Jackie Flynn Mogensen
@jackiefmogensen.bsky.social
Breaking news reporter at Scientific American (she/her) | Contact me on Signal: @jackiefmogensen.01 | www.jackiefmogensen.com
Daytime highs often get the headlines, but overnight temperatures are rising twice as fast in the U.S. And that nighttime heat is losing us sleep. 🧪 By @jackiefmogensen.bsky.social. Graphics by our excellent graphics intern Sani Sharma.
3 charts show how extreme heat is costing us hours of lost sleep
The U.S. has been pummeled with heat waves this summer. Here’s how hot overnight temperatures can get in the way of a good night’s rest—in 3 charts
scientificamerican.com
My colleague @jackiefmogensen.bsky.social got some extra photos of newly discovered geoglyphs in the Amazon from the researchers. They estimate there are tens of thousands still to be found. 🧪
Hundreds of never-before-seen ancient ‘earthworks’ discovered in the Amazon
Many of these structures date to around C.E. 100–300, during the time of the Aquiry civilization, and may have been used for ceremonial purposes
scientificamerican.com
Today at 10 AM EDT Sotheby's will start the live bidding on its natural history auction featuring one of the largest, most complete skeletons of T. rex ever found. It could fetch $30M+ and go to a private collector. Here's what science--and the public--stand to lose. My story for @wired.com 🧪
Sotheby’s Big T. Rex Auction Raises Concerns Hype and Wealth Are Upending Science
Private buyers are increasingly outbidding museums for fossils. That’s making it difficult—or even impossible—for researchers to improve our understanding of the past.
wired.com
Parts of midtown were evacuated after a building near Grand Central Terminal showed signs of instability. The former NYC HQ of Pfizer is being converted to apartments. Engineers said issues with support columns aren't uncommon, but can be serious. www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-...
Why are the steel beams inside a Manhattan skyscraper buckling? Experts explain
Steel support columns in the Midtown building, which is being converted from offices into apartments, may have been overloaded, experts say
scientificamerican.com
ICYMI: 'Neil the seal,' a one-ton elephant seal, is going viral for (adorably) smashing into road posts, signs, and cars in Tasmania. Biologists say some of his behavior is typical—young male elephant seals like to “spar" and "joust." But Neil has no colony, so he's turned to human infrastructure.
Why ‘Neil the seal’ is unleashing chaos in Tasmania
This one-ton elephant seal has gone viral for smashing into cars and infrastructure, but biologists have a more poignant explanation for his behavior
scientificamerican.com
Have you ever tried an IVF add-on treatment including EmbryoGlue, corticosteroids, endometrial receptivity testing, preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), or something else? I'm working on a story for Scientific American and would like to chat with you—DMs open!
Today is my last day at Scientific American, which has been sold to LabX media group. For three decades I've led the magazine's coverage of human origins, archaeology, paleontology, animal behavior, ecology, BIRDS. End of an era. Anyway this feels weird to say, but I'm now available for assignments!
On Thursday Knicks fans 💙🧡 are flocking to Manhattan for a ticker-tape parade. But where did ticker tape even come from?
The surprising science history behind New York City’s ticker-tape parades
On Thursday Knicks fans are flocking to Manhattan for a ticker-tape parade. But where did ticker tape even come from?
scientificamerican.com
The Knicks' first ticker-tape parade is today! I had a blast reporting this piece about the lesser-known history of ticker tape. Among other things, I learned that before the stock ticker was invented in 1867, people were sending stock market information via mail, flag signals, and pigeons!!
The surprising science history behind New York City’s ticker-tape parades
On Thursday Knicks fans are flocking to Manhattan for a ticker-tape parade. But where did ticker tape even come from?
scientificamerican.com
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SciAm just announced its inaugural list of Young American Scientists—a group of extraordinary young people changing science for the better. I had the joy of chatting with @armanafzadeh.bsky.social, who studies the evolution of animal joints! #SciAmYoungScientists @sciam.bsky.social 🧪
Armita Manafzadeh
Investigating the shape and evolution of animal joints
scientificamerican.com
Got permission from my cats to cover an interesting new study on dog behavior: A new test for measuring “pawedness” in dogs. Here’s how to tell whether your dog is left-pawed or right-pawed:
How to tell if your dog is left-pawed or right-pawed, according to science
A step-by-step guide to the “Doginburgh Inventory,” a new pawedness test developed by dog behavior researchers
scientificamerican.com
How to tell if your dog is left-pawed or right-pawed, according to science A step-by-step guide to the “Doginburgh Inventory,” a new pawedness test developed by dog behavior researchers www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...
How to tell if your dog is left-pawed or right-pawed, according to science
A step-by-step guide to the “Doginburgh Inventory,” a new pawedness test developed by dog behavior researchers
scientificamerican.com
The staff at @sciam.bsky.social is hosting a Summer Reading Challenge! With prizes! Details on how to join here: tinyurl.com/jny9p9rn (Send me ur book recs! 🤓) #SciAmBookBingo #SciAmSummerReading
Attention book lovers! We're doing our first SciAm Summer Reading Challenge. Click through to find a bingo card you can fill out. You can win prizes!
Scientific American@sciam.bsky.social · 2mo agoThe first-ever Scientific American Summer Reading Challenge is here! 📚☀️ All summer long, we’re reading nonfiction deep dives, page-turning thrillers, and fiction that sparks scientific curiosity. (1/2) #SciAmReading #SciAmSummerReading
Wemby made four three-point shots against OKC last night—the most he’s made in any game so far this series. Spurs won in a blowout 118-91. I spoke with physics and biomechanics experts about how the tallest player in the NBA is able to hit so many threes: www.scientificamerican.com/article/san-...
The science of NBA superstar Victor ‘Wemby’ Wembanyama’s epic three pointers
Wemby’s height gives him an advantage in blocking and rebounding, but how does the tallest player in the NBA keep hitting all those threes?
scientificamerican.com
The MV Hondius cruise ship outbreak was caused by a specific type of hantavirus called Andes virus. Here's what to know about the Andes virus' primary host—the long-tailed pygmy rice rat: tinyurl.com/3kthftnw
This small rodent is at the center of theories about the hantavirus outbreak
The long-tailed pygmy rice rat is the primary host for Andes virus, the type of hantavirus responsible for sickening passengers on the MV Hondius cruise ship
tinyurl.com
At SciAm, we've been covering the hantavirus outbreak since it began: www.scientificamerican.com/hantavirus/. As we continue our reporting, we want to know--what questions you do you have about the virus, the outbreak, and what it means for public health?
Good reminder from @jackiefmogensen.bsky.social that the feeling that political violence is more common in the US than ever before is based on vibes rather than data. Rhetoric may be heated, but that's not reflected in the number compared to history. www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-t...
Is the U.S. in a new era of political violence? Experts say it’s complicated
Researchers who study political violence say that the U.S. is in a period of more intense political rhetoric, but there have been far darker periods in the nation’s history
scientificamerican.com
My interview with @sciam.bsky.social and @jackiefmogensen.bsky.social on desalination, environmental risk, Iran, and war in the Gulf.
Scientific American@sciam.bsky.social · 3mo agoDirect attacks, oil spills and the threat of nuclear waste are putting the Gulf region’s desalination plants at risk—here’s why that matters
Yep, I'm still on the poop beat. My latest for @sciam.bsky.social answers a question I found myself asking even after the Artemis II astronauts were safely back on Earth. Why is it so hard to make a toilet for space? www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...
NASA’s Artemis II was a major success—so why couldn’t the crew flush the toilet?
The space environment—microgravity, extreme temperatures and more—make it near-impossible to truly test a space toilet like Artemis II's ahead of launch, experts say
scientificamerican.com
DUE WEDNESDAY: Are you a science writing trainee looking for financial support for your internship experience this coming summer? Apply for our NASW Summer Diversity Fellowship, which offers $3,000 in funding to supplement your internship pay. Deadline is Wednesday, April 15:
Apply by April 15 for the 2026 NASW Diversity Summer Fellowship
The National Association of Science Writers is pleased to once again offer the **NASW Diversity Summer Fellowship** for talented students and early-career science communicators undertaking summer internships.
nasw.org
It's happening—we're about 2 hours away from the Artemis II mission splashdown! Here's a timeline of what to expect. Watch and follow @sciam.bsky.social for live updates (and s/o to @unamandita.bsky.social for the graphic!): tinyurl.com/443kra4s
Those of us at @sciam.bsky.social glued to the Artemis II livestream all day had some questions about the crew’s taste in music. We finally got some answers: www.scientificamerican.com/article/what...
What's the deal with the Artemis II music? The crew finally gave us some answers
It's NASA tradition to wake up astronauts with a song. Here are the crew's favorites
scientificamerican.com
Astronaut Bill Anders took the iconic 1968 photo "Earthrise." “It's really too bad, we're shooting missiles and rockets and whatnot at each other…" Anders later said. "It's the only home in the universe for us humans." Artemis II just recreated the photo: www.scientificamerican.com/article/in-a...
If you're just catching up on the Artemis II mission, today is MOON DAY—when the Orion spacecraft will officially round the moon. Follow @sciam.bsky.social for live updates, new records, and major milestones: www.scientificamerican.com/article/nasa...
NASA’s Artemis II's moon flyby is getting underway
Today, the four astronauts of Artemis II are observing the far side of the moon, setting distance records and experiencing a solar eclipse.
scientificamerican.com
A whole team of us at @sciam.bsky.social will be watching the Artemis II launch—NASA's first crewed mission to the moon in more than 50 years! Follow along for updates and in-depth coverage here: www.scientificamerican.com/report/nasa-...
NASA Returns to the Moon
NASA is gearing up to launch four astronauts on a pioneering journey around the moon—the Artemis II mission. Follow our coverage here.
scientificamerican.com
All hail hangover soup! And a shout out to my go-to, beef pho. Hear my case for 🍜 @sciam.bsky.social: www.scientificamerican.com/article/what...
What are the best foods for a hangover, scientifically?
There’s no bulletproof remedy for a hangover, but a nutrition scientist explains which foods could aid symptoms after one has had too much to drink
scientificamerican.com
Ahead of The Traitors finale tonight (!!) I spoke with some experts about the science of lie detection. Some fun things I learned: -most people are terrible at detecting lies -verbal clues > physical ones -beware of the hot traitor "halo effect" www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...
How to win The Traitors, according to science
Experts say that to win a game like The Traitors, competitors should look for verbal clues over physical ones—and be friendly and open
scientificamerican.com