Scientific American Magazine

With nanobatteries, power sources finally shrink with the rest of electronics

Patents on DNA have not caused the severe disruption of biomedical research and societal norms anticipated by critics. But the deluge may be yet to come

A new method of particle acceleration in which the particles "surf" on a wave of plasma promises to unleash a wealth of applications

Images of interacting immune cells reveal structured connections similar to the ones neurons use to communicate. Studying these synapses is providing new insights into how the cells form an information-sharing network to fight disease

Many civilian research reactors contain highly enriched uranium that terrorists could use to build nuclear bombs

Solving a surprisingly long-standing mystery, a forensic anthropologist reconstructs what George Washington looked like as a young man

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf Coast. The storm season starts again this June--and every June. Can coastal communities ever be safeguarded?