Kendra Pierre-Louis: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Kendra Pierre-Louis, in for Rachel Feltman. With some estimates placing the number of Hawaiian monk seals left in the wild at just 1,600, the species is one of the world’s most endangered types of seals. Although scientists have studied the creatures’ biology, movements and population changes in… Continue reading Inside the Secret Soundscape of Hawaii’s Rarest Seal
In Ukraine, Is the U.S. Promising Too Much?
This commentary was originally published by the Washington Post on December 26, 2025. As the Trump administration pushes ahead with intensive negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war, it has surprised even its harshest critics by reportedly putting on the table a set of security guarantees for Ukraine that are more far-reaching than anything proposed by… Continue reading In Ukraine, Is the U.S. Promising Too Much?
If I Stop the World, Will I Melt with You?
Every now and again I find myself pondering the scientific veracity of pop songs. I’m a nerd, and I like music, so sometimes those worlds collide. It can be interesting to think about, and the investigation itself can be instructive—even fun! Consider, for instance, the song “I Melt with You,” by the new wave band… Continue reading If I Stop the World, Will I Melt with You?
How to Keep Gaza’s Recovery from Becoming an 80-Year Project
When wars end, attention must turn to what comes next: the daunting work of rebuilding. In Gaza, that effort will be at the scale of European cities ruined during World War II or Iraqi and Syrian cities laid waste in the war against the Islamic State. A precarious cease-fire and the 20-point peace framework have… Continue reading How to Keep Gaza’s Recovery from Becoming an 80-Year Project
10 Fascinating Math Findings of 2025
December 19, 2025 3 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm The 10 Biggest Math Breakthroughs of 2025 Hidden Fibonacci numbers, a new shape and the search for a grand unified theory of mathematics are among our choices for most exciting findings of the year By Clara Moskowitz edited by Andrea Thompson OsakaWayne Studios/Getty Images… Continue reading 10 Fascinating Math Findings of 2025
The World Is Sliding Back into Nuclear Competition
A version of this commentary was originally published in Dutch by Het Financieele Dagblad on December 21, 2025. President Donald Trump recently announced that the United States intends to resume nuclear testing. It is unclear whether this will involves new weapons systems, but the announcement underscores mounting tensions between the superpowers. The risk of a… Continue reading The World Is Sliding Back into Nuclear Competition
Get Lost in This Dazzling New Map of the Cosmos
Just nine months since its launch, NASA’s newest space telescope has unveiled a jaw-dropping map of the cosmos unlike any we have seen before. Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) is a two-year-long mission designed to study the universe in infrared light. It began science operations in… Continue reading Get Lost in This Dazzling New Map of the Cosmos
Federal Disaster Assistance Was Never Intended to Make You Whole
Americans have long viewed the federal government—and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) specifically—as a frustrating-but-central pillar supporting individuals and households after disasters. What few people understand (until too late) is that assistance from the federal government is not going to replace everything lost in a disaster. By design, it never has. And for multiple… Continue reading Federal Disaster Assistance Was Never Intended to Make You Whole
Offshore Wind Farm in China Becomes a Haven for Oysters, Barnacles, and More, Study Finds
December 19, 2025 1 min read Add Us On GoogleAdd SciAm Offshore Wind Farm in China Becomes a Haven for Oysters, Barnacles, and More, Study Finds A wind farm off the coast of China appeared to boost fish numbers and supported colonies of oysters and barnacles, according to new research By Claire Cameron edited by… Continue reading Offshore Wind Farm in China Becomes a Haven for Oysters, Barnacles, and More, Study Finds
How Many Souls Do Twins Have? And More Weird Questions
Podcast: Download MYS397: It’s Christmas week so we’re bringing you a special weird questions episode where Jimmy Akin answers questions like: Can identical twins share a soul? What happens if you’re excommunicated unfairly? Could a living soul possess someone else? Are demons capable of repentance? Are we insignificant in a vast universe—or still uniquely special?… Continue reading How Many Souls Do Twins Have? And More Weird Questions