The hottest Science Substack posts right now

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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.

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.

Science Fictions links for October 2024

Science Fictions • 321 implied HN points • 02 Nov 24
🔬 Science Research Ethics Meta-analysis Mental health
  1. There have been multiple cases of scientific fraud recently, with researchers faking data in many papers. This creates big problems for their colleagues who did not know about the fraud.
  2. Some studies have shown that certain treatments, like puberty blockers, may not be effective for mental health, but researchers are hesitant to publish these findings for fear of misuse.
  3. A recent article criticized scientific practices for being overly sensitive and politically correct, calling out how it can hinder genuine scientific discussion and progress.

Is it time for BEIR VIII?

Gordian Knot News • 153 implied HN points • 17 Dec 24
🔬 Science Radiation Epidemiology Health Risks Genetics
  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.

Inside Job: Secret Histories in the National Museum

Asimov Press • 186 implied HN points • 08 Dec 24
🔬 Science Biology History Research Environment Military
  1. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History holds millions of specimens, including a secret history of bioweapons experiments conducted by the U.S. military.
  2. Many animal specimens collected during military conflicts reveal connections between warfare and biological research programs, showing how these historical events influenced scientific endeavors.
  3. The presence of everyday specimens in the museum, like insects and rodents, can unveil hidden stories about government actions and ecological research, suggesting that even small details can have significant implications.
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Statistical modeling seen through inductive biases

Mindful Modeler • 419 implied HN points • 28 May 24
🔬 Science Statistics Modeling Machine Learning
  1. Statistical modeling involves modeling distributions and assuming relationships between features and the target with a few interpretable parameters.
  2. Distributions shape the hypothesis space by restricting the range of models compatible with specific distributions like a zero-inflated Poisson distribution.
  3. Parameterization in statistical modeling simplifies estimation, interpretation, and inference of model parameters by making them more interpretable and allowing for confidence intervals.

Things I Like About Geology

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 439 implied HN points • 23 May 24
🔬 Science Geology Earth Science Paleontology Natural History Environmental Science
  1. Geology shows us that a lot of Earth's history is missing in the rocks we see. For example, not all ancient events are recorded, which creates a unique beauty in how landscapes look today.
  2. The constant fight between uplift and erosion shapes our mountains. Mountains grow tall, but erosion, through water and wind, continuously wears them down, making them more interesting.
  3. Geology helps us understand deep time but also captures small moments in history. Trace fossils show us detailed actions of past life, connecting us to individual stories from millions of years ago.

Frame of Reference

Doomberg • 7718 implied HN points • 25 Jul 23
🔬 Science Energy Technology Safety Risk Propaganda
  1. Fatal energy-related incidents occur due to the risks in harnessing, storing, and transporting energy.
  2. Despite tragedies, society often continues to utilize energy sources by weighing risks and benefits.
  3. The nuclear energy industry faces disproportionate fear and opposition compared to other energy sources.

The mathematics of the game Waffle

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 48 implied HN points • 22 Jan 25
🔬 Science Mathematics Game Theory Algorithms
  1. Waffle is a fun word game where you need to form six five-letter words in a grid. You can swap letters to find the right words based on clues given.
  2. To solve Waffle, you must figure out the words first, then how to rearrange the letters, and finally do it using the least number of swaps.
  3. Group theory is useful for solving Waffle puzzles because it helps to find ways to rearrange the letters efficiently, especially when dealing with repeated letters.

What aphantasia can teach us about episodic memory

The Memory Palace • 39 implied HN points • 03 Sep 24
🔬 Science Cognitive Science Neuroscience Psychology Memory Philosophy
  1. Aphantasia is a condition where people can't create mental images, making it hard for them to recall personal memories. They might not feel like they're reliving past events like others do.
  2. Research shows that people with aphantasia can still remember facts and details, but they use different strategies. They rely more on their understanding and experiences rather than visualizing things.
  3. Aphantasia challenges our notion of memory. It suggests that memory isn't just about visual details; it includes feelings and experiences too, which can be important for how we recall our past.

AI in the Age of Mythic Powers by Josh Schrei

The Bigger Picture • 858 implied HN points • 14 Mar 24
🔬 Science AI Mythology Ethics Mystery Society
  1. AI's powers are seen as mythic and magical in scope, with abilities akin to those discussed in ancient stories and magical grimoires.
  2. The discussion around AI goes beyond rationality and delves into religious and spiritual questions, questioning concepts like sentience and consciousness.
  3. AI poses risks not just on a global and societal scale, but also on individual bodies, with potential impacts on embodiment, agency, and mental health.

ROADRUNNER, ROADRUNNER

Entering The Lung • 2319 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23
🔬 Science Animals Nature
  1. Author shares a personal story about encountering a roadrunner for the first time in New Mexico.
  2. Seeing a creature in real life for the first time can be a powerful and memorable experience.
  3. Roadrunners have unique behaviors, like eating large snakes and posing for photos.

Please don't sue the scientists who exposed your papers for containing bad data

The Intrinsic Perspective • 6981 implied HN points • 07 Aug 23
🔬 Science Research Data Manipulation Gender discrimination
  1. Scientists accused of misconduct may face damaging consequences like losing their careers and facing lawsuits.
  2. Intent matters when judging data fabrication, and public condemnation is not always the best approach.
  3. Challenges arise when individuals expose scientific fraud by prominent researchers and face potential legal repercussions.

The Unstoppable Momentum of Outdated Science: 2024 Update

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 2316 implied HN points • 19 Feb 24
🔬 Science Scientific Integrity Climate Science
  1. Climate research and policy are still heavily based on outdated and misleading scenarios like RCP8.5, which are causing a disconnect from reality and hindering progress.
  2. Studies in various fields can continue to gain momentum, even if they are based on flawed or outdated foundations, leading to a waste of resources and efforts.
  3. There is a pressing need for a significant reset in climate research to address the widespread usage of obsolete scenarios like RCP8.5, despite the acknowledged divergence from real-world data.

Biology is not Bigotry

Critical Mass • 77 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🔬 Science Biology Philosophy Gender Studies Human Rights Social justice
  1. Biological sex is generally defined by the type of reproductive cells, making it binary in nature. This means there are typically only two sexes: male and female.
  2. Self-identity does not change biological sex; feelings and gender roles are different from biological facts. Someone can express their gender in various ways, but that does not alter their biological sex.
  3. Discussions around sex and gender should not overshadow the primary mission of organizations focused on free thought and secularism. It's important to separate scientific understanding from ideology.

Avoiding Epistemological Nihilism

Richard Hanania's Newsletter • 3657 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🔬 Science Research Data Analysis
  1. Social scientists often resort to statistical relationships when randomized experiments are not feasible, which can lead to flawed conclusions due to selection effects and confounding variables.
  2. Flawed data is often worse than having no data at all, as it can mislead individuals into making decisions based on inaccurate information.
  3. To form reasonable opinions on social, political, and economic issues, it is essential to prioritize well-grounded ideas backed by theoretical reasoning and empirical data over blindly following data from flawed social science research.

What Makes Men and Women Different?

Uncharted Territories • 2162 implied HN points • 04 Sep 23
🔬 Science Evolution Gender Physiology Psychology Sexuality
  1. Women and men think differently due to biological differences like having a uterus, leading to significant psychological variations.
  2. Men and women face different stakes in relationships and reproduction, with women having higher commitments and limitations due to their reproductive capacity.
  3. Evolutionary factors have shaped men to compete for access to females, leading to traits like dominance, aggression, physical strength, and risk-taking behavior.

The origins of power dynamics, or why chimps can't play baseball

The Garden of Forking Paths • 2122 implied HN points • 05 Jul 23
🔬 Science Evolution Biology Psychology Anthropology Human behavior
  1. Humans can throw objects accurately and at high speeds, shaping our modern power dynamics in society.
  2. Our unique shoulder adaptations allow for precise and fast throwing, giving us a competitive advantage over other species.
  3. The ability to use ranged weapons and throw projectiles from a distance has influenced human social structures and power dynamics.

The Right-Hand Rule for Radiation

Fields & Energy • 499 implied HN points • 29 Apr 24
🔬 Science Physics Electromagnetism Energy Radiation Research
  1. The right-hand rule for radiation helps us understand how electromagnetic energy behaves. It's a simple concept that suggests the direction of radiation can be figured out using your right hand.
  2. Radiation doesn't just come from single charges; it comes from interactions between charges. If a charge is isolated, it doesn't radiate any energy on its own.
  3. Understanding the difference between fields and energy in electromagnetism is important. They work together but behave differently, and grasping this can help us solve complex problems in physics.

Links in Progress: Snakebites, Pig Hearts, and More

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🔬 Science Biotechnology Medicine Genetics Public Health Pharmaceuticals
  1. An AI tool has been developed to create a new kind of antivenom that can work without refrigeration. This could help save many lives, especially in areas where snakebites are common.
  2. A study showed that a vaccine for Ebola had an 84% effectiveness in preventing the disease in high-risk groups. This is good news for controlling future outbreaks.
  3. New technologies in gene editing and drug development are rapidly evolving, with Chinese companies making significant strides in creating new treatments.

Hereditarian Hypotheses Aren't More Harmful

ideassleepfuriously • 1238 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🔬 Science Genetics Bioethics Technology Research Health
  1. The blank slate perspective can lead to conflict, totalitarianism, and rejection of genetic enhancement technology.
  2. We should value understanding the role of genes in socioeconomic outcomes for accurate policy-making.
  3. Attributing group disparities to genes can reduce blame, control, and punishment, fostering compassion and reducing social conflict.

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.

Can you only talk to people within X IQ of your own?

Just Emil Kirkegaard Things • 1100 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🔬 Science IQ Communication Leadership
  1. The idea of a communication range suggests people find it hard to bond with those beyond a certain IQ difference.
  2. Evidence supporting this claim is weak and mostly anecdotal, lacking concrete data.
  3. People tend to cluster with others similar in intelligence, a phenomenon known as social homophily, which can affect relationships and social bonds.

"Oliver Heaviside. An Appreciation : The Personal Equation : The Work of a Genius Elucidated"

Fields & Energy • 279 implied HN points • 10 Jun 24
🔬 Science Physics Engineering Mathematics History Biography
  1. Oliver Heaviside was a genius who contributed greatly to electrical science but was often misunderstood and neglected during his life. His work wasn't acknowledged until long after he had passed away.
  2. Heaviside developed important theories on cable signaling and electromagnetic waves, introducing many key terms that are still used today. His insights helped improve how signals could be transmitted over long distances, which was crucial for communication.
  3. Despite his brilliance, Heaviside lived a reclusive life and struggled financially. He preferred to work alone and only began to receive recognition later in life, which made him a complex figure in the world of science.

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.

Desperately Seeking Solar Storms

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 379 implied HN points • 16 May 24
🔬 Science Astronomy Environmental awareness Public Engagement
  1. The excitement of viewing natural events like the Aurora Borealis brings people together, showing a shared interest in nature. It's nice to see so many others wanting to connect with the beauty around them.
  2. Sometimes you might not see what you expect, like missing the Northern Lights, but there's still beauty in simply being outside and enjoying the night sky.
  3. Experiences in nature, like camping or watching the stars, can create lasting memories and inspire a continued appreciation for the universe.

Bioelectric Signalling and Cellular Communication

Solve Cancer in 365 days • 39 implied HN points • 28 Aug 24
🔬 Science Biology Cell Biology Genetics Medical Research
  1. Bioelectricity is how cells communicate using tiny electrical signals. Think of it as the way cells send messages to each other in the body.
  2. Cells have gate-like structures called ion channels that control the movement of charged particles, creating bioelectric signals. These signals help in many processes such as healing and development.
  3. Manipulating bioelectric signals could potentially change how cells behave, which might lead to new ways to treat diseases like cancer by changing unhealthy cells back to normal ones.

All Bayes Everything

Holodoxa • 239 implied HN points • 14 Jun 24
🔬 Science Statistics Probability Neurobiology Consciousness Research
  1. Bayes' Theorem is a powerful concept in probability theory that helps update beliefs based on new evidence, highlighting the importance of combining prior knowledge and new data.
  2. Bayesian methods can offer valuable improvements to scientific research practices by emphasizing uncertainty, effect magnitude, and probability distributions over traditional p-values and null hypothesis testing.
  3. The concept of the brain functioning as a prediction machine aligns with Bayesian principles, suggesting that the brain uses prior knowledge and new sensory inputs to make predictions and construct conscious experiences.

The Possibility of Pikas

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind • 419 implied HN points • 02 May 24
🔬 Science Biology Ecology Conservation Wildlife Climate
  1. Pikas are small mammals that usually live in rocky areas at high elevations, but some have been found at lower elevations, like the Columbia River Gorge. These unique habitats help them survive despite the warmer climate.
  2. Researchers found that moss plays an important role for pikas at lower elevations by keeping them cooler and happier. Moss helps create a nice environment for these little creatures as temperatures can often be too hot for them.
  3. Pikas are adapting to their new lower habitats by spending less energy storing food for winter and more time in the shade of trees. This shows they might have the ability to adjust to climate change better than some other animals.

The Ultima Genomics/Olink BioBank Deal

ASeq Newsletter • 51 implied HN points • 11 Jan 25
🔬 Science Genomics Proteomics Biotechnology Research Health
  1. Ultima Genomics has won a significant project with the UK Biobank to analyze 700,000 samples. This partnership is a major step for them in the field of proteomics.
  2. Despite the project size, Ultima is expected to generate only $10 million to $20 million in revenue. This highlights the tough financial realities in the biotech industry.
  3. To stay viable, Ultima needs to secure more large projects, as its costs are high. Achieving the necessary volume of work may be challenging given the current economic situation.