World’s Largest Known Genome Discovered in Small, Unassuming Fern
A small South Pacific fern boasts more than 50 times as many base pairs as the human genome
Fauci Faces Congressional Committee over COVID E-mails
Anthony Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases early in the COVID pandemic, is facing a congressional committee about questionable e-mails from agency officials
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fauci-faces-congressional-committee-over-covid-e-mails/
How Tobacco Companies Use Chemistry To Get Around Menthol Bans
Regulating chemicals one-by-one has allowed the tobacco industry to skirt menthol bans by creating new additives with similar effects but unclear safety profiles
Auroras Are on the Horizon, and Bird Flu Is on the Menu
Vaccine misinformation on social media, smartphone addiction in teens and more are discussed in this week’s news roundup.
Wildfires Threaten Nearly One Third of U.S Residents and Buildings
A new approach to calculating wildfire risk shows that more people and places in the U.S. are in harm’s way than previously thought
Warfare’s Climate Emissions Are Huge but Uncounted
Nations aren't required to report their military climate pollution under the Paris Agreement. Experts say that should change
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/warfares-climate-emissions-are-huge-but-uncounted/
Scarlett Johansson’s OpenAI Dispute Raises Questions about 'Persona' Rights
Emerging AI services present scenarios that could challenge the laws over rights to a persona
How Many Holes Does the Universe Have?
The shape of the cosmos could be much more complex than anyone had ever imagined
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-many-holes-does-the-universe-have/
How Your Itch Can Make Others Scratch
Just watching someone scratch themselves on social media switches on the brain network that initiates the physical sensation of itch
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-your-itch-can-make-others-scratch/
During May’s Solar Superstorm, the Little-Known Science of Heliophysics Kept Us Safe
NASA’s head of heliophysics explains how we weathered the worst solar storm of a generation—and discusses the challenges we face in preparing for the next one
Avocado Farms Aren’t Sustainable Now, but They Could Be
Avocados are marketed as a superfood, but growing them for an expanding world market has turned a rural Mexican state into an unsustainable monoculture
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/avocado-farms-arent-sustainable-now-but-they-could-be/
The 5 Hurricane Categories Don’t Fully Capture a Storm’s Complex Dangers
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be disastrous. Experts warn that a storm’s Saffir-Simpson category misses many storm dangers
Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday Glacier’ Is Melting Even Faster Than Scientists Thought
Warming waters are reaching several miles into Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier—nicknamed the “doomsday glacier” because of its potential impact on sea-level rise
Depression, Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder Are Linked with Ancient Viral DNA in Our Genome
Retroviruses, some of which predate the human species, are tied to a genetic susceptibility to major psychiatric disorders
Ozempic Cuts Risk of Kidney Disease Death in People with Diabetes
Semaglutide, the same compound in obesity drug Wegovy, slashes risk of kidney failure and death for people with type 2 diabetes
Extreme Heat Exacerbates Brain Conditions from Alzheimer's to Migraines to Strokes
Extreme heat caused by climate change can exacerbate a variety of neurological ailments, from Alzheimer’s disease to migraines to epilepsy, new research shows
Lunar Dust Could ‘Sandblast’ Astronauts on the Moon, Studies Warn
A new theory tested on Apollo-era data suggests that high-speed moon dust could pose engineering hazards—and diplomatic headaches
The First Big Black Holes May Have Formed without Stars
Astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan predicted that black holes can form without the help of stars. New observations support her theory
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-first-big-black-holes-may-have-formed-without-stars/
Optical Illusions Can Fool AI Chatbots, Too
Experiments with optical illusions have revealed surprising similarities between human and AI perception
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/optical-illusions-can-fool-ai-chatbots-too/
At Least Two Countries Have Lost All Their Glaciers
Two countries—Slovenia and Venezuela—have lost all of their glaciers. It is a grim benchmark showing the progression of climate change
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/at-least-two-countries-have-lost-all-their-glaciers/