Science & Society

  1. Science & Society

    Social media harms teens’ mental health, mounting evidence shows. What now?

    Recent studies suggest a causal link between teen social media use and reduced well-being. Now, some researchers are looking into possible mechanisms.

    By
  2. Health & Medicine

    U.S. opioid deaths are out of control. Can safe injection sites help?

    A new NIH study will evalute the only two officially sanctioned sites, in New York City, and a future site in Providence, R.I.

    By
  3. Space

    How to build an internet on Mars

    Future Red Planet inhabitants will need new ways to connect, including improved relay networks and an offshoot internet.

    By
  4. Space

    How ‘Our Moon’ shaped life on Earth and human history

    Science News reviews Rebecca Boyle’s new wide-ranging book, which tells the story of the moon and its relationship with the inhabitants of Earth.

    By
  5. Artificial Intelligence

    AI chatbots can be tricked into misbehaving. Can scientists stop it?

    To develop better safeguards, computer scientists are studying how people have manipulated generative AI chatbots into answering harmful questions.

    By
  6. Life

    Insects flocking to artificial lights may not know which way is up

    Insects may use light to figure out where the ground is. Artificial lights send them veering off course, data from high-speed infrared cameras suggests.

    By
  7. Science & Society

    Geneticist Krystal Tsosie advocates for Indigenous data sovereignty

    A member of the Navajo Nation, she believes Indigenous geneticists have a big role to play in protecting and studying their own data.

    By
  8. Physics

    50 years ago, timekeepers deployed the newly invented leap second

    After more than 50 years, metrologists will stop using the leap second to align the time kept by atomic clocks with the rate of Earth’s spin.

    By
  9. Animals

    A new exhibit invites you into the ‘Secret World of Elephants’

    As elephants face survival threats, the American Museum of Natural History highlights their pivotal role in shaping landscapes — and their resilience.

    By
  10. Paleontology

    The real culprit in a 19th century dinosaur whodunit is finally revealed

    Contrary to the stories handed down among paleontologists, creationism wasn’t to blame for the destruction of Central Park’s dinosaurs.

    By
  11. Science & Society

    Most people say self-control is the same as willpower. Researchers disagree

    Psychologists say self-control is about planning ahead to avoid relying on willpower in the moment. Laypeople see things differently.

    By
  12. Psychology

    Here’s how to give a good gift, according to science

    Gifting researcher Julian Givi outlines common mistakes gift givers make and how science can help us avoid those costly errors.

    By