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ArtsFebruary 17, 2026

Poem: ‘Boulders at Hickory Run’

Science in meter and verse

Chris Bullard

Cover of the March 2026 issue of Scientific American against a blue background

CultureFebruary 17, 2026

The ghost in the machine

AI is forcing us to redraw the line between author and tool

David M. Ewalt

Person with a backpack walking across reflective floor with multi paneled windows in the background

MathematicsFebruary 17, 2026

This mathematician proved a brilliant theorem to justify his social awkwardness

George Pólya’s random walk theorem absolved him of being a lurker and revealed how the laws of chance interact with physical space

Jack Murtagh

Games illustration with a green background

LanguageFebruary 17, 2026

Science crossword: What’s inside?

Play this crossword inspired by the March 2026 issue of Scientific American

Aimee Lucido

Elder in a bed, with a person standing next to them with a hand on their shoulder

Health CareFebruary 17, 2026

Better care for family caregivers

People who help sick, aging loved ones are at risk for physical illness themselves. There may be ways to improve their resilience

Lydia Denworth

Cover of the November 2025 issue of Scientific American against a gray background

CultureFebruary 17, 2026

Readers respond to the November 2025 issue

Letters to the editors for the November 2025 issue of Scientific American

Aaron Shattuck

Illustration of a hand and multiple numbers against a purple background.

MathematicsFebruary 17, 2026

Math puzzle: The sum of all circles

Sum up the circles in this math puzzle

Jack Murtagh

Grid of six images. Each panel holds a red glowing dot in a black field.

AstronomyFebruary 17, 2026

Exotic black hole stars could explain the mystery of Little Red Dots

Astronomers are racing to understand mysterious ancient objects that pepper James Webb Space Telescope images

Rebecca Boyle

PaleontologyFebruary 17, 2026

Mountain photographer stumbles on one of the largest ever collections of Triassic dinosaur prints

A newfound site in the Italian Alps holds one of the largest collections of Triassic dinosaur footprints ever seen

Humberto Basilio

Illustration of AI in clinical care, showing tech-driven clipboards

Artificial IntelligenceFebruary 17, 2026

AI enters the exam room

When alerts misfire or can’t explain themselves, nurses still carry the risk

Hilke Schellmann

Woman walking through a city scene wearing AI-enabled devices including glasses, an earbud, and a necklace pendant.

Artificial IntelligenceFebruary 17, 2026

Inside the new AI world order: A special report

From the exam room to the classroom, artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool—it's infrastructure. An introduction to our special report on life in the age of AI.

Eric Sullivan

View east in Tonto National Forest from Fish Creek Hill vicinity, over the Apache trail and a valley, with dramatic rocky features peppered with cacti and other vegetation.

ConservationFebruary 17, 2026

The true worth of America’s public lands

An environmental scientist’s analysis reveals who will win and who will lose in the push to put federal land into private hands

Kyle Manley

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