Greenland's last big meltdown holds warnings for the future

Rip currents are dangerous for swimmers but also ecologically important – here’s how scientists are working to understand these ‘rivers of the sea’

Emma Shie Nuss, University of Washington; Audrey Casper, University of Washington; Christine M. Baker, North Carolina State University; Melissa Moulton, University of Washington; Walter Torres, University of Washington

Rip currents are a leading cause of near-shore drownings, but there are effective ways to survive one. And these phenomena also play important ecological roles that are an emerging research area.

Is it really hotter now than any time in 100,000 years?

Darrell Kaufman, Northern Arizona University

Long before thermometers, nature left its own temperature records. A climate scientist explains how ongoing global warming compares with ancient temperatures.

Gliding, not searching: Here’s how to reset your view of ChatGPT to steer it to better results

James Intriligator, Tufts University

ChatGPT can be very useful – if you shift how you view it. The first step is to stop thinking of it as a chatty search engine.

How after-school clubs became a new battleground in the Satanic Temple’s push to preserve separation of church and state

Charles J. Russo, University of Dayton

The controversial – and often misunderstood – extracurricular groups tend to raise controversy. But under equal access laws, schools can’t discriminate against a club based on its point of view.

Bluey teaches children and parents alike about how play supports creativity – and other life lessons

Molly Scott, Temple University; Aria Gastón-Panthaki, Harvard University; Douglas Piper, Georgetown University

The seven-minute episodes show characters dealing with difficult emotions like fear and grief through play.

6 ways AI can make political campaigns more deceptive than ever

David E. Clementson, University of Georgia

Politicians and their campaigns use a lot of methods, including manipulation and deception, to persuade you to vote for them and give them money. AI promises to make those attempts more effective.

In Kyiv, signs of the ongoing war are evident – but daily life continues uninterrupted as well

Tatsiana Kulakevich, University of South Florida

A scholar of Eastern Europe spent time talking with Ukrainians in Kyiv during a recent trip and observed that people are scarred from the war – but still determined to fight back against Russia.

WHO expert cancer group states that the sweetener aspartame is a possible carcinogen, but evidence is limited – 6 questions answered

Paul D. Terry, University of Tennessee; Jiangang Chen, University of Tennessee; Ling Zhao, University of Tennessee

An expert panel found a potential association with liver cancer, but too little research exists to assume a causal connection. For now, the WHO left current consumption guidelines unchanged.

Explainer: why was the winner of Thailand’s election blocked from becoming prime minister?

Adam Simpson, University of South Australia

Pita Limjaroenrat is clearly the people’s choice for prime minister. And under a more democratic system, he would already be sitting in the prime minister’s office.

As heat records fall, how hot is too hot for the human body?

Exercise may or may not help you lose weight and keep it off – here’s the evidence for both sides of the debate

First contact with aliens could end in colonization and genocide if we don’t learn from history

Here’s a question from this week’s edition:

Former President Donald Trump is back in the hot seat. He announced on July 18 that he expects a grand jury to indict him for what?

1. A .Inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol
2. B. Illegal campaign fundraising
3. C. Mail fraud
4. D. Shooting someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue
5.  

Test your knowledge