The Week in Science: The Guinness brewery changed science forever

May 31—The surprising origin of the most important statistical test in science, two countries lose their glaciers to global warming, and a brutal 2024 hurricane forecast. Plus much more! --Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor P.S. Looking for more frequent science discoveries? Sign up for Today in Science.

Top Stories

How the Guinness Brewery Invented the Most Important Statistical Method in Science The most common test of statistical significance originated from the Guinness brewery. Here's how it works Jack Murtagh

Antarctica's 'Doomsday Glacier' Is Melting Even Faster Than Scientists Thought Warming waters are reaching several miles into Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier—nicknamed the "doomsday glacier" because of its potential impact on sea-level rise Sachi Kitajima Mulkey; Grist

Surprising Supernova Scars Cover the Earth A supernova showering Earth with radioactive debris is a surprisingly common cosmic occurrence Phil Plait

The 2024 Hurricane Season Could Be a Dangerous One The National Hurricane Center's hurricane season outlook for the Atlantic Ocean forecasts 17 to 25 named storms in 2024 because of an expected combination of warm ocean temperatures and a La Niña climate pattern Jhordanne Jones; The Conversation US

Voyager 1's Revival Offers Inspiration for Everyone on Earth Instruments may fail, but humanity's most distant sentinel will keep exploring, and inspiring us all Saswato R. Das

We Must Face Down the Expanding Anti-Reality Industry Exposing the antiscience playbook reveals the antiregulatory motives of its deep-pocketed bankrollers Bryn Nelson

Neurodivergent Kids Flourish When They're Taught How Their Brains Work When teachers and parents talk to kids about having ADHD, autism or learning disabilities, they set them up for success Jerome Schultz

Brain Scans of Jazz Musicians Reveal How to Reach a Creative 'Flow State' Both expertise and the ability to release one's focus can help people enter a state of effortless attention John Kounios; David S. Rosen

An Alternative to Conventional Neural Networks Could Help Reveal What AI Is Doing behind the Scenes Despite their performance, current AI models have major weaknesses: they require enormous resources and are indecipherable. Help may be on the way Manon Bischoff

What Does an AI Do When It Sees an Optical Illusion? Experiments with optical illusions have revealed surprising similarities between human and AI perception Lauren Leffer

Next-Generation Cosmic Observatory Hits South Pole Stumbling Block Cosmic Microwave Background Stage 4, a top-priority project for U.S. astrophysics, was designed to make breakthrough observations of the universe's very earliest moments. Now the U.S. government says it can't currently support the project's construction at the South Pole Meghan Bartels

At Least Two Countries Have Lost All Their Glaciers Two countries—Slovenia and Venezuela—have lost all of their glaciers. It is a grim benchmark showing the progression of climate change Francisco "A.J." Camacho; E&E News

Follow Us Instagram  |  X/Twitter  |  Threads  |  Facebook  |  YouTube Manage your email preferences  |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us Scientific American One New York Plaza, New York, NY, 10010