EvolutionMay 1, 2013
Recommended: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
Stories by Marissa Fessenden
Marissa is a freelance science journalist in Bozeman, Montana. She was an editorial intern with Scientific American from June 2012 through June 2013. Follow on Twitter @marisfessenden
The SciencesMay 1, 2013
Ants Misbehaving: Argentine and Asian Ants Battle for U.S. Dominance
In a fierce battle for dominance, Asian needle ants are displacing other species and threatening U.S. ecosystems
The SciencesApril 1, 2013
Patent Watch: Solid-State Light Source Lightbulb
April 1, 2013
Recommended: The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st-Century Bestiary
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
EvolutionApril 1, 2013
In the Field: A Biologist Who Counts Wild Yaks
A wildlife biologist ventures to the Tibetan plateau to count wild yaks
April 1, 2013
Recommended: Adrenaline
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
March 18, 2013
Is Cancer Contagious? Could Hugo Chávez Have Been Deliberately Infected?
The late Venezuelan president implied that his enemies gave him cancer. Katherine Belov, an expert on transmissible cancer in Tasmanian devils, says that is unlikely—but not impossible
The SciencesMarch 14, 2013
Massive Resistance: Bed Bugs' Genetic Armor Shields Them from Pesticides
The nocturnal pests are equipped with a large array of genes that thwart chemical sprays, but scientists are probing for weaknesses
The SciencesMarch 11, 2013
A Silver (Actually Cesium) Lining: Traces of Fukushima Disaster Fallout Help Scientists Track Tuna
Radioactive cesium from Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster shows up in bluefin tuna off the California coast, offering researchers a way to follow the fish's migratory history
HealthMarch 5, 2013
Yes, a Child Has Been Pronounced Cured of HIV—but Can It Be Duplicated?
A baby born exposed to the AIDS-causing virus received aggressive treatment that appears to have cured the child, and promises to spark new avenues for future research as well
The SciencesMarch 2, 2013
Crawl Space: Invasive Ant Armies Clash on U.S. Soil
One of the most aggressive invasive ants in the world seems to have met its match in North Carolina--but if the arthropod challenger prevails, don’t expect it to play nice
EnvironmentMarch 1, 2013
Recommended: Storm Kings
March 1, 2013
Recommended: Red Rover
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
The SciencesMarch 1, 2013
A Statistician Brings Data-Driven Thinking to Criminal Justice
A statistician brings data-driven thinking to the science of criminal justice
March 1, 2013
Patent Watch: A Heart Monitor in Your Phone
HealthFebruary 22, 2013
Food Delivers a Cocktail of Hormone-Like Signals to Body
HealthFebruary 13, 2013
Can Early Deep-Brain Stimulation Surgery Help More Parkinson's Patients?
Implanting electrodes that stimulate deep regions of the brain during early stages of Parkinson’s appears to alleviate some problems with movement, but there are risks
The SciencesFebruary 8, 2013
The Joy of Fungal Sex: Penicillin Mold Can Reproduce Sexually, Which Could Lead to Better Antibiotics
Penicillin-producing fungus, previously thought to be asexual, has a sexual side. The finding is the latest in a kind of sexual revolution in fungal genetics
February 1, 2013
Recommended: Blackett's War
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
February 1, 2013
Mist Opportunity: A Journey to the Arctic and Sahara to Learn How Dust Contributes to Cloud Formation [Slide Show]
A trip to Iceland and a flight over the Sahara Desert help an atmospheric scientist study dust particles that seed clouds
February 1, 2013
Patent Watch: System and Method for Aquaculture of Marine Life Forms
The SciencesFebruary 1, 2013
Human and Katydid Ears Are Remarkably Similar
Katydid ear structures resemble those of humans
The SciencesFebruary 1, 2013
Recommended: Weird Life
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
HealthJanuary 1, 2013
Does the Bacterium behind Cat Scratch Fever Cause Chronic Fatigue?
The microbe that is known to cause cat scratch fever remains cloaked in mystery