Gillian Anderson (left) and David Duchovny as agents Scully and Mulder in The X-Files AJ Pics/Alamy Television hasn’t always been kind to science fiction, with smaller budgets to throw at special effects and epic, universe-spanning narratives that were canceled before their time. But despite all the obstacles, countless series have proven that long-form storytelling on … Read more
Don’t call your favorite AI “doctor” just yet Just_Super/Getty Images Advanced artificial intelligence models score well on professional medical exams, but still fail to perform one of the most crucial medical tasks: talking to patients to gather relevant medical information and deliver an accurate diagnosis. “While large language models show impressive results on multiple-choice tests, … Read more
The vampire-like Hylomys macarong hedgehog Alexei V. Abramov An extraordinary 234 new species were described by scientists in the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia in 2023. The findings, announced in a report by conservation organization WWF, include 173 plant species, 26 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 15 fish and three mammals. Since 1997, more than 3500 … Read more
The skin is by far the body’s largest organ. Depending on your height and body mass, it covers an area of ​​about 1.5 to 2 square meters and weighs between 3.5 and 10 kg – about 15 percent of your total body mass. Think of it as a kind of intelligent armor. It helps you … Read more
Saturn and its rings as imaged by the Cassini spacecraft in 2016 NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute Saturn’s rings may be much older than previously thought and may have formed around the same time as the planet, according to a modeling study. But not all astronomers are convinced, and a researcher who was part of a team … Read more
A reconstruction of the oldest known gorgonopsian Henry Sutherland Sharpe The oldest known saber-toothed animal hunted large prey 270 million years ago – and its newly discovered remains could help us unravel how early mammalian relatives became warm-blooded. The first land-based predators typically hunted relatively small prey. But things changed about 273 million years ago, … Read more
A humpback whale breaks in Zack Metcalfe Human musicians must practice for thousands of hours to perfect their performance skills, and the same can be true for humpback whales. It is widely believed that male humpbacks (Megaptera novaeangliae) sing to attract mates, but zoologists have recently realized that they also sing at high latitudes feeding … Read more
Happy now? Assuming you’re reading this issue straight away, it’s the post-Christmas hiatus: that weird in-between time between Christmas and New Year’s when nobody’s quite sure what to do with themselves (unless they’re avid shoppers, in which case the January sale has you covered ). Anyway, Feedback recently learned something new about Christmas. This excerpt … Read more
Tree planting projects help tackle the climate crisis, but they can also affect water supplies Costfoto/NurPhoto/Getty Images The major environmental, social and economic crises facing the world today – involving biodiversity, climate change, health, food and water – are inextricably linked, and tackling them together has many benefits. However, focusing on one problem alone can … Read more
Molecular testing can be used to assess beverage quality Evgenii Parilov/Alamy Beverage manufacturers and consumers may soon have a small, portable kit, not much bigger than a covid test, to check the quality and safety of alcoholic beverages. The device is described as an “artificial tongue” because it can detect additives, toxins and the sweetness … Read more