Technology

AI systems could show signs of consciousness. We need to develop better tests to show whether they are actually aware

Amazon has launched its first operational Project Kuiper satellites in its attempt to compete with SpaceX’s Starlink—but experts remain concerned about space debris and astronomy

Science is key to diplomacy, unity and democracy. What the Trump administration is trying to do to it will weaken the U.S.

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

Discarded authors Sarah Gabbott and Jan Zalasiewicz, observers of the geological past, look into the future

Smartphone and computer use hasn’t put today’s older adults at increased risk of cognitive decline

The U.S. leads the world in fusion energy research. It can’t squander that lead like it did with microchips

China is blocking exports of these vital minerals. What makes them so special?

The Trump administration sees an AI-driven federal workforce as more efficient. Instead, with chatbots unable to carry out critical tasks, it would be a diabolical mess

A new soft robotic arm and its controller break down naturally

The billionaires behind Facebook and Google can do more than hand out glitzy awards for science. They should fund the research the Trump administration has canned

Data centers accounted for about 1.5 percent of global electricity consumption in 2024, an amount expected to double by 2030 because of AI use