The hottest Science Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Science Topics

Exploring Social Loafing in Human-Computer Teams

UX Psychology • 59 implied HN points • 03 Nov 23
🔬 Science Human-computer interaction Psychology Artificial Intelligence Research Methods Technology
  1. Social loafing in human-computer teams can lead to reduced human effort over time, even if participants report consistent effort and engagement.
  2. Humans may rely excessively on dependable robotic or AI teammates, potentially impairing human attentiveness and performance.
  3. Mitigating the effects of social loafing in human-computer teams can involve strategies such as establishing individual accountability, validating robot or AI performance, and designing robots/AI to provide motivation to human teammates.

For-Profit Academic Publishers Love LLM Garbage

Never Met a Science • 116 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🔬 Science Publishing Research Literature Ethics Technology
  1. For-profit academic publishers are more focused on making money than helping science. They charge high fees for publishing papers, leading to a system that doesn't prioritize true academic progress.
  2. The move to Open Access journals has created financial burdens, especially in social sciences and humanities. Many academics end up paying significant fees just to publish their research.
  3. There's growing concern that using AI tools to write academic papers can dilute the quality of research. Scholars need to ensure that the focus remains on meaningful work rather than just producing more papers.

Improve Post-Hoc Interpretation By Leveraging Background Data

Mindful Modeler • 99 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🔬 Science Data interpretation
  1. Utilize background data creatively in analysis by considering it as more than just a nuisance for estimation
  2. Leverage background data to explore different scenarios like distribution shifts, feature effects in various data groups, and stability of model predictions
  3. Background data plays a crucial role in model-agnostic interpretation methods like Shapley values and permutation feature importance, providing opportunities to enhance analysis by smart selection
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Why the Discovery of Alaknanda Galaxy is a Big Deal

FutureIQ • 8 implied HN points • 04 Dec 25
🔬 Science Astronomy Astrophysics Cosmology Space Exploration
  1. Scientists discovered the Alaknanda galaxy, which could change our understanding of how early galaxies formed after the Big Bang.
  2. Alaknanda is about 12 billion years old, meaning it formed just 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang, which is surprisingly quick for such a well-structured galaxy.
  3. The discovery suggests that existing theories about galaxy formation need to be revised because they expected more time was needed for galaxies to develop their spiral arms and flat disks.

Summer haze comes with ink

Vesuvius Challenge • 34 implied HN points • 04 Jul 25
🔬 Science Physics Engineering Research Technology Mathematics
  1. Researchers are using advanced scanning techniques to read ancient carbonized scrolls. They hope to find ways to read more ink that isn't visible to the naked eye.
  2. They are experimenting with different scanning methods and technologies to better capture the details of the scrolls.
  3. The research team is committed to sharing their findings more often to keep the community updated on their progress.

The Last Great Naturalist

Holodoxa • 99 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23
🔬 Science Biology Evolution Behavior Genetics Conservation
  1. Life science research was pioneered by naturalists who explored and documented nature, influencing key scientific paradigms like evolution and genetics.
  2. E.O. Wilson, a revered naturalist and scientist, contributed significantly to fields such as myrmecology, sociobiology, and conservation.
  3. Wilson's work sparked debate in the scientific community, particularly around sociobiology, which explores the genetic basis of social behavior in animals, including humans.

Uploading Our Brains. A Reality Check.

The Digital Anthropologist • 59 implied HN points • 23 Oct 23
🔬 Science Technology Consciousness Culture Intelligence Evolution
  1. Uploading our brains is a concept being explored, but its feasibility is uncertain. The journey may lead to advancements in treating brain-related diseases like dementia.
  2. Culture heavily influences the acceptance of new technologies like brain uploading. It challenges fundamental beliefs about human identity and the soul.
  3. The evolution towards technologies like brain uploading and AI reflects a shift towards augmenting cognitive abilities, marking an era of the Cognitive Age.

Bell's Inequality - Guide and Walkthrough

Donkeyspace • 6 implied HN points • 08 Dec 25
🔬 Science Physics Quantum Mechanics Mathematics Technology Computing
  1. Bell's theorem shows that the universe is fundamentally non-local, meaning particles can be connected no matter how far apart they are. This idea challenges our traditional understanding of space and distance.
  2. The CHSH game illustrates how entangled particles can outperform classical strategies by showing that Alice and Bob can get better results by measuring angles differently. This surprising outcome demonstrates the strange nature of quantum mechanics.
  3. Understanding Bell's inequality reshapes how we see physical laws; it's more like a set of logical rules rather than forces acting on objects. This perspective changes how we think about the universe and its fundamental nature.

RERF experts claim their bomb survivor solid cancer mortality data is non-linear

Gordian Knot News • 87 implied HN points • 08 Jan 25
🔬 Science Cancer Research Health Effects Statistical Analysis Public Health
  1. RERF experts found that solid cancer mortality data from bomb survivors shows a non-linear pattern. This means that higher radiation doses lead to differing effects on cancer rates than previously thought.
  2. They noticed an upward curve in cancer risk among both men and women, but the effect was more significant for women. This is important to understand how radiation impacts different sexes.
  3. The researchers also highlighted a 'High Dose Effect' where fewer cancers seem to occur at very high radiation doses. This challenges some existing theories about radiation and cancer risk.

Constructing space-filling curves

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 90 implied HN points • 30 Dec 24
🔬 Science Mathematics Physics Biology Chemistry Engineering
  1. Space-filling curves, like the Hilbert curve, can fill a whole area by connecting points in a specific way through iterations. They start small and grow by adding more points and connections at each step.
  2. Different seeds can lead to different types of curves. Each seed can be developed using two choices for how to connect the points, leading to many possible variations.
  3. The process used to create these curves can also be reversed. By looking at a curve and breaking it down, you can see how it was made step by step.

Too much information

Logging the World • 99 implied HN points • 21 Nov 22
🔬 Science Information Theory Entropy Mathematics Communication Technology
  1. Information Theory studies how randomness and predictability affect the transmission and compression of data.
  2. Entropy measures the information gained from a source, highlighting the balance between predictability and unpredictability.
  3. Redundancy can protect messages against noise in communication channels, showing the importance in modern data transmission scenarios.

$100K prize money to any epidemiologist or infectious disease doctor who will debate me live for 1 hour and show I got it wrong on COVID vaccine risk/benefit

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 5 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🔬 Science Epidemiology Infectious Disease Public Health Vaccinology Data Analysis
  1. A $100,000 prize is offered to any US-based epidemiologist, infectious-disease specialist, or biostatistics professor with an h-index of 10+ to debate the mRNA COVID vaccine risk‑vs‑benefit live for one hour.
  2. The challenge hinges on Czech KCOR data and asks the expert to show that the cumulative net mortality benefit of two or three mRNA doses in the first two years likely exceeds the mortality risk; the debate will have three mutually agreeable unbiased judges and 30 minutes per side.
  3. Authorized employees of Pfizer or Moderna are explicitly invited to participate, framing the offer as a public call to prompt a real-time scientific dispute and draw attention to the vaccine safety question.

Of Experts And Echo Chambers

Good Reason • 284 implied HN points • 14 Nov 23
🔬 Science Medicine Research Experts Institutions Beliefs
  1. Experts can be wrong and have been wrong throughout history, like medieval doctors with bloodletting.
  2. Expert communities often become echo chambers, reinforcing shared beliefs and resisting change.
  3. Challenging experts and subjecting beliefs to testing, even within scientific-minded groups, is important to avoid falling into the trap of groupthink.

The Ramanujan Machine

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 90 implied HN points • 23 Dec 24
🔬 Science Mathematics Technology Artificial Intelligence Research
  1. Srinivasa Ramanujan was a brilliant mathematician known for his unique insights and identities, many of which he discovered in unconventional ways.
  2. The Ramanujan Machine is an AI project that helps generate new mathematical conjectures, making it easier to discover complex equations related to fundamental constants.
  3. The odd double factorial is a useful concept in pairing problems and can be calculated by multiplying all odd numbers up to a certain point, making it easier to understand how to pair off groups.

Urban Stalactites

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 219 implied HN points • 28 Jul 22
🔬 Science Geology Urban Studies Environmental Science Sustainability
  1. Urban stalactites, called calthemites, form from the weathering of concrete when water carries calcium hydroxide and reacts with carbon dioxide in the air. They look like tiny cave formations hanging from structures.
  2. The growth of these stalactites can happen quickly, with the best conditions allowing them to grow up to 2 mm a day. However, they can be fragile and might break if disturbed.
  3. In cities like Seattle, you can find these formations in places like tunnels, bridges, and parking garages. They add an interesting geological feature to urban landscapes.

Technology is Reshaping Human History

The Digital Anthropologist • 59 implied HN points • 13 Oct 23
🔬 Science History Genetics Archaeology Digital Technologies AI
  1. Digital technologies are reshaping human history, impacting our future in significant ways. It's an exciting time to be alive.
  2. Advancements like AI and genetic engineering are revealing new insights into ancient civilizations, genetics, and human evolution.
  3. Technologies such as LIDAR, genetic analysis tools, and AI are helping discover ancient civilizations and rewrite textbooks in anthropology and archaeology.

Oh Good, Screwworms Are Back

Marginally Compelling • 29 implied HN points • 17 Jul 25
🔬 Science Biology Ecology Agriculture
  1. Screwworms are a dangerous pest that can harm livestock and humans by laying eggs in their open wounds. Their return is a worrying issue that many are talking about.
  2. Scientists once used a method called the sterile insect technique to eradicate screwworms, which involved breeding and sterilizing them to reduce their population.
  3. Current problems like Covid and ineffective management have allowed screwworms to make a comeback, turning a solved issue into a potential new crisis.

How a Norwegian chemist defeated lead paint

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 23 implied HN points • 20 Aug 25
🔬 Science Chemistry Industrial History Materials Safety
  1. Lead paint was commonly used because it dried quickly and had durable properties, but it was very poisonous, especially to children.
  2. A new, safer paint alternative was created using titanium dioxide, which became popular because it was cheaper and non-toxic.
  3. The shift from lead paint to titanium white was important, as it offered similar benefits for painting while being much safer for health.

Language is a SimCity

Cybernetic Forests • 59 implied HN points • 02 Jul 23
🔬 Science Language Statistics AI Generative models Neural Networks
  1. Language can be seen as a dynamic city, shaped by collective contributions that form its intricate structure.
  2. Generative AI models, like GPT4, rely on statistics and random selection to produce text, often betraying a lack of true understanding.
  3. Human communication involves a choice between shallow, statistically-driven speech, like that of machines, and deeper, intent-driven speech that seeks to convey personal truths.

Ape to Einstein? Exploring The Stoned Ape Theory

Tripsitter • 59 implied HN points • 25 Sep 23
🔬 Science Evolution Psychedelics Human Evolution Consciousness
  1. The Stoned Ape Theory suggests that early humans consuming psychoactive substances like magic mushrooms led to advancements in creative thinking, language development, and societal structure.
  2. American ethnobotanist Terence McKenna proposed the theory that psychoactive mushrooms catalyzed rapid brain development in early ancestors, leading to higher levels of consciousness.
  3. While the Stoned Ape Theory is intriguing, it lacks scientific evidence and faces criticism for oversimplifying the complexities of human evolution and consciousness.

Talking science with the UKRI CEO

Science Forever • 59 implied HN points • 13 Apr 23
🔬 Science Research Innovation Biology Technology Education
  1. UKRI (UK Research and Innovation) is an organization formed by merging various research councils and bodies to drive progress in research and innovation across disciplines efficiently.
  2. UKRI CEO, Ottoline Leyser, discusses the importance of associating with Horizon Europe for research collaborations and the challenges of aligning UK & EU funding mechanisms.
  3. Focusing on expanding research excellence and innovation nationwide, UKRI implements programs like the Strength in Places Fund and Innovation Accelerator pilots to drive local capacity building and economic growth.

Geometry that feels like magic

Eternal Sunshine of the Stochastic Mind • 59 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🔬 Science Geometry Mathematics
  1. In geometry, certain geometric properties can hold true regardless of how the figures are drawn, leading to aesthetically pleasing and eternal truths.
  2. Specific theorems like Morley's trisector theorem and Napoleon's theorem showcase the magic of geometry by revealing surprising relationships within triangles.
  3. Concepts like Simson's line and Țițeica's 3 circles theorem demonstrate the beauty and elegance of geometry, inspiring us to appreciate the world through the lens of mathematics.

KCOR v6 enables radical transparency into vaccine data

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 4 implied HN points • 22 Dec 25
🔬 Science Epidemiology Public Health Vaccinology Data science
  1. KCOR v6 fits a Gompertz gamma‑frailty model to cohorts' cumulative hazards to remove heterogeneity and allow fair comparisons between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.
  2. Applied to Czech data, KCOR shows a net harm signal (KCOR > 1) for mRNA COVID vaccines over time, with boosters appearing especially harmful in the weeks after vaccination.
  3. The method depends on assumptions (Gompertz mortality, gamma frailty, and that vaccine harm subsided by mid‑2022) and has limits: it can miss very early post‑shot spikes, long‑term monotonic risk increases, and non‑proportional hazard effects.

Space Ambition: the best of 2022

Space Ambition • 139 implied HN points • 30 Dec 22
🔬 Science Space Exploration Technology development Entrepreneurship Innovation Community Building
  1. The Space Ambition community has grown significantly, reaching over 2,000 readers from around the world and including deep tech investors and space agencies. This shows a growing interest in space technology and entrepreneurship.
  2. The team is excited about upcoming events in 2023 and is planning to host more offline meetups in various countries. They encourage readers to get involved and reach out if interested.
  3. The best-read articles from 2022 cover important topics like challenges of living on Mars, the history and future of space stations, and how food supplies are managed on space missions.

Links #6

Splitting Infinity • 39 implied HN points • 22 Dec 23
🔬 Science Evolutionary Theory Mechanics Animal Welfare
  1. Being an Honest Broker is important in a community to prioritize honesty and fairness.
  2. The connection between evolutionary theory and Newtonian mechanics is intriguing and may lead to new ideas.
  3. Exploring measurable animal welfare can lead to uncomfortable questions about balancing welfare across species.

Double Bubbles

Pershmail • 58 implied HN points • 14 Apr 23
🔬 Science Mathematics Geometry Physics
  1. Double bubbles minimize surface area by using interesting film connections.
  2. For fencing in different areas with minimal material, the double bubble shape is ideal.
  3. The standard double bubble minimizes perimeter between two areas.

Sorry Folks There Aren't Any Space Aliens

Dilan’s Newsletter • 58 implied HN points • 08 Aug 23
🔬 Science Space Physics Astronomy
  1. Science is not a religion, it relies on observations and experiments for truth
  2. The vastness of the universe and the limits of the speed of light make it highly unlikely for humans to ever come into contact with extraterrestrial intelligence
  3. Despite the fascination with space aliens, there is no scientific evidence supporting their existence or visits to Earth

Measuring distortion

Only Wonder Knows • 58 implied HN points • 19 May 23
🔬 Science Characterization Measurement
  1. When working with non-linear systems, be cautious and pay attention to distortion.
  2. Measuring distortion in systems may require using techniques like injecting two tones.
  3. Characterizing distortion involves understanding how system limitations affect harmonic levels.