scientific method

Public health researchers are promoting the idea of 'slow epidemiology', arguing that better science means asking clearer questions, using more rigorous study designs, reporting methods transparently, and running thorough sensitivity analyses. Proponents frame it as embracing the cutting edge of research practice rather than repeating past habits, at a time when fast, AI-assisted health research is raising concerns about quality.

A new review in Nature examines progress in using amidases and urethanases as biocatalysts to depolymerize synthetic polymers. The work surveys how these enzymes can break down plastic-like materials, an emerging approach in biological recycling that could complement chemical methods. Researchers see enzyme-driven depolymerization as a promising route to recovering monomers from plastic waste.

A Nature retrospective revisits the 1966 Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded to Alfred Kastler for the discovery and development of optical methods for studying atomic spectra, work known as optical pumping. The piece highlights how the achievement rested on collaboration across laboratories and laid foundations for later developments in atomic physics and laser science.

Scientists report the discovery of a so-called third state of being that sits between life and death, challenging the traditional binary view of biological existence. The finding is drawing attention for its potential implications for biology, medicine, and how scientists define when life ends. Details of the research and its methods remain limited in early coverage.

A New York Times report examines how Christa Pike, the woman on death row in Tennessee, survived two administrations of the lethal injection drug pentobarbital during her execution process. The article explores the medical and scientific questions raised by the failed injections, reigniting debate over the reliability and humanity of lethal injection as a method of execution in the United States.