Observations
A Note to the Nobel Prize Selection Committee
Howard Temin was an ideal role model for scientists; the Nobel can encourage them to follow his example
Blogs
Roots of Unity
Law & Order: MVT
Using mathematics to catch the bad guys—in the most contrived way possible
Observations
Mother Earth Doesn’t Like to Be Naked
Harvesting almonds is easier on bare dirt—but the soil itself is happier when clothed
Recent Posts
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Did the Dinosaur-Killing Asteroid Inadvertently Help Lichens?
The leafy lichens seem to have picked up where a lot of incinerated plants left off
Banging, Zooming, Ringing and Raining
Explosions on Titan, cometary visitors, a black hole merger and water in an exoplanetary atmosphere
Pluralism: Beyond the One and Only Truth
Some big questions, such as how matter makes mind and what quantum mechanics means, may not have a single, definitive answer
The Atmospheric Microbiome
For single-celled organisms, Earth’s atmosphere represents transport, refuge and possibly a habitat
Can We Forecast Caldera Collapses?
The formation of cauldronlike volcanic depressions is enormously destructive—but it may also be predictable
The Future of Work Is the Future of Higher Education
We must end the false dichotomy between scholarship and career
Leadership in the Age of the Surreal
The professionals at the National Weather Service deserve political leadership that will stand up for them—even when that puts the leaders’ own jobs in jeopardy
It’s Raining on the Sun
Structures in the corona called “null-point topologies” may help solve two long-standing solar mysteries
How STEM Education Must Evolve
We need to enhance the curriculum so graduates have a deeper understanding of how their work affects humanity
The Darker Side of John Wesley Powell
Like other early American geologists, the man who explored the Colorado River did anthropologic research that presupposed the racial inferiority of Native Americans
Blog Index
@ScientificAmerican
STAFFBehind the scenes at Scientific American
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Anecdotes from the Archive
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Anthropology in Practice
Exploring the human condition.
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Beautiful Minds
Insights into intelligence, creativity, personality, and well-being
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Budding Scientist
Everything you always wanted to know about raising science-literate kids
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Cross-Check
Critical views of science in the news
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Dark Star Diaries
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Dog Spies
Explore the science behind the dog in your bed
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Extinction Countdown
News and research about endangered species from around the world
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Eye of the Storm
The Science Behind Extreme Weather
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Frontiers for Young Minds
Science by and for kids ages 8-15
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Guest Blog
Commentary invited by editors of Scientific American
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Hot Planet
Climate science in a changing world
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Illusion Chasers
Illusions, Delusions, and Everyday Deceptions
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Life, Unbounded
Discussion and news about planets, exoplanets, and astrobiology
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Observations
Opinion, arguments & analyses from guest experts and from the editors of Scientific American
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Roots of Unity
Mathematics: learning it, doing it, celebrating it.
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Rosetta Stones
Adventures in the good science of rock-breaking.
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SA Visual
STAFFIllustrating science since 1845
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Talking back
STAFFA science blog, sans blague
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The Artful Amoeba
A Blog About the Weird Wonderfulness of Life on Earth
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Voices
Exploring and celebrating diversity in science.
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