Science & Society
- Psychology
Boredom may pose a public health threat in the social distancing era
Boredom contributes to pandemic fatigue, and it may account for why some people don’t follow social distancing rules.
- Science & Society
Machine learning includes deep learning and neural nets
By combining patterns found in mountains of data with information gleaned from mistakes, these computer programs expand their artificial intelligence.
- Health & Medicine
Bringing COVID-19 vaccines to much of world is hard
The price of not vaccinating nearly everyone across the world could be a longer pandemic and more troubling variants of the new coronavirus.
- Science & Society
When COVID-19 comes for your science fair
When labs shut down due to COVID-19, teens took their science fair projects to the internet and … sometimes even to the bathroom.
- Math
Better data lead to better forecasts
Scientists turn to mathematical models to make good predictions. But if they don’t put good data into those models, they won’t get reliable forecasts. So good data are key.
- Math
Beyond crystal balls: How to make good forecasts
Science shows mounds of data and some math are key to predicting future events.
- Humans
By not including everyone, genome science has blind spots
Little diversity in genetic databases makes precision medicine hard for many. One historian proposes a solution, but some scientists doubt it’ll work.
- Materials Science
Super-absorbent swab could curb errors in COVID-19 testing
A new super-absorbent swab could cut down on false negatives from COVID-19 testing. And that could help slow spread of the disease.
- Science & Society
New technology can get inside your head. Are you ready?
New technologies aim to listen to — and maybe even change — your brain activity. But just because scientists can do this, should they?
- Science & Society
People are concerned about tech tinkering with our minds
It’s not science fiction: Science can already eavesdrop on and influence our thoughts. Here’s what our readers think about it.
- Science & Society
How to fight online hate before it leads to violence
Counter-speech, artificial intelligence and other tools can help spot online hate — and maybe thwart it. New studies show how.
- Physics
What did you say? Fabric masks can really muffle voices
Some types of face masks muffle speech more than others — something that teachers should take into account.
