laurahelmuth

laurahelmuth, 2 days ago to random

Derelict satellites pass within 1,000 kilometers of each other 1,000 times a year, and any collision would instantly double the amount of space debris. A space rush is filling up orbit with unregulated satellites, mostly from private companies, and we need better protections https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/there-is-too-much-trash-in-space/

AskPippa, 3 days ago (edited 3 days ago) to random

I used to get bothered all the time on buses -- until one day I learned a trick that for some reason discouraged them. I would pull out a copy of Scientific American. Maybe they thought I was going to hit them with it (though other magazines didn't have this effect), or even scarier, talk science at them.
In fact, in high school I started carrying one around just for this use!

@sciam @laurahelmuth

laurahelmuth, 4 days ago to random

Anthony Comstock was even worse than you might imagine. His soldier-of-Christ, misogynistic work to punish the fallen and blasphemous never really ended, and now it is having a horrifying revival https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-comstock-act-originated-with-disregard-for-womens-lives-it-still-does/

laurahelmuth, 5 days ago to random

Homeschooled children have basically no protection in most of the U.S. They deserve federal standards to make sure they are being educated and are not being abused https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/children-deserve-uniform-standards-in-homeschooling/

laurahelmuth, 5 days ago to random

This is important and hasn't gotten as much attention as it should: a massive heat wave across Asia, from Gaza to the Philippines, was more likely and more extreme due to climate change https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/april-heat-waves-from-gaza-to-the-philippines-were-made-worse-by-climate/

laurahelmuth, 5 days ago to random

The sun is nearing the peak of its 11-year activity cycle & it just erupted its largest flare from a massive cluster of sunspots as they rotated away from Earth https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sun-erupts-with-largest-flare-of-this-solar-cycle-but-auroras-unlikely/

laurahelmuth, 6 days ago to random

Fun fun fun: Beluga whales have a lump on their forehead called a "melon" that they shake, wiggle, thrust and bump to communicate https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/belugas-flirt-and-fight-by-morphing-their-squishy-forehead/

laurahelmuth, 7 days ago to random

If you were born between 1957 and 1975 in the U.S., you probably got only one measles vaccine and need another shot. Even if you're younger and got both shots, immunity can fade. Here's how to figure out if you need another dose https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-check-if-you-have-immunity-to-measles-or-need-another-dose/ @tarahaelle

laurahelmuth, 7 days ago to random

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been a travesty for public health, but for once he is inadvertently being useful — by raising awareness of the dangers of actual brain worms and neurocysticercosis https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-people-get-parasitic-brain-worms-like-the-one-rfk-jr-had/

laurahelmuth, 10 days ago to random

Supernovas "raise two interesting (if terrifying) questions: How close can you be to a supernova before things get sticky, and perhaps more pertinent, are there ticking stellar time bombs close enough to Earth to hurt us?" Fun from @badastro https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-earth-safe-from-a-nearby-supernova/

laurahelmuth, 10 days ago to random

As with a lot of really bad things, the chances of H5N1 bird flu jumping to cows seemed so low, "and then it happened." Here's what we know about how it's spreading in cows and what's being done to slow or stop it https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-bird-flu-caught-the-dairy-industry-off-guard/

laurahelmuth, 11 days ago to random

Does anybody have a favorite theory or theories about what these dodecahedrons were for? As this archaeologist who recently discovered a beautifully preserved one says, we probably won't know for a while https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-did-ancient-romans-make-this-baffling-metal-dodecahedron/

laurahelmuth, 11 days ago to random

One more reason to fix the climate crisis: astronomy. It'll be hard to build multi-billion-dollar science missions when we keep having more and more multi-billion-dollar climate catastrophes https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/has-the-last-great-space-observatory-already-launched/ by Seven Rasmussen on Scientific American

laurahelmuth, 11 days ago to random

We're looking to hire a new Director of DevOps for Scientific American, someone to lead our technology operations. It's a great job with a fantastic team. Thanks for sharing with anyone who might be interested https://careers.springernature.com/job/New-York-Director%2C-DevOps%2C-Scientific-American/1057465501/

laurahelmuth, 11 days ago to random

Does anybody have a good term to describe people you used to respect who turned out to be horrible? Like Steven Pinker, J.K. Rowling, Richard Dawkins. It's like a milkshake duck but more consequential and even more disappointing

laurahelmuth, 12 days ago to random

A giant balloon is going to float the HELIX mission to the stratosphere over Earth's poles to study antimatter and other cosmic rays & sometimes we can have nice things https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/meet-helix-the-high-altitude-balloon-that-may-solve-a-deep-cosmic-mystery/

laurahelmuth, 13 days ago to random

"In the battle over what 'aerosol' and 'airborne' meant, public health officials lost sight of what was right in front of them: people were catching COVID by breathing contaminated air." https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-fight-about-viruses-in-the-air-is-finally-over-now-its-time-for-healthy/ by @maggiefox

laurahelmuth, 13 days ago to random

African wild dogs (but not wolves) can make puppy-dog eyes https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/puppy-dog-eyes-in-wild-canines-sparks-rethink-on-dog-evolution/

laurahelmuth, 14 days ago to random

We're looking to hire a marketing & customer service assistant for Scientific American. Thanks for sharing the job description with people who might be interested! https://careers.springernature.com/job/New-York-Marketing-&-Customer-Service-Assistant/1068566901/

laurahelmuth, 16 days ago to random

It's hard to keep track of all the conspiracy theories that right-wing politicians use to keep people furious, panicked and ignorant, but FYI they claim liberals will force everybody to eat bugs. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/floridas-beef-with-lab-grown-meat-is-evidence-free/

laurahelmuth, 16 days ago to random

Abortion is basic health care and abortion restrictions are harmful. An expert who collected some of the abundant evidence explains what we know so far about post-Dobbs abortions https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/abortion-restrictions-are-spreading-even-though-science-shows-theyre-harmful/

laurahelmuth, 18 days ago to random

The Council for the Advancement of Science Writing is looking for a new executive director https://casw.org/news/casw-seeks-new-executive-director

laurahelmuth, 18 days ago to random

A scholar of social movements & activism explains how the campus protesters are doing everything right and repressive university administrations are doing everything wrong https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/repression-draws-attention-to-campus-protests-like-those-over-the-conflict/

laurahelmuth, 18 days ago to random

This poor guy had an active COVID infection for 612 days, during which time the virus developed 50 new mutations. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/longest-ever-covid-infection-lasted-more-than-600-days/

laurahelmuth, 19 days ago to random

Just when you think you understand how bad climate change is, you learn something about how it's even worse https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/meteorites-in-antarctica-are-getting-harder-to-find-because-of-climate/