Information Theory Finds the Best Wordle Starting Words

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May 05, 2023

Mathematics Information Theory Finds the Best Wordle Starting Words Information theory can help people mathematically calculate the best starting guess for a popular online game By Manon Bischoff

Exercise You Don't Really Need 10,000 Daily Steps to Stay Healthy New research points to different step counts based on age and fitness level By Lydia Denworth

Particle Physics How Much Does 'Nothing' Weigh? The Archimedes experiment will weigh the void of empty space to help solve a big cosmic puzzle By Manon Bischoff

Mathematics Why the 'Sleeping Beauty Problem' Is Keeping Mathematicians Awake A thought experiment that’s dividing mathematicians can help illuminate how belief shapes rational decisions By Manon Bischoff

Climate Change Population Decline Will Change the World for the Better A future with fewer people offers increased opportunity and a healthier environment By Stephanie Feldstein

Pollution Will the Chesapeake Bay Become a Dead Zone? The country’s largest estuary is under critical threat from pollution and climate change. The question is: Can it be saved? By Duy Linh Tu,Sebastian Tuinder

Artificial Intelligence A Brain Scanner Combined with an AI Language Model Can Provide a Glimpse into Your Thoughts New technology gleans the gist of stories a person hears while laying in a brain scanner By Allison Parshall

Planetary Science The Six Moons Most Likely to Host Life in Our Solar System Vast quantities of liquid water may exist on moons of Jupiter, Saturn and Neptune, making life possible there, too By Rebecca Boyle,Juan Velasco

Space Exploration SpaceX Faces Reckoning after Starship's Messy First Flight SpaceX’s Starship launch site in southern Texas is now the subject of a lawsuit after the vehicle’s first flight caused concerning damage By Meghan Bartels

Consciousness Surges of Activity in the Dying Human Brain Could Hint at Fleeting Conscious Experiences An increase in activity in dying brains might be associated with last-minute conscious experiences, but scientists don’t know for sure By Stephanie Pappas,LiveScience

Energy This Pioneering Nuclear Fusion Lab Is Gearing Up to Break More Records Here’s what’s next after the U.S. National Ignition Facility’s breakthrough on nuclear fusion last year By Jeff Tollefson,Nature magazine

History This 19th-Century Obscenity Law Is Still Restricting People's Reproductive Rights The Comstock Act is part of a federal case over access to abortion pills. A historical science-fiction writer weighs in on the legacy of 19th-century prudishness By Tanya Lewis

FROM THE STORE Scientific American Volume 328, Issue 5

BRING SCIENCE HOME Absorb the Shock! Stop the bounce--with engineering! Learn how to create effective shock absorbers to keep a precious cargo of packing peanuts from going flying!  Credit: George Retseck Have you ever ridden in a car over a pothole or a speed bump? You might feel the bumps and get tossed up and down in your seat a little bit, but not nearly as much as you would if the car did not have suspension. Try this engineering project to learn how suspension can help give you a smoother ride!

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