AstronomyFebruary 15, 2024
See What the Solar Eclipse Will Look Like across Most of the U.S.
Even if you’re not in the path of totality, the solar eclipse on April 8 will offer a show to nearly everyone across North and Central America
Stories by Katie Peek
Katie Peek is a science journalist and data-visualization designer with degrees in astrophysics and journalism. She is a contributing artist for Scientific American.
AstronomyFebruary 2, 2024
Here Are the Best Places to View the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse
Weather predictions and population statistics show the best spots to see the total solar eclipse over North America this April
EcologyDecember 7, 2022
Global Population Growth Is Slowing Down. Here’s One Reason Why
In 2022 the world’s population hit the eight-billion mark. But such milestones could top out by the end of the century
OceansMay 1, 2022
Coral Reefs Are Struggling, but There Is Some Good News
Graphics show how reefs around the globe are faring
AnimalsMarch 1, 2022
Monarchs Take Generations to Make Annual South-North Journey
Citizen science data reveal how the declining species travels from its southern wintering site to its northern breeding grounds
ConservationFebruary 1, 2022
Track New Zealand’s Bid to Take Back Nature
The country’s audacious predator-eradication drive gains ground
Space & PhysicsJune 1, 2021
How Human Space Launches Have Diversified
A plethora of new countries and private companies are getting in on the quest to send people to orbit
Public HealthApril 29, 2021
Flu Has Disappeared for More Than a Year
Mask wearing, social distancing and other steps to stop COVID-19 have also curtailed influenza
EvolutionFebruary 1, 2021
Dinosaur Discoveries Are Booming
Fossils are being found worldwide, and there are plenty more to come
Space & PhysicsDecember 1, 2020
See Fast Radio Bursts Come of Age
An incipient field of radio astronomy is about to go mainstream
Public HealthSeptember 30, 2020
Flu Season Never Came to the Southern Hemisphere
Mask wearing and social distancing for COVID-19 may have cut influenza cases south of the equator
Public HealthJune 2, 2020
How to Use Masks during the Coronavirus Pandemic
What kinds of face coverings work for protection against COVID-19? How do you use them safely? A series of simple steps outlines the answers
The SciencesDecember 1, 2019
Gravitational Waves Are Being Detected at an Increasing Pace
Sensors have captured dozens of events
PolicyAugust 1, 2019
The Great Ocean Divide
More than two million square kilometers are being carved up, leaving little for the rest of the world
EarthAugust 1, 2019
A New Reality Up North
Climate change is dramatically altering life at the top of the world
EarthAugust 1, 2019
Nations Get Busy Inside the Arctic Circle
As ice retreats, countries are expanding military seaports, exploiting shipping lanes and exploring for oil and gas
PolicyNovember 1, 2018
How to Spot Clandestine Nuclear Bomb Tests
Illicit detonations are anything but secret
The SciencesAugust 1, 2018
The Sunspot Cycle Is More Intricate Than Previously Thought
The sun's dark spots cycle every 11 years—as well as every 88, 200, and 2,400 years
Public HealthMarch 1, 2018
Is Daylight Saving Time Good or Bad for You?
Research shows that the benefits may outweigh the drawbacks
Space & PhysicsFebruary 1, 2018
Proposed Space Station Aims for the Moon and beyond
The ambitious plan to send astronauts to lunar orbit has drawn skepticism
BiologyFebruary 1, 2018
Misled Penguins Swim to Feeding Grounds That No Longer Have Food
Young birds follow the right signal to foraging grounds, but when they arrive there are no fish to eat
EnvironmentMay 1, 2017
The Northwest Passage Remains Treacherous, Despite Ice Retreat
Arctic route may remain treacherous for decades
Space & PhysicsMarch 1, 2017
How Old Observations Are Building Hubble's Legacy
Data from the space telescope will yield discoveries long after the instrument is kaput
BiologyDecember 1, 2016
Is the Rise in Twin Births Cresting?
Fertility procedures have pushed multiple births higher, prompting policy changes