The hottest Research Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Health Politics Topics

Deep Research: First Impressions

Jakob Nielsen on UX • 40 implied HN points • 08 Feb 25
🕹 Technology AI User Experience Research Design Productivity
  1. AI tools like OpenAI's Deep Research can make research tasks much faster and easier. This lets users get valuable insights quickly, which is great for decision making.
  2. Having AI ask follow-up questions before starting research helps users clarify their needs. This means the final output is more likely to match what they were actually looking for.
  3. Investing in AI tools for design teams can save money and improve work efficiency. It's cheaper than hiring extra help and helps teams stay updated with the best technology.

The Slow Cancellation of Innovation: A critical look at modern funding

The Good Science Project • 74 implied HN points • 23 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Innovation Funding Venture Capital Research Science
  1. Innovation funding is struggling because it often favors older, established ideas over new and creative ones. This means that new and exciting projects may not get the support they need.
  2. Many young scientists and entrepreneurs are finding it harder to get funding. They face longer waits and tougher competition, which can hold back breakthrough ideas that could change the world.
  3. New funding models are trying to support fresh ideas, but they often end up using the same old criteria for judging who gets funded. This makes it tough for unconventional thinkers to get recognized and backed.

The Forthcoming Future: MIT Students and Desired Number of Children

Heterodox STEM • 78 implied HN points • 19 Jan 25
🚌 Education Surveys Demographics Fertility Research Gender Studies Cultural Trends
  1. MIT students on average want around two children. The desire varies across different demographics and can be influenced by factors like gender and relationship status.
  2. Women at MIT generally desire fewer children, with many expressing concerns about balancing family and career. In contrast, men tend to prefer slightly larger families.
  3. Religious beliefs can affect how many children students want, with religious individuals generally preferring more children than those who identify as non-religious.

Minimal Evidence of Heterogeneity in Effect Estimates: GWAS from the Million Veteran Program

The Infinitesimal • 319 implied HN points • 19 Jul 24
🔬 Science Genetics Research Health Diversity Medicine
  1. The Million Veteran Program's study looked at genetic data from 600,000 people, revealing that diversity in ancestry helped identify genetic traits linked to diseases.
  2. Most genetic differences between groups were due to allele frequency changes rather than real differences in how genes affect health.
  3. Fewer than 1% of significant genetic associations showed differences between populations, indicating that many genetic effects are quite similar across different ancestry groups.
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Francis Crick Was Misunderstood

Asimov Press • 386 implied HN points • 01 Dec 24
🔬 Science Biology Genetics Molecular Biology Evolution Research
  1. The Central Dogma explains that information in cells flows mainly from DNA to RNA to proteins, but it's more complex than just that. It actually includes several other information transfers that many people don't realize.
  2. Francis Crick named his idea the Central Dogma, but it’s not an unchangeable belief; it's a scientific hypothesis based on evidence. Even though people often misunderstand it, he believed in testing ideas with experiments.
  3. Recent discoveries show that some processes in biology may seem to contradict the Central Dogma, but they don't actually break its rules. The essential point is that information can only flow from nucleic acids to proteins, never the other way around.

mRNA Covid jabs often cause long-term thyroid damage, a big new study shows

Unreported Truths • 49 implied HN points • 16 May 25
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Public Health Autoimmunity Research Chronic Illness
  1. A new study shows that people who got mRNA Covid vaccines had a 30% higher chance of developing thyroid disease after a year compared to those who didn't get vaccinated. This means many might be facing thyroid issues globally.
  2. The risk of thyroid problems grows over time, and those who received fewer shots in a year had an even higher risk of developing these issues. This suggests that the vaccines might cause long-term autoimmune reactions.
  3. The thyroid plays a crucial role in our metabolism and health, and these newly found connections could lead to serious issues for many people, like heart problems or anxiety, over time.

Deepseek: The Quiet Giant Leading China’s AI Race

ChinaTalk • 1615 implied HN points • 27 Nov 24
🕹 Technology Artificial Intelligence Startups Innovation Research Open Source
  1. Deepseek is a rising Chinese AI startup that has surpassed major competitors like OpenAI in some technical benchmarks. They are focused on foundational research and open-sourcing their models.
  2. The company has started a price war in the Chinese AI market by offering their technology at much lower rates than the competition, making AI more accessible.
  3. Deepseek's approach prioritizes innovation over immediate profit, aiming to contribute to the global technological landscape rather than just following existing trends.

A slightly tipsy investigation into my wife's superpower

Experimental History • 7657 implied HN points • 13 Feb 24
🔬 Science Research Psychology Education Culture Health
  1. Some people have unique sensory abilities that others may not understand or share, like detecting the lingering smell of eggs on plates even after washing.
  2. Being open-minded and receptive to new ideas is important to avoid rigidity in thinking and to continuously learn and grow.
  3. Academic professions, like journal publishing and university rankings, can sometimes involve questionable practices that prioritize profit over knowledge or ethics.

Whose Bodies Get Studied

Culture Study • 4373 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Research Women's Health Body Image
  1. The majority of research studies focus on cis-gender men, leading to biased advice, knowledge, and healthcare.
  2. Women's bodies have historically been considered anomalies in sports and medical research, impacting areas like sports gear design and participation rules.
  3. Excluding women from research studies leads to gaps in knowledge, affecting areas like injury prevention, gear design, and understanding menstrual health.

Problems at Hindenburg Research

The Bear Cave • 1982 implied HN points • 15 Oct 24
💼 Business Finance Investing Research Media Reporting
  1. Hindenburg Research has been accused of copying or closely mirroring reports made by The Bear Cave without giving credit. This includes similar wording and findings in their investigations.
  2. The Bear Cave has done extensive work on issues such as safety and child abuse on platforms like Roblox, which Hindenburg has also reported on without mentioning The Bear Cave's previous contributions.
  3. There are growing concerns about the ethics of Hindenburg's reporting practices, as many see it as taking credit for others' research without acknowledgment.

The CAP Theorem of Clustering: Why Every Algorithm Must Sacrifice Something

Confessions of a Code Addict • 529 implied HN points • 29 Oct 24
🕹 Technology Algorithms Data science Software Engineering Mathematics Research
  1. Clustering algorithms can never be perfect and always require trade-offs. You can't have everything, so you have to choose what matters most for your project.
  2. There are three key properties that clustering should ideally have: scale-invariance, richness, and consistency, but no algorithm can achieve all three simultaneously.
  3. Understanding these sacrifices helps in making better decisions when using clustering methods. Knowing what to prioritize can lead to more effective data analysis.

REPOST: EXCLUSIVE RESEARCH BOMBSHELL: Possible Treatment Approach for Management of Post-COVID Vaccination Myocarditis

2nd Smartest Guy in the World • 2358 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Research Treatment Myocarditis Vaccination Autoimmune
  1. Combination therapy of doxycycline and ivermectin may help prevent and reverse heart damage caused by Covid-19 vaccines
  2. Research suggests that anti-inflammatory and anti-MMP compounds could be effective in treating myocarditis
  3. Clinical trials are needed to assess the safety and effectiveness of compounds like doxycycline, ivermectin, resveratrol, zinc, and tetracyclines in myocarditis treatment

Chinese Communist govt (CCP) is funding fraudulent research & science on mRNA Cancer vaccines - new CCP study (Mar.2024) called "Advances and prospects of mRNA vaccines in cancer immunotherapy"

COVID Intel - by Dr.William Makis • 2279 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🏥 Health Politics Research Vaccines Funding China
  1. Chinese Communist government is funding fraudulent research on mRNA cancer vaccines.
  2. New study titled 'Advances and prospects of mRNA vaccines in cancer immunotherapy' is expected to be published in March 2024.
  3. The article behind a paywall raised questions that led to an interesting investigation.

Turning a triangle into a square

A Piece of the Pi: mathematics explained • 115 implied HN points • 11 Jan 25
🔬 Science Mathematics Geometry Puzzles Research
  1. Henry Dudeney showed in 1902 that you can cut an equilateral triangle into four pieces and rearrange them into a square with the same area. This is a fun example of how shapes can transform while keeping their total area the same.
  2. The Wallace–Bolyai–Gerwien theorem explains how you can rearrange two shapes with the same area into each other through cutting, but Dudeney's method is unique because the pieces stay connected during the transformation.
  3. Recent research proved that you can't turn a triangle into a square using fewer than four pieces without flipping any. This shows how specific and tricky these geometric dissections can be.

Science Fictions links for November 2024

Science Fictions • 275 implied HN points • 02 Dec 24
🔬 Science Research Health Technology Education Ethics
  1. Alzheimer's research is still struggling, with some drugs not working as expected despite years of studies.
  2. There are problems in scientific publishing, like peer reviews being partly written by AI and retracted papers not giving clear explanations of their issues.
  3. Scandals and fraud in science keep happening, affecting public trust and raising questions about the credibility of some research.

China repeatedly tried to block Taiwan from giving toxic COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines to its population - now Taiwan is publishing fraudulent new research covering up myocarditis in mRNA jabbed teenagers

COVID Intel - by Dr.William Makis • 2142 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Research Taiwan Myocarditis COVID-19
  1. China tried to prevent Taiwan from administering COVID-19 mRNA vaccines
  2. Taiwan published research on myocarditis in vaccinated teenagers
  3. The study found no significant deterioration in heart function post-vaccination

Are carers of New Zealand’s gender-confused kids in state care now being told they must transition them to the opposite sex?

A B’Old Woman • 399 implied HN points • 27 Jun 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Gender Children Public Service Research
  1. In New Zealand, there are new policies that suggest foster carers must help transition gender-nonconforming children to the opposite sex. This is causing concern among some people.
  2. A request for information about how many children in state care are being transitioned revealed that the government doesn't have clear data on this issue, which raises questions about their policy-making processes.
  3. Critics argue that current policies are based on flawed research and may be influenced by a generation that supports transitional practices without proper scrutiny.

How to Work Harder and Get Worse Results

Range Widely • 2771 implied HN points • 05 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Self-Improvement Productivity Cognitive Performance Research
  1. Individual differences in brain chemistry can influence how people respond to stressful situations and medications.
  2. Using 'smart drugs' like Ritalin and Adderall may make people try harder but perform worse on certain tasks.
  3. It's important to understand your own ideal level of arousal for peak performance and adjust your work environment accordingly.

What's Quantum Computing

Technically • 59 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🕹 Technology Computing Quantum Innovation Research Engineering
  1. Quantum computing uses qubits instead of bits. While bits can be either 0 or 1, qubits can be both at the same time, allowing for much faster problem-solving.
  2. Qubits can work together in a unique way, using superposition and interference to find answers much faster than traditional computers. This makes them great for complex problems like drug discovery.
  3. Quantum computers are still in the experimental stage and have challenges like needing very cold temperatures and handling errors, but they hold great promise for the future.

April Progress Prizes / Updates

Vesuvius Challenge • 38 implied HN points • 23 May 25
🕹 Technology Software Engineering Data science Algorithms Research
  1. New techniques for analyzing scroll shapes are improving the way we handle and segment data. This means we can understand and work with historical documents much better.
  2. There have been exciting updates in scroll deformation methods, which can help in restoring the original shapes of ancient scrolls. This makes analyzing them easier and more accurate.
  3. The new developments in fiber analysis provide important information that can help reconstruct ancient writing surfaces. This can lead to better ways to unroll and study papyrus materials.

You Can’t Write Vague And Censorship-Friendly Editorial Guidelines And Then Pretend They Won’t Apply In The Real World

Singal-Minded • 856 implied HN points • 11 Jan 25
🔬 Science Censorship Research Policy Ethics Education
  1. Vague editorial guidelines can lead to serious issues in real-life situations. It's important to have clear and specific rules to avoid confusion and misapplication.
  2. Censorship in the sciences is a topic that many people are discussing. There are different viewpoints on how to balance respect for human dignity with academic freedom.
  3. It's essential to protect published research from being altered or withdrawn unjustly. Making changes for social justice reasons can lead to more harm than good in the scientific community.

My Research on Gender Dysphoria Was Censored. But I Won’t Be.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 8778 implied HN points • 10 Jul 23
🔬 Science Research Gender Dysphoria Academic Publishing Activism Data Privacy
  1. The retraction of a scientific article on Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria sparked controversy and highlighted the influence of activist movements in academia.
  2. The authors faced accusations of violating editorial policies around consent, which they refuted by claiming to have followed ethical research practices.
  3. Despite the retraction, the authors plan to continue studying the controversial topic of ROGD, emphasizing the importance of scientific inquiry and resisting censorship.

The power of having the same teacher again

Granted • 3234 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
🚌 Education Reforms Research Policy Implementation Relationships
  1. Looping, which involves keeping students with the same teacher for multiple years, has shown to have benefits like increased test scores, attendance, and decreased disciplinary incidents.
  2. Small effect sizes in looping studies may have practical significance when aggregated across many students; looping could have stronger effects on attitudes and behaviors than standardized test scores.
  3. When considering looping in education, it's important to address concerns such as potential teacher burnout, unintended consequences, and the misattribution of successful educational practices in other countries to looping.

Perils of Flawed Meta-Analytic Methodology

The Shores of Academia • 39 implied HN points • 03 Oct 24
🔬 Science Health Research Statistics Psychology Methodology
  1. Flawed meta-analysis can mix different studies that aren't similar, making it hard to draw clear conclusions about their effects on things like mental health.
  2. It’s important for researchers to look at specific impacts and not just assume that a random-effects model explains everything. Understanding the differences in outcomes can lead to better insights.
  3. Proper analysis in studies is really important, especially when people's health is at risk. Ignoring negative findings can mislead people about the safety of products like drugs.

We Obviously Shouldn’t Ignore Left-Wing Online Radicalization

Singal-Minded • 830 implied HN points • 06 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Radicalization Public Opinion Social media Political violence Research
  1. Left-wing online radicalization is a growing concern and shouldn't be overlooked. We need to pay attention to how these ideas spread online.
  2. Social media can create echo chambers where certain beliefs are heavily reinforced. This can lead people to think their supportive views are more popular than they actually are.
  3. Recent research indicates that younger people may support controversial figures more than older generations. This highlights a shift in perspectives that could shape future political discussions.

The Autism Surge: Lies, Conspiracies, and My Own Kids

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 7776 implied HN points • 20 Jul 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Autism Diagnosis Research
  1. Autism diagnoses in California have increased significantly over the past few decades, with a 50-fold surge in cases over 33 years.
  2. The rise in autism cases cannot solely be explained by better or broader diagnostics, indicating a real and concerning increase in the disorder.
  3. The lack of clear understanding of the causes of autism and the increasing rates point towards a pressing need for better research, support, and services for individuals with autism.

DeepSeek's Edge

ChinaTalk • 741 implied HN points • 12 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Software Hardware Research Data
  1. DeepSeek has no business model, which allows its team to experiment freely without pressure to earn money. This gives them a unique advantage over most other AI labs that need to focus on revenue.
  2. DeepSeek runs its own data centers instead of relying on external cloud services. This means they have better control over their resources and can optimize their setup for efficiency.
  3. The company's success comes from their innovative software optimization techniques. By being smart about how they use their hardware, they've achieved high performance even with limited resources.

The Christmas Tree Effect

Range Widely • 3184 implied HN points • 03 Oct 23
🔬 Science Psychology Research Behavior Cognition Innovation
  1. Sometimes, to solve problems, we should consider taking things away rather than adding more.
  2. Interesting distractions can increase accidents on roads by affecting a driver's cognitive load.
  3. Humans tend to overlook solutions that involve removing things, and the subtraction game can be a helpful approach in various aspects of life.

The Myth of Kick-Starting Weight Loss - Part 2

Weight and Healthcare • 678 implied HN points • 08 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Loss Nutrition Research Health Issues Weight Stigma
  1. Extreme food/caloric restrictions for short-term weight loss have no basis in evidence for long-term significant weight loss.
  2. Tips like using aluminum foil, rearranging food in the cupboards, or changing plate sizes have no substantial evidence backing their effectiveness for sustainable weight loss.
  3. Recycled weight loss tropes without scientific evidence can perpetuate harmful weight cycling and health issues, so it's crucial to ask for research on weight loss claims.

Weekend Listening: From McDonalds Drive-Through to Star Harvard Professor

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 3292 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
🚌 Education University Research Challenges Academia Personal journey
  1. UATX, a new university founded by Pano Kanelos, has proven to be a real institution set to accept its inaugural class of students in 2024.
  2. Harvard economist Roland Fryer embodies academic excellence, emphasizing the pursuit of truth, admitting his mistakes, and overcoming obstacles.
  3. Fryer's life story showcases resilience, determination, and the importance of staying true to one's mission in the face of controversies and challenges.

AI makes scientists more productive and less happy

Philosophy bear • 264 implied HN points • 30 Nov 24
🕹 Technology AI Research Productivity Innovation Science
  1. AI helps scientists work faster and discover more new materials, increasing their productivity significantly.
  2. However, many scientists feel less happy because they spend less time on creative idea generation, which they found enjoyable.
  3. The gap between top and bottom performers in science has widened, with skilled researchers benefiting more from AI, leading to concerns about inequality in the field.

The Sequence Radar #477: The R1 Moment

TheSequence • 546 implied HN points • 26 Jan 25
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Open Source Innovation Data science Research
  1. DeepSeek-R1 is a new AI model that shows it can perform as well or better than big-name AI models but at a much lower cost. This means smaller companies can now compete in AI innovation without needing huge budgets.
  2. The way DeepSeek-R1 is trained is different from traditional methods. It uses a new approach called reinforcement learning, which helps the model learn smarter reasoning skills without needing a ton of supervised data.
  3. The open-source nature of DeepSeek-R1 means anyone can access and use the code for free. This encourages collaboration and allows more people to innovate in AI, making technology more accessible to everyone.

Collective Intelligence and Emergence

Solve Cancer in 365 days • 59 implied HN points • 30 Aug 24
🔬 Science Biology Medicine Technology Research Collective Intelligence Emergence
  1. Collective intelligence in biology means that groups of cells work together to solve problems that individuals can't. Each level of organization, like cells and organs, solves specific issues that contribute to the whole.
  2. Emergence happens when the combined actions of simpler parts create complex behaviors. This can be seen in things like how cells coordinate to form organs or how flocks of birds move together.
  3. Understanding collective behaviors in cells could lead to big advancements in medicine. This includes helping treat cancer by changing how cells behave or improving tissue engineering and organ regeneration.

NMN Probably Won't Make You Live Forever

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 1298 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Supplements Longevity Research Disease
  1. The new research challenges the belief that supplements like NMN can significantly extend lifespan. High levels of 4PY, a niacin metabolite, were linked to increased cardiovascular inflammation and risk of early death.
  2. Limit niacin supplements to 250 milligrams per day for safety, and focus on meeting nutrient needs through a balanced diet to support NAD+ production.
  3. The study provides important insights on the potential risks of high-dose niacin supplements, highlighting the importance of moderation in supplementation and the need for more research in this area.