the Nepal example shows
Wheat Genes Could Bring Back Chestnut
Scientists have introduced genes into the American chestnut from wheat that help disarm the fungus that killed almost all three billion of the trees in the eastern U.S. David Biello reports
How Microbes Helped Clean BP's Oil Spill
The microscopic organisms bloomed in the wake of the Macondo well disaster
![What to Wear to Swim in America's Most Polluted Waters [Video]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/ED93DD85-9018-440B-A6425FCC5183D948_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
What to Wear to Swim in America's Most Polluted Waters [Video]
A swim with sewage aims to call attention to cleaning the Gowanus Canal, and other polluted waters in the U.S.
Small Screen Looks at an Electrified America
Scientific American's David Biello hosts a new episode of the TV series Beyond the Light Switch, focusing on the means to and effects of a more electricity-powered country. Steve Mirsky reports
Oil May Have Killed Gulf Dolphins
Mass deaths likely stemmed from the BP spill in 2010, researchers say
Can the U.S. Go All-Electric?
New homes wired with the latest smart gadgets cluster together around shared park spaces. Blue-black panels that transform sunshine into electricity grace a majority of roofs.
Gulf Seafood Officially Safe, but Questions and Oil Linger
Testing of shrimp, crabs and fish, among other seafood harvested in the Gulf of Mexico, continues
How BP's Blowout Ranks among Top 5 Oil Spills in 1 Graphic
BP's Macondo well disaster was bad but U.S. oil addiction is worse
