Week in Science: The prime numbers mathematicians hunt for

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January 24—This week, ancient Neandertal DNA may affect modern human cognition. Plus, the prime numbers that people hunt for, and a bizarre undead star at the heart of a supermassive black hole.  All that and more below! --Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor

Top Stories

How Neandertal DNA May Affect the Way We Think DNA inherited from Neandertals may influence modern human cognition Emily L. Casanova; F. Alex Feltus

Here's What Caused the Rare, Record Florida Snow A perfect confluence of an Arctic air outbreak and a low-pressure system that pulled in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico brought rare, record snow to the Gulf Coast Andrea Thompson, staff editor

These Prime Numbers Are So Memorable That People Hunt for Them Math enthusiasts challenge one another to find special prime numbers, including those that are palindromes and Smarandache numbers Manon Bischoff

Sponsor Content Provided by NMDP The Future of Blood Stem Cell Transplant Is Here Blood stem cell transplants using cells from a donor offer a promising cure for people with blood cancers or disorders. Before, not everyone had a suitable donor, leaving many without options for a cure. Now science is changing what's possible.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope Was Never Meant to Look at the Sun. Astronomers Tried It Anyway A little-known chapter of the Hubble Space Telescope's history is a reminder of the risks of looking at the sun Phil Plait

Crushed Rocks Could Be the Next Climate Solution Spreading crushed stone across farm fields could inexpensively pull CO2 from the air while also increasing yields. But it would require a mountain of mining Douglas Fox

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Mysterious Blobs Found inside Cells Are Rewriting the Story of How Life Works Tiny specks called biomolecular condensates are leading to a new understanding of the cell Philip Ball

Could Pain Help Test AI for Sentience? A new study shows that large language models make trade-offs to avoid pain, with possible implications for future AI welfare Conor Purcell

Here's How Climate Change Fueled the Los Angeles Wildfires Many factors, such as strong Santa Ana winds and urban planning decisions, played into the recent destructive wildfires in the Los Angeles area. But the evidence is clear that climate change contributed Andrea Thompson, staff editor

Why the Paris Climate Agreement Matters in 5 Graphics One of President Trump's first executive orders withdraws the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement. These graphics show why the pact is crucial to curbing the worst effects of global warming Andrea Thompson, staff editor

Transcendent Thinking May Boost Teen Brains A style of teaching that gets adolescents to reflect beyond the here and now may help their brain grow in ways that enhance life Mary Helen Immordino-­Yang

Book Review: The Secret to Why Stories Endure through Generations Storytelling is part of being human. In this nonfiction book, we learn why and how such narratives can also be a trap Elizabeth Svoboda

This Supermassive Black Hole May Harbor a Bizarre Star That Refuses to Die Strange x-ray pulses hint at a surprisingly long-lived white dwarf orbiting precariously close to a supermassive black hole Gayoung Lee

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