Undark Magazine
@undark.org
Non-profit & editorially independent. Exploring science as a frequently wondrous, sometimes contentious, and occasionally troubling byproduct of human culture.
undark.org
undark.org
The low-fat diet made Americans fatter. Now guidelines push saturated fat? Experts worry this shifts people toward red meat instead of fiber-rich, healthier options.
Why It Still Makes Sense to Limit Saturated Fats
The new U.S. dietary guidelines prioritize certain sources of saturated fats. The change concerns experts in nutrition.
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January 9, 2026 at 10:02 PM
The low-fat diet made Americans fatter. Now guidelines push saturated fat? Experts worry this shifts people toward red meat instead of fiber-rich, healthier options.
Abstinence-only sex ed didn't work. Zero-COVID harmed millions. Zero-AI ignores reality: billions use it. Instead demand: public expertise, accountability, regulation, democratic control. Not ideological purity.
Abstinence From AI Is Not the Answer
Opinion | Refusing to use AI won’t protect society. Responsible resistance must include gaining knowledge about it.
f.mtr.cool
January 9, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Abstinence-only sex ed didn't work. Zero-COVID harmed millions. Zero-AI ignores reality: billions use it. Instead demand: public expertise, accountability, regulation, democratic control. Not ideological purity.
Health care is a team. Doctors depend on physical therapists and social workers. These jobs need advanced degrees but get lower loan access. Restricting funding for essential workers hurts the entire system and patients.
Restricting Loans for Health Care Workers Should Outrage Us All
Opinion | A federal proposal would unfairly restrict the borrowing of students pursuing in-demand allied health professions.
f.mtr.cool
January 9, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Health care is a team. Doctors depend on physical therapists and social workers. These jobs need advanced degrees but get lower loan access. Restricting funding for essential workers hurts the entire system and patients.
Only 16 whooping cranes were left 80 years ago. Now there are 550+ in the wild. One of North America's greatest conservation wins. But development, bird flu, power lines, and drought are converging on their Texas wintering grounds.
Back from the Brink: The Whooping Crane’s Recovery on the Edge
Following the species' comeback, new pressures are converging on their wintering habitat along the Texas coast.
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January 9, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Only 16 whooping cranes were left 80 years ago. Now there are 550+ in the wild. One of North America's greatest conservation wins. But development, bird flu, power lines, and drought are converging on their Texas wintering grounds.
RFK Jr. says seed oils poison America. Trump's guidelines now recommend butter instead. But scientists say seed oils are safe, especially in salads. The backlash? Social media hype and cherry-picked 50-year-old studies.
As Guidelines Shift, a Curious Debate Over Seed Oils Persists
Despite contradicting studies, seed oils have been blamed for America's ills. Where did the backlash come from?
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January 8, 2026 at 8:03 PM
RFK Jr. says seed oils poison America. Trump's guidelines now recommend butter instead. But scientists say seed oils are safe, especially in salads. The backlash? Social media hype and cherry-picked 50-year-old studies.
A CDC-backed study compares hepatitis B outcomes by delaying vaccination for some babies in West Africa. Scientists question the design and potential risks. Is this necessary? Originally published by @notus.com
CDC to Fund Controversial Study on Infant Hepatitis B Vaccines
The study, to take place in West Africa, prompted outcry from scientists who say it’s design is unethical.
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January 8, 2026 at 7:02 PM
A CDC-backed study compares hepatitis B outcomes by delaying vaccination for some babies in West Africa. Scientists question the design and potential risks. Is this necessary? Originally published by @notus.com
Scientists discovered a possible link between EBV and lupus, a disease affecting mostly women. A vaccine could prevent it. But will we have political support to allow this research to move forward?
What Anti-Vaccine Policies Could Mean for Autoimmune Diseases
Opinion | A new study identifies a link between Epstein-Barr virus and lupus. Will politics block the search for a vaccine?
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January 8, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Scientists discovered a possible link between EBV and lupus, a disease affecting mostly women. A vaccine could prevent it. But will we have political support to allow this research to move forward?
The Ennedi Plateau's rock art is not decoration. It's a climate record written in pigment. It documents how societies adapted when their world transformed from grassland to desert. A lesson from 6,000 years ago about resilience and change.
In Chad's Prehistoric Wall Drawings, Lessons in Climate Upheaval
The Ennedi rock art of Chad should not be read as decoration alone, but as a visual narrative of environmental change.
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January 7, 2026 at 7:01 PM
The Ennedi Plateau's rock art is not decoration. It's a climate record written in pigment. It documents how societies adapted when their world transformed from grassland to desert. A lesson from 6,000 years ago about resilience and change.
Scientific journals are accepting junk papers because they make money per submission. Authors pay $2-3k per article. Publishers make 40 percent profit margins. Taxpayers fund the research. The NIH is finally cracking down on APC fees.
In Scientific Publishing, Who Should Foot the Bill?
Publishers often charge authors to publish their publicly-funded research. Will a federal crackdown make a difference?
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January 7, 2026 at 6:03 PM
Scientific journals are accepting junk papers because they make money per submission. Authors pay $2-3k per article. Publishers make 40 percent profit margins. Taxpayers fund the research. The NIH is finally cracking down on APC fees.
Interference with GPS is being reported worldwide, from civilian aviation to maritime traffic, and experts warn that increasing reliance on vulnerable satellite signals could eventually lead to serious and widespread consequences.
GPS Is Vulnerable. New Technology May Be Required.
The omnipresent system that people use for navigation and positioning is increasingly vulnerable. Can it be improved?
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January 7, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Interference with GPS is being reported worldwide, from civilian aviation to maritime traffic, and experts warn that increasing reliance on vulnerable satellite signals could eventually lead to serious and widespread consequences.
Satellite boom creating a silent crisis. We're using the stratosphere as an incinerator dump. Scientist: "We're doing something new to the atmosphere that hasn't been done before." Originally published by @yalee360.bsky.social
Amid a Satellite Boom, Scientists Warn of Emissions Risks
From rocket launch to reentry, satellites are adding CO2 and other pollutants to every layer of Earth's atmosphere.
f.mtr.cool
January 7, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Satellite boom creating a silent crisis. We're using the stratosphere as an incinerator dump. Scientist: "We're doing something new to the atmosphere that hasn't been done before." Originally published by @yalee360.bsky.social
Nuclear expertise that once produced weapons-grade material has been reframed at Oak Ridge to include medical isotope production and energy research, even as new private nuclear ventures are drawn to the region.
War, Wellness, and Watts: Inside Oak Ridge National Lab
It's the nation's largest multi-program science and technology laboratory. But nuclear science is its history — and its future.
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January 6, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Nuclear expertise that once produced weapons-grade material has been reframed at Oak Ridge to include medical isotope production and energy research, even as new private nuclear ventures are drawn to the region.
Medical examiners' group just warned against the lung float test used to determine if a baby was born alive or stillborn. It's been used to convict pregnant women of murder. Originally published by @propublica.org
Medical Examiners Group Issues Warning on Stillbirth Test
The lung float test has been used determine if a baby was born alive or not. Experts say it has "questionable value."
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January 6, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Medical examiners' group just warned against the lung float test used to determine if a baby was born alive or stillborn. It's been used to convict pregnant women of murder. Originally published by @propublica.org
Melanie Kaplan's dog Hammy was in a research lab. Now she investigates animal research ethics in "Lab Dog." Millions of dogs used. Billions spent annually. Few appreciable benefits found.
Excerpt: When the Ethics of Animal Research Hit Home
The owner of a rescued lab dog considers if insights gleaned through animal research are enough to justify the practice.
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January 6, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Melanie Kaplan's dog Hammy was in a research lab. Now she investigates animal research ethics in "Lab Dog." Millions of dogs used. Billions spent annually. Few appreciable benefits found.
AI industry claims water use is minimal, less than golf courses. But water isn't like carbon. It's geographically specific. A data center draining one region's aquifer might be fine elsewhere. Location matters. Originally published by @wired.com
How Much Water Do AI Data Centers Really Use?
How the AI industry uses water and how that impacts an increasingly parched world is more complicated than people think.
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January 6, 2026 at 2:02 PM
AI industry claims water use is minimal, less than golf courses. But water isn't like carbon. It's geographically specific. A data center draining one region's aquifer might be fine elsewhere. Location matters. Originally published by @wired.com
Denmark required dairy cows to eat Bovaer to cut methane emissions. Within weeks, cows developed diarrhea, fever, weakness. Some died. 434 farms reported problems. Yet 110 studies say it's safe. Scientists are baffled.
In Denmark, Sick Cows and a Lot of Questions
Farmers blame a food additive required by the Danish government to cut methane emissions, but the source is unclear.
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January 5, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Denmark required dairy cows to eat Bovaer to cut methane emissions. Within weeks, cows developed diarrhea, fever, weakness. Some died. 434 farms reported problems. Yet 110 studies say it's safe. Scientists are baffled.
In an interview, Jeffrey Morris says the vaccine safety monitoring system isn't broken and isn't beyond criticism. Neither extreme position is helpful. The truth requires careful interpretation of data, not panic or dismissal.
Interview: How the U.S. Government Monitors Vaccine Safety
Biostatistician Jeffrey Morris discusses his analysis of the vaccine monitoring system — and how it could be improved.
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January 5, 2026 at 5:02 PM
In an interview, Jeffrey Morris says the vaccine safety monitoring system isn't broken and isn't beyond criticism. Neither extreme position is helpful. The truth requires careful interpretation of data, not panic or dismissal.
NCAR forecasts hurricanes, predicts wildfires, and provides computing infrastructure for scientists worldwide. Now its future is in question as political tensions escalate. Originally published by @insideclimatenews.org
A Major Climate Research Center in Colorado Is Slated for Closure
A political feud and a drive to end climate research has put the National Center for Atmospheric Research at risk.
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January 5, 2026 at 2:02 PM
NCAR forecasts hurricanes, predicts wildfires, and provides computing infrastructure for scientists worldwide. Now its future is in question as political tensions escalate. Originally published by @insideclimatenews.org
When monsoons no longer reached the Sahara, humans reorganized. Rock art shows the transition: pastoral scenes intensifying, animals fading, camels appearing. UNESCO preserves this 15,000-square-mile archive of climate upheaval etched in stone.
In Chad's Prehistoric Wall Drawings, Lessons in Climate Upheaval
The Ennedi rock art of Chad should not be read as decoration alone, but as a visual narrative of environmental change.
f.mtr.cool
January 2, 2026 at 8:04 PM
When monsoons no longer reached the Sahara, humans reorganized. Rock art shows the transition: pastoral scenes intensifying, animals fading, camels appearing. UNESCO preserves this 15,000-square-mile archive of climate upheaval etched in stone.
American research funding is collapsing. Most Americans still support science. If scientists learn to speak to people's real needs instead of lecturing, they can rebuild support.
Trump Supporters Distrust Science. We Need New Ways to Engage.
Opinion | Funding cuts are devastating for U.S. science. Regaining support will require cleaning house and bipartisan messaging.
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January 2, 2026 at 7:02 PM
American research funding is collapsing. Most Americans still support science. If scientists learn to speak to people's real needs instead of lecturing, they can rebuild support.
100,000 satellites by 2040? Each produces 70 pounds of aluminum oxide nanoparticles on reentry. They stay aloft for decades and damage the ozone. Urgent research needed. Originally published by @yalee360.bsky.social
Amid a Satellite Boom, Scientists Warn of Emissions Risks
From rocket launch to reentry, satellites are adding CO2 and other pollutants to every layer of Earth's atmosphere.
f.mtr.cool
January 2, 2026 at 5:01 PM
100,000 satellites by 2040? Each produces 70 pounds of aluminum oxide nanoparticles on reentry. They stay aloft for decades and damage the ozone. Urgent research needed. Originally published by @yalee360.bsky.social
Hammy spent four years in a lab. Years later, Melanie Kaplan asks: If animal suffering leads to human benefit, where's the ethical line? Her new book, "Lab Dog" explores this dilemma through his eyes.
Excerpt: When the Ethics of Animal Research Hit Home
The owner of a rescued lab dog considers if insights gleaned through animal research are enough to justify the practice.
f.mtr.cool
January 2, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Hammy spent four years in a lab. Years later, Melanie Kaplan asks: If animal suffering leads to human benefit, where's the ethical line? Her new book, "Lab Dog" explores this dilemma through his eyes.
The federal panel ended universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns. Now only high-risk babies get it. Public health experts warn this will result in preventable infections. Originally published by @19thnews.org
CDC Advisory Panel Reverses Course on Newborn Hepatitis B Vaccine
Until Friday, the shot had been recommended for every infant shortly after birth since 1991. Parents should still have access.
f.mtr.cool
January 2, 2026 at 2:02 PM
The federal panel ended universal hepatitis B vaccination for newborns. Now only high-risk babies get it. Public health experts warn this will result in preventable infections. Originally published by @19thnews.org
RFK Jr. claims chemical exposure causes gender dysphoria, but no study directly links prenatal chemicals to it. Scientists say the data doesn’t support this, and framing it as a problem could harm trans people.
Can Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Affect Gender Identity?
Attempts to explore an association between chemical exposure and transgender identity are highly contentious.
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January 1, 2026 at 7:02 PM
RFK Jr. claims chemical exposure causes gender dysphoria, but no study directly links prenatal chemicals to it. Scientists say the data doesn’t support this, and framing it as a problem could harm trans people.
The U.S. faces a 64,000 nurse shortage by 2030. New rules restrict loans for nurses pursuing advanced degrees to teach. Limiting faculty loans makes the shortage worse. This policy harms patient care quality.
Restricting Loans for Health Care Workers Should Outrage Us All
Opinion | A federal proposal would unfairly restrict the borrowing of students pursuing in-demand allied health professions.
f.mtr.cool
January 1, 2026 at 5:02 PM
The U.S. faces a 64,000 nurse shortage by 2030. New rules restrict loans for nurses pursuing advanced degrees to teach. Limiting faculty loans makes the shortage worse. This policy harms patient care quality.