ConsciousnessJanuary 20, 2026
Why consciousness is the hardest problem in science
Will brain science deliver answers about consciousness or hit another wall?
Illustration by DTAN Studio
Volume 334, Issue 2
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Features
ConsciousnessJanuary 20, 2026
Your guide to 29 wildly different theories of consciousness
The many, many ways researchers hope to solve the toughest mystery in science
AstronomyJanuary 20, 2026
When will we see the universe’s first stars?
The James Webb Space Telescope should soon be able to spot the first generation of stars in space
BiologyJanuary 20, 2026
Deadly ‘reverse’ cells can destroy us unless scientists stop them
Researchers are closer to making “reversed” cells that may wipe us off the planet
CultureJanuary 20, 2026
The hidden threat eating away at museum treasures
Extremophile molds are invading art museums and devouring their collections. Stigma and climate change have fueled their spread
GeologyNovember 17, 2025
Can a time capsule outlast geology?
A ridiculous but instructive thought experiment involving deep time, plate tectonics, erosion and the slow death of the sun
Departments
Advances
The incredible, unlikely story of how cats became our pets
These birds learned to tweet like R2-D2. Listen to the uncanny results
Spiders build giant decoys to scare predators from webs
Zoo lunch mishap reveals lizards’ hidden fire detector
Lost planet Theia, which created the moon, came from the inner solar system
Not everyone with schizophrenia hears voices. Here’s why
How woodpeckers turn their entire bodies into pecking machines
Why 52 cards is the perfect number for poker—mathematically
Math puzzle: A winning loser
This fossil is rewriting the story of how plants spread across the planet
Why does life keep evolving these geometric patterns?
Extremophile ‘fire amoeba’ pushes the boundaries of complex life
From the Editor
A bright light in the dark
Letters
Readers respond to the October 2025 issue
Industry
How one mom used vibe coding to build an AI tutor for her dyslexic son
Mind Matters
The neuroscience behind the ‘parenting paradox’ of happiness
Math
The math mystery that connects Sudoku, flight schedules and protein folding
The Universe
Why is the Milky Way warped?
The Science of Health
Heal injuries faster with new science
Meter
Poem: ‘E = mc²’
Q&A
History smelled. Here’s how we’re sniffing it out
Science Crossword
Science crossword: Consciousness carriers
Graphic Science
Which dog breed stereotypes are true? Here’s the science
History