
Video reveals orcas smashing fish to smithereens, possibly for fun
The behavior could be a strategy to help younger orcas feed, or it may just be for their own amusement, researchers say
Jackie Flynn Mogensen is a breaking news reporter at Scientific American. Before joining SciAm, she was a science reporter at Mother Jones, where she received a National Academies Eric and Wendy Schmidt Award for Excellence in Science Communications in 2024. Mogensen holds a master’s degree in environmental communication and a bachelor’s degree in earth sciences from Stanford University. She is based in New York City.

Video reveals orcas smashing fish to smithereens, possibly for fun
The behavior could be a strategy to help younger orcas feed, or it may just be for their own amusement, researchers say

This tiny, forgotten organ could help us live longer, healthier
A hormone produced by the thymus helps tamp down age-related inflammation, a new study in mice found

U.S. cities have the worst air quality in the world right now—here’s how to stay safe
Wildfire smoke may be as much as 10 times more dangerous than other forms of air pollution, research suggests

Ancient Egyptian princesses were ‘powerful’ weapon users, new analysis suggests
These findings challenge a long-held belief about weapons found in female burial sites

Scientists discover a ‘remarkable’ new monkey species with orange lips and a froglike roar
The new species, Colobus congoensis, may already be endangered

The Perseid meteor shower aligns with a total solar eclipse this year—here’s how to see it
Skygazers are in for a treat in August, as one of the most spectacular meteor showers coincides with a total solar eclipse

NASA’s Hubble reveals a black hole hiding inside a massive star cluster in the Milky Way
Scientists have long suspected that this star cluster was a hotspot for a certain kind of black hole. But for decades, they had been unable to spot any

The science of why this summer has been so blistering hot
Record-breaking heat waves are beginning to blur together—here’s why and what’s making them so unbearable

Why ‘Neil the seal’ is unleashing chaos in Tasmania
This one-ton elephant seal has gone viral for smashing into cars and infrastructure, but biologists have a more poignant explanation for his behavior

Should you be taking creatine?
The sport supplement is popular among health influencers and athletes, who say creatine can help build stronger muscles and sharper brains—but is it legit?

Did our modern human ancestors and Neanderthals share a common culture?
Both Neanderthals and Homo sapiens may have shared tools and behavioral practices, new research suggests

Global ocean temperatures are entering ‘uncharted territory,’ climate scientists say
Sea surface temperatures in late June reached nearly 70 degrees Fahrenheit on average, shattering records

Scientists just unveiled ‘cyborg’ cockroaches that can breathe underwater for hours
The bionic bugs could be called up for aquatic search and rescue missions, according to the researchers

New York City could see its hottest weather in more than a decade
Temperatures in New York City’s Central Park haven’t surpassed 100 degrees Fahrenheit since 2012; but that may be about to change

France just hit its hottest day ever recorded
Scorching temperatures across France rose to a record-breaking average 30 degrees on Wednesday

Celebrate Father’s Day with seven whimsical and weird animal dads
From tiny hamsters to giant salamanders, here are some of the most unusual examples of fatherhood across the animal kingdom

Japan’s 2011 earthquake was so powerful that it shifted the entire country’s location
This “extraordinary” event was likely caused by seismic waves bouncing off Earth’s core, researchers found

The surprising science history behind New York City’s ticker-tape parades
On Thursday Knicks fans are flocking to Manhattan for a ticker-tape parade. But where did ticker tape even come from?

Could this ancient burial site be the oldest lethal plague outbreak?
Graves of hunter-gatherers in Siberia point to a deadly disease outbreak dating to some 5,500 years ago, a new DNA analysis finds

Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk breach exposed patients’ clinical trial data
Novo Nordisk said this security incident affected patient data, including health information and birth year

Armita Manafzadeh
Investigating the shape and evolution of animal joints

Earth’s permafrost could soon release hidden ‘deep carbon,’ supercharging warming
Melting permafrost is releasing carbon into the atmosphere, but scientists may have underestimated just how bad the situation may be, a new analysis finds

Meet LEV-2, a baseball-sized and absurdly cute moon robot
This tiny robot might look like a high-tech hamster ball, but it could hasten lunar exploration

The U.S. is getting hit with severe stormy weather—here’s what’s stewing in the atmosphere
Cold fronts colliding with warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico could cause dangerous weather conditions, forecasters say