
Can technology optimize companionship? A novelist imagines the extreme answer
Author Sarah Pierce explores dating apps, loneliness and human connection through a novel about a corpse-matching algorithm
Fonda Mwangi is an award-winning senior multimedia editor at Scientific American and showrunner of Science Quickly. She previously worked at Axios, the Recount and WTOP News. She holds a master’s degree in journalism and public affairs from American University in Washington, D.C.

Can technology optimize companionship? A novelist imagines the extreme answer
Author Sarah Pierce explores dating apps, loneliness and human connection through a novel about a corpse-matching algorithm

The hackers protecting America’s water supply
Cybersecurity experts are volunteering to keep America’s utilities safe from attacks

NASA launches Roman Space Telescope to uncover the universe’s biggest mysteries
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on a mission to probe dark energy, hunt for distant worlds and transform our view of the universe

The Endangered Species Act is getting weaker
Recent changes to the implementation of the Endangered Species Act could put wildlife at risk

Sperm health may matter more for pregnancy than we realized
New recommendations spotlight sperm’s role in recurrent miscarriage

Melting Arctic ice, threatened forests and the growing toll of extreme weather
Forests, extreme weather and the realities of a warming world

Researchers test magic mushrooms as an anorexia treatment
Researchers are exploring whether magic mushrooms could offer a new treatment for anorexia

How the history of human creativity can help us navigate the age of AI
Moiya McTier explores what makes human creativity unique in the age of AI

Total eclipse wonder, vaccine misinformation and the strongest case yet for coffee
From eclipse awe to vaccine debate, earthquake recovery and coffee’s benefits

Could humans learn a language made entirely of music?
Linguists explain how a language built from musical notes could convey complex meaning and even support conversation

SpaceX moon crash, water utility cyberattacks and a new mRNA flu shot
Scientists analyze an accidental SpaceX impact on the moon as cyberattacks target U.S. water systems and a new mRNA flu vaccine is approved by the FDA

Why experts are worried cigarette smoking could be making a comeback among Gen Z
Smoking rates remain low, but experts say social media, stress and shifting attitudes could be fueling a cigarette revival

Your salad could make you sick. Your protein obsession might not help, either
An outbreak of Cyclospora infections tied to produce spreads across multiple states as new research challenges the protein maxxing craze

The untold science and drama of Lewis and Clark’s expedition
Historian Craig Fehrman unpacks the science, politics and human stories behind one of America’s most famous expeditions

Sciencey summer books we love: Pompeii, quantum physics, and more
SciAm books editor Bri Kane shares her favorite science books for every summer mood

The science books our editors can’t stop recommending this summer
From ecohorror to science-inspired poetry, discover the books Scientific American staffers are recommending this summer

Are we too afraid of the sun? Scientists rethink sun exposure risks and benefits
Could sunlight actually improve your health? New research suggests we may need to rethink total sun avoidance

How viruses may reshape the body’s ‘soil’ to promote cancer growth
Everyday viral infections may be quietly reshaping the body’s network of molecules that support cells and tissues in ways that can raise cancer risk over time

Inside the high-stakes effort to bring natural grass to World Cup stadiums
How scientists are engineering the perfect World Cup pitch—one so flawless that players never notice it

World Cup kicks off amid outbreak tracking as Mars mission ends and AI fights heat up
World Cup crowds spark outbreak tracking as AI tensions rise and ancient Rome’s roads get a stunning reboot

How elevators, pizza and card shuffles reveal the surprising math of everyday life
From slow elevators to perfectly split pizza, math quietly explains the quirks of everyday life

A new Ebola outbreak has killed hundreds—and the U.S. response is alarming experts
A deadly Ebola outbreak is spreading fast—and U.S. cuts to foreign aid are making it worse

What our phones, playlists and AI companions reveal about being human
A new look at how everything from handwriting to AI quietly reshapes our bodies, habits and sense of connection

Putting a nuclear reactor on the moon: big promise, bigger challenges
Nuclear power could enable long-term lunar missions, but NASA’s timeline may be too ambitious