Jen Schwartz

1 month ago | scientificamerican.com | Rachel Feltman |Jen Schwartz |Fonda Mwangi |Alex Sugiura

Rachel Feltman: For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. With everything from bird flu to norovirus making headlines these days, it can feel like the world is just packed with dangerous pathogens we need protection from. What if we could get a hand from an all-natural disinfectant that was more than 100 times more effective than bleach but so gentle and safe that you could spray it into your eyes?

1 month ago | scientificamerican.com | Jen Schwartz

As norovirus surged across the U.S. last winter, the only thing more horrifying than descriptions of the highly contagious illness—violent projectile vomiting!—was learning that nothing seemed to kill the microbe that causes it. Hand sanitizers made with alcohol are useless. Water needs to be above 150 degrees Fahrenheit to kill the virus, which is too hot for handwashing.

2 months ago | scientificamerican.com | Jen Schwartz

As measles outbreaks have continued to spread in 19 U.S. states, leaders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have buried a new assessment by their own experts that found there is a high risk of catching measles in areas where vaccination rates are low, according to an article published by ProPublica on March 28. The assessment had also called for a messaging strategy to encourage vaccination against the potentially deadly disease.

Nov 18, 2024 | outsideonline.com | Nick Davidson |Jen Schwartz |Katie Ives |Kyle Dickman

The New Kings of Adventure They climbed the biggest walls, descended the longest rivers, and sailed the highest seas. And they went farther and faster under their own power than anyone else in 2010. Chosen for their ambition, their attitude, and their audacious lines, these are Outside's inaugural adventurers of the year.

Jul 16, 2024 | scientificamerican.com | Jen Schwartz

For something that often gets dismissed as trivial, games are a serious part of our lives. Play is evolutionary ancient, and this deeply ingrained behavior helps us understand not just our environment but also the way we relate to one another. Kelly Clancy, a neuroscientist and author, says it goes even deeper than that.