Archivo: Scientific American
Elite Athletes’ Gut Bacteria Give Rodent Runners a Boost
The chemical these bacteria produce appears to enhance athleticism
What Prevents Pluto’s Ocean from Freezing?
Layers of ice-like gas hydrates may insulate frigid ocean worlds across the cosmos
The Real Dino Killer: A One–Two Punch
An asteroid impact and volcanoes acting together could have done in the beasts, new rock dates indicate
Should We Kill Off Disease-Causing Pests? Not So Fast
Eradicating harmful species may have unintended consequences
Astronomers Traverse the Globe to Shadow “Lucky Stars”
A surge in occultation science is allowing astronomers to study the sun’s asteroids, planets and moons like never before
Have We Mismeasured the Universe?
New studies of the oldest light and sound in the cosmos suggest novel physics—rather than systematic errors—could explain an unsolved scientific mystery
Advanced Extraterrestrials as an Approximation to God
Our first encounter with E.T. technology could be as baffling to us as a smartphone would have been to a Neandertal
The Cerebellum Is Your “Little Brain”—and It Does Some Pretty Big Things
A newly identified circuit connecting the cerebellum to the brain’s reward centers in mice could help scientists understand autism and addiction
Heavy Rains and Hurricanes Clear a Path for Supercharged Mold
Warmer temperatures and rising CO2 can also ramp up some fungal toxins and allergens
How Political Opinions Change
A clever experiment shows it’s surprisingly easy to change someone’s political views, revealing how flexible we are