Science & Society
- Computing
Computers mine online reviews for signs of food poisoning
Health officials are getting help in identifying restaurant goers who got food poisoning by teaching computers to scout social-media posts for signs of illness.
- Computing
On Twitter, fake news has greater allure than truth does
In the Twittersphere, fake news gets more views than real stories, based on an analysis of more than 4.5 million tweets.
- Math
Redrawing political boundaries may alter rates of violent crime
The way politicians draw boundaries for voting districts could affect not only who wins elections, but also where rates of violent crime may rise.
- Oceans
More than half the world’s ocean area is actively fished
Fleets harvest fish from 55 percent of the world’s total ocean area. Just a handful of countries play an outsized role fishing the open ocean, far from coasts.
- Physics
Legendary physicist Stephen Hawking dies at 76
Theoretical research by Stephen Hawking helped shape how scientists and the public alike would come to understand black holes and other facets of astrophysics.
- Ecosystems
Can DNA editing save endangered species?
Scientists may be able to help endangered species by changing the genes of a whole population of wild animals. But some question whether that is wise.
- Microbes
Most Americans would welcome a microbial E.T.
People are more likely to welcome than be scared by new evidence pointing to extraterrestrial life, Americans report — at least if the E.T.’s are tiny.
- Physics
In bobsledding, what the toes do can affect who gets the gold
South Korean scientists have been developing shoes that could give their national bobsled team an advantage at the Olympics.
- Health & Medicine
Why many Olympic athletes have early birthdays
When kids start out in sports, coaches tend to pick the biggest as the best. Here’s what scientists are trying to do about it.
- Health & Medicine
Don’t blame the rats for spreading the Black Death
Popular history says millions of people died of the Black Death in the Middle Ages after being bit by fleas living on rats. But human fleas may be the real culprits, a new study finds.
- Computing
Smartphones put your privacy at risk
Smartphones have become essential companions. But they can leak data about you. In fact, the potential for invading your privacy is higher than you might think.
- Science & Society
Kids make great citizen scientists
When professional scientists need help from a crowd, they often turn to kids and teens.
