Science and Tech

Science and Tech

A healthcare worker wearing blue gloves gently inserts an IV into a man's hand as he lies on a hospital bed, battling lung cancer.
For a substantial part of human history, people thought smoking tobacco was perfectly healthy. Native American tribes, who introduced the tobacco plant to Europeans and — by extension, the rest […]
Google logo in large letters displayed on a glass building facade.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
moon landing Apollo 11
Sixty years ago, the Soviet Union was way ahead of the USA in the space race. Then one critical event changed everything.
A collage featuring hands holding a plant, additional hands in sepia tone, a grid background, orange accents, and the text "Reclaim Meaning" with the number 4.
What if the barrier to a fulfilled life isn’t technology but culture?
atoms
If atoms are mostly empty space, then why can't two objects made of atoms simply pass through each other? Quantum physics explains why.
Two young children with curly hair in striped sweaters enjoy lollipops, showcasing the whimsical nature of genes and behavior. The black-and-white photo gives a nostalgic feel.
When it comes to behavior, genetics may play a larger role than you think.
A large anthropomorphic figure blows bubbles labeled with financial terms, while a crowd of people chase after them, unaware of the bubble revisionism at play.
From tulips to Bitcoin, bubbles have been given a bad rap as destroyers of dreams — but they’re essential for our brightest future. Here’s why.
evolution universe cosmic history big bang
From a hot, dense, uniform state in its earliest moments, our entire known Universe arose. These unavoidable steps made it all possible.
A sky full of stars with a large central galaxy, surrounded by smaller galaxies and bright spots on a dark background.
It was barely a century ago that we thought the Milky Way encompassed the entirety of the Universe. Now? We're not even a special galaxy.
Two scientists in lab coats and gloves examine a small transparent plate with colorful dots, held by tweezers, in a laboratory setting.
It’s been 65 years since Richard Feynman saw “plenty of room” in the nano-world. Are we finally getting down there?
A man looking at a mirror.
"Personhood" credentials could cleanse the internet of bots — but are the costs worth it?
black hole
50 years ago, Stephen Hawking showed that black holes emit radiation and eventually decay away. That fate may now apply to everything.
Betelgeuse visualization
The closest known star that will soon undergo a core-collapse supernova is Betelgeuse, just 640 light-years away. Here's what we'll observe.
Abstract image of blue and pink particles on a black background, creating swirling patterns reminiscent of leading with AI innovations.
The Wharton School professor — and author of Co-Intelligence — outlines ways we can tap into the AI advantage safely and effectively.
A digital visualization displays particle collision results with colored tracks and trails diverging from a central point against a black background, hinting at how B-mesons might break the standard model.
We have very specific predictions for how particles ought to decay. When we look at B-mesons all together, something vital doesn't add up.
A smartphone with a red case displays a world map on the screen, set against a vibrant orange background.
The integration of artificial intelligence into public health could have revolutionary implications for the global south—if only it can get online.
Poster for the 1939 New York World's Fair, featuring a stylized skyline, ocean liner, and the slogan "The World of Tomorrow," encapsulating future visions that captivate imaginations and inspire exploration.
By looking back at future dreams we can see our current hopes and visions in a whole new light.
einstein general relativity curved spacetime
Most waves need a medium to travel through. But the way that light and gravitational waves travel shows that space can't be a medium at all.
Two images of the Sombrero Galaxy viewed edge-on. The top image, captured by JWST, shows a glowing blue center, while the bottom reveals a bright core with dust lanes.
The Sombrero is the closest bright, massive, edge-on galaxy to us. JWST's new image, taken with MIRI, finally shows what's under its hat.
An e-reader displaying text is propped up against a stack of hardcover books.
The nonprofit made a bold gamble on the limits of "fair use" — and federal courts have not backed their play.
Diagram of atomic orbitals showing various shapes and labels, including s, p, d, and f orbitals, organized in a triangular structure with coordinate axes x, y, z.
One of the fundamental constants of nature, the fine-structure constant, determines so much about our Universe. Here's why it matters.
A classical marble statue's head embodies Roman resilience, adorned with an orange construction helmet against a teal background.
Welcome to The Nightcrawler — a weekly newsletter from Eric Markowitz covering tech, innovation, and long-term thinking.
gravitational wave effects on spacetime
Gravitational waves are the last signatures that are emitted by merging black holes. What happens when these two phenomena meet in space?
Digital illustration of a DNA double helix in red and blue, set against a black background.
“We can build AI scientists that are better than we are… these systems can be superhuman,” says the FutureHouse co-founder.
A telescope beneath a colorful, abstract visualization of the universe, with a starry night sky in the background.
DESI has allowed astronomers to create an unprecedented 3D map of the Universe representing 20% of the entire sky.
lookback time galaxies
For nearly 60 years, the hot Big Bang has been accepted as the best story of our cosmic origin. Could the Steady-State theory be possible?
Pixelated red human figure on a black grid background with blue symmetrical curves and white geometric shapes adjacent.
In November 1974, astronomers used the radio telescope at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory to send a hello to the universe.
how much dark matter
Two parts of our Universe that seem to be unavoidable are dark matter and dark energy. Could they really be two aspects of the same thing?