Gerard Piel, 89; Helped Revive Scientific American

Gerard Piel, 89, the former publisher of Scientific American magazine who oversaw a dramatic upswing in the periodical’s fortunes, died Sunday at a hospital in Queens, N.Y., of complications from a stroke, his family said.

Piel and several associates bought Scientific American in 1947 during a lull in its popularity.

He oversaw several years of reforms, including having scientists write articles about their research.

Circulation topped 1 million by the 1980s, and Piel became the magazine’s chairman in 1984. The magazine was sold in 1986.

Piel graduated from Harvard University in 1937 and began his career at Time Inc. He later became science editor of Life magazine, where he was valued for his layman’s approach to science writing.

He wrote several books, including “The Age of Science: What Scientists Learned in the 20th Century.”

He served as president of the American Assn. for the Advancement of Science and was a board member of the American Museum of Natural History and the New York Botanical Garden.