Scientific American Magazine

Genetic studies reveal that an African woman of 200,000 years ago was our common ancestor

Both fossil and genetic evidence argues that various human groups arose where they are found today

Every 500 million years the continents assemble into a single landmass. The tectonic interactions associated with the formation and breakup of such supercontinents provide a new way to view the origin of mountain belts

These proteins cause food poisoning and toxic shock. They may also contribute to arthritis and AIDS. Investigators are learning how superantigens overstimulate the immune system and induce disease

This tokamak fusion reactor, sponsored by four industrial powers, will be the most powerful ever built. By fusing deuterium and tritium, ITER should generate more energy than it consumes

Great progress has been made in the design of these important industrial materials. Some novel solid acid catalysts can reduce the emission of environmentally harmful products

People who have lost an arm or a leg often perceive the limb as though it is still there. They can also feel excruciating pain in specific parts of the phantom limb

The masses of information written in human DNA are being translated into the precise ones and zeros of computer code. The choices made now will determine whether the genome project is a font for future discovery or a binary junkyard of data.