Context
Science past and present
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Science & Society
The amateur who helped Einstein see the light
With help from Science News Letter, eccentric amateur Rudi Mandl persuaded Einstein to explore the phenomenon of gravitational lensing.
- Math
Evidence-based medicine lacks solid supporting evidence
Saving science from its statistical flaws will require radical revision in its methods
- Math
Top 10 ways to save science from its statistical self
Saving science from its statistical flaws will require radical revision in its methods.
- Math
Science is heroic, with a tragic (statistical) flaw
Science falls short of its own standards because of the mindless use of ritualistic statistical tests.
- Science & Society
Nash’s mind left a beautiful legacy
The death of game theory pioneer John Nash ends a dramatic story of genius.
- Physics
Nobel laureate foresees mind-expanding future of physics
A Nobel laureate forecasts deeper understanding of physics and new powers for the human mind in the century to come.
- Science & Society
Old periodic table could resolve today’s element placement dispute
A little-known genius figured out where all the elements in the periodic table should be placed long before some of them were discovered.
- Science & Society
Top 10 science anniversaries of 2015
From genes and dreams to gravity and Kevlar, 2015 offers plenty to celebrate.
- Math
P value ban: small step for a journal, giant leap for science
Peer-reviewed journals have largely insisted on P values as a standard of worthiness. But now the editors of one journal have banned the statistical tool.
- Life
Life’s origin might illustrate the power of game theory
Game theory math can describe molecular competition and cooperation, perhaps providing clues to the origin of life.
- Science & Society
Islamic science paved the way for a millennial celebration of light
Ibn al-Haytham’s book on optics from a millennium ago serves as a good excuse to celebrate the International Year of Light.
- Astronomy
Top 10 messages to send to E.T.
Fears that sending signals to alien civilizations would provoke an invasion shouldn't prevent transmitting important messages.
