Fitness
6 Years after The Biggest Loser, Metabolism Is Slower and Weight Is Back Up
The work provides new insights into why it is difficult to keep off the pounds
Culture1105 articles archived since 1845
Policy
Why Malthus Is Still Wrong
Why Malthus makes for bad science policy
Evolution
Farmers vs. Nomads: Whose Lingo Spread the Farthest?
Did the most successful family of languages in history originate in Turkey or the Pontic steppes? New evidence from DNA and evolutionary biology has only heightened the scientific disagreements...
Engineering
Flying Boats Soar over the Hudson
Hydrofoiling boats competing in the America's Cup World Series came to New York City to show off the cutting edge of sailing technology.
Culture
The First Wave of VR Movies, Reviewed
How do four of the first major virtual reality forays into film stack up? David Pogue reports back
Culture
In Case You Missed It: Fairy Circles Reappear, a Sub-$4 Smartphone Hits the Market—and More!
Top news from around the world
Culture
A Visionary Mathematician Comes to the Silver Screen
Film and book reviews from Scientific American’s May 2016 issue
Space & Physics
The Bowling Ball That Invaded Earth
Former Scientific American editor Mark Alpert talks about his latest science fiction thriller, The Orion Plan, featuring the method whereby aliens most likely really would colonize our planet...
Culture
Intricate Animal and Flower Tattoos Found on Egyptian Mummy
Depictions of objects on a 3,000-year-old woman’s body may have had religious significance
Everyone’s a Little Bit “Shapist”
On happy little squares, thought experiments and visualizing social systems
Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor, Your Cuisine
Migrants have played influential role shaping American taste, but not all contributions have been valued equally
The Spring '16 Science Art Exhibit Guide
The most interesting science art exhibits on display this spring and beyond
Rising Seas are Swamping Our Archaeological Heritage
Sinking land and rising water are destroying seaside sites that hold the key to understanding vanished cultures
Culture
Why VR Will Not Replace Movies
Despite the rush to virtual reality, the medium faces major challenges when it comes to filmmaking
Behavior
4 Ways to Be a Better Arguer
Win more people over by dialing down the aggression
Policy
Photos Tagged as Art Linked to Rising Property Prices
Researchers found that neighborhoods with a higher proportion of Flickr photos tagged "art" saw a higher spike in property prices. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Cognition
Constructing the Modern Mind
From Aristotle to Watson, views on the mind, brain and soul have evolved. A brilliant new book adds perspective
Culture
The Mind-Boggling Scale of Mount Saint Helens's Crater
If you haven't stood in front of Mount Saint Helens, it's hard to get a feel for how truly enormous the crater left by the May 1980 eruption is. But thanks to a handy sightseeing helicopter, perhaps I can give you a taste...
Policy
Unearthing the Atrocities of Nazi Death Camps
Forensic archaeologists are finally exploring what lies beneath the dirt—but not without resistance
Mind & Brain
Different Minds: The Wide World of Animal Smarts
Primatologist Frans de Waal discusses his latest book, Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? (Norton, 2016).
