Stories by Jen Christiansen

The larger a cell type is, the rarer it is in the body—and vice versa—a new study shows

How the JWST’s cosmic images are made

Detailed data about a host of physical and chemical forces are shaping a new view of the sea

Graphics show how the two weather extremes will more often pair up

Visualizing ongoing stories of loss, adaptation and inequality

Chemical analyses showed an individual mammoth made an epic journey across Alaska

About 80 conditions can be described as autoimmune disorders, although definitions are still changing

A new study found large species are rare, but those with fewer individuals are abundant

Blood and the gut dominate cell turnover

Some days we gain one minute; some days we gain three

Blood levels change as people alter diets and the use of statin medications

Genetic engineering could allow for speedy production as well

How the words we use have evolved over the past 175 years

A classic data visualization brought an astronomical curiosity to music lovers

What scientists know about the inner workings of the pathogen that has infected the world 

The magazine’s hues provide a record of publishing technology and trends

Where does the illustrator end and the infographer begin? How does data visualization fit in? And what does science have to say about the design decisions we make? 

Even with social media, we max out at 150 real relationships

Data visualizers Martin Krzywinski and Jake Lever map city centers for an annual Pi Day art exploration

When we return to a topic where the research has advanced, our visual explanations need to be updated accordingly

A graphic from the Scientific American archive provides a look into the brain’s molecular clock—research that contributed to this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

With a nod to the recently discovered Xi-cc++ particle, here’s a look at the quantum foam that lies within