Science and Technolgy blog
“What if the iron stones were warming up to the point where they would actually melt the glacial ice beneath them and sink into it, perhaps even descending far enough so as to be hidden below the surface?”
A new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality highlights how perceptions of dark tetrad traits—Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy, and sadism—in politicians influence voter behavior, focusing on the 2020 U.S. presidential election, comparing perceptions of Donald Trump and Joe…
Two years ago, a Canadian writer named Cory Doctorow coined the phrase “enshittification” to describe the decay of online platforms. The word immediately set the Internet ablaze, as it captured the growing malaise regarding how almost everything about the web…
Inventor Tony Stark has just been alerted to a crime spree sweeping the streets of New York City. He steps into his lab, where robotic arms begin placing pieces of armor all over his body. He soon emerges in his…
Scientists in Korea using 2D semiconducting materials discovered a new quantum state that could pave the way for more reliable data storage in quantum computers.
The magma system beneath volcanoes may persist even after recent eruptions, a new study finds.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but your connected gadgets need software updates to retain not just their security but also, frequently, key features. If you read Ars Technica regularly, you probably don’t need to hear that. You…
A man experiencing excessive thirst drank lots of milk, with dangerous consequences.
A new study published in PNAS Nexus reveals that large language models, which are advanced artificial intelligence systems, demonstrate a tendency to present themselves in a favorable light when taking personality tests. This “social desirability bias” leads these models to…
Last time we checked in on terrifying drone developments in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainians were dropping molten thermite along Russian trench lines and attaching surface-to-air missiles to naval drones. Possessing a far smaller population than Russia, Ukraine…
What does a baby know about right and wrong? A foundational finding in moral psychology suggested that even infants have a moral sense, preferring “helpers” over “hinderers” before uttering their first word. Now, nearly 20 years later, a study that…
When thousands of pages started disappearing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website late last week, public health researchers quickly moved to archive deleted public health data. Soon, researchers discovered that the Internet Archive (IA) offers one…
We’ve covered the Framework Laptop 13 primarily as a consumer Windows laptop, reviewing versions with multiple Intel and AMD processors. But the system’s modular nature makes it possible to expand it beyond Windows PC hardware, as we’ve seen with experiments…
A study published in JAMA Neurology has discovered a troubling new health concern: prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke may significantly increase the risk of developing dementia, with the risk being particularly high among certain vulnerable populations. Scientists have long known…
US Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has been demanding an overhaul of a $42.45 billion broadband deployment program, and now his telecom policy director has been chosen to lead the federal agency in charge of the grant money. “Congratulations to my…
It is not difficult to understand the unease on the European continent about the rise of SpaceX and its controversial founder, Elon Musk. SpaceX has surpassed the European Space Agency and its institutional partners in almost every way when it…
The Buffalo Bicycle Utility S2 has won an award from Eurobike and earned a German Design Award. With components designed by cycling industry giant SRAM and made from heavy steel, the bike has rim brakes, two gears, two chainrings, and…
When you look at the “customer stories” page on Anthropic’s website, you’ll find plenty of corporations reportedly using Anthropic’s Claude LLM to help employees communicate more effectively. When it comes to Anthropic’s own employee recruitment process, though, the company politely…
A recent large-scale study published in Science Advances has revealed a connection between genetic variations associated with dyslexia and structural differences in the brain. These differences were found in areas involved in motor coordination, vision, and language. This provides new…
What was once the floor of an ancient ocean is still shaping the landscape between Arabia and Eurasia.
More than ever, automakers are clamoring to be part of Formula 1. Buoyed by Drive to Survive, the sport’s reach rivals its popularity at any time in the past, despite having to compete with myriad more demands for our time.…
Quantum physics underlies technologies from the laser to the smartphone. The International Year of Quantum marks a century of scientific developments.
Retired NBA legend Dwyane Wade revealed his kidney cancer diagnosis on a recent podcast episode. Here’s what to know about the disease.
According to astronomers, there are approximately 200 billion trillion stars in our observable universe — chances are, there’s life out there somewhere.
New research published in Development and Psychopathology suggests that childhood neglect is associated with slower development of working memory abilities throughout adolescence and into young adulthood. While executive function abilities generally improve from ages 14 to 20, those who experienced…
Marvel’s teaser for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, coming to theaters in July. We haven’t heard much lately about The Fantastic Four: First Steps apart from last year at San Diego Comic-Con, when attendees were treated to an exclusive preview teaser…
While H5N1 bird flu ratchets up anxiety and egg prices, seasonal influenza viruses are rallying to a second high this winter, an uncommon course not seen in most years. Flu cases had previously peaked this season at the very end…
Gecko feet have inspired many intriguing applications, including a sticky tape, adhesives, a “stickybot” climbing robot, and even a strapless bra design. Now, scientists have developed a new kind of anti-slip polymer that sticks to ice, inspired by the humble…
Two gargantuan canyons on the moon were carved by a hailstorm of rocks — and that’s good news for future lunar astronauts.
NASA’s Juno spacecraft has discovered a giant volcanic hot spot on the surface of Jupiter’s hellish moon Io. The eruptions in this area are chucking out six times the energy being produced by all Earth’s power stations, researchers say.
China has revived antitrust investigations into Google and Nvidia, while considering a new probe against Intel, as Beijing looks for leverage in talks with US President Donald Trump. China’s State Administration for Market Regulation announced on Tuesday that it had…
Urban wildfires like LA’s make harmful chemicals from burning plastics and electronics that can make indoor air dangerous for months.
Scientists are not sure how much metallic dust remained in the atmosphere after the most recent SpaceX rocket ‘disassembly.’
Rat populations are growing in cities around the world because of climate change. A new study explains why this is happening now and what we can do about it.
A study of a small group of adolescents found that their sleep patterns are associated with their exposure to light during the day. Adolescents exposed to more light during the daytime tended to go to bed somewhat earlier and wake…
Federal prosecutors have indicted a man on charges he stole $65 million in cryptocurrency by exploiting vulnerabilities in two decentralized finance platforms and then laundering proceeds and attempting to extort swindled investors. The scheme, alleged in an indictment unsealed on…
Boeing announced Monday it lost $523 million on the Starliner crew capsule program last year, putting the aerospace company $2 billion in the red on its NASA commercial crew contract since late 2019. The updated numbers are included in a…
Riley Black’s new book, When the Earth was Green, uses the latest research to envision the ancient worlds of our favorite prehistoric animals.
A new artificial neuron that spikes like human brain cells could be used to process data at ultrafast speeds.
A recent study published in the journal Human Nature provides evidence that romantic love is highly valued worldwide when people consider long-term relationships. Most people across different cultures are unwilling to commit to marriage without feeling love for their partner.…
The world record for thinnest pasta has just been shattered. A team of researchers has made starchy nanofibers from white flour. The teeny-tiny fibers are about 370 nanometers thick, on average. That’s about two-hundredths the thickness of a human hair.…
TikTok, a widely used social media platform with over a billion active users worldwide, has become a key source of news, particularly for younger audiences. This growing influence has raised concerns about potential political biases in its recommendation algorithm, especially…
A 2022 satellite photo shows a shimmering trail of dried, chemically-enriched mud left behind by a torrent of wastewater that flooded a South African mining town, killing three people.
In what is becoming a sadly regular occurrence, two popular free software projects, X.org and Alpine Linux, need to rally some of their millions of users so that they can continue operating. Both services have largely depended on free server…
A lot of human society requires what’s called a “theory of mind”—the ability to infer the mental state of another person and adjust our actions based on what we expect they know and are thinking. We don’t always get this…
Like a lot of the rest of the federal government right now, NASA is reeling during the first turbulent days of the Trump administration. The last two weeks have brought a change in leadership in the form of interim administrator…
A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour reveals that unmarried individuals, regardless of whether they are single, divorced, separated, or widowed, tend to experience depressive symptoms more often than their married counterparts. However, the size of this difference varies…
Artemiy Pavlov, the founder of a small but mighty music software brand called Sinesvibes, spent more than 15 years building a YouTube channel with all original content to promote his business’ products. Over all those years, he never had any…
Even the most permissive corporate AI models have sensitive topics that their creators would prefer they not discuss (e.g., weapons of mass destruction, illegal activities, or, uh, Chinese political history). Over the years, enterprising AI users have resorted to everything…
Santorini’s earthquakes are intensifying as a rare earthquake swarm continues to rattle the Mediterranean’s Aegean Sea. The earthquakes are probably caused by faults rather than volcanic activity.
