In January 1816, a peculiar letter found its way to Marie-Sophie Germain, dispatched by the secretary general of the prestigious Paris Academy of Sciences. The recipient of the institute's prestigious "Grand Mathematics Prize" found her triumph marred by an...
Ofcom asks X about reports its Grok AI makes sexualised images of children
Ofcom has made "urgent contact" with Elon Musk's company xAI following reports its AI tool Grok can be used to make "sexualised images of children" and undress women. A spokesperson for the regulator said it was also investigating concerns Grok has been producing...
Using design to interpret the past and envision the future
Some of designer C Jacob Payne’s projects present new, futuristic products — such as zero-gravity footwear for astronauts, and electronic-embedded ceramics — using technological tools and processes of digital fabrication, material innovation, and interactive...
MIT scientists investigate memorization risk in the age of clinical AI
What is patient privacy for? The Hippocratic Oath, thought to be one of the earliest and most widely known medical ethics texts in the world, reads: “Whatever I see or hear in the lives of my patients, whether in connection with my professional practice or not, which...
Catch the moon dancing with bright star Regulus tonight
The waning gibbous moon shines close to the "kingly" star Regulus on Jan. 5-6, and some well-placed stargazers will even see the lunar disk glide in front of the bright star, hiding its ancient light from view completely. Look to the eastern horizon around 8:30 p.m....
January full moon wows skywatchers with a striking ‘Wolf Supermoon’ (photos)
The January full moon soared through the winter sky on Jan. 3, putting on an awe-inspiring display as it flooded the night with reflected sunlight to kick off a new year of spectacular lunar milestones. Read on to see jaw-dropping images of the first full moon and...
‘It would be a fundamental breakthrough’: Mysterious dark matter may interact with cosmic ‘ghost particles’
New research puts forward compelling new evidence that dark matter interacts with cosmic "ghost particles" called neutrinos. If that is the case, then this interaction could pose a serious challenge for the standard model of cosmology, our current best model of the...
Trump administration censures former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly over ‘illegal orders’ video
The Trump administration is following through on its threats against former NASA astronaut and current U.S. Senator Mark Kelly. In late November, Kelly (D-Ariz.) and five other Congressmen who have served in the military participated in a 90-second video reminding...
How did life begin on Earth? New experiments support ‘RNA world’ hypothesis
RNA, which is one of life's most crucial molecules dealing with the synthesis of proteins, could be common in the universe, according to a new experiment that shows how RNA could easily have formed on Earth 4.3 billion years ago. RNA (short for ribonucleic acid) is a...
‘Wolf Supermoon’ gallery: See the first full moon of 2026 in pictures from across the world
The first full moon of 2026, known as the Wolf Moon, appeared on Saturday (Jan. 3), and skywatchers captured it in some amazing shots. The Wolf Moon's name has both Native American and Anglo-Saxon origins, and likely comes from the belief that hungry wolves are more...
Immune-informed brain aging research offers new treatment possibilities, speakers say
Understanding how interactions between the central nervous system and the immune system contribute to problems of aging, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, and more, can generate new leads for therapeutic development, speakers said at MIT’s...
Best air purifiers for allergies 2026: Breathe easy this winter
Suffering from allergies triggered by airborne irritants like mold, pet dander, or dust? A high-quality air purifier could be the key to finding relief. January presents an opportune moment to purchase one of these beneficial devices, as they frequently see...