Today in Science: In secret meeting, mathematicians struggle to stump AI

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June 6, 2025—How to save vanishing kelp forests. Plus, mathematicians are scared for their jobs, and a Japanese spacecraft crashes on the moon.    —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor TODAY'S NEWS Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images At a secret meeting mathematicians tried to stump an AI, but they struggled to find problems it couldn't figure out, even some of the toughest solvable math questions in the world. | 5 min read The sun's path in the sky makes a figure eight over the course of the year. Here's the science that explains this phenomenon. | 6 min read   A Japanese spacecraft has crash-landed on the moon—again. | 3 min read Nearly 600 employees left the National Weather Service or were fired in recent months. Meteorologists say 125 expected new hires will still leave the agency dangerously understaffed. | 3 min read The White House's budget plan for NASA would be woefully inadequate for achieving near-term human voyages to Mars, experts say. | 5 min read More News TOP STORIES Avery Schuyler Nunn Vanishing Underwater Forests  In a recent study researchers identified strains of one of the most commonly farmed kelp species (sugar kelp) with natural genetic adaptations that help them withstand rising ocean temperatures. The researchers crossbred heat-tolerant gametophytes—the microscopic precursors of adult kelp, as well as other algae and plants—from different species and produced organisms that thrived under heat stress.    Why this matters: Around the world kelp forests are vanishing. In some regions, more than 90 percent of these forests have disappeared within only the past 10 years. Towering underwater jungles of kelp exhale life-giving oxygen into the sea, sequester carbon, shelter other organisms, buffer shorelines and remain the basis of life for many marine habitats. Rising sea temperatures, kelp diseases and loss of crucial marine animal species are leading to drastic kelp declines. Developing heat-resistant kelp strains could contribute to both wild kelp restoration and seaweed farming.   What the experts say: Kelps' own cells might hold the blueprints for their survival. "All kelps share the same life cycle," says Sara T. Gonzalez, a researcher at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. So the findings about gametophytes—of heat-hardened lineages and stress-tested spores—could be applied broadly and protect kelps around the world.   Avery Schuyler Nunn PLAY NOW Put your scientific knowledge to the test with this week's science quiz. Also check out today's Spellements puzzle. This week, a bunch of players saw that the word muon was missing from Spellements. Muons are one of the foundational subatomic particles in the universe, kind of like electrons but heavier. Well-spotted, folks! More Games EXPERT PERSPECTIVES People believe false conspiracy theories for a wide range of reasons—including the fact that there are real conspiracies in the world, writes H. Colleen Sinclair, an associate research professor of social psychology at Louisiana State University. How do you know what to believe? Read through seven steps to vet any claims you've heard. | 5 min read More Opinion MOST POPULAR STORIES OF THE WEEK AI Found a 'Magic Potion' That Can Bring Dead Batteries Back to Life | 4 min read Sahara Dust Clouds Are Heading to Florida and Beyond | 2 min read Our World Is Getting More Complicated. Here's the 19th-Century Math That Proves It | 4 min read

RECOMMENDED READS Every Friday in summer we'll recommend a great, freshly-published science read. Tell us what you're reading or if you try any of the books we suggest! CLAMOR: How Noise Took Over The World And How We Can Take It Back By Chris Berdik. Norton, 2025 Sometimes the lights are too bright, there's too much noise and it's all way too distracting. Conservationists have dubbed this particular blight a "sensory smog," and it's happening more and more as humans introduce mechanized, loud and jarring sounds into everyday life. In CLAMOR, science journalist Chris Bedrik journeys into the soundscape of our lives, aiming a wide lens on the origin of sounds, how they're affecting our health and how they might shape our collective future. The latest research shows that years of hearing damage can silence quieter tones, like the purr of a cat settling in your lap. Animals can tell the world around them has gotten louder, too. Amid the humanmade underwater racket from cargo ships and seabed exploration, whales seem to be acting like people in a loud bar—staying closer together, talking louder and less often, or not bothering at all. We must protect our own eardrums, yes, but "auditory anxiety" (too many noises keeping heartrates and stress elevated) is also a problem to solve for future generations and nearly all other life on this planet. —Brianne Kane More daylight, warm breezes, fewer obligations ... summer is a great season for reading. I'm thrilled this week to launch our summer book recommendation series. Every Friday I'll include a short book review from myself or one of our editors of a recent science-based title that we enjoyed. Scientific American has been reviewing books for most of its nearly 180 years in business, and I hope we can continue to help you find your next favorite read!  Send me any science book recommendations you may have, or what you're looking forward to reading this summer. Maybe we'll include your recommendation in a future issue of Today in Science! Email me at: newsletters@sciam.com. Have a great weekend.   —Andrea Gawrylewski, Chief Newsletter Editor

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