Readers Respond to the September 2022 Issue
Letters to the editor for the September 2022 issue of Scientific American Credit: Scientific American, September 2022HORIZONTAL VIEWS In “A Tale of Two Horizons,” Edgar Shaghoulian provides an intriguing alternative view of black holes and our entire cosmos as well. Especially of interest is his statement that “we must find a way to look at
Your Response to Stress Improves as You Grow Older
No one is a stranger to stress. Decades of research make it clear that major life events, such as the death of a loved one or the start of a new job, can take a lot of our energy and attention. But recently scientists have begun to reveal how smaller daily stressors can create substantial
Lab-Made Motors Could Move and Glow in Cells
Minuscule motor molecules could emit light as they journey into cells Credit: Thomas FuchsOne of nature’s best strategies for movement at the cellular scale involves powerful molecular motors: complex molecules that transform chemical energy into mechanical energy to complete tasks such as transporting components within the cell, contracting muscle fibers and snipping apart strands of
Your Cats Can Tell When You’re Speaking to Them
Felines recognize their owners’ cat-directed baby talk Credit: Jena Ardell/Getty ImagesAs any cat owner will tell you, talking to your cat is totally normal. And even though feline friends may seem indifferent to the adoring chatter, a new study in Animal Cognition suggests they really are listening. Researchers in France subjected house cats to recordings
Electric Countdown Tells Sleeping Spores When to Wake Up
Sometimes procrastination pays off. When their environment gets too stressful, many bacteria stuff some of their innards into ultratough packets called spores, which shut down and wait—potentially for centuries—for things to improve. How do these seemingly dead specks sense optimal conditions for revival? A new study in Science reveals that bacterial spores can decide when
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