Science

The Urgency of Agency – Scientific American Blog Network

I recently noticed something about myself. Whenever I am thinking about the nature of living systems (as happens a lot…

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It’s Melting: Science On Ice

Welcome to Scientific American’s Science Talk, posted on July 21, 2019. I’m Steve Mirsky. And while much of the lower…

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What Does a Medical Nihilist Do When He Gets Sick?

In my recent column “Is Medicine Overrated?,” I review Medical Nihilism, a blistering critique of medical research and practice. Author Jacob…

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The Magic in Your Eyes

When Susana Martinez-Conde and I talk to audiences about NeuroMagic—our research initiative to study the brain with magic (and vice-versa),…

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Why Two Moonships Were Better Than One

“Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” July 20th marks 50 years since human beings first landed on the…

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Parallels and Perpendiculars in the Lives of Two Extraordinary Siblings

André Weil. Credit: Konrad Jacobs Wikimedia (CC BY-SA 2.0 DE) A friend who recently defended his dissertation in comparative literature mentioned Simone…

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The World without the Moon

Fifty years ago this week the first human steps were taken on another world as Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and…

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The Temptation of the Sorting Hat

The people in my life all seem to be surrounded by assessments at the moment. They are being tasked with…

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How to Make a Mouse Hallucinate

Stanford University scientists triggered visual hallucinations in mice by activating a few brain cells with a light signal. The researchers…

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As Temperatures Soar During Heat Wave, So Will CO2

Greenhouse gas emissions will spike today as temperatures along the East Coast approach triple digits and grid operators fire up…

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Alzheimer’s Meeting: Lifestyle Factors Are the Best–and Only–Bet Now for Reducing Dementia Risk

Samuel Gandy became an Alzheimer’s disease researcher in part to help his own family. He watched his mother spiral downward…

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How Poetry Can Help Communicate Science

At first glance, poetry might seem to have very little to offer science, other than a few choice compliments or…

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