The SciencesDecember 1, 2011
Physics or Fashion? What Science Lovers Link to Most
Science aficionados have odd and surprising interests
Stories by Mark Fischetti
Mark Fischetti was a senior editor at Scientific American for nearly 20 years and covered sustainability issues, including climate, environment, energy, and more. He assigned and edited feature articles and news by journalists and scientists and also wrote in those formats. He was founding managing editor of two spin-off magazines: Scientific American Mind and Scientific American Earth 3.0. His 2001 article “Drowning New Orleans” predicted the widespread disaster that a storm like Hurricane Katrina would impose on the city. Fischetti has written as a freelancer for the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian and many other outlets. He co-authored the book Weaving the Web with Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, which tells the real story of how the Web was created. He also co-authored The New Killer Diseases with microbiologist Elinor Levy. Fischetti has a physics degree and has twice served as Attaway Fellow in Civic Culture at Centenary College of Louisiana, which awarded him an honorary doctorate. In 2021 he received the American Geophysical Union’s Robert C. Cowen Award for Sustained Achievement in Science Journalism. He has appeared on NBC’s Meet the Press, CNN, the History Channel, NPR News and many radio stations.
EnvironmentNovember 16, 2011
Can U.S. Cars Meet the New 54 mpg CAFE Standards? Yes They Can
November 16, 2011
Physics or Fashion? What Science Lovers Link to Most [Interactive]
Science aficionados have odd and surprising interests
TechnologyNovember 1, 2011
Computers versus Brains
Computers are good at storage and speed, but brains maintain the efficiency lead
EnvironmentOctober 31, 2011
World Population Set to Hit 9.1 Billion in 2050
Forecasters expect to see a total of 9.1 billion humans on Earth by 2050
TechnologyOctober 25, 2011
IBM Simulates 4.5 percent of the Human Brain, and All of the Cat Brain
A special online-only addition to November 2011's Graphic Science
EnvironmentOctober 12, 2011
Feed the World, Save the Planet
EnvironmentOctober 12, 2011
How to Double Global Food Production by 2050 and Reduce Environmental Damage
Five steps, reflected in the maps below, could be taken to help feed the large population predicted for 2050 as well as reduce the sizeable harm agriculture imposes
ComputingOctober 6, 2011
A Video Moment of Silence for Steve Jobs
Starring a 23-year-old Macintosh SE
October 4, 2011
Stolen Data: How Thieves Get Your Identity and Other Information
A special online-only addition to October 2011's Graphic Science
TechnologyOctober 1, 2011
Data Theft: Hackers Attack
Crooks may seek your identity, but "hacktivists" cause the blockbuster breaches
EnvironmentSeptember 1, 2011
The Efficient City
Municipalities worldwide are exploiting a host of creative solutions to reduce energy consumption, water use, waste and emissions, while also making it easier for people to get around
EnvironmentSeptember 1, 2011
The Human Cost of Energy
Fossil fuels exact the biggest toll in terms of lives lost
August 31, 2011
The Health Care Burden of Fossil Fuels
A special online-only addition to September 2011's Graphic Science
EnvironmentAugust 25, 2011
Bold Solutions Make Real Cities More Efficient [Interactive]
Municipalities worldwide are introducing a host of creative solutions to reduce energy consumption, water use, waste and emissions, while also making it easier for people to get around. Choose a feature to learn more, and to find an exemplary city and link about progress
The SciencesAugust 16, 2011
The Smartest Cities Will Use People as Their Sensors [Video]
By networking individuals and their gadgets, urban apps will tell inhabitants what is happening all around them, in real time
EnvironmentAugust 15, 2011
Review: New Documentary Explains Engineering Failures That Drowned New Orleans during Katrina
EnvironmentAugust 1, 2011
Radiation from Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices [Graphic]
A special online-only addition to August 2011's Graphic Science
EnvironmentAugust 1, 2011
Bombarded: Electromagnetic Radiation of Our Own Making Fills the "Empty" Air
HealthJuly 7, 2011
Female Education Reduces Infant and Childhood Deaths
Smarter maternal decisions prevent leading causes of mortality
HealthJuly 1, 2011
Baby's Life, Mother's Schooling: Child Mortality Rates Decline as Women Become Better Educated
Child mortality rates decline as women become better educated
HealthJune 15, 2011
The Nose Knows: How Malaria Mosquitoes Sniff Out Human Targets [Slide Show]
Researchers are learning much more about how Anopheles gambiae, the primary malaria mosquito, uses its smell organs to find human targets; the work involved stunning images from scanning electron microscopes
EnvironmentJune 1, 2011
How Close Do You Live to a Nuclear Reactor? [Interactive map]
The U.S. has 104 operating nuclear reactors. Most are more than 30 years old; 23 have the same containment design as Japan's Fukushima Daiichi plants that were breached by the March earthquake and tsunami; and a handful are close to intense earthquake zones. Another 22 new reactors have been proposed. Click on a state to find the exact location of the existing (or possibly new) reactor nearest you. —Mark Fischetti
TechnologyJune 1, 2011
Will the Internet Stop on June 8?
Companies and individuals have gobbled up nearly every Internet protocol address available