Scientifc America
Private U.S. Lunar Lander Suffers 'Critical' Anomaly after Launch
Astrobotic’s Peregrine lander was meant to be the first commercial spacecraft to operate on the surface of the moon. Instead, it may not reach lunar orbit at all
How Supergenes Shape Evolution
By locking together traits that work well together, supergenes provide striking evolutionary advantages. But they can also be costly because they make it nearly impossible to purge bad mutations
AI Weather Forecasting Can't Replace Humans--Yet
GraphCast and other artificial intelligence-based forecasting tools offer a whole new way to predict the weather, but they have limits
Human Remains Are Headed to the Moon, Despite Objections
The Navajo Nation has called for a delay in launching the commercial lander Peregrine, which is set to carry human remains on a private mission to the moon
Psychology Hacks for Resisting Trash Talk
A new book explores the science of trash talk—and why some people are more immune to it than others
Sky Spectacles to Watch in 2024
Here’s a calendar of cosmic events to keep your eyes on in the coming year
This Powerful Psychedelic Could Help Relieve Traumatic Brain Injury
In combat veterans, a single dose of ibogaine also improved symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety
No, COVID mRNA Vaccines Won't Damage Your DNA
You have a “better chance of becoming Spider-Man” than being harmed by DNA from COVID vaccines
Adventures of a Bone Hunter
Annie Montague Alexander went on paleontology expeditions most women could only dream of in the early 1900s
Did Neurons Evolve Twice?
Tracing the history of the earliest animals offers clues to whether the birth of the neuron was a one-time event
Scientists Finally Invent Heat-Controlling Circuitry That Keeps Electronics Cool
A new thermal transistor can control heat as precisely as an electrical transistor can control electricity
Vaccination Dramatically Lowers Long Covid Risk
Several new studies reveal that getting multiple COVID vaccine doses provides strong protection against lingering symptoms
Stars Don't Slow Down with Age like Astronomers Thought
Middle-aged stars hit cruise control, stifling their magnetic fields and resisting the slowdown that scientists expected
The Science of 2024's Epic Solar Eclipse, the Last for a Generation
Unique studies of gravity waves, atmospheric holes and dazzling coronal displays will accompany April’s total solar eclipse across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada
What's Missing from the Emoji Animal Kingdom?
In the digital age, some scientists argue the emojisphere should better represent Earth’s biosphere—tardigrades, flatworms and all
Ancient Indigenous 'Songlines' Match Long-Sunken Landscape off Australia
Researchers have found ancient watering holes that were long ago buried by rising seas. The watering holes may be ones referred to in an Indigenous Australian songline
Confronting Illusions Can Help Heal Trauma
Renowned physician Gabor Maté ruminates on trauma and Jewishness at a time of conflict
India's Aditya-L1 Space Probe Heads for Gravitational 'Island'
Aditya-L1 will join more than four active spacecraft at the first Lagrange point, a nearly stable region in the gravitational field between Earth and the sun
5 Ways Ozempic and Other New Weight-Loss Drugs Have Changed Health
Ozempic and similar drugs are ushering in a new era of weight management and obesity treatments, and researchers are racing to understand their impact
Watch the Best Scientific American TikToks of 2023
Scientific American’s TikTok delivers piping-hot science in bite-sized videos