Science and Technolgy blog
Better prevention is driving down heart-attack rates in the U.S., but the sharp drops seen at the height of the pandemic were likely caused by people avoiding medical care.
When it comes to the complexities of human relationships, new research suggests that our motivations for committed partnerships and casual encounters are more distinct than previously thought. A recent study published in Personality and Individual Differences challenges the long-standing idea…
Greenland was almost completely ice-free at some point in the last one million years, fossilized flowers from a core sample taken from the center of the island reveal.
The genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease is more strongly influenced by the mother’s side than the father’s side, a recent study has discovered. Alzheimer’s disease steals memories, independence and the capacity to connect with loved ones. In 2020, over…
In the realm of human sexuality, researchers have long grappled with how to accurately capture the complexities of non-normative sexual practices, often referred to under the umbrella of “kink.” Now, a team of scientists has developed and validated a new…
Could noise hold the key to better focus for children and young adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? A recent study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, suggests that exposure to white and pink…
When journalists confirm that a claim is true, most people tend to trust them. However, when those same journalists correct a false claim, they face a much harder battle to earn the trust of their audience. This was the key…
A group of researchers in Germany developed a way to use online video games to manipulate study participants’ beliefs in free will in the context of experimental studies by restricting their ability to act in a game. They believe that…
Security flaws in your computer’s firmware, the deep-seated code that loads first when you turn the machine on and controls even how its operating system boots up, have long been a target for hackers looking for a stealthy foothold. But…
Babies in Nigeria are testing positive for bacteria resistant to colistin, though it’s not clear whether they pick it up in utero, from their mothers, or from somewhere in the hospital.
This slimline, eel-like fish has no scales for protection so chooses to use a sea cucumber’s sphincter for safety.
Scientists hope to accelerate the development of human-level AI using a network of powerful supercomputers — with the first of these machines fully operational by 2025.
New research provides evidence that our choices in mates are deeply rooted in evolutionary principles. The study found that men tend to prioritize physical attractiveness and health in their partners, indicators of fertility, while women value traits like intelligence, emotional…
Enlarge / Sustainable aviation fuels could help cut carbon emissions from commercial flights. (credit: Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Last November, Virgin Atlantic Airways made headlines for completing the world’s first transatlantic flight using “100 percent sustainable aviation fuel.” This week,…
Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses frogs and chytrid fungus, trilobite fossils and a dinosaur named after the Norse god of mischief.
A sign of our past? Deaf experimental psychologist Rain Bosworth has found that babies have an intrinsic ability to recognize sign language, Meghan Rosen reported in “Primed to sign” (SN: 4/26/24). Reader Suzanne Lijek wondered if our innate sensitivity to…
Sports mastery is about much more than physical capability — it shapes the brain, too.
8 must-see destinations for your (future) Mars vacation
Could what you eat change how stressed you feel? A new study from Binghamton University, State University of New York, suggests that it might. Researchers found that following a Mediterranean diet—rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats—may help…
Humans are not the only organisms that have periods — some animals do too, but scientists still aren’t sure why.
Experts tell Live Science what it means to “hit the wall” while exercising and how to avoid it.
In today’s digital age, our smartphones have become indispensable companions. From checking emails to connecting with friends on social media, these devices are integral to our daily routines. But what happens when you can’t find your phone or its battery…
NASA’s asteroid-hunting NEOWISE space telescope will soon plunge into Earth’s atmosphere and burn to bits. Here’s a look back at its epic mission that defied all expectations.
Enlarge / OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush shows David Pogue the 2010-era game controller that pilots the Titan sub during a CBS Sunday Morning segment broadcast in November 2022. (credit: CBS Sunday Morning) In a 2022 CBS Sunday Morning segment, CEO…
Google’s DeepMind has been used to train a robot arm to play table tennis, and it beat human players.
New research has found that increased masculinity is linked to reduced mental distress among gay men in China. The findings, published in the International Journal of Sexual Health, highlight the significant role that mindfulness plays in this relationship. Unlike their…
Enlarge Federal authorities have arrested a Nashville man on charges he hosted laptops at his residences in a scheme to deceive US companies into hiring foreign remote IT workers who funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars in income to fund…
Enlarge / Screenshot from AT&T commercial featuring Ben Stiller making a satellite call to Jordan Spieth. (credit: AT&T) AT&T has been told to stop running ads that claim the carrier is already offering cellular coverage from space. AT&T intends to…
Enlarge (credit: jules/CC BY 2.0) Inertial confinement fusion is one method for generating energy through nuclear fusion, albeit one plagued by all manner of scientific challenges (although progress is being made). Researchers at LeHigh University are attempting to overcome one…
Enlarge (credit: Intel) Intel has shared more about the voltage-related issues that affected some 13th- and 14th-generation Core processors, as the company tries to put the episode behind it. As reported by Tom’s Hardware, Intel says that the problem originated…
Enlarge / In the experiments, people had to judge what constituted a fair monetary offer. (credit: manusapon kasosod) In many cases, AIs are trained on material that’s either made or curated by humans. As a result, it can become a…
After a magnitude 7.1 temblor jolted southern Japan, the chances of a subsequent, larger quake occurring in the next week had slightly increased, experts said.
Other types of surgery besides double mastectomies are equally good at lowering death rates in women with cancer in one breast.
Children of parents with alcohol use disorders are at an increased risk of early aging and related health problems, a recent study from the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has found. The research reveals that parents…
Enlarge (credit: Nova Launcher) Back in July 2022, when mobile app metrics firm Branch acquired the popular and well-regarded Nova Launcher for Android, the app’s site put up one of those self-directed FAQ posts about it. Under the question heading…
A rare gene variant may explain why a subset of patients with ALS recover from the deadly disease.
Enlarge / US Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of 1.1 million Samsung Slide-in Electric Ranges due to hundreds of reported fires. (credit: Samsung) After hundreds of reports of fires causing dozens of injuries and several pet deaths, Samsung…
Microbiologists are on a quest to unravel a rare phenomenon involved in antibiotic resistance and how it may change our understanding of infections.
There are two main types of bacteria, and these categories reflect the microbes’ biology and their vulnerability to different antibiotics.
These bacteria have evolved the ability to resist treatment with antibiotics, leaving doctors scrambling to help patients who are infected.
Bacteria can mutate surprisingly fast to resist antibiotics.
Microbiologist Karin Hjort discusses what heteroresistance is and how it could change the way we treat bacterial infections.
A recent study sheds light on how problematic pornography use may contribute to negative body image through the mechanism of social comparison. The study, published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, reveals that men who experience difficulties controlling their pornography…
Enlarge / Dodge doesn’t want to be accused of building a boring EV. (credit: Dodge) Electric motors have many advantages over internal combustion engines, including the fact that they don’t waste a lot of their power as sound energy. So…
Enlarge (credit: Ole_CNX via Getty Images) On Thursday, OpenAI released the “system card” for ChatGPT’s new GPT-4o AI model that details model limitations and safety testing procedures. Among other examples, the document reveals that in rare occurrences during testing, the…
Enlarge / Jessica Watkins gets to work on the ISS (credit: NASA) “Archeology really is a perspective on material culture we use as evidence to understand how humans adapt to their environment, to the situations they are in, and to…
New research is revealing the secrets of these destructive twisters, which dodge radar scans and often form at night.
Spiders swinging lassos, ants setting deadly traps and turtles with deceiving tongues — these animals have the most cunning methods of hunting their prey.
Enlarge / This is one method of burning a disc. (credit: 1001slide / Getty Images) We noted earlier this week that time seems to have run out for Apple’s venerable SuperDrive, which was the last (OEM) option available for folks…
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) Antitrust law professors aren’t impressed by Elon Musk’s lawsuit alleging a supposed X advertising boycott amounts to an antitrust violation. Based on the initial complaint filed by Musk’s X Corp., it looks like…
