A Camera-Wearing Baby Taught an AI to Learn Words
Most machine-learning models rely on mountains of data to replicate human text, but new research suggests the recipe for learning language might be simpler
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-camera-wearing-baby-taught-an-ai-to-learn-words/
Wetlands Made Salty by Rising Seas Produce More Heat-Trapping Methane
Wetlands with a small amount of salinity can produce more methane gas than those filled with freshwater or lots of seawater, new research suggests
Science Is Using Mechanical Moss to Fight Climate Change on the Canary Islands
On the Spanish archipelago of the Canary Islands, a group of researchers is racing to fight drought as the climate changes rapidly around them. Their defense is a new approach to a very, very old technology from nature.
What Are Atmospheric Rivers, and How Are They Changing?
Though atmospheric river storms are dreaded for the damage they can cause, they are also essential to the western U.S.’s water supply, particularly in California
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-are-atmospheric-rivers-and-how-are-they-changing/
February 2024: Science History from 50, 100 and 150 Years Ago
Curious dinosaur eggs discovered; element 72 named
Stopping the Latest Outbreak Threat: Chronic Wasting Disease
A spillover of the neurological disease to humans from deer, elk, and other animals could be devastating
People Have Very Different Understandings of Even the Simplest Words
Distinctive meanings for a word like “risk” can have a big impact on public messaging, especially when it comes to issues like climate change
AI's Climate Impacts May Hit Marginalized People Hardest
A Brookings Institution report warns that energy-hungry artificial intelligence tech will worsen the climate crisis
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ais-climate-impacts-may-hit-marginalized-people-hardest/
Growth Hormone Injections May Have 'Seeded' Alzheimer's in Some People, Study Suggests
Injections of no-longer-used growth hormone derived from cadavers may have “seeded” Alzheimer’s in some people, small study suggests
Alien World Denser Than Steel Confounds Our Understanding of Planet Formation
A newly spotted world is just perplexingly dense
Will Quantum Computers Upend Cryptography as We Know It?
Experts are starting to plan for the moment when a quantum computer large enough to crack the backbone of the math that keeps things secret will be turned on.
Elon Musk's Neuralink has Implanted its First Chip in a Human Brain. What's Next?
The wealthiest person on Earth has taken the next step toward a commercial brain interface
Why New Liquified Natural Gas Infrastructure Is on Hold
A Biden administration review of natural gas exports could show the U.S. was relying on outdated assumptions about gas’s impact on renewable energy and carbon pollution
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-new-liquified-natural-gas-infrastructure-is-on-hold/
For 60+ years, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines have evaded scientists. But now that's changed [Sponsored]
This year, healthcare providers have tools to help prevent lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV for older adults.
This podcast was funded by GSK and produced for GSK by Scientific American Custom Media, a division separate from the magazine’s board of editors.
Japan's SLIM Mission Is Revived on the Moon
After a nine-day shutdown, the upside-down lunar lander received enough sunlight to power up again
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/japans-slim-mission-is-revived-on-the-moon/
Why Insects Are Attracted to Light at Night
Contrary to popular lore, insects do not confuse artificial light for the moon
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-insects-are-attracted-to-light-at-night/
Poem: 'Midlife Calculus'
Science in meter and verse
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/poem-midlife-calculus/
Shrinking Family Sizes May Change Our Experience with Aging
Throughout the world, the number of relatives that people have may dramatically shrink by 2095, which could change care for children and aging people
Disinformation Is the Real Threat to Democracy and Public Health
Disinformation abounds, and it can kill. Fortunately, it can often be unambiguously identified
These Numbers Look Random but Aren't, Mathematicians Prove
A new mathematical proof helps show whether a sequence of numbers is “pseudorandom”
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/these-numbers-look-random-but-arent-mathematicians-prove/