White House plan for a ‘golden age’ of science ignores the structures that made the US a scientific superpower
A new White House science strategy, laid out in a report titled Science: A New Golden Age, challenges an 80-year-old model that made the US the global scientific leader.
When expressive humanoid robots are awkward, people become wary – new brain study
People who interact with expressive robots that make mistakes react with suspicion rather than seeing the bots as malfunctioning machines.
Taxi drivers rarely die of Alzheimer’s – how complex mental maps and spatial reasoning protect your brain
Working with and living in spatially complex environments may help delay cognitive decline, though more research is needed.
SpaceX aims to use rockets to quickly transport cargo across the Earth and into orbit – moves that would expand the global cargo system
Point-to-point rocket delivery could cut down on transportation times. But engineers will need to figure out how to integrate rockets into current transportation systems.
Spaceflight could change how astronauts swallow, eat and drink in subtle ways
A speech-language pathologist on how complex swallowing is – and how small changes from gravity can complicate the process.
Producing spider silk is a biological feat – scientists are using it to develop materials for drug delivery and wound care
If Spider-Man were real, he could help scientists revolutionize healthcare. Since he’s not, researchers develop creative ways to produce spider silk to study.
How hackers attack municipal water systems – and why the utilities are so vulnerable
A cybersecurity researcher explains how hackers target small computers that control a water system’s tanks, pipes and valves.
A lot of casual friends, or only a few you’re really close with? New research questions that trade-off
Friendships are integral to human health and well being, yet researchers know very little about how people make friends. A new study investigated what people prioritize for new friendships.