Scientific American Magazine

Bringing joysticks and scoreboards into our daily routine may be the key to making us better people

When research is like a video game, computers finish second

Building more roads won't eliminate traffic. Smart pricing will

A new approach to DNA sequencing could revolutionize our understanding of genetics

It gobbles up wood chips, leaves and other “biomass” and generates electricity

Novel materials promise better access to clean water around the world

Algorithms inspired by Mother Nature help us run our vast digital biosphere

A cheap diagnostic warns couples against passing rare genetic diseases to their offspring

Modified microbes eat waste and secrete fuel

Biologists continue to be surprised by what was once dismissed as wasted space

The Web is critical not merely to the digital revolution but to our continued prosperity—and even our liberty. Like democracy itself, it needs defending

Mounting evidence from dinosaur bones shows that, contrary to common belief, organic materials can sometimes survive in fossils for millions of years

Tiny flying robots that are part machine and part insect may one day save lives in wars and disasters

In a matter of hours, mind-altering substances may induce profound psychological realignments that can take decades to achieve on a therapist's couch

Primatologist Jane Goodall shares insights from her 50 years among chimpanzees

Why NASA's plan to get out of the manned spaceflight business may (finally) make space travel routine

Scientific American presents this year's winning micro-imaging entries from the Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Contest

Ten thoughts, trends and technologies that have the power to transform our lives

Deep down, the particles and forces of the universe are a manifestation of exquisite geometry