-
Academic Freedom Is Central to Scientific Progress
APS calls on governments and governing bodies to protect and promote academic freedom around the world.
-
What Causes Déjà Vu?
It’s an eerie feeling: You walk into a place you know you’ve never been before but are overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity—a memory you can’t quite reach. Has this all happened before? Most people experience this sensation, known as déjà vu, at some point in their lives. It’s a hard feeling to study, though, because it tends to arise spontaneously and be shaken off easily, scientists say. Re-creating it on command in a laboratory is tricky business. Nevertheless, scientists think that déjà vu actually provides a peek into how the memory system works when it goes a little off-kilter.
-
What Made George Santos Lie So Much? Experts Weigh In on His Deception.
Everyone lies. But very few lie quite like George Santos. His lies are so breathtaking they shocked even the jaded denizens of Washington, who have a high tolerance for exaggeration and self-aggrandizement. Who makes up nearly everything — and then runs for public office? The lies that launched a thousand memes have become a staple for late-night comics and pundits. Can you believe this guy? ... But George Santos (a.k.a.
-
Disorder or Difference? Autism Researchers Face Off Over Field’s Terminology
A long-smoldering debate among scientists studying autism has erupted. At issue is language—for example, whether researchers should describe autism as a “disorder,” “disability,” or “difference,” and whether its associated features should be called “symptoms” or simply “traits.” In scientific papers and commentaries published in recent months, some have decried ableist language among their colleagues whereas others have defended traditional terminology—with both sides saying they have the best interests of autistic people in mind. The vitriol is harming the field and silencing researchers, some fear, but others see it as a long-overdue reckoning.
-
I Didn’t Think Birding Was for Me. Now It’s My Favorite Self-Care Hobby.
... That’s a big part of what I like so much about birding: It’s a way to pay attention. Practicing mindfulness and being present in the moment can be rather difficult, and doing it when you’re out in the world can be especially hard because there are so many distractions. But birding is a way of leaning into the distractions and making them the main event. Instead of fighting the urge to look up every time you hear a sound high in the trees—or, alternatively, tuning out the chirps entirely—following your curiosities is the whole point when you’re birding.
-
Collective Trauma and Stress Following Disasters: APS Journal Articles Publicly Available
APS has updated its publicly available collection of journal research pertaining to trauma and disasters. [updated February 14, 2023]
