NOAA has used its air, sea and satellite resources to develop a global picture of the sharp reductions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants created by the behavioral changes caused by the coronavirus. In what the agency hopes will be the first major study on what the United States might expect from a future fleet […]
Science tells us that animal-human interaction is likely behind the global COVID-19 pandemic with the virus most probably entering the human population through interaction with bats. While banning the global wildlife trade is one obvious preventive step that could be taken, it is not enough. We need a more holistic approach. To stop future pandemics, […]
Around the world, about 188 million people use marijuana every year. The drug has been legalized for recreational use in 11 U.S. states, and it may eventually become legal at the federal level. In a Gallup survey conducted last summer, 12 percent of American adults reported that they smoked marijuana, including 22 percent of 18- […]
When COVID-19 began to spread globally and stay-at-home orders were issued broadly, many were quick to point out that Sir Isaac Newton was his most productive when forced to stay home during London’s Great Plague of 1665. This commentary was almost immediately followed by the observation obvious to any scientist-mother: Isaac Newton didn’t have caregiving […]
A new DIY machine for opening pores in cells relies on repurposed parts from a common lighter. Called the ElectroPen, it joins a tradition of “frugal science” that aims to equip students and field researchers with low-cost versions of pricey instruments. “The future is synthetic biology: not just coding in a computer, but really coding […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions of Americans. As cities and states provide data on those directly ill, it has become clearer that communities of color carry an unequal burden of the disease. The emerging disparities have prompted community advocates to tailor prevention messages to the public in innovative ways. Not long ago, however, in […]
Stephen Wolfram blames himself for not changing the face of physics sooner. “I do fault myself for not having done this 20 years ago,” the physicist turned software entrepreneur says. “To be fair, I also fault some people in the physics community for trying to prevent it happening 20 years ago. They were successful.” Back […]
I’m not going to debunk the Pentagon’s recently declassified UFO videos. It’s not that I think they’re actually aliens. It’s not even that I think they’re unexplainable, or that they’re obviously some particular thing or other. And although science communication experts frequently debate the effectiveness of debunking as a strategy, that’s not the source of […]
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is failing to adequately monitor communities with the highest flood risk to ensure they follow regulations meant to reduce damage, a government audit says. A report released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that FEMA came nowhere near meeting its goal of visiting high-risk communities every five years. In many […]
Black holes might be black, but they are not necessarily invisible. They come in a variety of sizes, from minuscule to supermassive, with a key common feature: a boundary known as the event horizon, beyond which light cannot escape. Black holes near an object such as a star, however, can brighten when they feed, flaring […]