Astronomy

The Mississippi River has been manipulated for decades. A new book considers alternative forms of control

The carcinogenic effects of asbestos have been known for decades. We should have banned it long ago

What the neuroscience of near-death experiences tells us about human consciousness

Letters to the editors for the February 2024 issue of Scientific American

Scientists have recently discovered thousands of active RNA molecules that can control the human body

Our overreliance on the simplicity of game logic explains why capitalism got out of control

This beer-making by-product could offer a sustainable way to isolate metals for recycling electronic waste

The way we’re “wired” to learn may divide us

Moths and other insects aren’t drawn to nighttime illumination for the reasons we think they are

Research on the developing brain points to new ways to help young people with anxiety disorders

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

Though sometimes overstated, the benefits of cold-water swimming are slowly becoming clearer

Anthropogenic evolution is affecting species across the planet

Science in meter and verse

After decades of debate, grizzlies will be reintroduced to the North Cascades

Rather than relying on bacteria, whiteflies cut out the middleman and acquired their own genes to process nitrogen

Supportive care is often started late in an illness, but that may not be the best way

Rats as you’ve never seen them; the journey of restoring a garden; stories from a “post-Impact” future

Walking barefoot on hot stones; what makes bluebirds blue

With few states tracking who is being homeschooled and what they are learning, an untold number of U.S. children are at risk of a poor education or even abuse