We Need Gun Safety Ahead of Elections in the U.S.
U.S. elected officials must protect public health and the foundations of our democracy by limiting the intrusion of guns into politics
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/we-need-gun-safety-ahead-of-elections-in-the-u-s/
To Design Cities Right, We Need to Focus on People
Far too often, city planning is approached as an engineering problem, instead of connecting people with the land
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/to-design-cities-right-we-need-to-focus-on-people/
This Genetically Engineered Petunia Glows in the Dark and Could Be Yours for $29
The engineered “firefly petunia” emits a continuous green glow thanks to genes from a light-up mushroom
AI Reveals Hotspots of Climate Denial
Echo chambers of climate denial on social media are strongest in the U.S. Midwest and South and in states that depend heavily on fossil fuels
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/ai-reveals-hotspots-of-climate-denial/
What a Climatologist's Defamation Case Victory Means for Scientists
A jury awarded Mann more than $1 million—raising hopes for scientists who are attacked politically because of their work
How El Niño Will Influence 2024 Weather
The strong El Niño pattern that made 2023 particularly hot is finally starting to weaken, which scientists expect will conclude by late spring. What does that mean for weather this year?
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-el-nino-will-influence-2024-weather/
Space Lasers Will Seek a New Kind of Gravitational Waves
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will open a new era in astronomy that brings scientists to the brink of studying gravitational waves from the beginning of time
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/space-lasers-will-seek-a-new-kind-of-gravitational-waves/
Semen Has Its Own Microbiome--And It Might Influence Fertility
Recent research found a species of bacteria living in semen that’s associated with infertility and has links to the vaginal microbiome
Sucking Carbon from the Air Becomes A Lead Strategy
The U.S. Department of Energy will award up to $100 million for projects that remove CO2 from the atmosphere
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sucking-carbon-from-the-air-becomes-a-lead-strategy/
FDA Plan to Ban Hair Relaxer Chemical is Long Overdue, but Many Dangerous Ingredients Remain
The Food and Drug Administration is scheduled to release a proposal to ban formaldehyde in hair-straightening products a decade after it was classified as a carcinogen
New Cancer Vaccines Could Treat Some Types of Pancreatic, Colorectal and Other Deadly Forms of the Disease
Vaccines that target tumors with specific genetic mutations in pancreatic and other cancers have shown promise in early-stage trials
How AI Bots Could Sabotage 2024 Elections around the World
AI-generated disinformation will target voters on a near-daily basis in more than 50 countries, according to a new analysis
Fighting, Fleeing and Living on Iceland's Erupting Volcano
Residents of Grindavík hope hastily constructed walls of old volcanic rock will divert hot lava streaming from fissures in the ground beneath them
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fighting-fleeing-and-living-on-icelands-erupting-volcano/
Mandating 'Conversion Therapy' Is Mandating Abuse
Despite some lawmakers’ claims, “cure-based recovery” for gay and transgender people comprises one of psychiatry’s longest and darkest chapters. We shouldn’t inflict it on today’s kids
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mandating-conversion-therapy-is-mandating-abuse/
Jeopardy! Winner Reveals Entwined Memory Systems Make a Trivia Champion
A former Jeopardy! winner led a new study that probes how linked memory systems may give trivia buffs an edge in their game
You Can't Fix Burnout With Self-Care
Individual interventions for burnout don’t work. Researchers explain why.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/you-cant-fix-burnout-with-self-care/
Antarctica's Penguins Could Be Devastated by Avian Influenza
Scientists are watching closely to see whether avian influenza will reach Antarctica before this year’s penguin chicks disperse for the season
Cybercrime Security Gap Leaves People Who Aren't Proficient in English Poorly Protected
Our research finds that language is often a barrier for people dealing with cybercrime issues and that it’s important to close this security gap
CDC's Labs Are Making a Comeback. Now They Need Support
The pandemic early exposed weaknesses in CDC’s laboratories. Organizational and culture changes there are good first steps, but more must be done
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cdcs-labs-are-making-a-comeback-now-they-need-support/
Here's Why Infants Are Strangely Resistant to COVID
Very young children’s developing immune systems respond to the COVID-causing virus SARS-CoV-2 very differently than do those of adults
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heres-why-infants-are-strangely-resistant-to-covid/