Prompts like this sign in Coalinga, California, may get people to use less water – but paying them could be more effective.
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Figuring out what to do with the ‘Song of Songs’ has preoccupied people reading the Bible for centuries.
'Song of Songs' illustrated by Florence Kingsford/Southern Methodist University/Wikimedia Commons
Stochasticity is everywhere – and finding the order in disorder can unlock new ways to understand biology.
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Relentless coughing after a viral infection can be frustrating and worrisome, but in most cases, coughs resolve over time.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes sprained his right ankle in a playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 21, 2023.
AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann
Sprained ankles are a common injury to anyone who plays sports and usually not a serious concern. But with an NFL championship on the line, the specifics of an ankle injury and how to treat it matter.
Investors on Wall Street love share buybacks.
AP Photo/John Minchillo
With few regulations in place, gambling companies are going all-in to attract as many customers as possible – with younger, sports-obsessed and smartphone-savvy Americans particularly vulnerable.
Snow on cattle drive sculptures in Dallas after a winter storm, Feb. 3, 2022.
Emil Lippe/Getty Images
Texas wasn’t prepared to keep the lights on during Winter Storm Uri, and it won’t be ready for future cold weather unless it starts thinking about energy demand as well as supply.
How well did you follow the news?
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Test your reading with a weekly quiz drawn from some of our favorite stories. Questions this week on the State of the Union, earthquake in Turkey, Black History Month and New Zealand’s surprising new tax.
Fans celebrate at the William Hill Sports Book in Atlantic City, N.J.
Lisa Lake/Getty Images for William Hill US
Researchers who analyzed every sports bet placed online since 2018 found that young adults are the fastest-growing group of bettors, with more than 70% of them placing in-game bets.
Cows generate methane as they digest their food. It’s a potent greenhouse gas.
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New Zealand is considering a plan to tax methane from cows. But while cows and cars both emit greenhouse gases, they don’t have the same impact over time.
It’s now pay to play if you want access to Twitter’s data.
The Conversation US
Twitter has long allowed anyone to access its data about who tweeted what and when. This has been a boon to research, from public health to criminology. The new fees put that research at risk.
Rescuers work at a collapsed building in southeastern Turkey.
AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili
Twitter was blocked in Turkey for about 12 hours at the height of rescue and relief efforts in the aftermath of a massive earthquake, severely hampering a vital tool for disaster response.
In practice, adults don’t always value truth above all else.
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Kids need to learn when little lies are the right choice. But research suggests parents may not be clear in the messages they send about how they value the truth.
How well did you follow the news?
Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Test your reading with a weekly quiz drawn from some of our favorite stories. Questions this week on the State of the Union, earthquake in Turkey, Black History Month and New Zealand’s surprising new tax.
Two mourners embrace at a memorial for those killed in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting in 2018.
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert
Some Americans hoped the Parkland shooting in 2018 would herald a turning point for gun violence in schools. Shootings, and deaths, have continued – and gotten more frequent.
Some parents decided to continue home-schooling their kids even after public schools resumed in-person classes.
AP Photo/Sarah Blake Morgan
Federal, state and local efforts to help students recover learning they missed or lost during the pandemic are underway. But those projects don’t include the youngest students.
Since 2018, it has been legal in the U.S. to use a drug made from purified cannabis-derived cannabidiol – CBD – to treat certain childhood seizure disorders.
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A rash of pending lawsuits raises questions about the FDA’s approval of mifepristone two decades ago, whether the drug can be legally mailed and the constitutional right to interstate commerce.
President Joe Biden urges lawmakers to ban assault weapons “once and for all.”
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There is no federal recall law that could lead to another election for Santos’ seat. But Santos’ case presents ethics concerns that the House may review.
Beavers dramatically change a landscape by building dams that create ponds of still water.
Jerzy Strzelecki/Wikimedia Commons
Restoring entire ecosystems is a difficult and expensive process. Thankfully, certain species, called ecosystem engineers, can make restoration easier. Gaining social and political support is critical too.
The sky’s not always the limit.
AP Photo/Susan Walsh
Treasury Secretary Yellen said the US hit its $31 trillion debt ceiling on Jan. 19. Economists and markets are worried Congress won’t act in time, which could trigger a financial crisis.
Researchers have long known that sitting at your desk hour after hour is an unhealthy habit.
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Yoga’s surge in popularity in the past decade has spurred more research into its effects. The combination of physical movement and mindfulness provides a wide range of health benefits.
Calculating the cost of living in the country.
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The rising cost of living doesn’t hit all Americans equally. Yet the benchmark figure for charting the rising cost of living excludes people in rural areas.
Votes aplenty in 2023.
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