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Faye Flam
COMMENTARY / World
May 12, 2018
Demanding too much certainty of science
It's counterintuitive but true. Here's why.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 23, 2018
Even in nature, there are perils in sexual inequality
New research suggests major sex differences can be hazardous to a species's health.
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 14, 2018
The mutant astronaut and the 'space gene' that wasn't
A viral story about twin astronauts shows what happens when science writing goes awry.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Apr 3, 2018
Protein engineering may be science's future
Some scientists think designing new proteins could become as significant as tweaking DNA.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 31, 2018
What did Cambridge Analytica really do?
It's possible that despite capturing Facebook data on 50 million people, Cambridge Analytica didn't actually accomplish anything noteworthy in the realm of politics.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 27, 2018
The case against counting calories
Forces beyond our control affect how much energy we burn each day.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 15, 2018
Trump's understanding of war is outdated
In the nuclear age, security depends less on technology and more on psychology.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 23, 2018
The machines are taking over space exploration
Even the hardiest astronaut can't compete with robot labor, but there's a silver lining.
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 27, 2018
Why scientists solve harder problems first
We've found thousands of distant planets, but not a cure for the common cold. What gives?
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 8, 2018
Food science caught between the head and the heart
'Heart-healthy' foods could be bad for the brain, new research suggests. What's a careful eater to do?
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 30, 2017
Benjamin Franklin's guide to spotting quacks
Benjamin Franklin's classic test of 'mesmerism' was an early win for experimental psychology.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 28, 2017
Science stories you might have missed in 2017
Birds barter shrewdly, brainless jellyfish sleep and researchers raise their statistical standards.
COMMENTARY / World
Dec 12, 2017
How not to get fooled by the world's randomness
There's a common thread to the dubious claims and irreproducible results that have plagued some fields of science — illusory patterns in the randomness of our world.
COMMENTARY / World
Nov 25, 2017
Take hypertension news with a grain of salt
U.S. doctors may be changing how they define hypertension, but the need to exercise and eat less junk food remain the best ways to fight off high blood pressure.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 30, 2017
Giant pumpkins a marvel of science
Record-breaking pumpkins have long since passed the ton mark, and they get bigger every year. The only constraint may be the laws of physics.
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 16, 2017
Is curiosity a casualty of the post-truth era?
Ignorance feeds curiosity. Curiosity cures ignorance.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Sep 5, 2017
Most Americans are a little too relaxed about nukes
A new survey has revealed that Americans are surprisingly willing to make a first nuclear strike — and kill millions of civilians abroad.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
Aug 1, 2017
Big data offers big promise in medicine
In handling some kinds of life-or-death medical judgments, computers have already surpassed the abilities of doctors.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / World
May 31, 2017
Nuclear war could come with a flub, not a bang
There are no smart ways to start a nuclear war, but there are an infinite variety of stupid ones.
COMMENTARY / World
May 20, 2017
Trump's disability is Dunning-Kruger effect
We're all ignorant, but U.S. President Donald Trump takes it to a different level.

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