AstrophysicsApril 5, 2022
The History of the Milky Way Comes into Focus
By dating nearly a quarter-million stars, astronomers were able to reconstruct the history of our galaxy—and they say it has lived an “enormously sheltered life.”
Science Quickly
Science Quickly brings you fresh discoveries and cutting-edge science stories. Host Rachel Feltman unpacks complex ideas with clarity, making it easy to stay informed and inspired—no science background required!
Public HealthApril 1, 2022
Second Boosters, Masks in the Next Wave and Smart Risk Decisions: COVID Quickly, Episode 27
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
AnimalsMarch 30, 2022
New Research Decodes the Sea Cow’s Hidden Language
Florida manatees are “talking” up a storm, and a team that has been recording those sounds for seven years is starting to understand the chatter.
NeuroscienceMarch 25, 2022
Does This Look like a Face to You?
Science—and experience—show that we most definitely see faces in inanimate objects. But new research finds that, more often than not, we perceive those illusory faces as male.
Climate ChangeMarch 23, 2022
Some Good News about Corals and Climate Change
A nearly two-year-long study of Hawaiian corals suggests some species may be better equipped to handle warmer, more acidic waters than previously believed.
Public HealthMarch 18, 2022
Florida Gets Kids and Vaccines Wrong and Ukraine’s Health Crisis: COVID Quickly, Episode 26
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
Artificial IntelligenceMarch 15, 2022
Are You Better Than a Machine at Spotting a Deepfake?
New research shows that detecting digital fakes generated by machine learning might be a job best done with humans still in the loop.
PaleontologyMarch 11, 2022
A Treasure Trove of Dinosaur Bones in Italy Rewrites the Local Prehistoric Record
New fossils are changing a decades-old story about the species that roamed the Mediterranean 80 million years ago.
AnimalsMarch 8, 2022
Chimps Apply Insects to Their Wounds
It is not clear whether the act has medicinal benefit or is merely a cultural practice among the animals.
Public HealthMarch 4, 2022
The Push to Move Past the Pandemic: COVID Quickly, Episode 25
Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
You can listen to all past episodes here.
CultureMarch 3, 2022
Researchers Analyzed Folk Music like It Was Mutating DNA: They Found Amazing Parallels between Life and Art
Using software designed to align DNA sequences, scientists cataloged the mutations that arose as folk songs evolved
PollutionFebruary 25, 2022
How Hong Kong ‘Sees’ Invisible Tailpipe Emissions and Pulls Polluters Off the Road
The city has deployed a system of sensors to flag highly polluting vehicles. Nearly all of them have been repaired, helping to clean Hong Kong’s air.