Culture

Letters to the editors for the April 2025 issue of Scientific American

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

Kids crave approval from their peers. Chatbots offer an alternative to IRL relationships, but they can come at a price

Dive into the quirkiest and most fascinating tales from Scientific American’s 180-year archive

Acknowledging the limits of one’s own knowledge could be as important a signal of expertise as credentials and confidence

The brain weighs factors based on their importance to oneself and one’s social world as part of a complex calculation that shapes behavior

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

Letters to the editors for the March 2025 issue of Scientific American

Inside this double issue of SciAm, you’ll find black holes that burp up their stellar meals, metal detectorists that hit pay dirt, hope for psychopathy, the truth about testosterone and a consumer guide to sustainable clothes shopping

Behavioral ecologist David Hughes, who consulted on the video game that inspired the hit TV show The Last of Us, speaks about how our experience with the COVID pandemic changed the way we relate to zombie fiction

Fifty years ago the movie Jaws scared beachgoers and demonized sharks. Now, however, the public is evolving a better understanding

Research has shown ways parents can help children cope with the stressors of modern life