Scientific American, which has been published since 1845, is a highly respected magazine for both scientists and laypeople. It focuses on new discoveries and prides itself on having authors with a first-hand knowledge of their subject.Shawn Carlson has been the author of the magazine's Amateur Scientist column since 1996 and the Executive Director of the Association of Amateur Scientists, and he is an Adjunct Professor of Physics at the University of San Diego.

Scientific American, which has been published since 1845, is a highly respected magazine for both scientists and laypeople. It focuses on new discoveries and prides itself on having authors with a first-hand knowledge of their subject.Shawn Carlson has been the author of the magazine's Amateur Scientist column since 1996 and the Executive Director of the Association of Amateur Scientists, and he is an Adjunct Professor of Physics at the University of San Diego.