SPR

Jan 31 2025POLITICS

Unmasking Political Spin on Social Media for Teens

Imagine scrolling through your social media feed and seeing a bunch of posts about politics. You might not know it, but some of those posts could be part of something called computational propaganda. Computational propaganda is when political actors use fancy tricks to influence what you see a

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Jan 30 2025HEALTH

Bird Flu on the Rise in Massachusetts: What You Need to Know

Bird flu, specifically the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 virus, is now considered widespread in Massachusetts. This means the virus is actively affecting both wild and domestic birds across many towns. The state has seen a noticeable increase in bird deaths suspected to be from the

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Jan 30 2025SPORTS

Mystery and Magic of the MLB Free Agent Market in 2024

So, baseball fans, spring training is knocking on the door, but there are still a bunch of big names out there waiting for their chance to sign a new deal, such as Alex Bregman and Pete Alonso. There's a lot to talk about in the MLB. Signing a new deal in late January, Roki Sasaki, a Japanese pitche

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Jan 29 2025SCIENCE

“Editing Mushroom Genes: A Game-Changer”

Have you ever thought about changing a mushroom’s DNA? That’s exactly what scientists did with the Ganoderma lucidum mushroom. They used a powerful tool called CRISPR/Cas9 to slice into the mushroom’s genetic code. They tried adding different-sized pieces of new DNA, from tiny to large. What they fo

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Jan 28 2025SCIENCE

California Duck Farm Struck by Rare Bird Flu

In Merced county, California, a duck farm has made headlines for being hit by a rare bird flu strain called H5N9. This isn't just any bird flu—it's one that's raising concerns among experts. Alongside this discovery, the more common H5N1 strain was also found on the same farm. To fight the outbreak,

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Jan 26 2025CRIME

A Grave Mistake: How Social Media Taunts Escalated into Murder

In the city of Oakland, a man named Jacobi Gaines found himself in the middle of a storm he helped create. It all started in November 2019 when Gaines, then 18, posted a video on Instagram. This video showed him doing something disrespectful – urinating on the gravestone of a teenager named Keith La

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Jan 24 2025SCIENCE

Speedy SPR: A Handy Tool for Drug Makers

Did you know that finding the perfect match between two things isn't always easy, especially when those things are tiny molecules and proteins? In the world of medicine, scientists are always looking for new ways to figure out how well these tiny partners stick together. One such method is called SP

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Jan 23 2025SCIENCE

Smart RNA Tracking: Simplifying Cell Studies

Researchers have developed an innovative way to track RNA in living cells using a special protein called dCas12a. This protein acts like a bridge, connecting two different RNA molecules that don't normally interact. The trick? It uses a controller to switch on a single fluorescent signal when one of

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Jan 23 2025HEALTH

Virus Overload: Four Bugs Making Us Sick

This winter, the United States is dealing with a unique challenge – a "quademic" of flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and norovirus. While the first three affect the respiratory system, norovirus causes nasty stomach issues. Experts are concerned because norovirus is particularly vic

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Jan 16 2025SPORTS

Young Rugby Players: How Fatigue Affects Sprint Speed and Muscle Power

Did you know that getting tired can really mess with how fast you can run and how strong your muscles are? That's what scientists found out when they studied young rugby players. They divided the boys into two groups: one group was around 12 years old, and the other was around 15 years old. The kids

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