Science

The cheap, everyday item that could REVERSE lymphedema: Thousands suffer from the condition that has no cure. Now, top researchers reveal their groundbreaking discovery that could finally offer hope

The findings, based on animal studies, could potentially improve the lives of up to 10 million people in the US who…

Extreme weather is making Americans feel powerless

The same people affected by extreme weather are also likely to worry that they will face a future disaster, according…

NASA Glenn’s Legacy Forged Through Decades of Flight Research

Many of NASA’s most important aerospace breakthroughs that began in the laboratory were ultimately proven in the sky.…

A beginner’s guide to observing the night sky with a manual telescope

A telescope can help you explore the night sky, but only if you know how to use it.

Hubble, James Webb Space Telescope team up to capture the 'Black Eye Galaxy' | Space photo of the day for Aug. 18, 2026

The "Black Eye Galaxy" is captured in a gorgeous new composite image from the Hubble and James Webb space telescopes.

On this day in space! Aug. 18, 1868: Total solar eclipse leads to discovery of helium

On this day in space! Aug. 18, 1868: Total solar eclipse leads to discovery of helium

The ultra rich are collecting fossils. And that’s bad for science - video

One of the UK’s best fossil collections has been sold overseas in what experts have called a loss to the nation. The…

It's harder to poop in space. Scientists may finally know why

Spaceflight can do strange things to the human body — including making it harder for astronauts to poop.

NASA, ESA astronauts conduct spacewalk to replace ISS antenna

NASA, ESA astronauts conduct spacewalk to replace ISS antenna

Postbiotic could reduce the risk of brain damage after a concussion

Giving mice a byproduct produced by gut bacteria reduced their risk of severe brain damage and cognitive difficulties…

Robotic rescue missions are sparking a spaceflight revolution

Two new missions are revealing how robotic repair and assembly could become routine on the final frontier

Archaeologists discover Etruscan well that was ritually opened with offerings for a goddess — and 'closed' with human bodies

An ancient Etruscan cult likely left burials and bronze artifacts in a well that was recently discovered in Italy.

How to be irresistible on dating apps, according to science

Some professors might recoil at the idea of looking at their students’ dating app profiles. Not Gurit Birnbaum, a…

Could indigo light prevent nearsightedness in children?

Study of tree shrews points to specific wavelengths of light that might help stave off myopia

Did humans evolve to be active throughout the day and night?

Evidence from hunter-gatherers suggests humans aren't diurnal but cathemeral, with bouts of activity at nighttime – a…

Math Puzzle: A Tetris paradox

Explore the Tetris paradox in this math puzzle

The Milky Way swallowed a smaller galaxy about 11.8 billion years ago

The Milky Way, a ⁠large and spiral-shaped galaxy that is home to hundreds of billions of stars including our sun, has…

Giant underwater plume blasts into swirling cloud 'street' in the East China Sea — Earth from space

A recent satellite photo captured a series of clouds sculpted by von Kármán vortices from a volcano on South Korea's…

See gorgeous views of the Aug. 12 total solar eclipse captured from space

Orbiting spacecraft captured incredible views of the moon's shadow darkening Earth during the Aug. 12 total solar…

SciAm is on the move

A recent change in ownership is an opportunity for SciAm to be even better and have some fun

If millions of satellites launch to space, is chaos the inevitable outcome?

SpaceX and other companies want to put millions of satellites into space. Could orbit run out of room?

Readers respond to the April 2026 issue

Letters to the editors for the April 2026 issue of Scientific American

Scientists cited by Heritage Foundation report on women’s sports say it misrepresented their research

The conservative think tank’s report claims that high-intensity and elite sports training has lasting effects on…

How solar became the cheapest form of energy in the world

Here are four reasons solar energy has seen a meteoric rise in recent years

Poem: ‘The Bachelor, Season 92 Million’

Science in meter and verse

How Golden Dome’s space-based missile interceptors would work

Golden Dome’s most audacious element would require a vast constellation of weapons that does not yet exist. Defense…

How Zipline’s drone delivery system works in U.S. suburbs

Zipline’s tethered delivery system lowers packages from the sky. Now it has to show that people want the service

The brain doesn’t just experience reality. It edits it into a story

Neuroscience is revealing how our brains are wired for narrative

September 2026: Science history from 50, 100 and 150 years ago

A heavenly read; a 25-foot eye; a case of double personality

Does fibermaxxing work? It may depend on your microbiome

We are rightfully told to eat more fiber. But our depleted gut microbiomes may not benefit from superhigh levels

Science crossword: Give me some space!

Play this crossword inspired by the September 2026 issue of Scientific American

What really happened on Easter Island?

For decades, an influential theory blamed the Rapanui for their own downfall—a story made famous by Jared Diamond’s…

How NASA turned a spy satellite into the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will soon launch to unravel the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter

Can QuantumScape and Factorial Energy mass-produce solid-state batteries?

Two American companies are pursuing rival manufacturing strategies for these long-promised cells in an industry China…

Hera's Mars flyby guided impact study of Deimos moon