Scientific American Magazine

Strategies to preserve nature arose as newly colonialized tropical lands were exploited in the 17th and 18th centuries. Scientists played an important role in this burgeoning concern

By investigating how molecules assemble to form crystals, researchers hope to synthesize materials with novel electronic, magnetic or optical properties

Tucked into the internal surface of the cell's outer membrane, these versatile molecules coordinate cellular responses to a multitude of signals that impinge from without

Computer programs that "evolve" in ways that resemble natural selection can solve complex problems even their creators do not fully understand

Since antiquity, it has been known that the breath contains clues to many diseases. Researchers are developing a new generation of breath tests as an alternative to invasive diagnostic procedures

The familiar progression from egg to tadpole is only one of many methods. Others include egg to froglet, egg brooding, and tadpoles in the mother's stomach

A chance encounter with a people living in New Guinea's highlands has given archaeologists a priceless opportunity to model prehistoric technology

New Experiments-real and imagined - are probing ever more deeply into the surreal quantum realm