Space & Physics
Espresso May Be Better when Ground Coarser
A very fine grind can actually hamper espresso brewing, because particles may clump more than larger particles will.
Culture1065 articles archived since 1845
Evolution
Kirk, Spock and Darwin
Duke University evolutionary biologist Mohamed A. F. Noor talks about his book Live Long and Evolve: What Star Trek Can Teach Us about Evolution, Genetics, and Life on Other Worlds ...
Evolution
Neandertals Tooled Around with Clams
Neandertals ate clams and then modified the hard shells into tools for cutting and scraping.
Chemistry
Fingering Fake Whiskeys with Isotopes
Whiskeys claimed to be from the 19th century are revealed to be made with much more recently grown barley, thanks to the unique isotopic fingerprint of the nuclear-testing era.
Culture
How Do You Write Compellingly about Science?
A new book entitled The Craft of Science Writing explains how to help readers understand the science that underlies so many of the issues that touch our lives
School Teaches Lions How to Star in Movies
Originally published in May 1914
Culture
Sign Languages Display Distinct Ancestries
Well more than 100 distinct sign languages exist worldwide, with each having features that made it possible for researchers to create an evolutionary tree of their lineages.
Culture
What Lichens Can Teach Us
A new IMAX film highlights their beauty and resilience
Everyday Mathematics, Drugs for a Broken Heart and Other New Science Books
Book recommendations from the editors of Scientific American
Culture
Pop Culture’s Rate of Change May Mirror Organic Evolution
A new study finds that music and some other human phenomena have altered at a pace comparable to that of animals such as Darwin’s finches
Culture
Flour, Butter, Science, Eggs: Recipes as Science Communication
Part protocol, part memoir, recipes can bring together the how and why...
Culture
A Vision of Ephemeral Ice
Artist Shoshannah White views the endangered Arctic ice through a unique lens
A Chameleon City Is Built to Make Movies
Originally published in April 1915
Japanese Tissues Surprise Americans
Originally published in June 1869
Behavior
Is a Sad Song Sad for Everyone?
Researchers explore how different cultures respond to the same music
Scientific American’s Colorful Covers Reveal 175 Years of Change
The magazine’s hues provide a record of publishing technology and trends
Culture
Midwinter Geoblogfest Extravaganza
Need some rock-solid reading to make it through the holidays? Your search is over!
Evolution
Ancient Seawall Found Submerged
In shallow waters off the coast of Israel, archaeologists have found entire villages—including one with a sunken seawall. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Policy
Citizen Scientists Deserve Journal Status Upgrade
Here’s an argument that citizen scientists deserve co-authorship on scientific journal papers to which they contributed research.
Culture
Linguists Hear an Accent Begin
Residents of an overwintering station in Antarctica provided linguists with evidence of the first small changes in speech that may signal the development of a new accent.
