Culture

Blue Origin’s All-Female Crew: Exploring the Emotional Impact of Looking Back at Earth from Space

Chrissy Newton·March 5, 2025

With the announcement of Blue Origin's all-female crew for the upcoming NS-31 mission, we explore the profound emotional and psychological impact of space travel on astronauts.

New Legislation Aims to Make Legendary Humanlike Creature California’s Official ‘Cryptid’

Micah Hanks·February 28, 2025

A new assembly bill introduced in California seeks to recognize a legendary humanlike creature as the state’s official “cryptid.”

Misinformation, Deception, and Harm Reveal the ‘Dark Side’ of Influencer Culture, Alarming Study Says

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·February 25, 2025

Researchers reveal that social media influencers can cause misinformation, unrealistic beauty standards and unethical practices.

FDA Staff Reviewing Musk’s Neuralink Among Those Fired in DOGE Employee Layoffs

Chrissy Newton·February 20, 2025

Several U.S. Food and Drug Administration employees connected to reviewing Elon Musk’s brain interface company Neuralink have been fired.

Satellite Data Reveals Concerning Trend in Major Cities That Were Once a Gateway to Opportunity

Chrissy Newton·February 20, 2025

Satellite data and city records suggest major metropolitan areas have ceased functioning as effective springboards for progress.

The Science of Creativity: Study Reveals the Best Ways to Organize Teams for Idea Generation

Chrissy Newton·February 18, 2025

New research reveals how different organizational structures impact idea generation, offering insights into the best ways to foster creativity.

Are You Ready for Love? Your Friends Might Know Before You Do

Chrissy Newton·February 17, 2025

Could your friends know when you're ready to find love even before you do? A new study suggests they might.

AI Governance Through ‘Equity by Design’ is Needed to Protect Marginalized Communities, Expert Warns

Chrissy Newton·February 11, 2025

Experts are calling for the implementation of a framework for AI equality to help elevate the voices of communities that could become lost amid a shifting digital landscape.

New Study Reveals How Music Eases Pain—But Only at the Right Tempo

Chrissy Newton·February 9, 2025

Music is known to have therapeutic properties, but new research suggests that its ability to alleviate pain depends on one key factor: tempo.

Research Shows Classical Music Can Soothe Fetal Heart Rates, Promoting Healthy Development

Chrissy Newton·February 6, 2025

New research reveals classical music can help calm fetal heart rates, potentially offering developmental benefits to babies in the womb. 

Archaeologists Say New DNA Evidence Unveils an Iron Age Matriarchal Mystery

Chrissy Newton·January 20, 2025

New compelling DNA evidence suggests Iron Age Britain may have been more matriarchal than previously thought. 

Robotic Exoskeleton Could Soon Help Pianists Overcome the “Ceiling Effect”

Chrissy Newton·January 17, 2025

An innovative exoskeleton could help musicians overcome the "ceiling effect," a natural leveling-off of skills following extensive practice.

Is RedNote the New TikTok? Social Media Users Are Migrating to a New Chinese App as Potential Ban Looms

Chrissy Newton·January 15, 2025

Is RedNote the new TikTok? The emerging platform is making waves on social media as a potential rival to TikTok's dominance.

Forget Your Hands, This Game-Changing Technology Controls Apps with How We Walk

Chrissy Newton·January 14, 2025

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a system that uses changes in how we walk to control augmented reality devices.

1200-Year-Old Tattoo Discovery Sheds New Light on Mysterious Pre-Columbian Culture

Chrissy Newton·January 13, 2025

Scientists have revealed tattoo body art covering the 1,200-year-old mummified remains of an individual from Peru’s Chancay culture.

Your Morning Coffee Ritual Could Help You Live Longer, New Study Suggests

Chrissy Newton·January 13, 2025

Avid morning coffee drinkers have a lower risk of dying than those who drink it all day, according to new research.

As Supreme Court TikTok Ban Looms Near, New Research Highlights Growing Health Risks of Social Media for Kids

Chrissy Newton·January 12, 2025

As the U.S. Supreme Court debates whether Congress can ban TikTok, new research sheds light on the potential health risks social media platforms pose to children. 

Hidden Texts in Medieval Manuscripts Are Revealing Iceland’s Lost Secrets

Ryan Whalen·December 30, 2024

Investigating the lost literary history of Iceland reveals religious upheavals and clever forgeries, new research has revealed.

America’s Hidden Crisis: Rising Water Poverty in Urban Centers

Chrissy Newton·December 26, 2024

A new study reveals that Americans are living without running water, even in some of the nation's wealthiest areas.

Christmas Tree Clusters and Cosmic Wreaths: How NASA Celebrates Christmas in the Cosmos

Micah Hanks·December 25, 2024

Christmas is here, and so are brand new images of some of the most beautiful holiday-inspired celestial views available in the visible universe, courtesy of NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.

Naughty or Nice? New Study Reveals Surprising Findings About Selfish Tendencies in Children

Chrissy Newton·December 24, 2024

The debate over how birth order influences personality has persisted for years. But do selfish tendencies really occur more often in only children?

Researchers Reveal Startling Psychology Behind How AI Biases Affect Humans

Ryan Whalen·December 23, 2024

New University College London (UCL) research has discovered how biased AI systems can influence biased beliefs in humans.

New Research Shows Suicide Rates Do Not Spike During the Holiday Season

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·December 13, 2024

New research by the Annenberg Public Policy Center suggests that suicide rates do not increase around the holiday season.

Oxford’s ‘Word of the Year’ for 2024 is 170 Years Old, but It Describes a Very Modern Phenomenon. Have You Experienced It?

Micah Hanks·December 3, 2024

Oxford has officially announced its pick for Word of the Year for 2024, revealing a term which many are likely to be familiar with today.

Neuralink Announces Study to Test Thought-Controlled Robotic Arm with Its Brain Implant Technology

Chrissy Newton·November 29, 2024

Neuralink recently announced that it had been approved to launch a new study using its brain chip implant and an experimental robotic arm.

Skipping Thanksgiving Dinner? Scientists Says That Could Be Bad For You.

Ryan Whalen·November 28, 2024

This psychologist suggests that going to Thanksgiving dinner may be more critical to your future happiness than you realize. 

Study Reveals Online Content Moderators Can Easily Become Victims of Misinformation

Ryan Whalen·November 22, 2024

Online content moderators may be susceptible to misinformation due to an "illusory truth effect," new research shows.

Revolutionary New Device Harnesses Body Motion to Power Electronics

Chrissy Newton·November 21, 2024

Researchers have developed a new technology that harnesses the power of movement to generate electricity from vibration, charging a laptop or smartphone battery while you're on the go.

Oldest Alphabet Discovered in Ancient Syrian Tomb Redefines History of Writing

Chrissy Newton·November 21, 2024

A research team at Johns Hopkins University has discovered evidence of the world's oldest alphabetic writing, carved onto finger-length clay cylinders, outdating other scripts by 500 years. 

Americans Are More Likely to Choose News That Supports Their Beliefs. This New Study Reveals Why.

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·November 16, 2024

A new study suggests people often prefer news that aligns with their existing beliefs, a tendency known as “selective exposure.”

Do Animals Feel More Than We Think? Emory Survey Unveils Expert Opinions on Animal Emotions and Consciousness

Chrissy Newton·November 15, 2024

A new survey published in Royal Society Open Science is offering a rare snapshot into current scientific thinking about the emotions and consciousness of animals.

Scientists Have Created a New App That Could Help Users Reduce Negative Thoughts

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·November 14, 2024

Scientists at Harvard University have developed an app that focuses on breaking cycles of negative thoughts that contribute to depression.

Fake Social Media Accounts with AI-Generated Images Linked to Spread of Propaganda and Conspiracies, New Research Shows

Christopher Plain·November 7, 2024

New research is revealing the prevalence of fake social media accounts using AI-generated images and their involvement with the spread of misinformation online. 

New “Death Clock” AI Longevity App Claims It Can Predict When You’ll Die

Chrissy Newton·October 25, 2024

A new AI longevity app called Death Clock says it can predict when you'll die. Here's how it can also potentially help people live longer.

Storytelling for Justice: Director X and Scientists Explore Cinema’s Power in Justice Reform

Chrissy Newton·October 23, 2024

Recent research explores how popular cinema can serve as a catalyst for positive change in justice reform.

NASA Bridges the Gap Between High Fashion and Space Exploration with New Prada-Designed Spacesuits

Chrissy Newton·October 17, 2024

Italian fashion house Prada has unveiled new designs for the next generation of female astronaut spacesuits.

New Study Suggests Impact of Hurricanes Helen and Milton Could Lead to a Rise in Violence Against Women

Chrissy Newton·October 12, 2024

A new study reveals a troubling link between climate change and rising violence against women worldwide.

What’s That in the Desert? ESA Satellite Captures Incredible Images of Iconic Event as Seen from Orbit

Micah Hanks·September 23, 2024

A satellite operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) has captured incredible images of an iconic annual event in the Black Rock Desert.

Scents and the City: This Group is Creating an “Aroma Archive” for Cultural Preservation Through Scent Digitization

Chrissy Newton·September 21, 2024

The Digital Olfaction Society (DOS) is leading an ambitious global project to capture and archive the scents of diverse locations.

People With Different Political Ideologies Have Slightly Different Brain Structures, Scientists Reveal

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·September 20, 2024

New findings reveal differences in the brains of certain political ideologies and their counterparts on the opposite end of the political spectrum.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink Receives FDA Breakthrough Designation for ‘Blindsight’ Implant Aiming to Restore Vision

Chrissy Newton·September 19, 2024

Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface (BCI) company, has received the FDA's “breakthrough device” designation for its innovative 'Blindsight' implant. 

Millions Could Qualify for Psilocybin Therapy: Study Predicts Massive Demand if FDA Approves Depression Therapy

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·September 16, 2024

A new study from Emory University has provided early estimates on the potential demand for innovative psilocybin therapy.

New Research Reveals Where Love Lives in the Brain

Chrissy Newton·September 13, 2024

In a recent study, researchers at Aalto University used Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to explore how different types of love activate the brain.

Neuralink’s First Patient is Learning French and Japanese Using “The Link” Brain Chip Interface

Chrissy Newton·September 4, 2024

From playing video games with his mind to learning new languages, the first Neuralink patient shares his experience with the "The Link" brain chip.

New Research is Challenging Past Views and Stereotypes About “Computer Geeks”

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·August 13, 2024

Researchers from the University of Reading and King's College London say they are finding what constitutes the ideal “computer whiz” student among young people. 

How Marriage Equality Boosts Economies: A New Study Reveals Major Benefits

Chrissy Newton·July 30, 2024

How does marriage equality contribute to countries' economic benefits? A new study suggests there are significant economic benefits.

U.S. Democrats and Republicans Agree on Key Issues, Research Reveals. So Why Are We Still So Polarized?

Kenna Hughes-Castleberry·July 30, 2024

New research reveals that U.S. Republicans and Democrats agree on more than they realize. So why do we remain so polarized?

Psilocybin Creates a Temporary Loss of Self by Dissolving Brain Networks, New Study Finds

Chrissy Newton·July 24, 2024

New research reveals a heavy dose of psilocybin can alter a person's perception and sense of self by reducing coordination between various regions of the brain.

NASA Just Transmitted a Hip Hop Song by Missy Elliot to Venus

Chrissy Newton·July 18, 2024

Rapper Missy Elliot's popular 1997 song, “The Rain” (Supa Dupa Fly), has been transmitted from the DSN’s Goldstone complex to Venus.

Study Finds Mindfulness Training May Induce Altered States of Consciousness

Chrissy Newton·July 18, 2024

A recent study by researchers from the University of Cambridge found that mindfulness training can lead to participants experiencing “disembodiment and unity" and altered states of consciousness.