As AI grows more fluent in mimicking human empathy, language and memory, we’re left asking: If a machine can fake awareness so well, what exactly is the real thing?

Knot theory is a branch of topology that has surprisingly practical applications, such as understanding how proteins coil DNA and how molecular structures remain stable. The theory’s central question: ...

A machine-learning algorithm spotted signs of “covert consciousness” in coma patients—in some cases, days before doctors ...

Hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of losing homes, businesses—and lives—as giant “gullies” expand into cities ...

AI can transfer strange qualities through seemingly unrelated training—from a love of owls to something more dangerous ...

Scientific American spoke with experts about what the public can expect in terms of COVID vaccines this fall.

Genetic and anatomical data reveal how the human pelvis acquired its unique shape, enabling our ancestors to walk on two legs ...

Steep population declines in most countries are expected to have negative effects over the next several generations, but ...

Overcoming three recent failed tries, Elon Musk’s rocket company successfully flew its reusable jumbo booster and upper-stage ...

This new “connectome” could bring researchers one step closer to understanding how nerves connect to organs throughout the ...

A survey of Scientific American’s century of quantum coverage helps explain the enduring popularity of strange physics ...

Human Case of Flesh-Eating Screwworms Detected in U.S.