Celebrating 180 Years of Scientific American

Dive into the quirkiest and most fascinating tales from Scientific American’s 180-year archive

To celebrate Scientific American’s 180th anniversary, we invited readers to place our magazine covers in the wild. See our staff’s favorite submissions

Neptune’s discovery was a race that ended not long after this magazine came to be

In honor of SciAm’s 180th birthday, we’re spotlighting the biggest “wait, what?” moments in science history.

Federal officials seized 3,000 copies of Scientific American in 1950 in a “red scare” era of attacks on science. The move backfired and offers lessons for today

A survey of Scientific American’s century of quantum coverage helps explain the enduring popularity of strange physics

Scientific American's logotype has undergone subtle shifts, large leaps and occasional bouts of nostalgia. The image series below outlines the history of the publication's identity, starting with its debut in August 1845 as weekly devoted primarily to inventions

A collection of seven book reviews from our archives, each paired with a recently published book we recommend

A famous graphic, now updated, compares locomotion in the animal kingdom

Our anniversary celebration begins with an outstanding collection of stories about times that science itself has made a full about-face

Total reversals in scientific thinking are rare—but earth-shattering

Long dismissed as impossible, nerve regrowth is offering new hope for healing injuries and treating neurodegeneration

Synthetic polymers were supposed to free us from the limitations of our natural resources. Instead they led to an environmental crisis

The universe has a habit of disproving “unassailable” facts

DNA holds our genetic blueprints, but its cousin, RNA, conducts our daily lives

The search for extraterrestrial life has periodically been turned upside down

Other species exhibit capabilities that were once thought to be exclusive to Homo sapiens

Explore Scientific American’s most fascinating magazine covers

Explore the words of science past from Scientific American

Put your science knowledge to the test with this week’s news quiz. Play now.

Play this crossword inspired by the September 2025 issue of Scientific American

Hear takeaways from 35 years at Scientific American from Gary Stix, our recently retired mind and brain editor.

We present a historical romp through Scientific American—100 years ago.

This episode of Science Quickly goes on an archival adventure in Scientific American’s July 1925 issue.