Interjections Are, Uh, More Important than We Thought
Listen carefully to a spoken conversation and you’ll notice that the speakers use a lot of little quasi-words — mm-hmm, um, huh? and the like
Trump Firings and Funding Freezes Leave Western States Scrambling to Prepare for Wildfire Season
CLIMATEWIRE | Lawmakers and officials from Western states are warning that President Donald Trump’s firings and funding freezes will leave the region woefully unprepared for
Texas Measles Outbreak Nears 100 Cases, Raising Concerns About Undetected Spread
Some private schools have shut down because of a rapidly escalating measles outbreak in West Texas. Local health departments are overstretched, pausing other important work
Microsoft Claims Quantum-Computing Breakthrough—but Some Physicists Are Skeptical
February 20, 2025 3 min read Microsoft Claims Quantum-Computing Breakthrough—but Some Physicists Are Skeptical With its ‘topological’ quantum computers, Microsoft aims to reach useful scales
A Norovirus Vaccine Is Closer Than Ever Before
Norovirus conjures a nightmarish series of gastrointestinal symptoms, and the hated infection has been rampant this winter. The so-called stomach flu—although it’s unrelated to influenza—strikes
The Psychology of ‘Shared Silence’ in Couples
February 14, 2025 3 min read The Psychology of ‘Shared Silence’ in Couples The right kind of silence can be golden, revitalizing and strengthening a
Why Private Forecasting Companies Can’t Replace the National Weather Service
The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. When a hurricane or tornado starts to form,
Trump Halts Funding to Build More Electric Vehicle Chargers Nationwide
February 7, 2025 3 min read Trump Halts Funding to Build More Electric Vehicle Chargers Nationwide The Trump administration has halted funding for a $5-billion
Trump Administration Closes Climate Health Office
February 5, 2025 3 min read Trump Administration Shutters Climate Health Office A climate office at the Department of Health and Human Services has been
Will Asteroid 2024 YR4 Strike Earth in 2032?
In late December astronomers using the Asteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Chile observed a new asteroid near our planet. Dubbed 2024 YR4,