Science and society

The invisible hand of capitalism controls workers and turns them into slaves. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Taming the moral threat at the heart of capitalism

An article in The Conversation argues that the digital crisis and the climate crisis are a moral test: between a “moral threat” that normalizes harm and “moral muses” that prove that principles and profit can be combined.
The State of Israeli Science for 2025 Illustration: Avi Blizovsky via DALEE

State of Science in Israel 2025 Report: International Excellence Alongside Investment Erosion, Harm to Internationalization, and the Effects of the Regime Coup

The triennial report of the Israel Academy of Sciences describes research excellence alongside a decline in investment in basic research, damage to international relations, and the consequences of the war and legal reform on young faculty, collaborations, and research output.
Demographics of the State of Israel. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Serious report by the Taub Institute: Israel will be at a demographic crossroads in 2025

For the first time in the country's history, the population growth rate has fallen below one percent (0.9%). Fertility rates are declining in all sectors despite the increase in life expectancy. A jump of approximately 77% in the annual number of deaths is expected by 2025.

Animal communication: "Howls" at the beginning of rock hare songs act as a warning component

A new methodological framework examines which vocal components attract attention; field experiments with rock squirrels have shown that wails at the beginning of a song increase response rates and are well preserved over medium distances.

Crowded conditions cloud toads' mate choice

An international study led by the University of Tennessee and in collaboration with Tel Aviv University finds that noise and selection pressure make it difficult for female toads to choose mates – a phenomenon that may slow the pace of evolution.
Science is a human enterprise. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Scientific objectivity is a myth – cultural values ​​and beliefs always influence science and the people who do it

New study claims: Science does not exist in a vacuum – culture, politics, and society shape the questions, research, and conclusions
Massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud. Of the stars examined, seventy percent (the red diamonds) appear to be accelerating and decelerating. This suggests the existence of a companion. Credit: ESO/Sana et al.

Researchers discovered: Massive stars in metal-poor galaxies are also born in pairs

An international team led by scientists from Belgium, the Netherlands and Tel Aviv University has found that over 70% of the massive stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud have partners – a finding that sheds new light on the first stars
A real danger to American academia and the economy as a result of the government's interference with the entry of foreign students. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The economic argument for foreign students is no longer convincing – and the damage to America is enormous

The American public has ceased to be impressed by the economic contribution of international students, while Trump's policies harm higher education institutions and endanger tens of billions in the American economy.
European Union President Ursula von der Leyen at the announcement of the super grants program aimed at attracting American researchers, Paris, May 5, 2025

The European Union is considering blocking innovation grants for Israeli startups

Following the situation in Gaza: European Commission proposes to deny Israel access to acceleration grants in the Horizon Europe program
Memorial plaque for the astronauts of the Space Shuttle Columbia, 2003. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Cutting a quarter of NASA's budget could lead to another disaster like Columbia

NASA prepares to cancel major science missions; scientists warn of brain drain and huge loss of investment * Nearly 300 NASA scientists signed the "Voyager Declaration": Budget cuts could lead to another disaster like Columbia
Lawrence Kraus, in 2013. Photo from Wikimedia

Lawrence Kraus warns: Trump's science cuts will destroy America's future

Theoretical physicist speaks out against the Trump administration's dramatic budget cuts to scientific research and warns of irreversible damage to the US's status as a world leader in science
US President Donald Trump as a judge in the Apes trial (Scopes trial), as he continues to oppose science as represented by Harvard University. Illustration by Avi Blizovsky via ideogram.ai

A century after the Apes trial: America is once again persecuting science

In 1925, a teacher who taught evolution was put on trial in an event known as the “Monkey Trial”; in 2025, the Trump administration is once again harassing universities, firing scientists, and bringing religion back into public schools. History repeats itself – in a bigoted version
Transferring medical information via chatbot. Illustration:

Researchers call for adopting a collaborative model in scientific communication that combines values, open discourse, and recognition of uncertainty

Researchers call for adopting a collaborative model in scientific communication that combines values, open discourse, and recognition of uncertainty
The entrance to the National Science Foundation building. Employees received a sudden evacuation order. Illustration: depositphotos.com

US science agencies under attack: grants are being cut, journal subscriptions are being canceled, and NSF headquarters is being closed

Science magazine reports on a series of decisions by the Trump administration that are harming American science – favoring artificial intelligence and quantum computing, excluding life sciences, and cutting support for groundbreaking research are sparking a wave of protest in the community.
Filtering human noise from signals coming from other worlds. Photo: Green Bank Observatory

Filtering radio pollution from Earth in search of extraterrestrial signals

Researchers used machine learning to distinguish between signals from space and signals originating from human activity
A visual representation of the team's findings. By comparing word usage and sentence patterns, the AI-based statistical model identified three distinct writing styles—or writing traditions—shown here in yellow, blue, and green. Credit: Faigenbaum-Golovin et al.

Artificial intelligence reveals hidden language patterns and possible authors of the Bible

Researchers from universities in Israel and around the world used AI-based statistical models to identify three distinct writing styles in the first nine books of the Bible – and assign controversial chapter authors to these groups.
Trump's executive orders are designed to crush democracy. Illustration by Avi Blizovsky via ideogram.AI

“A 250-year-old existential crisis in democracy is now unfolding before our eyes”

A former dean at Temple University in Philadelphia warns that Trump's decisions threaten the foundations of American democracy, after he signed 142 executive orders in his first XNUMX days in office that violated civil rights.
Propaganda, communication, zombies. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Is understanding propaganda an essential skill in a modern democracy?

In a new book, Professor Nathan Crick argues that the language of propaganda must be studied – not to fear it, but to know how to use it for the benefit of society.
Vaccine hesitancy, now under government guise. Illustration: depositphotos.com

Political crises threaten the future of mRNA drugs

Federal and state policies in the US create uncertainty among biotech companies and hinder the development of personalized mRNA vaccines
Massive destruction in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. Image prepared using ideogram.ai

Trump's first 100 days of total environmental destruction and damage to generations

From announcements of green technologies to the repeal of regulations and the firing of scientists – moves that undermine the foundations of environmental and public health protection. Inside Climate News investigation
Sharp cuts in funding for scientific research, especially in NIH and NSF budgets. Image prepared using DALEE

Researchers under threat: Trump administration's NIH budget cuts disrupt critical research worldwide

From the University of Michigan to South Africa: Researchers Describe How Trump Administration Budget Cuts Are Disrupting Research Programs
Although the US Constitution explicitly prohibits presidential candidacy beyond two terms, polls show that Donald Trump's supporters are willing to vote for him again in 2028. Illustration Ideogram.ai

Who is in favor of eliminating democracy?

How economic and security promises distract supporters from giving up civil rights and strengthening anti-democratic leaders, and why populist rulers claim they have come to save democracy
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