Science & Tech
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‘The scientist is not in the business of following instructions.’
George Whitesides became a giant of chemistry by keeping it simple
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Glimpse of next-generation internet
Physicists demo first metro-area quantum computer network in Boston
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Science is making anti-aging progress. But do we want to live forever?
Nobel laureate details new book, which surveys research, touches on larger philosophical questions
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Epic science inside a cubic millimeter of brain
Researchers publish largest-ever dataset of neural connections
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What is ‘original scholarship’ in the age of AI?
Symposium considers how technology is changing academia
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Complex questions, innovative approaches
Seven projects awarded Star-Friedman Challenge grants
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Making 3D printing truly 3D
Harvard researchers present a new method of volumetric 3D printing.
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Forgetting, fast and slow
Forgetting generates changes in the brain and does not reverse the learning process, Harvard study finds.
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Altruism may not seem to make sense until you dig deep
In their new book, two Harvard scholars suggest that a subconscious process can help us understand everything from our aesthetic tastes to our altruism.
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It’s not easy being your brain
Stephen Fleming, author of “Know Thyself: The Science of Self-Awareness,” explains the importance of “thinking about thinking.”
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Scientists have spotted farthest galaxy on record
A galaxy, some 13.5 billion light-years away, is now considered the most distant astronomical object ever spotted, leaving scientists to speculate exactly what the galaxy is.
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You call that a wildcat?
Hopi Hoekstra documents whether NCAA team mascots are really what they say they are. Here’s a bracket-buster: Many of them aren’t.
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Whimsical steampunk tour of quantum thermodynamics
New book uses examples of a genre that blends futuristic technology with Victorian style to explain concepts of revolutionary new science.
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What’s a little envy between friends?
The feeling can eat you alive — but only if you let it
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Anthropologist describes supernatural adventures
Studying the paranormal can contribute to anthropology, says Jack Hunter in Harvard talk.
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A glimpse into the universe’s first light
Using one of the world’s largest supercomputers, high-resolution simulations were created that show 1 million galaxies forming some 13 billion years ago.
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Unlocking potential of quantum technologies
Chemical biology professor works to crack secrets of new states of matter.
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Yes, cat is both dead, alive
Jacob Barandes’ new class combines philosophy and physics to look at quantum theory.
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Oh, if I could talk to the aliens
Harvard astrophysicist and psychologist explore the possibility of life beyond our solar system and what to do should aliens arrive on Earth ready to engage.
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With a tip of hat to Stephen Jay Gould
Research done at Harvard unveils only the second “weird wonder” fossilized Opabinia, first popularized by the late evolutionary biologist.
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Those birds that crashed and died? It wasn’t fumes.
After internet theorists react to viral video, Harvard researchers answer with science.
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Tech on a plate
Larissa Zimberoff, author of “Technically Food,” examined new ways of producing what we eat and drink in a discussion sponsored by the Food Literacy Project at Harvard.
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Does your dog care if you die?
Any owner would say yes. Here’s what the science says.
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Was Facebook the original social network? Not by a long shot
New research produces earliest DNA from Sub-Saharan Africa and a more complete look at ancient peoples.
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New Faculty: Gabriella Coleman
Anthropology Professor Gabriella Coleman studies the rich, deep world of hackers.
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Drug delivery system offers hope for treating genetic diseases
A team of researchers has developed a new drug delivery system that was able to edit genes associated with high cholesterol and to partially restore vision in mice.
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When babies see people swap spit, they know what’s what
Infants deduce that people are in a close relationship if they witness interactions like kissing and taking bites of each other’s food.
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The ‘platypus’ of crabs
A crab that swam the seas 95 million years ago was believed to be an active predator with sharp vision as opposed to today’s bottom-dwellers with limited vision.
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Reminders from Hollywood on memory, amnesia, personality
Psychology, philosophy scholars mine psycho-thriller “Memento” for its lessons on function of recall, how it shapes who we are.
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Should married couples live apart?
Separate takes from husband-and-wife psychiatrists on distance, drift, and how to stay connected
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Logic or emotion: Which is more valuable?
Neither thinking nor feeling is superior, according to Leonard Mlodinow’s new book, which argues that the two are inextricably linked.
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Back in days of great floods
Harvard researcher explains how overflowing rivers billions of years ago helped shape what Mars looks like today.
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What it takes to be a scientific breakthrough
Harvard Medical School Professor Anthony L. Komaroff explains the difference between a scientific advance and a true breakthrough.
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A different kind of queen’s gambit
The n-queens challenge dates back to 1869. After working on the problem for about 5 years, mathematician Michael Simkin has an almost definitive solution.
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How a bubble gives birth to young stars
Scientists have shown how a chain of events led to the creation of the vast bubble that is responsible for the formation of all young stars within 500 light-years of the sun and Earth.
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5 ways to learn new things in the new year
Adults can continue to learn new things if they follow a few simple rules.