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GENERAL INTEREST
How Does a Hula Hoop Master Gravity? Mathematicians Prove That Body Shape Matters
Phys.org, January 02, 2025
Hula hooping is so commonplace that we may overlook some interesting questions it raises: "What keeps a hula hoop up against gravity?" and "Are some body types better for hula hooping than others?"
Scientist’s ‘Ruthlessly Imaginative’ 1925 Predictions for the Future Come True – Mostly
The Guardian, December 29, 2024
When the scientist and inventor Prof Archibald Montgomery Low predicted “a day in the life of a man of the future” one century ago, his prophecies were sometimes dismissed as “ruthlessly imaginative”. They included...“such horrors” as being woken by radio alarm clock; communications “by personal radio set”; breakfasting “with loudspeaker news and television glimpses of events”; shopping by moving stairways and moving pavements.
How AI Is Unlocking Ancient Texts — And Could Rewrite History
Nature, December 30, 2024
From deciphering burnt Roman scrolls to reading crumbling cuneiform tablets, neural networks could give researchers more data than they’ve had in centuries.
New Species of Archaic Human Proposed: Homo juluensis
Sci-News, December 06, 2024
Homo juluensis — a newly-erected human species that includes enigmatic Denisovans and several hominin fossils from Tibet, Taiwan and Laos — lived in eastern Asia from around 300,000 years ago to 50,000 years ago.
How Did the Victorian Dead Body Trade Operate?
The Collector, January 06, 2025
The Victorian era was shaped by its pursuit of science and innovation, but there was a darker side to this advancement with a booming dead body trade underpinning the progress made in medicine and anatomy.
COSMOS
Do We Live in a Special Part of the Universe?
Scientific American, January 01, 2025
According to a tenet scientists call the cosmological principle, our place in space is in no way exceptional. But recent observations could overturn this long-held assumption.
When Everything in the Universe Changed
Knowable, December 19, 2024
The revolutionary James Webb Space Telescope and next-gen radio telescopes are probing what’s known as the epoch of reionization. It holds clues to the first stars and galaxies, and perhaps the nature of dark matter.
James Webb Telescope's New Discoveries Seemingly Contradict Long-Held Beliefs About Galaxy Formation
The Science Times, January 03, 2025
According to Mirage News, the MOND theory, introduced in 1998, suggests that gravity behaves differently than what scientists have traditionally believed. According to this theory, galaxy formation occurred much faster than expected, and there is no need for dark matter to explain how galaxies came together.
Einstein’s Vision Comes Alive in Stunning Hubble Capture
Sci-Tech Daily, January 06, 2025
Explore the depths of space through Hubble’s latest snapshot from Hydra, revealing distant galaxies and the mesmerizing Einstein ring—a result of gravitational lensing that provides a glimpse into the universe’s formative years.
How Pluto Captured Its Largest Moon Charon with a 10-Hour icy 'Kiss'
Space, January 07, 2025
"We were definitely surprised by the 'kiss' part of kiss-and-capture. There hasn't really been a kind of impact before where the two bodies only temporarily merge before re-separating!"
INNOVATION
AI Could Crack Unsolvable Problems — And Humans Won't Be Able to Understand the Results
Live Science, January 05, 2025
AI promises to accelerate scientific discovery, but if scientists aren't careful public trust may be left behind.
Civil Eats: Best Community Food Solutions Stories of 2024
Civil Eats, December 27, 2024
This year, we again focused our reporting on remarkable people building power in their communities through food.
Humans Will Soon Be Able to Mine on the Moon. But Should We? 4 Questions to Consider
The Conversation, December 30, 2024
Now is the time to create the rules and regulations that will protect humanity’s shared future in space and ensure the Moon remains a symbol and inspiration for generations to come.
From Brain Maps to Living Bridges: The Innovations Set to Reshape Life in 2025
Horizon E.U, December 30, 2024
From solar energy beamed from space to genetic brain maps and live self-repairing bridges, research in 2025 is promising. And we may see more changes that make cities greener and cleaner.
Chicago Keeps Its New Year’s Resolution: All City Buildings Now Use 100% Clean Power
Grist, January 02, 2025
To achieve its climate goals, the city helped finance the largest solar farm east of the Mississippi.
HEALTH
How Exercise May Be the ‘Most Potent Medical Intervention Ever Known’
PBS News, January 01, 2025 (audio + transcript)
It's been well known for many decades that exercise provides many benefits to our health. But a new scientific consortium is revealing new insights into just how profound exercise can be for the human body.
Myths and Tips About Dressing for Winter
Johns Hopkins Health
Do you know enough about the cold to keep warm? Poor planning of a winter outing can lead to frostbite and hypothermia. The following are some misconceptions about the cold and suggestions for staying toasty this winter.
Vitamin Deficiency May Be Why You’re So Tired – A Nutritional Neuroscientist Explains How to Kickstart Your Energy by Getting Essential Nutrients in a Well-Rounded Diet, Along With More Sleep and Exercise
The Conversation, January 07, 2025
Feeling drained and lethargic is common: A 2022 national survey found that 13.5% of U.S. adults said they felt “very tired” or “exhausted” most days or every day over a three-month period.
Your Day-by-Day Guide to the Common Cold
EveryDay Health, August 27, 2023
The common cold is marked by waves of symptoms as it runs its course. Here’s what to expect during each stage of a cold.
Landmark Study Affirms Fluoride’s Link to Lowered IQ, Adds to Debate
The New Lede, January 06, 2025
The study, the largest meta-analysis of its kind, found that those exposed to high levels of fluoride have measurably lower IQs, equivalent to a difference of nearly 7 IQ points, compared to those in the low fluoride groups. This conclusion came from 59 studies. Most, but not all, of these examined people who live in areas with naturally-occurring levels of fluoride higher than that used in fluoridation.
NATURE
Why Are Bed Bugs Virtually Unkillable? It Might Be Genes
Cosmos, January 05, 2025
Bed bugs are notoriously difficult to remove once they’ve moved in – and they’re getting more difficult, thanks to their evolving resistance to insecticides.
The Unique Neural Wiring of the Human Hippocampus May Maximize Memory
Science News, January 06, 2025
The memory center contains sparse but robust nerve cell connections.
Bats Catch a Lift from Storm Winds on Long-Distance Migrations
NPR, January 04, 2025
Historically, bat migration has been a bit of a black box. While scientists have learned lots
Antarctic Ice Melt May Fuel Eruptions of Hidden Volcanoes
EOS, January 03, 2025
More than 100 volcanoes lurk beneath the surface in Antarctica. Ice sheet melt could set them off.
Scientists Re-Create the Microbial Dance That Sparked Complex Life
Quanta, January 02, 2025
Evolution was fueled by endo-symbiosis, cellular alliances in which one microbe makes a permanent home inside another. For the first time, biologists made it happen in the lab.
ENVIRONMENT
Biden Blocks Some New Offshore Drilling Ahead of Trump Takeover
The Hill, January 06, 2025
“Drilling off these coasts could cause irreversible damage to places we hold dear and is unnecessary to meet our nation’s energy needs. It is not worth the risks,” Biden said in a statement.
Are PFAS in Everything? What You Need to Know About ‘Forever Chemicals’
The Guardian, January 03, 2025
PFAS, sometimes called “forever chemicals”, are a group of thousands of chemicals that are used for their non-stick and water-resistant properties. They are used in everyday items like non-stick frying pans, waterproof mascaras, stain-resistant clothing and the packaging for takeaway food items.
Big Agriculture Is Leading Us Into the Bird Flu Abyss
Truthout, January 06, 2025
The federal government’s deference to agriculture industry interests has put the US at risk of a public health crisis.
Danger on the Reef When the Party Lights Switch On
Cosmos, January 04, 2025
Artificial light is altering the behaviour of coral reef communities by waking up sleeping fish and attracting predators.
The American Oil Industry’s Playbook, Illustrated: How Drillers Offload Costly Cleanup Onto the Public
ProPublica, December 30, 2024
In December 1990, officials in the federal agency tasked with regulating offshore oil and gas drilling received a memo with a dire warning: America faced a ticking time bomb of environmental liability from unplugged oil and gas wells, wrote the agency’s chief of staff.
CLIMATE
The Fossil Fuel Industry Spent $219 Million to Elect the New U.S. Government
Yale Climate Connections, January 03, 2025
The oil and gas industry gave about $24 million in campaign contributions to the members of the U.S. House and Senate expected to be sworn in January 3, 2025, according to a Yale Climate Connections review of campaign donations. The industry gave an additional $2 million to President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign, bringing the total spending on the winning candidates to over $26 million, 88% of which went to Republicans.
Rising Temperatures Are ‘Wreaking Havoc’ on the Global Water Cycle
Earth, January 06, 2025
A new report has revealed that 2024 was yet another year of record-breaking temperatures, which are driving the global water cycle to unprecedented climate extremes and are contributing to massive floods and crippling droughts.
Why the Argument That LNG Is Essential to the Energy Transition Is ‘Nonsense’
Inside Climate News, January 04, 2025
The carbon footprint of Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) exports is 33 percent higher than for coal. And the U.S won’t be able to force its supply on Europe, anyway.
The Worst News from 2024: CO2 Went Up Again, As Tundra Starts to Emit Carbon
Informed Comment, January 04, 2025
The World Meteorological Organization projected total global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2024 to be 41.6 billion tons. Some 37.4 billion of that was from humans burning petroleum, fossil gas, and coal. The rest was from deforestation. 2024 was the hottest year on record, and likely the hottest in 125,000 years.
World’s Climate Fight Needs Fundamental Reform, UN Expert Says: ‘Some States Are Not Acting in Good Faith’
The Guardian, January 07, 2025
The international effort to avert climate catastrophe has become mired by misinformation and bad faith actors, and must be fundamentally reformed, according to a leading UN climate expert.
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