Science & Society
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Animals
‘Night Magic’ invites you to celebrate the living wonders of the dark
In the book ‘Night Magic,’ Leigh Ann Henion writes of encounters with salamanders, bats, glowworms and other life-forms nurtured by darkness.
- Science & Society
This researcher studies how misinformation seeps into science and politics
The world is awash in information. Communications researcher Yotam Ophir digs into news articles and survey results to show how beliefs form and spread.
- Science & Society
10 early-career scientists tackling some of the biggest problems of today
For the ninth year, Science News honors researchers in its SN 10: Scientists to Watch list.
- Artificial Intelligence
Talking to a chatbot may weaken someone’s belief in conspiracy theories
AI might help lift conspiracy theorists out of the rabbit hole, but some researchers say proceed with caution.
- Artificial Intelligence
AI generates harsher punishments for people who use Black dialect
ChatGPT and similar AI sort those who use African American English dialect into less prestigious jobs and dole out harsher criminal punishments.
- Artificial Intelligence
A new book tackles AI hype – and how to spot it
In AI Snake Oil, two computer scientists set us straight on the power and limits of AI and offer advice for moving forward.
- Microbes
A fluffy, orange fungus could transform food waste into tasty dishes
The fungus thrives on everything from soy pulp to bland custards, turning them into digestible foods with a surprisingly pleasant flavor.
- Earth
‘Turning to Stone’ paints rocks as storytellers and mentors
Part memoir, part geology explainer, Marcia Bjornerud’s latest book explores the hidden wisdom of Earth’s rocks.
- Chemistry
Old books can have unsafe levels of chromium, but readers’ risk is low
An analysis of a university collection found that the vibrant pigments coating some Victorian-era tomes exceed exposure limits for the heavy metal.
- Space
Astronauts actually get stuck in space all the time
Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams join more than a dozen astronauts who’ve been stranded in space by mechanics, weather or geopolitics since the 1970s.
- Space
Scientists are getting serious about UFOs. Here’s why
UFOs have been rebranded as UAPs (unidentified anomalous phenomena). Probably not aliens, they might impact national security and aircraft safety.
- Neuroscience
‘Then I Am Myself the World’ ponders what it means to be conscious
Neuroscientist Christof Koch’s new book discusses how information integration in the brain leads to consciousness and whether AI will ever be self-aware.
