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. So here they are!

10. The Shift to a Bird's-Eye View

by Elizabeth M. P. Madin and Catherine M. Foley

Remote sensing technologies allow researchers to track small changes on a large scale and enable studies of far-flung places from the comfort and safety of home.
(September–October, 2021)

9. Tinkering with Crystals

by Fenella Saunders

The beautiful and fragile crystallized creatures from Tyler Thrasher showcase his artistic attitude of serendipity, exploration, and staying fascinated with the world.
(May–June, 2021)

8. Fixing Broken Biological Clocks

by Katie L. Burke

Scientists are looking for pharmaceutical ways to mimic the effects of light on the brain’s clockwork.
(September–October, 2021)

7. Insect Decision-Making

by Shannon B. Olsson and Pavan Kumar Kaushik

Combining virtual reality and fieldwork yields insights into the mind of the apple fly, teasing out how the brain translates information and patterns.
(November–December, 2021)

6. The Trust Fallacy

by Nicole M. Krause, Dietram A. Scheufele, Isabelle Freiling, and Dominique Brossard

Scientists' search for public pathologies is unhealthy, unhelpful, and ultimately unscientific.
(July–August, 2021)

5. Turning Junk into Us: How Genes Are Born

by Emily Mortola and Manyuan Long

You are garbage. Don’t feel too bad, though—so is everyone else. Now, geneticists are learning what the junk in your genome has been doing all along.
(May–June, 2021)

4. The Curse of E=mc²

by Tony Rothman

The most famous equation has a history that goes far beyond Albert Einstein, and a meaning that is far less straightforward than is commonly believed.
(November–December, 2021)

3. Bird Brain Evolution

by Daniel T. Ksepka

Avian smarts run the gamut from ostriches to crows. Why do large brains and high intelligence emerge in some lineages?
(November–December, 2021)

2. How Endocrine Disruptors Affect Menstruation

by Kate Clancy

The ubiquity of phthalates and other substances known to interfere with hormonal pathways disproportionately harms people with periods.
(September–October, 2021)

1. Enter the Axion

by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

A new fundamental particle could solve a major puzzle in particle physics—and also explain the nature of the dark matter that permeates the universe.
(May–June, 2021)