Space & PhysicsJanuary 17, 2017
Is It Time to Give Up on Dark Matter?
There is still good reason to think undiscovered fundamental particles act as gravitational glue for galaxies.
Stories by Michael D. Lemonick
Michael D. Lemonick is a freelance writer, as well as former chief opinion editor at Scientific American and a former senior science writer at Time. His most recent book is The Perpetual Now: A Story of Amnesia, Memory and Love (Doubleday, 2017). Lemonick also teaches science journalism at Princeton University.
Climate ChangeDecember 6, 2016
An Open Letter from Scientists to President-Elect Trump on Climate Change
More than 800 Earth scientists and energy experts (and counting) urge the incoming president to take six crucial steps
Space & PhysicsDecember 1, 2016
The Year in Planetary Science
Take a light-speed trip through the solar system to catch up on 2016’s biggest stories from our celestial neighborhood.
Produced with support from Explore Scientific
Space & PhysicsDecember 1, 2016
Hidden “Planet X” Could Orbit in Outer Solar System
In the far reaches of the solar system, a hidden planet larger than Earth may be lurking
CultureNovember 3, 2016
Say It with Einstein
You know the physicist—now meet the emoji
Space & PhysicsJuly 6, 2016
Watch It, Jupiter--Juno Knows What You're up to
The actual space mission is amazing, but the mythology behind it is kind of racy
Space & PhysicsMay 12, 2016
The Real Truth about Hillary, UFOs and Area 51
Scientific American's Clara Moskowitz explains things to Chris Matthews on Hardball
The SciencesApril 4, 2016
It's Square Root Day! Prepare to Be Somewhat Underwhelmed...
It's kind of like Pi Day, but way, way less fun
Space & PhysicsFebruary 1, 2016
Hidden "Planet X" Could Orbit in Outer Solar System
In the far reaches of the solar system, a hidden planet larger than Earth may be lurking
The SciencesJanuary 26, 2016
It's Doomsday Clock Time Again
The much-hyped virtual timepiece will stay at three minutes to "midnight"—but what does that actually mean?
Space & PhysicsJanuary 20, 2016
Strong Evidence Suggests a Super Earth Lies beyond Pluto
Astronomers have found compelling hints of a huge, unseen world that may reside in the murky reaches of the Kuiper Belt
The SciencesJanuary 13, 2016
Everyone but Me Loves Thing Explainer
Geeks the world over can’t get enough of the book by XKCD cartoonist Randall Munroe—but in my book, one page was more than enough
Space & PhysicsDecember 1, 2015
Superstars of the First Galaxies
Emerging evidence suggests that the first starlight to shine after the big bang’s flash came from distant suns that ranged from very large to incredibly huge
Space & PhysicsAugust 24, 2015
Alien Transit Systems May Be a Giveaway in the Search for ET
A Harvard professor devises a scheme to detect extraterrestrials by tracking how they might commute from one world to the next
EnvironmentApril 23, 2015
Scientists Turn to Drones for Closer Look at Arctic Sea Ice
The new technologies allow new measurements of this changing environment
Space & PhysicsNovember 1, 2014
Kuiper Belt Missions Could Reveal the Solar System’s Origins
For the first time, spacecraft will get an up-close look at comets, asteroids and dwarf planets from the distant Kuiper belt. These probes should reveal how the solar system came to be
Space & PhysicsAugust 1, 2014
Astronomers Searching for Exoplanets Hope to Find Earth 2.0
The galaxy is teeming with planets. Scientists are straining to peer into their atmospheres to seek signs of extraterrestrial life
Space & PhysicsMay 21, 2014
Backlash to Big Bang Discovery Gathers Steam
Physicists cast doubt on a landmark experiment’s claim to have observed gravitational waves from the big bang
Space & PhysicsApril 1, 2014
The First Stars in the Universe
Not long after the big bang's flash, all light left the cosmos. Astronomers are now solving the mystery of its return
The SciencesOctober 1, 2013
Book Review: Life at the Speed of Light
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
Space & PhysicsOctober 1, 2013
Book Review: Five Billion Years of Solitude
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
Space & PhysicsJuly 1, 2013
Astronomers Search for Signs of Life in the Skies of Distant Exoplanets
The galaxy is teeming with planets. Scientists are straining to peer into their atmospheres to seek signs of extraterrestrial life
EnvironmentJune 1, 2011
"I Stick to Science": A Climate Researcher's Unexpected Congressional Testimony
Why Richard A. Muller wouldn't tell House climate skeptics what they wanted to hear
EnvironmentMay 1, 2011
7 Radical Energy Solutions
The failure rate may be 90 percent, but if any of these exotic technologies succeeds, it could significantly improve energy security and efficiency