Science & Society

  1. Artificial Intelligence

    At least half of U.S. teens use chatbots for homework and more

    Most also feel optimistic about benefits of chatbots and other AI. But use of this tech varies quite a bit by race and family income.

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  2. Science & Society

    Understanding algorithms — and how to make them work for you

    They’re the recipes behind everything from cooking to social media feeds. Learn how algorithms work to avoid their pitfalls. You can even make your own.

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  3. Science & Society

    How ‘nutritious’ is the diet that social media feeds us?

    Algorithms feed us what they’ve decided we will probably like. The problem: This often proves a truly unhealthy diet for our minds.

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  4. Space

    Astronauts are flying to the moon aboard Artemis II

    This first human trip to the moon in more than 50 years will take four astronauts farther than anyone has gone before.

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  5. Physics

    Physics explains why sneakers squeak on the basketball court

    We’re hearing a shoe’s sole wrinkling in bursts that repeat thousands of times each second.

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  6. Science & Society

    Stressed by tech? Here’s how to find help

    This checklist can help you assess and improve your experiences — and your mental health.

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  7. Science & Society

    Large numbers of underage kids are on social media, study finds

    Two in every three kids aged 8 to 12 have already been on social media, and one-tenth have been bullied there. Some kids report other bad experiences too.

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  8. Agriculture

    This engineer designed a device to make farm work easier

    Juan Espinoza engineered a device to help ease physical demands on workers at citrus farms.

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  9. Science & Society

    Volcanic ash might have helped spread the Black Death to Europe

    A volcanic eruption might have triggered events that led Italy to import grain — food that arrived in ships infested with plague-infected rats.

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  10. Math

    Ever wonder where our math symbols came from? Here are their stories

    Their quirky history could help us better appreciate math as a living language — one whose symbols evolved over centuries.

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  11. Health & Medicine

    New study links early smartphone ownership to health risks

    The earlier kids get smartphones, the more likely they’ll get too little sleep, gain weight — and possibly develop depression, a new study suggests.

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  12. Space

    This cosmologist studies the invisible parts of the universe

    Katie Mack started out building solar-powered LEGO cars as a kid. Now she studies dark matter to better understand how galaxies form and evolve.

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