Astronomers Are Snapping Baby Pictures of Planets by the Dozen
Snapshots of a plethora of planet-forming disks offer more than just eye candy—they also reveal some fundamental aspects of how worlds are born
Pregnancy and Childbirth Reshape the Brain in Profound, Sometimes Lasting Ways
A study of more than 100 birthing parents showed that pregnancy and birth cause changes in brain circuits that may be involved in empathy and bonding with the child
First Comprehensive Plastics Database Tallies Staggering 16,000 Chemicals—And It's Still Incomplete
A massive new dataset highlights more than 4,200 plastic chemicals linked to health and environmental risks. But scientists say there are still large gaps in the scientific understanding of plastic ingredients
SpaceX’s Starship Rocket Reached Record Heights before It Was Lost
SpaceX lost both the booster and vehicle in a test launch of its massive Starship rocket. But the third try was the charm for Starship, which smoothly separated in its most successful flight to date
Large Study of ME/CFS Patients Reveals Measurable Physical Changes
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, long dismissed by doctors, causes immune system dysfunction and other problems. But treatments are lacking.
Wildfires Used to Die Down after Dark. Drought Has Changed That
About 20 percent of large wildfires in North America now burn overnight because of drought conditions, straining firefighting resources
A Study in Primates Reveals How the Brain Encodes Complex Social Interactions
The research tracks, at the level of individual neurons, what happens when a monkey hangs out with other monkeys. It even found a possible neural code for empathy
NASA Restores Communications with Ailing Voyager 1 Spacecraft
NASA is reaching across more than 15 billion to rescue its malfunctioning Voyager 1 probe—but this hallowed interstellar mission can’t live forever
Tornadoes, Floods and Hurricanes Loom, but the Government Is Running Out of Money to Help
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s disaster response fund could run out this summer. It dealt with a similar situation last year, which led to a slowdown in rebuilding projects
How Blatantly False Headlines Can Distort What We Believe In
New research highlights the necessity of stopping huge falsehoods during the presidential election cycle
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/false-headlines-plausibility-belief/
Moving Trees North Could Save Forests from a Changing Climate
"Assisted migration" could help sustain productive forests in the face of warming habitats
How the Solar Eclipse Will Impact Electricity Supplies
This April’s total solar eclipse will present a unique challenge to power grid operators because of the decline in solar power generation
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-solar-eclipse-will-impact-electricity-supplies/
COVID-19 Leaves Its Mark on the Brain. Significant Drops in IQ Scores Are Noted.
Research shows that even mild COVID-19 can lead to the equivalent of seven years of brain aging
Why Children’s Medications Are Not Fully Tested
Most pharmaceuticals are developed and approved for use only in adults. Some researchers are working to change that
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-childrens-medications-are-not-fully-tested/
Electric Vehicles Beat Gas Cars on Climate Emissions over Time
New research says building electric vehicles leaves a bigger carbon footprint than making gas-powered cars, though EVs make up the difference in the long run
Males Aren’t Larger than Females in Most Mammal Species
A new study corrects a biased assumption promoted by Charles Darwin 150 years ago and repeated ever since.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/males-arent-larger-than-females-in-most-mammal-species/
How Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ Mission Hit Its Mark
Japan’s SLIM lander has sparked a new era of precision landings, with big implications for lunar science and exploration
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-japans-moon-sniper-mission-hit-its-mark/
Medicaid Expansion Alone Won't Stop the Opioid Overdose Crisis
Expanding the state and federal insurance program helps prevent overdoses. But that only happens with enough treatment, and legal reform, to make it work
Total Solar Eclipses Are Cosmic Coincidences That Won’t Last Forever
Earthlings are very lucky to see the spectacle of a total solar eclipse
Hunger in Gaza Could Affect Survivors' Health for Decades
Epigenetics research reveals how famines can cause health problems later in life — and how those changes might be passed down to future generations.