Out with the Bad Science
NPR science journalist Richard Harris talks about his book, Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope and Wastes Billions.
Stories by Steve Mirsky
Jupiter's Moon Total Hits 79
The International Astronomical Union reports that there are now 79 known Jovian moons, with a dozen found last year.
A Look at the Inner Lives of 13 Species of Animals You Think You Know
Animals' inner lives are stranger than we can imagine
Favorite Wine Grapes May Need Genetic Help
Wine book author Kevin Begos explains that just a few varieties of wine grapes dominate the industry, which leaves them vulnerable to potentially catastrophic disease outbreaks.
Sharks Make a Splash in Brooklyn
Visitors can see and learn about sharks and their environment in the new "Ocean Wonders: Sharks!" facility at the Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium.
AI, Robotics and Your Health
At the second Science on the Hill event, AI, Robotics and Your Health, experts from academia and the private sector talked with Scientific American Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina about the future of AI and robotics in medicine.
Prez (of AMA) Issues Call to Arms-Science
At the AMA annual meeting the organization's president petitioned for an evidence-based, science-driven analysis of gun violence and solutions.
A Book That Bills Itself as "the Definitive Field Guide to Animal Flatulence"
A new volume has breaking news
Doc's YA Novel Treats Life-and-Death Issues
Pediatric cardiologist Ismée Williams discusses her young adult novel, Water in May, about a teenage girl whose newborn has a life-threatening heart condition.
Dinosaurs: From Humble Beginnings to Global Dominance
Edinburgh University paleontologist Steve Brusatte talks about his May 2018 Scientific American article, "The Unlikely Triumph of the Dinosaurs," and his new book, The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs: A New History of a Lost World.
A New Book Looks at What Life Is Like for Moms across the Animal Kingdom
Some moms can be murder on the family
Mars Lander Will Peer Inside the Red Planet
The InSight Mission will look at Mars's seismic activity and latent heat to find out more about how planets get made--and how humans might live there.
Africa: Future Worldwide Science Hub
Thierry Zomahoun, president of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, talks about the potential and needs of science on the continent.
Healthful Eating Requires Supermarket Smarts
Advice from an N.Y.U. food policy symposium: eating healthfully means you can't ever let down your guard when shopping.
Humans Evolved but Are Still Special
Brown University biologist and author Ken Miller talks about his new book The Human Instinct: How We Evolved to Have Reason, Consciousness and Free Will.
Bill Gates Announces a Universal Flu Vaccine Effort
Today in Boston, Gates announced a $12-million initiative to foster the development of a vaccine effective against all flu strains.
Traffic Deaths Increase after 4:20 P.M. on 4/20
A look at a database of fatal traffic accidents found a 12 percent increase on the informal marijuana holiday 4/20 after 4:20 P.M. compared with nearby dates.
The Internet Needs a Tune-Up
Princeton University's Jennifer Rexford talks about optimizing the internet for the uses it got drafted into performing.
Silliness and Scams Seem to Always Hitch a Ride with Human Activity
A look at follies, foibles and fumbles
Rev Up Photosynthesis to Boost Crop Yields
Photosynthesis actually is an inefficient process, but a biological chemist is trying to crank it up.
