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
What does friction have to do with fire, pyramids, and modern machines? A review of Friction: A Biography reveals how this basic force shaped human progress.
Book Review: With Friction, Resistance Is Utile
In "Friction," tribologist Jennifer Vail shows how the fundamental force that resists motion keeps driving us forward.
f.mtr.cool
February 11, 2026 at 5:02 PM
What does friction have to do with fire, pyramids, and modern machines? A review of Friction: A Biography reveals how this basic force shaped human progress.
A researcher with financial stakes in BPC-157's success published 150+ papers on it. Wellness entrepreneurs selling it for $375/month. How do you trust the science when everyone profits from the hype? Published with @statnews.com
How a Croatian Lab Spawned a Buzzy Peptide Now Popular With MAHA
The gray market is awash with BPC-157, a drug hyped as a cure-all, but unapproved by the FDA. Will RFK Jr. change that?
f.mtr.cool
February 11, 2026 at 2:02 PM
A researcher with financial stakes in BPC-157's success published 150+ papers on it. Wellness entrepreneurs selling it for $375/month. How do you trust the science when everyone profits from the hype? Published with @statnews.com
Surrogacy debates are heating up: European Parliament condemnation, restrictions in Spain, criminalization in Italy, and a UN push for a ban. What does science actually say?
The Science of Surrogacy, Thrust Into a Global Spotlight
A UN report called for a ban on surrogacy. But what does the research actually say about the practice?
f.mtr.cool
February 10, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Surrogacy debates are heating up: European Parliament condemnation, restrictions in Spain, criminalization in Italy, and a UN push for a ban. What does science actually say?
Studying how violent pornography affects young people is difficult because researchers must balance real-world relevance with strict ethical limits that prevent harmful exposure.
Interview: How Does Violent Pornography Affect Young People?
Online pornography is proliferating but is difficult to research, according to psychologist Melissa de Roos.
f.mtr.cool
February 10, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Studying how violent pornography affects young people is difficult because researchers must balance real-world relevance with strict ethical limits that prevent harmful exposure.
Experts say removing lives saved from EPA economic analysis could undermine efforts to protect air quality, especially in already polluted communities. Originally published by @vox.com
For EPA Pollution Rules, the Value of Human Health Is Changing
The agency plans to analyze the cost-benefit of PM2.5 and ozone regulation without using a dollar value for lives saved.
f.mtr.cool
February 10, 2026 at 2:04 PM
Experts say removing lives saved from EPA economic analysis could undermine efforts to protect air quality, especially in already polluted communities. Originally published by @vox.com
In an op-ed, Moshe Alamaro argues universities should be eligible for whistleblower-style rewards when research exposes major fraud, and statute changes could make it happen.
Scientists Could Help Reveal Fraud — and Get Paid For It
Opinion | Whistleblower statutes should be changed to incentivize university research groups to investigate potential fraud.
f.mtr.cool
February 9, 2026 at 9:03 PM
In an op-ed, Moshe Alamaro argues universities should be eligible for whistleblower-style rewards when research exposes major fraud, and statute changes could make it happen.
Beyond efficiency and technology, sufficiency frames climate action as a debate about fairness, democracy, and limits on consumption.
Who Gets to Decide How Much Is ‘Enough’ to Live a Good Life?
Opinion | The concept of setting sustainable limits on consumption faces a political challenge as it begins to influence policy.
f.mtr.cool
February 9, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Beyond efficiency and technology, sufficiency frames climate action as a debate about fairness, democracy, and limits on consumption.
Developers say “AI scientists” could speed discovery and handle routine tasks, but critics warn they could flood research with shallow findings and devalue human expertise.
What the Rise of AI Scientists May Mean for Human Research
Tech companies have touted scientific findings from AI systems. But can they truly produce bona fide advancements?
f.mtr.cool
February 9, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Developers say “AI scientists” could speed discovery and handle routine tasks, but critics warn they could flood research with shallow findings and devalue human expertise.
Before being named the new director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Kyle Walsh was largely unknown within environmental health circles, surprising some researchers in the field.
The Unlikely New Director of U.S. Environmental Health Research
Kyle Walsh’s appointment to head the NIEHS, a $914-million public agency, is unprecedented. What is on his agenda?
f.mtr.cool
February 9, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Before being named the new director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Kyle Walsh was largely unknown within environmental health circles, surprising some researchers in the field.
Oysters can clean water, so why didn’t a Maryland nutrient-credit market take off? Few trades, weak demand, and most credits left unsold. What stalled the program, and what would fix it?
An Effort to Ease Water Pollution With Oysters Fizzled. Why?
A Maryland program that lets oyster farmers capitalize off the environmental benefits of the bivalves had few takers.
f.mtr.cool
February 6, 2026 at 6:32 PM
Oysters can clean water, so why didn’t a Maryland nutrient-credit market take off? Few trades, weak demand, and most credits left unsold. What stalled the program, and what would fix it?
The Problem with Plastic traces how plastic pollution has moved from oceans and land into air, food, and human bodies, while production keeps rising and recycling captures only a fraction of waste.
Book Review: Confronting the Bane of Plastic Pollution
"The Problem With Plastic" is both a call to arms and a thorough look at the far-reaching effects of plastic production.
f.mtr.cool
February 6, 2026 at 5:02 PM
The Problem with Plastic traces how plastic pollution has moved from oceans and land into air, food, and human bodies, while production keeps rising and recycling captures only a fraction of waste.
Health experts say elimination status reflects strong vaccination coverage and disease control, both now under strain. Originally published by @kffhealthnews.org
As U.S. Hits 1 Year of Measles Spread, Elimination Status at Risk
The CDC's principal deputy director said the situation is "just the cost of doing business," citing personal freedom.
f.mtr.cool
February 6, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Health experts say elimination status reflects strong vaccination coverage and disease control, both now under strain. Originally published by @kffhealthnews.org
Melissa de Roos explains how exposure to violent sexual content can shape expectations about relationships and consent long before young people have their own experiences to compare it to.
Interview: How Does Violent Pornography Affect Young People?
Online pornography is proliferating but is difficult to research, according to psychologist Melissa de Roos.
f.mtr.cool
February 5, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Melissa de Roos explains how exposure to violent sexual content can shape expectations about relationships and consent long before young people have their own experiences to compare it to.
A UN report urged a global ban on surrogacy, but the research is limited and often country-specific. Qualitative studies can be reassuring; newer quantitative analyses flag possible physical risks. More data is needed.
The Science of Surrogacy, Thrust Into a Global Spotlight
A UN report called for a ban on surrogacy. But what does the research actually say about the practice?
f.mtr.cool
February 5, 2026 at 6:03 PM
A UN report urged a global ban on surrogacy, but the research is limited and often country-specific. Qualitative studies can be reassuring; newer quantitative analyses flag possible physical risks. More data is needed.
Without counting the economic value of health gains, new EPA rules could underestimate the public health benefits of cleaner air. Originally published by @vox.com
For EPA Pollution Rules, the Value of Human Health Is Changing
The agency plans to analyze the cost-benefit of PM2.5 and ozone regulation without using a dollar value for lives saved.
f.mtr.cool
February 5, 2026 at 5:25 PM
Without counting the economic value of health gains, new EPA rules could underestimate the public health benefits of cleaner air. Originally published by @vox.com
Sufficiency pushes climate policy into political territory, raising questions about who decides what counts as necessity versus excess.
Who Gets to Decide How Much Is ‘Enough’ to Live a Good Life?
Opinion | The concept of setting sustainable limits on consumption faces a political challenge as it begins to influence policy.
f.mtr.cool
February 5, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Sufficiency pushes climate policy into political territory, raising questions about who decides what counts as necessity versus excess.
An aging population and a shrinking eldercare workforce are colliding, shifting more responsibility onto families and exposing gaps in how eldercare is supported in the United States.
The Ever-Shrinking Eldercare Workforce
Opinion | Without help, the supply of dementia care workers in the U.S. won’t be able to keep up with an aging population.
f.mtr.cool
February 4, 2026 at 7:02 PM
An aging population and a shrinking eldercare workforce are colliding, shifting more responsibility onto families and exposing gaps in how eldercare is supported in the United States.
Kyle Walsh is the new director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, now overseeing nearly $1 billion in federal research on how environmental exposures affect human health.
The Unlikely New Director of U.S. Environmental Health Research
Kyle Walsh’s appointment to head the NIEHS, a $914-million public agency, is unprecedented. What is on his agenda?
f.mtr.cool
February 4, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Kyle Walsh is the new director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program, now overseeing nearly $1 billion in federal research on how environmental exposures affect human health.
Scientists say new reporting requirements for interactions with foreign colleagues could discourage the open exchange of research that underpins crop science and food security. Originally published by @propublica.org
USDA Researchers Instructed to Investigate Foreign Colleagues
A Trump administration policy asks agency scientists to Google their co-authors and report foreign collaborations.
f.mtr.cool
February 4, 2026 at 4:29 PM
Scientists say new reporting requirements for interactions with foreign colleagues could discourage the open exchange of research that underpins crop science and food security. Originally published by @propublica.org
In a double-blind review, AI-authored papers passed peer review alongside human work, raising questions about quality, trust, and scientific norms.
What the Rise of AI Scientists May Mean for Human Research
Tech companies have touted scientific findings from AI systems. But can they truly produce bona fide advancements?
f.mtr.cool
February 4, 2026 at 2:02 PM
In a double-blind review, AI-authored papers passed peer review alongside human work, raising questions about quality, trust, and scientific norms.
In Friction: A Biography, Jennifer R. Vail explains how mastering resistance helped humans cook, build, and innovate. The review highlights how this overlooked force underpins everyday life.
Book Review: With Friction, Resistance Is Utile
In "Friction," tribologist Jennifer Vail shows how the fundamental force that resists motion keeps driving us forward.
f.mtr.cool
February 3, 2026 at 7:02 PM
In Friction: A Biography, Jennifer R. Vail explains how mastering resistance helped humans cook, build, and innovate. The review highlights how this overlooked force underpins everyday life.
Nearly all BPC-157 research comes from one Croatian lab. Human data is almost nonexistent. One doctor says that it "should not be used by humans." The hype-to-evidence ratio is wild. Published with @statnews.com
How a Croatian Lab Spawned a Buzzy Peptide Now Popular With MAHA
The gray market is awash with BPC-157, a drug hyped as a cure-all, but unapproved by the FDA. Will RFK Jr. change that?
f.mtr.cool
February 3, 2026 at 5:30 PM
Nearly all BPC-157 research comes from one Croatian lab. Human data is almost nonexistent. One doctor says that it "should not be used by humans." The hype-to-evidence ratio is wild. Published with @statnews.com
Sources say traditional scientific search committees for NIH leadership posts have sometimes been sidelined in recent hiring decisions.
At NIH, a Power Struggle Over Institute Directorships Deepens
The biomedical research giant is largely run by 27 institute and center directors. Will those roles become politicized?
f.mtr.cool
February 3, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Sources say traditional scientific search committees for NIH leadership posts have sometimes been sidelined in recent hiring decisions.
Greenland has rare earth minerals and oil reserves. Extraction is difficult. The bigger threat? The ice sheet melting from climate change. Originally published by @insideclimatenews.org
What Would a Trump Takeover Mean for Greenland's Resources?
The Danish territory holds significant stores of oil, gas, and minerals. The vast majority is still in the ground.
f.mtr.cool
February 3, 2026 at 2:02 PM
Greenland has rare earth minerals and oil reserves. Extraction is difficult. The bigger threat? The ice sheet melting from climate change. Originally published by @insideclimatenews.org
As economic collapse deepens, environmental pressures including drought and resource depletion are adding to frustrations that have driven Iranians into sustained protest. Originally published by @insideclimatenews.org
Deepening Environmental Crises Are Fueling Protests in Iran
Iran has experienced decades of water depletion, dam building, and repression of scientists by a brutal regime.
f.mtr.cool
February 2, 2026 at 7:02 PM
As economic collapse deepens, environmental pressures including drought and resource depletion are adding to frustrations that have driven Iranians into sustained protest. Originally published by @insideclimatenews.org