Category: Film & Series
What Is Experimental Archaeology? Sam Kean Explores Ancient Tools, Surgeries and Feasts in Dinner with King Tut
Sam Kean’s New Book Dinner with King Tut Explores the Wild World of Experimental Archaeology In his new book, Sam Kean reveals how re-creating ancient tools, techniques and traditions can unlock secrets about how our ancestors lived—and what they felt. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly,…
Human Embryo Implantation Revealed in First-Ever 3D Images
First 3D Images of Human Embryo Implantation Reveal New Details of the Process Analyzing embryo movements in uteruslike environments could offer clues to improving the success rate of in vitro fertilization By Humberto Basilio edited by Lauren J. Young Confocal microscopy image of a nine-day-old human embryo. Specific proteins and cellular structures have been coloured…
With replay review and ‘robot umps,’ who is still trying to become an MLB umpire?
Becky Sullivan MILWAUKEE — To baseball umpires, timing matters. By the time registration opened at 8 a.m., more than 100 aspiring professional umpires had already arrived at the Milwaukee Brewers ballpark for Major League Baseball’s one-day umpire camp. These camps are, for a lucky few, the first step toward a career as an MLB umpire.…
Trump Order Would Give Political Appointees Power over Science Funding Decisions
Trump Order Gives Political Appointees Vast Powers over Research Grants Researchers are alarmed that an expansive executive order issued by President Donald Trump might upend a long-standing tradition of peer-review for grants By Dan Garisto & Nature magazine US President Donald Trump issued an expansive executive order (EO) yesterday that would centralize power and upend…
How This AI Breakthrough with Pure Mathematics and Reinforcement Learning Could Help Predict Future Crises
How an Unsolved Math Problem Could Train AI to Predict Crises Years in Advance An artificial intelligence breakthrough uses reinforcement learning to tackle the Andrews-Curtis conjecture, solving long-standing counterexamples and hinting at tools for forecasting stock crashes, diseases and climate disasters By Deni Ellis Béchard edited by Dean Visser & Clara Moskowitz Imagine knowing that…
Taylor Swift Announces New Album on Travis Kelce’s Podcast
Taylor Swift announced her new album The Life of a Showgirl during her first appearance on boyfriend Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast for the Aug. 13 episode. Taylor Swift‘s album announcements will never go out of style. While making her debut on boyfriend Travis Kelce and brother Jason Kelce‘s New Heights podcast…
The Perseid Meteor Shower Is Peaking. Here’s How to Watch
How to Watch the Year’s Best Meteor Shower, the Perseids The Perseids are the best annual meteor shower, but this year’s show will be dimmed by a bright gibbous moon By Clara Moskowitz edited by Meghan Bartels Join Our Community of Science Lovers! One of the best annual meteor showers, the Perseid meteor shower, is…
Canada wildfire season already second worst on record as experts warn of ‘new reality’
More than 470 Canadian fires classified as ‘out of control’ as scientists say climate change exacerbating the burning With hundreds of wildfires burning out of control, Canada’s 2025 fire season is already the second-worst on record, as scientists report climate change is prolonging and exacerbating the burning, leading to more destruction, evacuations and smoke-filled skies.…
Growing pains: can rice production in Africa keep up with demand?
Africa Rice initiative aims to give farmers more control over their land in order to reduce flooding and increase yields Salmata Ouattara remembers 2023 as the turning point for her rice farm. June is usually the peak of the rainy season in Ivory Coast, but in the preceding years she and other farmers in M’Be…
Congressman Eric Sorensen on Defending Climate Science, Depoliticizing Weather and Bringing Scientific Rigor to Capitol Hill
By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Jeffery DelViscio & Alex Sugiura Representative Eric Sorensen of Illinois. Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Representative Eric Sorensen of Illinois spent 22 years forecasting the weather on television before winning his congressional seat in 2022. He now finds himself defending scientific agencies from unprecedented attacks…
Trump orders colleges to share admissions data, with an eye on affirmative action
Cory Turner President Trump signed a presidential memorandum Thursday requiring colleges and universities to submit expanded admissions data to the U.S. Department of Education. The move is the latest salvo in the administration’s fight against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and is intended to reveal if schools are still preferencing race in admissions even…
Video shows Department of Justice official urging Jan. 6 rioters to ‘kill’ cops
Tom Dreisbach Police bodycam footage introduced at the trial of Jared Wise showed him berating police officers on Jan. 6, 2021 and yelling “kill ’em” as rioters attacked law enforcement. Less than five years after urging rioters to “kill” police at the Capitol, a former Jan. 6 defendant is working as a senior adviser for…
NASA Budget Cuts Could Halt Space Missions, Climate Research, Experts Warn
NASA Faces Deep Budget Cuts—Every Living Former Science Chief of the Agency Is Sounding the Alarm NASA faces historic budget cuts that could shutter missions and stall vital research, prompting a bipartisan outcry from all of the agency’s living former science chiefs. By Rachel Feltman, Lee Billings, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura & Jeffery DelViscio Rachel…
NASA Boosts Plans for Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
NASA’s Plan for a Nuclear Reactor on the Moon Could Be a Lunar Land Grab Spurred by competition from China and Russia, the Trump administration is pushing for nuclear power on the moon by 2030 By Lee Billings edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier NASA’s acting administrator Sean Duffy testifies during a congressional hearing on July…
India snatch victory to draw dramatic Test series against England
This video can not be played India win dramatic final Test by six runs to clinch series draw Fifth Rothesay Test, The Kia Oval (day five of five) India 224 (Nair 57, Atkinson 5-33, Tongue 3-57) & 396 (Jaiswal 118; Tongue 5-125) England 247 (Crawley 64; Krishna 4-62, Siraj 4-86) & 367 (Brook 111, Root…
U.S. Nuclear Energy Policy Could Accelerate Weapons Proliferation
Opinion U.S. Nuclear Energy Plans Could Proliferate Weapons By Alan J. Kuperman Recent events in Iran demonstrate that dropping “bunker buster” bombs on nuclear plants is not an ideal, or even necessarily effective, way to prevent proliferation. It is far preferable to prevent the spread of nuclear-weapon-usable technologies in the first place. A simplistic way…
Loni Anderson, star of hit TV series ‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ dies at 79
By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Loni Anderson, who played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” died Sunday, just days before her 80th birthday. Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness, said her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan. “We are heartbroken to…
Lebanon mourns beloved artist Ziad Rahbani
By Michael Levitt Lebanon has lost one of its most beloved artists, the playwright and musician Ziad Rahbani. SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST: Lebanon this week mourned the passing of one of its most beloved artists. Musician and playwright Ziad Rahbani died a week ago. NPR’s Michael Levitt has this remembrance. (SOUNDBITE OF ZIAD RAHBANI SONG, “ANA…
Miniature Neutrino Detector Catches Elusive Particles at Nuclear Reactor
Miniature Neutrino Detector Promises to Test the Laws of Physics A relatively small detector caught neutrinos from a nuclear reactor using a technique known as coherent scattering By Davide Castelvecchi & Nature magazine A nuclear power plant in Liebstadt, Switzerland, hosted the CONUS+ neutrino detector. Physicists have caught neutrinos from a nuclear reactor using a…
Anthropic’s Claude 4 Chatbot Suggests It Might Be Conscious
Claude 4 Chatbot Raises Questions about AI Consciousness A conversation with Anthropic’s chatbot raises questions about how AI talks about awareness. By Rachel Feltman, Deni Ellis Béchard, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Today we’re going to talk about an AI chatbot that appears to believe…
Wednesday Cast Reveals What Goes Down in the Show’s 18 Group Chats
Wednesday’s Emma Myers and Joy Sunday detailed the cast’s close bond in an exclusive interview with E! News—and what they talk about in their many group chats. Despite their altogether ooky demeanors onscreen, the Wednesday cast have a lot of love to give. In fact, the stars of the Netflix series, including Jenna Ortega, Emma…
Why Do Allergens Make Us Cough and Sneeze?
Allergens May Make Us Cough and Sneeze by Poking Holes in Airway Cells The immune system senses damage to cell membranes caused by pore-forming proteins and mounts a response By Rachel Fieldhouse & Nature magazine Join Our Community of Science Lovers! The sneezing, itchy eyes and coughing elicited by some allergens are caused by proteins…
4 Science Book Recommendations We Loved Reading in July
What Books Scientific American Read in July Check out Scientific American’s fiction and nonfiction book recommendations for July By Brianne Kane edited by Andrea Gawrylewski July 2025 has been a sweltering month, but we at Scientific American have still squeezed in some fun in the sun and a hot dog or two, all while choosing…
What makes a tsunami — and what to do if one comes
Michal Ruprecht Tsunami alerts lit up Siri Zama’s phone on Tuesday. The 28-year-old high school teacher in Kapolei, Hawaii, fled inland. “It was raining, and the clouds got real dark. It was just a little scary. I was a little worried because everyone from here was stressing,” Zama recalled. Those stress-inducing alerts had been triggered…
Jimmy Hoffa vanished 50 years ago. The unsolved mystery and his legend endure
Don Gonyea His full name is James Riddle Hoffa. But everyone knew him as Jimmy. A labor leader who thrived in the rough and tumble world of union organizing, of contracts, and picket lines… and of standing up for workers right no matter what. When he disappeared it was front page news. But how many…
Hurricane Forecasters Keep Access to Threatened Defense Department Satellite Data
Hurricane Forecasters Keep Crucial Satellite Data Online after Threatened Cuts By Andrea Thompson edited by Jeanna Bryner Infrared satellite imagery of Hurricane Otis compared with microwave imagery of the storm in October 2023. In the later view, the center of the storm is more visible and indicates the hurricane was strengthening. Microwave satellite imagery helped…
See Southern Delta Aquariids and Alpha Capricornids Meteor Showers This Summer
Summer Meteor Showers, Short Summer Days and Ancient Arthropods Set your alarm on Wednesday to see some of the summer’s stunning meteor showers. By Rachel Feltman & Fonda Mwangi Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. It’s been a while, but we’re finally back with our usual science news…
Immigrants in the US illegally fight the Trump administration’s new no-bail policy
By Tovia Smith A class action lawsuit has been filed challenging the Trump administration’s new policy requiring immigrants illegally in the U.S. who are arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement to remain in detention while fighting their deportation. It’s an abrupt reversal of long-standing practice of allowing individuals who are deemed not a flight risk…
Male Birth Control Pill YCT-529 Passes Human Safety Test
First Hormone-Free Male Birth Control Pill Shown Safe in Early Human Trial A hormone-free pill, called YCT-529, that temporarily stops sperm production by blocking a vitamin A metabolite has just concluded its first safety trial in humans, getting a step closer to increasing male contraceptive options By Hannah Seo edited by Lauren J. Young Photo…
Nonfiction and Fiction Summer Reading Recommendations from Scientific American
Bring These Scientific American–Recommended Books to the Beach This Summer If you’re seeking a summer read, Scientific American has some fantastic fiction and notable nonfiction to recommend. By Rachel Feltman, Brianne Kane, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. You might not know this, but Scientific American…
Heat Dome’s Extreme Heat and Humidity Triggers Alerts across Eastern U.S.
Millions Swelter under Relentless Heat Dome Smothering Eastern U.S. High humidity and low overnight temperatures will put tens of millions of people under heat alerts over the course of the coming week By Meghan Bartels edited by Clara Moskowitz HeatRisk forecast for July 27, 2025. The NWS HeatRisk is an experimental color-numeric-based index that provides…
What Scientists on Greenland’s Ice Sheet Are Learning about Our Changing Climate
What It’s Like to Live and Work on the Greenland Ice Sheet Think: subzero temperatures, bone-rattling storms and mysteries about the future of our planet under the ice. By Jeffery DelViscio & Rachel Feltman Barbara Olg Hild, the polar bear guard, stands in the GreenDrill camp during a blizzard that lasted for two straight days.…
Review – Green Arrow #26: Drugged
Ray: Chris Condon’s second arc dials back the clock to one of the darkest chapters of Green Arrow’s history – Roy Harper’s addiction, and the horrible way Ollie reacted when he found him shooting up in that infamous issue. Now, Roy’s seemingly relapsed – being found unconscious in an alley, in a coma, after a…
Trump’s EPA now says greenhouses gases don’t endanger people
Jeff Brady The Trump administration wants to overturn a key 2009 Environmental Protection Agency finding that underpins much of the federal government’s actions to rein in climate change. The EPA has crafted a proposal that would undo the government’s ‘endangerment finding,’ a determination that pollutants from burning fossil fuels, such as carbon dioxide and methane,…
Get in the Game With ‘Super Mario Party Jamboree – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Jamboree TV’
When it launched last October, Super Mario Party Jamboree quickly became my family’s go-to for competitive multiplayer, not to mention a series favorite for Mario Party’s special brand of digital boardgame tomfoolery. Fast forward nine months, and Jamboree is back with fresh features, new mini-game types, and a much longer name. Super Mario Party Jamboree…
How effective is ‘precooling’ your home during off-peak hours? It depends
By Ayana Archie Heat waves have swept through much of the U.S. already this summer, breaking temperature records, straining power grids and buckling roads. And a long-lasting heat dome is set to bake much of the country’s midsection in triple-digit temperatures in the coming days, according to AccuWeather. And when the heat is on, so…
Review – Absolute Batman #10: Locked in Ark M
Ray: Scott Snyder has been writing DC Comics for so long that it’s hard to remember that he used to be very well-known as a hard-boiled horror writer. So he likes to remind us occasionally – Severed, Night of the Ghoul, and Dark Spaces: Dungeon are some of the most disturbing comics I’ve ever read.…
Review – Absolute Flash #5: Heating Up
Ray: The Absolute line continues to have an unparalleled creative record, as just about every issue is phenomenal. That’s definitely the case for this issue, as Wally West faces his largest-scale threat ever – but it may not be a villain at all. Last issue saw the runaway teenager still struggling to master his powers…
Review – Superman Unlimited #3: Krypto vs. Kryptonite
Ray: With the new wave of Kryptonite on Earth, everything has gotten more dangerous for the Super-family – and that includes the best boy on Earth. This issue focuses on Krypto – not just in the new paradigm, but looking back at his time on Earth. I did notice that this Krypto seems to be…
Toronto film festival: Angelina Jolie, Saoirse Ronan and Keanu Reeves lead lineup
The 50th edition of the Canadian film festival will also feature world premieres starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Sydney Sweeney and Matthew McConaughey World premieres starring Angelina Jolie, Saoirse Ronan and Keanu Reeves lead this year’s lineup for the Toronto film festival. The 50th edition of the festival will again feature a string of films hoping to…
Review – Batman: Detective Comics #1099 – Who Wants to Live Forever?
Ray: The search for Elixir has led Batman and Harvey Bullock abroad – where they picked up an unlikely ally in the Penguin. This is a great team-up – you have one hero, one slightly corrupt cop, and one villain with the exact same goal – to get to the heart of this multi-national conspiracy…
AI Weather Forecasts Missed the Texas Floods, and Trump NOAA Cuts Will Stymie Research
AI Couldn’t Forecast the Texas Floods The Trump administration wants to reduce the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s budget by $2.2 billion, eliminating research that might help advance AI weather models By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News A man looks at a damaged road after severe flash flooding that occurred during the July 4 holiday…
‘The Ellyrian Code:’ A Book Review
Academy fantasy is all the rage these days, and it’s easy to see why. They offer compelling, coming-of-age stories, filled with personal rivalry and conflict. You can have all the action without needing to write any complex geopolitics. The Ellyrian Code is a new addition to the genre, and, as it has dragons too, it…
Cosmic Explorer, Laser Breakthroughs and the Next Generation of Gravitational-Wave Research
The LIGO Lab Is Pushing the Boundaries of Gravitational-Wave Research After 10 years of gravitational-wave research, the LIGO Lab team at MIT is getting ready for the next generation of detectors. By Rachel Feltman, Naeem Amarsy, Jeffery DelViscio & Alex Sugiura Host Rachel Feltman with Matthew Evans, MIT’s MathWorks professor of physics. Rachel Feltman: For…
Cuts to public media will smash budgets of some local radio stations
Frank Langfitt DUNMORE, West Virginia — When President Trump pushed to slash federal funding for public media, he said a key reason was because he thinks PBS and NPR are politically biased. But some of those hardest hit by Congress’ decision last week to clawback $1.1 billion in federal funds are small radio operations that…
Dropout.tv’s Brennan Lee Mulligan Brings Dungeons and Dragons to the Masses
The Surprising Science of Dungeons and Dragons Dropout.tv’s Brennan Lee Mulligan talks about the emotional and cultural importance of Dungeons and Dragons. By Rachel Feltman, Kelso Harper, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Last April I spent a harrowing hour of my life trying to get…
Can You Drink Saturn’s Rings?
The UniverseFridays Can You Drink Saturn’s Rings? It’s certainly possible to consume water sourced from the icy rings of Saturn, but doing so safely may require extra steps By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings Saturn’s rings are mostly composed of chunks of water ice—but that doesn’t mean you could easily drink from them. Stay…
Should you buy it? If you answer ‘yes’ to these questions, probably not
By Marielle Segarra , Malaka Gharib Many of us know the old adage to save money: Buy what you need, not what you want. But even when money is tight, it’s a hard rule to follow. It’s OK to buy what you want every now and then, but the key is to be intentional, says…
Love Is Blind Season 9 Premiere Date Revealed
After the most recent season of Love Is Blind ended in March, the Netflix show has revealed its next premiere date. See every detail about the upcoming season nine. It’s nearly time to get back in the pods. Netflix recently announced its next string of reality show premieres, the ninth installment of Love Is Blind…
Review – Zatanna #6: The Final Curtain
Ray: Jamal Campbell’s solo writer-artist debut has been characterized by brilliant art and a dense but coherent story, but it’s also adding one key thing to Zatanna’s mythos – our first look at her mother Sindella and her role in Zatanna’s upbringing. In most versions, she dies very early and Zatanna’s father plays a much…
CBS will end ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ next year
Mandalit del Barco While taping his Thursday show, host Stephen Colbert made the surprising announcement that CBS is ending his late night show in May. The live audience at New York’s Ed Sullivan Theater booed when he delivered the news that this would be the show’s final season. “Yeah, I share your feelings,” he told…
Review – Batman and Robin: Year One #9 – War at Castle Grimaldi
Ray: I was surprised when this series turned into an ongoing – after all, how much mileage can Waid and Samnee get out of the early days of Dick Grayson’s time as Robin? It turns out the answer is – a lot. A big part of this is that they have some really good villains…
Trump announces weapons for Ukraine and threatens Russia with tariffs
By Charles Maynes MOSCOW — President Trump on Monday threatened to punish Russia with heavy tariffs on countries that trade with Moscow if the Kremlin fails to reach a ceasefire deal with Ukraine, while promising Kyiv “billions of dollars” worth of military equipment. “We’re going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don’t have…
Weather tracker: warm air engulfs parts of Argentina as winter temperatures soar
Rosario in Sante Fe likely be to 10C above normal, as Japan braces for Tropical Storm Nari An unseasonably mild start to the week is expected in northern and central parts of Argentina, where it is winter. A plume of warm air will sink southwards from neighbouring Paraguay on Monday, lingering through Tuesday, before giving…
Love Island USA Season 7 Winners Revealed
Love Island USA unveiled its season seven winners on the July 13 finale after it came down to castmates Amaya Espinal, Bryan Arenales, Huda Mustafa, Nic Vansteenberghe, Olandria Carthen and more. This story contains spoilers for the Love Island USA season seven finale. America has officially picked Amaya Papaya. The sun has set on this rollercoaster…
Los Angeles houses of worship plan for possible ICE Raids
Jason DeRose LOS ANGELES – In recent weeks, Pastor Caleb Crainer began developing a plan in the event that immigration enforcement agents show up at the door of his congregation, a pressing concern after the Trump administration rescinded long-standing guidance advising them to avoid houses of worship. “So we have three of these pink binders…
How and Why Humans Began to Sing, a Musicology and Neuroscience Perspective
Brains Process Speech and Singing Differently By Rachel Feltman, Allison Parshall, Fonda Mwangi & Madison Goldberg Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. We’re wrapping up our week of summer reruns with one of my absolute favorite Science Quickly episodes. Back in October, SciAm associate news editor Allison Parshall took us on…
We’ll Have 30 When Harry Met Sally Secrets—& What She’s Having
When Harry Met Sally redefined the rom-com and 36 years later, continues to be a favorite. But the Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal vehicle almost starred a totally different cast. More than three decades later and we’ll still have what she’s having. When Harry Met Sally, one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all-time,…
ChatGPT Is Changing the Words We Use in Conversation
ChatGPT Is Changing the Words We Use in Conversation Words frequently used by ChatGPT, including “delve” and “meticulous,” are getting more common in spoken language, according to an analysis of more than 700,000 hours of videos and podcasts By Vanessa Bates Ramirez edited by Allison Parshall Join Our Community of Science Lovers! After its release…
‘Helping every dang soul’: Beloved camp director was among those lost in Texas flooding
By Frank Morris Jane Ragsdale spent her summers by the Guadalupe, the very river that killed her a week ago today in the catastrophic July Fourth flood. Mention her name in Kerrville, Texas, this week, and folks tend to do two things: tear up and smile. “I mean I can’t tell you how many people,…
Preliminary report says fuel switches were cut off before Air India Boeing 787 crash
By Joel Rose , Russell Lewis A pair of switches that control the fuel supply to the engines were set to “cutoff” moments before the crash of Air India Flight 171, according to a preliminary report from India’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau released early Saturday in India. A total of 260 people were killed when…
Caster Semenya calls for athletes’ rights to be put first as court rules in her favour
ECHR rules South African runner did not have fair trial on need to lower testosterone levels to compete in women’s sport The South African runner Caster Semenya has called for athletes’ rights to be better protected after Europe’s top human rights court ruled that she had not been given a fair trial when she contested…
Flood Forecasts in Texas and Beyond Could Worsen with Trump NWS Cuts
Flood Forecasts Could Worsen as Trump’s NWS Cuts Take Hold Forecasts and warnings largely worked during the recent flooding catastrophe in Texas. Those systems are expected to degrade as President Donald Trump’s cuts to the National Weather Service, satellites and other key services take hold By Scott Waldman, Chelsea Harvey & E&E News Search and…
The Benefits of Raising Conscientious Kids
The Science of ParentingMondays The Benefits of Raising Conscientious Kids Being conscientious will serve kids in the long run. Here are some tips to help them learn that trait By Jasmine Mote edited by Megha Satyanarayana Cut through the claims: Get email alerts for The Science of Parenting My preschooler is obsessed with rules—and, more…
Texas officials race to find survivors after devastating floods
By Chandelis Duster Officials in Central Texas are desperately searching for survivors after a flash flood on Friday left at least 78 people dead and dozens unaccounted for, including many children. More than 850 people have been rescued so far — many by helicopters, officials said. Of the dead, 68 of the them were in…
Could AI Make Drone Shows Less Technically Challenging?
AI Could Broaden the Applications of Entertaining Drone Shows AI can allow engineers to focus on artistry over technical details for drone shows By Rachel Feltman, Jeffery DelViscio, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. This Fourth of July some of the celebrants flocking to their local…
Congress passed no tax on tips in Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill.’ Here’s how it works
Luke Garrett Tipped workers in the U.S. could see significant changes to their taxes after Congress approved President Trump’s legislative agenda on Thursday. This week, the GOP-controlled Senate and House narrowly passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act — a massive spending and tax package that creates limited and temporary tax exemptions for tips, among…
Review – Resurrection Man: Quantum Karma #4 – From the Beginning
Ray: Ram V continues to take us deeper into the mystical side of the DCU than any other writer has in a long time. Mitch Shelley has completed his latest evolution as Resurrection Man, dying peacefully of old age – and as such, has evolved to be immune and above time itself. Now in the…
The WNBA is expanding again, adding 3 new cities for a record 18 teams
Russell Lewis The WNBA juggernaut is not slowing down. The women’s basketball league announced Monday it’s adding three new teams for a record 18 franchises: Cleveland will begin play in 2028, Detroit joins in 2029 and Philadelphia will tip off in 2030. The WNBA has 15 existing squads — including the Golden State Valkyries, which…
Why Did the Company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline Sue Greenpeace?
Talking to the Host of Drilled about the Legal Battles around Standing Rock Energy Transfer, the company behind the Dakota Access Pipeline, sued the nonprofit Greenpeace over alleged conspiracy—the host of Drilled explains why By Rachel Feltman, Alex Sugiura, Jeffery DelViscio & Fonda Mwangi Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. In…
Jamaica’s film industry gets boost from government funding and co-production initiative
Black River film festival invited US, European and African producers and directors to explore partnerships with local film-makers A film festival has brought US, European and African producers and directors to Jamaica to explore collaborations with local film-makers, who are set to benefit from several million US dollars-worth of government investment to boost the domestic…
Review – New History of the DC Universe #1: At the Beginning
Ray: Uniting one of the top DC writers of all time with two of its most long-running artists, this book takes on an incredibly ambitious goal – retelling the entire history of the DCU according to the new all-encompassing timeline. The framing device finds Barry Allen, now retired as the Flash ever since he lost…
Review – Justice League Unlimited #8: Time’s End
Ray: It’s the final chapter of “We Are Yesterday”, a cosmic epic that saw the Legion of Doom of the past make their way to the present, courtesy of a Gorilla Grodd upgraded with Martian Manhunter’s psychic abilities. The last chapter saw both sides bring their big guns – the heroes recruited allies from across…
Review – Absolute Martian Manhunter #4: City of Rage
Ray: Of all the Absolute books, this is the one that feels the most set apart from the larger universe it takes place in. It’s a strange cosmic sci-fi thriller heavily set in one man’s mind after he survives a traumatic event. But that doesn’t mean it has less on its mind – quite the…
Review – DC x Sonic the Hedgehog #4: Justice League on Angel Island
Ray: For the last issue, we got to see Sonic and his crew take over the DCU, with each fuzzy hero taking on the turf and style of one of the missing-in-action DCU heroes. Which raises the question of where the Justice League is – and the answer is, on Sonic’s world! That means these…
What is birthright citizenship and what happens after the Supreme Court ruling?
By Bill Chappell After the Supreme Court issued a ruling that limits the ability of federal judges to issue universal injunctions — but didn’t rule on the legality of President Trump’s executive order on birthright citizenship — immigrant rights groups are trying a new tactic by filing a national class action lawsuit. The lawsuit was…
Weather Forecasters Lose Crucial Hurricane Detection Microwave Satellite Data
Hurricane Forecasters Lose Crucial Satellite Data, with Serious Implications Microwave satellite data are key to capturing major changes in a hurricane’s strength, such as when a storm undergoes rapid intensification. But a main source of those data is being abruptly shut off By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser Satellite image of Hurricane Otis over…
Five academics and former diplomats on U.S. strikes, Iran and stability
By Majd Al-Waheidi The U.S. military strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites have reignited long-standing debates over Washington’s strategy in the Middle East. While President Trump hailed the attacks as a decisive blow to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, reactions from regional and international experts reveal a far more divided picture. Shortly before the Hamas-led Oct. 7…
Review – Green Lantern Dark #5: Castle of the Bat
Ray: This continues to be one of the most intriguing new Elseworlds in a while, not just for its characters and worldbuilding but for its stunning art style. “Something Is Killing the Children” artist Werther Dell’Edera is very comfortable with working with cosmic horrors, so it’s not a surprise that he manages to bring some…
Lalo Schifrin, composer of Mission: Impossible theme and more than 100 film and TV scores, dies aged 93
The Argentinian composer also wrote the scores for Cool Hand Luke and Dirty Harry, and wrote one of the biggest-selling works in the history of classical music Lalo Schifrin, the composer who wrote the endlessly catchy theme for Mission: Impossible and more than 100 other arrangements for film and television, has died aged 93. Schifrin’s…
Review – The Flash #22: Sins of the Fathers
Ray: “Bad Moon Rising” has been a compelling crossover so far, with Wally West combating Eclipso’s takeover of the moon by splitting himself into hundreds of alternate selves – at the growing cost of his mental stability. But this issue throws a new wrinkle into things, as his kids start helping him – but not…
These Actions Could Make Vaccines Safer. But RFK, Jr., Isn’t Pursuing Them
These Actions Could Make Vaccines Safer. But RFK, Jr., Isn’t Pursuing Them Vaccines are safe, but they could always be safer—here’s what would make a difference By Arthur Allen & KFF Health News Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions in May…
The next James Bond film will have Dune’s Denis Villeneuve as its director
By Bill Chappell Dune director Denis Villeneuve views the world of James Bond as “sacred territory.” Now he’ll have a chance to shape that world: the Quebecois filmmaker is directing the next installment of the venerable spy’s adventures. “I grew up watching James Bond films with my father, ever since Dr. No with Sean Connery,”…
Review – Mr. Terrific: Year One #2 – Ghost Story
Ray: When we picked up with Michael Holt last issue, he was a man at his wit’s end. After losing his wife and unborn child in a freak car accident, he had spiraled – and not even his best friend Dre was able to pull him out of it. Michael didn’t agree to help when…
The Trump administration says it wants to eliminate FEMA. Here’s what we know
Rebecca Hersher President Trump says the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, should be eliminated, and that states should take on more responsibility for responding to and preparing for extreme weather and other disasters. That would mean big changes for the millions of Americans who rely on FEMA after hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, floods and other weather…
Senators question Trump plan to kill federal funds for PBS, NPR and some foreign aid
By Scott Neuman Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee pushed back against the Trump administration’s bid to kill federal funding that Congress already has approved for public broadcasting and international aid programs. In President Trump’s request to Congress, sent last month, he justified the cuts because the targeted foreign aid programs were “antithetical…
How Perfectionism Hurts Parents and Their Kids
How Perfectionism Hurts Parents and Their Kids New research highlights the risks and occasional rewards of parental perfectionism By Francine Russo edited by Allison Parshall You want your kids to feel loved—and to be happy, healthy and reasonably well-behaved. Nothing is more important. Advice about how to achieve this comes at you from every corner:…
‘Paved With Good Intentions:’ A Book Review
It’s always sad when a favorite series finishes. Peter McLean closed his War of the Rose Throne series in 2022, and I thought that was that. It was a great ending to one of fantasy’s most consistently thrilling series. Imagine my excitement when, earlier this year, I learned that McLean was revisiting the world of…
Review – Superman Unlimited #2: World of Kryptonite
Ray: It’s a brave new world for Superman, as last issue saw a massive Kryptonite meteor bear down on Earth. Superman was able to stop it, nearly dying in the process – but the result changed the world. Now, Kryptonite is omnipresent on Earth, easily winding up in the hands of a common criminal who…
Trump administration defends Iranian strikes as some lawmakers question its legality
Stephen Fowler The Trump administration is defending a precision strike on Iranian nuclear sites Saturday that was carried out without Congressional approval or notifying top Democratic lawmakers ahead of time. “Operation Midnight Hammer” was the largest B-2 bomber strike in U.S. history, Pentagon officials said Sunday, and saw the mobilization of more than 125 aircraft…
Review – Wonder Woman #22: Of Men and Mice
Ray: After the battle with the Sovereign, we haven’t gotten to the next big WW arc yet – but Tom King is making the most of this break from bigger storylines. First we got a two-part murder mystery with Batman joining Wonder Woman on Olympus – and now we have a breather issue set right…
Mysterious Link between Earth’s Magnetism and Oxygen Baffles Scientists
Mysterious Link between Earth’s Magnetism and Oxygen Baffles Scientists The strength of Earth’s magnetic field and the amount of oxygen in its atmosphere seem to be correlated—and scientists want to know why By Davide Castelvecchi & Nature magazine A group of Dimetrodon’s hunting in a Permian era environment. Explaining the link could help to reveal…
Review – Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #40 – Fight Night in Metropolis
Ray: One of the fun things about doing an ongoing flashback series is that you can do stories that wouldn’t make their way into a continuity-dense ongoing series. Supergirl and Robin’s date from hell is a prime example – and this issue is another oddball team-up that has some great twists. It’s set in the…
The Weather Expert Who Answered the $64,000 Question
The Weather Expert Who Answered the $64,000 Question By Carol Sutton Lewis, Christie Taylor, Laura Isensee & The Lost Women of Science Initiative In the mid-1940s then teenager June Bacon-Bercey saw the image of a nuclear explosion on the cover of Time magazine and immediately had questions. How would the particles in the mushroom cloud…
What Is Testosterone Replacement Therapy, and Is It Safe?
Testosterone Therapy Is Booming. But Is It Actually Safe? As more men turn to testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for energy, mood and muscle, experts warn the risks are still not fully understood. By Rachel Feltman, Stephanie Pappas, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura This episode was made possible by the support of Yakult and produced independently…
Review – Absolute Flash #4: Safe Haven
Ray: This series has done some incredible things with Wally’s character so far, but it’s also had the smallest scope of any of the Absolute books. We’ve been following Wally as he’s pursued by the Rogues, trying to get control of his speed powers and grieving the loss of his mentor. But this issue takes…
Hurricane Hunter Flights Improve Hurricane Forecasts, But Trump Budget Cuts Could Threaten Them
Daring Hurricane Hunter Flights Make Forecasts More Accurate. But They Could Face Cuts NOAA’s Hurricane Hunter airplane missions significantly increase the accuracy of hurricane forecasts, but President Trump’s proposed budget cuts jeopardize the data-gathering efforts and other forecasting tools By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News Stickers of previous hurricane missions adorn the side as a…
Federal judge declines to order Trump officials to recover deleted Signal messages
Elena Moore A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has issued a preliminary injunction ordering top national security officials who discussed military operations on the encrypted messaging service Signal to notify the acting archivist of the United States of any messages they have that may be at risk of being deleted. But in calling for those…
How Ginny & Georgia Will Address Diesel La Torraca’s Age in Season 4
Ginny & Georgia creator Sarah Lampert shared how the writers plan to address the five-year age difference between actor Diesel La Torraca and his character Austin Miller in the upcoming season four. Diesel La Torraca and his black-rimmed glasses aren’t leaving Wellsbury anytime soon. After the 14-year-old faced criticism for playing 9-year-old character Austin Miller…
Nigerian communities to take Shell to high court over oil pollution
Residents of Bille and Ogale in Niger delta are suing Shell and subsidiary, but company denies liability Residents of two Nigerian communities who are taking legal action against Shell over oil pollution are set to take their cases to trial at the high court in 2027. Members of the Bille and Ogale communities in the…