Scientific American

When fully grown, the octopuses that survive could eat up to four blue crabs per day in the Mediterranean Sea

In its hunt for dark matter, the XENONnT experiment has detected the rare, feeble glow of neutrinos smacking into electrons

Seasonal changes have more effects on your biology and behavior than you might realize

Sermorelin, tesamorelin and other growth hormone peptides are being touted as antiaging elixirs, but what evidence is behind those claims?

After a flawless launch, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on a mission to solve some of the universe’s biggest mysteries

A pair of new studies point to the role of early menopause and hormone treatment in cognitive decline, but more research is needed, experts say

Play a bonus science crossword that ties into even more stories from the September 2026 issue of Scientific American.

The Nancy Grace Roman Telescope will probe dark matter and dark energy, discover exoplanets and study stars

New research shows that water becomes electrified as it slides down smooth surfaces, leading to corrosion

The human brain has upward of 86 billion neurons, connected by some 100 trillion synapses

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is on a mission to probe dark energy, hunt for distant worlds and transform our view of the universe

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

How many times do you have to fold a piece of paper to make a doughnut? After decades, a mathematician has determined the most efficient technique

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope will open a whole new window on the cosmos. Here are 10 things it’s likely to show us

In a clinical trial, people with obesity saw clear health benefits on the keto diet that they didn’t see on two other popular eating regimens

Our obsession with ‘maxxing’ every aspect of our lives could actually be stressing us out

In a near-total lunar eclipse, the moon turned red-orange for viewers in North America, Europe and Africa

The Roman Space Telescope will spend more than a quarter of its time staring at the Milky Way’s bulge, a star-packed central region of our galaxy that may swarm with small, rocky exoplanets

Seven Rasmussen, an astrobiologist and author of the new book Cloudy with a Chance of Starships, gives readers a tour of the astonishing science behind modern searches for alien life

The disaster has claimed hundreds of lives, and at least 1,400 people are missing

School districts are banning AI, states are limiting educational technology in classrooms, and Meta will set new “school mode” restrictions — here’s what to know

The fast-growing private-school network is handing much of instruction over to artificial intelligence. Researchers say the science is far from settled

Spirals, ellipticals, irregulars, oh my!

Reading hasn't been around for long, evolutionary speaking. Instead, the brain recruits systems evolved for other purposes

NASA’s newest major observatory will include the most advanced planet-imaging tech ever flown in space. Here’s how it works

Astronomers are lining up to leverage NASA’s soon-to-launch Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which boasts capabilities unlike any previous off-world observatory

The evidence in favor of and against video games promoting aggressive behavior is murkier than you might think

After a spike in infections in July, this explosive-diarrhea-causing outbreak may be coming to an end

Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the hardest to treat and most serious forms of cancer

An investigation into the incomprehensibly, unfathomably large amount of money the U.S. owes

A strengthening El Niño may surpass any seen since the 19th century and will usher in another record hot year or two

Jaw-dropping patient videos and miraculous testimonials ignited a frenzy in China over a technique that aims to improve drainage from the brain in dementia patients. Now it is entering trials worldwide

It’s a weird meteorological coincidence on the heels of Dolly Parton’s death

A groundbreaking study hints at a hazy boundary between “life” and “non-life,” as well as two distinct origins of biology on Earth

Two robots beat Usain Bolt’s 100-meter-dash record—but likely couldn’t survive in the real world

Could this secret cellular weapon be the key to longevity?

Cryptographers use points along a curve to build tough codes

This near-total eclipse will be visible from the Americas, Africa and Europe—here’s how to see it

The world’s oceans hit 21.10 degrees Celsius last Saturday, breaking a record set in 2024

Even as cases of diseases such as measles rise, childhood vaccinations are declining, thanks to changes in public health policies and antivaccine sentiment, experts say

On the 20th anniversary of Pluto’s infamous demotion, Mike “Pluto Killer” Brown explains why any reversal of that decision would be driven more by nostalgia than science