Film & Series
Seismometers Picked Up Hurricane Melissa’s Historic Power Like an Earthquake
Hurricane Melissa Was So Strong That It Shook the Earth Hundreds of Miles Away Seismometers picked up the ferocious winds and waves of Hurricane Melissa, showing how the tools can be used to better understand storms today and those from the past By Robin George Andrews edited by Andrea Thompson Seismograms from October 25 (left)…
Review – Absolute Batman 2025 Annual #1 – Bare-Knuckle Bats
Ray: For the first Absolute annual, Scott Snyder is doing something unusual – letting other people play in his new sandbox. Three elite cartoonists from the indie world are on board to celebrate a year of the beefiest Batman ever. He’s rescued by a priest as the Nazis go on to their violent purposes, and…
Review – Batman and Robin: Year One #12 – The Guardians of Gotham
Ray: It’s the first of two issues concluding epic miniseries telling tales of Batman and Robin’s early years this month, and this one has the edge of one artist through the entire run – the brilliant Chris Samnee. Over the run, we’ve seen Bruce struggle to adjust to being a father, Dick battling with his…
White House fires entire commission that reviews designs for federal buildings
Elizabeth Blair The White House has fired six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the independent federal agency that advises the president and Congress on design plans for monuments, memorials, coins and federal buildings. The seven member commission is made up of experts in architecture, art, urban and landscape design. Since its creation…
The Neuroscience behind the ‘Parenting Paradox’ of Happiness
The Neuroscience behind the ‘Parenting Paradox’ of Happiness Separate brain processes cope with moment-to-moment versus big-picture experiences, which helps explain how parenting both increases and decreases aspects of well-being By Anthony Vaccaro edited by Daisy Yuhas Deciding whether to have kids can be one of the most momentous decisions a person makes. Countless factors can…
Review – Superman: Red and Blue 2025 Special #1 – Colors of a Hero
“Priceless” by Dini and Andolfo finds Superman on a complex mission in deep space. Kara and Krypto have been arrested on a foreign planet for…antics, and the fine is a crystal only found on one planet and attached to peaceful but dangerous aliens. Superman needs to painlessly get the mineral without disrupting the aliens –…
Did Dark Matter Help Supersize the Universe?
Physicists Propose a Simpler, Hotter Origin for the Cosmos Theorists have found that a “warm” version of cosmic inflation is consistent with known physics, linking it to the hunt for dark matter By Stephanie Pappas edited by Lee Billings For a fraction of a second after the big bang occurred 13.8 billion years ago, most…
Want to opt out of AI? State labeling laws might help
Martin Kaste Utah and California have passed laws requiring entities to disclose when they use AI. More states are considering similar legislation. Proponents say labels make it easier for people who don’t like AI to opt out of using it. “They just want to be able to know,” says Utah Department of Commerce executive director…
Mosquitoes Found in Iceland for the First Time amid Climate Change
Mosquitoes Invade Iceland, Earth Darkens, and Bird Flu Returns Bird flu surges and a government shutdown collide, complicating efforts to track cases and protect flocks. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Jeffery DelViscio & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. You’re listening to our weekly science news…
The Dangerous Data Gap in Pregnancy Drug Research
Why Pregnant People Are Left Out of Drug Safety Studies Despite the widespread use of medication during pregnancy, a lack of clinical research leaves patients and doctors navigating treatment with dangerously few data. By Rachel Feltman, Tanya Lewis, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. For decades…
June Lockhart, beloved mother figure from ‘Lassie’ and ‘Lost In Space,’ dies at 100
By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — June Lockhart, who became a mother figure for a generation of television viewers whether at home in “Lassie” or up in the stratosphere in “Lost In Space,” has died. She was 100. Lockhart died Thursday of natural causes at her home in Santa Monica, family spokesman Lyle Gregory,…
Why Horror? Why Not! — Three New Releases for Your Halloween Reading List
If you’ve ever read any horror-related content here at GeekDad, chances are you’ve seen my work. Now, I’m certainly not the only fan in our midst—GeekDad Paul, for example, has a fine eye for Halloween decoration tech and GeekDad Rob adores movies of all stripes, the creepy stuff included—but if our little community has a…
Review – Justice League Unlimited #12: The Last Temptation of Earth
Ray: DC KO is turning into the largest-scale DC event in a long time, and that means there is time for all sorts of epic tie-ins that feel almost big enough to be an event story in their own right. That’s definitely the case for this issue, which features Mark Waid revisiting one of his…
Here’s what experts say ‘A House of Dynamite’ gets wrong (and right) about nuclear war
Geoff Brumfiel This essay contains spoilers for the film A House of Dynamite. In the opening minutes of Kathryn Bigalow’s latest film, A House of Dynamite, the unthinkable happens — a single nuclear warhead is lobbed from somewhere in the Pacific towards the U.S. mainland. America’s leadership has less than half an hour to decide…
Review – Absolute Wonder Woman #13: The Enemy Within
Ray: After the previous arc dropped one epic reveal after another, including the first hints we’ve gotten of the Absolute Universe’s Atlantis and the big reveal that Themyscira was still around in an alternate universe, it’s easy to think that Kelly Thompson might dial things back for a bit. Not so much! Hayden Sherman is…
Review – Green Lantern Dark #7: The Light Shines Again
Ray: The Tangent Universe has been one of my favorite little corners of the DCU for the longest time. An alternate universe where a nuclear World War III created a whole new wave of heroes, it combines sci-fi, fantasy, and so much more to reinvent its heroes with only the original names. We hadn’t kept…
How Word Choice and Effort Make Apologies Sound Genuine, according to Psychologists
By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. If you’re enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today. Thank you…
Why Aluminum in Vaccines Is Safe—And Often Essential
Why Aluminum in Vaccines Is Safe—And Often Essential The FDA wants to reevaluate the use of aluminum adjuvants despite a long record of safe use in vaccines By Humberto Basilio edited by Tanya Lewis Join Our Community of Science Lovers! President Donald Trump said the aluminum in many vaccines is harmful during a wide-ranging press…
These Love Is Blind Filming Secrets Will Really Open Your Eyes
Since Love Is Blind premiered on Netflix in 2020, there has been speculation about how the Netflix dating competition show all comes together. Here are all the behind-the-scenes secrets explained. Viewers may be blind to these behind-the-scenes tricks. When Love Is Blind first premiered in 2020, fans tuned in to new episodes to find out which…
‘The Last Book:’ A Book Review
When is a book not a book? When it’s a work of art. The Last Book will take you on a sumptuous philosophical journey deep into the history of mankind. This huge tome is something to behold. It’s a beautiful rumination on what makes us human. Subtitled “The Diary of the Last Earthling (or maybe…
‘No Kings’ Protesters Reject Political Violence, Survey Shows
U.S. Protesters Increasingly Reject Political Violence, ‘No Kings’ Survey Finds By Dan Vergano edited by Jeanna Bryner Protestors march along Pennsylvania Avenue during the second “No Kings” protest on October 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! The most recent “No Kings” marches across the U.S. marked a sharp turn away…
Miami Beach puts the art in offshore artificial reef
By Greg Allen MIAMI — In a warehouse, Colin Foord is a doting father overseeing a coral nursery. His charges are a type of soft coral called gorgonians. “They’re a fundamentally important part of the Caribbean and Floridian coral reef habitat,” he says. Foord tends to more than 2,000 tiny soft coral specimens growing in…
Review – The New Gods #11: Last Stand on Earth
Ray: We’re reaching the last act of Ram V’s epic space-faring reinvention of the New Gods, with the fate of the child Kamal hanging in the balance. The boy was discovered in India, and has been a bargaining chip between the two factions ever since – with some wanting to kill him, some wanting to…
Can Genetic Testing Predict Type 1 Diabetes? Experts Say Earlier Treatment Is Possible
Diagnosing Type 1 Diabetes before Symptoms Strike Genetic screening can mean that people at risk of type 1 diabetes get earlier treatment and better outcomes By Rachel Nuwer edited by Jeanna Bryner This article is part of “Innovations In: Type 1 Diabetes,” an editorially independent special report that was produced with financial support from Vertex.…
D&D Crunch—Bonus Action Tier List
If you’re interested in maximizing your action economy in Dungeons and Dragons, this tier list will help you find a class that uses Bonus Actions well and class options for the classes that don’t have good Bonus Actions to start. Action economy refers to how much impact you can have in the game on your…
Story of Indigenous activist’s murder takes top prize at London film festival
Jury says documentary about killing of Argentinian campaigner Javier Chocobar brings ‘a measure of the justice’ denied by the courts A documentary about the murder of the Indigenous activist Javier Chocobar has taken the top prize at the London film festival, with the jury calling it “a measure of the justice” that has long been…
Opinion: Susan Stamberg gave NPR its voice
Scott Simon We are here — and I mean on the air with you today — because of Susan Stamberg. There are of course others who helped turn the idea of National Public Radio into a distinctive sound. But a little over 50 years ago, when Susan’s voice began to crackle into kitchens and cars…
Anderillium Lchthyoformes Ink Series: Nature Meets Fountain Pen Art
This year at the Central Florida Pen Show, I met up with Anderillium Inks. They debuted their new Lchthyoformes Series with eight new colors to brighten your writing with. I decided to check out their first purple ink, Betta Fish Purple, and a new blue hue, Swordfish Blue. My first impressions of both inks were…
The El Ali Meteorite’s Journey from Landmark to Loot
How a Space Rock Became a Scientific Breakthrough—And a Black Market Commodity A massive Somali meteorite containing never-before-seen-on-Earth minerals vanished into the black market, raising ethical questions about science and ownership. By Rachel Feltman, Dan Vergano, Jeffery DelViscio, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. For generations…
Does the sale of Dominion Voting Systems mean a transformation? Depends who’s asking
By Miles Parks , Bente Birkeland “As of today, Dominion is gone,” read the first line of a press release that seemed to many readers to lean into the unfounded rumors that have swirled around the company (and led to hundreds of millions of dollars in defamation settlements) since Donald Trump’s loss in the 2020…
Why D&D Spellcasters Should Take Exactly 1 Level in Wizard (and No More)
In the world of Dungeons and Dragons, Wizards have a reputation for being the most versatile spellcaster. It is true that they have access to many things, but the only feature which is unique to them is their most iconic feature: Spellbooks. Every other feature is something another class does better or more interestingly. Every…
What Is a Quasar? The Answer Depends on Your Point of View
The UniverseFridays When a Galaxy Erupts, What We See Depends on How We See It Voracious supermassive black holes light up the cores of “active” galaxies across the universe. How we see them, however, is a matter of perspective By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings A black hole-powered jet of subatomic particles erupts from…
How to See Comet Lemmon and the Orionids Meteor Shower Peak
How to Catch a Rare Comet and a Meteor Shower A comet visible to the naked eye will make its closest approach to Earth on October 21 By Dan Falk edited by Clara Moskowitz Astrophotographer Brennan Gilmore captured this photograph of Comet Lemmon on October 4, 2025, from central Virginia. Join Our Community of Science…
Supreme Court seems poised to further undercut the Voting Rights Act
Nina Totenberg The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed headed for another ruling that undercuts the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. Once considered the jewel in the crown of the civil rights movement, the Voting Rights Act has been largely dismembered since 2013 by the increasingly conservative Supreme Court. The major exception was a decision just…
Why Lung Cancer Is Increasing among Nonsmoking Women Under Age 65
A Surgeon Explains the Alarming Rise of Lung Cancer in Nonsmoking Women Thoracic surgeon Jonathan Villena explains why early screening for lung cancer is critical—even for those without symptoms. By Rachel Feltman, Jeffery DelViscio, Fonda Mwangi, Kylie Murphy & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Lung cancer is the…
Men’s Brains Shrink Faster than Women’s. What That Means for Alzheimer’s
Men’s Brains Shrink Faster than Women’s. What That Means for Alzheimer’s Women’s brains age more slowly than men’s, but they still have higher rates of Alzheimer’s disease By Rachel Fieldhouse & Nature magazine A healthy brain (left) and a brain affected by Alzheimer’s disease. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! During ageing, men experience a…
Review – Superman: Action Comics #1091 – Taking Off
Ray: Superboy’s journey to Superman has had some surprising stumbling blocks in its way, but none more intense than the man who seems to have named himself his mentor – whether he likes it or not. Captain Comet, posing as a teacher at Clark’s school, has been setting up tests for him to determine if…
She was about to drop out of college, but then her professor stepped in
By Autumn Barnes This story is part of the My Unsung Hero series, from the Hidden Brain team. It features stories of people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else. In 1971, Silvana Clark graduated from high school. Soon after, her parents moved to another state, leaving Clark to fend for herself. “They…
New Study Finds Annual COVID Vaccines Protect People against Severe Disease, Even with Prior Immunity
Annual COVID Vaccines Protect People against Severe Disease, Even with Prior Immunity A new study shows that receiving an updated COVID vaccine reduced people’s risk of severe disease and death in all age groups, regardless of immunity from prior infection or vaccination By Sara Novak edited by Lauren J. Young Join Our Community of Science…
Review – Batman and Robin #26: The Hunter of Gotham
Ray: Phillip Kennedy Johnson has shifted gears for his second arc on this title, after doing a year-long thriller about the supernatural Memento killer. He’s also managed to redefine Batman and Robin’s relationship, as Bruce is committing to being a better father to Damian in their civilian guises as well. That included taking the night…
Review – Green Lantern Corps #9: The Light Shines Again
Ray: The Starbreaker Supremacy concludes this issue, and if there’s one word that describes this era of Green Lantern, it’s “Big”. Since Jeremy Adams took over the line, he’s set the Lanterns up against one cosmic invasion after another, a United Planets takeover, and now an army of energy vampires. But as of last issue,…
Review – Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #3 – Inner Child
Ray: This series has had one of the most fascinating concepts of any book out from DC right now, introducing new forms of Kryptonite that so far have turned Superman gigantic and turned his perception of time non-linear. Now, for the third issue, a strange effect caused by Luthor and the Justice League has reverted…
Review – CORT: Children of the Round Table #2 – Swords Ascending
Ray: This new all-ages adventure takes place completely outside of the DCU, making it a rarity for the company – and sort of a companion piece to the last book by this creative team, Seven Secrets. It finds a diverse group of modern kids finding a collection of mystical weapons, each one containing the spirit…
The Science Behind Peak Fall Colors: What to Expect in 2025
When Will the Leaves Turn? This Is How Scientists Find Peak Fall Colors If you want to know where the best leaf peeping will be this year, climate science and weather can provide the answer By Humberto Basilio edited by Andrea Thompson Evan Fisher first fell in love with the changing colors of fall while…
Baby giant tortoises thrive in Seychelles after first successful artificial incubation
Exclusive: Trial that has produced 13 hatchlings could help other threatened species avoid extinction The slow-motion pitter-patter of tiny giant tortoise feet has been worryingly rare in recent years, but that looks set to change thanks to the first successful hatching of the species with artificial incubation. One week after the intervention, the 13 babies…
RFK, Jr., Cites ‘Truly Appalling’ Studies to Tie Autism to Circumcision and Tylenol
RFK, Jr., Says Tylenol Use for Circumcision Causes Autism. Here’s Why That Claim Is Flawed Studies suggesting circumcision rates are linked with autism are “riddled with flaws” By Allison Parshall Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Today, in a cabinet meeting, U.S. secretary of health and human services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., claimed that there…
Kylie Jenner Starring in Charli XCX’s New Movie
Kylie Jenner is set to make her acting debut opposite Charlie XCX in a new A24 movie called The Moment, which was inspired by an original idea by the singer and will be directed by Aidan Zamiri. Rise and shine! Kylie Jenner is making her acting debut. The Kardashians star has been cast in a…
At the Supreme Court, the case of the candidate who sued, even though he won
By Alyssa Kapasi , Nina Totenberg At the Supreme Court on Wednesday, conservative and liberal justices alike appeared to have little use for either side in a case that tests Illinois voting regulations. The often fractious justices teamed up to have a bit of fun at the expense of two seasoned advocates. At issue was a…
Democrats to force vote to limit Trump war powers after strikes on Venezuelan boats
Claudia Grisales A pair of Senate Democrats is responding to a series of unprecedented U.S. military strikes on alleged drug traffickers at sea ordered by President Trump with a plan to force a Senate vote on a war powers resolution blocking the escalated action by the commander in chief. Sens. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., and Tim…
UK plastic waste exports to developing countries rose 84% in a year, data shows
Campaigners say increase in exports mostly to Malaysia and Indonesia is ‘unethical and irresponsible waste imperialism’ Britain’s exports of plastic waste to developing countries have soared by 84% in the first half of this year compared with last year, according to an analysis of trade data carried out for the Guardian. Campaigners described the rise…
Babies’ Brains Recognize Foreign Languages They Heard before Birth
Babies’ Brains Recognize Foreign Languages They Heard before Birth Babies process foreign languages they heard in utero much like their mother tongue, researchers find By Meghie Rodrigues edited by Allison Parshall Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Babies start processing language before they are born, a new study suggests. A research team in Montreal has…
Saturn’s Moon Enceladus May Harbor Life. Study Finds Complex Organic Molecules
Enceladus’s Alien Ocean, Ancient Fungi and the Flavor of Influenza Saturn’s moon Enceladus shows signs of life-supporting chemistry, fungi may have shaped Earth before plants, and repeat COVID infections raise long-term health risks for kids. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Jeffery DelViscio & Alex Sugiura An artist’s impression of surface of Enceladus. Rachel Feltman: Happy…
Mathematicians Discover Prime Number Pattern in Fractal Chaos
Prime Numbers Show Unexpected Patterns of Fractal Chaos Mathematicians have found a new way to predict how prime numbers behave By Lyndie Chiou edited by Clara Moskowitz Prime numbers are sometimes called math’s “atoms” because they can be divided by only themselves and 1. For two millennia, mathematicians have wondered if the prime numbers are…
Marsh Will-o’-the-Wisps Sparked by Strange Chemistry
‘Ghost Fire’ in Marshes Sparked by Strange Chemistry A phenomenon called microlightning may explain ghostly blue marsh lights By Rachel Nuwer edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier An illustration of an ignis fatuus, or will-o’-the-wisp, by Josiah Wood Whymper from the book Phenomena of Nature (1849). Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Some call them will-o’-the-wisps;…
What is Knot Theory? Solve These Puzzles to Find Out
Math’s Most Tangled Mysteries Start With a String Learn the fundamentals of the burgeoning field of knot theory while solving some puzzles along the way By Emma R. Hasson edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier Find a string. Really. Do it. Now twist, tie and tangle it as much as you like. Finally, attach the two…
Is Dark Energy Born inside Black Holes?
Dark Energy Might Be Emerging from the Hearts of Black Holes By Rebecca Boyle edited by Clara Moskowitz Black holes are eaters of all things, even radiation. But what if their rapacious appetites had an unexpected side effect? A new study published in Physical Review Letters suggests that black holes might spew dark energy—and that…
NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge: Here are our fourth grade winners!
By Jordan Owens Once again this year, fourth grade teachers around the county turned their classrooms into recording studios, and their students submitted outstanding stories, interviews and commentaries for NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge. This the second year we’ve opened the competition to fourth graders, at the request of teachers around the country. (The Student Podcast…
Demetre Daskalakis on RFK, Jr., Vaccine Schedule Changes and CDC’s Future
Why Top CDC Experts Are Resigning, and What It Means for Public Health By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. In recent weeks several prominent public health experts have resigned from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, citing concerns about the agency’s shift…
Peaky Blinders Is Returning With Sequel Series: Everything to Know
Netflix confirmed Peaky Blinders will continue beyond the new movie The Immortal Man, this time in a sequel series produced by Cillian Murphy following the next generation of Shelby family members. The Shelby legacy lives on. The upcoming Netflix sequel film to the hit series Peaky Blinders will not be the final installment of the franchise after all.…
Gamefound Quick Picks: The Table of Adventure: The Official ‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Game Table
It was back in March of 2024 that I first heard about the Table of Adventure. I was out at the Dice Tower West convention to preview Game Theory Tables’ latest, the Arena Game Table. At that time, I was taken into the strictest confidence with an exciting bit of news: the company had landed…
Is Tylenol Safe for Children? What Research Shows About Acetaminophen
Is Tylenol Safe for Children? President Trump says Tylenol is not safe for young children. Here’s what the science says about acetaminophen By Tanya Lewis edited by Megha Satyanarayana President Trump blasted followers on his social media platform Truth Social on Friday with this dire warning: “Don’t give Tylenol to your young child for virtually…
Endangered Sharks Caught in Rare Mating Ritual beneath the Waves
Trump’s Tylenol Claim Sparks FDA Action—But What Does the Research Say? The Food and Drug Administration plans to update the safety label for acetaminophen products, and the strongest storm on Earth this year struck several countries in East and Southeast Asia. By Rachel Feltman, Allison Parshall, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday,…
How Hurricane Humberto Is Pulling Tropical Storm Imelda Away from the U.S.
How Hurricane Humberto Is Pulling Tropical Storm Imelda Away from the U.S. In a version of the Fujiwhara effect, Hurricane Humberto is pulling Tropical Storm Imelda eastward and away from the U.S. By Andrea Thompson edited by Jeanna Bryner NOAA/NESDIS/STAR The U.S. Southeast will likely avoid the worst effects from Tropical Storm Imelda—all thanks to…
A year after Helene, a group of raft guides embarks on a river clean-up mission
Rolando Arrieta ERWIN, Tenn. — When Amelia Taylor learned that whitewater outfitters near the Nolichucky River would remain closed this season, she had to figure out how to make up for the lost income. So she went from being a professional whitewater river guide to being a “professional trash lady,” Taylor says. “I’m very proud…
A Long Road to an RSV Antibody to Protect the Most Vulnerable
A Tragic Vaccine Failure Led to a Breakthrough: How Scientists Finally Tamed RSV Tragic RSV vaccine trials in the 1960s set the field back for decades. Here’s how scientists finally made breakthroughs in RSV immunization By Tara Haelle edited by Emily Bazar This article is part of “Innovations In: RSV,” an editorially independent special report…
Good Conversations Don’t Require Everybody to Agree, Neuroscience Shows
Good Conversations Don’t Require Everybody to Agree, Neuroscience Shows By Emily Falk edited by Daisy Yuhas With each turn of the news cycle, you may wonder how anyone in their right mind, seeing what they’re seeing, could still hold differing political views from your own. I wrestle with some of these feelings myself. When I…
NoViolet Bulawayo wins the Best of Caine award
The Zimbabwean writer – who has been twice nominated for the Booker – won the Caine Prize for African Writing in 2011, with her story Hitting Budapest Zimbabwean writer NoViolet Bulawayo has won the Best of Caine award, an honorary prize celebrating a story from past winners of the Caine Prize for African Writing, to…
Neuroscience and Art Collide in a Posthumous ‘Composition’ by Alvin Lucier in Revivification
A Composer’s ‘Brain’ Makes Music Years after His Death A museum exhibit in Australia lets visitors hear music generated by brain cells derived from the blood of a dead composer. By Allison Parshall, Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Plenty of us would find…
Asteroid ‘Families’ Reveal Solar System’s Secret History
The UniverseFridays Asteroid ‘Families’ Reveal Hidden Histories and Impact Risks across the Solar System Many asteroids are related, but their family trees can be hard to trace By Phil Plait edited by Lee Billings This illustration shows the creation of an asteroid family. Ejected fragments from catastrophic collisions of asteroids between Mars and Jupiter tend…
Southeast U.S. braces for heavy rains from a potential tropical storm
By Alana Wise Parts of the southeastern United States have begun bracing for the impacts of a potential tropical storm, just one year after Hurricane Helene tore through the region leaving casualties and calamity in its wake. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster put residents under a state of emergency in preparation for Tropical Depression 9,…
How the beloved state fair grew from livestock showcases to cornucopias of amusement
By Ayana Archie There’s something for everyone at a state fair — petting zoos, live music, fried foods. For many states in the U.S., summer to fall is the season for the annual state fair. The country’s first state fair dates to the 19th century, when locals would showcase livestock, crafts and agriculture. State fairs…
Hurricane Humberto and Potential Tropical Storm Imelda Complicate Forecasts
Tropical Tangle as Hurricane Humberto and Brewing Storm Stir Uncertainty Hurricane Humberto and a system that may become Tropical Storm Imelda in the coming days are swirling quite close to each other in the western Atlantic Ocean By Meghan Bartels edited by Andrea Thompson The uncertain hurricane forecast hinges on a storm system that is…
Taylor Swift’s Speech Pattern Changed over Time, Linguistics Study Shows
Scientists Take on Taylor Swift’s Linguistic Eras An analysis of Taylor Swift’s interviews suggests her speech pattern has changed over her career By Mohana Basu & Nature magazine Taylor Swift delivered a commencement address to New York University graduates in May 2022. Join Our Community of Science Lovers! Researchers have confirmed what Taylor Swift fans…
Ex-FBI Director James Comey indicted on criminal charges stemming from 2020 testimony
Carrie Johnson The Justice Department has leveled charges against former FBI Director James Comey, after President Trump demanded prosecutors speed up their pace in an investigation targeting one of his most prominent critics. Comey faces one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice in connection with his testimony to the…
Big trees in Amazon more climate-resistant than previously believed
Forest is ‘remarkably resilient to climate change’, but remains under threat from fires and deforestation The biggest trees in the Amazon are growing larger and more numerous, according to a new study that shows how an intact rainforest can help draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and sequester it in bark, trunk, branch and…
Trump advances TikTok deal with new executive order
John Ruwitch President Trump gave his formal blessing on Thursday to a deal for a consortium of mostly U.S. investors to take over the short video app TikTok, signing an executive order green-lighting the spinoff and saying it has “good controls” in terms of security and safety. TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance, but a…
Mary Roach’s New Book Replaceable You Explores Challenges in Replacing Body Parts
Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy with Mary Roach Mary Roach unpacks the millennia-long effort to replace failing body parts—and the reasons that modern medicine still struggles to match the original designs. By Rachel Feltman, Jeffery DelViscio & Fonda Mwangi Mary Roach has a new book about body parts. Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science…
The Moon Is Rusting—Thanks to ‘Wind’ Blown from Earth
The Moon Is Rusting—Thanks to ‘Wind’ Blown from Earth Lunar minerals can rust when bombarded with high-energy oxygen particles, experiments show By Alexandra Witze & Nature magazine A stream of charged particles that blows from Earth (foreground) to the Moon could account for the rust compounds found in lunar soils. Join Our Community of Science…
Does Tylenol Use during Pregnancy Cause Autism? What the Research Shows
Does Tylenol Use during Pregnancy Cause Autism? What the Research Shows Trump and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. plan to tie Tylenol use during pregnancy and folate deficiencies to rising autism rates—but the evidence is thin By Allison Parshall edited by Tanya Lewis The Trump administration today plans to link rising rates of autism spectrum disorder…
Jimmy Kimmel will be back on air on Tuesday, Disney says
By NPR Staff Less than a week after it was taken off the air under pressure from the Trump administration, Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return to late night on Tuesday, ABC parent company Disney confirmed. Disney pulled the comedian’s show last Wednesday after Brendan Carr, chair of the Federal Communications Commission, condemned Kimmel’s comments about…
Leaders promised to cut climate pollution, then doubled down on fossil fuels
Jeff Brady The world is producing too much coal, oil and natural gas to meet the targets set 10 years ago under the Paris Agreement, in which countries agreed to limit climate pollution and avoid the worst effects of global warming. A new report, led by the nonprofit research group Stockholm Environment Institute, shows countries…
Vaccines Are at Risk, Fired CDC Director Warns Senators
U.S. Vaccine Guidance Is in Chaos, Fired CDC Director Tells Senators Former CDC chief Susan Monarez testified that Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., had demanded she rubber-stamp recommendations from his remade vaccine panel By Dan Vergano edited by Lauren J. Young Susan Monarez. At a U.S. Senate hearing on Wednesday,…
Man arrested after drive-by shooting at ABC TV station in Sacramento
By Chandelis Duster A man has been arrested after a drive-by shooting into an ABC affiliate TV station in Sacramento, according to police. Anibal Hernandezsantana, 64 years old, was arrested early Saturday and charged with felonies that include shooting into an occupied building, assault with a deadly weapon and negligent discharge of a firearm, the…
Taylor Swift upcoming ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ to hit movie theatres
By Ava Pukatch The showgirl is headed back to the big screen. Global music icon Taylor Swift is bringing her upcoming 12th studio album The Life of a Showgirl to theaters, coinciding with the album’s Oct. 3 release date. “I hereby invite you to a *dazzling* soirée, The Official Release Party of a Showgirl: Oct…
Trump says U.S. military fatally struck another alleged drug-smuggling boat
By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Friday the U.S. military has carried out its third fatal strike against an alleged drug smuggling vessel this month. Trump in a social media posting said the strike killed three and was carried out against a vessel “affiliated with a Designated Terrorist Organization conducting narcotrafficking…
‘Etymology Nerd’ Adam Aleksic on How Internet Culture Is Transforming the Way We Talk
The Linguistic Science behind Viral Social Media Slang Linguist Adam Aleksic explains how viral slang and algorithm-driven speech aren’t destroying language––they’re accelerating its natural evolution. By Rachel Feltman, Allison Parshall & Jeffery DelViscio This episode was made possible by the support of Yakult and produced independently by Scientific American‘s board of editors. Rachel Feltman: For…
Secrets of Chinese AI Model DeepSeek Revealed in Landmark Paper
Secrets of DeepSeek AI Model Revealed in Landmark Paper The first peer-reviewed study of the DeepSeek AI model shows how a Chinese start-up firm made the market-shaking LLM for $300,000 By Elizabeth Gibney & Nature magazine DeepSeek says its R1 model did not learn by copying examples generated by other LLMs. The success of DeepSeek’s…
Jimmy Kimmel show is pulled by ABC after comments about the Charlie Kirk killing
By NPR Staff Late night has lost another host after ABC announced Wednesday Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension following comments he made earlier in the week regarding speculation swirling around the suspect in the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. An ABC spokesperson told NPR Wednesday evening that “Jimmy Kimmel Live will be preempted indefinitely.” Kimmel is…
New Research Shows Gut Cells Communicate Directly with the Brain
Can Your Microbiome Affect Your Mood? Scientists are uncovering how your gut might be shaping your thoughts, feelings and cravings. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura An illustration of a man revealing his brain and stomach with an arrow drawn between them on a purple background This episode was made possible by the…
Ousted CDC director testifies on why she was fired
By Will Stone In a much anticipated public appearance, Susan Monarez, the former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, defended her short tenure at the embattled public health agency. She testified that she was ousted last month because she refused to follow Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s demands to pre-approve vaccine…
CDC Panel to Review Childhood Vaccines: What’s at Stake
CDC Panel to Review Childhood Vaccines: What’s at Stake What to know about the three shots under scrutiny by RFK Jr’s advisers and the data behind them By Mariana Lenharo & Nature magazine A child picks out a bandaid as he prepares to get his COVID vaccination in San Jose, Calif., in 2022. COVID shots are among several vaccines…
‘The Book of Stolen Dreams:’ A Book Review
I’m sure my mind is playing tricks on me. I definitely remember reviewing The Secret of the Blood Key by David Farr, but as I look back through my GeekDad posts, it doesn’t seem to be there. What’s weird about this, is that Secret of the Blood Key is the second book of a series,…
What Is Alpha-Gal Syndrome? Symptoms, Causes and Way to Get Tested
Alpha-Gal Syndrome Explained: The Tick-Borne Allergy Affecting Diets Worldwide A single tick bite can trigger a bizarre meat allergy—here’s how alpha-gal syndrome is reshaping people’s diets. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Imagine suddenly becoming allergic to a hamburger—or a steak or bacon…
Autism Has No Single Cause, Research Shows
Autism Has No Single Cause. Here’s How We Know Scientists will not find a simple answer to how autism arises, despite Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s promise to announce its causes sometime this month. Here’s what makes the condition so staggeringly complex By Allison Parshall edited by Dean Visser Soon after psychiatrist Leo Kanner first identified…
Early Experiments Show Fast-Acting Antidote Targets Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Early Experiments Show Fast-Acting Antidote Targets Carbon Monoxide Poisoning A study in mice and on human blood uses a new protein to snag carbon monoxide before it latches onto blood cells By Sara Novak edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier A new antidote is designed to rapidly address carbon monoxide poisoning. Join Our Community of Science…
Daniel Yon Explains Why Your Brain Is a Brilliant Illusionist
How Your Brain Constructs—And Sometimes Distorts—Your Experience of the World In his new book, Daniel Yon explains how our brain is constantly constructing reality By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. You probably think you’re listening to my voice right now. But what if…
North Korea executes citizens who distribute foreign TV shows, UN finds
Human rights report highlights crackdown on personal freedoms in most restrictive country in the world North Korea has executed people for distributing foreign television shows, including popular South Korean dramas, as part of an intensifying crackdown on personal freedoms, according to a UN human rights report. The curbs make North Korea the most restrictive country…
How the Italian anthem ‘Bella Ciao’ is connected to Charlie Kirk’s killing
Chloe Veltman One of the unfired bullet casings authorities are saying was found with the gun used in the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is apparently inscribed with lyrics from a famous, old Italian anti-fascist anthem. The words “O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao” form the chorus of “Bella Ciao” —…
How Martin Sheen Reacted to Watching Charlie Sheen Documentary
Aka Charlie Sheen documentary director Andrew Renzi shared how Martin Sheen reacted to watching his son Charlie Sheen in the Netflix documentary, which premiered on the platform Sept. 10. Martin Sheen wants his son to have the spotlight. Two days after Charlie Sheen released his Netflix documentary, aka Charlie Sheen, the director of the two-part…