Scienceline

PFAS was found in tap water samples from over 700 different sites around the country from 2021 to 2026, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. [Image Credit: Swanky Fella | Unsplash] Alarming its own experts, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering blocking several states’ efforts to crack down on toxic PFAS. These so-called “forever chemicals” leach into waterways from consumer products and factory smokestacks, sources inside the EPA say.

Warning: This content discusses suicide, which may be distressing. Chatbots created for mental health support are falling short when responding to a user’s suicidal behaviour, a study suggests. The research, published in August, examined how 29 publicly available chatbots — 24 intended for mental health care — reacted to suicidal messaging. Five general-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) models, including ChatGPT and Gemini, were also tested.

On the 83rd anniversary of the first use of LSD, close to 100 people marched through the streets of Manhattan to advocate for better access to the psychedelic substances they say improve lives. “I’m excited to be part of this psychedelic renaissance of people realizing the benefits of these medicines,” said Dina Bino, one of the demonstrators.

(Scienceline intro music) Sarah Hofmann: Hello! And welcome back to Scienceline. I’m Sarah Hofmann, the digital editor, and for this episode, Isabel Gil is going to tell us about lanternflies, the popular campaign to stomp out the invasive species, and the more nuanced perspective that some experts are now adopting.

Current generative AI systems are powerful, but they lack the flexible, human-like reasoning that defines AGI. [Credit: Pixel-Shot | AdobeStock] It’s only a matter of time, some of the smartest people in AI tell us. In as little as a year or two, artificial intelligence programs may outperform humans in a wide array of important tasks, Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei recently declared.

The EPA is ending the cost-benefit analysis of pollution reduction on human health from industrial sources like this power plant in Euharlee, Georgia. [Image Credit: Kelly at Pexels] You’ve got to look at page 216 of the Trump Administration’s latest revisions to the federal Clean Air Act to understand why advocates are so disturbed.

The American flamingo has long been associated with Florida, but the state could soon make it its official avian ambassador. [Credit: Gislane Dijkstra | Unsplash] The American flamingo came close to unseating the comparatively drab northern mockingbird after the Florida house voted in February to make it the state bird.

The meet-up, organized by Amateur Astronomers Association (AAA) and West Harlem Art Fund, aimed to pull the stars and people closer to each other. [Credit: Nhung Nguyen] On one of the coldest nights in March, dozens of people gathered in the middle of the baseball field in Morningside Park in Upper Manhattan. They stood, stooped and squinted into telescopes of different sizes.

Stoats are increasingly threatened by climate change due to camouflage mismatch. [Credit: Giles Laurent | Creative Commons] This year, as athletes stood proudly on the podium to receive their Olympic medals, they were handed something else as well: an adorable plush stoat. Tina and Milo, the beloved sibling mascots of Milano Cortina, quickly became viral sensations, gaining popularity for their charm and cuteness.

[VILNIUS, LITHUANIA] – As Earth Day celebrations kick off across the country, Lithuania’s Environment Minister said his ministry is forging a new partnership with their military to support Ukraine and use peatlands as a natural line of defense. “The military and environment should be friends,” Minister Kastytis Žuromskas said.