Unknowns Swirl Around How Plastic Particles Impact the Climate
Recent studies reveal that tiny pieces of plastic are constantly lofted into the atmosphere in larger amounts than scientists originally thought. These particles travel thousands of miles and can seed...
View ArticleHow Does ChatGPT — and Its Maker — Handle Vaccine Conspiracies?
After years of evolution and training, much of it done amid the pandemic, what does ChatGPT think about vaccines? And is it still prone to QAnon-ish conspiracy theories? And if not, how is its universe...
View ArticleTech Companies Are Getting Into Neuroscience. Should We Worry?
Neurotechnology devices being developed by companies like Meta and Snap could one day allow people to control computers with their minds. But the tech firms might also be tempted to monetize the troves...
View ArticleBook Review: How Light Pollution Is Upending the Natural World
Johan Eklöf’s “The Darkness Manifesto” explores the litany of ways in which artificial lighting is disrupting the rhythm of life on Earth, while presenting a powerful argument for embracing the dark...
View ArticleScience Falls Behind as Syphilis Stages Another Comeback
Despite being one of the oldest known sexually transmitted infections, with possible origins in the 14th century — as well as intense public health initiatives over many decades — syphilis receives...
View ArticleTsunami Scientists Are on the Hunt for Ancient Disasters
Evidence of massive paleotsunamis, or tsunamis that predate written records, is being uncovered across the globe, revealing that coastal communities could be in more danger from the giant waves than...
View ArticleHow An Early Warning Radar Could Prevent Future Pandemics
The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed some researchers to dive into metagenomics, a type of sequencing that reads the genomes of every organism in a sample at the same time. The rapid technique could help...
View ArticleMental Health Care Must Promote Wellness, Not Just Treat Illness
In their efforts to prevent and treat illness, mental health professionals have often relegated wellness — those attributes we associate with things like finding happiness and meaning in life — to an...
View ArticleBook Review: How Climate Change Is Reshaping America
According to Jake Bittle’s “The Great Displacement,” the warming climate has already had a profound effect on demographics and society in America. As he documents the personal travails of those...
View ArticleWhy Combat Veterans Are Turning to Oxygen Therapy for PTSD
Many former service members take multiple medications to alleviate symptoms of PTSD, substance misuse, and chronic pain. Wary of taking so many pills, some veterans are seeking better access to...
View ArticleDoes Pollution of the Great Lakes Violate Tribal Treaty Rights?
In the 1800s, tribal nations retained rights to hunting, gathering, and fishing across portions of three Great Lakes and millions of acres in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. But many see pollution...
View ArticleIs Europe’s Green Investment Plan the Future of Climate Policy?
As landmark climate measures take shape in the U.S. and EU, both Western heavyweights seem to be acknowledging a hard truth of climate policy: The global economy as we know it will have to change to...
View ArticleDo Masks Work? It’s a Question of Physics, Biology, and Behavior.
A recent study found little evidence that widespread mask-wearing blunts the transmission of Covid-19. Many scientists say the finding is, in a strict sense, correct. But whether that means masks don’t...
View ArticleBook Review: Unraveling the Enigma of Schizophrenia
In “Malady of the Mind,” Jeffrey A. Lieberman, a leading figure in schizophrenia research, argues that we have finally turned a corner in understanding and treating the disease. As he sees it, the...
View ArticleConfronting Climate Change — and the Taliban — in Afghanistan
International aid organizations have legitimate concerns about partnering with the notoriously brutal regime, Afghan scientists say. But, they add, the world must find ways to engage with the Taliban,...
View ArticleSchools Struggle With Lead in Water While Awaiting Federal Relief
After Montana mandated testing, three-quarters of its schools have so far found at least one faucet or drinking fountain with high lead levels. Now those schools are grappling with how to identify lead...
View ArticleFor Canadian Patients, Therapeutic Psychedelics Beset by Red Tape
In January 2022, Canada became among the few countries to explicitly offer psychedelics to patients with serious or life-threatening conditions. The policy change was supposed to create a fast-track...
View ArticleThe Case Against Animal Individualism
Debates about environmental conservation often center on whether a certain animal is worth saving. But environmental stewardship efforts should focus on protecting and connecting natural systems, not...
View ArticleBook Review: How Nature Can Help Cities Survive
Ben Wilson’s “Urban Jungle” is a surprisingly hopeful look at how urbanization has changed our relationship with the natural world, and what can be done to preserve urban ecosystems. Faced with climate...
View ArticleNew Mastitis Guidelines Give Breastfeeding Parents Whiplash
I got mastitis last year. And according to new guidelines, I was doing everything wrong to treat it. Instead of heat, massage, and extra nursing, the new guidelines suggest ice and resting the breast —...
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