For all the world’s linguistic diversity, human languages still obey certain universal patterns. These run deeper than grammar and syntax; they’re rooted in statistical laws that predict how frequently we use certain words and how long those words tend to be. Think of them as built-in guardrails to keep language easy to learn and use.… Continue reading Whale Songs Obey Basic Rules of Human Languages
A New IEA Report and the Iberian Blackout End Dreams of an ‘Energy Transition’
It’s no secret that the Republican’s “Big Beautiful Bill” plans to axe large swaths of mandates and billions of dollars in subsidies directed at achieving a so-called “energy transition.” If that budget axe falls, it will be the proverbial third strike that puts to rest the idea that the U.S., never mind the world, will… Continue reading A New IEA Report and the Iberian Blackout End Dreams of an ‘Energy Transition’
New ‘Superdiffusion’ Proof Probes the Mysterious Math of Turbulence
They started by imagining a very fine grid superimposed on their fluid. They then computed how long particles spent in each square of the grid, on average. In some squares, the fluid acted like a rushing river: Particles tended to sweep straight across the square, spending only a brief period of time there. In other… Continue reading New ‘Superdiffusion’ Proof Probes the Mysterious Math of Turbulence
America’s Legislative Tradition Has Revolutionary Roots
On May 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress convened for its opening session in the building that would later become known as Independence Hall. Its organization followed the Battles of Lexington and Concord that April. With all other means of contending with the British Empire then exhausted, its purpose was to place the colonies on… Continue reading America’s Legislative Tradition Has Revolutionary Roots
Trump’s DEI Purge Comes at a Cost to Indigenous Communities
February 6, 2025 3 min read Trump’s DEI Purge Comes at a Cost to Indigenous Communities President Donald Trump’s purge of diversity initiatives has affected both federal agencies and the institutions they fund, including those that work with Indigenous communities By Chelsea Harvey & E&E News U.S. President Donald Trump speaks while signing executive orders… Continue reading Trump’s DEI Purge Comes at a Cost to Indigenous Communities
Wasting Away in Wind-and-Solarville | RealClearInvestigations
While green advocates commonly use the terms renewable, sustainable, and net zero to describe their efforts, the dirty little secret is that much of the waste from solar panels and wind turbines is ending up in landfills. The current amounts of fiberglass, resins, aluminum and other chemicals – not to mention propeller blades from giant… Continue reading Wasting Away in Wind-and-Solarville | RealClearInvestigations
The Mystery of the Year
Podcast: Download MYS365: What is a year, and how did we learn to track it? Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli chart the evolution of calendars, from lunar to Gregorian, and even ponder timekeeping on Mars, with insights from history, religion, and science. Get all new episodes automatically and for free: Follow by Email | Watch… Continue reading The Mystery of the Year
The Molecular Bond That Helps Secure Your Memories
To find out if KIBRA and PKMζ work together in response to synaptic activity, the researchers used a technique that makes interacting proteins glow. When they applied electrical pulses to hippocampal slices, glowing dots of evidence appeared: Following bursts of synaptic activity that produced long-term synaptic strengthening, a multitude of KIBRA-PKMζ complexes formed, and they… Continue reading The Molecular Bond That Helps Secure Your Memories
Turning PA’s Poor Rankings into a Winning GOP Agenda
Pennsylvania’s latest national rankings are not just embarrassing – they’re a policy indictment. But for Republicans, they also offer something else: a clear political opportunity. U.S. News & World Report ranks Pennsylvania 41st out of 50 states. Of the six states bordering the Commonwealth, five ranked higher. Only West Virginia fared worse. The drivers of this steep decline… Continue reading Turning PA’s Poor Rankings into a Winning GOP Agenda
Finding Beauty and Truth in Mundane Occurrences
A stain drying on the counter. A raindrop splashing onto the sidewalk. A pile of gravel settling. Historically, such phenomena have rarely caught the attention of physicists, as they seem mundane and devoid of fundamental significance. At the same time, these everyday happenings are also deceptively hard to understand. Out of balance and disordered, they… Continue reading Finding Beauty and Truth in Mundane Occurrences