Science & Society
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
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Science & SocietyBlack hole image validates imagining the unimaginable
Human creativity conjured up the most extreme of astronomical phenomena long before they could be seen.
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Science & SocietyThe delight of discovering an asteroid that spits
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses recent news about the asteroid Bennu and Kuiper Belt–object Ultima Thule.
By Nancy Shute -
Science & SocietyThis Greek philosopher had the right idea, just too few elements
The ancient Greek philosopher Empedocles wrongly believed matter to consist of just four elements, but he grasped the basic idea of forces governing unchanging matter.
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PsychologyWhat we know and don’t know about how mass trauma affects mental health
Three people connected to mass shootings have recently killed themselves. Here’s what we know, and don’t, about the lingering effects of mass trauma.
By Sujata Gupta -
GeneticsA Nobel Prize winner argues banning CRISPR babies won’t work
Human gene editing needs responsible regulation, but a ban isn’t the way to go, says Nobel laureate David Baltimore.
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Science & SocietyThe science of CBD lags behind its marketing
Editor in Chief Nancy Shute discusses the lack of scientific research on CBD.
By Nancy Shute -
Science & SocietyThe CBD boom is way ahead of the science
As CBD-laced foods and health products gain popularity, researchers are just beginning to fill the gaping holes in knowledge about this cannabis molecule’s benefits.
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Science & SocietyThe learning gap between rich and poor students hasn’t changed in decades
The educational achievement gap between the poorest and richest U.S. students remains as wide as it was almost 50 years ago.
By Sujata Gupta -
AnimalsHow a tiger transforms into a man-eater
‘No Beast So Fierce’ examines the historical and environmental factors that turned a tiger in Nepal and India into a human-killer.
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PaleontologyA new T. rex exhibit takes a deep dive into the iconic dinosaur
“T. rex: The Ultimate Predator,” a new exhibit in New York City, draws on the latest science to provide a fresh look at Tyrannosaurus rex and its relatives.
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ClimateStudents worldwide are striking to demand action on climate change
On March 15, students are set to attend more than 1,000 events to demand that governments do more to rein in greenhouse gas emissions.
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GeneticsGeneticists push for a 5-year global ban on gene-edited babies
Prominent scientists are using the word “moratorium” to make it clear that experiments to create babies with altered genes are wrong, for now.