Recent work has revealed some of the many crucial functions of astrocytes, brain cells that were once thought to play primarily supportive roles for neurons. Astrocytes do handle debris around neurons ...

It’s the season for flu and illnesses, but one virus in particular, adenovirus, has spread rapidly throughout the country over the Christmas period. It seems that nearly everyone has either had it or ...

Michael Pollan's widely anticipated new book, A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness, brings his signature acumen and wit to one of science's essential mysteries. Along the way, he pursues ...

This is essentially crystal formation. Snowflakes form when water droplets attach to particles in the sky, like dust or pollen. This creates a six-sided shape. The particles fall through different ...

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American When predicting something that science will ...