SCIENCE
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New U.N. Cybercrime Treaty Could Threaten Human Rights
New U.N. Cybercrime Treaty Could Threaten Human Rights A recently adopted United Nations treaty could lead to invasive digital surveillance, human rights experts warn By Kate Graham-Shaw NEW YORK CITY —The United Nations approved its first international cybercrime treaty yesterday. The effort succeeded despite opposition from tech companies and human rights groups, who warn that the agreement will permit countries…
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AI Reaches Silver-Medal Level at This Year’s Math Olympiad
AI Reaches Silver-Medal Level at This Year’s Math Olympiad During the 2024 International Mathematical Olympiad, Google DeepMind debuted an AI program that can generate complex mathematical proofs By Manon Bischoff While Paris was preparing to host the 33rd Olympic Games, more than 600 students from nearly 110 countries came together in the idyllic English town of Bath in July for…
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How Extreme Heat Harms Planes, Trains, Water Mains and Other Crucial Infrastructure
The Hidden Ways Extreme Heat Disrupts Infrastructure Scorching temperatures are further burdening an already-troubled infrastructure system across much of the U.S. in ways people are still learning to recognize By Meghan Bartels Infrastructure across the U.S. is struggling under the climate crisis. Dramatic examples include torrential rains turning New York City’s subway entrances into waterfalls, record cold temperatures shutting down…
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Dungeons & Dragons Is Shedding ‘Race’ in Gaming. Here’s Why It Matters
Dungeons & Dragons Is Shedding ‘Race’ in Gaming. Here’s Why It Matters The nerd culture powerhouse is rebranding its elves, dwarfs and orcs, previously referred to as races, and moving towards use of the term species By Steven Dashiell Dungeons & Dragons game figurines for sale in 2021. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images Dungeons & Dragons now reigns as a cultural powerhouse,…
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Musical Memories Don’t Fade with Age
Musical Memories Don’t Fade with Age Eighty-year-olds are able to identify familiar tunes just as well as teenagers can By Bianca Nogrady & Nature magazine Musical memory might be resistant to age-related cognitive declines because it stirs emotions and becomes more encoded in memory. The ability to remember and recognize a musical theme does not seem to be affected by…
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Komodo Dragons’ Nightmare Iron-Tipped Teeth Are a Reptilian First
Komodo Dragons’ Nightmare Iron-Tipped Teeth Are a Reptilian First Reptile teeth have long been considered simple and cheap because the animals replace them regularly. That isn’t so, Komodo dragons show By Meghan Bartels An adult Komodo dragon seen at a zoo. Jürgen & Christine Sohns/imageBROKER.com GmbH & Co. KG/Alamy Stock Photo There aren’t many scenarios in which getting a good…
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First U.S. Species to Go Extinct from Rising Seas Is the Key Largo Tree Cactus
Meet the First U.S. Species to Go Extinct from Sea-Level Rise A tall cactus found only in Florida’s Key Largo is the U.S.’s first species to go extinct from sea-level rise By Ayurella Horn-Muller & Grist The Key Largo tree cactus was initially found growing in the United States in 1992 at a single site. That population has since been…
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Between Twister and Twisters, Tornado Science Has Improved a Lot in Three Decades
Between Twister and Twisters, Tornado Science Has Improved a Lot in Three Decades Three decades of tornado science research is now at play in the new summer flick Twisters By Max Springer Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton as their characters Jo and Bill Harding in the 1996 movie Twister. Universal Pictures/Maximum Film/Alamy Stock Photo “Dorothy” was deliberately fed to an…
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Asteroid Apophis Is Target of Europe’s New Ramses Mission
Europe Announces New Mission to Infamous Asteroid Apophis ESA’s Ramses spacecraft will scout out Apophis before and after the asteroid’s super-close flyby of Earth in 2029 By Meghan Bartels Artist’s impression of ESA’s Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety. Asteroid Apophis is ready for its close-up—but are we? In 2029 the sizeable space rock will swing by our planet within…
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Facing Heat Waves, Cities Ask Scientists to Help Them Protect People
Facing Scorching Heat Waves, Cities Call on Scientists to Understand How People Respond Miami and New York City officials say they need more insight into how searing temperatures affect homeless people and other vulnerable populations By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News Sprinklers help people to cool off in Long Island City, N.Y., as temperatures soared on June 21, 2024. Selcuk…
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