Science & Tech

Science & Tech

Explore the discoveries that reveal how the world works, alongside the technologies that extend, reshape, and sometimes challenge what’s possible.

genius
You've heard of Stephen Hawking. Ever heard of Renata Kallosh? Didn't think so.
John Templeton Foundation
With two different black hole event horizons now directly imaged, we can see that they are, in fact, rings, not disks. But why?
techno-optimism
Technology will not save the world, and it is inherently neither good nor bad. But, when tech is coupled to human virtue, good will prevail.
When stars form, they emit energetic radiation that boils gas away. But it can't stop gravitational collapse from making even newer stars.
angry hamsters
For 40 years, scientists thought a specific gene was linked to aggression in hamsters. Removing it, however, had violent consequences.
google AI
The engineer working on Google's AI, called LaMDA, suffers from what we could call Michelangelo Syndrome. Scientists must beware hubris.
Two hands in handcuffs, connected by a DNA double helix chain, symbolize genome blindness against a solid blue background.
3mins
Eugenics is bad – but understanding DNA is good.
John Templeton Foundation
fastest nova
If you think you know how an astronomical nova works, buckle up. You're in for a ride like you never expected.
dinosaurs warm-blooded
The long-standing debate over whether dinosaurs were more like birds or lizards is drawing to a close.
mechanical turk
An elaborate device called the Mechanical Turk defeated Benjamin Franklin and Napoleon Bonaparte at chess. Edgar Allan Poe revealed the hoax.
phosphine venus life
Earth is the Solar System's only known inhabited planet. Could Venus, if its phosphine signal is real, be our second world with life?
JWST first science
On July 12, 2022, NASA will release the first science images taken with the James Webb Space Telescope. Here's what to hope for.
“It’s a big resource in the way the human genome is a big resource, in that you can go in and do discovery-based research."
gabapentin
The common drug is called gabapentin, which is currently used to control seizures and manage nerve pain.
weed strain
There are almost no standards governing the cannabis industry. Your favorite weed strain may contain unpleasant surprises.
plastic-eating bacteria
Scientists have discovered enzymes from several plastic-eating bacteria. So, why are our oceans still full of plastic pollution?
Where did the “seed” magnetic field come from in the first place?
The weirdest thing about the 21 feet found near Vancouver since 2007? Foul play has been ruled out.
Science doesn't fit neatly into ideology.
John Templeton Foundation