The hottest Science Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Science Topics

'Birdwatchers and shorebirds both dream of fluddles'

This Week in Birding • 98 implied HN points • 06 Mar 23
🔬 Science Ornithology Conservation Ecology Migration
  1. Shorebirds like sandpipers and plovers are vulnerable due to their small size and need to forage constantly for survival during migration.
  2. Stopover sites for shorebirds, like fluddles, are threatened by human activities like monoculture farming practices.
  3. Efforts are being made to preserve and monitor wetlands like fluddles to provide vital habitats for shorebirds and support their migration journeys.

A Linear Algebra Trick for Computing Fibonacci Numbers Fast

Confessions of a Code Addict • 158 HN points • 05 Nov 23
🔬 Science Mathematics Computing Algorithms Linear Algebra Complexity
  1. A linear algebra technique can be applied to compute Fibonacci numbers quickly with a logarithmic time complexity.
  2. Efficient algorithms like repeated squaring can compute powers of matrices in logarithmic time, improving performance for Fibonacci number calculations.
  3. A closed form expression using the golden ratio offers a direct method to compute Fibonacci numbers, showing different approaches with varied performance.

A model of models of probability

Bram’s Thoughts • 78 implied HN points • 23 Nov 23
🔬 Science Probability Models Human behavior
  1. People generally have a simplified internal model of probability with five main categories.
  2. People tend to struggle with accurately gauging differences in expected values within the 40-60% range.
  3. Individuals often display overconfidence in their predictions for probable events and can become overly upset when these predictions fail.

Circling the LNT Wagons

Gordian Knot News • 205 implied HN points • 26 Aug 23
🔬 Science Radiation Health Studies Cancer
  1. The Linear No-Threshold theory (LNT) in radiation protection is being challenged due to its assumption that harm is solely based on cumulative dose, ignoring dose rate and repair ability.
  2. Studies on nuclear workers show limitations as they only focus on cumulative doses and do not consider variations in dose rates, which are crucial for understanding radiation harm.
  3. The INWORKS study, which supports LNT, has faced criticism for excluding certain data, lacking dose rate information, and not making data available, raising questions about its scientific validity.

Understanding Different Uncertainty Mindsets

Mindful Modeler • 179 implied HN points • 24 Jan 23
🔬 Science Probability Modeling Uncertainty Machine Learning Statistics
  1. Understanding the fundamental difference between Bayesian and frequentist interpretations of probability is crucial for grasping uncertainty quantification techniques.
  2. Conformal prediction offers prediction regions with a frequentist interpretation, similar to confidence intervals in linear regression models.
  3. Conformal prediction shares similarities with the evaluation requirements and mindset of supervised machine learning, emphasizing the importance of separate calibration and ground truth data.
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The Counterfactual's science poll #1

The Counterfactual • 59 implied HN points • 03 Jan 24
🔬 Science Research Data Analysis Large Language Models
  1. Subscribers can vote on which research topics to explore each month. This makes it a fun way for people to get involved in science.
  2. Most research will focus on concrete questions and often involve Large Language Models. The goal is to keep projects manageable and achievable in a month.
  3. Some topics will involve summarizing existing research. This helps everyone understand what we know about a subject more clearly.

Genes Really Do Shape Social Outcomes

Holodoxa • 119 implied HN points • 16 May 23
🔬 Science Genomics
  1. Behavioral genetics can have a significant impact on shaping society and improving educational interventions by studying genetic contributions to social outcomes
  2. Studying the genetics of educational outcomes can improve research quality and empower precision interventions, providing biological insights for potential new drugs or learning theories
  3. Genetic studies, like genome-wide association studies (GWAS), are advancing our understanding of genetic influences on educational attainment, paving the way for more accurate prediction of social outcomes

Economics and Evolutionary Psychology

David Friedman’s Substack • 143 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
🔬 Science Psychology Evolution Behavior Economics Biology
  1. Economics predicts individual behavior based on personal goals, while evolutionary psychology focuses on genes' goals for reproductive success.
  2. Evolutionary psychology sees the human mind as specialized modules shaped by Darwinian evolution for survival in hunter-gatherer environments.
  3. Behavioral inconsistencies in economics can be explained by beliefs in 'just prices' influenced by evolutionary psychology and ancestral trading practices.

Nuclear Fusion: The State of Play

State of the Future • 34 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🔬 Science Energy Technology Physics Innovation Research
  1. Nuclear fusion has great potential for clean energy, but it still faces big challenges like cost and technical hurdles. Commercial fusion might not be realistic until around 2040, despite recent progress.
  2. Different methods of achieving fusion exist, each with their own pros and cons. For example, magnetic confinement is well-researched but expensive, while inertial confinement uses lasers but has its own limitations.
  3. Investment in fusion technology is growing, with billions already being put in by both private companies and governments. This means, even though it's a tough path, there's hope for fusion as a key player in future energy strategies.

A different way to look at solar

America in Crisis • 59 implied HN points • 30 Dec 23
🔬 Science Solar Power Energy Sources Climate change Infrastructure
  1. Solar power, despite being intermittent, can be made more efficient with government assistance and innovative solutions like storing excess electricity as hydrogen.
  2. Creating a widespread network of solar-powered hydrogen wells could lead to a cost-effective production of green aviation fuel, potentially revolutionizing the energy industry.
  3. Investing in infrastructure for renewable energy, like hydrogen wells, can serve as a stimulus project, offering economic growth opportunities and addressing critical environmental concerns.

Recycling Atoms With Supercritical Water

Splitting Infinity • 59 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
🔬 Science Chemistry Renewable Energy Waste Management
  1. Supercritical water can break down organic matter like sewage, paper, plastic, and food into simple molecules, helping in recycling and generating energy.
  2. Using supercritical water can address the issue of a potential future carbon shortage by breaking down carbon present in waste into simple molecules.
  3. Supercritical water enables a wide range of chemical processes like producing green hydrogen, desalination, and supporting different chemical reactions, offering potential for creating sustainable systems.

The Quantum House Cards Talk

Quantum Formalism • 39 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🔬 Science Quantum Computing Research Community Engagement
  1. The Quantum House of Cards paper by Xavier Waintal raised varied reactions in the quantum computing community, sparking debate between skeptics and optimists.
  2. Zaiku Group adopts a balanced view on quantum computing, recognizing both the transformative potential and significant challenges, advocating for open dialogue between skeptics and optimists.
  3. Xavier Waintal will hold a talk in the Quantum Formalism community on February 29th, promoting a nuanced and productive discourse on quantum computing.

Science and Its Discontents

Holodoxa • 139 implied HN points • 29 Mar 23
🔬 Science Research Innovation Metascience Replication Institutions
  1. Current systems for basic scientific research have weaknesses in terms of funding, publication incentives, and impact evaluation. Scientists often spend less time on actual research due to grant application efforts, and research impact is measured ineffectively.
  2. Systemic issues in research science include inefficiencies, triviality, and misaligned incentives, leading to concerns about technological stagnation and economic growth. The replication crisis is a notable problem, affecting various fields due to lack of reproducibility.
  3. Metascience, analyzing and improving scientific methodology, offers hope for enhancing the quality and efficiency of research. It encourages transparency, awareness of limitations, and informed decision-making by scientists, policymakers, and funders, despite facing obstacles in adoption.

The Pathogenic Academic Lobby

A Biologist's Guide to Life • 99 implied HN points • 10 Feb 24
🔬 Science Academic Research Virology Ethics Pandemic Preparedness
  1. The history of the COVID-19 pandemic traces back to controversial research on potentially pandemic pathogens conducted by influential scientists before the pandemic began.
  2. A group called Scientists For Science, formed by key researchers, lobbied for the continuation of risky research on enhancing potentially pandemic pathogens, prioritizing academic pursuits and funding over clear benefits or safety precautions.
  3. The public may not be aware of the ongoing conflicts of interest, power struggles, and lobbying efforts within the scientific community regarding high-risk research, highlighting the need for transparency, accountability, and ethical guidelines in handling dangerous pathogens.

Science Must Not Be Tainted By International Politics

Critical Mass • 11 implied HN points • 03 Nov 24
🔬 Science Research Technology Politics Philosophy Global Issues
  1. Excluding scientists from international collaboration harms science. Science is a global effort, and excluding individuals based on politics limits progress.
  2. Complex scientific issues require diverse voices. It's essential to involve as many perspectives as possible to tackle the world's challenges effectively.
  3. Politics shouldn't interfere with scientific research. The pure pursuit of knowledge should remain untouched by political conflicts to benefit all of humanity.

Lusus naturae

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 159 implied HN points • 30 Mar 23
🔬 Science Ornithology Geology Ecology Evolution Botany
  1. Rockpeckers are birds that create holes in rocks and are important for understanding geology. They use their unique feeding habits to extract silica from plants, which helps them carve out these holes.
  2. Scientists are exploring the connections between rockpeckers and other birds like rock wrens. There are still many questions about their behavior and nesting habits, with research ongoing to learn more.
  3. Interestingly, rockpeckers share a similar hole-drilling ability with piddock clams, highlighting the idea of parallel evolution. This shows that different species can develop similar traits to survive in their environments.

The case for 1 mSv per day

Gordian Knot News • 212 implied HN points • 16 Jul 23
🔬 Science Radiation Biology Nuclear power Health Risks
  1. The recommended radiation exposure limit for the general public was 2 mSv/day until 1951, when it was changed to 3 mSv/week.
  2. A dose of 2 mSv/day is considered safe as it is based on biological repair mechanisms that can handle DNA damage from radiation and natural processes.
  3. Maintaining a limit of 2 mSv/day could prevent unnecessary evacuations and help make nuclear power a more economical and environmentally friendly energy source.

Of Seals, Sea Lions, and the Locks

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 139 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🔬 Science Marine Biology Wildlife Conservation Environmental Science Ecology Adaptation
  1. Harbor seals and sea lions can adapt to both saltwater and freshwater environments. They often move between these waters, showing their ability to thrive in different conditions.
  2. These animals have a unique way of navigating locks to switch from saltwater to freshwater. They can either wait for the locks to fill or use special culverts that help them travel.
  3. The history of these seals goes back to the Ice Age when they may have lived in freshwater lakes. This history could explain why they are drawn to freshwater today.

Three Simple Multi-functioning Visuals That Will Make Your Data Dance

Data at Depth • 19 implied HN points • 07 May 24
🔬 Science Data Visualization Interpretation
  1. Graphical elements can serve multiple purposes efficiently in data visualization, like stem-and-leaf plots, dot plots, and heat maps.
  2. Stem-and-leaf plots are useful for displaying data distribution and patterns by dividing each value into stems and leaves.
  3. Dot plots represent values as dots, offering an intuitive way to visualize data distribution and trends, including subgrouping by color in the same plot.

The Path of Heterodoxy

A Biologist's Guide to Life • 87 implied HN points • 02 Mar 24
🔬 Science Research Academia Pandemic Immunity
  1. Being unconventional in the academic world can lead to resistance and pushback from those in power, but staying true to your discoveries and principles is important.
  2. Challenging orthodox beliefs and standing by your heterodox views may result in alienation and hostility, but it can also lead to personal growth and self-discovery.
  3. Navigating the path of heterodoxy requires courage, resilience, and a willingness to face criticism and rejection, but in the end, it can lead to finding a community of like-minded individuals and true allies.

The Rise and Fall Of Yankee Rowe

Gordian Knot News • 249 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🔬 Science Nuclear power Regulation Safety concerns Energy Production
  1. In 1954, the Atomic Energy Act allowed private companies into nuclear power, leading to the creation of Yankee Atomic Electric Company in New England.
  2. Yankee Rowe operated for 40 years efficiently, but faced closure due to safety concerns and regulations from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
  3. The rise and fall of Yankee Rowe showcases both the potential and challenges of nuclear power in the United States.

Weekly Dose of Optimism #79

Not Boring by Packy McCormick • 94 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🔬 Science Nuclear Decarbonization Neuralink Drug Development Artificial Intelligence
  1. Biden administration to offer a $1.5 billion loan to restart a Michigan nuclear power plant, signaling support for the nuclear industry.
  2. Nat Bullard's Decarbonization presentation highlights climate change challenges, renewable energy growth, and investment opportunities in clean tech.
  3. Elon Musk's Neuralink achieves a milestone by implanting a brain interface, potentially advancing cognitive abilities and treating neurological disorders.

Immune engineering

The Century of Biology • 390 implied HN points • 19 Feb 23
🔬 Science Genetic Engineering Cancer Treatment Biotechnology
  1. The immune system is a major frontier for the future of biotechnology and medicine.
  2. Engineered T cells, like CAR-T therapy, show promise in treating diseases like cancer by programming immune cells.
  3. Immune engineering, especially in combination with the 4-S stack, holds great potential for designing new therapies and advancing genetic engineering technology.

Market fundamentalism drives science denial

Science Forever • 99 implied HN points • 04 Feb 23
🔬 Science Science communication
  1. Market fundamentalism is a driving force behind science denial, as explored in 'The Big Myth' by Oreskes and Conway.
  2. The book 'Merchants of Doubt' reveals how highly credentialed scientists used their expertise to cast doubt on science requiring government regulation.
  3. The Big Myth delves into the why of science denial, exploring how corporations and conservative operatives have promoted market fundamentalism over the past century.

Science Could Use More Magical Thinking

Eat Shit and Prosper • 159 implied HN points • 28 Apr 23
🔬 Science Scientific Method Philosophy Innovation Education
  1. Magical thinking can lead to scientific discoveries. Sometimes, you don't need to know everything; you just need to explore and see what happens.
  2. Seeing something unusual can spark curiosity and experimentation. Just like someone might try burning strange rocks, we should be willing to experiment with the unknown.
  3. Both video games and religion encourage us to find meaning in the world. They create a sense of purpose, making it easier to explore and try new things.

What do Americans use electricity for?

Sustainability by numbers • 75 implied HN points • 19 Mar 24
🔬 Science Energy Electricity Renewable Energy Data Analysis
  1. American households primarily use electricity for heating, cooling, and controlling humidity.
  2. Future challenges in energy demand will revolve around balancing supply and demand, particularly for temperature control like heating and cooling.
  3. Electricity consumption is dominated by heating, cooling, and humidity control in households, highlighting the importance of efficient solutions in this area.

Eggs and scrambled chromosomes

De Novo • 121 implied HN points • 15 Mar 24
🔬 Science Biology Genetics Research
  1. Growth of eggs from stem cells is challenging, but a new research approach involving injecting adult cell nucleus into a donor egg may offer an alternative.
  2. Chromosomes' proper segregation during meiosis II seems more efficient in inbred mice compared to hybrid mice, indicating the importance of genetic similarity in the process.
  3. Understanding the mechanism that aids proper segregation in inbred chromosomes could potentially lead to advancements in using the nuclear transfer method for human oocytes, though challenges like aneuploidy and efficiency still need to be addressed.

Literature Reviews and Innovation

New Things Under the Sun • 144 implied HN points • 02 Oct 23
🔬 Science Research Policy Innovation Literature Meta-analysis
  1. Literature reviews tend to be more highly cited than traditional research articles in academia and policy.
  2. Literature reviews help consolidate isolated niches of research into more central ideas in academia.
  3. Academic literature reviews can influence policy-making by providing a broader and more accurate picture of scientific findings.