Nautilus Magazine

01/03/2026

"People call large language models ‘stochastic parrots.’ I think it’s insulting to parrots.”

What Is Intelligence? At a church in Italy, we sought to shed an old definition for one that could save us.

01/03/2026

One of the ongoing challenges in understanding the workings of the human brain is being able to visualize its activity in real time. Our brains are collections of nerve cells, or neurons, that receive, transform, and send signals to other cells to create thoughts, decisions, and memories.

To date, researchers have illuminated the outgoing signals from nerve cells using techniques like electrophysiology but have found the incoming signals too fast and faint to capture.

Now, described in a recent paper published in Nature Methods, neuroscientists have devised a way to detect incoming chemical signals.

Full story at link in comments.

01/03/2026

One of the ongoing challenges in understanding the workings of the human brain is being able to visualize its activity in real time. Our brains are collections of nerve cells, or neurons, that receive, transform, and send signals to other cells to create thoughts, decisions, and memories.

To date, researchers have illuminated the outgoing signals from nerve cells using techniques like electrophysiology but have found the incoming signals too fast and faint to capture.

Now, described in a recent paper published in Nature Methods, neuroscientists have devised a way to detect incoming chemical signals.

The Science Behind Better Visualizing Brain Function: Fluorescent trackers are helping scientists study the mind in real-time

01/03/2026

In 1932, highly accomplished but troubled physicist Wolfgang Pauli entered therapy with psychologist Carl Jung—a relationship that would later develop into one of the strangest intellectual exchanges in modern science.

Full story at link in comments.

01/03/2026

Issue 35 cover art, 2020, illustrated by ⁠
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The issue's themes include: Forerunners and Evolving. ⁠
With contributions from:⁠
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-physics professor Paul Halpern⁠
-award-winning journalist Rachel Nuwer⁠
-theoretical physicist Julian Barbour⁠
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Link in comments.

01/03/2026

The limbs of Sahelanthropus tchadensis may settle a decades-long evolutionary debate.

01/03/2026

The limbs of Sahelanthropus tchadensis may settle a decades-long evolutionary debate.

This Walking Ape Might Be the Earliest Human Ancestor: The limbs of Sahelanthropus tchadensis may settle a decades-long evolutionary debate

01/02/2026

Tonight, people in the Northern Hemisphere may glimpse one of the year’s most dazzling meteor showers: the Quadrantids.⁠
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This cosmic spectacle peaks annually in early January and is especially tricky to catch. While many meteor showers peak over two days, the Quadrantids are typically visible for only a few hours.⁠
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Meteor showers occur when sand-sized bits of debris from comets or asteroids slam into Earth’s atmosphere. These particles heat up and vaporize on impact, producing bright streaks of light. Their glow can appear blue or yellow depending on chemical makeup and speed. The Quadrantids are thought to originate from the asteroid 2003 EH1.⁠
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The peak is so brief because Earth passes through a narrow stream of particles at a perpendicular angle. Viewing will be further complicated by a supermoon, which appears brighter and larger than usual, washing out fainter streaks. “The biggest enemy of enjoying a meteor shower is the full moon,” said Mike Shanahan of the Liberty Science Center.⁠
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Under ideal conditions, observers may still see up to about 10 meteors per hour, including the Quadrantids’ signature long-lasting fireballs.⁠
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The shower is named after Quadrans Muralis, a former constellation identified in 1795 and named for the quadrant, an early astronomical mapping tool.⁠
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For the best view, NASA recommends finding a dark location away from light pollution, lying flat with your feet pointed northeast, and giving your eyes about 20 minutes to adjust to the dark.⁠
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For location-specific tips on your best shot at seeing the Quadrantids, check out timeanddate dot com.⁠
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Image credit: An astronomical chart from 1825 that includes the Greek mythological figure Bootes the Ploughman and Quadrans Muralis. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

01/02/2026

Tonight, people in the northern hemisphere may glimpse one of the year’s most dazzling meteor showers: the Quadrantids.

This cosmic spectacle peaks annually in early January, and it’s particularly tricky to get a good look at it compared with other meteor showers. Many peak over two days, but Quadrantids are usually visible for just a few hours.

Get the scoop at link in comments.

Image 2: An astronomical chart from 1825 that includes the Greek mythological figure Bootes the Ploughman and Quadrans Muralis. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

01/02/2026

Tonight, people in the northern hemisphere may glimpse one of the year’s most dazzling meteor showers: the Quadrantids.

This cosmic spectacle peaks annually in early January, and it’s particularly tricky to get a good look at it compared with other meteor showers. Many peak over two days, but Quadrantids are usually visible for just a few hours.

How to Glimpse the Prime Meteor Shower of 2026: The Quadrantids rank among the most spectacular sky shows of the year

01/02/2026

Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, author of last year's "I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine" made music lover Kevin Berger–Nautilus Editor at Large–rethink the practical value of music.

"...his book opened my eyes to the seemingly magical effects of music therapy."

When music is medicine.