Science touches so many aspects of modern life that it's hard to keep up. Through our programs and this website, Science for the Public provides up-to-date information about scientific innovations, discoveries, and issues that are shaping modern knowledge.
Section #1 explains the AI basics: GenAI, AGI, ASI; GPT; how AI is "trained"; AI errors, AI "consciousness"; and AI hype
Section #2 explains the multiple impacts of AI: AI databases; copyright; jobs; cognition
Section 3 discusses important AI threats: AI deceptions; political AI; military AI; and AI disobedience
Section 4 describes the warnings of many AI leaders and experts: that the potential damage of AI is very real, and that governmental controls are absolutely necessary.
From the first moments of the universe to the formation of atoms ...
The origin of the heavy elements was not understood until the 1950s
Mounting evidence suggests a link between chemicals in consumer products and breast cancer.
What's so important about an atmosphere? Find out here.
Many of the most important advances in scientific understanding were initially rejected or ignored.
In an era of global science, other nations are increasing their science budgets. Why aren't we?
The basic chemical elements of life on Earth are the most abundant elements in the universe...Are the conditions right elsewhere?
07/18/23 The actual nutritional value of our food depends on the quality of soil in which it is grown. Healthy soil, healthy people, healthy planet. David R. Montgomery & Anne Biklé
09/17/24 How migratory creatures navigate so accurately to their seasonal destinations, sometimes thousands of miles away, is still often a mystery. What do scientists know, and what are they still trying to discover? Charles Walcott
03/19/24 A prominent biologist explains the crucial importance of biodiversity for life on Earth, and how the sixth mass extinction fractures that stability. Michael Reed.
07/19/11 Red dwarfs provide vital information about galaxy evolution... Andrew West
02/13/13 An amazing 30+ year project and the discovery of two new Milky Way spiral arms. Thomas Dame
12/17/15 The compelling search for entirely new forms of life elsewhere in our solar system and the universe. David Toomey
08/05/13 A visit to the Barabási Lab at Northeastern University to learn how scale-free complex networks affect scientific perspectives
06/03/14 A major authority on ocean sediments discusses what these deposits tell us about past and present climate. Richard Murray
03/29/16 An expert on climate change policy explains the coming global challege and the role of public commitment. Henrik Selin
05/30/23 Language acquisition despite the absence of a critical brain region for language demonstrates the remarkable adaptability of the human brain. Evelina Fedorenko
07/05/22 Scientists struggled for decades to get an EPA ban on Chlorpyrifos, a widely used pesticide known to impair brain development. As autism, ADHD and other developmental conditions increased, vested interests blocked efforts to regulate Chlorpyrifos and other agricultural toxins. Philip Landrigan
11/16/20 The structure of a humble marine organism inspires mechanical engineers and architects in the design of skyscrapers, massive bridges and other challenging projects. Matheus Fernandes
10/11/22 Geothermal energy is an ideal source of renewable energy, but it can be hard to access. Here's a plan. Paul Woskov
Insightful essays about the relationship between environmental damage and extinction
