American Scientist

In compiling a top-10 list of this year’s most popular magazine articles on American Scientist's website, we decided to look at what you—our readers—have been searching for the most. Here they are!

10. A Mathematician Vanishes

by Daniel S. Silver

A sex scandal and anti-Irish sentiment doomed Michael O’Shannessy’s career, but two of his students left their mark on science.
(November–December, 2022)

9. Pulling Back the Cosmic Veil

by Corey S. Powell

The first images from the James Webb Space Telescope are already transforming our view of the universe.
(September–October, 2022)

8. Evolution and the Flexible Organism

by David Pfennig

Do environmentally induced changes to individuals affect natural selection, and if so, how?
(March–April, 2022)

7. From Polymaths to Cyborgs - Convergence Is Relentless

by Ioannis Pavlidis, Ergun Akleman and Alexander M. Petersen

Multidisciplinary collaborations lead to humanity-helping breakthroughs.
(July–August, 2022)

6. The History of Vaccine Uptake in Taiwan

by HungYin Tsai

When the bubonic plague pandemic hit in 1896, soon after Japan had colonized the island, social and political forces led residents to resist public health initiatives.
(September–October, 2022)

5. The Art of Turbulence

by Zellman Warhaft

Despite enormous efforts, physicists are still struggling to create a complete theory of turbulent flows. Perhaps they need a change of perspective.
(November–December, 2022)

4. The Discovery of the Shark's Electric Sense

by David Samuel Shiffman

A half century ago, Ad Kalmijn proved that sharks can sense electromagnetic fields. His work is still reshaping our understanding of ocean ecosystems.
(May–June, 2022)

3. How Bacterial Pathogens Emerge

by Salvador Almagro-Moreno

Can scientists predict where disease-causing microbes will arise before they cause the next pandemic?
(May–June, 2022)

2. A Landscape of Fear of Humans

by Asia Murphy

Animals, even apex predators, take great pains to avoid people—a pervasive problem when these changes disrupt what they eat and where they go.
(September–October, 2022)

1. The Art and Science of Manipulative Language

by Viviana Masia

How does the brain handle speech that is intended to mislead—in advertising, in political rhetoric, and even in ordinary conversation?
(September–October, 2022)