Week in Science: Where does consciousness come from? Two theories face off

View in web browser Sponsored by

May 2—This week, two theories of consciousness go head-to-head. Plus, the latest dark energy findings are worrying physicists; and tips for how to make the most out of peak bird migration—happening now! All that and more below. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor

Top Stories

Where Does Consciousness Come From? Two Neuroscience Theories Go Head-to-Head Two leading theories of consciousness went head-to-head—and the results may change how neuroscientists study one of the oldest questions about existence Allison Parshall

Ancient DNA Reveals Phoenicians' Surprising Ancestry Phoenician civilization spread its culture and alphabet across the Mediterranean but not, evidently, its DNA Ewen Callaway, Nature magazine

Can There Be Sound in Space? It seems contrary to common knowledge, but sound can travel through some parts of space quite well Phil Plait

Sponsor Content Provided by Archaeological Paths Dr. Zahi Hawass Returns to North America in 2025 with New Groundbreaking Discoveries! The real-life Indiana Jones returns to North America on his LARGEST lecture tour ever to share the latest discoveries and make the most thrilling announcements of his remarkable career. This event will make history – live on stage – and you won't want to miss it! Learn more.

Latest Dark Energy Study Suggests the Universe Is Even Weirder Than We Imagined If dark energy is weakening, as suggested by recent results, then the cosmos is far stranger than most physicists had supposed Lyndie Chiou

Bird Migration Is Peaking in the U.S.—Here's How to Watch The spectacle of spring bird migration is in full swing, and you can get in on the action Kate Wong

Want to dive deeper into the science you care most about? Consider a subscription to Scientific American.

This Cutting-Edge Encryption Originates in Renaissance Art and Math The mathematics underpinning the modern method of elliptic curve cryptography originated with Renaissance architect Filippo Brunelleschi Richard Jensen

What the Amazon versus SpaceX Satellite Mega Constellation War Means for Earth 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 Jonathan O'Callaghan

Could a Monster Earthquake Actually Sink Parts of the Pacific Northwest? A new study is fueling speculation and fear about the risks of a major earthquake in the Cascadia subduction zone, including massive flooding in California Stephanie Pappas

Trump's NOAA Has Downplayed an Alarming Finding: CO₂ Surged Last Year Under the Trump administration, NOAA has minimized an announcement that climate-warming carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere grew at a record-breaking speed in 2024 Chelsea Harvey, E&E News

Why Ozempic and Wegovy Might Change Some People's Favorite Foods Some users of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have been reporting strange changes in food preferences, such as a new dislike for meats or fried foods, and scientists are beginning to figure out why Lori Youmshajekian

Trump Dismisses Scientists Writing Key Climate Report President Trump has dismissed hundreds of scientists working on the congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment, raising concerns about whether the void will be filled with pseudoscience Scott Waldman, E&E News

Giant, Glowing Gas Cloud Discovered Just 300 Light-Years Away An enormous glowing cloud that contains approximately 3,400 solar masses worth of gas has been discovered near the solar system Keith Cooper, SPACE.com

Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters here. Scientific American One New York Plaza, New York, NY, 10004 Support our mission, subscribe to Scientific American here Unsubscribe  |  Preferences Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us