Science and society

USA 2025. Destruction and devastation. Illustration: depositphotos.com

What does Trump want from universities?

Trump is demanding the appointment of conservatives to various positions to balance what he calls the leftist bias in academia. But that's not enough for him, and he's demanding that research directions be determined and research budgets be kept.
A colorful mural depicting historical exchanges between European settlers and Native Americans who lived in what is now New York City. From a 2023 Smithsonian exhibit. Illustration: depositphotos.com

New Trump executive order changes the face of the Smithsonian. The museum surrenders

From now on, a positive portrayal of the contributions of women, Native Americans, and blacks to the United States is considered partisan and forbidden.

Bats in a traffic jam: This is how they manage to avoid colliding with each other during the mass exit from the cave

New research led by Tel Aviv University reveals how bats change their echolocation patterns when leaving the cave and maneuver with amazing skill even when surrounded by tens of thousands of their friends — without air crashes
Dismantling the scientific infrastructure. Illustration: Avi Blizovsky via DALEE

Why we are not politicians, and why the warning against the actions of the Trump administration is objectively correct

The Trump administration is leading the destruction of science and how it could return us to the Middle Ages or even the Stone Age. The damage of erasing databases and laying off workers will cause a huge setback in many fields, so the resistance is
Science made America great. Illustration: Avi Blizovsky via IDEOGRAM.AI

Scientists are rising up to oppose Trump policies. Today a wave of protests

March 7 protests across the US and Europe will protest cuts to research, staffing and funding, and push for continued federal focus on diversity, equity and inclusion
Science under attack. Illustration prepared using IDEOGRAM.AI

Within two decades, the US lost its leadership position to China. From leading of 45 critical technologies to just five

Data analyzed by the Australian ASPI Institute shows that leadership in these technologies has shifted to China. One area in which the US still dominates is vaccine development, but this too is at risk due to the cutbacks.
US President Donald Trump and his personal advisor on demolitions Elon Musk. Illustration prepared using ideogram.ai

Attack on Science: How the Second Trump Administration Shaped the Fate of Science in the US in 30 Days

The damage to scientific infrastructure and international collaboration networks—especially in the fields of biomedical and climate research—could be irreversible, and undermine the United States' ability to maintain its position as a global leader in science and innovation in the coming decades.
A confrontation at the White House between US President Trump, who almost raised his hand against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Screenshot

How close are we to World War III by 2035?

Trump accuses Zelensky of "betting on World War III," but his isolationist steps could actually spark conflicts, such as China's invasion of Taiwan, and a confrontation with Iran could actually bring war closer.
Layoffs in US scientific agencies. Image prepared using DALEE

Bad week for science: sudden cuts to the National Science Foundation, the Gene Bank, and climate

Science reports another disastrous week for Trump and his demolition contractor Elon Musk. US cuts funding for IPCC climate impact report
The destruction of medical and scientific research in the Trump-Musk administration. Illustration: Avi Blizovsky via DAKEE

Musk's cuts threaten US science, education, and healthcare infrastructure and will harm generations

Cuts in direct and indirect research budgets at NIH, NOAA, FEMA, and many other agencies will lead to a decline in research infrastructure, stunted scientific innovation, and loss of talent, which could critically impact the development of treatments and public health.
The characteristics of the generations in a historical and technological perspective

The children of the beta generation have come out into the world: what will the lives of the members of the new generation look like?

A Journey into the Characteristics of the Beta Generation: Technology, Demographics, and Social Influences That May Shape the Future.
Transporting medicines. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Innovative technology for biological nanoparticles enables combined treatment against cancerous tumors

Researchers from Tel Aviv University have developed an innovative platform based on nanoparticles, which enables the precise transport of two drugs at the same time to cancerous tumor sites, while improving treatment efficiency and reducing toxicity to healthy cells.
The first computer that invests the computational effort required to solve the 'puzzle' discovers the password to the new 'safe' and takes ownership of it. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Environmental economist: Cryptocurrencies should be taxed

After more than doubling in value this year, Bitcoin has crossed the $100 mark. But Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have environmental consequences, and according to Dr. Yossi Borochov, there is now an opportunity to tax them
Literature and poetry. Illustration: depositphotos.com

More, too much

About what escapes any definition and pattern - but echoes like thunder between the pages of the great works of literature
Demonstrators celebrate in Syria after the fall of the Assad regime, December 8, 2024. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The renewal of science in Syria: the challenges of the past and the hopes of the future

During the Assad dynasty, the universities in Syria were used to control the population and there was no academic freedom. In an article published in Nature, a science journalist of Syrian origin publishes how the restoration should be carried out, and how science can help reveal the
High-rise buildings in Tel Aviv. Illustration: depositphotos.com

me and my house

The place of new neighborhoods in shaping the self-identity of those joining the middle class
[:he]A woman is running in the desert, wearing a turquoise tunic and dark pants, in a quiet and open landscape.[:]

How do sweat wicking fabrics work?

A precise dosage of water-repellent materials, alongside spacious weaving and utilization of the power of the capillaries, have upgraded the sporting experience for many. The science behind the "drifit"
The coral reef in Eilat, under artificial night lighting. Photo: Shaf Ben Ezra

Contaminate the DNA - how does artificial lighting harm fish?

Israeli researchers examined the effects of light pollution on reef fish and found that sleep disturbances are not a problem reserved only for humans
cancer cell Illustration: depositphotos.com

What predicts your cancer type?

Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which flew NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sonny Williams on a manned test flight to the International Space Station, is seen docked at the front dock of the Harmony Module. The image was taken from the window of SpaceX's Dragon Endeavor spacecraft docked in the port adjacent to the Starliner. Credit: NASA A

Is the Starliner spacecraft stuck in space? NASA answers frequently asked questions about the status of the astronauts' return

NASA is expected to make a decision by the end of August when and how to return the two astronauts stuck on the space station
Most of the wolves in Israel are found in the Golan Heights and the Arabah. Photo: Shlomo Priceblom

About wolves and other animals: how does the predator affect the mammals in the Golan Heights?

A new Israeli study examined how the presence of wolves affects the activity of large mammals. The findings reinforce the importance of the predator in maintaining the integrity of the ecosystem
A long-tailed macaque with a plastic cup in Singapore. Almost everywhere there are people, there is also plastic. Photography: Amos Chua

What happens when plastic reaches the forests and what does it have to do with monkeys?

The Sun is now again approaching its 11-year "Schwab Cycle" maximum activity, here image taken by Solar Orbiter in October 2023. Credit: ESA & NASA/Solar Orbiter/EUI Team

A cosmic mystery solved? New evidence shows that the planets influence the Sun's magnetic cycles.

Researchers identify eddy currents in the Sun, called Rossby waves, as mediating the tidal effects of Venus, Earth and Jupiter on the Sun's magnetic activity
Live near open spaces. Illustration: depositphotos.com

How much will we agree to compromise on real estate prices linked to agriculture? | Angle

Living near agricultural land was previously considered an undesirable situation, but it seems that this assumption is no longer necessarily true. A new Israeli study shines a spotlight on the changing preferences of Israelis with the help of market analysis
The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus illustration: depositphotos.com

The Asian tiger mosquito - are you to blame for West Nile fever in Israel?

Asian tiger mosquitoes are also responsible for West Nile fever but also for other serious diseases, and the proliferation of these mosquitoes and mosquitoes in general is closely related to the climate crisis
recognition. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Is consciousness continuous or composed of "eureka moments"?

A new research method proposes to analyze changes in behavior and leaps in learning to study consciousness, using sudden increases in learning - "eureka moments" - to identify conscious thought processes and study the mechanisms
Astronaut on Mars round trip will last more than three years A Hrefhttps Depositphotoscom Illustration Depositphotoscom A

Will expired drugs harm future missions to Mars?

"Those responsible for the health of spaceflight crews will have to find ways to extend the validity of drugs to complete a three-year mission to Mars, choose drugs with a longer shelf life or
Fires on the border between Israel and Lebanon. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The war on the hive: how do the fires affect the bee population in Israel?

Following the severe fires in the north, the beehives were also damaged - what might be the cost of the damage and is there anything that can be done to restore them?
The Gulf Stream - the hot parts in red and the cold in blue. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Will the climate crisis turn off the strong Gulf Stream?

New research from University College London reveals that the Gulf Stream was stronger during the last ice age due to stronger winds. Could future climate change weaken the current and affect the
Comet attack on young earth. Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Mysterious Travelers: Are We Drinking Water Brought by Dark Comets?

Could asteroids, which are remnants of comets, be one of the main sources of water on Earth?
Seeds from the Garden Bank collection. Photo - Hanita Zemach, Director of Agricultural Research - Volcani Institute

Seeds of hope: how will the plant species damaged in the fighting areas in the Negev and the north be restored?

The Israeli Garden Bank focuses on collecting seeds of as many plants as possible that grew in the Western Negev territories and waits for the day when they can return and plant them
The preplanetary disk around the young star HL Tauri. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), NSF

Target board or donut? Iron meteorites reveal the early form of our solar system

The formation of our solar system involved the accretion of gas and dust into a preplanetary disk, with meteorites providing important insights into its early composition.
The picture of the mathematician Remanjuan next to a complicated formula he developed Photo credit: Technion spokesmen

Have breakthroughs in mathematics been discovered through artificial intelligence?

The researchers of the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Technion developed an algorithm for discovering new formulas and new relationships between mathematical constants
This is how induction cookers work, including a cross-section showing their interior. The figure shows the following components: the ceramic glass surface, the induction coil below it, the power supply unit, a ferromagnetic pot on the stove. The arrows in the figure indicate the magnetic field created by the induction coil and heating the pot. The image was prepared using DALEE and is not used as a scientific image. The text that appears in it is also in the best DALEE tradition "about".

Induction cookers: the next generation in cooking?

Induction stoves do not heat up and yet heat the food. The secret lies in the magnetic field
A study of medieval warrior monks at the castle of Zorita de los Canes has revealed their lavish diet and violent death, including the unexpected discovery of a female warrior among them, expanding our understanding of gender roles in historical military orders. A skull found at the archaeological site of Zorita de los Canes. Credit: Crema Risk, URV

Were women also knights? Archaeologists have made an unexpected discovery in the burials of warrior monks from the Middle Ages

Of the 25 skeletons studied, 23 showed signs consistent with a violent death. By studying the proportions of the bones, she realized that among the warriors was a woman.
The Earth's core began to slow down around 2010, moving more slowly than the Earth's surface. Credit: USC

Is the Earth's core losing speed?

The researchers collected and analyzed seismic data recorded around the South Sandwich Islands from 121 repeated earthquakes that occurred between 1991 and 2023. They also used data from two Soviet nuclear tests between 1971 and 1974,
An astronaut exercises in space to keep fit and healthy. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Will astronauts' kidneys survive a round trip to Mars?

The results showed that both human and animal kidneys undergo "remodeling" by the conditions in space, with specific renal tubules responsible for calibrating calcium and salt balance showing signs of shrinkage after less than a month

Venus' evil twin or Earth's lost brother? The intriguing case of Gliese 12 b

The discovery of Gliese 12 b, a Venus-like planet just 40 light-years away, offers new opportunities to understand the conditions that support life in the universe. "Evil Twin" it gets a lot more
A researcher examines a killifish fish. The image was prepared using DALEE and is not a scientific image

Cracking the code for longevity? A breakthrough in understanding the relationship between sex and life expectancy

A study by Hebrew University researchers opens innovative avenues in understanding the influence of sex cells on life expectancy and sheds light on the central role of sex cells and fertility on longevity
Nano gold sheets. Illustration: depositphotos.com

What are the heat dimensions of nanometric gold?

Innovative research on thin gold layers has revealed new photoluminescence behavior while advancing our understanding of measuring temperature as well as chemical reactions at the nanometer level
Doomsday asteroid. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Can we discover doomsday asteroids in time?

Today there is only one system in the world focused on this activity - NASA's Goldstone Solar System Radar, part of the Deep Space Network (DSN). But an idea of ​​a new instrument from the National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Ozenfik weight loss shot. Illustrating the knowledge site using DALEE. The image should not be seen as a scientific image

What do the celebs know about weight loss shots that we should also know?

A researcher at the Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University investigates whether we will soon be able to eat what we want without guilt?
Social hierarchy in mice. The image was produced using DALEE and should not be considered a scientific image

The race to the top of the wild mouse

Research in field mice under conditions simulating a natural environment reveals the different strategies used by females and males in creating social hierarchies
Prof. Yaron Tykochinsky releases sea turtles. Photo courtesy of him

How can you tell if a green sea turtle will grow up to be male or female?

Researchers analyze the DNA and hormonal profile of the green turtles to understand their physiology, development and reproduction and ensure their survival
The Large Hadron Collider LHC is down for an upgrade. Photo: CERN

Why is the mass of the Higgs particle lighter than expected?

Researchers have built a model according to which the mass of the Higgs boson, which helps produce the mass of elementary particles, changed in the early universe, and is therefore much smaller than the standard model of particle physics describes
Children's theater. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Research on the stage

Theater researchers examined the reception of the Haifa International Festival for Children's Plays