false political stories spread virally social media

False stories can spread more widely online

Social media let people share political information without traditional news outlets’ filters, but they have no equivalent truth filters. Studies have found false stories spread more virally than true ones, a pattern that may erode trust in political institutions and officials.

A diving beetle can breathe from a bubble trapped against its body

Some aquatic beetles carry a pocket of air underwater. As they consume oxygen, dissolved oxygen from the surrounding water can diffuse into the bubble, while carbon dioxide moves out. The trapped air works partly like a physical gill, extending the time the beetle can remain submerged before returning to the surface.

The name “Middle Ages” reflects a Renaissance view

Renaissance humanists used the label for an era they saw as standing between classical antiquity and their own time. They viewed their scholarship as restoring a direct link to the ancient world, so the name reflects their view of the period, not just a neutral label.

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false political stories spread virally social media

False stories can spread more widely online

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