Scientific American

Have Astronomers Found the True ‘Star of Bethlehem’? A scientist has identified a possible astronomical explanation for the Star of Bethlehem, as described in the Bible

A scientist has identified a possible astronomical explanation for the Star of Bethlehem, as described in the Bible

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

The 10 best nonfiction books of 2025, from the history of replaceable body parts to our AI future.

CDC Vaccine Panel Scraps Guidance for Universal Hepatitis B Shots at Birth New guidance from the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel would do away with a decades-old universal birth dose recommendation for hepatitis B that helped cut infections by 99 percent in the U.S.

An CDC advisory panel voted today to end universal Hepatitis B vaccination at birth. If adopted by CDC, this would reverse a longstanding policy that has been widely effective at lowering hep B cases and deaths in children, @laurenjyoung.bsky.social reports www.scientificamerican.com/article/cdc-...

This Tiny ‘Fire Amoeba’ Just Redefined Life’s Limits It was thought that complex cells couldn’t survive above a certain temperature, but a tiny amoeba has proven that assumption wrong

It's been thought since the early 70s that eukaryotes (basically any life with a cell nucleus) wouldn't survive above 62C and no complex life had been shown living above 60C. Until the "fire amoeba"... 🧪

(These are some of my favorite stories to write, just weird neat stuff we're learning.)

China Tried to Land a Reusable Rocket. It Exploded. The Bigger Story Is What Comes Next A partially successful test of China’s Zhuque-3 rocket shows that other countries are rapidly catching up with the U.S in the race for reusable rocketry

Now on @sciam.bsky.social: This week’s Zhuque-3 test was China’s 1st attempt to replicate U.S. rocket reusability. It ended in failure. But more attempts are imminent—and if successful carry big geopolitical implications. By @andrewjonesspace.bsky.social.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/chin...

Scientific American’s Best Fiction of 2025 The 10 best fiction books of 2025, explore far-off planets, future climate catastrophes and more

The 10 best fiction books of 2025, explore far-off planets, future climate catastrophes and more.

CDC Vaccine Panel in Disarray over Hepatitis B Vote Members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices seemed confused about a proposed recommendation for the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine

A big vote on the hepatitis B birth vaccine dose is pushed to tomorrow after CDC advisers seemed confused and caught off guard by new recommendations.

"There have been multiple arguments between ACIP members. It’s frankly embarrassing," says @angierasmussen.bsky.social. Read @sciam.bsky.social 💉

Man Dies Of Rabies After Receiving Infected Kidney Transplant The man received the kidney transplant from a person who had died with undiagnosed rabies, according to U.S. public health officials

Today in nightmare fuel, courtesy of a skunk scratch from beyond the grave.

Now on @sciam.bsky.social ----> www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-...

A person standing outside a door with a sign that says "under construction"

Look how excited I am to get a sneak peek of the Public Science Common at @museumofscience.bsky.social! It's super secret inside so no pictures, but this is going to be an incredible space for live events and science education. I can't wait for collaborations with @sciam.bsky.socia... stay tuned!

My book, REEFS OF TIME, is in the @sciam.bsky.social best-of books list! Hooray! @jenchristiansen.com calls it "a love letter to past, present and future coral reefs." 📚💙 And the list is full of intriguing books that I hope to read in 2026. Thanks, SciAm staffers! @princetonupress.bsky.social

The Scientific American Staff’s Favorite Books of 2025 Here are the 67 books Scientific American staffers couldn’t put down this year, from fantasy epics to gripping nonfiction

So astonished to be on this great list. Thanks, @sciam.bsky.social and @breezybrik.bsky.social! www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-...

The Scientific American Staff’s Favorite Books of 2025 Here are the 67 books Scientific American staffers couldn’t put down this year, from fantasy epics to gripping nonfiction

It's the most wonderful time of the year, best-of book list time! At @sciam.bsky.social we do a fun spin, highlighting a ton of books individual staffers read this year and loved, and it's always a pleasure to contribute. Check out this year's list (with lots of entries from yours truly): 📚💙

Endangered Whale Sharks and Rays Just Got a Crucial Lifeline The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora on Friday updated its regulation and monitoring of several iconic shark and ray species

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora on Friday updated its regulation and monitoring of several iconic shark and ray species

WHO Sets GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drug Guidelines New WHO guidance calls for a worldwide obesity treatment “ecosystem” to ensure that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are used fairly

New WHO guidance calls for a worldwide obesity treatment “ecosystem” to ensure that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are used fairly

www.scientificamerican.com/article/who-...

WHO Sets GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drug Guidelines New WHO guidance calls for a worldwide obesity treatment “ecosystem” to ensure that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are used fairly

New WHO guidance calls for a worldwide obesity treatment “ecosystem” to ensure that GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are used fairly

NASA Recruits Mars Perseverance Rover to Monitor Sun’s Activity Mars is passing behind the sun, giving NASA's Perseverance rover a view of the star’s far side

Mars is passing behind the sun, giving NASA's Perseverance rover a view of the star’s far side

To See a Star’s Face, You Have to Interfere with It A technique called interferometry can greatly magnify tiny objects on the sky, and is powerful enough to reveal the surfaces of nearby stars

A technique called interferometry can greatly magnify tiny objects on the sky, and is powerful enough to reveal the surfaces of nearby stars

The Incredible, Unlikely Story of How Cats Became Our Pets Two new studies dig into the long, curving path that cats took toward domestication

Two new studies dig into the long, curving path that cats took toward domestication

China’s Giant Underground Neutrino Observatory Just Released Its First Results—And They’re Promising Hidden beneath the hills of southern China, the JUNO observatory shows promise in solving neutrino mysteries

Hidden beneath the hills of southern China, the JUNO observatory shows promise in solving neutrino mysteries

Scientists Finally Solve Mystery of Ancient Fossil Foot Newly identified bones tie the mysterious Burtele foot to a new Australopithecus species that lived alongside Lucy more than three million years ago

Newly identified bones tie the mysterious Burtele foot to a new Australopithecus species that lived alongside Lucy more than three million years ago

Mars Has Lightning, Scientists Prove The presence of electrical activity has implications for surface chemistry, future human exploration and habitability on the Red Planet

The presence of electrical activity has implications for surface chemistry, future human exploration and habitability on the Red Planet

Magnitude 4.0 Earthquake Rattles Bay Area, with Aftershocks Likely to Follow A minor earthquake struck California in the early hours of the morning on November 26

A minor earthquake struck California in the early hours of the morning on November 26

Wild Turkeys Went from Almost Gone to Millions Strong Wild turkeys once nearly disappeared, but today they’re thriving.

Wild turkeys once nearly disappeared, but today they’re thriving.

Why ‘Saving Room’ for Big Holiday Meals Can Be Bad for Gut Health Skipping meals before a big holiday feast probably isn’t the best idea for gut health, experts say. Here’s how to prevent overeating on an empty stomach—and tips for if you do

Skipping meals before a big holiday feast probably isn’t the best idea for gut health, experts say. Here’s how to prevent overeating on an empty stomach—and tips for if you do

U.S. Launches Apollo-Style Mission to Harness AI and Big Data for Scientific Discovery A new federal initiative aims to accelerate scientific discovery by uniting artificial intelligence with large federal datasets

A new federal initiative aims to accelerate scientific discovery by uniting artificial intelligence with large federal datasets

A New Flu Variant May Make Cold Season Brutal This Year U.S. flu rates remain low, but experts are keeping an eye on a new strain that’s been linked to unexpectedly early and severe seasons in several other countries

"Influenza is no joke."

Here's what we know so far about this coming flu season. It's not too late to vaccinate 💉 @sciam.bsky.social

www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...

Which Thanksgiving Pie Gives You the Biggest Sugar Rush? Scientific American asked experts which type of Thanksgiving pie spikes blood sugar the most—and how to eat healthier while still enjoying the holidays

Science says eat more pie: 🧪 www.scientificamerican.com/article/whic...

Scientists Identify Five Distinct Eras of Human Brain Aging Human brains go through five distinct phases of life, each defined by its own set of characteristics, according to a new study

Just as we experience different phases of life, our brain also experiences five distinct eras as we age.

Each are defined by changes in our neural architecture that influence how we process information, new research shows.

New on @sciam.bsky.social

www.scientificamerican.com/article/scie...

Scientists Identify Five Distinct Eras of Human Brain Aging Human brains go through five distinct phases of life, each defined by its own set of characteristics, according to a new study

Human brains go through five distinct phases of life, each defined by its own set of characteristics, according to a new study

Which Thanksgiving Pie Gives You the Biggest Sugar Rush? Scientific American asked experts which type of Thanksgiving pie spikes blood sugar the most—and how to eat healthier while still enjoying the holidays

Scientific American asked experts which type of Thanksgiving pie spikes blood sugar the most—and how to eat healthier while still enjoying the holidays