The hottest Scientific research Substack posts right now

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When the Sackler Brothers studied LSD

Res Obscura • 2799 implied HN points • 29 Jan 25
💾 History Psychedelics Medical Ethics Pharmaceuticals Mental health Scientific research
  1. The Sackler brothers, known for their later role in the opioid crisis, initially explored the potential of LSD and other psychedelic treatments in the 1950s. They even attended early scientific discussions about LSD.
  2. Despite their good intentions to improve mental health treatments, the Sacklers also recognized the financial gains from pharmaceuticals. This shift in focus highlights how idealistic motives can change when wealth is involved.
  3. The ongoing debate about psychedelics mirrors this historical pattern. As society cautiously opens up to these substances for therapy, there are concerns about commercialization, addiction, and the potential for harm.

The LA Fires and the Big Bang

The Crucial Years • 4882 implied HN points • 09 Jan 25
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Natural Disasters Environmental Policy Energy transition Scientific research
  1. Climate change is making wildfires worse due to extreme heat and drought in places like Los Angeles. This is causing devastation to homes and communities.
  2. Scientific advancements, like those from Edwin Hubble, help us understand our universe and climate, but there are fears that funding for vital climate research is being threatened.
  3. There's a growing concern about losing our ability to think critically about important issues. As we face bigger problems, understanding and intelligence seem to be declining.

A brief analysis of the PlasticList report

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 2238 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🏥 Health Politics Public Health Environmental health Food Safety Consumer Protection Scientific research
  1. Water quality is generally good, but some tap water showed high levels of plasticizers, especially in certain areas.
  2. Seafood, steak, and chicken tested have notably high levels of plasticizers, raising concerns about their safety.
  3. Vegetables have low levels of plasticizers, but microwaving food might help reduce their presence.

How Science Must Change

The Honest Broker Newsletter • 1845 implied HN points • 08 Nov 24
🔬 Science Scientific research Public Trust Policy Implications Partisanship
  1. Science should focus on serving everyone, regardless of their political beliefs. This means making science accessible and relatable to all citizens.
  2. Many scientists in leadership are becoming too partisan, which creates a divide between science and the public. This partisanship can lead to mistrust and alienation among people with differing views.
  3. To regain trust, the scientific community needs to foster inclusivity and understand the diverse perspectives of the public. This includes recognizing that scientists should work to serve the interests of all Americans.

Top Links 594 American consumers flipflop. Questioning the savings glut & the strain of too much scientific publishing.

Chartbook • 286 implied HN points • 21 Dec 24
💰 Finance Economy Consumer behavior Savings Publishing Scientific research
  1. American consumers are uncertain about their spending and saving habits right now. It shows there's a lot of confusion about the economy.
  2. There's a discussion about whether there's too much focus on saving money in the economy. Some believe this could be a problem.
  3. The volume of scientific publishing is increasing, and this might be causing stress for researchers. It's important to find a balance in how much gets published.
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The Virtue of Diversity

David Friedman’s Substack • 431 implied HN points • 10 Dec 24
🏥 Health Politics Pandemic response Public Health Epidemiology Policy Analysis Scientific research
  1. Many countries had similar Covid-19 policies, even though their cultures and situations were very different. This shows that having different approaches can be useful because it allows for diverse solutions.
  2. The Great Barrington Declaration suggested protecting vulnerable people while allowing the virus to spread among others. This idea faced strong opposition, highlighting how challenging it can be to propose different solutions in a uniform system.
  3. Countries like Sweden took a different path during the pandemic, opting for lighter restrictions. This led to a less severe impact than predicted, suggesting that a variety of strategies can lead to better outcomes.

Some emissions are more equal than others

Irina Slav on energy • 2004 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Greenhouse Gases Scientific research Energy consumption Carbon Footprint Climate change
  1. Some emissions are necessary to help avoid catastrophic climate change.
  2. Scientists need to focus on the bigger emission picture rather than solely worrying about their own emissions.
  3. There is a call for cognitive dissonance among scientists when it comes to emissions and the necessity of some emissions.

Warming in the pipeline: Decoding our climate commitment

The Climate Brink • 569 implied HN points • 22 May 23
🌞 Climate & Environment Climate change Emissions Scientific research
  1. Emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have a long-lasting impact on warming the Earth because they remain in the atmosphere for a really long time.
  2. There's a scientific question about future warming if emissions stopped today, known as 'warming in the pipeline', with varying viewpoints based on assumptions.
  3. Different assumptions made in calculations determine whether there will be little warming in the coming decades or significant warming over thousands of years, emphasizing the long-term effects of greenhouse gases.

Coffee and the Heart: Startling New Findings?

The Skeptical Cardiologist • 412 implied HN points • 26 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Coffee Heart Health Scientific research Health Benefits
  1. The CRAVE study found that coffee consumption was associated with more daily steps and fewer minutes of sleep among participants.
  2. The CRAVE study had limitations including select group of participants and lack of real-world coffee consumption scenario.
  3. Scientific evidence consistently supports that moderate coffee consumption is linked to living longer and having a reduced risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Department of Scientific Efficiency

A Biologist's Guide to Life • 36 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
🔬 Science Scientific research Mentorship Innovation
  1. Science often feels inefficient and frustrating for researchers, leading to disillusionment. Many wish for changes that can improve how scientific work gets done.
  2. Funding for science can be improved by connecting researchers with venture capital and industry, which can help new ideas grow. Scientists need more support and training to navigate these opportunities.
  3. The current grant and publication systems are riddled with issues, making it hard for scientists to succeed. Changing these systems could lead to more effective and fairer funding processes and help researchers publish their work without unnecessary hurdles.

Links #7

Splitting Infinity • 19 implied HN points • 02 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Community AI Language Models Blockchain Scientific research
  1. In a post-scarcity society, communities of hobbyists can lead to significant innovations driven by leisure time and interest rather than necessity.
  2. Drug discovery challenges stem from a lack of understanding of diseases and biology, proposing an alternative approach focusing on experimental drug use and patient data collection.
  3. Language models are scaling down for efficient inference, suggesting that combinations of smaller models may outperform training larger ones.

Nature paper shows the COVID "vaccines" increased your risk of getting COVID

Steve Kirsch's newsletter • 12 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🏥 Health Politics Vaccines Public Health Pandemic response Scientific research Health Policy
  1. COVID vaccines may reduce the body's protective mucosal antibodies, which are important for preventing infections.
  2. Data suggests that vaccinated individuals could be more susceptible to COVID than those who haven't been vaccinated.
  3. There is a call for clearer communication from health authorities about the potential risks associated with COVID vaccinations.

A Big Unknown: Long Covid-19

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 06 Sep 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Long Covid Vaccines Scientific research Pandemic impact
  1. Long Covid-19 is a significant concern as it involves persistent symptoms even after recovery from the initial infection.
  2. Vaccines may offer some protection against Long Covid-19, but more research is needed to fully understand their impact on this condition.
  3. There is a current debate between Long Covid-19 patients and researchers on the seriousness and study approach towards this condition, emphasizing the need for more objective research and timely understanding.

5 microns, seriously?

Joshua Gans' Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 17 May 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Infectious Diseases Pandemic Transmission Preventative measures Scientific research
  1. Infectious disease experts have been following a rule of thumb that particles larger than 5 microns fall to the ground, affecting how they understand virus transmission.
  2. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is about the same size as other viruses considered to be transmitted by droplets, leading to assumptions about its spread.
  3. There is a call for a scientific audit in the field of infectious diseases to review what is known and ensure information is up-to-date.

Follow the Evidence

Are You Okay? • 0 implied HN points • 29 Jul 20
🏥 Health & Wellness Medical Myths Scientific research Patient Care
  1. Medical decisions should be based on science, clinical judgment, and the patient's unique situation.
  2. It's important to avoid making assumptions, relying on anecdotal evidence, or following trends when it comes to patient care.
  3. Physicians strive to make informed decisions by continually learning from patients, colleagues, research, and their own experiences.