Abstractions blog

Beneath our awareness, the brain lets certain kinds of stimuli automatically capture our attention by lowering the priority of the rest.

In some ways, machine vision is superior to human vision. In other ways, it may never catch up.

Origin-of-life researchers have usually studied the potential of pure starting materials, but messy mixtures of chemicals may kick-start life more effectively.

A new measurement appears to have eliminated an anomaly that had captivated physicists for nearly a decade.

While studying materials made from DNA-coated nanoparticles, researchers found a new form of this matter: lattices in which smaller particles roam like electrons in metallic bonds.

Researchers have confirmed rumors of a black hole collision that challenges our ideas about how black holes form.

Researchers agree it’s a long shot, but transmissible cancers could theoretically evolve into independent species. Certain weird parasites might be living proof.

How do black holes merge and make gravitational waves? Maybe with a little help from their friends.

Researchers found that elongating certain brain signals in rats improved their memory. The work revealed a new property to look out for in the hunt for “biomarkers” of learning.