Science

Science

The Sound of Laughter Can Be Key In Determining People's Relationships

4:11pm October 09, 2020

A new study showed that laughter is a better indicator in determining friendships than even speech. Volunteers were able to pinpoint groups of friends versus strangers by listening to their laughter.

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Smoke blankets Mill City, Oregon, which was evacuated for days following the nearby Beachie Creek Fire.

Smoky Skies Are The New Normal. Are They Making Us Sick?

7:14am October 09, 2020

by Nathan Rott

Scientists know that tiny particles from smoke can be inhaled deep into a person's lungs and even enter the bloodstream. But the long-term health effects of this are not fully understood.

Science

Tennessee Teen Becomes Youngest Person To Achieve Nuclear Fusion

7:03am October 09, 2020

Jackson Oswalt has been waiting for three years for confirmation that he broke a Guinness World record when he made a working nuclear fusion reactor at the age of twelve.

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Julie Bishop raises the Katahdin breed of sheep, which have hair rather than wool.

How To Have Your Solar Farm And Keep Your Regular Farm, Too

5:35am October 09, 2020

by Dan Charles

Large-scale solar farms are running into opposition from people who want to save farmland. Now solar companies are trying to combine solar and farming.

Dexamethasone is a low-cost, anti-inflammatory drug that has been shown to reduce the risk of death in patients with COVID-19.

Trump Was Treated With Steroids: How These Drugs Are Used For COVID-19 Patients

9:19pm October 08, 2020

by Rhitu Chatterjee

The drug dexamethasone is a cheap, widely available steroid. But how long should COVID-19 patients take it, and what are the side effects?

Boxes of remdesivir, an antiviral drug considered a promising treatment for COVID-19.

Ironic Twist: In Spring Trump Halted Research Key To COVID-19 Drug He's Now Taken

7:51pm October 07, 2020

by Nurith Aizenman

The drug remdesivir emerged in part because researchers had previously tested it in China through a project whose grant was abruptly ended by the National Institutes of Health.

Some of California's most destructive wildfires aren't among the state's largest, so fire scientists advise focusing on homes instead of overall acreage.

Four Million Acres Have Burned in California. Why That's The Wrong Number To Focus On.

4:08pm October 07, 2020

by Lauren Sommer

Wildfires in California have set a new record, but some fire scientists say focusing on that number is doing more harm than good.

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New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, shown here in March, says community spread of coronavirus is believed to be eliminated in the country.

New Zealand Declares Victory Over Coronavirus Again, Lifts Auckland Restrictions

3:02pm October 07, 2020

by Marisa Peñaloza

"We can let ourselves once again feel pride," said New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, "that we managed to get to that position together." Auckland's restrictions lifted on Wednesday.

Workers clean plexiglass dividers installed at the University of Utah in preparation for the debate between Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Pence.

Beyond Plexiglass: Scientists Say This Simple Solution Could Keep VP Debate Safer

1:48pm October 07, 2020

by Maria Godoy

Since the coronavirus can spread through the air, scientists say plexiglass barriers alone may not be enough protection. But a contraption using duct tape, HEPA filters and box fans could help a lot.

Nobel Prize gold medals during manufacture at the Swedish Mint. The front of the medal has the likeness of Alfred Nobel.

2 Scientists Awarded Nobel Prize In Chemistry For Genome Editing Research

9:46am October 07, 2020

The 2020 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded for research into "rewriting the code of life." Emmanuelle Charpentier of France and Jennifer Doudna of the U.S. are the laureates.