Stories by Fonda Mwangi

AI chatbots called “griefbots” or “deadbots” offer our loved ones a new digital way to grieve but raise ethical and privacy concerns.

We present a historical romp through Scientific American—100 years ago.

Take a walk through Prospect Park with Wild NYC writer Ryan Mandelbaum and learn to connect with nature no matter how urban your environment is.

 In a new book called Slither, Stephen S. Hall takes a deep dive into the biology and history of one of the most reviled animals.

This week’s news roundup covers measles and whooping cough cases, evidence of a carbon cycle on Mars and the first glimpse at a colossal squid in its natural habitat.

Hear takeaways from 35 years at Scientific American from Gary Stix, our recently retired mind and brain editor.

Hypochlorous acid has a lot of buzz in the beauty industry, but this nontoxic disinfectant has many possible uses.

A fluid study homes in on the best method to make a cup of coffee, scientists use the Hubble Telescope to reassess the length of a day on Uranus, and we discuss more of the latest in science in this news roundup.

Researchers are trying to understand how a common prenatal blood test called NIPT is detecting cancer in some pregnant patients.

Bacterial vaginosis is an irritating overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria. A new study has found that some cases of the condition should be treated like a sexually transmitted infection.

States sue HHS for public health cuts, measles cases continue to rise, and a study finds Americans live shorter lives compared with their European counterparts.

USAID is responsible for global health efforts that have saved the lives of millions of children. What happens when those programs are cut?

A mysterious and often debated aspect of human sexuality colloquially known as “squirting” sparks controversy. This episode explores what research reveals.

Cuts to federal health and science agencies continue. Plus, we discuss the sounds of sharks, the meaning of Martian molecules and one big dino claw.

Botanist Mason Heberling challenges how we think about invasive species and our role in their spread.

In this week’s news roundup, two NASA astronauts finally return to Earth after nine unexpected months in space, gray seals hold their breath for more than an hour, and penguin poop panics krill.

A neurosurgeon who has acted as a consultant for Severance explains the science behind the show’s brain-altering procedure—and whether it could ever become reality.

A colonoscopy can save your life, but misinformation keeps many people from getting one. A gastroenterologist sets the record straight.

The EPA rolls back regulations, NASA launches two exciting missions, and we discuss the surprising way whale urine moves nitrogen across the ocean.

A robotics researcher takes on the Russo brothers’ vision from the new movie The Electric State.

On COVID’s fifth anniversary, the U.S. is facing an outbreak of tuberculosis in Kansas that makes strong public health systems as important as ever.

In this week's news roundup, we dig into measles misinformation, ozone recovery and new findings on using nasal cartilage to treat knee injuries.

Novelist John Green talks about his new nonfiction book, Everything is Tuberculosis, and the inequities in treatment for the highly infectious disease

Many people are concerned about microplastics reaching our brain—but few realize how this connects with petroleum production and the climate crisis