Week in Science: Bonobos know when you don't know something

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February 7—This week, bonobos show they understand human ignorance, wiggling microbes may help find life on Mars, and flu remains high while RSV declines. All that and more below! --Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor

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Bonobos Can Tell When a Human Doesn't Know Something An experiment shows that bonobos can understand when a human lacks knowledge and point them in the right direction Jack Tamisiea

Mathematicians Solve Infamous 'Moving Sofa Problem' What's the largest couch that can turn a corner? After 58 years, we finally know Jack Murtagh

Nearby Habitable-Zone Exoplanet May Be a World of Fire and Ice A newly confirmed exoplanet around a nearby sunlike star might be astronomers' best chance yet to look for life beyond the solar system—but it's still no place like home Gayoung Lee

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Avoiding Outrage Fatigue while Staying Informed Outrage fatigue can wear us down—but we can take care of ourselves in an onslaught of overwhelming news. Rachel Feltman; Tanya Lewis; Madison Goldberg, contract writer; Fonda Mwangi

The U.S. Is Not Ready for Bird Flu in Humans Bird flu is infecting more people than we think. We need to stop it now before a new pandemic begins Megha Satyanarayana, staff editor

Why This AI Gazes into Goat Faces AI-based systems can help identify livestock's early signs of distress Lucy Tu

Whale Songs Obey Basic Rules of Human Languages Humpback whales learn their haunting melodies in much the same way humans learn words Cody Cottier, contract writer

To Find Life on Mars, Make Microbes Wiggle Could tiny swimming microbes help us unlock the mysteries of extraterrestrial life? Gayoung Lee

How Can We Know If an Asteroid Will Hit Earth? "Keep your eye on the ball" is a motto for many athletes—and for astronomers trying to find Earth-threatening space rocks Phil Plait

How Bad Are COVID, Flu and RSV This Winter? COVID levels may have peaked but flu is still high; RSV is on the way out Tanya Lewis

Inside the NSF's Effort to Scour Research Grants for Violations of Trump's Orders The U.S. National Science Foundation has unfrozen grant funding, but it continues to scrutinize research projects, sowing turmoil Dan Garisto; Max Kozlov; Nature magazine

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