Space Manufacturing is Not Science Fiction
A Stanford researcher is growing crystals on the International Space Station and electronics to withstand the extreme environments of Venus.
Stories by Kelso Harper
Kelso Harper is an award-nominated Multimedia Editor at Scientific American. They produce, direct, and film short documentaries and social videos, and help to produce, host, and edit SciAm's short-form podcast Science, Quickly. They received a bachelor's in chemistry from Johns Hopkins University and a master's in science writing from MIT. Previously, they worked with publications like WIRED, Science, Popular Mechanics, and MIT News. Follow them on LinkedIn and Instagram.
The Father of Environmental Justice Reflects on the Movement He Helped to Start
Four decades into his activism, Robert Bullard looks back on his legacy and the work ahead.
Ada Limón's Poem for Europa, Jupiter's Smallest Galilean Moon
U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón discusses her involvement in NASA’s Europa Clipper mission and the inspiration behind her poem, which will travel onboard the spacecraft.
Scientists Are Beginning to Learn the Language of Bats and Bees Using AI
The new field of digital bioacoustics is using machine learning to try decipher animal speak, including honeybee toots and quacks and whoops.
Heat Waves Are Breaking Records. Here's What You Need to Know
From North America to South Asia, summer heat waves are becoming longer, stronger and more frequent with climate change.
AI Chatbots and the Humans Who Love Them
Humans are building meaningful relationships with AI chatbots. What will the consequences be?
A Mission to Jupiter's Strange Moons Is Finally on Its Way
The Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) and Europa Clipper missions will search for signs of habitability on three of Jupiter’s potentially ocean-bearing moons.
What You Need to Know about GPT-4
The AI GPT-4 has emergent abilities—but that’s not why it’s scary.
Good News for Coffee Lovers
A careful new study reveals coffee is generally safe for your heart and may boost your daily step count.
Open Offices Aren't Working, so How Do We Design an Office That Does?
Insights from Deaf and autistic communities could finally make office spaces better for everyone.
Long COVID's Roots in the Brain: Your Health, Quickly, Episode 3
Post-COVID symptoms can linger for months or years, and more and more evidence points to problems with the nervous system.
Squeak Squeak, Buzz Buzz: How Researchers Are Using AI to Talk to Animals
The burgeoning field of “digital bioacoustics” is helping us understand animals like never before.
The Weight of Stigma: Heavier Patients Confront the Burden of Bias
Research shows that antifat bias lowers the quality of care for higher-weight patients. Here is one patient’s story
The Weight Game: How Body-Size Bias Can Hold Back Health Science
For decades, assumptions about weight have clouded our view of health
Miniature Satellites Reveal Cause of Deadly Uttarakhand Flood That Devastated Hydroelectric Dams
The disaster draws attention to the controversial hydropower projects in the Himalayas
Vaping Industry Echoes Big Tobacco's Misleading Call for Science
To understand the battle over e-cigarettes, one must look to history—and big tobacco
Glacial Lake Outburst Floods: A New Climate-Related Threat from Above
As the climate changes and glaciers melt, a lesser-known threat lurks in alpine areas: glacial lake outburst floods. These events happen rapidly, releasing huge amounts of water with little or no warning. Unsuspecting communities lying in the flood path can suffer serious losses.
Researchers seek better ways to predict these outburst floods and mitigate their danger. Take a hike through the Swiss Alps with glaciologist Fabian Walter to learn about this phenomenon and our ongoing efforts to understand it.
Chandra: Two Decades of Seeing the Universe in a Different Light
The Chandra X-ray observatory is celebrating 20 years in space this year, and oh, the things it has seen. Belinda Wilkes, who directs the telescopes operation, takes you on a dizzying visual tour of Chandra's universe.
Levitating Drugs, Star Wars Tech and a Simulated Universe: Science GIFs to Start Your Week
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Budding Organs, Science on Blast(s) and Human-Robot Synchronicity: Science GIFs to Start Your Week
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Zombie Cells, Creepy Crawlers and a Deep-Sea Ghost: Halloween Science GIFs
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Black Holes, Volcanic Scrolls and a Teeny, Tiny Heartbeat: Science GIFs to Start Your Week
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Cannibalistic Cancer, Protection from "Blast Belly" and Chicken Inner Space: Science GIFs to Start Your Week
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Prehistoric Suckers, Slapping Robots and Three Billion Birds Gone: Science GIFs to Start Your Week
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