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Photo showing three stacks at the Three Mile Island Nuclear power generating station in Londonderry Township, Pennsylvania
OpinionJanuary 23, 2026

Loosening radiation exposure rules won’t speed up nuclear energy production


Relaxing radiation safety standards could place women and children at higher risks of health issues
Katy Huff
Human resource intelligence business concept as a mind and face machine made of gears and cogs
OpinionJanuary 20, 2026

AI isn’t conscious—but we may be bringing it to life


In rethinking whether AI is sentient, we are asking bigger questions about cognition, human-machine interaction and even our own consciousness
Simon Duan
View of Earth from space, with a curved view of the horizon. In the foreground, sun reflects off the Atlantic Ocean between clouds.
OpinionDecember 16, 2025

Science Carries On. Here Are Our Top Topics for 2026


Whether space, health, technology or environment, here are the issues in science that the editors of Scientific American are focusing on for 2026
The Editors
Illustration of murals of cartoon-like people reading books
OpinionDecember 4, 2025

Scientific American’s Best Nonfiction of 2025


The 10 best nonfiction books of 2025, from the history of replaceable body parts to our AI future
Brianne Kane
Illustration of a lined up stack of books and cartoon-like people leaning against them
OpinionDecember 4, 2025

Scientific American’s Best Fiction of 2025


The 10 best fiction books of 2025 explore far-off planets, future climate catastrophes, and more
Brianne Kane
Illustration of numerous cartoon-like characters in a group, all holding books
OpinionDecember 3, 2025

The Scientific American Staff’s 67 Favorite Books of 2025


Here are the 67 books Scientific American staffers couldn’t put down this year, from fantasy epics to gripping nonfiction
Brianne Kane

A nurse gives a patient a shot
OpinionNovember 21, 2025

Partisanship Is Poisoning Public Health


States and universities must step up to preserve data, and Congress must act to preserve our nation’s health
Tom Frieden
Illustration of a cartoon woman and two robot-like figures similar to her being built
OpinionNovember 18, 2025

To Solve the Deepfake Problem, People Need the Rights to Their Own Image


When anyone can forge reality, society can’t self-govern. Borrowing Denmark’s approach could help the U.S. restore accountability around deepfakes
The Editors
Illustration of a space shuttle curved and facing the ground upon takeoff
OpinionOctober 14, 2025

The U.S. Won’t Win the New Space Race by Defunding NASA


The U.S. wants to remain a superpower in space. It can’t without supporting NASA
The Editors
Scientific American Logo
OpinionOctober 8, 2025

The Hand-Wringing Over Antidepressants During Pregnancy Is Harming Women  


By casting doubt on antidepressants and other well-studied drugs, our government health agencies are choosing minimal risk to a fetus over the major risk to the person carrying it 
Catherine Birndorf
A knit sweater
OpinionSeptember 16, 2025

Fast Fashion Is a Bad Look for the Environment


A more circular economy in textiles is a good look for the planet
The Editors
Illustration of a robotic arm chiseling a sculpture in the style of The Thinker by Auguste Rodin
OpinionSeptember 7, 2025

People Want AI To Help Artists, Not Be The Artist


We surveyed people in the U.S. about artificial-intelligence-generated art. Their answers told us a lot about how we value human creativity
Deni Ellis Béchard, Gabriel Kreiman
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