Science & Tech
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Mapping our deep-rooted relationship with medicinal plants
Regions with longer histories of human settlement tend to have greater variety, study finds
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Technically, it’s possible. Ethically, it’s complicated.
Surge in AI use heightens demand for Harvard program that examines social consequences of computer science work
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Solving mystery at tip of South America
Study finds previously unknown ancient lineage of indigenous people, which gave rise to surprisingly diverse mix of cultures
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Is AI dulling our minds?
Experts weigh in on whether tech poses threat to critical thinking, pointing to cautionary tales in use of other cognitive labor tools
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A potential quantum leap
Harvard physicists unveil system to solve long-standing barrier to new generation of supercomputers
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No one knows the answer, and that’s the point
‘Genuinely Hard Problems’ pilots novel approach to scientific education
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Why we remember — and forget. And what we can do about it
Authors Andrew Budson and Elizabeth Kensinger offer insights on how to keep both a healthy brain and a strong memory.
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His dream? To see two pub regulars arguing over existence of infinity in nature
Sean Carroll’s videos explaining fundamental ideas in modern physics are becoming a book trilogy.
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Why you wear what you wear
In a new study, researchers uncover personality traits behind people’s preferences when making fashion decisions.
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An evangelist of physics
Australian physicist demystifies the experimental side of the field and recalls forgotten pioneers.
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Fresh insights into inflammation, aging brains
Harvard scientists’ research on mice suggests chain reaction may be involved in the brain’s aging process.
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Exxon disputed climate findings for years. Its scientists knew better.
In the study, scientists showed how the multinational energy giant worked to cloud the issue.
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‘The code word … is interoperability’
The International Image Interoperability Framework makes online access as good as, or better than, physical interaction with library collections.
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What we learned
Highlights from another year of discovery at Harvard, where inquiring minds are the norm.
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Doomed exoplanet spiraling toward obliteration
For the first time, astronomers have spotted an exoplanet whose orbit is decaying around an evolved, or older, host star.
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Why nuclear fusion is so exciting
Harvard scientist Adam Cohen breaks down breakthrough that might prove major turning point in clean energy efforts — but not any time soon.
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Looking to retain most potent regenerative stem cells
Early on human bodies are full of pluripotent stem cells, capable of generating any other type of cell. The problem is we lose them at birth.
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You believe in climate change but drive a gas-guzzler, don’t recycle. Why?
You believe in climate change but drive a gas-guzzler, don’t recycle. Why? Neuroscientist explores in new book.
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‘Croco-salamander’ bones offer clues to how early animals emerged from water
A study overturns the long-held belief that ancient species grew at slow, steady pace, and offers insights into human maturation.
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Why elephants have bigger bones
During a virtual Harvard Science Book Talk, Raghuveer Parthasarathy examines the mysteries covered in his new book, “So Simple a Beginning: How Four Physical Principles Shape Our Living World.”
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Raising health care’s climate voice
The health impacts of climate change are gaining greater recognition, but the most important thing, one expert said, is to keep telling people’s stories.
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Glimmers of movement, hope at COP27
The most significant climate change action during COP27 this month occurred thousands of miles away, in Bali, Indonesia, when the U.S. and China agreed to restart what had been a successful partnership to cut globe warming emissions before the two nations’ relations soured in recent years.
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How big brains are made
How squid and octopus get their big brains.
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New generation of quantum realm explorers
This semester, 11 students have been settling in as the first-ever cohort in the Harvard quantum science and engineering program.
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New England forests, new strategies can offset most regional emissions over 30 years, report says
Study looks at how forests in New England can be better utilized in the fight against climate change.
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The myth of the ‘math person’
Anxiety illuminated by author and Radcliffe grad Sheila Tobias resonates with students, teachers almost 50 years later.
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What’s the dog doing now?
Students in the class examine a range of dog behaviors, how they evolved, and how they relate to human behavior.
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Applying cloud computing to major global problems
New alliance between Harvard Data Science Initiative and Amazon Web Services set to transform how faculty use data to solve the world’s biggest problems.
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How to spot a gerrymandered district? Compare it to fair ones.
Harvard team’s tool maps out thousands of nonpartisan options, simulates outcomes, holds up results to those of proposed plans.
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A global beacon on climate change
Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability casts off with University-wide, interdisciplinary approach to begin finding real solutions to existential crisis .
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Mystery of dark matter — and search for WIMP
MIT’s Peter Fisher details his new book, “What Is Dark Matter?,” at Harvard science event.
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Climate opportunities in U.S. and around the world, but not enough action
Climate as a technological, intergovernmental, and people problem: experts gather at Radcliffe to discuss climate change.
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Launching Salata Institute to marshal Harvard resources to fight climate crisis
Jim Stock discusses climate and sustainability mission and goals as the University community marks the launch of the Salata Institute.
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Laying geological groundwork for life on Earth
Scientists detect fast-moving plate tectonics and flipped magnetic poles on early Earth.
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Aramont Fellowships spotlight and support pathbreaking initiatives
Aramont Fellows’ research seeks solutions to Chagas disease transmission, preterm births, and head and neck cancers.
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Might be a balmy paradise. Might be a face-melting wasteland.
Harvard and MIT researchers warn that opacity models need to be improved to accurately interpret data from the James Webb Space Telescope.