The Best of Scientific American
20+ most popular Scientific American articles, as voted by our community.
Awesome discoveries. Expert insights. Science that shapes the world.
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Free Will Is Only an Illusion if You Are, Too
New research findings, combined with philosophy, suggest free will is real but may not operate in the ways people expect
Half of the 250 Kids Expelled from Preschool Each Day Are Black Boys
Racism and overstressed teachers help explain high expulsion rates for Black preschool boys
Volcanic Activity on Mars Upends Red Planet Assumptions
A mass of moving material on Mars called a mantle plume may be causing marsquakes and volcanism
Flavor-Enhancing Spoons and Chopsticks Could Make Food Taste Better
New types of cutlery can enhance flavors such as sweetness or saltiness for a more satisfying meal
Scientific American on Brain
AI Designs Quantum Physics Experiments Beyond What Any Human Has Conceived
Originally built to speed up calculations, a machine-learning system is now making shocking progress at the frontiers of experimental quantum physics
Your Brain Does Something Amazing between Bouts of Intense Learning
New research shows that lightning-quick neural rehearsal can supercharge learning and memory.
«It’s during those intermittent breaks that the brain starts to sew together the individual movements that make up a seamless piece.»
Scientific American on Gaslighting
How Gaslighting Manipulates Reality
Gaslighting isn’t just between people in a relationship—it involves social power, too
George Floyd's Autopsy and the Structural Gaslighting of America
The weaponization of medical language emboldened white supremacy with the authority of the white coat. How will we stop it from happening again?
Scientific American on Meaning Of Life
A New Dimension to a Meaningful Life
Studies suggest that appreciating beauty in the everyday may be just as powerful as a sense of overarching purpose
«the more people indicated that they were “appreciating life” and its many experiences, the more they felt their existence was valuable.»
Can the Universe Provide Us with the Meaning of Life?
Astronomy and space exploration might offer a new perspective on our purpose in the cosmos
Scientific American on Microbiome
Some Sugar Substitutes Affect Blood Glucose and Gut Bacteria
In a new study, participants who consumed sugar substitutes showed an altered microbiome and spikes in blood glucose
Ancient “Chewing Gum” Reveals a 5,700-Year-Old Microbiome
Archaeologists reconstructed a Neolithic woman’s complete genome and oral microbiome from a piece of birch tar she chewed
Scientific American on Nature
World’s Oldest DNA Discovered, Revealing Ancient Arctic Forest Full of Mastodons
Two-million-year-old DNA, the world's oldest, reveals that mastodons once roamed forests in Greenland’s far northern reaches
Why Is Homo sapiens the Sole Surviving Member of the Human Family?
Recent fossil, archaeological and genetic discoveries are revising the rise of our species
Scientific American on Neuroscience
Why Your Brain Needs Exercise
The evolutionary history of humans explains why physical activity is important for brain health
Acting Out Dreams Predicts Parkinson’s and Other Brain Diseases
Enacted dreams could be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease
Scientific American on Physics
This Twist on Schrödinger’s Cat Paradox Has Major Implications for Quantum Theory
A laboratory demonstration of the classic “Wigner’s friend” thought experiment could overturn cherished assumptions about reality
My Quantum Experiment
An aging science journalist with a literature degree sets out to learn quantum mechanics, mathematics and all
Scientific American on Quantum Physics
Quantum Physics May Be Even Spookier Than You Think
A new experiment hints at surprising hidden mechanics of quantum superpositions
6 Times Quantum Physics Blew Our Minds in 2022
Quantum telepathy, laser-based time crystals, a glow from empty space and an “unreal” universe—these are the most awesome (and awfully hard to understand) results from the subatomic realm we…
Scientific American on Science
New Human Metabolism Research Upends Conventional Wisdom about How We Burn Calories
Metabolism studies reveal surprising insights into how we burn calories—and how cooperative food production helped Homo sapiens flourish
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We Learn Faster When We Aren’t Told What Choices to Make
The way we decide may even give insight into delusional thinking
«Feeling as though you are the architect of the outcomes you experience is powerful and certainly would lead you to strengthen beliefs about those contingencies much more strongly»
We Asked GPT-3 to Write an Academic Paper about Itself. Then We Tried to Get it Published
An artificially intelligent first author presents many ethical questions—and could upend the publishing process
The Denialist Playbook
On vaccines, evolution and more, rejection of science has followed a familiar pattern
«In brief, the six principal plays in the denialist playbook are: > Doubt the Science > Question Scientists’ Motives and Integrity > Magnify Disagreements among Scientists and Cite Gadflies as Authorities > Exaggerate Potential Harm > Appeal to Personal Freedom > Reject Whatever Would Repudiate A Key Philosophy»
The Role of Luck in Life Success Is Far Greater Than We Realized
Are the most successful people in society just the luckiest people?
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