# Scientific American has been acquired by Scientific American, Inc **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 23, 2026, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886 "2026-07-23T23:58:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2026, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/1 "2026-07-23T23:58:08Z")
I’m an old-line print fanatic so I continue to subscribe to a bunch of magazines doing my part to keep them in print for at least a few more days. Today I got this email. > Dear Friend of Scientific American, > > We are writing to let you know the exciting news that Scientific American has been acquired by Scientific American, Inc., a newly formed company that works with LabX Media Group on or about June 24, 2026. A press release detailing the acquisition can be read **[here](https://ctrk.klclick1.com/l/01KY8CDAB9TP37VERWY3W51JND_3)**. Just to further make my day, LabX Media Group is not mentioned a second time anywhere in the email. AIO to worry about a company that takes over America’s premiere popular science magazine and sends its subscribers a email that illiterate to announce it? (The link does make the transaction more understandable, **but it shouldn’t have to**. Nor does it say that the LabX Media Group already owns the picture-replaces-a-thousand-words Discover magazine.) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/2 "2026-07-24T00:13:12Z")
Any press release that is incompetent is trying very hard to hide something they hope you won’t notice. SA has been on a downtrend in term of quality for a long time. I think it just fell off a cliff. Or was pushed. Damned shame. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/3 "2026-07-24T00:23:45Z")
I think it was at least 20 years ago that I gave up on Scientific American. What tipped me over the edge was when they had a blurb about a device that promised to convert between electromagnetic and gravitational waves and back with 50% efficiency. Because what’s a factor of 10^-40 between friends? A darned shame, though, because up through the 1980s, it was amazing. Amateur Scientist and Mathematical Recreations were, either one of them, worth the subscription price by themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/4 "2026-07-24T00:38:44Z")
I started reading it when Martin Gardner was doing Mathematical Games. I eventually got a complete collection of all the book compilations. How incredibly much I had aged really hit me when I realized that their 50/100/150 years ago page included findings that I had read in the original issues. And that was a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/5 "2026-07-24T00:42:56Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > LabX Media Group This is a media umbrella corporation managed by Elon Musks Labrador retriever. Or maybe not. 😏 ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/6 "2026-07-24T00:58:54Z")
> On June 23, Nature Springer, _Scientific American_’s [British-German parent company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Springer_Nature), [sold the magazine to LabX Media Group](https://group.springernature.com/gp/group/media/press-releases/divestment-consumer-media/52799204), a Canadian firm that also owns _Discover_ magazine and _The Scientist_. LabX, [which describes itself](https://www.labxmediagroup.com/about-us/) as “a leading worldwide science publishing company that delivers meaningful industry content and integrated marketing solutions for the scientific community,” [promptly fired 15 _Scientific American_ staffers](https://www.wgaeast.org/scientific-american-union-holds-rally-after-layoffs-and-springer-natures-sale-of-historic-science-publication-demand-recognition-from-new-owners-labx/). > **[Scientific American and the Collapse of Science Journalism — John Horgan (The...](https://johnhorgan.org/cross-check/scientific-american-and-the-collapse-of-science-journalism)** > > HOBOKEN, JULY 13, 2026. I shouldn’t write a eulogy for something that’s not dead. But I fear for the future of Scientific American --and science journalism as a whole. Attention must be paid. On June 23, Nature Springer, Scientific American ’s ... > Staff at Scientific American had just voted to unionize so they could help improve the publication’s sustainable and improved operation for the future. We should call this action what it is – blatant union-busting. > **[Scientific American Union Rally](https://nycclc.org/events/scientific-american-union-rally)** > > Tuesday, June 30, 5PM: On Tuesday, the international scientific publisher Springer Nature sold Scientific American, the iconic 181-year old publication famous for its authoritative coverage of science to LabX Media Group. Large numbers of staff were... ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/7 "2026-07-24T01:46:22Z")
Oh, good grief. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/8 "2026-07-24T07:20:47Z")
Ugh. I’ll admit that I only skim the increasing amounts of sponsored content, but this year’s issued have had some really engaging content. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/9 "2026-07-24T10:40:47Z")
> [@WolfpackJeep](#): > > this year’s issues have had some really engaging content. Agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/10 "2026-07-24T12:02:20Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > > Canadian firm that also owns … promptly fired 15 _Scientific American_ staffers _\>chanting\<_ Ca-Na-Da! Ca-Na-Da! ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/11 "2026-07-24T12:17:33Z")
An acquiring company has only profits in mind. They don’t only purchase the materials, equipment, employees, and intellectual property…they largely purchase the established and valuable “brand.” Then the goal is to cut costs and increase revenue as much as they can using the brand as the means for keeping people purchasing. Eventually, with the push solely for profits, quality will start to suffer and over several years time the brand will become less valuable as their customers start noticing. This enshitification can take a couple of years, but the loss of their customers will take much longer. This is the power of buying the brand. The good reputation of the brand is strong and it takes a while for quality to suffer enough to be noticeable, then longer for customers to sour on a brand. Meanwhile the acquiring company is make money on their purchase. When the brand suffers enough, they sell it to another company who is left holding the bag of an enshitified brand. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/12 "2026-07-24T13:53:15Z")
Damn. I’ve only been getting it from the library, for financial reasons; but it seems a lot less likely that it’ll continue to be worth doing that. I wonder whether this has anything to do with national politics? They were pretty firm about the importance of objective science. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/13 "2026-07-24T14:29:06Z")
So did Scientific American get good again in the time since I’ve been ignoring it? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/14 "2026-07-24T16:02:37Z")
> [@PastTense quoting John Horgan](#): > > We should call this action what it is – blatant union-busting. (Sigh) I just renewed my subscription, too. I was thinking how illustrations-heavy it is now compared to the days of Martin Gardener and spot color illos. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/15 "2026-07-24T21:53:37Z")
_Scientific American_ was acquired by _Scientific American, Inc._? I’m shocked, **shocked** , I say! ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/16 "2026-07-24T22:09:07Z")
A “special purpose vehicle” created and named for exactly that purpose. Next up: The People’s Commune for Truth and Absolute Accountability, a wholly owned subsidiary of trump’s org. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/17 "2026-07-24T23:27:08Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I was thinking how illustrations-heavy it is now compared to the days of Martin Gardener and spot color illos. The Graphic Science column would sometimes lose me…they really seemed to go out of their way sometimes to create a multi-page spread out of information best conveyed in a few paragraphs. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2026, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/18 "2026-07-24T23:57:03Z")
We will see, but I think the pessimism is justified. One advantage of a sub is you also can get their online blog that includes mathematical content from the German edition by Manon Bischoff along with other science postings. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/19 "2026-07-25T00:37:16Z")
Once you admit your audience can’t / won’t read words and would rather watch a vid or at worst a slideshow, well, your days as a print magazine are definitely numbered. With small numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2026, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scientific-american-has-been-acquired-by-scientific-american-inc/1031886/20 "2026-07-25T00:39:30Z")
Which is exactly what happened to Discover.