#WSJScience

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

6 months ago

Our Brains Evolved to Socialize—but Max Out at About 150 Friends The size of our social networks is limited even in the age of social media.

How many meaningful social relationships can a human brain handle? One scientist has an answer. @aylinwoodward.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/soci... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

6 months ago

Nobel Prize in Physics Awarded to Trio of Researchers for Work in Quantum Mechanics John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis shared the prize for their work on the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling.

A trio of professors in the U.S. won the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on the discovery of macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling and energy quantization in an electric circuit. @aylinwoodward.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/nobe... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

7 months ago

Georgia Tech Is Teaching Other Universities a Fundraising Lesson A strategy for wooing corporate partners offers a blueprint for schools confronting budget shortfalls after federal cuts to science research.

Georgia Tech has a strategy for wooing corporate partners. Other universities want in. @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/us-news/educ... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

7 months ago

Georgia Tech Is Teaching Other Universities a Fundraising Lesson A strategy for wooing corporate partners offers a blueprint for schools confronting budget shortfalls after federal cuts to science research.

Universities facing budget shortfalls after federal cuts to science research are looking to Georgia Tech for advice. The school gets nearly 15% of its campus research funds from industry. @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/us-news/educ... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

8 months ago

Did UV Rays Doom Neanderthals? Some researchers say sunscreen and tailored clothing might have helped humans survive when Neanderthals went extinct.

Evidence suggests early humans used primitive sunscreen and wore tailored clothing—possibly contributing to their survival as Neanderthals went extinct @aylinwoodward.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/nean... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

9 months ago

The Problem With Linking Climate Change to a Specific Event Researchers agree that climate change has made torrential downpours more frequent—but the science gets murky when examining how strong the link is between an extreme event and climate change.

Why is it so hard to link floods, heatwaves and other extreme weather events to climate change? @eniiler.bsky.social and @daltonian.bsky.social report for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/envi... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

9 months ago

The Problem With Linking Climate Change to a Specific Event Researchers agree that climate change has made torrential downpours more frequent— but the science gets murky when examining how strong the link is between an extreme event and climate change.

Is climate change making floods worse? New science tackles the tricky link between global warming and extreme rain. @eniiler.bsky.social and @daltonian.bsky.social report for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/envi... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

9 months ago

Hair Kept Our Ancestors’ Brains Cool—And Gave Them an Evolutionary Advantage New research explains how scalp hair grows so long, and how its characteristics helped us thrive.

Unlike any other mammal, human scalp hair can grow in length for years on end--and this unusual trait gave our ancestors an evolutionary edge. @aylinwoodward.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/biol... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

9 months ago

How Terrain in Texas Hills Turned Stalled Rainstorm Into Flood Disaster Water cascaded down cliffs and swelled waterways when shallow soil failed to absorb the deluge.

The steep cliffs and narrow canyons that characterize Texas Hill Country channeled torrential rain from a stalled weather system into overflowing rivers and creeks @eniiler.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/us-news/clim... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

9 months ago

One Way to Fight Wildfires: Burn Your Land Ahead of Time Planned burns rid properties of vegetation that can send wildfires racing across the landscape.

Homeowners in fire-prone states are setting their properties on fire to get rid of vegetation that can send wildfires racing across the landscape. @eniiler.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience.
www.wsj.com/us-news/clim... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

9 months ago

World’s Largest Digital Camera Snaps Its First Photos of the Universe The U.S.-funded Rubin Observatory will chart the entire southern cosmos over the next decade.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory on Monday released its first dazzling images of deep space snapped with the world's largest digital camera. @garippatricia.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/spac... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

10 months ago

Dangerous Heat Dome to Bring Record Temperatures to Much of the U.S. Officials warn of health risks as massive weather system traps sweltering air.

A massive heat dome will cover 200 million people across the Eastern U.S. in the coming days, prompting concerns about health-related illnesses. @eniiler.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience. www.wsj.com/us-news/clim... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

10 months ago

What Trait Sets Humans Apart? Hint: It’s Not Our Thumbs Tracks from two humanlike species crossing paths in ancient Africa shed light on the tale of our specialized locomotion.

A tale of two footprints sheds light on our human ancestors @aylinwoodward.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience
www.wsj.com/science/anci... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

10 months ago

Harvard Revokes Tenure of Star Professor Accused of Research Misconduct Francesca Gino, a business professor whose research focused on why people lie and cheat, co-authored papers that included manipulated data.

Harvard revokes tenure of Francesca Gino, once a star faculty member—a severe and rare penalty in academia @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/us-news/educ... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

10 months ago

Why More Adults Than Ever Are Being Diagnosed With Autism A surge in diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder reveals a shift in awareness and understanding of the condition.

More adults than ever are receiving autism diagnoses later in life, revealing a significant shift in our awareness and understanding of the condition. @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/adul... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

10 months ago

National Weather Service Struggles With Staffing Cuts as Hurricane Season Begins A downsized weather service is struggling to do more with less as the country heads into a storm season that is expected to see above-normal numbers of hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires.

The hurricane season is set to begin with the National Weather Service struggling to do more with less after several rounds of staff cuts @eniiler.bsky.social r reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/us-news/clim... via @wsj.com SJ

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

11 months ago

How the Exotic Orchid Became a Mass-Market Commodity Once a rare luxury for the wealthy, orchids can now be had for $10 at the grocery store, thanks to cloning.

From exotic luxury to hot commodity—how orchids became king of the potted plants. The secret? Cloning. @mcjomcg.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience
www.wsj.com/science/orch... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

11 months ago

Exclusive | RFK Jr. Bets $500 Million on Universal Vaccines in Shift From Covid-19 Funding The influx of cash comes as the nation’s health agencies cut grants, staff and budgets.

WSJ Exclusive: RFK Jr. invests $500 million in flu vaccine project. @nidhisubs.bsky.social and @lizessleywhyte.bsky.social report for #WSJHealth and #WSJScience. www.wsj.com/health/healt... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

11 months ago

Shingles Vaccine Appears to Lower Dementia Risk Zostavax and Shingrix are linked to protection for older adults in multiple studies.

Does the shingles vaccines prevent dementia? Three studies examining hundreds of thousands of older adults have found a link. @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/health/welln... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

11 months ago

In a First, Scientists Sent Quantum Messages a Record Distance Over a Traditional Network Breakthrough brings down the cost of quantum communication and integrates it into existing infrastructure

Scientists sent quantum data a record-breaking 158 miles over an ordinary telecom network in an advance that reduces the cost of ultra-secure quantum communication @aylinwoodward.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/in-a... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

Early Targets of Harvard Funding Cuts: Tuberculosis, ALS Research The university is learning which projects will be hit as the emails arrive.

Harvard is fighting back against the Trump administration—and federal funding cuts for research have begun @nidhisubs.bsky.social and @briannaabbott.bsky.social report for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/us-news/educ... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

Trump Confronts Mexico Over Water Shortage Threatening Texas Crops Drought and other conditions have interrupted the flow of water owed to the U.S. under a treaty.

President Trump is pressuring Mexico to provide water owed to the U.S. under a 1944 treaty. @eniiler and Jose de Cordoba report for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/us-news/clim... via @WSJ

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

Trump Set Up Path to Cut Grants Years in Advance A provision changed near the end of his first term is now facilitating hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts.

Regulatory language introduced near the end of President Trump’s first term paved the way for hundreds of millions of dollars in grant cuts happening today. @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/politics/pol... via @WSJ

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

Trump Set Up Path to Cut Grants Years in Advance A provision changed near the end of his first term is now facilitating hundreds of millions of dollars in cuts.

Trump paved the way for hundreds of millions of dollars in grant cuts happening today in his first term. @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/politics/pol... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

Was Mom Wrong When She Said Don’t Scratch That Itch? Scratching releases bacteria-fighting agents that help protect the skin, but it is a double-edged sword.

Why does scratching an itch feel so good? There is a surprising benefit—but scientists (and moms) still say you shouldn’t do it. @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/biol... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

What Does Time in Space Do to Astronauts’ Bodies? Smaller hearts, poorer vision, added height among the effects caused by weightlessness.

When astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore return to Earth after nine months, they are likely to have smaller hearts and poorer vision. Here’s how time in space causes physical changes. @eniiler.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/spac... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

Retractions, Walkouts Plague Science Journals Eager to Churn Out Research Some scientists say the for-profit industry’s fast growth makes it harder to police fraud and low-quality work.

Walkouts. Scathing letters. Delisted journals. Some scientists are fed up with the the biggest scientific journals. @NidhiSubs reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/business/med... via @WSJ

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

A Nuclear-Power Revival Brings Back an Old Problem: What to Do With the Waste Tons of radioactive refuse goes into temporary storage every year.

A nuclear power renaissance has revived an old problem: What to do with the radioactive waste? Already 90,000 metric tons is in temporary storage, and the pile is growing. @eniiler.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/us-news/clim... via @wsj.com

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

Physicists Question Microsoft’s Quantum Claim The company said it created a “new state of matter” that represents a major advance for quantum computing. But physicists who have reviewed the work say they aren’t convinced of the finding.

Physicists are skeptical of Microsoft’s claim to have created a "new state of matter" in a topological qubit—a unit of storage that would represent a major advance for quantum computing. @nidhisubs.bsky.social reports for #WSJScience www.wsj.com/science/phys...

Jo Craven McGinty

@mcjomcg

1 year ago

Universities Close Offices, Halt Research in Response to Trump’s Ban on DEI Moves intended to avert threats to vital federal funding.

Universities are suspending research projects, canceling conferences and closing offices in response to executive orders banning DEI. @nidhisubs.bsky.social and Doug Belkin report for #WSJScience and #WSJEducation www.wsj.com/us-news/educ...