Culture Beaker
Where science and culture mix
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Science & Society
Deflategate favored foul play over science
Science didn’t get center stage in the rulings on whether the New England Patriots underinflated footballs during championship game against the Indianapolis Colts.
- Science & Society
Attempt to shame journalists with chocolate study is shameful
Journalist John Bohannon set out to expose poor media coverage of nutrition studies. In the process, he lied to his own profession and the public.
- Science & Society
The Dress divided the Internet, but it’s really about subtraction
People really do see different colors in the same photo of a dress, suggesting that our internal models shape color perception far more than has been recognized.
- Science & Society
Working together doesn’t always work
Working as a team is a great way to gather information, but innovative solutions come best from small groups or individuals, a new study suggests.
- Science & Society
Sometimes it’s best to feed the trolls
There are people behind malicious comments on the Internet, and sometimes engaging with them can change their behavior, data suggest.
- Science & Society
Unbiased computer confirms media bias
A computer algorithm can identify a media outlet’s bias just by the quotes it chooses from political speeches, surrounding context aside.
- Science & Society
The Angelina effect should be about knowing your cancer risk
Angelina Jolie’s public message about her medical decisions related to cancer is about knowing your risks for disease, not hers.
- Science & Society
NCAA tournament puts prediction strategies to the test
When it comes to strategies for building the most winning bracket during March Madness, all bets are off.
- Science & Society
Forensic analysis finds ‘Blurred Lines’ case not so clear
In March, courts ruled that the song “Blurred Lines” borrowed from Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give it Up.” But a closer look finds the songs aren’t all that alike.
