Book ReviewsJune 25, 2024
July/August 2024: Three New Books, Reviewed
A riveting quest to map the world; quantum physics in a four-act drama; climate solutions that show what we’re doing right
Stories by Maddie Bender
Maddie Bender is a science writer and a producer at Hawaii Public Radio. She was a 2021 AAAS Mass Media Fellow at Scientific American.
Book ReviewsMay 14, 2024
Rats, Gardens, and Stories from a "Post-Impact" Future
Rats as you’ve never seen them; the journey of restoring a garden; stories from a “post-Impact” future
AnimalsJanuary 1, 2023
Predators Act like Butterflies’ Eyespots Are Looking Right at Them
Butterfly markings work better when they’re “looking” toward prey
ConservationAugust 1, 2022
AI Diagnoses Devastating Olive Tree Infection
Predicting severity can help address deadly effects to olive groves
Health CareJuly 1, 2022
Marker Tip—Without Ink!—Makes a Hardy Medical Sampler
The marker material conserved samples for up to a week
MicrobiologyJune 1, 2022
Acne Inflammation Discovery Could Lead to New Treatments
A key player is revealed in the acne-causing immune battle
Space ExplorationFebruary 17, 2022
NASA Eyes Electric Car Tech for Future Moon Rovers
Space agencies are partnering with car manufacturers to custom build new rovers—or retrofit commercial vehicles—for future missions to the moon and Mars
Natural DisastersJanuary 1, 2022
Recycled Tennis Balls Could Protect Buildings from Earthquakes
A low-cost design helps shaking buildings roll to a stop
Basic ChemistryNovember 1, 2021
What’s Brewing in a Beer Is Startling Complexity
High-powered chemistry lets researchers trace a beer back to its ingredients
AnimalsOctober 1, 2021
The Venus’s Flower Basket’s Weird Fluid Dynamics Explained
A deep-sea sponge’s unique structure helps it eat and mate while reducing drag
EvolutionSeptember 17, 2021
During a Rodent Quadrathlon, Researchers Learn That Ground Squirrels Have Personalities
The rodents’ personalities may help them to secure territory and avoid prey.
Space ExplorationSeptember 16, 2021
SpaceX’s Starship Could Rocket-Boost Research in Space
The platform could aid climate science, space junk cleanup and planetary exploration
MicrobiologySeptember 1, 2021
Engineered Bacteria Produce a Rainbow of Colors
By inserting some genes and knocking down others, scientists solved a core problem in synthetic biology
PolicySeptember 1, 2021
In Case You Missed It
Top news from around the world
MedicineSeptember 1, 2021
Misophonia Might Not Be about Hating Sounds After All
The phenomenon triggers strong negative reactions to everyday sounds but might come from subconscious mirroring behavior
Health CareSeptember 1, 2021
The Terrible Toll of 76 Autoimmune Diseases
About 80 conditions can be described as autoimmune disorders, although definitions are still changing
Health CareAugust 20, 2021
Years Before COVID, Zombies Helped Prepare One Hospital System for the Real Pandemic
An educational experiment used escape rooms and the undead to set the stage for a terrible situation that would become all too real
EcologyAugust 13, 2021
Suspect List Narrows in Mysterious Bird Die-Off
Here’s how researchers are zeroing in on the culprit
NeuroscienceAugust 12, 2021
Inspired by Chronic Illness, She Made Award-Winning Art about the Brain
Scientific American presents the winner and honorable mentions of the 11th annual Art of Neuroscience contest
Renewable EnergyAugust 10, 2021
Wave Power Charges Ahead with Static Electricity Generators
An ocean-powered buoy brings technology closer to the dream of obtaining energy from the sea
PolicyAugust 1, 2021
In Case You Missed It
Top news from around the world
Public HealthJuly 30, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 12: Masking Up Again and Why People Refuse Shots
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.
BehaviorJuly 27, 2021
The Olympics without Fans Is Harming Athletes’ Performance
Simone Biles drops out of an event, citing the lack of an audience
Public HealthJuly 16, 2021
COVID, Quickly, Episode 11: Vaccine Booster Shots, and Reopening Offices Safely
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.