Young men are 'voicemaxxing' to sound more attractive. But women aren't impressed
Looksmaxxing, fibermaxxing, proteinmaxxing, T-maxxing. There are so many TikTok trends that promise to optimize our lives.
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Double spiral inside narwhal tusks may explain their resistance to bending
The narwhal's impressive tusk has long been the subject of myths. In the Middle Ages, they were sold as unicorn horns believed to possess magical powers. Now, an international team of researchers led by Aarhus University has solved the mystery of how the tusk acquires its
Why Korean 'aegyo' speech sounds cute: Adults raise vocal resonances to sound younger and smaller
In Korean, the term "aegyo" denotes a playful cuteness put on by adults to win someone's affection, typically in romantic contexts. This is usually accomplished with bashful expressions or a childlike manner of speaking sometimes known as "baby talk" in Western cultures.
Loud snoring—simulation reveals the physical mechanism that keeps so many of us awake at night
Anyone who has had to share a room—or worse, a bed—with a loud snorer knows the effect unchecked snoring can have on sleep, sanity and emotional stability. An entire industry of products, technologies and treatments claims to cure or prevent loud snoring, with varying degrees
'Snooping' on dolphins offers acoustic clues to hotspots for food and friends
For dolphins, the ocean is a world of sound. Their whistles carry social information, helping them communicate and stay connected, while echolocation—rapid-fire clicks—functions like underwater sonar, helping them navigate their surroundings and detect potential prey.
More than 5,000 little penguins will be vaxxed against bird flu. How will this protect them?
A major push is underway to catch and vaccinate more than 5,000 little penguins in Victoria to protect them against the virulent H5N1 bird flu.
Retro phone trend reveals growing desire to disconnect
From wall-mounted smartphone docks to old-fashioned coiled-phone handsets, a growing trend for retro phone accessories may be a sign that many people are looking for ways to create distance from their smartphones.
Long-range magnetic interactions govern how a ferrimagnet approaches its phase transition
Close to a phase transition, very different materials can follow the same mathematical rules. The concept of universality, which groups seemingly distinct systems based on their common properties, was developed to describe this phenomenon.
The link between incoherent beliefs and conspiracism
Simultaneous belief in logically incompatible claims is linked to conspiratorial thinking, according to a study that models belief using a Bayesian framework.
Tomato roots reveal hidden steps in 400-million-year-old fungal partnership
Scientists at VIB and Ghent University have produced the first high-resolution, cell-by-cell map of how tomato roots respond to colonization by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. These ancient fungal partners help plants absorb nutrients from the soil.
What Spider-Man gets right — and wrong — about turning off superpowers
In 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' Peter Parker devises a superpower inhibitor based on a real therapy using RNA.
A Dazzling Image of a Dying Star, Featuring the Great Recycling System of the Cosmos
Ashes to ashes, stardust to stardust The post A Dazzling Image of a Dying Star, Featuring the Great Recycling System of the Cosmos appeared first on Nautilus .
Unusual superconductivity could emerge in valley-imbalanced rhombohedral graphene
Superconductors are materials in which electrical current flows with a resistance of zero, typically below specific temperatures. In conventional superconductors, this state of matter emerges when two electrons bind together at low temperatures, forming so-called Cooper pairs.
Webb captures clearest image yet of the Lion Nebula
The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope recently imaged NGC 2392 (also known as the Lion Nebula), named for its distinctive appearance, which resembles a lion's face seen head-on.
AI reconstructs hidden history of Earth's mantle flow from surface clues
The mantle, a rocky layer accounting for more than 80% of Earth's volume, circulates at rates of only a few centimeters per year. This circulation drives plate tectonics and influences major geological phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic activity. Despite its fundamental
Drier soils may turn late summer into prolonged extreme heat
The summers of recent years have been hot, but not unusual from a meteorological perspective. According to researchers at Leipzig University, though, the next extreme summer would far exceed anything we have experienced so far.
New gene activity tool measures biological age of cells and screens aging-related compounds
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm University have developed a new tool that estimates a cell's biological age by analyzing its gene activity. In an article published in the journal Advanced Science, they also demonstrate how the tool can be used to identify
Aerial imagery maps hurricane wind damage and shows stronger building codes work
Massive storms like Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which caused more than $100 billion in damage, were once considered lifetime events. Increasingly, however, they are becoming the norm: a direct result of climate change, which has made large storms more frequent, intense and
Distinct neurons drive mice's social sounds and squeaks
Mice use almost completely distinct sets of neurons for their two different types of vocalizations—the squeaks they produce when in distress or fighting and the whistle-like ultrasonic vocalizations they use when communicating socially, Cornell neuroscientists have found. The
Ruby-forming mineral found by Mars rover hints at violent impacts
So far, most of the minerals found on Mars tell a story of lava poured out by ancient volcanoes, followed by long stretches in which water trickled through and slowly reshaped the rock. However, some rocks scattered across the Martian surface seem to hint at a different
Caregivers are active agents in their infants' learning, but interactions differ across cultures
A baby sits on the floor and reaches toward a red ball on the floor and grunts. The mother responds, "Do you see the ball?" She picks it up, holds it in front of the baby and says, "Do you want to hold the ball?" The baby shrieks in excitement as the mother hands the ball to
Nuking an asteroid on short notice could save us
Readers of a certain age will remember a golden era of asteroid films, capped by two with very different endings. "Deep Impact" drove home the devastating consequences of letting a large piece of rock hit our planet, whereas "Armageddon," though arguably the kitschier of the
A new approach to building noise-resistant quantum sensors
Quantum sensors, devices that collect measurements by exploiting quantum-mechanical phenomena, could potentially detect extremely weak magnetic, gravitational and electromagnetic signals with greater sensitivity than classical sensors. Some quantum sensors leverage
Robotic rescue missions are sparking a spaceflight revolution
Two new missions are revealing how robotic repair and assembly could become routine on the final frontier
Is Immortality Possible?
Nature has answered the same way for 3.5 billion years The post Is Immortality Possible? appeared first on Nautilus .
Soot spikes from traffic and holiday bonfires emerge in Addis Ababa air record
An air pollution monitoring network has provided one of the most detailed long-term views yet of the role of black carbon, or soot produced by fires, diesel vehicles and other combustion sources, in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. The detailed measurements show how pollution
School's back, stress doesn't have to be
Going back to school can be an exciting time for students from elementary school through college, whether it's finding the perfect outfit to wear on the first day, returning to campus or filling a chalkboard with career dreams.
'Ecological engineers' an existential threat to wildlife of iconic wetland
A study examining how feral water buffalo interact with landscapes has uncovered the pest's disastrous impacts on northern long-necked turtles in the Top End's tropical wetlands.
How body size and habitat shape the vocal repertoires of primates
Biologists, zoologists and psychologists have been trying to trace the origins of human language for centuries. One well-known theory, known as the social brain hypothesis, suggests that increasingly complex social lives prompted primates to evolve increasingly larger brains,
What really happened on Easter Island?
For decades, an influential theory blamed the Rapanui for their own downfall—a story made famous by Jared Diamond’s book Collapse . New evidence tells a different tale
The brain doesn’t just experience reality. It edits it into a story
Neuroscience is revealing how our brains are wired for narrative
September 2026: Science history from 50, 100 and 150 years ago
A heavenly read; a 25-foot eye; a case of double personality
Scientists cited by Heritage Foundation report on women’s sports say it misrepresented their research
The conservative think tank’s report claims that high-intensity and elite sports training has lasting effects on menstrual cycles and fertility
Science crossword: Give me some space!
Play this crossword inspired by the September 2026 issue of Scientific American
SciAm is on the move
A recent change in ownership is an opportunity for SciAm to be even better and have some fun
Readers Respond to the April 2026 Issue
Letters to the editors for the April 2026 issue of Scientific American
How solar became the cheapest form of energy in the world
Here are four reasons solar energy has seen a meteoric rise in recent years
How many satellites can safely orbit Earth?
Soaring numbers of satellites could pose grave threats to the heavens above and our planet below
How Zipline’s drone delivery system works in U.S. suburbs
Zipline’s tethered delivery system lowers packages from the sky. Now it has to show that people want the service
How NASA turned a spy satellite into the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will soon launch to unravel the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter
How Golden Dome’s space-based missile interceptors would work
Golden Dome’s most audacious element would require a vast constellation of weapons that does not yet exist. Defense companies are already lining up to build it
From geothermal energy to tidal power, these bold projects could change our clean-energy future
Companies are making big bets on technology to solve lingering challenges in the clean-energy rollout. Here are four of the most ambitious projects
Does fibermaxxing work? It may depend on your microbiome
We are rightfully told to eat more fiber. But our depleted gut microbiomes may not benefit from superhigh levels
Can QuantumScape and Factorial Energy mass-produce solid-state batteries?
Two American companies are pursuing rival manufacturing strategies for these long-promised cells in an industry China dominates
How tomato 'golden hour' research could help crops survive heat waves and drought
What if the secret to drought-resistant crops isn't how much water plants use, but when they use it? A new study identifies a daily window that could help breeders develop tomatoes that better withstand drought without sacrificing yield.
Whales spark joy in New York but face threats from boat traffic
"WHALE AT ONE O'CLOCK!" Eager cruise passengers zipping around New York's southern shores rush to the starboard bow: A humpback whale is up for air, a breathtaking sighting set against Manhattan's iconic skyline.
Two largest U.S. reservoirs hit record lows amid Western drought
The two largest reservoirs in the United States have fallen to record lows as a severe drought grips the country's West, according to data released over the weekend.
Make it rain: Indonesia chases clouds to stem El Niño fires
Borneo in Indonesia, home to pristine rainforest and protected species, is burning. Meteorologist Safillah Anggie Wahyuni hopes a solution lies in the clouds.
