For the first time in American history, quantum computing was mentioned[1] by a candidate during a presidential debate, on Sept. 10, 2024. After Vice President Kamala Harris brought up quantum technology, she and former President Donald Trump went on to have a heated back-and-forth about American chipmaking and China’s rise in semiconductor...
How foreign operations are manipulating social media to influence your views
Foreign influence campaigns, or information operations, have been widespread[1] in the run-up to the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Influence campaigns are large-scale efforts to shift public opinion, push false narratives or change behaviors among a target population. Russia[2], China[3], Iran[4], Israel[5] and other nations have run these...
Is it COVID-19? Flu? At-home rapid tests could help you and your doctor decide on a treatment plan
A scratchy, sore throat, a relentless fever, a pounding head and a nasty cough – these symptoms all scream upper respiratory illness. But which one?
Many of the viruses that cause upper respiratory infections such as influenza A or B[1] and the virus that causes COVID-19[2] all employ similar tactics. They target the same areas in your...
Many stable atoms have ‘magic numbers’ of protons and neutrons − 75 years ago, 2 physicists discovered their special properties
The word magic is not often used in the context of science. But in the early 1930s, scientists discovered that some atomic nuclei[1] – the center part of atoms, which make up all matter – were more stable than others. These nuclei had specific numbers of protons or neutrons, or magic numbers, as physicist Eugene Wigner[2] called them....