Science & Tech
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What happened when a meteorite the size of four Mount Everests hit Earth?
Giant impact had silver lining for life, according to new study
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When we say ‘smart,’ what do we mean?
Computer scientist says we should shift focus to ‘educability’
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How to apply cool-headed reason to red-hot topics
Michael J. Sandel brings back wildly popular ‘Justice’ course amid time of strained discourse on college campuses
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Big discovery about microscopic ‘water bears’
Bit of happenstance, second look at ancient fossils leads to new insights into evolution of tardigrade, one of most indestructible life forms on planet
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The making of the gut
Studies connect genetics, physics in embryonic development
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How whales and dolphins adapted for life on the water
Backbones of ocean-dwelling mammals evolved differently than those of species living closer to shore, study finds
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Anthropologist describes supernatural adventures
Studying the paranormal can contribute to anthropology, says Jack Hunter in Harvard talk.
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A glimpse into the universe’s first light
Using one of the world’s largest supercomputers, high-resolution simulations were created that show 1 million galaxies forming some 13 billion years ago.
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Unlocking potential of quantum technologies
Chemical biology professor works to crack secrets of new states of matter.
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Yes, cat is both dead, alive
Jacob Barandes’ new class combines philosophy and physics to look at quantum theory.
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Oh, if I could talk to the aliens
Harvard astrophysicist and psychologist explore the possibility of life beyond our solar system and what to do should aliens arrive on Earth ready to engage.
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With a tip of hat to Stephen Jay Gould
Research done at Harvard unveils only the second “weird wonder” fossilized Opabinia, first popularized by the late evolutionary biologist.
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Those birds that crashed and died? It wasn’t fumes.
After internet theorists react to viral video, Harvard researchers answer with science.
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Tech on a plate
Larissa Zimberoff, author of “Technically Food,” examined new ways of producing what we eat and drink in a discussion sponsored by the Food Literacy Project at Harvard.
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Does your dog care if you die?
Any owner would say yes. Here’s what the science says.
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Was Facebook the original social network? Not by a long shot
New research produces earliest DNA from Sub-Saharan Africa and a more complete look at ancient peoples.
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New Faculty: Gabriella Coleman
Anthropology Professor Gabriella Coleman studies the rich, deep world of hackers.
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Drug delivery system offers hope for treating genetic diseases
A team of researchers has developed a new drug delivery system that was able to edit genes associated with high cholesterol and to partially restore vision in mice.
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When babies see people swap spit, they know what’s what
Infants deduce that people are in a close relationship if they witness interactions like kissing and taking bites of each other’s food.
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The ‘platypus’ of crabs
A crab that swam the seas 95 million years ago was believed to be an active predator with sharp vision as opposed to today’s bottom-dwellers with limited vision.
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Reminders from Hollywood on memory, amnesia, personality
Psychology, philosophy scholars mine psycho-thriller “Memento” for its lessons on function of recall, how it shapes who we are.
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Should married couples live apart?
Separate takes from husband-and-wife psychiatrists on distance, drift, and how to stay connected
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Logic or emotion: Which is more valuable?
Neither thinking nor feeling is superior, according to Leonard Mlodinow’s new book, which argues that the two are inextricably linked.
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Back in days of great floods
Harvard researcher explains how overflowing rivers billions of years ago helped shape what Mars looks like today.
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What it takes to be a scientific breakthrough
Harvard Medical School Professor Anthony L. Komaroff explains the difference between a scientific advance and a true breakthrough.
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A different kind of queen’s gambit
The n-queens challenge dates back to 1869. After working on the problem for about 5 years, mathematician Michael Simkin has an almost definitive solution.
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How a bubble gives birth to young stars
Scientists have shown how a chain of events led to the creation of the vast bubble that is responsible for the formation of all young stars within 500 light-years of the sun and Earth.
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5 ways to learn new things in the new year
Adults can continue to learn new things if they follow a few simple rules.
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Seeing squid more clearly
Harvard researchers shed new light on squid eye development and convergent evolution.
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Turns out smarter kids are made, not born
A study co-authored by experts at the Graduate School of Education found that mothers with positive mindsets can mitigate the negative effects of maternal stress on mother-child interactions and help promote children’s healthy development.
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Gut-brain connection in autism
Researchers have identified a possible mechanism linking autism and intestinal inflammation in mouse models.
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Geneticists’ new research on ancient Britain contains insights on language, ancestry, kinship, milk
Two new studies highlight technological advances in large-scale genomics and open windows into the lives of ancient people.
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Twin gene-editing system gives twice the efficiency
A new gene-editing technique that enables larger edits than earlier ones could create new ways to study and treat genetic diseases, such as hemophilia or Hunter syndrome.
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Telescope to help tell the story of the universe
Harvard astrophysicist details the most ambitious space probe NASA ever built.
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Why that song is stuck in your head
Brain scientist explains earworms
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Touching the sun
An instrument made by scientists and engineers at the Center for Astrophysics has helped verify that — for the first time in history — a spacecraft has entered the corona of the sun.