Science and Technolgy blog
Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers sounds like a very niche local meetup, one with hats and T-shirts that barely fit the name. But it’s really a “neutral space” for funding and support, corralling together some big names with a stake in…
The rise of beauty filters is transforming how people see themselves—often for the worse. A study published in Computers in Human Behavior has found that users of slimming filters experience heightened body dysmorphia and a greater desire to lose weight,…
The list of electric vehicles that qualify for the IRS clean vehicle tax credit has changed with the arrival of the new year. No longer linked to battery capacity, the credit of up to $7,500 is now tied to the…
Five years ago, a small company in Houston named Intuitive Machines had just 30 employees, a couple of 3D printers, and a few soldering irons. Oh, and it had some big dreams. The company’s founders wanted to open a business…
We’ll be exploring the Vortex Solo’s capabilities to determine its effectiveness for birding, outdoor activities and basic astronomy.
Tiny plastic particles, or nanoplastics, could significantly alter brain development and behavior, according to a new study on mice published in Neuroscience. Researchers found that these particles affect the dopamine system – a key player in motivation and mood –…
Worlds will align for a “planetary parade” in January, with four bright and easily visible to the naked eye. But an even better view arrives in February and March. Here’s what you need to know.
One of our favorite rugged outdoor fitness trackers is under $180 at Walmart right now.
Researchers think they have identified a biblical site known as Mahanaim, along with a residence that may have been used by the kings of Israel.
Stress can shape how we form and recall memories, often sharpening our recollection of emotional or threatening events. However, new research published in Cell has shown that acute stress can disrupt this specificity, causing generalized memories that blur the boundaries…
A sprawling 3,500-year-old fortress offers tantalizing clues about a culture that once dotted the southern Caucasus mountains with similar walled communities. Archaeologists recently used a drone to map a sprawling 3,500-year-old fortress in the Caucasus Mountains of southern Georgia. The…
In 1977, NASA loaded two spacecraft, each the size of a Honda Civic, into a rocket and sent them off on a five-year mission to explore our solar system’s outer planets. Named Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, these twin craft…
A new underground facility called DUNE, which will accelerate particles for 800 miles between Illinois and South Dakota, could reveal the hidden dimensions of the universe, new research suggests.
As Mars approaches opposition this month, it will become a dazzling spectacle in the night sky. See it at its best now, or wait until 2027.
Tularemia, or “rabbit fever,” is an infectious disease that normally affects animals but can spread to humans, sometimes via tick and deer fly bites.
New research published in the American Sociological Review has highlighted the significant economic and educational advantages for women who had access to abortion during adolescence. The study found that women who lived in areas with fewer abortion restrictions as teenagers,…
Lenovo will finally launch its first-of-its-kind concept rollable this year after first announcing a prototype in October 2022.
The people overseeing the security of Google’s Chrome browser explicitly forbid third-party extension developers from trying to manipulate how the browser extensions they submit are presented in the Chrome Web Store. The policy specifically calls out search-manipulating techniques such as…
Just when you thought you had seen every possible Doom mod, two game developers released a free browser game that reimagines the first level of 1993’s Doom as an art gallery, replacing demons with paintings and shotguns with wine glasses.…
It’s pretty easy to see the problem here: The Internet is brimming with misinformation, and most large language models are trained on a massive body of text obtained from the Internet. Ideally, having substantially higher volumes of accurate information might…
The Italian government is considering the purchase of satellite Internet services from SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, and the potential deal has triggered controversy along political, economic, and spaceflight lines in Europe. The story was initially broken by Bloomberg on Sunday, which…
In some parts of California, fire season is now year-round due to rising heat and little rain. High winds and dry conditions are fueling L.A.’s infernos.
A study using lab-made models of the brain suggests that a herpes virus may be a key link between concussions and dementia risk.
A study published in Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin revealed that thinking about reasons for one’s moral dilemma choices increases sensitivity to moral norms without affecting sensitivity to consequences or preferences for action versus inaction. Moral psychology has extensively debated…
There’s a good chance you’ve seen headlines about HMPV recently, with some touting “what you need to know” about the virus, aka human metapneumovirus. The answer is: not much. It’s a common, usually mild respiratory virus that circulates every year,…
A recent study published in Learning and Individual Differences has shed light on how motivation impacts science achievement and career aspirations among students aged 11 to 14. Researchers found that the most successful and ambitious students tended to have a…
This article is a summary of my personal experiences with using generative models while programming over the past year. It has not been a passive process. I have intentionally sought ways to use LLMs while programming to learn about them.…
AT&T, following last year’s embarrassing botched update that kicked every device off its wireless network and blocked over 92 million phone calls, is now promising full-day bill credits to mobile customers for future outages that last at least 60 minutes…
The grandfather paradox is just one of the thorny logical problems that arise with the concept of time travel. But one physicist says he has resolved them.
New research suggests that most of the atoms within the human body likely spent part of their lives drifting beyond the Milky Way on a cosmic “conveyor belt,” before eventually returning to our galaxy.
On Jan. 13, bright Mars will disappear behind the full moon for several hours. It’s the only lunar occultation of Mars visible from the U.S. this year. Here’s how to get the most out of it.
From unusual haptic tech to stunning displays, these are the best technologies we’ve seen so far at CES.
In a rare medical case, a woman in her 70s was hospitalized with heat stroke after stretching in a sauna for 45 minutes.
The Palisades and Eaton Fires have caused the most damage so far, spreading over 13,000 acres collectively.
For nearly four years, NASA’s Perseverance rover has journeyed across an unexplored patch of land on Mars—once home to an ancient river delta—and collected a slew of rock samples sealed inside cigar-sized titanium tubes. These tubes might contain tantalizing clues…
We crafted our first rodent car from a plastic cereal container. After trial and error, my colleagues and I found that rats could learn to drive forward by grasping a small wire that acted like a gas pedal. Before long,…
The European Commission (EC) is planning to “energetically” advance its probe into content moderation on X (formerly Twitter), potentially ordering changes at Elon Musk’s social network in the coming months, Bloomberg reported. Since 2023, the EC has been investigating X…
In just 20 minutes this morning, an automated license-plate-recognition (ALPR) system in Nashville, Tennessee, captured photographs and detailed information from nearly 1,000 vehicles as they passed by. Among them: eight black Jeep Wranglers, six Honda Accords, an ambulance, and a…
Nintendo still isn’t ready to officially reveal any details about the Switch 2 (beyond a brief mention of backward compatibility in November). But that hasn’t stopped gaming accessory maker Genki from giving us one of the best looks yet at…
Subatomic particles called muons could measure pressure changes in supercell thunderstorms and the twisters they kick up.
Comet ATLAS (C/2024) G3 is set to dazzle Southern Hemisphere skywatchers in mid-January. Here’s everything you need to know about the ‘New Year comet’.
Older adults who exhibit concern for guiding and contributing to future generations, a quality known as generativity, are more likely to enjoy psychological well-being and lead fulfilling lives, according to a recent study published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series…
Honda provided flights from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and accommodation so Ars could attend its CES events. Ars does not accept paid editorial content. LAS VEGAS—If you’ve always dreamed of a world where your vehicle is a “partner” around…
Nearly 200 new gecko species found in living in karst landscapes reveal the rugged regions as dynamic areas of speciation.
A new study in mice suggests that sleeping pills may impede the brain’s ability to “cleanse” itself during sleep.
Hemsworth, a colossal funnel-web spider recently donated to the Australian Reptile Park, could make significant contributions to the park’s life-saving venom-milking program, keepers say.
This high-quality and affordable entry-level monocular provides an opportunity to explore and experience night vision technology without breaking the bank.
An analysis of data from the Health and Retirement Study found that individuals adhering to the Mediterranean diet and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet experience slower cognitive decline. A dietary pattern combining these two diets, designed to…
A new tally finds dozens of species giving food a second go-round, from babies boosting their microbiomes to adults seeking easier-to-access nutrition.
Trichuris incognita is a newfound intestinal roundworm closely related to the whipworm parasite. However, it is significantly more resistant to treatment.
