Observations
The Real Reason Fans Hate the Last Season of Game of Thrones
It's not just bad storytelling—it’s because the storytelling style changed from sociological to psychological
Blogs
Observations
We Broke the Atmosphere; Here's a Way We Can Start to Fix It
It’s counterintuitive, but let’s temporarily increase carbon dioxide emissions in order to get rid of a more potent greenhouse gas
Observations
Where (Some of) Earth's Gold Came From
Of all of that precious metal ever refined, 600 tons were created in a collision between two neutron stars 1,000 light-years away and 4.6 billion years ago
Recent Posts
Select Topic
Super-Toxic Snake Venom Could Yield New Painkillers
A bite from the black mamba snake ( Dendroaspis polylepis ) can kill an adult human within 20 minutes. But mixed in with that toxic venom is a new natural class of compound that could be used to help develop new painkillers.Named "mambalgins," these peptides block acute and inflammatory pain in mice as well as morphine does, according to a new study.Researchers, led by Sylvie Diochot, of the Institute of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology at Nice University, Sophia Antipolis in France, purified the peptides from the venom and profiled the compounds' structure...
The Most Amazing Lego Contraption Ever
Video of the Week #63 October 3rd, 2012: From: Watch the Most Amazing Lego Contraption Ever by Michael Moyer at Observations . Source: Akiyuki First there was the video of the LEGO version of the Antikythera Mechanism--an ancient Greek computing device found in a shipwreck in 1901 used to calculate the positions of astronomical bodies with extraordinary precision...
ScienceSeeker Editor's Selections: Kid Scientists, Social Psychology, M&Ms for Rats
Here are my Science Seeker Editor's Selections for the past week:Science is really just kids play. Well, sort of. It turns out that when kids play, they "come up with general principles, akin to scientific theories, based on the data of their daily lives." Find out more at Discover Magazine's 80 Beats blog, where Ashley P...
Moving into the Wisconsin Idea
Dear Readers, it’s been quite awhile since I last wrote. In the intervening time, North Carolina Central University deemed me a Master of Biology, I traveled to see friends and family, and I moved to Madison, Wisconsin to start school in the Neuroscience and Public Policy program (NPP) at the University of Wisconsin – Madison...
Of the Creation Persuasion
The Earth is flat. A full moon leads to more crime. Humans were created less than 10,000 years ago.If you made your way through even the most general of science educations, the above statements should strike you as suspect...
Open Laboratory 2013 the complete list of entries!
Open Laboratory 2013 – the complete list of entries!We just closed the submission form for the 2013 edition. Thank you all who submitted the posts.Below are all the blog posts submitted over the past year...
Ignobel prize in Medicine: beware the exploding colon
Last but NOT least, we turn to the Ignobel prize in medicine. And while titles which say things like "Argon plasma coagulation in the treatment of hemorrhagic radiation proctitis", well, don't be fooled by the title...
The Story of a Lonely Brain
Prologue:Humans are born to a longer period of total dependence than any other animal we know of, and we also know that mistreatment or neglect during this time often leads to social, emotional, cognitive and mental health problems in later life...
Open Laboratory 2013 deadline for submissions is tonight!
Deadline is here, tonight! We are closing the submissions on Monday, October 1st at 11:59pm EDT!The submission form for the 2013 edition of Open Lab is here.
Bioluminescent mushrooms glow
Image of the Week #62, October 1st, 2012: From: Mount Kinabalu: Green Stars of the Forest by Luis Morgado at Expeditions .
Blog Index
@ScientificAmerican
STAFFBehind the scenes at Scientific American
Read
Anecdotes from the Archive
STAFF
Read
Anthropology in Practice
Exploring the human condition.
Read
Beautiful Minds
Insights into intelligence, creativity, personality, and well-being
Read
Budding Scientist
Everything you always wanted to know about raising science-literate kids
Read
Cross-Check
Critical views of science in the news
Read
Dark Star Diaries
STAFF
Read
Dog Spies
Explore the science behind the dog in your bed
Read
Extinction Countdown
News and research about endangered species from around the world
Read
Frontiers for Young Minds
Science by and for kids ages 8-15
Read
Guest Blog
Commentary invited by editors of Scientific American
Read
Hot Planet
Climate science in a changing world
Read
Illusion Chasers
Illusions, Delusions, and Everyday Deceptions
Read
Life, Unbounded
Discussion and news about planets, exoplanets, and astrobiology
Read
Observations
Opinion, arguments & analyses from guest experts and from the editors of Scientific American
Read
Roots of Unity
Mathematics: learning it, doing it, celebrating it.
Read
Rosetta Stones
Adventures in the good science of rock-breaking.
Read
SA Visual
STAFFIllustrating science since 1845
Read
Talking back
STAFFA science blog, sans blague
Read
The Artful Amoeba
A Blog About the Weird Wonderfulness of Life on Earth
Read
Voices
Exploring and celebrating diversity in science.
Read
