Scientific American Magazine

During sleep, the brain weakens the connections among nerve cells, apparently conserving energy and, paradoxically, aiding memory

Physicists speak of the world as being made of particles and force fields, but it is not at all clear what particles and force fields actually are in the quantum realm. The world may instead consist of bundles of properties, such as color and shape

Introduction to a special report on the ways technology is remaking every aspect of education—bringing top-notch courses to the world's poorest citizens and reshaping the way all students learn

An inside look at a daring global experiment: using freely available online courses to bring top-tier instruction to the neediest parts of the planet

How thousands of online students can get the effect of one-on-one tutoring

Technology can humanize the classroom

Online courses may help alleviate faculty shortages and improve education

The future of on-campus learning lies in the right combination of digital and traditional tools

Schools and universities are embracing technology that tailors content to students' abilities and takes teachers out of the lecturing business. But is it an improvement?

Technology can inspire creativity or dehumanize learning

What the world's most addictive video game will teach us next

Greater broadband access will bring the latest digital tools to more teachers and students

One in five science students surveyed by Nature and Scientific American has participated in a MOOC—and most would do so again

Being active is good for us for many reasons beyond the old familiar ones

The smallest mistake in refloating the crippled Costa Concordia cruise ship will sink it, creating an environmental disaster

Scientists are exploring how organisms can evolve elaborate structures without Darwinian selection

For some of the world's tiniest and most abundant creatures, moving through water is a fantastically difficult feat