Science and Technolgy blog
Enlarge / FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel testifies during a House hearing on March 31, 2022 in Washington, DC. (credit: Getty Images | Kevin Dietsch ) A US appeals court ruled that the Federal Communications Commission’s Universal Service Fund is unconstitutional,…
After nearly two months of postponement, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are still on board the ISS. But NASA and Boeing say they still plan to return the two aboard Starliner.
The Davis Strait, west of Greenland, holds a long-lost chunk of an almost-continent that didn’t quite form about 58 million years ago.
Enlarge (credit: Getty) Recent discussions on Reddit are no longer showing up in non-Google search engine results. The absence is the result of updates to Reddit’s Content Policy that ban crawling its site without agreeing to Reddit’s rules, which bar…
Enlarge / Chris Kemp is CEO of Astra. He has a colorful personality. (credit: Courtesy of HBO) Early on in the new documentary film Wild Wild Space, Astra rocket company chief executive Chris Kemp offers this bit of snide commentary…
Anxiety disorders are common in the United States, affecting about 15% of individuals each year. These disorders often occur alongside alcohol use disorders, creating a challenging combination that leads to poor treatment outcomes and high relapse rates. Chronic alcohol use…
Polaris is about five times as massive as the sun, new observations reveal. That’s around 50 percent heavier than what an earlier study found.
Eight years ago, the International Space Station detected weird antimatter particles that challenge our entire understanding of physics. Now, researchers have proposed that mysterious cosmic “fireballs” could help explain the detection.
The OM System OM-1 Mark II was only released in early 2024 and it’s already discounted by $300 in this camera deal — get it for $2,099.99 at Amazon.
Grave goods found in 63 burials from ancient Egypt include gold foil figures, pottery and bronze coins.
Over the last few decades, America has witnessed a substantial decline in religiosity. Although the United States remains relatively religious compared to other nations, it is markedly less religious today than it was thirty years ago. However, a recent study…
The hint of fog marks a new way to observe neutrinos, but points to the beginning of the end for this type of dark matter detection.
A new study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General reports that individuals with stronger theory of mind skills leave more positive first impressions. Building social connections is an important part of human survival, health, and happiness. While social…
Enlarge (credit: matusgajdos17 / 500px via Getty Images) For many people, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is the start of a great day. But caffeine can cause headaches and jitters in others. That’s why many people reach for a…
How brainy was Tyrannosaurus rex? It depends on who you ask. Last year, the iconic dinosaur received the glow up of a lifetime. Neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel calculated that the fearsome reptile had 3.3 billion neurons — nerve cells — in…
Scientists harness a compound normally used in cancer treatment to reclaim rare-earth elements from electronic waste.
A single specimen of an ancient tree species was found in 1895. Now scientists are using AI to find it a mate.
A recent study, based on data from the 2005–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), has found that women who rarely engage in sexual activity have a 70% higher risk of dying compared to those who have sex at…
A new study published in Science Advances has found a troubling link between recent abortion restrictions in the United States and elevated levels of mental distress, particularly among people of lower socioeconomic status. The study’s findings suggest that legislative changes,…
It’s important that we use accurate terminology when discussing how AI chatbots make up information
Enlarge / Artist’s illustration of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. (credit: NASA/MSFC) NASA launched the Chandra X-ray Observatory 25 years ago this week, opening a new eye on the Universe and giving astronomers vision into unimaginably violent cosmic environments like exploding…
Enlarge In June, Runway debuted a new text-to-video synthesis model called Gen-3 Alpha. It converts written descriptions called “prompts” into HD video clips without sound. We’ve since had a chance to use it and wanted to share our results. Our…
After a 150-year search, archaeologists found the moat near a parking lot in Jerusalem.
A new study in the Journal of Organizational Behavior reveals that humble leadership in the workplace boosts employees’ sense of respect and prominence, leading to increased leadership potential. Humble leadership behaviors, such as acknowledging personal limitations, appreciating employees’ strengths, and…
Enlarge / Image of Epsilon Indi A at two wavelengths, with the position of its host star indicated by an asterisk. (credit: T. Müller (MPIA/HdA), E. Matthews (MPIA)) We have a couple of techniques that allow us to infer the…
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) On July 22, the New Zealand women’s football (soccer) team was training in Saint-Étienne, France, for its upcoming Olympics matchup against Canada when team officials noticed a drone hovering near the practice pitch.…
Enlarge / On the left, a stock photo. On the right, an AI-enhanced image based on the stock photo. The AI-enhanced image was submitted to KnowBe4 by a job applicant. (credit: KnowBe4) KnowBe4, a US-based security vendor, revealed that it…
Enlarge (credit: Diamond Shruumz) Authorities have identified a second death that may have been caused by Diamond Shruumz microdosing candies, which are under investigation for causing a nationwide rash of severe illnesses involving seizures, and the need for intubation and…
Flu viruses that can use a second cellular entry point may move more effectively between animals and humans, scientists say.
Enlarge (credit: Bloomberg / Contributor | Bloomberg) Elon Musk’s fight against Media Matters for America (MMFA)—a watchdog organization that he largely blames for an ad boycott that tanked Twitter/X’s revenue—has raised an interesting question about whether any judge owning Tesla…
Enlarge (credit: AMD) AMD had planned to launch its first round of Ryzen 9000-series desktop processors by the end of July, but those plans have changed thanks to a very non-specific problem found with the first batch of processors that…
Some people have the biological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s – proteins called amyloid and tau that gum up the brain – but have no disease symptoms. Researchers suggest that this could be because some people build up a “cognitive reserve” –…
Enlarge / John Legere, then-CEO of T-Mobile, at an event on March 26, 2013, in New York City. (credit: Getty Images | John Moore ) Angry T-Mobile customers have filed a class action lawsuit over the carrier’s decision to raise…
Enlarge / CrowdStrike’s Falcon security software brought down as many as 8.5 million Windows PCs over the weekend. (credit: CrowdStrike) Security firm CrowdStrike has posted a preliminary post-incident report about the botched update to its Falcon security software that caused…
In a recent study published in the journal Psychopharmacology, researchers found that adolescents who exhibit conduct problems and who are more socially engaged with their peers are more likely to use cannabis in the future. Furthermore, using cannabis during adolescence…
Enlarge / Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a fireside discussion on artificial intelligence risks with Rishi Sunak, UK prime minister, in London, UK, on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. (credit: Getty Images) On Monday, Elon Musk announced…
Enlarge / I like the idea of clicking “Realistic,” “MMORPG,” and “Word” boxes, just to see what comes back. (credit: Google) Google Play is a lot of things—perhaps too many things for those who just want to install some apps.…
A palliative care researcher explains how death can help people appreciate life.
A study published in Archives of Sexual Behavior reports that most feminist heterosexual men do not feel a conflict between their feminist principles and sexual desires, endorsing that feminist values enhance their sexual relationships through open communication and mutual respect.…
Enlarge / The iPhone 15 lineup. (credit: Samuel Axon) After years of rumors and speculation, Apple is moving ahead to produce its first foldable iPhone, according to two anonymous sources who spoke with tech publication The Information. The sources say…
Scanning electron micrograph of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, which cause TB. (credit: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) “She’s cured!” Health officials in Washington state are celebrating the clean bill of health for one particularly notable resident: the woman who…
A faster way to figure out what bacteria is causing a potentially deadly bloodstream infection could let doctors treat it more quickly and efficiently.
Preliminary experiments suggest that a new test could diagnose bacterial infections that cause sepsis days faster than conventional approaches, with potentially lifesaving consequences.
Enlarge / If you live in San Francisco, you might start to see these Waymo Zeekrs driving around. (credit: Waymo) Google’s parent company, Alphabet, will invest another $5 billion over the next few years in its autonomous driving operation, Waymo.…
Enlarge / If you get hired for this position, you’ll be provided an assistant. It’s this guy. This guy is your assistant. His name is “Googly.” Google is a company in transformation—but “from what“ and “to what“ are not always…
A hydrothermal eruption Tuesday (July 23) morning surprised visitors walking among the colorful hot springs in Yellowstone National Park’s Biscuit Basin, near the famous Old Faithful geyser.
A new study by researchers at Columbia University sheds light on how our experiences and emotions might influence brain health. The study provides evidence that mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside our brain cells, could be the key players in this…
Enlarge / The cityscape from the tower of the Lviv Town Hall in winter. (credit: Anastasiia Smolienko / Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images) As Russia has tested every form of attack on Ukraine’s civilians over the past decade, both digital…
High-powered titanium:sapphire lasers have been shrunk down with scientists planning to pack hundreds onto a four-inch wafer.
A recent study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution has uncovered that wild African elephants communicate with individually specific calls, akin to human names. This groundbreaking discovery suggests that elephants use unique sound patterns to refer to each other, without…
