Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
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Undark Magazine explores science at the point where it intersects - and sometimes collides - with politics, economics, and culture.
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
13h ago
One startup has said a genetically modified microbe could prevent cavities. Experts, though, have safety and ethical concerns: The treatment has never been tested on humans in a clinical study. There’s also no data about whether it could spread between people ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
2d ago
Palliative care provides a constellation of services to people with serious or chronic illness, not just end-of-life care. As two states pioneer was to expand access, a growing body of research shows it reduces physical discomfort and stress, improves quality of life, and saves money ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
3d ago
Unlike high-frequency sounds, low-frequency waves can penetrate walls and carry farther distances. The research on low-frequencies is also thinner, but some experts say they can be a health hazard, causing headaches, anxiety, and sleep troubles — even when the noise isn’t audible. Others have doubts ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
1w ago
Ambitious plans to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions across the economy focus on engineering solutions such as carbon capture. But to achieve true sustainability, society must look beyond decarbonization and toward more holistic approaches, says environmental anthropologist Peter Sutoris ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
1w ago
A landmark ruling from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has ordered the government of Peru to provide free medical care and compensation to 80 people impacted by a smelting and refining plant. The decision may have far-reaching implications for communities affected by extreme pollution and climate change ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
1w ago
Few tools measure biodiversity on a grand scale, and there’s still much scientists don’t know despite the intrinsic role that insects, particularly pollinators, play in the ecosystem. Most of those insects have neither a name nor a formal description. Environmental DNA may help fill in the gaps ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
1w ago
David M. Higgins, a pediatrician and author of a recent essay in The New England Journal of Medicine, argues that the popular belief that parental hesitancy about routine childhood vaccines has become commonplace but ignores data from polls, data, and the CDC that shows broad support for child vaccination ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
2w ago
AI-driven chatbots for bereaved people simulate interactions with lost loved ones based on their emails, texts, voice recordings, and more. The companies that make these so-called “griefbots” claim that the technology can help people deal with loss. But some researchers say that evidence is still lacking ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
2w ago
In 1998, a publication detailed how a child’s behavior could change alarmingly after a strep infection. It stirred controversy, and many doctors still hesitate to diagnose or treat the condition, called PANDAS. But some experts say that may be changing ..read more
Truth, Beauty, Science. - Undark
2w ago
The chemotherapy drug fluorouracil, known as 5-FU, kills an estimated 1 in 1,000 patients, but a gene test can often uncover those who may be at risk of death or severe side effects. With only 3 percent of U.S. oncologists routinely ordering such tests, advocates are pushing for change ..read more