Science and Technolgy blog
A study published in Sex Roles found that parents with higher levels of benevolent sexism before the COVID-19 pandemic experienced lower parenting strain and psychological distress during subsequent lockdowns. Benevolent sexism, which idealizes women as nurturing caregivers and men as…
Enlarge / The reMarkable Paper Pro tablet. (credit: Andrew Cunningham) Our main critique of Amazon’s Kindle Scribe when it launched in late 2022—and one that still mostly holds up—was that it felt like a big e-reader with writing functionality tacked…
NASA’s Perseverance rover has bagged its first hint of ancient Martians. If they existed, these creatures were small. Very small. As in, microbes. “We’re not able to say that this is a sign of life,” says Katie Stack Morgan. “But…
Magnetosphere, (noun, “mag-NET-tuh-sfear”) The magnetosphere is a planet-wide magnetic field. It protects Earth from high-energy particles from space, such as solar winds and cosmic rays. Other planets can have magnetospheres, too. Examples include Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury. But of the…
Measuring the pace of evolution is tricky, but some species can evolve as quickly as a few generations.
A recent study published in Nature Aging has shown that it is possible to reverse age-related slowing of brain waste clearance, a key process that may contribute to neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Using a drug already approved for…
These small galaxies are either crammed with stars or they host gigantic black holes. The data astronomers have collected continues to puzzle them.
Humans don’t just lie to deceive: sometimes we lie to avoid hurting others, breaking one social norm to uphold another. As robots begin to transition from tools to team members working alongside humans, scientists need to find out how these…
A 12th-century stone carving discovered in northern Germany may depict Otto of Bamberg, a bishop and missionary.
A new study published in Personal Relationships explores how perceptions of a romantic partner’s drinking habits are related to relationship satisfaction and mental health among young adults. The study finds that when young men perceive their partner as having problematic…
A new study builds on previous research into the underwater volcano’s effects on the climate.
A series of eight studies conducted in the United States found that people generally tend to overestimate their political opponents’ willingness to accept basic moral wrongs. This tendency to exaggerate the immorality of political opponents was observed not only in…
Enlarge / Loads of lava: Kasbohm with a few solidified lava flows of the Columbia River Basalts. (credit: Joshua Murray) As our climate warms beyond its historical range, scientists increasingly need to study climates deeper in the planet’s past to…
Enlarge / At the US Army’s Camp Century on the Greenland ice sheet, an Army truck equipped with a railroad wheel conversion rides on 1,300 feet of track under the snow. (credit: Robert W. Gerdel Papers, Ohio State University) In…
The Very Large Telescope in northern Chile imaged a “super-Jupiter” exoplanet called 2M1207b, precisely 20 years ago this week. This was the first direct visual confirmation of a world beyond our solar system.
In a recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, researchers have made a groundbreaking discovery: the subjective feeling of curiosity is linked to specific brain activity, which varies according to uncertainty. Using brain imaging, the team pinpointed how certain…
Antarctica is covered by a miles-thick ice sheet, but was that always the case? And when was the coldest continent ice-free?
It’s the first time Earth’s geologic record — information found inside rocks — has been used to create an animation of this kind.
The Triangulum Galaxy, the third-largest member of the Local Group of galaxies, is shining with star formation in a new image from the Hubble Space Telescope.
During my work as a clinical psychologist and neurobiologist, I have spoken with many individuals who are considering taking antidepressant medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Many ask me for my thoughts on whether they need medication, whether…
By using protons to probe how a magnetic field responds to an expanding plasma, experimenters have replicated the particle jets spewed out by active black holes.
A recent study published in Neurology suggests that individuals at high risk of developing Parkinson’s disease could be identified years before symptoms arise. By using machine learning to analyze proteins found in blood samples and combining this data with simple…
A recent study published in the journal Cognition and Emotion has uncovered new insights into how individuals with high social anxiety process emotional information. The research reveals that people who experience high levels of social anxiety adapt less to angry…
Enlarge / Power lines are cast in silhouette as the Creek Fire creeps up on on the Shaver Springs community off of Tollhouse Road on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020, in Auberry, California. (credit: Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) This…
In mythology, giant oarfish are said to foreshadow earthquakes, although evidence shows this is not the case.
A recent study investigated how male facial attractiveness, vocal attractiveness, and expressions of social interest influence women’s decisions regarding fairness in economic games. The findings revealed that women were more generous toward men who had attractive faces, appealing voices, and…
Enlarge / The First Combat of Gav and Talhand’, Folio from a Shahnama (Book of Kings), ca. 1330–40, Attributed to Iran, probably Isfahan, Ink, opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper, Page: 8 1/16 x 5 1/4 in. (20.5 x…
Enlarge / Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft after landing Friday night at White Sands Space Harbor, New Mexico. (credit: Boeing) Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft sailed to a smooth landing in the New Mexico desert Friday night, an auspicious end to an otherwise disappointing…
Time to eat Astronomers watched in real time as the supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy went from dim and quiet to bright and actively feeding on material, Adam Mann reported in “For the first time, scientists…
Editor in chief Nancy Shute discusses the complexity of chronic pain, the spread of diseases and training crocs to avoid eating certain toads.
In a recent study, researchers found that a lesser-known compound from the cannabis plant, cannabigerol (CBG), can reduce anxiety without the intoxication commonly linked to cannabis. The study, published in Scientific Reports, found that participants who took CBG reported feeling…
The special chemistry of this shiny iron alloy creates a protective layer on its surface that prevents it from rusting.
Enlarge / The influenza virus from an image produced with transmission electron microscopy. Viral diameter ranges from around 80 to 120 nm. (credit: Getty | BSIP) A person in Missouri with no reported exposure to animals was confirmed to have…
Enlarge / Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is set to undock from the International Space Station on Friday evening. (credit: NASA) Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft will gently back away from the International Space Station Friday evening, then fire its balky thrusters to rapidly…
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) Researchers have discovered more than 280 malicious apps for Android that use optical character recognition to steal cryptocurrency wallet credentials from infected devices. The apps masquerade as official ones from banks, government services, TV streaming services,…
Enlarge / The second stage of the New Glenn rocket rolled to the launch site this week. (credit: Blue Origin) NASA and Blue Origin announced Friday that they have agreed to delay the launch of the ESCAPADE mission to Mars…
Scientists present evidence of a newly discovered tick-borne virus that can infect humans and potentially invade the brain, in some cases.
Researchers used lasers to find the Roman military camp, which was “strategically” located overlooking a battleground.
Enlarge (credit: Getty | George Frey) While supplies of Adderall and its generic versions are finally recovering after a yearslong shortage, the Drug Enforcement Administration is now working to curb the short supply of another drug for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Vyvanse…
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) Cops are now using AI to generate images of fake kids, which are helping them catch child predators online, a lawsuit filed by the state of New Mexico against Snapchat revealed this week.…
At least 50 animals, including cattle and one moose, in Wyoming have died during a recent outbreak of anthrax. However, officials say the current risk to humans is small.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft will return to Earth today after undocking from the International Space Station without its crew. A livestream of the mission begins at 5:45 p.m. ET.
Enlarge (credit: VGG | Getty Images) The cost of renting cloud services using Nvidia’s leading artificial intelligence chips is lower in China than in the US, a sign that the advanced processors are easily reaching the Chinese market despite Washington’s…
Enlarge / A shot from Agatha All Along, an upcoming Disney+ exclusive. (credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+) A leak of data from Disney points to the Disney+ streaming service making about $2.4 billion in revenue in its fiscal quarter ending on March…
Enlarge / A “selfie” photo of China’s Zhurong rover and the Tianwen-1 landing platform on Mars in 2021. (credit: China National Space Administration) China plans to launch two heavy-lift Long March 5 rockets with elements of the Tianwen-3 Mars sample…
Voting really feels good to this werewolf. (credit: State of Michigan) You can’t just ask the Internet to vote on something and assume you’ll get a “normal” result. The town of Fort Wayne, Indiana, learned this the hard way in…
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | picture alliance ) Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, in his first public comments since being arrested by French authorities, said that Telegram is not an “anarchic paradise” but promised that the platform will enhance its moderation…
DNA analyses of human remains found at the site revealed that the majority of the male individuals buried there shared a paternal link.
The Sony A7 IV is a fantastic all-rounder that produces stunning stills and video, and we think it’s one of the best astrophotography cameras — now $2,098.
New simulations show that Jupiter’s massive moon Ganymede was knocked off its axis when it was struck by a roughly 90-mile-wide asteroid around 4 billion years ago. The colossal collision was likely one of the biggest asteroid impacts the solar…
