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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Climate
Earth’s ancient ‘greenhouse’ conditions were hotter than thought
A timeline of 485 million years of Earth’s surface temperatures shows ancient greenhouse conditions were hotter than scientists thought.
- Animals
A risk-tolerant immune system may enable house sparrows’ wanderlust
Birds that are willing to eat seed spiked with chicken poop have higher expression levels of a gut immunity gene, a new study finds.
- Humans
World record speeds for two Olympics events have fallen over time. We can go faster
The human body can go faster in the 100-meter dash and the 50-meter freestyle. But to reach full potential, our technique must be perfect.
- Health & Medicine
Bird flu has been invading the brains of mammals. Here’s why
Although H5N1 and its relatives can cause mild disease in some animals, these viruses are more likely to infect brain tissue than other types of flu.
- Artificial Intelligence
AI’s understanding and reasoning skills can’t be assessed by current tests
Assessing whether large language models — including the one that powers ChatGPT — have humanlike cognitive abilities will require better tests.
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Calling gun violence a public health crisis is a ‘first step’ to fight it
Three public health experts weigh in on the U.S. surgeon general’s ground-breaking call to label shootings a health problem.
- Climate
Three reasons why the ocean’s record-breaking hot streak is devastating
Ocean warming enhances hurricane activity, bleaches coral reefs and melts Antarctic sea ice. That warming has been off the charts for the past year.
- Space
Explore a map of the next 15 total solar eclipses
Check out our interactive map showing the path and timing for every total solar eclipse from 2024 to 2044.
- Animals
Explore the expected life spans of different dog breeds
An analysis of dogs in the United Kingdom found that breeds like miniature dachshunds have the longest life spans while bulldogs have the shortest.
- Climate
Here’s how 2023 became the hottest year on record
The effects of climate change were on clear display in 2023 as records not only broke, but did so by surprising amounts.
- Science & Society
Why the Thanksgiving myth persists, according to science
The science of collective memory — and a desire for clear origin stories — may explain the endurance of the Thanksgiving myth despite a messier reality.
- Climate
How one device could help transform our power grid
As coal-fired power plants are retired, grid-forming inverters may be key to a future that relies on solar and wind power.
