Scientific American

China Is Putting Data Centers in the Ocean to Keep Them Cool
China is pulling ahead of the rest of the world in sinking data centers that power AI into the ocean as an alternate way to keep them cool
You Xiaoying
The LIGO Lab Is Pushing the Boundaries of Gravitational-Wave Research
Rachel Feltman, Naeem Amarsy, Jeffery DelViscio, Alex Sugiura

$0 for Digital Access
Read all the stories you want.
Aging Rates Vary by Country. Politics Might Be Why
Julian Nowogrodzki, Nature magazine
Monster Black Hole Merger Is Most Massive Ever Seen
Jonathan O'Callaghan, Nature magazine
Pneumonic Plague Infections in Modern Times Show the Black Death Isn’t Dead
Lauren J. Young
Issue
Games
Special Edition

The Secret to the Strongest Force in the Universe
Stanley J. Brodsky, Alexandre Deur, Craig D. Roberts
Tomorrow’s Quantum Computers Threaten Today’s Secrets. Here’s How to Protect Them
Kelsey Houston-Edwards
Physicists Make Matter out of Light to Find Quantum Singularities
Charles D. Brown II

Podcasts

The LIGO Lab Is Pushing the Boundaries of Gravitational-Wave Research
Rachel Feltman, Naeem Amarsy, Jeffery DelViscio, Alex Sugiura
Bariatric Surgery Does Not Resolve Weight Stigma for Everyone
Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Alex Sugiura
Brains Process Speech and Singing Differently
Rachel Feltman, Allison Parshall, Fonda Mwangi, Madison Goldberg
Hear the Sounds of a Sick Coral Reef
Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi, Jeffery DelViscio
This Astronaut’s Space Photography Puts Fireworks to Shame
Rachel Feltman, Kelso Harper, Fonda Mwangi, Jeffery DelViscio
Popular Stories

When the Sun Becomes a Red Giant, Will Any Planet Be Safe?
The future is bright—too bright—for life as we know it once the sun transforms into a red giant star
Phil Plait

Texas Failed to Spend Millions in Federal Aid for Flood Protection
Many states, including Texas, have not used billions of dollars from FEMA intended to reduce damage from flooding and other disasters
Thomas Frank, Mike Lee, E&E News

ChatGPT Is Changing the Words We Use in Conversation
Words frequently used by ChatGPT, including “delve” and “meticulous,” are getting more common in spoken language, according to an analysis of more than 700,000 hours of videos and podcasts
Vanessa Bates Ramirez

Monster Black Hole Merger Is Most Massive Ever Seen
A U.S. gravitational wave detector spotted a collision between fast-spinning “forbidden” black holes that challenge physics models
Jonathan O'Callaghan, Nature magazine

Deadly Bacteria May Be Moving to a Beach Near You
Illnesses from stealthy pathogens known as Vibrio are advancing northward along numerous coasts, potentially ruining your summer vacation
Kyle Brumfield

Where Did Bird Flu Go?
Bird flu was nearly everywhere in the U.S.—in chickens, cows, pet cats and even humans. Cases have gone down, but experts warn that it hasn’t disappeared
Meghan Bartels