Author: Scientific American

Three scientists are honored for developing a class of blockbuster weight-loss drugs. Is a Nobel prize on the way?

A long-awaited calculation of the W boson’s mass agrees with theory, contradicting a previous anomaly that had raised the possibility of new physics beyond the Standard Model

In the U.S. in the early 1960s the distributor of a thalidomide drug was impatient to get it on the market. But FDA medical examiner Frances Oldham Kelsey wanted more information to prove its safety

Some researchers dream of solving all mysteries with a common method—but a mathematical paradox may keep such solutions out of reach

Math’s “best-choice problem” could help humans become better decision-makers, at everything from choosing the best job candidate to finding a romantic partner

In online forums the term “cuck” has become synonymous with “sucker” and “loser.” But this use distorts its history and meaning, creating a baseless moral panic that harms both women and science

Neuroscientists at the University of Barcelona set about on a search for brain areas involved in chess-related tasks so that surgeons could avoid them when removing a tumor

Play this crossword inspired by the October 2024 issue of Scientific American

Simple cues help people to distinguish song from the spoken word

Invasive spotted lanternflies are spreading across the metro areas of New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., despite professional and amateur attempts to reduce their numbers