The observed cases of luminescence in earthworms, mole crickets, and other cold-blooded animals not normally luminous, are probably to be attributed to a similar infection with luminous bacteria ...

Material from asteroid Ryugu riddled with earthly microbes provides a cautionary tale for scientists seeking signs of alien ...

“The Quantum Observer,” by Anil Ananthaswamy [July/August], notes that outcomes in quantum mechanics depend on observations and asks whether the observer must be a human being. It seems very ...

Life on our planet has experienced many mass extinctions over its 4.5 billion years. Scientists see evidence for at least five major episodes that eradicated creatures great and small. And many ...

Things have been tumultuous lately on Earth. Donald Trump will soon be sworn in as U.S. president, wars are raging, and ecosystems are at risk of collapsing. Many aspects of life feel unpredictable.

This is an opinion and analysis article, and the views expressed by the author or authors are not necessarily those of Scientific American.

“The most puzzling aspect of the recent discovery of a new kind of subnuclear particle at two high-energy-­physics laboratories is the particle’s extra­ordinarily long lifetime of 10 –20 ...

But at Sim Lim Square, Nanyang Spice serves laksa with earthworms in it. Diners do not see slimy, juicy invertebrates in their bowl but the dried version of it that is commonly known as dilong in ...

One of the things I enjoy most about Scientific American is learning about how scientists do their work—the inspirations, the questions, the insights, the collaborations, the “hmm, that’s ...

So what are health-conscious people to do? Consider this special issue of Scientific American an antidote to toxic quackery and honest confusion about health. One easy way to improve body and mind ...