For 180 years, Scientific American has chronicled breakthroughs, controversies, and the ever-changing nature of science. To mark the magazine’s anniversary, senior features editor Jen Schwartz spearheaded a special project called “Upended.” The collection explores times when scientific understanding has done a complete reversal, shifting how we see the world and our place in it.
In this conversation, Schwartz shares highlights from the package, which includes stories about plastic’s original role as an environmental solution, the ongoing debate over whether humanity is alone in the universe, and other examples where certainty gave way to surprise. She reflects on how these reversals reveal the messy, dynamic, and ultimately self-correcting process of science.
