Science Literacy Project Daily Digest
‘Evolution Evolving’: New book suggests a rethink of how evolution works
It’s rare that researchers question theories that make up the backbone of whole fields. But in Evolution Evolving, Kevin Lala ...
Eating disorders in young people linked to genetics and delayed brain maturation
Over half of 23-year-olds display restrictive, emotional, or uncontrolled eating behaviors, with delayed brain maturation playing a significant role. The ...
How genetic breeding is revolutionizing vertical farming
In the pursuit of enhancing resource management in indoor vertical farming, the utilization of limited space becomes a critical consideration ...
Smart agriculture: African farmers urged to gradually reduce use of pesticides and fertilizers rather than abandon them to reduce risk of significant crop and economic losses
After decades of mono-cropping and overgrazing, around 65% of Africa’s farmland is now considered unproductive or degraded, leaving more than 270 million people ...
AI poised to unleash a new generation of bio stimulants
Syngenta and a UK artificial intelligence company are combining forces to use the 'full power of AI' for the development ...
Video: ‘Dragon Man’—What did our Denisovan ancestors look like 150,000 years ago?
Scientists have reconstructed the face of a long-lost human ancestor that may have played a critical role in our evolution ...
One out of three people are likely to develop dementia as they age. Here are 15 ways science can help slow or prevent the process
A disturbing [study] has predicted that new cases of dementia will double by 2060, estimating that 1 million adults will develop the ...
Viewpoint: Every study shows that Red Dye 3 is safe for humans. So why is the U.S. — but not Canada — banning it?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) ... announcement that the red dye known as erythrosine, FD&C Red No. 3 or ...
French Association for Scientific Information rebukes hysteria-promoting anti-pesticide activists for endangering sustainable agriculture
We are witnessing a new campaign promoting unfounded fears. In terms of the media, it all started with an AFP ...
A million years ago some early humans lived in extremely hot and arid desert climes that few animals could survive
An early human ancestor of our species successfully navigated harsher and more arid terrains for longer in Eastern Africa than ...
Viewpoint: Are warnings on alcoholic drinks necessary? Will they save lives?
Will Cancer Warnings on Alcoholic Beverages Save Lives? Maybe, but probably far fewer than public health officials hope. Here’s why ...
Paper chase crisis: Academic journals are besieged by AI-generated editorials and commentaries designed to pump up CVs, undermining their quality
On [22 October 2024], an unusual editorial appeared in the journal Neurosurgical Review. “We have made the difficult decision to ...
Africa lags behind much of the world in embracing crop biotechnology, and the result is mass undernourishment
The African governments must decide if they want to fight poverty in the continent or continue to plunge millions of ...
Cure for hay fever? Genetically modified rice that does just that in clinical trials
After more than 20 years since research kicked off, a variety of genetically modified rice designed to alleviate cedar pollen ...
Here’s why simplistically demonizing ultra-processed foods is shortsighted
The resurgence of rhetoric around the food industry “feeding us poison,” spurred by figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (and ...
Disaster economy: Wellness industry hucksters peddling detox potions, parasite cleanses, raw milk and other quack remedies to distraught victims
As wildfires continue to burn all around Los Angeles, influencers have emerged to promote sales of their own, highly specific ...
The pronatalist movement: Should women be encouraged to have more children?
Pronatalism, literally meaning pro-birth, is a broad ideological movement driven by concern that the world is no longer producing enough ...
Are there different types of intelligence? Yes, and AI can tell you which form you have
In [a] study published in PNAS Nexus, scientists have demonstrated that artificial intelligence can predict different types of human intelligence ...
Outdated regulations and slow adoption of precision agriculture limit China’s agro-biotechnology advancements
The increase in agricultural productivity over the past century has enabled a five-fold increase in the human population and about ...
Viewpoint: $3 billion a year industry exploits unwarranted fears about the dangers of ‘synthetic chemicals’
A [paper published in Science] claims that even at low doses pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides are changing the behavior of ...
Anxious about mRNA technology? Here’s what you need to know
When mRNA vaccines emerged as heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic, headlines heralded them as a revolutionary new technology. Many people ...
Lucy, our plodding ancestor
Ancient human relatives ran on two legs, like modern humans, but at a much slower pace, [suggesting] 3D computer simulations ...
Is the fiber supplement psyllium the only supplement shown to really work?
In most cases, the supposed benefits of supplements popularized on social media aren’t backed by strong data. But there is ...
Podcast: Dr. Kevin Folta on the surge of disinformation about seed oils, glyphosate and genetically modified crops
Social media teems with false information about food and farming. Influencers cover Instagram and Facebook with claims that food is ...
Bizarre bedfellows: Far right Heritage Foundation leads conservative movement’s cautious embrace of RFK Jr.’s anti-government, anti-corporate MAHA campaign
During a panel discussion at the Heritage Foundation event, entrepreneur Calley Means, a fan of [Robert F. Kennedy Jr.] and an ...
IVF mixup: What’s to be done if your child gets switched with another at birth—and you don’t find out till years later
In the days after Daphna Cardinale delivered her second child, she experienced a rare sense of calm and wonder. The ...
Non-trivial AI evolution
What will humans be like generations from now in a world transformed by artificial intelligence (AI)? Plenty of thinkers have ...
