The hottest Science Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Science Topics

The Case for 2 mSv/day. 2.0.

Gordian Knot News • 139 implied HN points • 04 Feb 25
🔬 Science Radiation Health Biology Environment Nuclear
  1. The historical dose limit for radiation exposure was set at 2 mSv per day, based on a time when no harmful effects were clearly detected. This suggests that at this level of exposure, there might not be significant health risks.
  2. Our body has a strong system for repairing DNA damage caused by radiation and natural processes. Most DNA issues are fixed quickly, which means low-level radiation may not lead to serious health problems.
  3. If we accept that 2 mSv per day is safe, it could change how we manage nuclear power. It may allow for safer operations and reduce unnecessary evacuations, ultimately making energy cheaper and more sustainable.

C57BL/6 (Beta)

Niko McCarty • 19 implied HN points • 25 May 24
🔬 Science Biotechnology Research Ethics Pharmaceuticals Computing
  1. In 2032, scientists created computer emulations of mice, including their entire anatomy and brain. This was only possible for a few organizations with strong computing power.
  2. The military used these emulators to test how drugs could enhance mouse performance, but some results were secretly tested on prisoners, raising ethical concerns.
  3. The NIH gave access to emulators mainly to select academic institutions, leading to a flood of biomedical papers. This made their findings influential in clinical trials, affecting millions of people.

‘Lab leak’ in the biological warfare century – clear and present danger

Heterodox STEM • 56 implied HN points • 13 Jul 25
🔬 Science Biology Vaccines Health Research Biotechnology
  1. The idea that COVID-19 came from a lab leak has been heavily debated, but there's strong evidence suggesting it originated naturally. Many scientists have already concluded that the virus did not come from the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
  2. Misinformation about vaccines and the origins of COVID-19 can create distrust in science, making it harder for public health efforts to succeed. It's essential to rely on accurate information to manage potential biological threats.
  3. The rapid development and deployment of mRNA vaccines are crucial for defending against future biological attacks. These vaccines can be produced quickly and efficiently, which is vital for protecting public health.
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Advancing Beyond Short-Term Solar Forecasts [Pt.2]

Space Ambition • 79 implied HN points • 08 Dec 23
🔬 Science Astrophysics Forecasting Machine Learning
  1. It's important to understand the solar cycle better and predict solar storms. These storms can cause big financial losses and affect many technologies we rely on.
  2. Currently, we can only accurately predict space weather for about three days ahead. This is because solar events happen quickly, and predicting them is really complicated.
  3. We need more advanced tools and methods, like machine learning, to improve our predictions. Using new technology can help us learn more about the Sun and its effects on Earth.

Looking for your keys under the light

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 671 implied HN points • 13 Jun 23
🔬 Science Research Biology Models Healthcare
  1. When searching for something, we tend to look where it is easiest to see, even if it might not be the best place to find it.
  2. This behavior can lead to wasting time and effort on ineffective or inefficient search strategies.
  3. It is important to be mindful of not getting stuck looking in familiar or visible places, but to explore all possibilities.

An Apology to the Insiders

Gordian Knot News • 131 implied HN points • 08 Feb 25
🔬 Science Nuclear Energy Environmental Policy Systems theory Technology Ethics
  1. Some people in the nuclear industry feel offended by criticisms, believing the blame is directed at them rather than the broken system. It's important to clarify that the focus should be on changing the system, not attacking individuals.
  2. The author reflects on their experience in a flawed system, sharing a personal story about a report they wrote that was ignored to protect jobs. This shows how systems can trap people into doing the wrong thing.
  3. The author wants to apologize to those in the industry for any misunderstanding, emphasizing that the real problem lies in the system that has led to negative outcomes, not in the people who worked within it.

Wokeness Poisons Science

Skeptic • 158 implied HN points • 21 Dec 24
🔬 Science Scientific Method Education Research Ethics Gender Studies Cultural critique
  1. Wokeness is changing how science is done, affecting hiring practices and funding by introducing criteria based on identity rather than merit. This can lead to important scientific work being overlooked if it doesn't align with social justice agendas.
  2. The focus on equality of outcomes instead of opportunities can create flawed policies. It assumes that any inequality in outcomes is solely due to discrimination, ignoring factors like personal choice, abilities, and luck.
  3. Academia is experiencing a shift where free speech and diverse viewpoints are increasingly suppressed. Criticism of woke ideology can lead to severe backlash and censorship, stifling honest discussions in scientific fields.

Log Odds or Probability

Mindful Modeler • 139 implied HN points • 25 Apr 23
🔬 Science Statistics Interpretation Regression Probability
  1. Log odds are additive, probabilities are multiplicative. Some interpretation methods like expressing predictions as a linear sum may benefit from log odds.
  2. Edge transitions, like from 0.001 to 0.01, may sometimes be more significant than middle transitions, like 0.5 to 0.6.
  3. Probabilities offer intuitive understanding for decision-making, cost calculations, and are more commonly familiar compared to log odds.

Nautilus Early Access

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 25 Nov 25
🔬 Science Biotechnology Proteomics Molecular Biology Instrumentation Machine Learning Neuroscience Drug Discovery
  1. Nautilus has been pushing an early-access program and that push seems to have increased market interest by showing the platform can support early-access projects.
  2. A recent scientific demo focused on Tau proteoforms (about 768), which is a useful small-scale result but doesn’t demonstrate the claimed ability to interrogate billions of wells or many different proteins.
  3. Because the demo was small, it’s unclear how well the high-density patterning and machine-learning pattern matching perform at scale, so fuller multi-protein or high-well-count demonstrations are needed.

Chess and the number e

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 163 implied HN points • 16 Dec 24
🔬 Science Mathematics Combinatorics Statistics Game Theory Logic
  1. The number e, around 2.718, plays a big role in math, especially in combinatorial problems like derangements. This is when items are arranged so that none are in their original position.
  2. In chess, setting up nonattacking rooks can be related to derangements. The chance that none of them land on the main diagonal equals about 36.8%, which links back to the number e.
  3. Recent studies have also looked at how many safe squares remain on a chessboard when placing random pieces. As more pieces are added, the proportion of safe squares follows certain patterns connected to e.

The Monty Hall problem: The golden goat variation

Simplicity is SOTA • 131 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🔬 Science Mathematics Probability Bayesian Logic Puzzles
  1. The Monty Hall problem has a new twist, focusing on a valuable goat instead of a car. In this version, knowing which goat is valuable affects your choice.
  2. Using Bayes' theorem can help calculate the probabilities in this variation. After a goat is revealed, you can reassess your chances to make a better decision.
  3. The essential lesson is to update your beliefs with new information. Recognizing how new clues impact your choices is key to making smarter decisions.

There are only 2 kinds of battery

cleanenergyreview • 19 implied HN points • 21 May 24
🔬 Science Energy Storage Renewable Energy Electricity Markets
  1. There are two main types of batteries that matter: high capital cost per kWh stored with high roundtrip efficiency, and low capital cost per kWh stored with low roundtrip efficiency.
  2. Technologies and teams in both battery categories will be working to reduce their respective costs over time.
  3. Renewables paired with batteries are seen as the future of electricity, with different battery types serving distinct roles in the energy grid.

How to Genetically Influence the Future Without Having Kids

Parrhesia • 456 implied HN points • 09 Dec 23
🔬 Science Genetics Ethics Evolution Technology Health
  1. Beliefs and ideologies are influenced by genetics, affecting the future through who has children.
  2. Changes in fertility patterns due to ideologies can impact the prevalence of certain traits in future generations.
  3. Advocating for genetic enhancement technologies can shape future generations' traits even if you choose not to have children.

Crazy Science Idea: Tell People Something Is Possible When You Actually Have No Clue

Atlas of Wonders and Monsters • 593 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🔬 Science Research Innovation Fraud Discovery Progress
  1. Sometimes telling people something is possible, even if you're unsure, can lead to faster progress in finding solutions.
  2. Encouraging the pursuit of crazy ideas, even if they may not be true, can spark innovation and breakthroughs.
  3. Distorting facts slightly to make crazy ideas seem less crazy could potentially inspire more discovery and creativity.

Finding Washington's First Fossils

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 199 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
🔬 Science Paleontology Geology Anthropology History Ecology
  1. The earliest known connections to fossils in Washington come from the Wanapum people, who used ancient petrified wood for tools over 9,000 years ago.
  2. Naturalists like Archibald Menzies and others in the early 1800s began documenting fossils in Washington, although many of their specimens have been lost over time.
  3. The mystery of who first collected fossils in Washington remains, but geologist James Dwight Dana is a strong candidate for making one of the earliest fossil collections.

Top 5 blockers to establish a foothold on Mars

Space Ambition • 259 implied HN points • 09 Dec 22
🔬 Science Space Exploration Astrobiology Environmental Science Physics Engineering
  1. To go to Mars, we really need to improve how we use fuel and build bigger rockets. Right now, our technology just isn’t strong enough.
  2. Living in space for a long time means we need larger spaceships with essential comforts like food and water. Making these spaceships in space instead of on Earth might be a smart solution.
  3. Radiation on Mars is a big health risk since it doesn't have a magnetic field like Earth. We need to find ways to protect astronauts from this danger while they explore.

Birds being other birds

Splattern • 19 implied HN points • 20 May 24
🔬 Science Animal Behavior Ecology Ornithology Evolution
  1. Some birds, like the Stellers jay and raven, can imitate the sounds of other birds, which can be surprising and confusing. It's interesting to see how these smaller birds can mimic larger ones.
  2. Birds like mockingbirds and parrots are known for their ability to mimic various sounds, sometimes up to 200 different ones in their lifetime.
  3. Only a few species, including humans, parrots, and songbirds, can learn and repeat sounds they hear, which is quite rare in the animal kingdom. This ability is also linked to the capacity to dance to music!

The binary sphere packing problem

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 54 implied HN points • 12 Jul 25
🔬 Science Mathematics Physics Computer Science Research
  1. The best way to pack spheres to use space efficiently is known thanks to a theory called the Kepler conjecture. It shows that no arrangement can be denser than stacking spheres in a certain structured way.
  2. When packing two types of spheres together, it’s possible to fill more space than just using one size. An ideal ratio of the sizes can help maximize how much space is used.
  3. Researchers are still working on the binary packing problem to determine how densely two sizes of spheres can fill space. They have found hints that a specific size ratio might help achieve the best packing.

German Newspaper Forces Correction at Science Magazine, While Americans Ignore Study That Undermines Market Theory for Pandemic Origin

The DisInformation Chronicle • 375 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🔬 Science Research Statistics Virology Journalism
  1. A German newspaper forced Science Magazine to correct a study about the pandemic origin, while American science writers ignored new research questioning the study's validity.
  2. The Science Magazine study, claiming the pandemic began in a wet market, was criticized for its statistical methodology by experts from Germany and Hong Kong, raising doubts about its conclusions.
  3. Independent experts confirmed the criticism of the study, highlighting flaws in the statistical analysis and describing Science Magazine's handling of the methodology as careless and unprofessional.

Is it time for BEIR VIII?

Gordian Knot News • 153 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🔬 Science Radiation Epidemiology Health Risks Genetics Nuclear Safety
  1. The BEIR committee, which studies the health risks of radiation, hasn't updated their findings in nearly 20 years. There are new studies and data that could change our understanding of these risks.
  2. Omitting data from certain populations, like radium dial painters, can lead to misleading conclusions about radiation exposure and cancer risk. It's important to consider all relevant groups when assessing risks.
  3. A new BEIR report should include a balanced committee and a clear model for understanding radiation's effects. This would help improve how we manage and regulate nuclear power.

The Pareto frontier approach to science

Splitting Infinity • 59 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🔬 Science Research Exploration Innovation
  1. Creating new possibilities in science can be more valuable than just focusing on practical or purely exploratory research.
  2. The Pareto Frontier approach in science involves pushing frontiers by inventing solutions that lie at the cutting edge of various parameters.
  3. By extending the frontiers of knowledge in a field, we not only enable practical applications but also broaden the horizons of future innovators.

Metascience Manquè

Never Met a Science • 50 implied HN points • 17 Jul 25
🔬 Science Metascience Research Methods Scientific Communication Social Science Philosophy of science
  1. Metascience is struggling because it's too focused on just replicating studies, rather than exploring deeper questions about what science is and how it could improve. This limits its potential.
  2. Communication between different scientific fields can be helpful, but it often leads to misunderstandings about methods and goals. This can result in a distorted view of what science really is.
  3. To make science better, we need to rethink how we share knowledge. Relying only on traditional formats like PDFs isn't working anymore. More flexible and collaborative ways of sharing research could lead to better science.

Artificial Intelligence and the Noosphere

Nonzero Newsletter • 609 implied HN points • 29 Jun 23
🔬 Science Artificial Intelligence Evolution Philosophy Technology
  1. Artificial intelligence is seen as the crystallization of the noosphere, evolving from the biosphere.
  2. AI viewed from a noospheric perspective can help orient us, define our mission, and provide a philosophical framework for our moral evolution.
  3. The convergence of AI and the noosphere connects to a vision of a unified global community through political justice and universal love.

Roles of Supervised Machine Learning in Science

Mindful Modeler • 179 implied HN points • 31 Jan 23
🔬 Science Machine Learning Research Tools Intervention
  1. Machine learning models play multiple roles in science: as study objects, scientific tools, and scientific models.
  2. Using machine learning models as study objects is common in science, focusing on predictive model performance comparisons.
  3. Machine learning models can be utilized as scientific tools and as scientific models, where they play a central role in understanding phenomena.

My Little Cockroach

Banana Peel Pirouette • 79 implied HN points • 22 Nov 23
🔬 Science Biology Ecology Evolution Urbanization Animal Behavior
  1. Cockroaches have been around for millions of years and are found on every continent except Antarctica, adapted to urban environments due to global commerce.
  2. Humans have a unique disgust towards cockroaches, though other pests like mice and pigeons coexist with us and are even celebrated in popular culture.
  3. Our fear and loathing towards cockroaches stem from the way they challenge our perceptions of hygiene and control over the environment, showing how closely intertwined our lives are with these creatures.

How Robins Got Their Name

Bird History • 99 implied HN points • 06 Aug 23
🔬 Science Nature Biology History Culture Environment
  1. Robins named in England were given human names like Robert and Robin due to their familiarity and endearing qualities.
  2. American settlers in North America applied the name Robin to birds with orange breasts despite being different species from the English robin.
  3. The name Robin has been widely adopted by various birds across different continents, showcasing the historical influence of English colonization and erasure of indigenous knowledge.

Understanding Variation in PTEN

Holodoxa • 99 implied HN points • 07 Sep 23
🔬 Science Genetics Research Data Analysis Cancer
  1. Understanding genomic data variation and its effect is a significant challenge in genetic research.
  2. Deep Mutational Scanning (DMS) and Multiplex Assays of Variant Effects (MAVEs) are crucial methods to study how mutations impact protein function.
  3. MAVE data on PTEN has provided insights into its function, stability, and clinical implications, aiding in the understanding of PTEN variation.

Quantum Hardware Course!

Quantum Formalism • 99 implied HN points • 04 Aug 23
🔬 Science Quantum Computing Quantum Mechanics Physics Education
  1. Quantum Hardware Course offered by Zaiku Group covers various quantum hardware models like Quantum Optical Models, Ion Traps, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, and Superconductivity.
  2. Prerequisites for the course include knowledge of quantum mechanics and quantum optics concepts, with references to specific readings.
  3. Enrollment for live sessions and certification in the course require commitment and completion of the entire program by applicants.

Biomimicry versus Top-Down Engineering

Risk Musings • 573 implied HN points • 22 Jul 23
🔬 Science Biomimicry Genetics Biology Innovation Systems
  1. Nature builds from the bottom up through evolution and mutations, unlike top-down engineering in human systems.
  2. Biomimicry offers inspiration across various fields by learning from nature's efficient and resilient systems.
  3. Bottom-up building, like in the human brain, involves countless interactions that lead to emergent solutions, unlike enforced top-down strategies.