Immanuel Kant, who coined the term genius in the 1700s, defined it as the rare capacity to independently understand concepts that would normally have to be taught by another person. Since then, the spectrum of abilities that we call genius has widened, but pivotal questions remain: What exactly is genius?

How far would you go to improve your focus, memory, or even learning ability? Would you be willing to strap on headgear that delivers electrical shocks to targeted areas of your brain? You may soon have that option.

Powerful new genetic tools allow scientists to alter the DNA of any organism—with tests on human embryos already underway. Even more ambitious, synthetic biologists on the verge of creating the genetic material for a living organism from scratch are setting their long-term sites on fashioning a fully synthetic human genome.

Known for his work in television, theater, and film, Alan Alda is also a passionate advocate of science. Through his years as host of Scientific American Frontiers, his founding of …

Ecologist and explorer Mark Moffett has trekked across the globe to document new animal species and behaviors. Just like the creatures he studies, Mark can be found crawling in the …

We’re born, we grow old, we die. It’s a rhythm long considered inevitable. But is it? Or is aging merely a disease awaiting a cure? Will science one day stave …