First chemist in history may have been a female perfumer—how the science of scents has changed since
Perfume making dates back at least 3,000 years—to the time of Tapputi-belat-ekalle, who is considered the first chemist in history. What we know about her comes from inscriptions on fragments of clay tablets dating back to the Middle Assyrian perio.....»»
Female capybara goes to Florida as part of a breeding program for the large South American rodents
A female capybara has arrived at a Florida zoo as part of a breeding program to bolster the population of the large South American rodents......»»
Researchers propose a new, holistic way to teach synthetic biology
The field of synthetic biology, the science of manipulating biology, has a lot of "cooks in the kitchen," which has both helped it flourish and made it unusually difficult to create a cohesive, consistent curriculum for students at every level of stu.....»»
Hail the size of golf balls and even grapefruit? The science of how tiny ice crystals grow dangerously large
Hail the size of grapefruit shattered car windows in Johnson City, Texas. In June, 2024, a storm chaser found a hailstone almost as big as a pineapple. Even larger hailstones have been documented in South Dakota, Kansas and Nebraska. Hail has damaged.....»»
The science behind splashdown—aerospace engineer explains how NASA and SpaceX get spacecraft safely back
For about 15 minutes on July 21, 1961, American astronaut Gus Grissom felt at the top of the world—and indeed he was......»»
Clean Water Act leaves about 55% of water flowing out of rivers vulnerable to pollution, study suggests
The Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that rivers that only flow in response to weather events—called ephemeral streams—do not fall under the protection of the Clean Water Act. Research published in the journal Science, led by University of Massachuset.....»»
Uranium science researchers investigate feasibility of intentional nuclear forensics
Despite strong regulations and robust international safeguards, authorities routinely interdict nuclear materials outside of regulatory control. Researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory are exploring a new method that w.....»»
Scientists develop the next generation of highly efficient memory materials with atom-level control
Like the flutter of a butterfly's wings, sometimes small and minute changes can lead to big and unexpected results and changes in our lives. A team of researchers at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) has made a very small change t.....»»
Ecologists reconstruct history of biodiversity in Indo-Australian archipelago and its rise as a hotspot
The Coral Triangle, also known as the Indo-Australian Archipelago, is renowned for having the greatest marine biodiversity on our planet. Despite its importance, the detailed evolutionary history of this biodiversity hotspot has remained largely a my.....»»
New strategy to obtain carbon nanotube fibers with higher dynamic strength
In a study published in Science on June 21, Prof. Jian Muqiang from Peking University and the Beijing Graphene Institute and others developed a strategy to fabricate carbon nanotube fibers with the dynamic strength up to 14 GPa......»»
The Best Mosquito Repellents, according to Science
Mosquito experts break down how to choose and use the best mosquito repellents.....»»
The Hidden Story of Trailblazing Black Astronauts at NASA
A new film details the history of Ed Dwight and NASA’s first Black astronaut candidates.....»»
New Understandings of Food, Fat, Fitness and Evolution
Quantum observers, migrating mangroves, the deep history of an asteroid and understanding appetite in this issue of Scientific American.....»»
Poem: ‘An Ars Poetica’
Science in meter and verse.....»»
July/August 2024: Science History from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago
Death rays; the sawfly’s barf defense.....»»
Advanced Meditation Alters Consciousness and Our Basic Sense of Self
An emerging science of advanced meditation could transform mental health and our understanding of consciousness.....»»
Supreme Court’s ‘Chevron Deference’ Decision Could Make Science-Based Regulation Harder
The Supreme Court is considering the fate of Chevron deference, a 40-year legal principle that has shaped the role of government agencies. The outcome could affect medication approval, pollution regulation, and more.....»»
Whales Are Dying but Not from Offshore Wind
Politicians and nonprofit groups have blamed offshore wind turbines for whale deaths, but the science doesn’t support those claims—at all.....»»
Three female GOP state senators who filibustered S.C. abortion ban lost their primaries
Three female GOP state senators who filibustered S.C. abortion ban lost their primaries.....»»
More women in venture capital doesn"t mean more funding for female-led businesses, new research suggests
Venture capital plays an important role in helping new businesses get off the ground. The field also has a stubborn gender gap......»»
Time-compression in electron microscopy: Terahertz light controls and characterizes electrons in space and time
Scientists at the University of Konstanz in Germany have advanced ultrafast electron microscopy to unprecedented time resolution. Reporting in Science Advances, the research team presents a method for the all-optical control, compression, and charact.....»»