Social Sciences

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

Science in meter and verse

A new report finds that a majority of Americans think the U.S. should be a world leader in science, but Democrats increasingly believe other countries are catching up

A new study reveals that some smart dogs can learn words just by overhearing humans’ conversations

This newly discovered Iron Age instrument may have been played in the Celtic resistance against the Roman Empire

Fossils of a human ancestor from 773,000 years ago may be near the base of the Homo sapiens lineage, representing a common ancestor of modern humans, Neandertals and Denisovans

Behavioral economist Katy Milkman explains why most New Year’s resolutions fail and shares how science-backed strategies can build habits that last.

From an interview with author Mary Roach to a chat with cardiologist Eric Topol, here are 12 of the most eye-opening conversations we had this year

Romans living in ancient Britain were plagued by intestinal parasites, all of which are spread by fecal contamination

In an exclusive excerpt of her new book The Great Shadow, historian Susan Wise Bauer explores how sickness is distinct from injury and has shaped the way we think about ourselves and our world

Science in meter and verse

A new generation of household robots could change the way you live