Science journalism has faced recurring crises, with a notable 'science crash' in 1986 when magazines folded, mirroring current layoffs at major outlets like Scientific American and The Washington Post. Scholars debating whether today's troubles represent cyclical panic or genuine decline find evidence of both: while 18 of 29 U.S. science magazines since the 1800s have closed, science journalism continued thriving after the 1980s downturn.