Ancient Jewelry Shows Ice Age Europe Had 9 Distinct Cultures
Prehistoric artifacts used in jewelry, such as beads made from shells, amber and ivory, have shed light on the cultural groups that were present in Europe tens of thousands of years ago
New IVF Test Could Increase Chances of Pregnancy Success
A noninvasive test for genetic material could predict embryo quality in IVF.
Glacier Meltwater Destroys Precious Climate Data in the Alps
Rising temperatures are melting an area of the Swiss Alps where scientists have been working to collect centuries-old ice cores that contain evidence of past environmental conditions
Why Aren't We Made of Antimatter?
To understand why the universe is made of matter and not antimatter, physicists are looking for a tiny signal in the electron
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-arent-we-made-of-antimatter/
A-fib--a Rapid, Irregular Heartbeat--Can Kill You, but New Tech Can Spot It
A fluttering heartbeat called A-fib can lead to stroke, but smartwatches can detect it, and there are good treatments
The Secret to Accomplishing Big Goals Lies in Breaking Them into Flexible, Bite-Size Chunks
Subgoals can make all the difference when ambitious targets seem too daunting
Bacteria Make Decisions Based on Generational Memories
Bacteria choose to swarm based on what happened to their great-grandparents
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bacteria-make-decisions-based-on-generational-memories/
The Troubling Mysteries at the Heart of Nuclear Bombs
Plutonium-pit secrets, growing up in parallel universes, the strange aftermath of a fictional wildfire, and more books out now
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-troubling-mysteries-at-the-heart-of-nuclear-bombs/
Science News Briefs from around the World: February 2024
A missing mammal rediscovered in Indonesia, a speedy new species of dinosaur in Brazil, Ivory Coast chimpanzees that snoop on their neighbors, and much more in this month’s Quick Hits
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/science-news-briefs-from-around-the-world-february-2024/
Environmental Protection Does Not Kill Jobs
The argument that we have to choose between saving nature and strengthening the economy is a false dichotomy
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/environmental-protection-does-not-kill-jobs/
Puns, Pranks and Puerile Humor: Silly Stories about Serious Science
Seventy-one essays of science trivia, from duck penises to hangover myths
Brains Are Not Required When It Comes to Thinking and Solving Problems--Simple Cells Can Do It
Tiny clumps of cells show basic cognitive abilities, and some animals can remember things after losing their head
Readers Respond to the October 2023 Issue
Letters to the editors for the October 2023 issue of Scientific American
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/readers-respond-to-the-october-2023-issue/
How to Save Indigenous Languages
From Papua New Guinea to the Andaman Islands, Indigenous languages are under threat. An Indian linguist helped preserve one language family.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/how-to-save-indigenous-languages/
The Roman Empire's Worst Plagues Were Linked to Climate Change
Changes in the climate may have caused disruptions to Roman society that manifested as disease outbreaks, researchers have found
Climate Disasters Prompt Another Home Insurance Company to Leave a State
The Hartford Financial Services Group is the latest insurer to say it won’t offer new policies to homeowners in California
New 'Chicken from Hell' Discovered
A newly identified “chicken from hell” species suggests dinosaurs weren’t sliding toward extinction before the fateful asteroid hit
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-chicken-from-hell-discovered/
Tiny Fossils Reveal Dinosaurs' Lost Worlds
Special assemblages of minuscule fossils bring dinosaur ecosystems to life
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/tiny-fossils-reveal-dinosaurs-lost-worlds/
Consciousness Is a Continuum, and Scientists Are Starting to Measure It
A new technique helps anesthesiologists track changes in states of consciousness
Cleaning Water Naturally the Ancient Maya Way
The ancestral Maya lived in better harmony with the environment and kept water clean naturally. We can learn from them
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cleaning-water-naturally-the-ancient-maya-way/