Summertime Depression Could Be a Type of Seasonal Affective Disorder
Heat and mood are closely linked, which may explain summertime depression—and how to treat it
A Combination COVID and Flu Vaccine Is Coming Soon
The first large trial of a COVID and flu vaccine combo suggests it boosts immune protection even more than single-target shots
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-combination-covid-and-flu-vaccine-is-coming-soon/
Heat Waves Need FEMA’s Help
Heat waves are costly and kill more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes and floods combined, but because FEMA doesn’t count them as disasters, communities miss out on important resources
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/heat-waves-need-femas-help/
Pasteurization Kills Bird Flu Virus in Milk, New Studies Confirm
Flash pasteurization destroyed H5N1 viral particles that were highly concentrated in raw milk, confirming that standard techniques can keep dairy products safe from bird flu
Vaccines Are the Safest Health Hack
Vaccines are a cornerstone of a healthy immune system—and a healthy life
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/vaccines-are-the-safest-health-hack/
A Retracted Stem Cell Study Reveals Science’s Shortcomings
The withdrawal after 22 years of a controversial stem cell paper highlights how perverse incentives can distort scientific progress
Why Hurricane Beryl Underwent Unprecedented Rapid Intensification
Hurricane Beryl exploded in strength from a tropical depression to a Category 4 major hurricane unusually early in its development in part because of exceptionally warm ocean waters
How the Supreme Court’s ‘Chevron Deference’ Ruling Could Remake the Energy Sector
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling on “Chevron deference” could affect federal regulations of everything from power plant emissions to electric vehicles to transmission lines
The Riemann Hypothesis, the Biggest Problem in Mathematics, Is a Step Closer to Being Solved
Number theorists have been trying to prove a conjecture about the distribution of prime numbers for more than 160 years
More Climate Lawsuits Than Ever Are Trying to Hold Companies and Countries to Account
At least 230 new climate cases were filed in 2023, but researchers noted the growth of such cases was slower than in prior years
Are Pets Really Good for Health?
It turns out there’s little good evidence that pets benefit our physical or mental health
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-pets-really-good-for-health/
Fact-Checking the Presidential Candidates on Abortion, Drug Pricing and Immigration
This year’s first presidential debate between President Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump featured clashes over insulin costs, inflation, abortion, immigration, and January 6
Societies with Little Money Are among the Happiest on Earth
Wealth and well-being go together in many studies, but certain communities complicate this link
Life Experiences May Shape the Activity of the Brain’s Cellular Powerhouses
Mitochondria appear to ratchet up their activity when life is going well and tamp it down during hard times
Family Files Claim against NASA after Space Junk Crashes into Florida Home
Florida family files claim against NASA to compensate them after space debris crashed through their home in March
SpaceX Wins $843-Million NASA Contract to Destroy the International Space Station
The world will be watching—literally—as SpaceX tackles possibly what might be its highest-stakes endeavor to date: safely destroying the beloved International Space Station
Supreme Court Allows Emergency Abortions in Idaho—For Now
A Supreme Court decision allows emergency abortion care despite a state ban in Idaho while the case works its way through lower courts
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/supreme-court-blocks-idahos-total-abortion-ban-for-now/
JWST’s ‘Little Red Dots’ Offer Astronomers the Universe’s Weirdest Puzzle
The James Webb Space Telescope’s search for the earliest stars and black holes has yielded a very weird, very red, puzzle
The Pentagon’s Antivaccine Propaganda Endangered Public Health and Tarnished U.S. Credibility
Amid the pandemic, the Pentagon ran a conspiracy campaign to discredit vaccines–just so it could score points against China. The revelation is a worst-case scenario for global public health
Boeing’s Starliner Leaves Astronauts Stuck but Safe in Space
On its first crewed flight, troubling technical glitches with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft have left two astronauts in limbo onboard the International Space Station