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
Donald Trump Faces Boromir’s Test
Following his re-inauguration, Donald Trump will face the central moral question posed by Lord of the Rings. Generations after his death, J.R.R. Tolkien’s quandary will again confront a great leader. Over his 2024 campaign, President Trump promised to rollback Joe Biden’s so-called “equity” agenda of universal racial preferences. He also promised to rollback a century of… Continue reading Donald Trump Faces Boromir’s Test
Trump Victory Is a ‘Gut Punch’ to U.S. Climate Action
CLIMATEWIRE | President-elect Donald Trump won a second term Wednesday morning after promising to unleash fossil fuel development, slash pollution regulations and dismantle President Joe Biden’s climate agenda. Climate change was dwarfed by issues like the cost of living, immigration and the future of democracy during the campaign. But Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala… Continue reading Trump Victory Is a ‘Gut Punch’ to U.S. Climate Action
Our National Security Calls for Trump to Impede the TikTok Ban
Writing about antitrust law recently, the excellent Holman Jenkins observed that “At best it’s a criminal waste of talent. At worst, it’s deeply worrisome that any law school graduate aspires to participate in an intellectually corrupt shakedown machine that exists primarily to keep itself employed.” Would it that more would apply Jenkins’s antitrust analysis to… Continue reading Our National Security Calls for Trump to Impede the TikTok Ban
Election Grief Is Real. Here’s How to Cope
An impassioned election has come to an end, but the emotions of the past few months have not. One of the emotions a lot of people are experiencing is grief, more often associated with death than the voting process. Scientific American spoke with Pauline Boss, an emeritus professor at the University of Minnesota, who spent… Continue reading Election Grief Is Real. Here’s How to Cope
It’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill,’ Yet Time to ‘Chill, Baby, Chill’ on Lower Prices
The energy policy of the incoming Trump administration seems as concise as it is clear: Slash domestic energy costs under the mantra, popularized in 2008 by GOP vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin, of “Drill, baby, drill!” While a RealClearInvestigations canvass of energy experts suggests many of them foresee long-term benefits in that approach, it’s less clear to… Continue reading It’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill,’ Yet Time to ‘Chill, Baby, Chill’ on Lower Prices
Earth Will Exceed 1.5 Degrees Celsius of Warming This Year
November 5, 2024 2 min read Earth Will Exceed 1.5 Degrees Celsius of Warming This Year This year won’t just be the hottest on record—it could be the first to surpass 1.5 degrees Celsius. The Paris climate accord aims to keep warming below that level when looking over multiple years By Andrea Thompson edited by… Continue reading Earth Will Exceed 1.5 Degrees Celsius of Warming This Year
North Carolina Voters Confirm Growing National Momentum for Term Limits
North Carolina’s legislature recently passed a Congressional Term Limits resolution in bipartisan fashion. The Tar Heel state is the third one in 2024 (joining Louisiana and Tennessee) to make the historic leap. Voter momentum favors limiting the amount of time those elected to Congress can serve. Which is a crucial step toward better times ahead.… Continue reading North Carolina Voters Confirm Growing National Momentum for Term Limits