Scientific American Magazine

Researchers are pinpointing the brain circuits that can help us form good habits and break bad ones

Experiments now under development could finally answer one of the most profound questions in science: Does life exist outside of Earth?

Machines that can quickly identify virtually any bacterium, virus or fungus are being developed for hospitals. Networking the devices could allow health authorities to save lives by spotting disease outbreaks earlier than ever before

Governments and farmers worldwide spend millions every year trying to control the weather. New science suggests they might be on to something

Desperate to develop new drugs for malaria and other ailments, researchers are running clinical trials with traditional herbal medicines—and generating promising leads

Many ordinary business practices resemble the infamous con game

What happens to a society that believes people have no conscious control over their actions?