The hottest Science Substack posts right now

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STRAWBERRY MOON 2023

The Lunar Dispatch • 609 implied HN points • 05 Jun 23
🔬 Science Astronomy Space Exploration Health
  1. The Strawberry Moon reached peak fullness recently, even though it was 98% full the next night.
  2. NASA has been trying to grow strawberries in space to provide astronauts with fresh produce and prevent psychological issues.
  3. NASA continues to support innovative projects to cultivate berries in orbit.

3.1 The Discovery of Electromagnetism

Fields & Energy • 239 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
🔬 Science Physics Mathematics Electromagnetism History Experimentation
  1. Hans Christian Ă–rsted proved that electricity and magnetism are connected by running a current near a compass, making them part of the same field called electromagnetism.
  2. André-Marie Ampère built on Örsted's work, showing that moving electric currents can attract or repel each other just like magnets do.
  3. Many scientists assumed forces acted at a distance, but Michael Faraday later suggested that closer particles must interact to create these forces.

⚡✨🕸️ The computational power of complex societies: A Quick Q&A with … physicist and computer scientist David Wolpert

Faster, Please! • 1188 implied HN points • 08 Oct 24
🔬 Science Computational Theory Energy Systems Information processing
  1. Societies grow in size and complexity when they get better at using energy and processing information. More energy and better information help societies do more things and support more people.
  2. Job specialization plays a key role in a society's complexity. When people focus on different jobs and communicate well, it allows for innovation and better organization.
  3. Viewing societies as computers can help us understand how they evolve over time. It highlights how energy use and information processing are closely linked in driving societal growth.
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Becoming A Geogeek

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 459 implied HN points • 30 Nov 23
🔬 Science Geology Education Nature Environment History
  1. Taking a geology class can change your perspective on the world. It helps you see the connections in nature and understand different landscapes.
  2. Field trips in geology are about more than just learning; they are about observing and appreciating the natural world closely.
  3. Whether living in a city or a rural area, geology influences where you go and how you experience your environment.

Androgenetic haploid selection

De Novo • 77 implied HN points • 17 Nov 25
🔬 Science Genetics Biotechnology Molecular Biology Stem Cells
  1. Eggs are rare and expensive, which limits how many embryos we can select from for genetic improvement. Finding a way to effectively use sperm could change this.
  2. The proposed method involves making eggs, removing their DNA, and then adding sperm to create cell lines. This lets us select the best genetic traits without wasting sperm.
  3. This approach could improve the chances of getting better traits from the father side and could work even with low-quality techniques for making eggs.

A Right to Be in this World

Field Guide to the Anthropocene • 334 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🔬 Science Environment Biodiversity Conservation Climate Technology
  1. All living things have a right to exist in this world according to the Endangered Species Act.
  2. Conservation efforts need more support to combat political and industry threats to environmental protections.
  3. Future of the ESA requires broader landscape-scale conservation, increased funding, and alignment with modern conservation strategies.

Last-minute gravitational wave predictions, June 28th 2023, hot damn

The Egg And The Rock • 589 implied HN points • 28 Jun 23
🔬 Science Astronomy Physics Astrophysics
  1. Tomorrow there will be an announcement about predictions on gravitational waves from the International Pulsar Timing Array.
  2. Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime caused by accelerating masses; they're detected by length changes.
  3. The International Pulsar Timing Array uses pulsars and telescopes to hunt for supermassive black hole mergers, with the potential for groundbreaking discoveries.

Resistors are out to get ya

lcamtuf’s thing • 2652 implied HN points • 28 Nov 23
🔬 Science Electronics Components Circuits Amplifiers
  1. Some components in electronics, like resistors, may not behave exactly as expected especially at high frequencies.
  2. Parasitic impedance and capacitance in resistors can affect circuit performance, especially in applications like feedback loops for operational amplifiers.
  3. Using a two-stage amplifier can help mitigate issues caused by resistor parasitics and ensure better signal integrity.

Five of My Favorite Papers and the Stories Behind Them

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 372 implied HN points • 06 Jun 25
🔬 Science Research Academia Publications Analysis Education
  1. Five chosen papers reflect intense moments of learning and clarity during writing. They are special, not necessarily the most popular ones.
  2. The feeling of being 'in the zone' is compared to a competitive athlete's experience, highlighting hard work leading to success.
  3. Updates include easier access to past writings and resources for paid subscribers, plus discounts for students and military personnel.

2.6.1 Newton’s Methods

Fields & Energy • 299 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🔬 Science Physics Philosophy Mathematics History Methodology
  1. Newton believed that geometry should be connected to real-world observations, rather than just logical deductions from axioms. He saw math as a tool to understand the physical world.
  2. He emphasized that we should always seek the simplest explanation for natural phenomena, following the principle of parsimony. If a simpler explanation fits the facts, it should be preferred.
  3. Newton argued that conclusions drawn from experiments should be regarded as generally true, even if new evidence could change our understanding later on. This highlights the importance of adapting our views as we gather more information.

agent.bio

LatchBio • 63 implied HN points • 09 Dec 25
🔬 Science Computational Biology Genomics Bioinformatics Cancer Research Neuroscience Software Tools
  1. An interactive sandbox hosts natural-language agents tailored to five major spatial biology platforms (Takara Seeker, Vizgen MERFISH, AtlasXOmics DBiT-seq, 10X Xenium, and 10X Visium) so scientists can run end-to-end spatial analyses.
  2. Agents operate in two modes—"proactive" for automated runs and "step-by-step" for frequent check-ins—and users should prefer step-by-step for important work because the sandboxes were built for specific datasets and may not generalize perfectly.
  3. Video demos show these agents can ingest raw outputs, run QC, clustering, differential tests, and annotate spatial features across diverse biological problems, and the roadmap focuses on benchmarks, purpose-built infrastructure, and tech-specific heuristics to make agents reliable for scientific decisions.

Numlock News: October 9, 2023 • BeiDou, Autopay, Noise Cancellation

Numlock News • 569 implied HN points • 09 Oct 23
🔬 Science Satellites Art Health Drugs Archaeology
  1. Counterfeit Native American art is a significant issue, with up to 80% of marketed art being fake.
  2. The global market for noise-cancelling headphones is expected to triple to $45.4 billion by 2031.
  3. Devices connected to China's BeiDou satellite system have reached 1.5 billion, with 98% of smartphones sold in China having BeiDou navigation.

Something Is Getting Harder But It's Not Finding Ideas

Maximum Progress • 569 implied HN points • 11 Oct 23
🔬 Science Research Economic Growth Technology Data Analysis Innovation
  1. Research investments are growing but economic growth remains constant, implying declining returns on research investment over time.
  2. The metaphor of a car's acceleration and fuel use helps explain the idea that as we discover more ideas, finding new ones becomes harder.
  3. The debate on whether ideas are getting harder to find is important, but more evidence is needed to draw a definitive conclusion.

Reproducibility starts with good communication

Briefly Bio • 59 implied HN points • 22 Jul 24
🔬 Science Biology Communication Research Reproducibility
  1. Good communication is key to making experiments reproducible. If scientists can't share their methods clearly, it’s hard for others to repeat their work.
  2. Many methods of communication in science are outdated and not effective. This can lead to misunderstandings and mistakes in reproducing experiments.
  3. Tools that help streamline communication in science can improve reproducibility. A better system can replace complicated and unclear documentation.

No human genes have truly 100% penetrance

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 970 implied HN points • 10 Nov 24
🔬 Science Genetics Molecular Biology Health Bioethics Research
  1. No human genes have 100% penetrance, meaning not all who have a certain gene will show the related traits. This makes predicting health outcomes based on genetics challenging.
  2. Genetic diseases like Huntington's seem like they have high penetrance, but variability in symptoms and onset can make them unpredictable. It highlights the complexity of genetics beyond simple Mendelian traits.
  3. The body's systems, especially the immune system, add layers of complexity that affect how genes express themselves. This makes it really hard to guarantee that a specific gene will always result in the same outcome.

Oppenheimer shows scientists' humanity

Science Forever • 557 implied HN points • 30 Jul 23
🔬 Science History Drama Ethics
  1. Oppenheimer's inner turmoil over leading Los Alamos and trying to stop nuclear weapons is a key aspect of the movie.
  2. Scientists have difficulty keeping scientific findings to themselves due to egos and the belief that knowledge belongs to the world.
  3. Edward Teller is portrayed as the most evil scientist for his role in developing the hydrogen bomb and his ties to the military industrial complex.

Scientists shouldn't debate gaslighters

Science Forever • 557 implied HN points • 21 Jun 23
🔬 Science Debates Rhetoric Online Abuse
  1. Gaslighters should not be debated by scientists as it can give them undeserved credibility and make the scientists look like nitpicking nerds.
  2. Debating gaslighters can lead to a situation where the huckster's misinformation is seen as equal to well-established scientific principles.
  3. It's crucial for the scientific community to find skilled communicators who can effectively counter the rhetoric of gaslighters like RFK Jr.

We were selected: tracing what humans were made for

Razib Khan's Unsupervised Learning • 783 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🔬 Science Genetics Evolution Anthropology
  1. Ancient DNA research has greatly improved our understanding of human evolution. Scientists can now study our genetic history and how humans have adapted over thousands of years.
  2. New techniques allow researchers to see how natural selection has shaped our traits, like skin color and immune response. This gives insight into why certain characteristics are more common in different populations.
  3. The findings show that our physical traits have changed over time due to varying environmental pressures and lifestyles. This helps explain how humans have managed to survive and thrive in diverse habitats.

Open Thread 313

Astral Codex Ten • 2202 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🔬 Science Research Genetics Psychology Fiction Education
  1. Genes matter 2x as much as the environment in schizophrenia, not 4x as previously thought
  2. A study on political reasoning errors failed to replicate, questioning a larger literature on the topic
  3. Humans merging with AI may not be unprecedented, as evidenced by a medieval Italian man merging with a knife

Erika Updates #0: A Publishing Experiment

Erika’s Newsletter • 550 implied HN points • 15 Feb 23
🔬 Science Experimentation
  1. The author conducted an experiment on releasing updates publicly to provide insight into her research process.
  2. The experiment showcased how traditional scientific publishing differs from immediate updates in terms of production, readability, and narrative.
  3. The project involved expanding the genetic code to include more chemically diverse amino acids, holding potential for engineering better proteins.

Experience More Epiphanies in 2024

The Recovering Academic • 376 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
🔬 Science Neuroscience Literature Creativity Brain
  1. Epiphanies can come suddenly, triggered by external stimuli and internal processing, leading to a unique pleasure and breakthrough.
  2. Creating optimal conditions for epiphanies involves changing surroundings, allowing for diversion, and being open to different experiences.
  3. Distinguishing between pseudo-insight and real epiphanies is important; genuine epiphanies offer practical solutions or profound impacts on an individual's life.

Will Elondia Be Like Fordlandia?

Life Since the Baby Boom • 922 implied HN points • 18 Nov 24
🔬 Science Space Exploration Colonization Health Risks Technology Management
  1. Getting to Mars is much harder than reaching Fordlandia in the Amazon. Mars has extreme health risks like radiation that Fordlandia didn't face.
  2. Both places have serious health and management issues. Living conditions and isolation could lead to major problems for people on Mars, just like they did in Fordlandia.
  3. Fordlandia failed to become profitable and faced worker rebellion. Similar issues could arise in Elondia, where people's morale and management will be crucial for survival.

The genetics of intelligence: Exploring the link between DNA and IQ

Nucleus Genomics • 19 implied HN points • 14 Aug 24
🔬 Science Genetics Intelligence Research
  1. IQ is affected by both genetics and environment, with genetics accounting for about 50% of IQ scores. This means there are things we inherit from our parents that can influence how we score.
  2. Research has found specific DNA differences, called genetic variants, that seem to be linked to higher IQs. These variants don’t work alone but together can give insights into intelligence.
  3. The Nucleus IQ score uses genetic data to predict how your DNA might influence your IQ score, reflecting the latest research in this area. It's an evolving field, and there's still much to learn about genetics and intelligence.

How To Turn Yourself Into A Lion

Everything Is Amazing • 1914 implied HN points • 07 Mar 24
🔬 Science Mental health
  1. Staring at illusions can trick your brain into seeing things that aren't really there, which can be similar to a psychedelic experience without the drugs.
  2. Intense staring at mirrors or a stranger's face can lead to hallucinatory experiences, revealing how our minds fill in gaps when visual information is lacking.
  3. Regularly staring at screens can contribute to eye problems, but taking breaks to look at far distances can help relax eye muscles and prevent vision issues.

Blueprints: Exploring System Change

Surfing the Future • 279 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🔬 Science System Change Sustainability AI Climate
  1. 2024 marks the 50th year of the author engaging professionally in sustainability agendas.
  2. The author plans a 'Blueprints' discovery process throughout the year, involving thinkers and practitioners of system change.
  3. Key themes of the discovery process include the role of science fiction in systemic solutions, younger generations' views, scaling sustainability solutions, market-based ecosystem regeneration, and AI's future applications.

If langurs can drink seawater, can humans do so as well?

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 895 implied HN points • 14 Nov 24
🔬 Science Biology Zoology Evolution Physiology Genetics
  1. Cat Ba langurs can drink seawater and survive in dry conditions due to their diet and unique adaptations. They mainly get water from the leaves they eat, which helps them thrive on an isolated island.
  2. Humans cannot drink seawater without serious health issues. Consuming saltwater leads to dehydration because our bodies can't remove the excess salt fast enough.
  3. Research suggests that Cat Ba langurs have special genetic traits that allow them to manage salt and calcium better than most mammals. This helps them live in their harsh environment.

SpaceX's Texas Rocket is Going To Cause A Lot More Damage Than Anyone Thinks

ESG Hound • 3637 implied HN points • 16 Apr 23
🔬 Science Space Exploration Environmental Impact Wildlife Conservation Risk Assessment Regulatory Oversight
  1. FAA granted SpaceX a license for the Starship orbital test, but the potential damage could be catastrophic.
  2. The noise levels from SpaceX's testing were higher than predicted, impacting the environment and wildlife.
  3. SpaceX's launch facility in Texas lacks essential safety features, raising concerns about the safety of the operation.

Against the Burden of Knowledge

Maximum Progress • 294 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🔬 Science Research Innovation
  1. The burden of knowledge suggests that finding new ideas gets harder because you have to spend more time learning old ones.
  2. Knowledge is not always cumulative in scientific progress, as seen in historical examples like the transition from Ptolemy's geocentric model to Copernicus' heliocentric model.
  3. Institutional decay in academia may be a more plausible explanation for aging researchers, larger teams, and narrower fields, rather than just the burden of knowledge.

SpatialBench: Can Agents Analyze Real-World Spatial Biology Data?

LatchBio • 41 implied HN points • 26 Dec 25
🔬 Science Computational Biology Bioinformatics Machine Learning Data Analysis Genomics Software Engineering
  1. SpatialBench is a realistic suite of 146 verifiable spatial biology problems across five platforms and seven task types that recreates real analyst workspaces using snapshots of data and images.
  2. Current agent models perform poorly overall (roughly 20–38% accuracy) and vary widely by task and platform, and the choice of execution harness or wrapper can change outcomes as much as changing the base model.
  3. Inspecting agent trajectories reveals clear failure modes and productive strategies, showing that detailed traces help explain performance and that benchmarks like this are a practical first step toward engineering agents that can reliably automate spatial biology analysis.

Inso Biosciences

ASeq Newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
🔬 Science Genomics Biotechnology Sequencing Molecular Biology
  1. They developed a fluidic micropillar system that separates DNA using microfluidic flows.
  2. The tech is focused on preserving and recovering high‑molecular‑weight (long) DNA for long‑read nanopore sequencing.
  3. The aim is a fast, integrated microfluidic sample‑to‑library workflow to speed up nanopore sequencing preparation.

The Vaccine Revolution Will Now Be Televised

Viruses Must Die • 44 implied HN points • 19 Dec 25
🔬 Science Biotechnology Immunology Microbiology Public Health Synthetic Biology Bioethics Medical Research
  1. Ordinary brewer's yeast can be engineered into food-grade vaccines, and the experiments were reportedly doable on a simple household budget.
  2. This method could decentralize vaccine production so people or local microbreweries could make vaccines, potentially bypassing slow licensing and surviving even severe social disruptions.
  3. The target is viruses like polyomaviruses that cause serious illness (for example painful bladder disease in transplant patients), so edible vaccines could prevent a lot of suffering.

Pregnancy and Immune Modulation

Who is Robert Malone • 7 implied HN points • 18 Feb 26
🔬 Science Immunology Maternal health Vaccinology Infectious Disease
  1. Pregnancy doesn't simply suppress immunity; it systemically recalibrates immune responses via hormones, increasing some defenses and restraining others to allow fetal tolerance.
  2. Vaccines still protect pregnant people, but pregnancy often narrows antibody breadth against new variants and shifts responses toward innate effector mechanisms, so vaccine formulation or timing may deserve dedicated study.
  3. Breast milk provides a personalized mucosal immune layer—mainly secretory IgA—that protects the baby's gut and airways, helps shape the infant microbiome and immune development, and differs depending on whether the mother had infection (IgA) or intramuscular vaccination (IgG).