Podcast: Download MYS273: Some ancient sources report snakes that had wings and could fly, including Herodotus and even the Bible. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli discuss the ancient Greek historian’s reports, what Isaiah had to say, and whether there really could have been ancient flying snakes. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow… Continue reading Flying Snakes! (Herodotus, Isaiah, Bible, Fossils, Uraeus, Wadjet, Serpent, Cobra)
Quaking Giants Might Solve the Mysteries of Stellar Magnetism
Our planet is doomed. In a few billion years, the sun will exhaust its hydrogen fuel and swell into a red giant — a star so big it will scorch, blacken and swallow up the inner planets. While red giants are bad news for planets, they’re good news for astrophysicists. Their hearts hold the keys to understanding… Continue reading Quaking Giants Might Solve the Mysteries of Stellar Magnetism
Truth Decay and National Security
The line between fact and opinion in public discourse has been eroding, and with it the public’s ability to have arguments and find common ground based in fact. We at RAND call this diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life “Truth Decay.” Everyone can feel how it affects their day-to-day lives—the family… Continue reading Truth Decay and National Security
In a Stone Age Community, Women Moved while Men Stayed with Family
In the sixth millennium B.C.E. the first farmers reached Western Europe. Who were these people, how did they live, and what was their family structure like? Some of these questions may now be answerable, thanks to gene and isotope analyses in combination with archaeological observations. By studying the remains of more than 100 dead individuals… Continue reading In a Stone Age Community, Women Moved while Men Stayed with Family
Ukrainian Refugees, U.S. and Allied Defense Strategy, Threats from AI: RAND Weekly Recap
This week, we discuss why European host countries shouldn’t treat Ukrainian refugees like short-term visitors; how to reverse the erosion of U.S. and allied power and influence; Washington’s concerns over Taiwan’s defense spending; addressing the mental health crisis in U.S. jails; tackling existential threats from artificial intelligence; and how the conflict in Sudan is creating… Continue reading Ukrainian Refugees, U.S. and Allied Defense Strategy, Threats from AI: RAND Weekly Recap
An Old Conjecture Falls, Making Spheres a Lot More Complicated
“I had heard rumors that this was coming up, and I didn’t know exactly what to expect,” said Vesna Stojanoska, a mathematician at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign who attended the conference. It was soon clear the rumors were true. Beginning on Tuesday, and over the next three days, Levy and his co-authors — Robert… Continue reading An Old Conjecture Falls, Making Spheres a Lot More Complicated
Book Review: ‘Delete the Adjective: A Soldier’s Adventures in Ranger School’ by Lisa Jaster
In 2013, then–Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey and Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta initiated the process to formally open all military jobs and units to women. Two years later, 19 women were among the 399 candidates who began the first-ever integrated U.S. Army Ranger School class. Delete the Adjective: A… Continue reading Book Review: ‘Delete the Adjective: A Soldier’s Adventures in Ranger School’ by Lisa Jaster
The Mysterious Origins of ‘X’ in Algebra
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. Even though x is one of the least-used letters in the English alphabet, it appears throughout American culture – from Stan Lee’s X-Men superheroes to “The X-Files” TV series. The letter x often symbolizes something unknown, with an air of mystery that… Continue reading The Mysterious Origins of ‘X’ in Algebra
Stacking Certificates and Degrees
In the minds of most Americans, going to college means pursuing a bachelor’s degree with a major in a traditional academic field like psychology, history, or mathematics. But in the last 10 to 15 years, many public community colleges and regional universities have greatly expanded their applied and technical programs, particularly in fields like health… Continue reading Stacking Certificates and Degrees
Exoplanets Could Help Us Learn How Planets Make Magnetism
For decades, astronomers have been perplexed by planetary magnetic fields. In our own solar system, there is no rule that explains which worlds generate these magnetic sheaths: Earth, for example, has one, but its sister world — Venus — does not. Astronomers suspect that one of the best ways to understand the mysteries of magnetism might be… Continue reading Exoplanets Could Help Us Learn How Planets Make Magnetism