Discussions

Neuroscientists think they've pinpointed particular cells that reside in the brain's olfactory bulb (its smell center) that are primed to capture scents from childhood. What particular smells bring back your memories from childhood? What is the earliest "smell" memory you...

Case numbers of the parasite-caused illness have exploded in the last week. Tell us what questions you have about this cyclosporiasis outbreak and we'll answer them in the coming days in our daily newsletter, Today in Science. Sign up here...

Scientists have long argued that allowing private buyers to own scientific specimens like fossils deprives paleontologists the opportunity to study them. And the extreme prices the fossils command mean most museums or academic institutions can’t compete in a bidding war....

Robots and AI can dramatically outpace traditional human-conducted research. What role do you think AI should play in scientific discovery? What are the potential benefits and dangers?

For decades, the U.S. government has had a compact with scientific research. But now, that relationship is breaking down. What role do you think the government should play in the scientific enterprise?

The staff of Scientific American clearly love alien books, both the silly and the serious. Have you read any of the alien books beloved by the staff, or do you have your own favorites we should check out? If you...

Are you tossing an eco-horror book in your beach bag? Making room for a big biography of a scientist in your carry-on luggage? Tell us how you’re reading along with Scientific American this summer!

AI companies are trying to decide how chatbots should respond to morally charged questions about grief, family, medicine, sexuality and belief. Anthropic has consulted theologians and ethicists as it refines Claude’s behavior. Is religious tradition a useful source of moral...

Many of math's greatest minds have tried to prove Bernhard Riemann's sweeping claim that there's order hiding beneath the apparent randomness of prime numbers. Do you think, like most mast mathematicians do, that Riemann was right? And even if he...

Andes virus, a type of hantavirus, has sparked global concern in recent weeks after causing the death of three passengers and sickening at least eight others aboard the MV Hondius, a cruise ship traveling from Argentina across the Atlantic. Read...

Do you think the global community is responding well to the hantavirus outbreak? How concerned are you that this will turn into a larger outbreak?

Some mathematicians believe pi should be replaced by tau as the mathematical constant of a circle. What do you think? Is tau a better circle constant? Or would tau bring more disadvantages than advantages?

Are you a birder and spring migration is your Super Bowl? Or do you casually look for birds out the window or on walks? No matter your level of bird fanaticism, what species are you most hoping to spot this...

Some athletic purists have argued that souped-up apparel and athletic equipment constitute “technological doping.” Do you think the shoes worn by the London Marathon winner and others offer an unlevel playing field, or should athletes be able to wear whatever...

Peptides are all the rage in health circles these days. These chemicals promise to do everything from helping you bulk up to giving you youthful skin to helping you live longer. However, there is little evidence of their efficacy, with...

My childhood memories are blurry in some spots and crystal clear in others. So when I read this article about a subtle "face-swapping illusion" that could bring such memories back into focus, it got me thinking. Which memories would I...

From high-end binoculars with far-range optics to wristwatches that are engineering marvels to space hotels to perfumes engineered to impact emotion and memory, the world of luxury is filled with ... science. What is the most scientifically advanced gadget or...

Don't try to build a Lego version of one of M.C. Escher's staircases … it would be impossible, as Robert Ghrist points out in this article about an impossible object that he and a colleague invented. The object fits into...

Are you excited to see people return to the moon, and what questions would you like us to address in our coverage?

An L.A. trial jury has found Meta and YouTube liable for operating apps that are addictive and harmful to young people. This is the first trial of its kind to weigh social media's harms. How surprising did you find the...