OpenAI Researcher Quits, Flames Company for Axing Team Tasked
OpenAI Shut It might sound like a joke, but OpenAI has dissolved the team responsible for making sure advanced AI doesn't turn against humankind. Yes, you read that right. The objective of the team,
To find out the age of dolphins, ask their poop
This article was originally featured on Hakai Magazine, an online publication about science and society in coastal ecosystems. Read more stories like this at hakaimagazine.com. Scat. Guano. Dung. Poo
Scientists move atoms so close together it may change quantum physics forever -
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Could moving atoms closer together than ever before open the door to the next quantum breakthrough? Physicists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a new tec
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New AI generates CRISPR proteins unlike any seen in nature
Berkeley-based startup Profluent has trained an AI to imagine new, never-before-seen CRISPR proteins — opening the door to gene editors with capabilities beyond what we’ve found in the wild. They’re a
May's full Flower Moon happening soon: What to know
The Full Flower Moon is set to illuminate the skies on May 23, 2024 , according to the U.S. Naval Observatory . That night, the moon will reach its peak fullness at 9:53 p.m. ET, the agency rep
NASA's PREFIRE mission is ready to unlock the mysteries of Earth's poles
NASA is preparing to launch its latest climate science mission, the Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-Infrared Experiment (PREFIRE), which aims to capture brand new data on how heat is lost to space fro
This Week In Space podcast: Episode 111
On Episode 111 of This Week In Space, Rod and Tariq talk with Dr. John Mulchaey, Director of the Carnegie Observatories, about the threat to completing two new giant astronomical observatories. Welco
After Months-Long Coma, This Latino Immigrant Worker Is Still Fighting Mysterious Long COVID Symptoms
This story was produced by El Tecolote , a bilingual publication that documents and amplifies the voices of San Francisco’s Latinx communities. Osbaldo Varilla-Aguilar rarely worried about his
Mad Scientists Build "Dune"-Inspired Stillsuit That Can Recycle Sweat
Still Running In Frank Herbert's epic 1965 sci-fi novel "Dune," those adventurous enough to brave the desert landscapes of the fictional planet Arrakis wear a full body suit called a "stillsuit" that
Why we're one step closer to understanding how Earth got its oceans (op
Space enthusiasts will know — it's easy to get caught up in a wealth of fascinating developments, from missions to the lunar surface to new discoveries in exoplanet science. But as an astronomer, what
Why Do People Hate People?
Biases against certain groups of people can escalate into acts of violence if left unchecked
2024 Full Moon calendar: When to see the Full Moon and phases
A composite image showing the Full Moons in 2020 and 2021 by month. Credit: Soumyadeep Mukherjee. The phenomenon of a Full Moon arises when our planet, Earth, is precisely sandwiched between the Sun
China Shows Off Robot Dogs Armed With Machine Guns
Dog Gun It The Chinese military recently showed off numerous robot dogs outfitted with machine guns on their backs during the country's biggest-ever drill alongside Cambodian troops, as Agence France
May 1924: Popular Science profiles George Mallory's tragic quest to conquer Everest
A century ago, in May 1924, Popular Science covered one of the earliest attempts to scale Mount Everest. When the story hit magazine stands in 1924, the outcome of the much-anticipated expedition wa
Blueberry Wine Could Be The Next Big Superfood
We’re now in the midst of blueberry season and that means a glut of delicious blue-but-not-really fruit heading toward our tables. If you end up with more blueberries than you can freeze, bake, or ble
How to watch Blue Origin's NS-25 private space tourist mission online May 19
Blue Origin plans to launch its first private space tourist mission in nearly two years on Sunday (May 19), and you can watch it live online. The mission is known as NS-25, because it will be the 25t
Scientists Invent Evil Way to Cut Screen Time: App That Makes Your Phone More and More Annoying to Use the Longer You're On It
Slow Burn Can't kick the smartphone habit? Researchers have devised a clever way to shave your embarrassingly high screen times that involves some downright evil sleight-of-hand. Their app, Interact
Why Is My Scalp Flaky? Exploring The Causes Of Dandruff And How It’s Treated
If you’ve ever thought twice about wearing a dark shirt or jacket in case it ends up covered in a light dusting of flakes, you will know the annoyance that dandruff can cause. Lots of us will have to
The nature of consciousness, and how to enjoy it while you can
Unraveling how consciousness arises out of particular configurations of organic matter is a quest that has absorbed scientists and philosophers for ages. Now, with AI systems behaving in strikingly co
After Spending Years Relentlessly Chasing Fame, Sam Altman Complains That He's Getting Recognized in Public Too Much
The Fame Monster After spending years relentlessly chasing publicity across the media, huge speaking events and a world tour of multiple continents, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is humblebragging that all h
What Were The Most Popular Baby Names In 2023?
Every year, the US Social Security Administration releases its list of the most popular baby names from the previous year, providing an interesting insight into the naming trends that have captured
After Accident With First Patient, Neuralink Seeks Volunteer for Second Implant
Things haven't gone entirely according to plan with Neuralink's first human patient: as the company conceded after questions from the Wall Street Journal, wires inside the patient's brain appear to ha
Crucial Building Blocks Of Life On Earth Can More Easily Form In Outer Space
The origin of life on Earth is still enigmatic, but we are slowly unravelling the steps involved and the necessary ingredients. Scientists believe life arose in a primordial soup of organic chemicals
Why Does Everything Eventually Become Disordered?
If you feel the world is breaking down into chaos, you’re right. You may or may not be correct if that feeling is in regard to politics and the state of society, but on the timescale of the universe t
ISIS Affiliates Using AI to Generate Propaganda Promoting Terrorism
Media Blitz Days after gunmen stormed a Moscow concert venue in late March and killed more than 140 people, a slick propaganda video about the attack — purportedly from a group allied with the terror
How COVID Vaccines Stand Up to New FLiRT Variants
Scientists have warned of a "summer wave" of COVID-19 infections after a highly transmissible new group of omicron subvariants was detected in the U.S. But will our vaccines stand up to these new st
James Webb Space Telescope sees Orion Nebula in a stunning new light (images)
The Orion Nebula may be a familiar and well-studied celestial object, but new images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) show this star-forming cloud of gas and dust in an incredibly new and vi
Huge Study Finds That Vegetarian and Vegan Diets Are Incredibly Good for You
Fruits and vegetables win again! As CNN reports, a new umbrella study has found that most vegetarian and vegan diets significantly curb risks of life-threatening illnesses like cancer and cardiovascul
Mission control is trying 'restlessly' to save a spacecraft to Mercury
A complex mission to Mercury that began its epic space voyage six years ago has encountered critical thrust problems that controllers say could imperil plans to study the closest planet to the s
What’s Going On With The New COVID FLiRT Variants? This Lost River Could Explain How The Pyramids Were Built, And Much More This Week
This week, two new searches have identified 60 potential “ alien megastructures ” in our galaxy, something strange is happening to the Y chromosome , and warm-blooded dinosaurs may have evolved