Quantum mechanics seems to be dominated by the fragile phenomena of superposition and entanglement that require special laboratory conditions to operate. This makes it very difficult for the advantages of quantum computing to come to personal computers, but new research from the National University of Singapore, Australian National University, University of Queensland, and University of…
The U.S. Department of State has increased its efforts to promote international cooperation in science and engineering by launching two new outreach initiatives. One will seek to tap into US-based scientific diasporas — scientists from developing countries and elsewhere who are currently working in the United States. The second will support the engagement of US…
Fist pumps, hands in the air and jumping up and down, seen at every event at the Olympics, turn out to be the same across all cultures and likely have their roots in non-human primate displays. When Olympic athletes like Michael Phelps, Gabby Douglas and Usain Bolt celebrate their wins, they are displaying a declaration…
A new genetic map paints a comprehensive picture of the 2,000 or so years in which different Jewish groups migrated across the globe, with some becoming genetically isolated units while others seemed to mix and mingle more. The findings allow researchers to trace the diaspora, or the historical migration, of the Jews, which began in…
Advocates of free will can rest easy, for now. A 30-year-old classic experiment that is often used to argue against free will might have been misinterpreted.
Talk about the pursuit of happiness. Several cities and states are are already looking into citizen well-being or floating happiness initiatives as a measure of true prosperity. Yet defining, let alone measuring, happiness (and its counterpoint, misery) is no simple matter. Critics scoff at the idea, suggesting that it’s a fool’s errand.
In the 1600s, Europeans exploring the American southeast wrote of a purification ritual practiced by the native people, involving dancing, vomiting, and large amounts of what the travelers called black drink. Served from shell cups, the highly caffeinated tea was brewed from the shrub Ilex vomitoria, a species of holly. In a new study, researchers…
How do violence, holy spaces, and diversity intersect in America? Terror in holy spaces is not a new facet of American religious history. Church and synagogue bombings occurred during the civil rights movement, including the notorious 1963 attack that took the lives of four young girls in Birmingham, Alabama. Sikh Americans have been targeted and…
Curiosity, the largest and most advanced spacecraft ever sent to another planet, stuck its extraordinary landing in triumphant and flawless fashion, and is poised to begin its pioneering, two-year hunt for the building blocks of life — signs that Earth’s creatures may not be not alone in the universe. NASA’s $2.5-billion mission involved the work…
Whether you’re gay, straight or somewhere else on the spectrum, the truth of who attracts you could be in your eyes. Pupil dilation is an accurate indicator of sexual orientation, a new study finds. When people look at erotic images and become aroused, their pupils open up in an unconscious reaction that could be used…