Ferns’ ‘Backward’ Evolution Reveals Life’s Meandering Path
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. Imagine a photograph of your great-grandparents, grandparents and parents side by side. You’d see a resemblance, but each generation would look distinct from its predecessors. This is the process of evolution in its simplest form: descent with modification.
Anthony Fauci Tells SciAm about the Biggest Health Threat We Face
Anthony Fauci became a household name during the COVID pandemic. But the genially stubborn infectious disease doctor, who spent decades helming one the U.S. government’s most important medical research institutes, had made his mark well before that. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., as the grandson of Italian immigrants, Fauci became a physician who would
Hubble Focuses on Beautiful Barred Spiral Galaxy: NGC 2566
Astronomers using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured a striking new photo of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 2566. A prominent bar of stars stretches across the center of the barred spiral galaxy NGC 2566, and spiral arms emerge from each end of the bar. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / D.
The 6 Most Hilarious Things We Learned about Animals in 2024
December 16, 2024 3 min read From a comb jelly with two butts to wing-slapping ants, this animal research made us laugh this year By Andrea Thompson edited by Dean Visser Ken Griffiths/Alamy Stock Photo Science has the ability to inspire awe, to improve our lives—and, sometimes, to make us laugh. Below, Scientific American has
Creating ‘Mirror Life’ Could Be Disastrous, Scientists Warn
A category of synthetic organisms dubbed “mirror life,” whose component molecules are mirror images of their natural counterpart, could pose unprecedented risks to human life and ecosystems, according to a perspective article by leading experts, including Nobel Prize winners. The article, published in Science on December 12, is accompanied by a lengthy report detailing their
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