Culture

A Doctor Who superfan explains how the unusual cardiovascular system of the alien Time Lords could evolve and function

We are living through a terrible time in humanity. Here’s why we tend to stick our heads in the sand and why we need to pull them out, fast

Regulating chemicals one-by-one has allowed the tobacco industry to skirt menthol bans by creating new additives with similar effects but unclear safety profiles

Both expertise and the ability to release one’s focus can help people enter a state of effortless attention

When teachers and parents talk to kids about having ADHD, autism or learning disabilities, they set them up for success

The cost of new gene-based sickle cell treatments isn’t the only barrier to access. Coming up with new ways to treat the whole disease—and person—could make treatment more equitable

We need to tell a new story about AI, and fiction has that power, humanities scholars say

Conspiracy theories are everywhere. Here's how you can figure out when you're being fooled

Letters to the editors for the February 2024 issue of Scientific American

Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories

Explore the new science of weird chemistry, anthropogenic evolution and near-death experiences

A mysterious 12-sided object called a dodecahedron discovered in England has archaeologists both excited and baffled