Is quantum computing really a big threat?

A simple introduction to cryptography and what quantum computers will be able to do

You’re on subscription software whether you know it or not

Whichever OS you use, the only difference is the period before your software expires

Types of UFOs and how to identify them

  Does the world need another technical debunking of UFOs? Too bad, it's getting one

Latest research on RNA therapeutics

Covid convinced many people that mRNA is the worst idea for a drug ever. But there's new technology

Are there really 345 risk genes for neuro­psychiatric disorders?

Misleading genome-wide association studies are finding mostly noise

If not beta-amyloid, then what?

  Without a viable alternative theory, the Abeta fiasco could live on forever

How not to fix science

  Step 1: Pay attention to some entrepreneur telling you to run it like an industry startup in need of seed money

Is 'emergent' artificial intelligence possible even in theory?

Emergence is not a real thing, but a placeholder for something not understood

What's new in tinnitus research (2026) [Update: data and sound samples]

  Lots of anecdotal stories; researchers rediscover sound therapy

What we need to know about ivermectin and cancer

Ivermectin is being repurposed for cancer. What is repurposing, and why is it risky?

Give your piano a good wippen

  Acoustic pianos need not sound like sonic weapons

Has the microplastics story bitten the dust?

How the science establishment handles the latest scandal will tell us where science is headed

What are your odds of getting Alzheimer's disease?

Latest research shows that the risk of late-onset Alzheimer's disease is 75% genetic

Stop picking on the cows

Global warmers want to stop cows from producing methane by eliminating cows. But it is anaerobic bacteria that are to blame

Time and space don't exist, scientists say

Why space is probably quantized and elementary particles may have incredibly complex structure

What does the Y chromosome do?

Is it really possible for a person to change sex? Do other animals have Y chromosomes?

Tutorial on image densitometry in Imal

  How to get scientifically accurate data from Western blots

The universe is not really fine-tuned

How physicists' attempts to explain the mass of the Higgs boson almost turned into a proof of the existence of God

Is string theory background independent?

  Maybe, maybe not. But we can change it if you insist. Who wants ta know?

Vegetables are bad for you, scientists say

  Bacon-haters are now in league with arugula, spinach, lettuce, and tomato haters

Could the universe be eternal after all?

  String theory may overthrow everything we believe about the Big Bang

Poison ivy

How to identify it, how it affects the immune system, why only humans are affected, and how it differs from giant hogweed

Build an infrared fluorescent Western blot imaging system

You can build a high quality fluorescent infrared imaging system for the lab. But it's not as easy as it looks

How to Photograph a Solar Eclipse

Without burning up your camera sensor, blinding yourself, and setting your dog on fire.

How to photograph Mars and other planets

  It's not too late to get your azz to Mazz.

Are those inexpensive USB software-defined radios any good?

They're getting cheaper and more powerful than ever. Just our luck now that radio is almost obsolete

Photographing Radioactivity with a Webcam

You can use a webcam to photograph radioactivity.

Ultraviolet photography

  The ultraviolet world is gloomy ... and pink.

Infrared photography

It's not difficult to modify a digital SLR camera to take pictures in the near-infrared.

Astrophotography Without a Telescope

You don't need a lot of equipment to take spectacular pictures of the stars.

Fireflies

Firefly biology and tips on photographing fireflies. Movie of fireflies flashing in synchrony.

Build an Ultraviolet Zoom Lens, Part 1: Design

Design and plans for a fused-silica zoom lens.

High-resolution compact spectrograph, Part 1

Design and plans for a compact spectrograph suitable for astronomy.

Astrophotographs

  A collection of astrophotographs.

The sound of freedom

  Technological sounds are drowning out the quiet music of nature.

Argumentation in a post-logical world

We must become more analytical in detecting and refuting hidden assumptions in the debate.

Atheism, Ducks and Bananas

Atheists and religious people both need to work on their sense of humor.

Eight myths about libertarianism

  Libertarianism is not what many people think.