Science and research
Everything we have published on Science and research, newest first. Background, research and plain explanation — not only the headline of the day.
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.
What the panic over Gen Z’s reading habits gets wrong
Despite dire warnings of a ‘postliterate’ generation, data suggests Gen Z is still reading – just in ways many traditional studies fail to capture.
The signal we cannot ignore: What the LONDA 2025 report reveals about Africa’s digital rights
The digital landscape is becoming increasingly dangerous for vulnerable groups. Technology-facilitated gender-based violence is a growing epidemic that most legal frameworks fail to address adequately
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.
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.
Sensing the Poles’ Hidden Heat
New animations from NASA’s PREFIRE mission reveal two years of seasonal temperature swings at the Arctic and Antarctic.
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.
Play is essential for young children, including when it comes to their learning
Play-based early childhood programs can help young kids develop emotional regulation and problem-solving skills, traits that can serve them well throughout childhood.
Philadelphia’s failing air quality hits hardest in neighborhoods near industry and highways, where asthma rates soar
Greater Philadelphia earned failing air quality grades. A new study finds higher asthma rates near industry and major roads, especially where green space is scarce.
Parents putting screens in front of their kids is more about their own stress than other factors
Most research on kids’ screen time has focused on a child’s behavior. Far less attention has gone to parents and their role in their children’s media use.
How to do your own online health research like a scientist – a biostatistician’s step-by-step guide
Here’s how to sift through complicated studies without getting overwhelmed.
How a community-led campaign is helping save Nigeria’s Kam language
The current number of Kam speakers is approximately 8,000 – 11,000. Like many other languages in northeastern Nigeria, Kam received no attention from researchers before 2016.
First mRNA flu shot approved by FDA bodes well for improving drugs of the future – though a few hurdles remain before mRNA can move beyond vaccines
From COVID-19 vaccines to Moderna’s mRNA flu vaccine, using mRNA as medicine has shown promise. But before mRNA drugs can go beyond vaccines, researchers need to identify the right diseases to treat.
Employers everywhere are using AI – but business schools aren’t preparing students for the shift
Amid the rise of AI, researchers found that employers still value skills like communication, professionalism and teamwork among prospective and new employees.
DIY peptide injections are risky, and people may make serious mistakes when administering them
On top of the risks of injecting untested and potentially contaminated products, user error may make this runaway wellness fad even more dangerous.
Better call mom: Schools still see mothers as the default parent to contact
When both parents appeared equally available, schools were 40% more likely to call students’ moms, rather than their dads.
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.
Editas: beating estimates is not enough. What the revenue, its quality and the cash burn really show
With biotech results, do not dwell on the beat alone. What matters is whether the revenue is repeatable, how fast the cash is disappearing and whether the runway genuinely reduces the risk of future shareholder dilution.