Scientific American Magazine

Over the past 200 years, Americans have twice accepted and then vehemently rejected drugs. Understanding these dramatic historical swings provides perspective on our current reaction to drug use

Violent collisions of gas dominate the childhood of stars. Eventually nuclear fusion begins, enabling mature stars to burn steadily for billions of years

Although no treatment to limit brain damage is yet available, many tantalizing possibilities are on the horizon. Some are already being evaluated in all-important human trials

By exploiting the wave nature of light and the power of modern computers, the authors have designed highly sensitive devices for measuring surface texture

Insects and microorganisms are already serving as commercial weed killers, and other biological approaches show promise. The goal: environmentally compatible alternatives to chemical herbicides

More than 1,000 years ago civilization in South America was forged out of copper alloys. Recent excavations have revealed many aspects of copper-alloy metallurgy, from mining to smelting to metalworking

The Austronesian languages of the Pacific spread across 10,000 kilometers of coastline and sea within 1,500 years, the fastest and widest expansion of prehistoric times. Farmers led the way

Computers can assume control of almost every phase of flight in the newest generation of jet aircraft.