Female beast hunters battled leopards in ancient Rome
Mosaic depictions of a weapon-wielding female gladiator are the first physical evidence showing women in ancient Rome could be skilled beast hunters
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Odd “butterfly” molecule could lead to new parts of the quantum realm
An exotic new molecule is shaped like a butterfly, complete with "wings" made from electrons. The discovery could provide a gateway to completely new parts of the quantum realm
Which problems will quantum computers solve—and when?
Quantum computing could lead to revolutions in cryptography, materials design and telecommunications. But fulfilling those promises could be many years away
The Riemann hypothesis is a million-dollar math problem hardly anyone is trying to solve
The intimidating legacy of the scariest problem in mathematics
Science crossword: At the same time
Play this crossword inspired by the June 2026 issue of Scientific American
Readers respond to the February 2026 issue
Letters to the editors for the February 2026 issue of Scientific American
Quantum computing is reaching its make-or-break moment
Will computers based on quantum physics really change the world?
New ways to keep from losing muscle on Ozempic
Ozempic and just getting older take off muscle. New therapies could retain it
New high‑resolution map transforms what we know about Roman roads and the Roman Empire
A massive digitization project has nearly doubled the known extent of the first continent-scale road network
NASA dreams of a nuclear power plant on the moon. Here’s why
To build its moon base, NASA needs a lot of power
June 2026: Science history from 50, 100 and 150 years ago
Door-building spiders; a new quantum liquid
How commercial satellites are changing modern warfare
Commercial satellites can now watch much of Earth in near-real time. Militaries are learning new ways to fool them
Helion Energy is building a fusion power plant. Can its technology deliver?
This company says its pulsed plasma machine will deliver electricity to the grid by 2029. Some physicists warn that its promises are outrunning what the technology has proved
The future of robot armies is here – and it’s not what you think
Robots are becoming more a part of our lives every year, and worries about a robot army rising up have long plagued the technology. But columnist Annalee Newitz talks to nanobot researchers and finds out the real robot army could be a welcome solution to medical or
Seabird world shrinks as oceans warm, forcing longer flights to survive
Seabirds such as albatrosses and petrels are retreating into smaller areas of ocean and traveling further to find new places to live as the climate warms. Scientists from the University of Reading studied more than 120 species of Procellariiformes (the group that includes
Extreme weather events are accelerating tidal wetland loss, satellite data show
Tidal wetlands are critical, yet vulnerable ecosystems. Tidal marshes, mangrove forests, and tidal flats support biodiversity, protect against flooding and storm surges, sequester carbon, and improve water quality. Due to human development and climate change, tidal wetland
Bats create 'silent frequency zones' to detect prey in noisy flight, researchers reveal
Sound plays an important role for many animals, helping them navigate and hunt. Echolocation is the ability of animals like bats and dolphins to locate objects by emitting sound waves and interpreting the returning echoes. But detecting meaningful information in a noisy
Argentine scientists lay first traps in hantavirus hunt
Scientists attempting to determine whether or not hantavirus is present in Argentina's Ushuaia on Monday laid the very first traps to catch rodents potentially carrying the disease, AFP journalists observed.
As bee population collapses, US apiarists fear research cuts
In a lot behind a disused West Virginia gas station at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, Roy Funkhouser is surrounded by about a dozen beekeepers and countless buzzing bees.
SMILE spacecraft launches to capture first X-ray views of Earth's magnetic shield
A joint European-Chinese spacecraft blasted off into orbit Tuesday to investigate what happens when extreme winds and giant explosions of plasma shot out from the sun slam into Earth's magnetic shield.
New Mexico wildfire sparked by fatal medical plane crash spreads quickly in rural area
A fast-growing wildfire sparked by the fatal crash of a small medical plane outside Ruidoso, New Mexico, has triggered evacuations for a rural area north of the Capitan Mountains and closures in the Lincoln National Forest, officials said Monday.
Scientists found a smarter Mediterranean diet that slashes diabetes risk by 31%
A large European study revealed that a lower-calorie Mediterranean diet paired with exercise and coaching dramatically reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes. Participants who made these lifestyle changes were 31% less likely to develop the disease over six years. They also lost
Antarctic glacier collapses at record speed as Hektoria retreats 15 miles in just 15 months
Antarctica’s Hektoria Glacier collapsed with shocking speed, retreating 15 miles in only 15 months and setting a modern record for grounded ice loss. Scientists say warming conditions and ocean-driven instability turned the glacier from seemingly stable to rapidly unraveling
A strange ripple in spacetime could be the first fingerprint of dark matter
Black holes crashing together may be revealing clues about dark matter hidden across the universe. Physicists created a new model predicting how dark matter could subtly distort gravitational waves produced during black hole mergers. When they tested the method on real LIGO
String theory suddenly emerged from simple physics rules
Physicists may have uncovered a surprising new clue that string theory—the idea that the universe is built from unimaginably tiny vibrating strings—could be more than just a mathematical fantasy. Instead of assuming strings existed from the start, researchers began with a few
Urban life makes animals bolder, more aggressive across 133 species, analysis finds
A global analysis has found that urban animals are bolder and more aggressive, exploratory and active than their rural counterparts. The findings are published in the Journal of Animal Ecology.
DNA floating in seawater is now enough to let scientists monitor the health of America's dolphin populations
DNA is everywhere in the world's oceans—not only packaged inside cells from skin, scales, mucus, feces, and blood, but also floating freely. Sequencing such "environmental DNA" (eDNA) from open water has long been used as a cost-effective way of gauging the number and identity
Economic impact report examines the value of open biodata infrastructure
Public infrastructures like roads and electricity are so essential to society that people almost take their value for granted. A new report by Frontier Economics, commissioned by EMBL's European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), shows that open data resources have become a
Video: Preparing Smile for space
Before Smile can begin studying how Earth responds to the streams of particles and bursts of radiation from the sun, the spacecraft had to complete an extraordinary journey here on Earth.
Cryo-EM reveals the structural basis of functional diversity in alcohol oxidase isozymes
As the global push toward a carbon-neutral society accelerates, understanding how microorganisms metabolize methanol with high efficiency has become increasingly critical. At the University of Tsukuba, researchers have applied cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to resolve the
How much worse could western wildfires get? New modeling changes projections
Across the western United States, wildfires are increasing in size and intensity. As the climate continues to warm, more extreme wildfires will reshape landscapes and pose a growing risk to human health and natural ecosystems throughout the West.
What a powerful El Niño could mean for the US region of Appalachia
A potentially powerful El Niño could take shape later this year. While its effects are often felt dramatically across parts of the United States and around the globe, experts say the picture for Southern Appalachia is more nuanced.
Hidden algae diversity emerges in wheat fields across spring, summer and autumn
Intensive agriculture poses a significant threat to global biodiversity. However, one aspect of biodiversity in farmland is little studied: algae. Most people have seen algae growing in streams, lakes or the sea. However, algae have also adapted to survive in drier, harsher
Climate change drives 'emptying' of rural Bhutan
Homes are being abandoned as climate change accelerates migration out of rural Bhutan, new research shows. The mountain kingdom is the world's first carbon-negative country—through exporting zero-carbon hydropower energy. But it is disproportionately affected by climate change,
NASA’s powerful Roman Space Telescope is about to transform astronomy
NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is now aiming for an earlier launch in September 2026. Designed to explore dark matter, dark energy, and distant exoplanets, the telescope will capture massive, ultra-detailed surveys of the cosmos using infrared vision. Scientists
How unequal trade with Global North leaves Latin America supplying land, labor and raw materials
More than 900 million tonnes of materials, 4 million km2 of land, and 53 billion hours of labor. This is the scale of resources that the Global North net appropriated from Latin America through international trade in 2020 alone, according to a new study by the Institute of
Virtual reality game about zombie ants increases players' understanding of evolution
Playing a virtual reality game in which the player takes on the role of the zombie fungus Ophiocordyceps increases the players' understanding of how evolution works. Last summer, Utrecht University zombie ant researchers William Beckerson, Maite Goebbels and Charissa de Bekker
Forget electrons, this breakthrough uses light-matter particles to power AI
Researchers at Penn have created a hybrid light-matter particle that could dramatically speed up AI computing while using far less energy. The breakthrough may help replace some electronic computing processes with ultra-efficient light-based technology.
How location sharing apps change the ways we communicate
Mobile apps that allow people to share their location with others have become increasingly popular. But how and why do we use these apps, and what are the implications for interpersonal communication? That's the topic of a study appearing in the Journal of Social and Personal
Mystery of the ancient giant stone jars of Laos may have been solved
In central Laos, the landscape is littered with enormous stone jars, some 3 metres high, and we may be closer to understanding how and when they were used
Microbes for health: New way to feel 'at one' with nature
Can you imagine feeling good about your body being home to trillions of bacteria and viruses—as well as life-giving "invisible friend" microbes in the air, soil and water? Before you say yuck, this concept is a new way microbiologists are encouraging people to think about their
Mapping how 'Big AI' influences AI laws and oversight
Artificial intelligence (AI) companies influence policy and regulation using similar techniques to Big Tobacco, Big Pharma and Big Oil, according to a new study.
Hidden sugar patterns on human cells could reveal cancer early
Scientists have uncovered a hidden “sugar code” on the surface of human cells that could transform how diseases are detected. Using an advanced imaging technique called Glycan Atlasing, researchers at the Max Planck Institute mapped the tiny sugar structures coating cells and
Would a $1 rideshare fee affect wealthier or working‑class Philadelphians more? 2 Chicago studies offer some perspective
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has proposed a US$1 fee on all Uber, Lyft and other rideshare trips in the city to begin in 2027. The projected $48 million annual revenue would go entirely to support the chronically underfunded Philadelphia school district, which faces a
Bioengineers condense protein engineering and testing to a single day
Proteins are critical to life—and to industry. There are countless proteins that could be engineered to treat and even cure serious diseases and cellular dysfunctions. Industrial applications are similarly promising, with proteins increasingly used as enzymes in food
Eating grapes daily could unlock powerful skin protection
Scientists discovered that eating grapes can actually change how your skin behaves at the genetic level. After just two weeks of daily grape consumption, volunteers showed signs of improved skin protection and reduced oxidative stress from UV exposure. Researchers say the
Phase-contrast microtomography reveals vascular colonization of tomato roots by Fusarium oxysporum
Soil-borne fungal pathogens are responsible for major agricultural losses worldwide, yet the way they invade and spread inside plant roots is still not fully understood. One of the most damaging species, Fusarium oxysporum, infects the vascular system of crops such as tomato,
