The maximum speed limit of sound

Plus: Vaccine efficacy explained; a half-male, half-female bird; megalodon shark cannibalism and more

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10/11/2020 Dear Science News readers, Technological advances in neuroscience have raised ethical questions around the potential applications. We have started a project to delve into some of these ethical issues. We'd love your feedback on these questions in the survey linked below. The results will be used to guide future stories on the topic.   Take our survey Thank you for your input and for supporting Science News. — The Science News staff What does COVID-19 vaccine efficacy mean? The initial goal for a vaccine against COVID-19 is to reduce cases of the disease by at least 50 percent in those vaccinated versus those not. Read More This rare bird is male on one side and female on the other Researchers at Powdermill Nature Reserve in Pittsburgh spotted a bird with pink male coloring on half of its body and yellow female hues on the other. Read More Sound’s ultimate speed limit is 36 kilometers per second — at least on Earth Physicists propose a new maximum rate that sound waves can travel under conditions normally found on Earth — 36 kilometers per second. Read More Easy interventions like revamping forms help people show up to court A new study shows that simple behavioral interventions called nudges can help people avoid a missed court appearance and resulting arrest warrant. Read More Large-scale changes in Earth’s climate may originate in the Pacific A new study suggests that the melting of Alaska’s glaciers into the North Pacific could have far-ranging effects on ocean circulation and the climate. Read More Science News is a nonprofit. We depend on our readers to support our journalism. You can help by subscribing for as little as $25. SUBSCRIBE NOW The asteroid Bennu’s brittle boulders may make grabbing a sample easier Scientists may be close to getting their hands on a never-before-seen kind of space rock. Read More Cannibalism in the womb may have helped megalodon sharks become giants The ancient sea terror Otodus megalodon may have grown to at least 14 meters long thanks to a firstborn pup’s predatory behavior, some researchers say.   Read More Bones from an Iron Age massacre paint a violent picture of prehistoric Europe Bones left unburied, and in one case still wearing jewelry, after a massacre add to evidence that prehistoric Europe was a violent place. Read More Your dog’s brain doesn’t care about your face Comparing brain scans of people and pups shows that faces hold no special meaning to the brains of dogs, a new study suggests. Read More The 2020 Nobel Prizes Gene-editing tool CRISPR wins the chemistry Nobel Black hole revelations win the 2020 Nobel Prize in physics Hepatitis C discoveries win 2020 medicine Nobel Prize Read More Privacy policy  |  Update Profile  | Manage Subscriptions  |   Unsubscribe This email was sent by: Society for Science & the Public 1719 N Street NW Washington, DC, 20036, US