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The characteristic hammer-shaped head is just becoming visible in this image of an embryonic bonnethead shark. Scale bar = 1 cm. Steven Byrum and Gareth Fraser, Department of Biology, University of Florida

Rare access to hammerhead shark embryos reveals secrets of its unique head development

Because hammerhead sharks give birth to live young, studying their embryonic development is much more complicated than harvesting some eggs and watching them develop in real time.
One of the earliest depictions of flying witches is in a 15th-century text entitled “Le champion des dames,” or “The Defender of Ladies.” Martin Le Franc/W. Schild. Die Maleficia der Hexenleut' via Wikimedia Commons

Can witches fly? A historian unpacks the medieval invention − and skepticism − of the witch on a broomstick

The iconic image of a witch on a broomstick has apocryphal origins. But whether they could actually fly didn’t stop Christian society from persecuting them.
Thinking about issues’ impact on their own lives can help people envision more common ground. wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Making it personal: Considering an issue’s relevance to your own life could help reduce political polarization

Changing the ‘psychological distance’ someone feels toward an issue can shift their attitudes in ways that might help people on opposite sides of an issue see more eye to eye.
America’s biggest book publishers originally viewed LGBTQ+ romance as a niche market. Klaus Vedfelt/DigitalVision via Getty Images

What’s behind the astonishing rise in LGBTQ+ romance literature?

It’s tempting to see this trend as a sign of the times. But the biggest book publishers started changing their approach only once they realized they were leaving money on the table.
Letting AI do the dirty work of programming frees students to work on problem-solving. Issarawat Tattong/Moment via Getty Images

AI helps students skip right to the good stuff in this intro programming course

Learning to program requires mastering the nitty-gritty of code syntax. Generative AI turns out to be good at that. Adding AI to intro programming courses frees students to focus on problem-solving.
Students reported some curious mental effects when using AI to generate ideas. SeventyFour via Getty Images

AI can help − and hurt − student creativity

A study in which students brainstormed all the uses of a paper clip shows that AI can both enhance and harm the creative process.

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