Film & Series
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…
Review – Zatanna #5: Dance of Death
Ray: This series has been one of the best Zatanna comics in a long time, and has added a lot of new elements to Zatanna’s roster for the future. But to resolve this conflict, Zatanna’s going to have to go back to the past. In a flashback segment, we get a much darker version of…
‘Kill Them With Kindness by Will Carver:’ A Book Review
Earlier this year, I reviewed All Better Now, by Neal Shusterman. It’s a book about a deadly pandemic that leaves survivors feeling more empathy towards one another. This review is for Will Carver’s Kill Them With Kindness, a story that centers around a virus that leaves survivors feeling more empathy towards one another. Two books…
Review – The New Gods #7: Unlikely Alliances
Ray: When it comes to books starring characters who are more cult fixtures of the DCU, writers can easily shake up the status quo – sometimes permanently. And that seems to be what happened in this issue of New Gods – as the conflict has led to the planet of New Genesis shattering, sending a…
‘The Betrayal of Thomas True:’ A Book Review
I originally overlooked The Betrayal of Thomas True because I don’t tend to enjoy gothic novels. Later, I kept seeing it gain excellent reviews and started to feel that I’d missed an opportunity. I was very excited, therefore, when I was contacted out of the blue and asked if I’d like to review Thomas True…
Military parade and No Kings protests: a split-screen of a divided America
Frank Langfitt WASHINGTON, D.C., and ANNAPOLIS, Md. — There are events that become a Rorschach test that brings out America’s political and cultural divisions in bold relief. Saturday’s military parade — which celebrated the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and also fell on President Trump’s birthday — was that kind of moment. As the Trump administration…
Djungarian Hamsters Are Unusually Involved Fathers
By Elah Feder edited by Fonda Mwangi Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. Parental care is costly. It uses up precious time, energy and resources—and in the animal world, it’s usually the moms who bear the brunt of it. For most mammals, the concept of fatherhood begins and ends at conception.…
Military parade marches on DC streets Saturday evening
By Scott Detrow , Kat Lonsdorf Today is the day of the big military parade in Washington. SCOTT DETROW, HOST: The U.S. Army celebrated its 250th anniversary with a rare military parade in – tonight in Washington, D.C. President Trump, who is marking his 79th birthday today, watched a procession of tanks, thousands of troops…
Tanks and flyovers: Army celebrates its 250th year, Trump celebrates his 79th
By Alana Wise , Kat Lonsdorf The U.S. Army will celebrate its 250th anniversary on Saturday with a massive military parade overtaking the streets and skies of Washington, D.C., and thousands of service members participating in the big-budget spectacle. Also celebrating on Saturday is President Trump, whose 79th birthday corresponds with the Army anniversary, and…
Israel expands strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities
Geoff Brumfiel As part of a broad strike on Iran, Israel has attacked several of the country’s key nuclear facilities. The first and most visible strike took place in the opening hours of the Israeli air campaign, which began overnight on Thursday. In a statement the Israeli military said that fighter jets had struck Iran’s…
Where Is the Cast of Can’t Hardly Wait Now?
In honor of iconic teen comedy Can’t Hardly Wait graduating to it’s 27th reunion, let’s check in on Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry and the other members of Huntington Hillside’s class of ’98. Yesterday’s history. Tomorrow’s the future. Tonight’s the party! The cast of 1998’s Can’t Hardly Wait walked so iconic teen fare like She’s…
FEMA Overhaul Will Come after Hurricane Season, Trump Says
Trump Says FEMA Overhaul Will Come after Hurricane Season States will continue to get FEMA federal disaster aid this year but may see less assistance after changes made in 2026 By Thomas Frank & E&E News Remnants of the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge are seen along the Broad River in a landscape scarred by Hurricane…
New Map Shows How Gun Deaths of Children Have Increased in States with Loose Firearm Laws
New Map Shows How Gun Deaths of Children Have Increased in States with Loose Firearm Laws Gun violence is the leading cause of death of children in the U.S.—and states with loose gun control laws bear the heaviest burden, a new study found By Allison Parshall edited by Dean Visser Join Our Community of Science…
In Miami, deportations are raising concerns among Cuban-Americans
By Greg Allen In Florida, the growing number of immigrants being deported are raising concerns among some of President Trump’s most loyal voters: Cuban-Americans. Before last year’s election, more than two-thirds of Cuban-Americans in Miami-Dade County told pollsters they supported Trump. But the Trump administration’s recent actions on immigration are drawing criticism from Cuban-Americans and…
‘Escape Room: Game Zero’ A Book Review
Christopher Edge is one of those authors who offers slender novels packed full of ideas. It ought to be impossible to include the broad sweep of technology and science that he brings to his stories and get them under 200 pages. Even harder if you’re aiming at a middle grade audience. Yet he has done…
Review – JSA #8: The Wrath of Wotan
Ray: JSA is one of those properties that has a long, storied history – something Jeff Lemire always likes to explore. Last issue, we ended the funeral for Wildcat with a huge twist – Ted Grant in the afterlife, being reunited with his deceased partners from the original WW2 JSA for one last mission. And…
Review – Poison Ivy #34: Gathering of the Trees
Ray: A lot of people have speculated that this series might be reaching its natural ending point soon, as the story seems to be reaching a crescendo and author Wilson has recently revealed a major new book for the competition. I’m not sure, but it does seem like this book is about to have its…
Milky Way–Andromeda Collision Is in Doubt, North Atlantic Ocean Heat Surged, and Worms Build Towers
New Doubts about Milky Way–Andromeda Collision, Explanation of 2023 Marine Heat Wave and Worms That Build Towers The Milky Way’s big crash with Andromeda might not be a sure thing. Plus, we discuss an overheated ocean, a giant planet circling a tiny star and worms that build living towers. By Rachel Feltman, Naeem Amarsy &…
First Vaccine for Gonorrhea Rolls Out, Measles Outbreak in Texas Slows, and Megalodon Diets Are Investigated
Megalodon Diets, Teeth Sensitivity and a Bunch of Vaccine News It’s one step forward and two steps back for vaccine policy in the U.S. Plus, we discuss the fishy origins of sensitive teeth and megalodon diets. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! It may technically still be spring,…
Tony Awards 2025: The complete list of winners
Chloee Weiner The 78th Annual Tony Awards hosted by Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, will be held Sunday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The award show will be airing on CBS, and streaming on Paramount+. Below is the full list of 2025 Tony Award nominees, with winners marked in bold. Best MusicalBuena Vista Social…
‘Bee Speaker’ by Adrian Tchaikovsky: A Book Review
Another month, another book by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This time, returning to his irregular but excellent Dogs of War series. Each book nominally stands on its own. Indeed, I read book 2, Bear Head, before reading book 1, Dogs of War, with little detriment. Having said that, to fully understand the world Tchaikovsky has created, I…
‘Choose Your Own Evolution:’ A Book Review
Now and then, a book comes along based on a premise so simple, yet so obviously genius, you can only wonder why you’ve never seen it before. So it is with Choose Your Own Evolution. Written by Jules Howard and illustrated by Gordy Wright, this book takes you from being a Dickinsonia, 570 million years…
The National Weather Service Is Understaffed and Underfunded. Here’s Why That Matters.
Summer Brings Hurricanes, Tornadoes and Extreme Heat—And an Underresourced National Weather Service What happens when the U.S.’s most trusted source of extreme weather alerts can’t staff the night shift? By Rachel Feltman, Andrea Thompson & Fonda Mwangi Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. About 317 billion times per year members of…
Kenya tells tea factories to cut ties with Rainforest Alliance due to costs
Government says ethical certification is adding financial strain on smallholders rather than being paid by customers The Kenyan government has told its tea factories to stop working with the Rainforest Alliance because it says the costs involved in securing the ethical label don’t add up for farmers. The non-profit organisation is one of the world’s…
This Treasure Map Leads to the Cast of The Goonies Then & Now
We’re checking in on the stars of one of the all-time classic summer movies, because Goonies never say die! Hey, you guyyyyys! We’re happy to report that The Goonies remains just as heartwarming and enjoyable more than three decades after the Steven Spielberg-produced, Richard Donner-directed film about a ragtag group of kids who set off to…
Idris Elba: ‘I want to build the African Odeon’
Speaking at an SXSW London event, the actor outlined his desire to ignite the cinema experience for a new generation across the continent Idris Elba has spoken of his ambition to create the “African Odeon” – a chain of cinemas to ignite the cinemagoing experience across the continent. Elba was speaking at an event at…
Young offenders are often denied credit for “dead time” behind bars
By Caitlin Thompson The first time L.J. was sent to the juvenile detention center outside of Philadelphia, he’d been caught hanging out with friends in an abandoned building. After that, he went in and out of custody for minor offenses throughout his teenage years. Detention was a challenging place to grow up. “It’s like a…
Love Island U.K. Contestant Drops Out Following Machete Incident
Love Island U.K. contestant Kyle Ashman will not be featured on the series’ 12th season following reports he was questioned about alleged involvement in a machete attack, which he denies. Kyle Ashman won’t be entering the Love Island U.K. villa after all. Days before its scheduled season 12 premiere, the reality dating series announced that…
The White House unveils the new official portrait of President Trump
By Alana Wise The White House unveiled a new portrait of President Trump this week, replacing the image taken in January that had drawn comparisons to a mugshot. In the new photograph, announced by the White House on Monday via X, Trump stares directly into the camera. His right eye is slightly squinted and his…
Harvey Weinstein’s new trial is almost over. It could be a litmus test for #MeToo
By Ilya Marritz Editor’s note: This story includes descriptions of allegations about sexual assault and rape. Closing arguments in Harvey Weinstein’s second sex crimes trial in New York are underway today. In 2020, a New York jury convicted Weinstein of rape and sexual assault, completing the fall from grace of the legendary film mogul. But…
‘The Malevolent Eight:’ A Book Review
The follow-up to The Malevolent Seven is, perhaps inevitably, called The Malevolent Eight. I wanted to make a joke about people asking in shops for the first 6 books in the series, but author Sebastien de Castell does that in his acknowledgments, so whilst I can mention it, I can’t claim to have thought of…
Ranking Phase Five of The Marvel Cinematic Universe
Although I’ve never read many comics outside of a few Spider-man issues back in the 1980s, The Marvel Cinematic Universe has turned me into a huge Marvel nerd. With The Thunderbolts* having made it to theaters this month, Marvel has closed out Phase 5 of their films, and only one of the eight Phase 5…
Hurricane season has started. Here’s what to know
Shannon Bond June 1 marks the start of hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasters are warning this year could once again bring an above-average number of storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting 13 to 19 named storms between June 1 and Nov. 30, compared with an average of 14 storms per…
Review – Batman #160: The Temptation of Jason Todd
Ray: One of the most defining scenes of the original Hush, of course, was the return of Jason Todd – or so it seemed. The Jason in that story turned out to be Clayface, tasked with screwing with Batman’s mind, but the excitement over that moment led to the real return only a short time…
The Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder will meet in the NBA Finals
Becky Sullivan Oklahoma City Thunder fans have waited for an NBA title since their team arrived in town in 2008. For fans of the Indiana Pacers, who joined the NBA way back in 1976, the wait for a championship has lasted nearly 50 years. Now, for one team, that drought is about to end. The…
How Doppler Radar Lets Meteorologists Predict Weather and Save Lives
Inside the Lifesaving Power of Doppler Weather Radar By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser 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. The power of the returning…
Review – Superman #26: Superman Red
Ray: After last issue’s brutal battle with the deranged clone X-El, the status quo Josh Williamson has built is in shambles. Lex Luthor is back in prison, blamed for the attack and covering for Mercy. His trust with Superman is shattered after he executed the evil clone. Mercy is free, but has lost her alliance…
Worth playing for? An NPR producer recreates ‘Survivor’ with friends every year
Mia Venkat Whether you watch it or not, you’ve likely heard of Survivor. For 25 years now, millions of people have been tuning in to the reality TV show where players voluntarily get stranded in a remote landscape, battling for food and supplies, competing in physical and mental challenges, voting each other off … duking…
Review – Absolute Wonder Woman #8: The Poisoned Tree
Ray: The previous arc by Mattia De Iiuls was a masterstroke, taking us to the underworld for a brilliant flashback tale explaining how Diana got to Man’s World. But now Hayden Sherman is back on art duties, and we’re back to the main story – and there is a lot to get into without delay.…
Review – Absolute Martian Manhunter #3: Into the Fire
Ray: This is by far the most offbeat of the Absolute books so far, and also one of the most intriguing. There are no signs of connections to a larger DCU, and it’s street-level in a deeply surrealist way. We’re just alone with this strange, haunted detective and the Gumby-esque psychic imprint of a Green…
Review – Justice League Unlimited #7: The Omega Gambit
Ray: “We Are Yesterday” is reaching its final act, and it’s not looking good for the good guys. Inferno, better known as the Legion of Doom of yesterday, has invaded the present and used their time guns to scatter the Justice League across the timestream. With only Elongated Man left to oppose them, the stretchy…
With a Busy 2025 Hurricane Season Forecast, Staffing Cuts and Warm Oceans Worry Experts
Why This Hurricane Season Has Experts on Edge By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser Category 4 Hurricane Florence as seen from the International Space Station in 2018. June 1 marks the official start of the hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean—and once again, the season looks like it will be busy. Though it is…
Supreme Court allows Trump administration to end humanitarian status for some migrants
Nina Totenberg The Supreme Court on Friday allowed the Trump administration to temporarily pause a humanitarian program that has allowed nearly half a million people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the U.S. and remain here legally for two years. The move to grant a stay in the case means that the Cubans,…
Review – The Flash #21: Army of the Flash
Ray: “Dark Moon Rising”, the current Flash crossover, definitely continues the strange and surreal tone of this series under Simon Spurrier – but it also escalates that to a cosmic level, with Eclipso having taken over the moon and launched a massive war on reality. The only thing standing in his way – the Flash,…
The Last of Us Science Adviser Says COVID Changed How We View Zombie Stories
Behind the Scenes on the Science of The Last of Us By Nisha Gaind & Nature magazine A scene from The Last of Us showing Cordyceps fungus growing out of the body of a human it has infected. The year was 2013, and the release of a hotly anticipated zombie-apocalypse video game was on the…
Diagnosing Male Infertility with Adhesion Test That Captures Sperm Motility
This Male Fertility Test Makes Assessing Sperm Health a More Accurate At-Home Affair A new study suggests a way to more accurately test sperm health from home. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. The World Health Organization estimates that infertility impacts one in…
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, giant of African literature, dies aged 87
Kenyan writer’s death announced by his daughter, who wrote: ‘He lived a full life, fought a good fight’ The Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, who was censored, imprisoned and forced into exile by the dictator Daniel arap Moi, a perennial contender for the Nobel prize for literature and one of few writers working in an…
Future of Maradona trial in doubt as judge steps down over TV show role
Julieta Makintach accused of behaving ‘like an actress’ after shooting documentary about trial of footballer’s medical team A key judge in the trial of the late Argentinian footballer Diego Maradona’s medical team has stepped down after it emerged she had been shooting a racy miniseries about the months-old trial, potentially breaking a string of ethics…
Presley Chweneyagae, star of Oscar-winning drama Tsotsi, dies aged 40
South African actor gained international recognition for his role in the drama which won best foreign language film Presley Chweneyagae, the South African actor who gained international recognition for his leading role in the 2005 film Tsotsi, which won South Africa’s first ever Oscar for best foreign language film, has died. He was 40 years…
Why the 2025 Tornado Season Has Been So Destructive
Why Tornado Season Has Been So Destructive Several devastating tornado outbreaks have cut swaths of destruction across the U.S. What’s driving these damaging storms? By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser A U.S. Air Force aerobatic team flies in formation over community members and crews cleaning up debris on May 18, 2025, in the community…
How The Handmaid’s Tale Ended After 6 Seasons With Burning Question
After six seasons on Hulu, The Handmaid’s Tale ended with the series finale on May 26. Find out the fate of Elisabeth Moss’ June Osborne and more Gilead characters. Warning: This story contains spoilers for The Handmaid’s Tale series finale. After six seasons, The Handmaid’s Tale is coming full circle. During the series finale on…
What If Mitochondria Aren’t Only the Powerhouse of the Cell?
New discoveries about mitochondria could reshape how we understand the body’s response to stress, aging and illness By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Jeffery DelViscio & Alex Sugiura Rachel Feltman: Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, right? Well, it turns out they might be way more complicated than that, and that could have implications for…
Single-Atom Quantum Computer Achieves Breakthrough Molecular Simulations
Single Atom Acts as a Quantum Computer and Simulates Molecules A quantum computer has used a single atom to model the complex dynamics of organic molecules interacting with light By Davide Castelvecchi & Nature magazine A view inside the trapped-ion quantum computer that carried out a first-of-its-kind simulation of molecular chemistry. Join Our Community of…
Inside Ukraine’s last maternity ward in a region surrounded by Russian forces
Eleanor Beardsley SLOVIANSK, Ukraine — The squalling cries of newborns echo through the hallway of Sloviansk City Clinical Hospital in the beleaguered Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Sitting by the window in her room, young mother Anastasia cradles her 1-day-old daughter Vasilisa. While she’s happy to share this private moment with NPR, she doesn’t wish…
Hurricane Season Is Soon—NOAA Says It’s Ready, but Weather Experts Are Worried
NOAA Says It’s Ready for Hurricane Season, but Weather Experts Are Worried As hurricane season approaches, thousands of weather and disaster experts have raised concerns about NOAA and NWS budget cuts and staffing shortages By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News The remnants of Hurricane Helene begin to dissipate over the United States in this NOAA…
The Creepy Calculus of Measuring Death Risk
The Creepy Calculus of Measuring Death Risk Meet micromorts and microlives, statistical units that help mathematicians to calculate risk By Manon Bischoff edited by Daisy Yuhas People are generally bad at assessing probabilities. That’s why we have irrational fears and why we overestimate our odds of winning the lottery. Whenever I have to travel by…
Who Won Survivor? Season 48 Winner Revealed
Survivor’s season 48 finale aired May 21 and Kyle Fraser claimed the $1 million prize, beating out Joe Hunter, Eva Erickson, Kamilla Karthigesu and Mitch Guerra. Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the season 48 finale of Survivor. Kyle Fraser‘s survival instincts just earned him $1 million. Of the 18 hopeful castaways that came to…
‘Then There Was One:’ A Book Review
Who wouldn’t want to read a mash-up of The Hunger Games and Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None? As the title suggests, Then There Was One leans heavily on one while borrowing a little from the other. The result? An entertaining mystery and a compulsive Young Adult thriller. The book is set in the…
Where does your weather forecast come from?
Rebecca Hersher You’re about to walk your dog, but the sky looks ominous. You pull out your phone, open your favorite weather app, and see that it’s about to pour. You wait for the rain to pass. Or maybe you planned a summer vacation at the beach. A week before you’re supposed to leave, you…
Black Hole Mergers Show Strange Mathematical Link to String Theory
Deep Math from String Theory Appears in Clashing Black Holes Researchers have shown that abstract mathematical functions from the frontiers of theoretical physics have a real-world use in modeling gravitational waves By Ramin Skibba edited by Lee Billings An illustration of two black holes about to merge and emitting copious gravitational waves. And as the…
Nissan open to making cars for Chinese partner in Sunderland, says CEO
Ivan Espinosa says UK plant will not be hit by cost cuts as Japanese firm reveals seven factories to close Nissan’s new chief executive has said the Japanese carmaker would be open to building cars for a Chinese partner at its factory in Sunderland after he confirmed it would not be closed in a round…
Ten dead in ‘brutal’ attacks by Isis-linked militants on Mozambique wildlife reserve
Thousands have been displaced and conservation work halted as series of killings jeopardises decades of work in Niassa, one of Africa’s biggest protected areas One of Africa’s largest protected areas has been shaken by a series of attacks by Islamic State-linked extremists, which have left at least 10 people dead. Conservationists in Niassa reserve, Mozambique,…
Paleontologists discover a 500-million-year-old, 3-eyed predator
By Alana Wise The fossilized remains of one Mosura fentoni — nicknamed the “sea moth” — were found in the Burgess Shale of Canadian Rockies, presenting researchers with new insight into animal life in the Cambrian period, according to a paper published this week in the journal Royal Society Open Science. “It gives it almost…
Real Ice Experiments with Polar Geoengineering to Refreeze Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Polar Geoengineering Experiments Bet Big on Freezing Arctic Ice Refreezing the melting sea ice in the Arctic is more complicated than you would think. The U.K. is funding geoengineering experiments like this one to curb the effects of climate change. By Rachel Feltman, Alec Luhn, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura & Jeffery DelViscio This story was…