Science & Society

  1. Computing

    How next-gen computer generated maps detect partisan gerrymandering

    The U.S. census will trigger a new round of redistricting beginning in 2021. Researchers have developed numerous tests to identify gerrymandering.

    By
  2. Science & Society

    Mandatory mail-in voting hurts neither Democratic nor Republican candidates

    A new study suggests that requiring people to cast mail-in ballots actually leads to a slightly increased turnout for both political parties.

    By
  3. Science & Society

    The board game Endangered shows just how hard conservation can be

    The new board game Endangered shows how working together is the only way for conservation to succeed.

    By
  4. Science & Society

    Ethan Hawke stars in ‘Tesla,’ a quirky biopic about the iconic inventor

    The new movie ‘Tesla’ follows the rise and fall of Nikola Tesla, whose early inventions panned out far better than later projects.

    By
  5. Life

    How two new fungus species got named after the COVID-19 pandemic

    Tiny fuzz on a beetle and fake leopard spots on palms now have Latin names that will forever nod to the new coronavirus.

    By
  6. Psychology

    Why do we miss the rituals put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic?

    Even solitary rituals bind us to our groups and help calm anxieties. What happens when those traditions are upended?

    By
  7. Science & Society

    Interfaith soccer teams eased Muslim-Christian tensions — to a point

    Soccer bonded Christian and Muslim teammates in Iraq, but that camaraderie didn’t change attitudes.

    By
  8. Science & Society

    A new Galileo biography draws parallels to today’s science denialism

    ‘Galileo and the Science Deniers’ delivers a fresh assessment of the life of a scientific legend and offers lessons for today.

    By
  9. Neuroscience

    New guidance on brain death could ease debate over when life ends

    Brain death can be a tricky concept. Clarity from an international group of doctors may help identify when the brain has stopped working for good.

    By
  10. Physics

    How understanding nature made the atomic bomb inevitable

    On the anniversary of Hiroshima, here’s a look back at the chain reaction of basic discoveries that led to nuclear weapons.

    By
  11. Astronomy

    50 years ago, Mauna Kea opened for astronomy. Controversy continues

    Current plans to build a new telescope on the volcano sparked the latest conflict.

    By
  12. Health & Medicine

    Five big questions about when and how to open schools amid COVID-19

    Researchers weigh in on how to get children back into classrooms in a low-risk way.

    By