Break the rules, or fall in line? Meizhi Lang/Unsplash Would you follow a rule, even if doing so harms you and no one would know if you broke it? A series of experiments suggests that 1 in 4 people do exactly that: obey rules unconditionally, even in the absence of social pressure, punishment and personal…
Global warming is making wildfires more frequent and more destructive Noah Berger/Associated Press/Alamy The world has warmed even more than we thought, according to a new dataset suggesting the temperature rise since pre-industrial times is 6 per cent higher than previous estimates. That would put us on track to breach the Paris climate goal of…
Megalodon Diets, Teeth Sensitivity and a Bunch of Vaccine News It’s one step forward and two steps back for vaccine policy in the U.S. Plus, we discuss the fishy origins of sensitive teeth and megalodon diets. By Rachel Feltman, Fonda Mwangi & Alex Sugiura Anaissa Ruiz Tejada/Scientific American Rachel Feltman: Happy Monday, listeners! It may…
Dogs treated for fleas release insect-killing chemicals into water when they swim Natalya_Maisheva/Shutterstock If your dog will jump in the nearest river, pond or lake given half a chance, don’t use spot-on treatments for fleas and ticks, say researchers. A study has shown that when dogs are immersed in water, their skin and fur can…
AI Found a ‘Magic Potion’ That Can Bring Dead Batteries Back to Life Electric vehicles leave behind mountains of dead lithium-ion batteries. A new “injection” brings them back to life By You Xiaoying edited by Andrea Thompson Malte Mueller/Getty Images A team of researchers in China has found a way to bring dead lithium-ion batteries…
The end-Permian mass extinction was the deadliest event in Earth’s history. Also called the Great Dying, it is thought to have nearly wiped out all life on Earth 252 million years ago. Yet, earlier this year, we learned of an ancient ecosystem at South Taodonggou, a geological site in what is now China, where plants…
The World Isn’t Ready for the Mental Health Toll of Extreme Heat Temperatures are rising, and so are mental health risks By Madhusree Mukerjee edited by Dean Visser A man walks with an umbrella to protect himself from the heat as a yellow alert is issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) due to…
Satellite view of coral reefs in New Caledonia Shutterstock/BEST-BACKGROUNDS There might be an upside to the loss of coral reefs. Their decline would mean oceans can absorb up to 5 per cent more carbon dioxide by 2100, researchers estimate, slowing the build up of this greenhouse gas in Earth’s atmosphere. “It is a beneficial effect…
Often likened to mermaids in media reports and popular culture, South Korea’s famed Haenyeo (“sea women”) spend much of the day underwater, diving without scuba gear to collect abalone, octopus, kelp and other prized seafood. Admired both culturally and scientifically, they have been plunging into the frigid waters of Jeju Island since as early as…
The ion-trap chip used to test a single qubit Dr Jochen Wolf and Dr Tom Harty A new record has been set for extremely precise control over qubits, the building blocks of quantum computers. This advance could lead to quantum computers that make fewer errors – if it can be replicated at a larger scale….
