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Liberal and conservative brains react to charged words differently

Partisanship can now be seen in brain scans.

Coffee and green tea may lower death risk for some adults

Tea and coffee have known health benefits, but now we know they can work together.

Why aligning AI to our values may be harder than we think

Can we stop a rogue AI by teaching it ethics? That might be easier said than done.

Cornell University program aims to end world hunger in 10 years

Can we end world hunger by 2030? Thanks to a new program, the data for it is all there.

Mosquitoes' taste for blood is finally explained

Mosquitoes can taste your blood using unique sensory abilities. Can we use that to keep them off us?

Six solar system oddities and why we must learn about them

Want some crazy space phenomena? You don't have to leave the neighborhood for it.

How humans ended up the most altruistic of animals

Humans help each other in ways animals don't dream of, but why?

New model explains Saturn’s hexagon shaped storm

The solar system has some strange stuff in it. Learning how it ended up that way can tell us where we're going.

Got science questions? Skype A Scientist can help

A non-profit dedicated to science communication offers to connect learners with over 11,000 scientists.

Ambassadors from 50 nations sign letter supporting LGBTQ rights in Poland

Poland has become an increasingly unwelcoming place for the LGBTQ community. 50 diplomats hope to change that.

Three philosophies of punishment and whether or not they work

What do we want to do with convicted criminals? Penology has several philosophies waiting to answer that question.

Income is tied to happiness and hope for the future

Money can't buy happiness, but try being hopeful and broke at the same time.

Want students to cheat less? Science says treat them justly

Students who think the world is just cheat less, but they need to experience justice to feel that way.

Back to back excavations unearth two dozen Egyptian mummies

Well preserved coffins hint towards more discoveries in a famed necropolis.

Glassdoor lists the highest-rated CEOs during COVID

If you want flexibility, transparency, and decent health policies, it seems like working in tech pays off.

Sharks flee in terror when killer whales show up

Sharks fear killer whales. How does this impact the ecosystems they share?

Five weird thought experiments to break your brain

Thought expriments are great tools, but do they always do what we want them to?

Study: Older Americans know more about COVID than connected youth

Why a survey claims Boomers demonstrate more knowledge and safer behavior.

Rock study may have just revealed cause of Triassic mass extinction

Rocks from two hundred million years ago show us how everything died and how nothing is new.

The philosophy of bullsh*t and how to avoid stepping in it

A philosopher's guide to detecting nonsense and getting around it.

Study shows why face shields don’t work as well as face masks

Some people choose alternatives to masks for comfort. A study shows the difference in effectiveness.

Three thinkers on when we should call out harmful speech

What speech is harmful, how do we know, and what do we do if we find out?

Anxiety related internet searches hit new high during pandemic

More people are looking up panic and anxiety attacks in quarantine.

Non-partisan brains differ from those of partisans

Non-partisans are real, and their lack of partisanship has a cognitive element.

Rare fossil depicting battle sheds light on ancient ant

Fossils depicting animals in action are very rare.

Massive 'Darth Vader' isopod found lurking in the Indian Ocean

The father of all giant sea bugs was recently discovered off the coast of Java.

Warming tropical soils may add carbon to the air

Carbon locked in soils can be emitted by bacteria. Turning up the heat on them releases more carbon.

Why your hair dulls the sharpest razor blades

Ever wonder how soft hair can dull a steel razor? So did scientists at MIT.

Viewing abstract art causes notable cognitive changes

Viewing art that doesn't look like anything makes your brain take extra steps to try and get it.

DNA from an unknown ancestor found in modern humans

Our family tree is complicated, and some of the branches are still unlabeled.

NASA detects unexpected lightning storms in Jupiter's upper atmosphere

Some of the most extreme weather in the Solar System just got stranger.

Spiders lace webs in toxins to paralyze prey

Just what every arachnophobe needed to hear.

Economists show how welfare programs can turn a "profit"

What happens if we consider welfare programs as investments?

Mexico City just outlawed gay conversion therapy. These cities have not

Mexico City, already progressive, takes more steps to protect its LGBT+ citizens.

Study: Big homes have big carbon footprints

American homes are big and polluting. Here's how to fix that.

Study finds the real reason you get goosebumps

No, its not just to keep you warm with hair you don't have.

Closest images ever taken of the sun reveal "nanoflares"

The Sun, as its never been seen before.

Cognitive ability tied to better social distancing

Working memory is the workhorse of cognition. Having less of it has side effects.

Supporting climate science increases skepticism of out-groups

A study finds people are more influenced by what the other party says than their own. What gives?

A new approach to Alzheimer’s based on physics and worms

How a study on worms pointed the way towards a treatment for dementia.

Want to feel better? Science says to care for your dog

Admit it, caring for your pet can make you happy too. Science is working on why.

Women who go to church have more kids—and more help

Want help raising your kids? Spend more time at church, says new study.

A new perfume can help you smell like space

Ever want to smell like an astronaut? Now you can!

Scientists create robot skin that stores liquids

The smart skin can "sweat" like human skin and also self-heal.

DNA shows Scythian warrior mummy was a 13-year-old girl

Thanks to modern technology, we can reexamine our assumptions about ancient warriors.

Can sending a postcard to eligible voters increase turnout?

A simple postcard can improve voter registration rates. Who knew?

Want better sex? Science says show more gratitude

It turns out, letting your partner know you appreciate them leads to a stronger relationship. Who'd have thunk?

Study: Smoking weed while pregnant lowers infant birth weight

While many people don't think its all that bad, a new study suggests you should lay off while expecting.

An expert explains what 'Abolish the Police' really means

It turns out big ideas don't always fit in sign-sized slogans.

The benefits of a good apology and how to make one

A good apology can do great things. A bad one can cause trouble. Know the difference.

Regular volunteering maintains the health of older adults

Volunteering can feel great and make good things happen. Now we know it promotes your health too.

10 jokes from philosopher Slavoj Žižek

What better way to understand the world around us than through jokes?

5 products that come from outer space

Can't get to space? Why not bring space to you?

How to dissolve your ego—and why you should

Ever want to move forward but find you're in your own way?

Does rioting work? Here are five times it did.

Expert opinion is divided on how effective riots can be on causing social change. However, these five examples show they can do something.

Dinosaur killing meteor hit Earth at 'worst possible angle'

You think you've had a day where everything that went wrong could? T-Rex has you beat.

Writing found on "blank" Dead Sea Scroll fragments

The texts were previously thought to be blank and were cut up for materials studies.

Remains of first modern humans in Europe found

The discovery may change what we know about early humans in Europe.

Study: We like villains similar to ourselves

Love a good villain? It says a lot about you.

Long spaceflights change astronauts' brain structure, new study suggests

The changes in brain structure aren't the only bodily changes caused by zero gravity.

Atomic bomb tests help scientists finally date sharks

Nuclear weapons, whale sharks, and how to use both to make eco-tourism more sustainable.

Eating fish may have given Neanderthals brainpower

A new finding suggests Neanderthals were far from the big dumb brutes we make them out to be.

This 103-year-old philosopher's to-do list will get you through self-isolation

Need to isolate? No problem! This philosopher is keeping the world posted on his isolation routine by Facebook.

Space Force gets its first weapon: a satellite jammer

And the first sci-fi weapon the Space Force gets is....a device to scramble communications?

Study: City babies behave better than rural babies

A new study finds the temperament of infants can vary based on where they live.

Study: Lifestyles of the wealthy are to blame for climate change

As it turns out, people who can afford to fly all the time use more energy than anybody else.

Marcus Aurelius’ guide to becoming a morning person

Ever had trouble finding reason to get out of bed? Marcus Aurelius has some advice for you.

Secret bunker from WWII found in Scotland

Winston Churchill had a secret army, and bunkers like this would have hidden them during a German invasion.

10 quotes from great minds on why you should vote

Don't feel like going out to vote? These ten thinkers have something to tell you.

A.I. reveals which workers are most likely to quit their jobs

A.I. hasn't come for our jobs just yet, but it can figure out who is looking for a new one.

3 "symptoms" of atheism, as described by a Christian minister

Do you get worried or angry? Ever forget to tithe? One minister has bad news for you.

7 philosophers who were exiled from their societies

Being ahead of the curve can be a dangerous place. These 7 thinkers were driven from their homelands over it.

Why some philosophers think you should be a vegetarian

We all know somebody who avoids meat. These schools of thought suggest those people are onto something.

The philosophy of protest: Thoreau, King, and Civil Disobedience

The protesters on the street aren't just taking up space, they carry on a well thought out tradition.

Do presidents removed from office still retain honorific titles?

Does a person still get to be "the honorable" if they are tossed out for not being honorable?

No, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Wakanda is not a real country

An online tool listed the home of the Black Panther as a trading partner of the United States.

Why the singular “They” is Merriam-Webster's word of the year

"They" has taken on a not-so-new meaning lately. This earned it the scrutiny it needed to win.

Many Americans are actually centrists—in theory, anyway

America is polarized, but not as much as you might think.

What are municipal utilities and why are they suddenly popular?

Can changing who delivers your electricity to you solve a slew of problems?

Marijuana addiction has risen in places where it's legal

While legalization has benefits, a new study suggests it may have one big drawback.

Mexican 'smart city' would be 100% energy efficient, self-sustaining

An Italian firm has put forward an idea for a green city that would be completely self-sustaining, modern, and green.

Venetian council room floods after councilors reject climate proposals

In a metaphor too apt to be made up, the council has been forced to relocate until the flood waters recede.

3 innovative models that can make the workplace more humane

A variety of structures exist to both treat employees with more respect and increase productivity.

Students develop door handles that kill bacteria

After living through a terrible epidemic, two inventors have created a self-cleaning door handle.

The largest private coal company in America just went broke

It's telling about attempts to save the industry.

Should politicians, en masse, do 'shrooms?

Just for giggles, would it be a good idea to have our leaders take shrooms?

Organizers: Operation Ocean Cleanup is finally working

The net famously failed to work as planned last year. Now, a new version is making waves.

Why the biggest pledges on emissions are from the smallest countries

In hopes of saving their countries, many small nations are making big promises on cutting emissions.

Researchers: Voting machines can be easily hacked

As it turns out, hacking an election isn't as hard as you'd think.

Study: Ending the racial wealth gap would add a trillion dollars to the economy

America's racial wealth disparity is entrenched, with devastating effects. What if we got rid of it?

Sign of the times: School designed to limit impact of mass shootings

With little progress on other avenues to preventing mass shootings, one firm has employed architecture to save students.

Two philosophers' views on California's homelessness epidemic

How can Innovation Central not manage to solve its own sprawling homelessness?

Have we reached a humane alternative to the war on drugs?

Can treating addiction as a disease work better than treating it as a vice?

This incredible meditation will help solve your existential dread

Existential dread, meet astronomical wonder.

When the minimum wage is too low it becomes a public health risk

We often discuss what the minimum wage does to the economy, but rarely do we discuss what it does to people.

Why Slavoj Zizek thinks political correctness is dumb

Zizek is on the left and dislikes political correctness. How does that work out?

Why secular humanism can do what atheism can't

Atheism doesn't offer much beyond non-belief, can secular humanism fill the gaps?

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