Space ExplorationMarch 20, 2026
Andy Weir on Ryan Gosling, alien contact and the wild science of Project Hail Mary
The author of the novel Project Hail Mary breaks down aliens, anxiety and the process of bringing his story to the screen
Stories by Marta Hill
Marta Hill is the spring 2026 multimedia intern at Scientific American. Her work has appeared in Smithsonian Magazine, The Transmitter, Eos and elsewhere.
Materials ScienceFebruary 20, 2026
We all know ice is slippery. The physics behind it is more complex than you’d think
The reason we slip and slide on ice—a phenomenon central to figure skating, curling and other Winter Olympic events—is a centuries-old physics mystery that may have finally been cracked
AnimalsJanuary 14, 2026
Horses Can Smell Your Fear, Bizarre Sweat Study Finds
Horses that were presented with cotton pads soaked in a scared human’s sweat showed more signs of fear themselves