
Each atom in the universe might be unique
Long-held assumptions tell us that atoms with the same number of protons, neutrons and electrons are indistinguishable, but one physicist wants to put this idea to the test
K. R. Callaway is an editorial intern at Scientific American. She specializes in science, health, history and policy.

Each atom in the universe might be unique
Long-held assumptions tell us that atoms with the same number of protons, neutrons and electrons are indistinguishable, but one physicist wants to put this idea to the test

See the National Park Service’s newest canine rangers
Sled dogs have worked alongside humans for thousands of years. In the harsh Alaskan winter they remain the best option for traversing the snowy landscape

This sulfurous hell world might change the way we classify exoplanets
An oddity among exoplanets, L 98-59 d is (so far) in a class all its own, but astronomers expect powerful new telescopes will eventually reveal more like it

The leader of NASA’s Psyche mission has tips for interplanetary team building
Lindy Elkins-Tanton, principal investigator of NASA’s Psyche mission, explains in her new book how lessons from interplanetary exploration can help people solve problems together

Why the FDA rejected a ‘breakthrough’ melanoma drug
The FDA rejected the promising skin cancer drug RP1 twice, leaving many puzzled and worried about what this means for other drug approvals

A major humpback whale rescue effort is attempting to do something extraordinary
Rescuers had called off the effort to save “Timmy,” a humpback whale that had stranded in the Baltic Sea last month. But now a last-ditch attempt to move the creature by barge is underway

How darkness might save migratory birds
Light pollution is dangerous for birds flying over towns and cities. Here’s how you can help

Plants can ‘hear’ rain coming, spurring them into action
Even before water reaches them, the sound of droplets triggers germination in rice plants

Songbirds reveal the dark side of making new brain cells as adults
A new study in songbirds might help explain why humans don’t generate many new brain cells, called neurons, as adults

How far from humanity were the astronauts of Artemis II? The answer will surprise you
Artemis II’s crew went farther from humanity than anyone has been before. Here’s how one scientist determined whom, specifically, they were farthest from

How the wildlife trade boosts the chance of a disease jumping from animals to humans
Decades of data reveal that animals involved in the wildlife trade—from pet sales to meat markets to illegal poaching—are much more likely to carry pathogens that can infect humans

How NASA’s moon mission could help transform space medicine
Artemis II’s AVATAR experiment will see organs-on-a-chip travel to the moon and back, revealing how such a journey affects the body’s cells

Stunning images reveal a massive coral reef for the first time in more than a century
These incredible corals form what may be one of the world’s largest reef systems—and researchers have a plan to restore it

A curious secret of color vision revealed by scientists
Knowing how your eye optimizes vision could have big implications for the progression of nearsightedness

Artemis II’s toilet is a moon mission milestone
On their voyages to the moon, NASA’s astronauts are finally getting some creature comforts of terrestrial toilets—such as having a door and being able to pee and poop simultaneously

Earth’s magnetic field may be more powerful than we thought
A major defense against everything space throws at us, Earth’s magnetic field may even protect the moon from damaging galactic cosmic rays

Dangerous microbes could be getting a hidden boost from climate change
Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are increasing, and a new study finds that extreme weather may be juicing their rise

There might be less water on the moon than we’d hoped
New satellite data come up dry as the search for lunar ice continues

The curious math that explains why fashion trends always come back around
Fashion’s 20-year trend cycle isn’t just based on vibes; it can be mathematically modeled

A boom in gravitational waves leaves scientists with more questions than answers
A new data release more than doubles the number of gravitational-wave candidate events—and reveals unexpected complexities of merging black holes

The real reason there are no snakes in Ireland
It wasn’t Saint Patrick but a long history of chilly weather and geographic isolation that kept the Emerald Isle snake-free

Spaceflight supercharges viruses’ ability to infect bacteria
Viruses develop tricks to attack bacteria without the help of gravity

Scientists created a digital library full of ants
Using a synchrotron powered CT scanner, the Antscan project created an open-source digital library cataloguing thousands of 3D ant specimens

Ring the Fish Doorbell to help migrating fish navigate a Dutch canal
A Dutch lock is closed for the spring, and its employees want you to tell them when migrating fish come knocking by ringing a digital doorbell