WEIRD SCIENCE
HIV hides in reservoirs in the brain, causing persistent inflammation and long-term damage. Design Cells/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Smita S. Iyer, Associate Professor of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Published: 2026 Jun 08 – HIV can damage the brain and cause …
The mental shortcuts doctors use in diagnosis aren’t that different from how chatbots come up with answers to your health questions. Philip Dulian/picture alliance via Getty Images – By Andrew Parsons, Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia Published: 2026 Jun 01 – …
Ben Franklin played a key role in America’s founding, which included helping to design its paper currency. Kristina Davis – By Khachatur Manukyan, Associate Research Professor of Physics & Astronomy, University of Notre Dame Published: 2026 Jun 04 – Benjamin Franklin understood something …
Pancreatic cancer has been notoriously difficult to treat. Steve Gschmeissner/Science Photo Library via Getty Images – By Christopher Lieu, Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Published: 2026 Jun 02 – For a long time, the likelihood of surviving pancreatic cancer has …
Figuring out which PFAS types are accumulating in your body is challenging. Love Employee/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Carrie McDonough, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Carnegie Mellon University Published: 2026 May 29 – Virtually every living thing on Earth, from Patagonian penguins to …
Getting a second opinion has become routine in medicine – and it often boosts patients’ confidence in their care. Jacob Wackerhausen/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Danielle Friedman, Assistant Professor of Surgery, Quinnipiac University Published: 2026 May 28 – Imagine you have …
Bees are crucial pollinators for many crops, as well as producers of honey. Allagash Brewing/Flickr Creative Commons – By Jennie L. Durant, Research Affiliate in Human Ecology, University of California, Davis Published: 2026 May 26 – America’s bees and beekeepers are losing a …
Dynamics within the planet generate its protective magnetic field. ESA/AOES Medialab – By Mike McRae 2026 May 25 – Deep beneath the Pacific near the equator, Earth’s outer core now flows east instead of west. Dynamics deeper within our planet’s core may help explain …
Rice paddies are essential to lives and livelihoods in many parts of Asia. Jingting Zhang – By Hanqin Tian, Director and Institute Professor, Center for Earth System Science and Global Sustainability, Boston College And by Jingting Zhang, Research Scientist at the Center for …
Each person’s body has a different sweet spot for weight that it tries to maintain. By Kim Pfotenhauer, Assistant Dean for Clerkship Education and Assistant Professor of Osteopathic Medicine, Michigan State University Published: 2026 May 22 – For decades, people have been told that …
