SPONSORED BY  | | | | December 22, 2023: How search engines contribute to misinformation, the science of the longest night of the year and researchers turn carbon dioxide into powder. —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | | | When people use search engines to "do their own research" to verify claims, the search results themselves often yield questionable online articles. The content can make people more prone to believing false or misleading information, according to a new study. Researchers asked thousands of people to rate articles online and found that they were 20 percent more likely to rate false or misleading information as true. More than a third of respondents were exposed to misinformation when they searched for more detail on misleading or false articles.
How this happens: Search engines will provide unreliable results if someone uses search terms found in the questionable article, the study found. Plus, as vast as the Internet seems, there exist "data voids" when information is sparse for particular topics. People hoping to spread a particular message will take advantage of these data voids, coining terms likely left out of mainstream media sources and then repeating them across platforms until they become conspiracy buzzwords that lead to more misinformation–and appear at the top of a search.
What the experts say: A technique called lateral reading, where a person seeks out information about a source, can reduce belief in misinformation. And diversifying search terms is an important strategy, too, says Francesca Tripodi, a sociologist and media scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. | | | In the U.S. we have just experienced the longest night of the year. From here on out the daylight will be lengthening again, happy news for sun lovers like me. The fascinating thing is that, yes, yesterday was the shortest day, but it did not have the earliest sunset and latest sunrise (those honors go to December 7 and January 5, respectively). What the heck? As astronomer and columnist Phil Plait explains, the shape of Earth's orbit, which is elliptical, is behind this head-scratcher. How this happens: Because our orbit around the sun is not a circle but an oval, at some points during the year we're closest to the sun (perihelion) and at others we're furthest (aphelion), and Earth's speed in its orbit changes depending where we are. This time of year we happen to be at perihelion. This means we're moving faster around the sun to keep up with it, so to speak, so the days are lagging– solar noon, when the sun is due south in the sky, is a little bit later in the day, according to a notional clock keeping an average time. This means the time of sunset on the solstice is later than it was the day before. So we've already experienced the earliest sunset. Conversely, it also means that sunrise occurred a bit later than it did the day before and will continue to do so until perihelion on January 5. Plait recommends this YouTube video to help visualize this.
What the experts say: "We may wish everyday experiences such as the passage of time were simple, but nature has other plans," writes Plait. "The universe is under no obligation to be simple." Ain't that the truth. | | | Science, Visualized A picture is worth a thousand words, and it's especially true in science journalism. Check out our favorite information graphics from 2023, including: - A series of maps highlighting the locations of U.S. missile silos and showing the potential trajectories of fallout if those silos were targeted in a nuclear attack. | 9 min read
- A breakdown of a new number system. Called "Kaktovik numerals," it was crafted by Indigenous students in the Arctic. | 7 min read
- Circles and concentric data that show how humans spend the 24 hours of their day. | 2 min read
Credits for the above graphics: Sébastien Philippe, Svitlana Lavrenchuk and Ivan Stepanov; Amanda Montañez; Matteo Farinella; Violet Isabelle Frances for Bryan Christie Design; Studio Terp | | | Need a last-minute gift? Give the gift of science this year and save 40% on digital and print subscriptions to Scientific American. | | | • MIT scientists figured out how to convert planet-warming carbon dioxide into a harmless powdery fuel that could be used for clean electricity. | 4 min read | | | • Two private companies in the U.S. are about to launch spacecrafts that will attempt soft landings on the moon's surface. | 6 min read | | | • With their grand plans to colonize Mars, launch giant orbital space habitats and create a virtual reality existence, tech billionaires seem to be trying to realize the science fiction novels they read in their youths, writes Charles Stross, a multiple Hugo Award-winning science fiction author. But science fiction is written as entertainment, he says, and should not be viewed as a true vision of the future. "The billionaires behind the steering wheel have mistaken cautionary tales and entertainments for a road map, and we're trapped in the passenger seat," writes Stross. | 5 min read | | | SPONSORED CONTENT BY NOVAVAX | Novavax is a global leader in vaccine development and research | The company's vaccine technology is built on a protein-based platform and combines the power of a well-understood approach with an innovative nanoparticle technology. It is intended to help protect against some of the world's most pressing viral diseases. Learn More | | | Our Most-Read Stories of the Week | | | Scientist Discover How to Convert CO2 into Powder That Can Be Stored for Decades | 4 min read | Kākāpō Parrots Are Flightless, Adorable and Making a Comeback | 4 min read | How Two Pharmacists Figured Out That Decongestants Don't Work | 8 min read | | | We've reached the end of the week, and almost another year. I want to thank you for joining me on this daily journey of scientific discovery and awe. Science gave us a lot to be thankful for in 2023, and I'm looking forward to everything we'll learn in the year to come! | Today in Science will be taking a break for the holidays. While we're away, head to ScientificAmerican.com for the latest news. Send thoughts, comments and cookie recipes to: newsletters@sciam.com. See you on January 2nd! | —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor | This year, the James Webb Space Telescope captured this image of part of the Orion Nebula known as the Orion Bar, where a chemical reaction is affecting the disks of gases and dust around newborn stars. Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb), PDRs4ALL ERS Team | | | | Subscribe to this and all of our newsletters . | | | | Scientific American
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