“...all the past is but a beginning of a beginning, and that all that is and has been is but the twilight of dawn.”

— H.G. Wells
1902

Scientific American.com

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Updated: 3 hours 58 min ago

‘Protest Paradigm’ Shows What’s Wrong with Media Coverage of Student Activism

Tue, 05/07/2024 - 10:00am

Media coverage of university students speaking up against the war in Gaza, just like coverage of other protest movements, has fallen prey to some serious weaknesses

Categories: Astronomy

The Mathematical Case for Monkeys Producing Shakespeare—Eventually

Tue, 05/07/2024 - 9:00am

An infinite number of random events can produce just about anything if you have quintillions of years to wait

Categories: Astronomy

Meet HELIX, the High-Altitude Balloon That May Solve a Deep Cosmic Mystery

Tue, 05/07/2024 - 8:00am

Every now and then, tiny particles of antimatter strike Earth from cosmic parts unknown. A new balloon-borne experiment launching this spring may at last find their source

Categories: Astronomy

A Fight About Viruses in the Air Is Finally Over. Now It’s Time for Healthy Venting

Tue, 05/07/2024 - 7:00am

WHO now admits the COVID virus and other germs spread “through the air.” This plain language may help improve research and action to fight disease

Categories: Astronomy

Studying Mouse Reactions to an Optical Illusion Can Teach Us about Consciousness

Tue, 05/07/2024 - 6:45am

A study of mice starts to unravel how the brain gets tricked by a particular optical illusion

Categories: Astronomy

Boeing’s Starliner Is Set for Its First Crewed Spaceflight

Mon, 05/06/2024 - 2:30pm

Starliner’s first crewed launch will mark just the sixth time ever that NASA astronauts have flown in a brand-new spacecraft

Categories: Astronomy

Puppy-Dog Eyes in Wild Canines Sparks Rethink on Dog Evolution

Mon, 05/06/2024 - 2:00pm

The eyebrows of the African wild dog have scientists wondering whether other canine species besides domestic dogs can make the irresistible “puppy-dog eyes” expression

Categories: Astronomy

How Should Wildfire Smoke Damage Be Measured?

Mon, 05/06/2024 - 12:00pm

Homes that survive wildfire flames but that are still affected by smoke, soot and ash is a growing issue for homeowners and insurers, as is the question of how to best remediate the problem

Categories: Astronomy

AI Could Help Find a Solution for String Theory

Mon, 05/06/2024 - 9:00am

String theory could provide a theory of everything for our universe—but it entails 10500 (more than a centillion) possible solutions. AI models could help to find the right one

Categories: Astronomy

A Safe Word Can Protect against AI Impostor Scams

Mon, 05/06/2024 - 8:00am

Fraudsters are using AI voice-cloning services to steal identities. Code words can thwart this deception

Categories: Astronomy

AI Doesn’t Threaten Humanity. Its Owners Do

Mon, 05/06/2024 - 7:00am

We shouldn’t be afraid of AI taking over humanity; we should fear the fact that our humanity hasn’t kept up with our technology

Categories: Astronomy

Self-Driving Trucks Claim Climate Benefits

Sun, 05/05/2024 - 7:00am

The autonomous trucking industry says its self-driving vehicles can cut carbon emissions by reducing fuel use, though some groups have raised safety questions

Categories: Astronomy

Hydrogen-Powered Airplanes Face 5 Big Challenges

Sat, 05/04/2024 - 9:00am

Hydrogen could help make flying greener, but switching away from fossil fuels poses some hefty challenges

Categories: Astronomy

An FDA Overreaction to Theranos's Implosion Would Harm Patients

Sat, 05/04/2024 - 8:00am

Requiring FDA approval for laboratory developed tests would be an overreaction to the Theranos debacle and would ultimately harm patients

Categories: Astronomy

Implicit Bias Hurts Everyone. Here’s How to Overcome It.

Sat, 05/04/2024 - 7:00am

The environment shapes stereotypes and biases, but it is possible to recognize and change them

Categories: Astronomy

Florida's Beef with Lab-Grown Meat Is Evidence-Free

Fri, 05/03/2024 - 5:10pm

Lobbyists’ and politicians’ campaigns against lab-grown meat appeal to emotion, not logic and reason

Categories: Astronomy

Gas Stove Pollution Lingers in Homes for Hours Even outside the Kitchen

Fri, 05/03/2024 - 2:00pm

Gas stoves spew nitrogen dioxide at levels that frequently exceed those that are deemed safe by health organizations

Categories: Astronomy

How Much Do Our Thoughts Shape Our Health?

Fri, 05/03/2024 - 10:00am

The way we think about time, aging and sickness may influence our health, behavior and general well-being in surprising ways

Categories: Astronomy

Abortion Restrictions Are Spreading, even though Science Shows They’re Harmful

Fri, 05/03/2024 - 9:30am

“We should not make it harder for people to access abortion,” says a researcher who has studied the impacts on people who seek the procedure and are denied

Categories: Astronomy

How to Move the World’s Largest Camera from a California Lab to an Andes Mountaintop

Fri, 05/03/2024 - 9:00am

A multimillion-dollar digital camera could revolutionize astronomy. But first it needs to climb a mountain halfway around the globe

Categories: Astronomy