He knew that his observation of one neuron firing didn’t mean there was only one neuron for every concept. If that were true, “the chance of finding it would be close to zero,” he said. “I used to joke that, if this were the case, I should quit science and start gambling because I would… Continue reading Concept Cells Help Your Brain Abstract Information and Build Memories
The Jagged, Monstrous Function That Broke Calculus
Calculus is a powerful mathematical tool. But for hundreds of years after its invention in the 17th century, it stood on a shaky foundation. Its core concepts were rooted in intuition and informal arguments, rather than precise, formal definitions. Two schools of thought emerged in response, according to Michael Barany, a historian of math and… Continue reading The Jagged, Monstrous Function That Broke Calculus
New Book-Sorting Algorithm Almost Reaches Perfection
Computer scientists often deal with abstract problems that are hard to comprehend, but an exciting new algorithm matters to anyone who owns books and at least one shelf. The algorithm addresses something called the library sorting problem (more formally, the “list labeling” problem). The challenge is to devise a strategy for organizing books in some… Continue reading New Book-Sorting Algorithm Almost Reaches Perfection
Who Is More Noble: Tim Kaine or Pete Hegseth?
I was in Florida last week, the day Tim Kaine attacked Pete Hegseth during his confirmation hearings. Kaine is the type of guy who doesn’t know what a “first down” is. Hegseth is a bad ass, highly decorated Army officer who served in combat roles in Iraq and Afghanistan. My phone was blowing-up all day… Continue reading Who Is More Noble: Tim Kaine or Pete Hegseth?
The Kardashev Scale
The Kardashev Scale < !- end of Google Analytics Code Snippet by GA4WP–> // tabnab protection window.addEventListener(‘load’, function () { // make all links have rel=”noopener noreferrer” document.querySelectorAll(‘a[target=”_blank”]’).forEach(link => { link.setAttribute(‘rel’, ‘noopener noreferrer’); }); }); ]]> Podcast: Download MYS348: Humanity has come a long way in the last few thousand years, but we still have… Continue reading The Kardashev Scale
Climate Is on State Ballots This Election
CLIMATEWIRE | Some of this election’s most important battlegrounds for climate policy have nothing to do with the Electoral College. Governors’ mansions, legislatures and even climate policy itself are on the ballot across the country. In Washington state, voters will render an up-or-down verdict on one of the country’s most aggressive systems for cutting emissions.… Continue reading Climate Is on State Ballots This Election
Can a Sabre-Wielding Trump Show Mercy to His Fiscal Watchdogs This Time?
Above, President Trump brandishes a sword to cut a cake on Inauguration Day. But cutting government is no piece of cake — and he has what some might call a terrible swift habit of sacking federal inspectors general (IGs) who could help him. By Bob Ivry, RealClearInvestigationsJanuary 23, 2025 COVID-19 emergency relief money, which began… Continue reading Can a Sabre-Wielding Trump Show Mercy to His Fiscal Watchdogs This Time?
In the Middle Ages, Your Zodiac Sign Decided Your Days
Rachel Feltman: These days, science and magic are generally thought of as being diametrically opposed: fact versus fiction, reason versus fantasy, modern sensibilities versus archaic misconceptions. But that hasn’t always been the case. For Scientific American’s Science Quickly, I’m Rachel Feltman. My guest today is Larisa Grollemond, assistant curator in the Manuscripts Department at the… Continue reading In the Middle Ages, Your Zodiac Sign Decided Your Days
Did Martin Luther King, Jr. Convert His Enemies?
Martin Luther King, Jr. said the goal of the civil rights movement should be to turn an enemy into a friend. It can be done, he said, because people aren’t simply good or evil. “There is something within human nature that can respond to goodness,” King said. “So that a Jesus of Nazareth or a… Continue reading Did Martin Luther King, Jr. Convert His Enemies?
Misinformation Really Does Spread like a Virus, Epidemiology Shows
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. We’re increasingly aware of how misinformation can influence elections. About 73% of Americans report seeing misleading election news, and about half struggle to discern what is true or false. When it comes to misinformation, “going viral” appears to… Continue reading Misinformation Really Does Spread like a Virus, Epidemiology Shows