Revisiting the ‘Research Parasite’ Debate in the Age of AI
In this month’s Selective Pressure column, C. Brandon Ogbunu revisits a debate about so-called “research parasites” — scientists who use and reanalyze other people’s data. The large language models...
View ArticleBook Review: You Talking to Me? How Human Language Evolved
In “The Language Puzzle,” Steven Mithen draws on the latest findings from an array of fields, including linguistics, archeology, anthropology, psychology, and genetics, to show how human language...
View ArticleHow the FDA Could Shape the Future of Psychedelics Research
This August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make a decision about whether to approve the psychedelic MDMA for use in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder. A negative...
View ArticleIn Texas, ‘Junk Science Law’ Is Not Keeping up With Science
In 2013, Texas passed a pioneering law that allows for new trials in cases with flawed scientific evidence. But in the 10 years after the law went into effect, the state’s highest criminal court has...
View ArticleIn Some Cities, Second Thoughts About Gunshot Detection Sensors
Several recent studies on the effectiveness of gunshot detection technology have found it has little if any impact on shootings, investigations, or prosecutions. Meanwhile, officials in cities like...
View ArticleDon’t Ask AI to Make Life-and-Death Decisions
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT will produce answers to almost any question a user asks. But one computer scientist cautions that such chatbots aren’t equipped to answer life’s big, existential...
View ArticleReview: A Neurodivergent Reporter’s Odyssey of Self-Discovery
In “Do I Know You,” Sadie Dingfelder weaves together personal memoir and science reporting — including brain scans, computerized tests, and assessments by medical researchers — to describe the...
View ArticleFrom Orchard to Aisle: An Uncertain Path for Emerging Crops
Pawpaws, tropical-tasting plants native to North America, aren’t widely accessible in stores, but this hard-to-get fruit has gained a cult following in recent decades — and the supply simply isn’t...
View ArticleIn Kenya, One Solution to Contaminated Water Comes From Above
Access to safe drinking water — and its equitable distribution — underpins public health. But for the estimated 250,000 people in Kibera, who live without any government infrastructure, clean water is...
View ArticleGenetic Variation Impacts Drug Efficacy. Could Testing Help?
Over the past decades, researchers have uncovered numerous genetic variants that seem to play a role in people’s responses to painkillers, cancer drugs, and other medicines. But studies suggest only a...
View ArticleThe Rat Race for Research Funding Delays Scientific Progress
Faculty members are expected to apply for and bring in grant funding to their universities. One former academic scientist argues that the scramble for funding is contributing to society’s inability to...
View ArticleInterview: The Emerging Ethics of Innovative Brain Research
What is the best way to protect the long-term interests of people who receive brain implants as part of a clinical trial? How can researchers guard against violations of mental privacy? Bioethicist...
View ArticleAt the Salton Sea, Uncovering the Culprit of Lung Disease
Scientists have long suspected a connection between the dust and poor respiratory health near the Salton Sea in California. But after years of research, recent findings have offered surprising new...
View ArticleAmid Changing Climate, Colorado Plans to Restore the Wolverine
A plan to return the tenacious wolverine to its native range in the Southern Rockies may seem like a win for this elusive creature. But it’s also a gamble. In the face of an uncertain climatic future,...
View ArticleReview: A Neurodivergent Reporter’s Odyssey of Self-Discovery
In “Do I Know You,” Sadie Dingfelder weaves together personal memoir and science reporting — including brain scans, computerized tests, and assessments by medical researchers — to describe the...
View ArticleCan Plastic Waste Be Transformed Into Food for Humans?
Scientists have been experimenting for years with various species of plastic-eating bacteria. But DARPA is taking a slightly different approach in seeking a compact and mobile solution for field use...
View ArticleReview: A Neurodivergent Reporter’s Odyssey of Self-Discovery
In “Do I Know You,” Sadie Dingfelder weaves together personal memoir and science reporting — including brain scans, computerized tests, and assessments by medical researchers — to describe the...
View ArticleThe Deeper Issue With Expanding Assisted Dying to Mental Illness
In 2027, a Canadian law allowing terminally ill people to receive assistance in dying is slated to expand to cover those with mental illness. The debate over the law’s expansion demonstrates the need...
View ArticleBook Review: A Neurosurgeon’s Inside Look at the Brain
Theodore H. Schwartz’s “Gray Matters” explores the evolution of brain surgery, and offers a firsthand account of its many risks and rewards. Along the way, he covers virtually everything that can harm...
View ArticleMaybe She’s Just Tired, Maybe It’s Undiagnosed Iron Deficiency
Around a third of women could be low on iron, causing fatigue, dizziness, and weakness. But doctors don’t regularly screen for the condition. And guidelines don’t recommend routine screenings, as they...
View Article