Babies Smell Sweet, but Teenagers Stink. Is Evolution the Explanation?
Carboxylic acids make teens give off a pungent olfactory mix redolent of cheese, plum and even goats
Stories by Joanna Thompson
Joanna Thompson is an insect enthusiast and former Scientific American intern. She is based in New York City. Follow Thompson on Twitter @jojofoshosho0
Lava-Lit Lenticular Cloud Crowns Volcano in Spectacular Photo
These bizarre-looking clouds form in stable atmospheric eddies
Most Astronauts Get ‘Space Headaches.’ Scientists Want to Know Why
Headaches are a common and recurring problem in space, even for astronauts that don’t experience them on Earth
Chronic UTI Pain Could Be Caused by Overgrown Nerves
Urinary tract infection symptoms can resurface long after bacteria are gone. A new study suggests nerve growth is to blame
Plague Still Exists. Here's Where and How It Spreads in the U.S.
Plague infections in humans are rare, but a case in Oregon reminds us that the disease is not gone
Most U.S. Children Now Use Headphones Regularly. Is Their Hearing at Risk?
Headphones and earbuds could be bad for kids’ ears. Here’s how parents can limit the volume
Weird ‘Obelisks’ Found in Human Gut May be Virus-Like Entities
Rod-shaped fragments of RNA called “obelisks” were discovered in gut and mouth bacteria for the first time
Medication Abortion Using Telehealth Is As Safe As In-Person Care, Study Finds
Researchers find that medication abortion provided at home with a Zoom or text link to a medical provider is extremely safe and effective
How to Make Urban Agriculture More Climate-Friendly
The process of growing fruits and vegetables in cities can emit more carbon than conventional farming
There Are Quicker Ways to Board a Plane—So Why Don’t Airlines Use Them?
These boarding methods are more efficient, but they come at a cost
Asthma Drug Still Being Prescribed to Kids Despite Potential Mental Health Risks
The allergy and asthma drug montelukast, also known as Singulair, can cause psychiatric side effects—and researchers aren’t sure why
Children Anticipate What Others Want, But Great Apes Don’t
New cross-species research suggests a theory of mind is one thing that sets humans apart from apes
AI-Optimized Catheter Design Could Prevent Urinary Tract Infections without Drugs
A 3D-printed tube stymies microbes with a tiny obstacle course to combat rampant infections in hospitals
Cutting Salt May Lower Blood Pressure as Much as Medication
A new study confirms the blood pressure-lowering power of a low-sodium diet
How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?
Caffeine can help you feel energized. But is there a limit to how much your body can handle?
What Peace Speech—The Benign Twin of Hate Speech—Says about a Country
A machine-learning model helps identify and measure the prevailing buzz about peace in the news cycle
Wild Chimps Shown to Undergo Menopause for the First Time
Postreproductive life was once thought to be confined to humans and a couple of toothed whales, but some wild chimpanzees experience it, too
Ancient Skulls Reveal Shifts in Human Violence across Millennia
Levels of murder, assault, torture, and the like fluctuated greatly in the ancient world, according to new research
Working Remotely Can More Than Halve an Office Employee’s Carbon Footprint
By not going into the office, an at-home worker can cut greenhouse emissions in excess of 50 percent if they take energy-conservation steps
Neuropeptide Y May Have Made Humans Smart and Overindulgent
A brain chemical may play a role in the development of our complex brain, as well as our inclination toward obesity and addiction
No One Studied Menstrual Product Absorbency Realistically until Now
A new study reveals the absorbency of pads, tampons and other menstrual products is significantly different than labels suggest
How Susceptible Are You to Misinformation? There’s a Test You Can Take
A new misinformation quiz shows that, despite the stereotype, younger Americans have a harder time discerning fake headlines, compared with older generations
Did Earth’s Water Come from Meteorites?
At least some of our planet’s water was carried here by hydrogen-rich space rocks, but it’s not yet clear how much
Lab-Grown Meat Approved for Sale: What You Need to Know
Cultured meat, grown from real animal cells, will soon be available in restaurants in San Francisco and Washington, D.C.