Understanding the process of evolution can be humbling because of its power to explain the history and diversity of life on Earth over the past 3.5 billion years.
12.03.2026 14:09
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Understanding the process of evolution can be humbling because of its power to explain the history and diversity of life on Earth over the past 3.5 billion years.
Generative AI is flooding scientific research with quick and easy text, figures, and citations that are either partially inaccurate or wholly false—and very difficult to detect.
A hidden geological process reframes our understanding of how diamonds erupt and continents evolve.
The Case for Quantity in Science Publishing, by David B. Allison, Brian B. Boutwell (edited by Corey Powell)
www.americanscientist.org/article/the-...
Teams of Rivals, by Stephen J. Ceci, Cory J. Clark, Lee Jussim, Wendy M. Williams (edited by Nick Gerbis)
www.americanscientist.org/article/team...
Articles submitted:
Retraction Reactions, by Ivan Oransky and Adam Marcus (edited by Stacey Lutkoski)
www.americanscientist.org/article/retr...
...Scientists face many stressors, especially with drastic, sudden changes this year in how research is funded, and the magazine wanted to provide a column that would let scientists feel a supportive sense of camaraderie in dealing with common problems across fields." @fenellasaunders
"...in 2025 we launched a new column called Scientific Method. The column has covered issues such as ethical retractions, how to resolve conflicts between rival theorists in research, and whether the quantity of scientific papers is counter to the quality of research produced..."
"American Scientist has a long history of covering scientific innovation, but because many of our readers are researchers, we wanted to also cover the range of issues that scientists face in the process of doing science itself. For that reason,..."
Some prominent scientists have rejected awards and accolades as counter to the point of doing science, and some have questioned whether these prizes promote elitism.
In Strata: Stories from Deep Time, science journalist Laura Poppick offers a compelling and scientifically grounded narrative that traces the planet’s most consequential transitions as recorded in its lithological archive.
Entries are scored on three criteria: execution and craft, journalistic enterprise, and significance to the field served. A panel of more than 100 industry editors selected this submission out of the entire pool of hundreds of entries."
siia.net/neals/
"SIIA’s Jesse H. Neal Awards are the most prestigious awards for business journalism and content creation. Now in its 72nd year, the Neals honor the brightest, most tenacious, and innovative journalists, content creators, and designers for their passion and exceptional work.
American Scientist podcast, Wired for This (hosted by Celia Ford)
open.spotify.com/show/1xVNFpJ...
The Case for Quantity in Science Publishing, by David B. Allison, Brian B. Boutwell (edited by Corey Powell)
www.americanscientist.org/article/the-...
Retraction Reactions, by Ivan Oransky and Adam Marcus (edited by Stacey Lutkoski)
www.americanscientist.org/article/retr...
Teams of Rivals, by Stephen J. Ceci, Cory J. Clark, Lee Jussim, Wendy M. Williams (edited by Nick Gerbis)
www.americanscientist.org/article/team...
Big news: American Scientist is a 2026 NEAL Awards Finalist in two categories! Kudos to our editorial team for their outstanding work.
The retina can reveal subtle signs of disease long before cognitive and behavioral symptoms appear.
Interstellar objects have unbound orbits: They approach the Sun, head back out, and never return.
Journalist Ryan Goldberg’s Bird City: Adventures in New York’s Urban Wilds is a hyperlocal travelogue that embeds the reader in the experience of finding birds in New York City, illustrating how birding can connect us to our home places, even the profoundly urban.
James Welsh recently co-authored an article titled "Weathering Space" in the January-February 2026 issue of American Scientist. Welsh joined the New Books Network podcast to talk more about his research. Check out the interview paired with the article.
A new book explores the arts and creativity from a numerical perspective.
Astronomers find unexpected links between interstellar objects and cryptic "dark comets."
Also in this issue:
💎 Mantle waves and the origin of diamonds
👁 The eyes as windows to Alzheimer's detection
🖥 Cutting the cycle of AI Slop in journals
Tales of a warming Arctic frequently make national and international news. Yet the seasonal human-animal rhythms that structure life in the region are missing in media coverage of permafrost and melting glaciers.
Although an ocean's horizon may look flat, the body of water certainly isn't. Ocean water is constantly mixing, left and right, up and down. Understanding this movement is critical to understanding changing climate patterns worldwide.
Gathering data, however, presents some challenges. How does one find out what's going on in the middle of the ocean if tide gauges are on the coasts? Some are well monitored; others haven't collected data in decades.
Good afternoon! My name is Daniela and I'm one of SCONC's new interns. For today's Science by the Slice, we're delighted to welcome UNC's Dr. Tamlin Pavelsky for his talk, "The Surface Water and Ocean Topography Mission: NASA's Eye in the Sky for Earth's Water"
Stay tuned for more!
Curious about NASA’s Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission that helps scientists better understand climate change and ocean dynamics from space? Our next Science by the Slice with UNC's Dr. Tamlin Pavelsky is next Wed. at 12:30pm. #hybrid LEARN MORE: sconc.wildapricot.org/event-6509622
Listen to th full episode here: open.spotify.com/episode/48cG...
"One successful way of making this happen is championed by my colleague Judith Harackiewicz, where we get them to think about what we call utility value of whatever it is that we need them to be interested in. In other words, how is it useful to you?"
