Science / Science & Exploration
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How the humble slime mold helped physicists map the cosmic web
Despite similarities, "We don't think the universe was created by a giant slime mold."
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New battery chemistry results in first rechargeable zinc-air battery
Zinc is very cheap and abundant; battery tech could be great for power grids.
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Basking shark families go on road trips in search of fine dining
Genetic tagging offers insight into the secret lives of basking sharks.
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That time physicist John Wheeler left classified H-bomb documents on a train
The whereabouts of the documents remains a mystery to this day.
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With the right catalyst, we might make jet fuel from CO₂
As carbon capture gets cheaper, new applications could look attractive.
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New virus variant found in Colorado while UK struggles to limit it
UK approves another vaccine, this one from AstraZeneca, as new COVID variant spreads.
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Private party app pulled from App Store by Apple
"Secret party app" also pulled from TikTok after posting videos of unmasked ragers.
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Protecting great apes from the unknown effects of COVID-19
People who study and care for 'em take lockdown-style measures to limit transmission risk.
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Coverage of “wooden satellites” misses the point
Even if it works, the wood will remain in orbit, too.
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Did Columbus find early Caribs in 15th century Caribbean? Jury is still out
Two studies, published 11 months apart, yield conflicting results.
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Why AI is so power-hungry
It takes a lot of energy for machines to be trained with data sets.
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All I want for Christmas is an awesome new curriculum
Revitalizing a curriculum in the middle of a chaos-inducing pandemic? Sure.
Paul Sutter walks us through the future of climate change—and things aren’t great
This episode of Edge of Knowledge focuses on our rapidly transforming world.
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Antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 infections: The more the better
Oxford University Hospital tracked infections in 12,500 of its healthcare workers.
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Study sheds new light on polar explorer’s final hours, 100+ years later
Black smudge in Jørgen Brønlund's diary showed he desperately tried to light a fire.
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Like Titan, Pluto’s atmosphere is hazy, but for a different reason
Simple organic ices dominate, rather than bigger organic molecules.
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Archaeologists excavate ancient Roman takeout counter at Pompeii
A 2,000-year-old quick-serve restaurant had a lot in common with modern ones.
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Plastic pipes are polluting drinking water systems after wildfires
And it's a risk in urban fires, too.
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Dark Archives: Come for the floating goat balls, stay for the fascinating science
Explore the macabre history of "anthropodermic bibliopegy": books bound in human skin
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Divers recover a WWII Enigma Machine from the Baltic Sea
Divers trying to clean fishing nets come up with a bit of history.
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Rising to meet the tide against the threat of coastal flooding
Faster and more accurate forecasts can save lives and property.
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Scientists ID potential biomarkers to peg time of death for submerged corpses
The levels of certain proteins in bones can reveal how long a body has been in water.
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Parthenogenesis: How females from some species can reproduce without males
Some species experience spontaneous parthenogenesis, best documented in zoo settings.
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Study: children’s belief in Santa Claus is more nuanced than you think
Santa falls into an ambiguous category between "real" and "nonreal" for many children
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Google develops an AI that can learn both chess and Pac-Man
MuZero handles both rules-based and open-ended games.
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Trump admin. agrees to pay Pfizer $1.95B for 100M more vaccine doses
Agreement means Pfizer will provide a total of 200M doses, with option for 400M more.
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For Biden administration, Fauci’s in, but Birx is not
Birx was widely seen as too accommodating to Trump but got sidelined anyway.
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Rocket Report: SN9 rolls to the launch pad, SLS “wet dress” test ends early
"It has surely been a year of challenges."
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The omnibus bill was packed with energy and environment policy
DOE gets a long list of clean energy R&D projects.
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Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings have unique microbiomes, study finds
Research could help slow down deterioration of aging artwork, unmask counterfeits.
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SARS-CoV-2’s spread to wild mink not yet a reason to panic
A monitoring program picked up a single case and no indications of wider spread.
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“America’s doctor,” Anthony Fauci, gets Moderna vaccine
Fauci was vaccinated alongside NIH director and HHS secretary.
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Russia’s space chief is hopping mad over most recent US restrictions
"The first thing they did is spit into the Samara well."
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Yukon gold miner unearths a mummified Ice Age wolf pup
Look upon the face of an Ice Age predator, and say "Aww."
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What we know about the new SARS strain that’s shutting down the UK
Policy is to treat it like a potential threat, but the emphasis is on "potential."
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Russia’s space chief cannot seem to get “gentle” SpaceX out of his mind
"I wonder if gentle SpaceX is able to work in such conditions?"
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Second COVID vaccine approved for use in the US
More vaccines will help ease shortages, work through priority list.