Science + Technology – The Conversation – new research, AI, space, psychology and more

A star-filled sky over a ridge with a building on it.

Astronomers have discovered another puzzling interstellar object − this third one is big, bright and fast

Darryl Z. Seligman, Michigan State University

Man standing on boat releasing fish from a net into the water

War, politics and religion shape wildlife evolution in cities

Elizabeth Carlen, Washington University in St. Louis

A bright, hot rod of steel in a factory, lifted by a metal arm.

From glass and steel to rare earth metals, new materials have changed society throughout history

Peter Mullner, Boise State University

a man in a military uniform stands behind a podium next to a poster of a map

What damage did the US do to Iran’s nuclear program? Why it’s so hard to know

Joshua Rovner, American University

Humans and animals can both think logically − but testing what kind of logic they’re using is tricky

Olga Lazareva, Drake University

Rodent climbing the rungs of a small, colorful abacus

Why the US bombed a bunch of metal tubes − a nuclear engineer explains the importance of centrifuges to Iranian efforts to build nuclear weapons

Anna Erickson, Georgia Institute of Technology

two parallel rows of vertical metal tubes with hoses attached to the tops

Giant eyeball looks at woman on computer at desk

The hidden cost of convenience: How your data pulls in hundreds of billions of dollars for app and social media companies

Kassem Fawaz, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Jack West, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Plankton can investigate crime, affect the climate and influence science

Beatrix Beisner, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM); Maria Grigoratou, Umeå University; Sakina-Dorothée Ayata, Sorbonne Université, and Susanne Menden-Deuer, University of Rhode Island

tiny organisms against a black background

Here’s a way to save lives, curb traffic jams and make commutes faster and easier − ban left turns at intersections

Vikash V. Gayah, Penn State

A bird's-eye view of an intersection showing a driver turning left.

How can the James Webb Space Telescope see so far?

Adi Foord, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Clouds of red, pink and white gas and dust highlight this starscape.

Supreme Court upholds childproofing porn sites

Meg Leta Jones, Georgetown University

a green metal statue of a cherub in the foreground with a large stone building with Greco-Roman columns in the background

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Space

A telescope facility, which is a building with a curved dome on top, sitting on a mountain.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory will help astronomers investigate dark matter, continuing the legacy of its pioneering namesake

Samantha Thompson, Smithsonian Institution

How do scientists calculate the probability that an asteroid could hit Earth?

Toshi Hirabayashi, Georgia Institute of Technology

A small, blurry, bright dot against a dark sky.

Astronomy has a major data problem – simulating realistic images of the sky can help train algorithms

John Peterson, Purdue University

What is the summer solstice? An astronomer explains

Stephen Schneider, UMass Amherst

Where is the center of the universe?

Rob Coyne, University of Rhode Island

An image of deep space, awash in stars and a bright red tinge.

Digital life

an arm extends, hand on the edge of the larger of two side-by-side vertical display screens

Cyberattacks shake voters’ trust in elections, regardless of party

Ryan Shandler, Georgia Institute of Technology; Anthony J. DeMattee, Emory University, and Bruce Schneier, Harvard Kennedy School

Using TikTok could be making you more politically polarized, new study finds

Zicheng Cheng, University of Arizona

eight young adults sit in a row in a city plaza looking at their phones

How artificial intelligence controls your health insurance coverage

Jennifer D. Oliva, Indiana University

A older man sits up on an exam table during a routine check-up. His female doctor is holding out a tablet as they review some recent test results together.

Smartphones are once again setting the agenda for justice as the Latino community documents ICE actions

Allissa V. Richardson, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

a crowd of protesters face off against a row of police on horseback

Grok’s ‘white genocide’ responses show how generative AI can be weaponized

James Foulds, University of Maryland, Baltimore County; Phil Feldman, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Shimei Pan, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

two smartphones, one on top of the other, both showing an icon of a circle with a diagonal slash through it

More articles about artificial intelligence

New research

Mitochondria can sense bacteria and trigger your immune system to trap them – revealing new ways to treat infections and autoimmunity

Andrew Monteith, University of Tennessee

Yellow blob emanating green threads trapping thin purple blobs and one red blob

3D-printed model of a 500-year-old prosthetic hand hints at life of a Renaissance amputee

Heidi Hausse, Auburn University and Peden Jones, Auburn University

Neuropathic pain has no immediate cause – research on a brain receptor may help stop this hard-to-treat condition

Pooja Shree Chettiar, Texas A&M University and Siddhesh Sabnis, Texas A&M University

Illustration of brain with thorns wrapped around it

Light-powered reactions could make the chemical manufacturing industry more energy-efficient

Arindam Sau, University of Colorado Boulder; Amreen Bains, Colorado State University, and Anna Wolff, Colorado State University

RNA has newly identified role: Repairing serious DNA damage to maintain the genome

Francesca Storici, Georgia Institute of Technology

Illustration of DNA disintegrating at the taper of its helix, a red glow surrounding the break

Binge drinking brake found in mouse brains, offering future path to treating alcohol abuse – new research

Gilles Martin, UMass Chan Medical School

Person at bar covered with empty bottles and glasses, hand covering eyes

How was the wheel invented? Computer simulations reveal the unlikely birth of a world-changing technology nearly 6,000 years ago

Kai James, Georgia Institute of Technology

Against a blue and gray sky, an ancient wheel stands upright on a rocky patch of ground.

Memories of the good parts of using drugs can keep people hooked − altering the neurons that store them could help treat addiction

Ana Clara Bobadilla, Colorado State University

Illustration of four neurons with dendrites extending upward and branching out atop the cell bodies

Brain and mind

Expansion of marriage rights to same-sex couples also expanded access to the psychological benefits that come with tying the knot

Alana L. Riso, Binghamton University, State University of New York and Matthew D. Johnson, Binghamton University, State University of New York

a crowd holds an oversized rainbow flag outside a columned building.

Your brain learns from rejection − here’s how it becomes your compass for connection

Begüm Babür, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Child sitting on bench watching other children play with a ball

Stop the ‘good’ vs ‘bad’ snap judgments and watch your world become more interesting

Lorraine Besser, Middlebury

forearms reach out with thumbs-up or thumbs down-gestures against a blue background

Your left and right brain hear language differently − a neuroscientist explains how

Hysell V. Oviedo, Washington University in St. Louis

Two disembodied ears against a black background

Curious Kids

Real kids ask real questions and real experts answer them

Stars and gas clouds set against a dark background.

How do atoms form? A physicist explains where the atoms that make up everything around come from

Stephen L. Levy, Binghamton University, State University of New York

Is Mars really red? A physicist explains the planet’s reddish hue and why it looks different to some telescopes

David Joffe, Kennesaw State University

Kids ask the questions. Scholars answer them.

Be sure to include your name, age and where you live. We won’t be able to answer every question, but we will do our best.

Send in your question!

Graphic that says 'connecting experts with curious kids', with words in background saying 'how? why? who?'

If people stopped having babies, how long would it be before humans were all gone?

Michael A. Little, Binghamton University, State University of New York

A child plays alone next to a large apartment complex that is otherwise empty.

How does a person become famous when they’re just a kid?

Matthew Pittman, University of Tennessee

A young girl is seen on a video screen smiling and gesturing to a phone camera.