latest advancements in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), including medical breakthroughs, space exploration, and new gadgets and software.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple | Spotify This is Episode Four of a four-part Fascination on really big birds. You can listen to Episode One here; Episode Two here; and Episode Three here. Flora Lichtman: I don’t want to ruffle any feathers, but this is the best way to describe terror birds. Federico Degrange: Terror birds are f—ing …
These Predators Had a Face like an Axe and Will Haunt Your Nightmares Read More »
They’re small, nearly imperceptible, and there are 500 trillion of them passing through you right now. Neutrinos are among nature’s most plentiful yet mysterious creations. Science writer James Riordon recently set out to list what was known versus unknown about neutrinos, and he found the second column was longer. “To me, the most interesting thing …
Gaining any new clarity about surging reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP, will take time, better data gathering and diagnostic tools and, perhaps most importantly, a hale and hearty dose of nit-picking scientific scrutiny. It may also require a better, sharper definition of what “anomalous” even means in the context of recent sightings. At …
Bad Data, Not Aliens, May Be behind UFO Surge, NASA Team Says Read More »
More than 100 people were shot in Chicago over a summer weekend in 2021. One resident, 52-year-old Rick, was among them, and his story might seem like just another shooting in a city wrestling with a gun violence epidemic. But Rick’s injury was distinctive: it stemmed from his everyday heroism as one of Chicago’s more …
SUBSCRIBE: Apple | Spotify Andrea Thompson: Welcome to Science Quickly, a Scientific American podcast series! I’m Andrea Thompson, SciAm’s editor for earth and environment. Today, we’re talking fire and smoke. Here’s what you need to know about the wildfire smoke blanketing the eastern US right now. And even if you’re not living downwind at the …
Five Things You Need to Know About Wildfire Smoke Right Now Read More »
CLIMATEWIRE | A landmark trial unfolding next week in a small Montana courtroom could have outsize influence on U.S. climate policy — even if the case has little immediate effect in the Treasure State. In the first U.S. youth-led climate case to go to trial, 16 young people are putting Montana’s energy policies on the stand, …
First U.S. Climate Trial Begins and Is Led by Kids Read More »
Most of the eastern US has been swathed in smoke billowing off more than 400 wildfires across Canada Credit: Ripley Cleghorn Advertisement Much of the eastern US has seen unsettlingly hazy skies this week as smoke from the more than 400 wildfires currently blazing across Canada has blown south. Wednesday was by far the worst …
See How the Wildfire Smoke Spread Across the U.S. Read More »
Psychology professor Caroline Pukall knows a lot about sex. For decades she has studied human sexual behavior, and much of her work has centered on genital pelvic pain and sexual health. In May Pukall and her colleagues published a paper in Sexual Medicine on the first in-depth study investigating epididymal hypertension—a sometimes uncomfortable state of …
The First In-Depth Study on ‘Blue Balls’ Reveals a Lot about Sex Read More »
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversationan online publication covering the latest research. Stories of virgin births, where young are produced without fertilization, have been told throughout history. Mars the ancient Roman god, Horus the ancient Egyptian god and Qi from ancient Chinese mythology were all born to virgins. But virgin births …
Crocodile’s ‘Virgin Birth’ Is a First for Science’s History Books Read More »
The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam has inundated large areas of southern Ukraine, leaving tens of thousands of people at risk of losing their homes. The disaster, for which Russia and Ukraine blame each other, also has far-reaching consequences for agriculture and ecology in southern Ukraine. Government representatives in Kyiv are calling it an “ecocide” …
Ukrainian Dam Collapse Triggers ‘Ecological Disaster’ Read More »
Smoke from massive Canadian wildfires has been blowing thousands of miles across the US, blotting out the sun and shrouding many cities in a cough-inducing haze. As the smoke drifts with the wind, it also creates a new hazard along the way that is greater than the sum of its parts: a troubling ozone cocktail …
Wildfire Smoke Reacts with City Pollution, Creating New Toxic Air Hazard Read More »
New York–based startup Amogy thinks the key to solving this problem lies in harnessing ammonia—one of the world’s most widely shipped chemicals—to power electric tractors, trucks, and even ships. Casey Crownhart, our climate reporter, visited its headquarters to hear more about the team’s big ideas. Read the full story. This story is from The Spark, …
The Download: a promising new fuel, and why our phones struggle with wildfires Read More »
Last year, Apple introduced the Apple Watch Ultra, a fitness wearable meant to compete with Garmin in the premium outdoor watch category. The Ultra didn’t quite meet the mark—for starters, battery life that barely lasts three days is not enough for the shortest backpacking trip—but Apple’s quest continues. The company announced the next version of …
The Top New Features in Apple’s WatchOS 10: Device Compatibility, Release Date Read More »
Whether you’re concerned about wildfire smoke from Canada or other pollutants that make the air less breathable, it’s a healthy habit to always check the air quality index on your phone. Yes, it’s one more thing to do as you’re grabbing your keys and rushing out the door, but the knowledge can help you decide …
Tesla’s new Supercharger strategy allows the company to make money off its competitors’ customers by collecting charging fees from them. (Pricing varies by region, time of day, and whether an EV was made by Tesla, but it generally costs between $10 and $30 to charge up a car.) And if more carmakers follow Ford and …
Tesla’s Supercharger Strategy Starts a Winning Streak Read More »
We went to the Jurassic Park book and realized there was a scene where the kids were trying to escape the dinosaurs by getting on a log and floating down the river. We thought, “Wow, maybe this is our opportunity to do a Pirates of the Caribbean-type ride,” and so we pitched it to the …
Like everyone else who got to test Apple’s new VisionPro after its unveiling at the Worldwide Developers Conference in Cupertino, California, this week, I couldn’t wait to experience it. But when an Apple technician at the ad hoc test facility used an optical device to check out my prescription lenses, I knew that there might …
Apple’s VisionOS Makes a Bold Leap in Computer Interface Read More »
If you are using iOS 14 or earlier, go to Settings and tap on your name, then tap FindMy and turn off Find My iPhone. Tap Apple ID at the top left, go back and scroll down to the bottom to tap sign-out. You will have to enter your password and tap sign-out again. Now …
How to Factory-Reset Your Phone Before You Sell It Read More »
Moore, by her own admission, never had a “ho phase.” But she understands why someone would, and she wanted to shift focus from the abstinence messages in the original viral video. (“If I wasn’t married, honey,” she tells me over Zoom, “I would be deep in that ho phase right now.”) As “One Margarita” has …
‘One Margarita’ Is the Song of Summer—and the Moment Read More »
Most sex toys are small and (relatively) inexpensive for a reason. Everyone’s body is different, and even a highly-rated toy can be a risk if it doesn’t … er, do it for you. Plus, the more complicated a device is, the harder it is to muster the motivation to break it out. All that makes …