Tag: Science

  • The Brain Works Best on the Edge

    Neuroscientists say the brain operates in a “critical zone” between order and chaos, where small sparks create vast networks of thought. This state may explain intelligence, creativity, sleep, and even consciousness itself. Too much order or disorder leads to dysfunction—balance fuels flexibility, learning, and adaptability.

  • An Unlikely Boost for Nuclear Fusion

    Scientists at the University of British Columbia have revived the spirit of the infamous 1989 “cold fusion” experiment with a reproducible tabletop reactor called Thunderbird. By firing deuterium beams into palladium and enhancing absorption with electrochemistry, they boosted fusion rates modestly. While far from powering homes, the technique could advance superconductors.

  • When AI Becomes the Scientist

    Agents4Science, a new online conference launching in October, will showcase research written, reviewed, and presented mainly by AI, covering fields from physics to medicine. Created by Stanford’s James Zou, it aims to test AI as first authors, but while some see it as groundbreaking, critics question whether AI can replace human creativity in science.

  • Physics, Time Crystals and the Joy of Knowing

    Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek has redefined physics with ideas like axions, anyons, and time crystals. At 74, he’s still chasing quantum puzzles, gravitational waves, and AI insights. Revered for humility and optimism, Wilczek sees the universe’s beauty as both humbling and uplifting, even as science funding faces political threats.

  • Why Space Dreams May Doom Us

    Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos tout space colonisation as humanity’s destiny, but new books challenge the dream. Authors highlight the costs, inequalities, health risks, and ideological myths fuelling astropreneur fantasies. Critics argue robots, not humans, should lead exploration until Earth’s crises are addressed, warning that our flaws will follow us into space.

  • The AI Shortcut to Nuclear Fusion

    AI is reshaping life in ways that feel both surreal and unsettling. From a reanimated Parkland victim on Substack to billionaires hyping superintelligence, society is caught between awe, confusion and resignation. The real risk may be wasting our future on a technology that’s only “good enough.”

  • This Startup Wants to Outsmart Parkinson’s

    Rune Labs, founded in 2018 by Brian Pepin, is transforming Parkinson’s care with its FDA-cleared StrivePD app, which tracks patient data via iPhone and Apple Watch. The platform helps personalise treatment, cut ER visits, and streamline clinical trials, while partnering with major health systems, foundations, and biopharma to accelerate new therapies.

  • Human Bones Show Signs Of Ancient Cannibalism

    Archaeologists found 5700-year-old butchered human remains in El Mirador cave, Spain, showing clear signs of cannibalism. The 11 victims, likely a family, were killed and eaten during conflict, not famine or ritual. Evidence suggests Neolithic warfare-driven cannibalism, mirroring similar findings in France and Germany, marking the era’s violent territorial clashes.

  • Solar System’s Wild Time Ride

    China launched the first World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing with 500 robots from 16 countries competing in 26 events like soccer, boxing, medicine sorting, and cleaning. Robots stumbled often but wowed crowds, while officials highlighted China’s push to lead in robotics and AI.

  • Every Scientific Empire Comes to an End

    Once a magnet for the world’s top minds, America’s scientific dominance is now fading as funding dries up and politics interferes with research. Scientists face canceled grants, surveillance, and visa hurdles, pushing many to leave for Europe or Asia. This shift mirrors past collapses like the Soviet and Nazi eras.