Scientific American Magazine

The thirst of civilization now presses hard upon the naturally available supply of fresh water. It is easy enough to desalt sea water, but it must be done cheaply, abundantly and soon

A Swiss psychologist experiments with babies, including his own, and comes to the conclusion that their view of reality has much in common with that of the sophisticated physicist

It shines with a strange sort of light that gives evidence of a wholly unexpected natural phenomenon. This glowing body of gas is apparently a gigantic electron synchrotron

These potent biological substances are called the chemical messengers of the body. They may also be viewed as members of a larger system which integrates the phenomena of life

Molecular fragments, which normally have a fleeting existence during chemical reactions, can now be preserved by rapid cooling. The study of their properties is an exciting new field of research

This renowned physician of the ancient world established experimental physiology. Although the customs of his time forbade the dissection of the human body, he learned much about it by operating on animals

How do social forces mold the evolution of man? The answer is sought by a geneticist and a sociologist, father and son, in a community which has kept its identity for 2,000 years

Porphyria, a rare hereditary condition which may become fatal when patients receive drugs, was found to be unusually common in South Africa. It has been traced to an early Dutch settler