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GENERAL INTEREST
Graham Crackers Were Invented to Combat the Evils of Coffee, Alcohol, and Masturbation
Mental Floss, September 09, 2024
Long before they were used to make smores or the tasty crust of a Key lime pie, graham crackers served a more puritanical purpose in 19th-century America.
Do We Need a New Theory of Gravity?
Quanta, August 29, 2024 (podcast & transcript)
Since Newton had his initial revelation about gravity, our understanding of this fundamental concept has evolved in unexpected ways.
Politicians Step Up Attacks on the Teaching of Scientific Theories in US Schools
The Conversation, August 21, 2024
Scientific theory has had a rough time in America’s public schools...Legislatures across the country are proposing or passing laws that purport to encourage scientific discussion, but instead encourage students to treat established, scientific theories as equivalent to ideas that lack scientific study.
Want to Fight Misinformation? Teach People How Algorithms Work
Nieman Lab, September 04, 2024
At the heart of this issue lies social media algorithms — those mysterious computational formulas that determine what content appears on our feeds. These algorithms are designed to show users content that they are most likely to engage with, often leading to the proliferation of misinformation that aligns with our biases and beliefs.
In the U.S. Response to Avian Influenza, Echoes of Covid-19
Undark, September 02, 2024
Government agencies are struggling to monitor and respond to bird flu, mirroring the early months of the Covid pandemic.
COSMOS
The Polaris Dawn Spacewalk Is SpaceX’ 'Risky Adventure’
PBS, September 10, 2024
This mission will use several components that have never been tested in space before, including the spacesuits themselves. And it will require skill and cool-headed thinking from the astronauts involved, three of whom have never been to space at all.
10 Insights about the Expanding Universe from a Nobel Laureate
Big Think, September 10, 2924
In the expanding Universe, different ways of measuring its rate give incompatible answers. Nobel Laureate Adam Riess explains what it means.
A Review of Humanity’s Planned Expansion Between the Earth and the Moon
Universe Today, September 04, 2024
Between Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and the Moon, there is a region of space measuring 384,400 km (238,855 mi) wide known as Cislunar space. In the coming decades, multiple space agencies will send missions to this region to support the development of infrastructure that will lead to a permanent human presence on the Moon.
How Can a Black Hole Pull Light into Itself if a Photon Is Massless?
Astronomy, September 09, 2024
Photons aren’t pulled into black holes so much as they travel through regions of space-time so curved that the photon falls into the gravitational well of the black hole.
Explain It in 60 Seconds: W Boson
Symmetry, September 09, 2024
Visible matter is made from only a handful of particles, but many more are behind the scenes, affecting what those matter particles do. The W boson, predicted in the 1960s and discovered at CERN in 1983, is one of these cosmic masterminds. And without it, the entire universe would be in the dark.
INNOVATION
US Veteran Makes 'Incredible' Progress After World's First Eye Transplant
BBC, September 09, 2024
His donor eye has so far maintained normal pressure and blood flow and retained its size, unlike donor eyes in animals that often shrink after transplants....Mr James has not regained sight in that eye, but researchers are hopeful he might eventually be able to see out of it again.
Smart Cars That ‘Talk’ to Each Other Could Avoid Fatal Crashes
Earth, September 09, 2024
The smart car system would share real-time information about congestion, accidents, hazards, and weather conditions. Drivers could instantly receive updates, suggesting alternate routes without the need for human input to manually update road signs or smartphone navigation apps.
‘Nuclear Clock’ Breakthrough Paves the Way for Super-Precise Timekeeping
Nature, September 04, 2024
Physicists are one step closer to developing a clock based on energy shifts in atomic nuclei.
Bigger and Less Expensive: A Snapshot of U.S. Rooftop Solar Power and How It’s Changed
Inside Climate Change, September 05, 2024
Your roof isn’t getting any bigger, but the amount of electricity that can be produced by solar panels up there has grown by a lot compared to a generation ago.
Scientists Make Living Mice Skin Transparent with Simple Food Dye
Scientific American, September 05, 2024
New research harnessed the highly absorbent dye tartrazine, used as the common food coloring Yellow No. 5, to turn tissues in living mice clear—temporarily revealing organs and vessels inside the animals
HEALTH
Using Food as Medicine: The Gaples Institute Fights Against Obesity, Food Insecurity and Fad Diets
Food Tank, August, 2024
Obesity has increased threefold globally since 1975, along with the problems of food insecurity, diet-related illnesses, fad diets, and the market for weight loss supplements.
A 5-Minute Abs Workout You Can Do From the Comfort of Your Own Bed—Without Breaking a Sweat
Well & Good, September 04, 2024
The past year has seen the rise of cozy cardio and other stay-comfy-inside workouts. One you may not have considered: an abs workout in bed. It may sound indulgent, but just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it won’t give you a great workout.
Tired, Achy Eyes?
News in Health, September, 2024
Are your eyes tired, dry, or achy? Many factors can contribute to these types of symptoms. But a big culprit can be intense use of your eyes.
11 High Cholesterol Foods: Which to Eat, Which to Avoid, and More
Healthline, September 03, 2024
Certain high cholesterol foods, including eggs and full-fat yogurt, can benefit your overall health. But others, such as processed meats, may raise your risk for heart disease and other serious health conditions.
What Is a Whole Grain?
Eat Right, June 13, 2023
Whole grains contain three parts: the bran, the germ and the endosperm (refined grains only contain the endosperm). Including whole grains as part of a healthy diet can help reduce the risk for heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.
NATURE
Domesticating Horses Had a Huge Impact on Human Society − New Science Rewrites Where and When It First Happened
The Conversation, September 03, 2024
Across human history, no single animal has had a deeper impact on human societies than the horse. But when and how people domesticated horses has been an ongoing scientific mystery.
Doldrums Debunked: What Really Causes Still Water?
Cosmos, September 11, 2024
The windless equatorial region of the ocean, known as “the doldrums”, became so famous for stranding boats in the Age of Sail that the word has become part of our vernacular. And according to a German scientist, the current explanation for why the doldrums exist doesn’t make sense.
Brain Scientists Finally Discover the Glue that Makes Memories Stick for a Lifetime
Scientific American, August 28,, 2024
A long-running research endeavor reveals key chemical players that cement memories in place—and still more have yet to be discovered
Why Do Apes Make Gestures?
New York Times, September 06, 2024
Chimps and other apes have been observed making more than 80 meaningful gestures. Three theories have tried to explain why.
Shale
Geology
Some shales have special properties that make them important resources. Black shales contain organic material that sometimes breaks down to form natural gas or oil. Other shales can be crushed and mixed with water to produce clays.
ENVIRONMENT
One of the Most Potent Greenhouse Gases Is Rising Faster Than Ever
Washington Post, September 10, 2024
Human-caused methane emissions grew as much as 20 percent between 2000 and 2020 and now account for at least a third of total annual releases. The largest growth came from expanding landfills, booming livestock production, increased coal mining and surging consumption of natural gas
For the First Time, Part of the Ocean Has Been Granted Legal Personhood
Hakai, September 06, 2024
By affording rights to its iconic waves, a Brazilian city is paving a new path to marine protection.
Sewers — And the Solutions Are Even Messier
Grist, August 21, 2024
As heavy rains overwhelm aging pipes, Boston and NYC are choosing very different paths forward.
Most US Voters Say Plastics Industry Should Be Held Responsible for Recycling Claims
The Guardian, September 09, 2024
Research published earlier this year found that plastic producers have known for decades that plastic recycling is too cumbersome and expensive to ever become a feasible waste management solution, but promoted it to the public anyway.
A Pennsylvania Fracking Company with More Than 2,000 Environmental Violations Was Selected for Federal Environmental Justice Funding
Environmental Health News, September 10, 2024
CNX Resources is slated to receive Justice40 dollars for self-monitoring. Health and justice advocates are outraged.
CLIMATE
University Funding from Fossil Fuels Slowing Switch to Green Energy
The Guardian, September 05, 2024
The authors identified hundreds of instances in the US, UK, Canada and Australia where oil and gas interests had poured funding into climate and energy research while sitting on advisory or governing boards, endowing academic posts, sponsoring scholarships, advising curricula or otherwise influencing universities...The analysis found that oil companies have long influenced universities to focus on climate efforts that would enshrine a future for fossil fuels.
The Deteriorating Environment Is a Public Concern, But Americans Misunderstand Their Contribution to the Problem
Inside Climate News, September 05, 2024
A global survey suggests 88 percent of people are worried about the state of nature, but such polling says nothing about where those issues sit among competing concerns, like immigration and the economy.
General Motors to Pay Nearly $146 Million for Excess Car Emissions
Washington Post, July 24, 2024
The automaker will also retire millions of credits that it has received for complying with federal emissions rules, the Biden administration announced Wednesday.
Did Lawmakers Know Role of Fossil Fuels in Climate Change During Clean Air Act Era?
Harvard Gazette, September 05, 2024
New study suggests they did, offering insight into key issue in landmark 2022 Supreme Court ruling on EPA.
Under both Trump and Biden-Harris, US Oil and Gas Production Surged to Record Highs, Despite Very Different Energy Goals
The Conversation, September 09, 2024
Under each of the three most recent presidencies, Republican and Democratic alike, U.S. oil and gas production was higher at the end of the administration’s term than at the beginning.
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