Science & Society

More Stories in Science & Society

  1. 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.

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  2. 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.

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  3. 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.

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  4. 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.

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  5. 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.

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  6. 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.

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  7. 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.

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  8. 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.

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  9. Climate

    Twisters asks if you can 'tame' a tornado. We have the answer

    Science News talked to a meteorologist and Twisters’ tornado consultant to separate fact from fiction in Hollywood’s latest extreme weather thriller.

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