Scientific American

Science news and technology updates from Scientific American

Years Before COVID-19, Zombies Helped Prepare One Hospital System for the Real Pandemic

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 13:00:00 GMT

An educational experiment used escape rooms and the undead to set the stage for a terrible situation that would become all too real

COVID Vaccines Show No Signs of Harming Fertility or Sexual Function

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 10:45:00 GMT

The novel coronavirus, in contrast, can disrupt both things in unvaccinated men and women

Humanitarians Push to Vaccinate in Conflict Zones

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 18:45:00 GMT

Pandemic ceasefires offer an opportunity to expand vaccination efforts, experts say. But negotiation is tricky

New Tool Shows Geology behind Kidney Stone Crystallization

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 10:45:00 GMT

Rather than crystallizing all at once, kidney stones dissolve and re-form over and over

How COVID, Inequality and Politics Make a Vicious Syndemic

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 14:00:00 GMT

Overlapping diseases and social conditions in the U.S. continue to dictate who is hurt most badly by the novel coronavirus

Rogue Antibodies Involved In Nearly One Fifth of COVID Deaths

Wed, 01 Sep 2021 19:00:00 GMT

Self-targeting antibodies attack part of the immune system that plays a key role in fighting infection

COVID, Quickly, Episode 13: Vaccine Approval, Breakthrough Infections, Boosters

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 16:00:00 GMT

Today we bring you a new episode in our podcast series COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American’s senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.

You can listen to all past episodes here.

Policies Mandated by Multilateral Institutions Are Contributing to India's COVID Catastrophe

Sun, 22 Aug 2021 14:00:00 GMT

The World Bank’s and the International Monetary Fund’s pressure to privatize India’s health care system deepened inequities in access—to lethal effect

The True Haiti Earthquake Death Toll Is Much Worse Than Early Official Counts

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 19:00:00 GMT

A tool built by the U.S. Geological Survey suggests that the number of fatalities may range from 10,000 to 100,000 or more

U.S. Forces Are Leaving a Toxic Environmental Legacy in Afghanistan

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 10:45:00 GMT

Legal and practical obstacles make it difficult to clean the burn pits and health-damaging chemicals that remain at military bases

Abortion Rights Are at the Greatest Risk since Roe v. Wade Was Decided in 1972

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 16:40:00 GMT

The Supreme Court will hear a case in the upcoming term that could officially overturn that historic ruling

The FDA Shouldn't Support a Ban on Kratom

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 12:00:00 GMT

The herbal supplement can be abused, but given the explosion in opioid deaths, eliminating this safer substitute will almost certainly lead to more deaths

A New Resource for Fighting Vaccine Misinformation

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 13:00:00 GMT

The #ScienceUpFirst initiative was created to provide, support and amplify accurate scientific information to help people make informed health decisions

YouTube's Plan to Showcase Credible Health Information Is Flawed, Experts Warn

Fri, 27 Aug 2021 10:45:00 GMT

Search results may include a special section with videos from sources that are deemed reliable

The Absurd Pregnancy Math behind the Texas 'Six-Week' Abortion Ban

Sat, 04 Sep 2021 12:00:00 GMT

The law the Supreme Court just failed to block is not just a blow to women; it’s biologically nonsensical

The FDA Should Remove Its Restrictions on the 'Abortion Pill' Mifepristone

Sat, 21 Aug 2021 14:00:00 GMT

The science is clear: abortion by medication is safe and effective

Virus or Bacterium? Rapid Test Pinpoints Infection's Cause

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 13:00:00 GMT

A generation of new tests could lessen overuse of antibiotics

Natural Mosquito Repellent's Powers Finally Decoded

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 10:45:00 GMT

Here’s how a flower extract keeps off mosquitoes

Should You Get a Booster Shot? Here's What We Know

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 14:45:00 GMT

Experts weigh in on common questions about whether and when additional doses of coronavirus vaccines may be needed

How to Reduce Racial Disparities in Smoking Deaths

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 19:00:00 GMT

African Americans die at a higher rate than other groups and have a harder time quitting. But new evidence-based approaches can change that

Unraveling the Mystery of Why Children Are Better Protected from COVID Than Adults

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 10:45:00 GMT

Their immune system is more primed to fight off the novel coronavirus

England's Rush to Reopen Is a Cautionary Tale for the U.S.

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 10:45:00 GMT

Stripping back nearly all public health restrictions comes as the virus still poses a threat

Academic Institutions Must Do Better to Protect Caregivers This Fall

Wed, 18 Aug 2021 12:00:00 GMT

Schools, colleges and universities that fail to impose mask mandates and other COVID protections put working parents in an excruciating position

You Have Probably Eaten This Natural Food Additive without Knowing It

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 20:00:00 GMT

A new video series from Scientific American and Spektrum der Wissenschaft gives you a serving of science. In this episode, we take a look at something called inulin.

Masks Are a Must-Have to Go Back to School during the Delta Variant Surge

Thu, 19 Aug 2021 10:45:00 GMT

Face coverings are essential to protecting children, keeping schools open and slowing the highly contagious coronavirus variant, experts say