Mark Harmon crouches low next to log number 219: a moss-covered western hemlock tree trunk, five meters long, lying dead on the ground in the lush green woods. It’s marked by a thin aluminum tag. The forest ecologist leans in close, his unruly white beard nearly brushing against the decomposing cylinder. Dark, flaky patches on… Continue reading He’s Spent 40 Years Studying Dead Trees—Here’s What He’s Found
Historical Parallels Highlight the Challenges of Implementing Phase II of the Gaza Peace Plan
The world can rightfully celebrate the Gaza ceasefire, the return of the living hostages, and the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid. Although the agreement reflects the acceptance of hard realities by both sides, it is hard to imagine reaching this step without the personal intervention of President Trump. The challenge now will be to… Continue reading Historical Parallels Highlight the Challenges of Implementing Phase II of the Gaza Peace Plan
October 2025: Science History from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago
September 16, 2025 3 min read October 2025: Science History from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago Charming quarks; the first Batman signal By Mark Fischetti 1975, Advent of Tomography: “Medicine is making the internal structures of the body far more accessible by noninvasive procedures. One, called reconstruction from projections, is coming into service. A… Continue reading October 2025: Science History from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago
Using Local Advantage: How Small Forces Can Overcome Insurmountable Odds
Picture yourself on a battlefield. It’s cold, the snow covers the ground, yet the sun shines brightly overhead. You gaze over the landscape and at your fellow soldiers. The prospects for the future seem grim. Your enemy outnumbers you in troops and equipment by more than two to one. Options are limited, and a single… Continue reading Using Local Advantage: How Small Forces Can Overcome Insurmountable Odds
Carlo Rovelli’s Radical Perspective on Reality
Sitting outside a Catholic church on the French Riviera, Carlo Rovelli jutted his head forward and backward, imitating a pigeon trotting by. Pigeons bob their heads, he told me, not only to stabilize their vision but also to gauge distances to objects — compensating for their limited binocular vision. “It’s all perspectival,” he said. A… Continue reading Carlo Rovelli’s Radical Perspective on Reality
Closing the Veteran Data Gap
A new nationally representative panel ensures every veteran’s voice is heard in research and policy. In this Q&A, David Dutwin and Robert Bozick explain how. Gathering high-quality data about veterans—their well-being, challenges, and service experiences—has been a persistent challenge for policymakers and researchers alike. Too often, surveys sample convenient sets of people or are limited… Continue reading Closing the Veteran Data Gap
In a First, AI Models Analyze Language As Well As a Human Expert
Among the myriad abilities that humans possess, which ones are uniquely human? Language has been a top candidate at least since Aristotle, who wrote that humanity was “the animal that has language.” Even as large language models such as ChatGPT superficially replicate ordinary speech, researchers want to know if there are specific aspects of human… Continue reading In a First, AI Models Analyze Language As Well As a Human Expert
China: An Emerging Software Power
China’s early success in global AI competition, bolstered by continued massive state investment and other advantages, could help it extend its dominance in international markets for manufactured goods to the software realm. China is the world’s manufacturing powerhouse. In 2024, it exported $3.6 trillion worth of manufactured goods—about as much as the combined exports of… Continue reading China: An Emerging Software Power
Extraterrestrial Sheep and More Weird Questions
Podcast: Download MYS389: It’s a fifth Friday, so Cy Kellett of Catholic Answers Live is asking Jimmy Akin weird questions from listeners, about topics like whether Jesus said he had extraterrestrial sheep, could dogs be guardian angels; whether Jesus had opinions; and more. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email |… Continue reading Extraterrestrial Sheep and More Weird Questions
Readers Respond to the May 2025 Issue
September 16, 2025 4 min read Readers Respond to the May 2025 Issue Letters to the editors for the May 2025 issue of Scientific American By Aaron Shattuck Scientific American, May 2025 SPEEDY COMETS “Dark Comets,” by Robin George Andrews, describes a group of objects in our solar system with “unexplained” acceleration. That made me… Continue reading Readers Respond to the May 2025 Issue