Chemistry

Biological oceanography expert Miriam Goldstein talks about issues facing the oceans. Reporter Adam Levy discusses air pollution info available because of the pandemic. And astrophysicist Andrew Fabian chats about black holes.

For the fourth Science on the Hill event, Future Climate: What We Know, What We Don’t, experts talked with Scientific American senior editor Mark Fischetti about what goes into modeling our climate—and how such models are used in addition to long-term climate prediction.

Originally published in November 1845

Prey animals flash biochemically produced light to confuse elephant seals hunting in the dark. But at least one seal turned the tables.

Originally published in November 1945

A gene whose mutated form is associated with cancer in humans turns out to have a role in burning calories over a long evolutionary history.

To entice female ring-tailed lemurs, males rub wrist secretions, which include compounds we use in perfumes, onto their tail and then wave it near the gals.

Originally published in August 1863

Bees infected with a virus cut back on interactions within their hive but find it easier to get past sentries at neighboring hives.

Originally published in April 1856

Guest host W. Wayt Gibbs talks with Jason Wright, a professor of astronomy and astrophysics at Pennsylvania State University’s Center for Exoplanets and Habitable Worlds, about what’s known as the Fermi paradox: In a universe of trillions of planets, where is everybody?

Originally published in July 1948