Discussions
Welcome to SciAm Discussions, a space for curious, respectful conversation inspired by Scientific American's journalism. All submissions are reviewed and the ones you see are those that move the conversation forward.
In the movie Hoppers, an animal lover slips into a robot beaver body and joins a beaver colony. In real life, some researchers use robots, costumes, drones and other creative methods for studying animals in the wild. What have they...
This year people in Scientific American’s New York office brought in pies ahead of Pi Day, but we know there must be stranger and more interesting ways to celebrate the iconic number. How have you or people you know celebrated...
The clocks are about to spring forward an hour as most of the U.S. enters daylight saving time. Are you ready? Do the tips from the article (exercise and morning sunshine) work for you, or do you have any other...
Mathematicians have recently discovered that some formulas related to the prime numbers can describe features of black holes. Primes are numbers that can be divided only by themselves and 1. On the surface, they don't seem to have anything to...
The FDA is reportedly considering making many prescription drugs available over-the-counter, but such a move would have important consequences for safety and accessibility. What do you think of the idea? Would you feel comfortable being able to get medicines without...
What developments on Earth do you think would be most interesting for aliens to observe? And do you think aliens might be observing Earth right now?
Do you have a favorite species or groups of species of shark? What is it about those animals that you find most compelling? There’s no wrong answer!
In this special report on AI, we look at the promise and peril of artificial intelligence seeping into everything we do. We'd love to hear how you're using AI in your personal or professional life. And in doing so, what...
In our March issue, environmental scientist Kyle Manley dives into the true value of the U.S.’s vast public lands. Have you had a chance to explore any of these landscapes? What struck you about the experience, and has that affected...
Avian enthusiasts around the world will identify and count birds from February 13 through February 16 as part of a massive community science project. SciAm editor Kate Wong will be! If you’re planning to join in, or just want to...
Cosmologists think the universe started out with a bang from a small, incredibly hot and dense point. But what caused it? And what happened before that? We don't know, and we may not ever know. What do you think may...
We’ve seen large language models improve rapidly at tasks many thought would never be possible, but despite the hype people with subject matter expertise seem to repeatedly find the models lacking. Do you think this type of AI is on...
Compared with some of the other winter Olympic sports, curling seems more nuanced and calm. But for those who play, and those who are enthusiastic spectators, the sport is riveting. If you're one of those people, or newly absorbed in...
SciAm reporter Jackie Flynn Mogensen recently wrote about an astonishing advance in transplant science: doctors kept a man alive with a pair of artificial lungs until he could get a lung transplant. The man had a life-threatening influenza infection and...
It was 10 degrees F and felt like -4 this morning in NYC where SciAm is headquartered. What's the weather like where you are? If you're experiencing the cold, how are you preparing?
As Joe Howlett points out, "the Schrödinger equation remains physicists’ foremost window into the quantum realm. It tells scientists how that strange world works; that is, how quantum objects interact with their surroundings. But in doing so, it sets the...
In this new world of deepfakes, what should be the default: skepticism unless something is cryptographically verified, or trust unless something is proven fake? And who should bear the burden and cost of verification—platforms, device makers, government, journalists, or everyday...
As SciAm writer Deni Béchard points out, AI tech has spread to almost every corner of our lives, except direct social interactions. That is, until now. Several tech companies like Apple and OpenAI are developing AI-powered wearable devices. Like all...
A huge storm is expected in the northeast, and we're all trying to prepare. It doesn't help that forecasts range widely. Why is it so difficult to accurately predict snow and winter weather? Staff editor Andrea Thompson explains more in...
In the article "Parents might age faster or slower based on how many kids they have," Scientific American intern K. R. Callaway describes research on how fast people age, depending on the size of their families. The findings are nuanced...