Jul 9, 2012 1:39 PM

Observation Deck: Science vs. Politics Edition

Which is more important: The presidential election or the discovery of the Higgs boson? I suppose the answer depends on what we mean by "important," and individual temperament. In this week's Observation Deck, I try to figure out the answer, by way of some thinking about the differences between science journalism and political journalism as I've practiced them.

Image may contain Clothing Shirt Apparel Sleeve Human Person Long Sleeve and Man

Comments

Adam Rogers writes about science and miscellaneous geekery. Before coming to WIRED, Rogers was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT and a reporter for Newsweek. He is the author of The New York Times science bestseller Proof: The Science of Booze. ... Read More

Former Senior Correspondent

TopicsCurrent Affairs politics Underwire

Valar Atomics Says It’s the First Nuclear Startup to Achieve Criticality

A Trump administration pilot program aims for three nuclear startups to reach a key milestone by July 4, 2026. Valar Atomics says it’s the first to do so—but it had some help.

Climate Change Made Hurricane Melissa 4 Times More Likely, Study Suggests

Unusually warm ocean temperatures fueled one of the worst hurricanes on record. New research finds climate change increased the storm’s likelihood.

Teachers Get Death Threats After MAGA Claims Their Halloween Costumes Mocked Charlie Kirk

A Turning Point USA official inaccurately claimed a high school's math department wore Halloween costumes that mocked Charlie Kirk. Those teachers are now facing a flood of online attacks and death threats.

No, ICE (Probably) Didn’t Buy Guided Missile Warheads

A federal contracting database lists an ICE payment for $61,218 with the payment code for “guided missile warheads and explosive components.” But it appears ICE simply entered the wrong code.

Historians Don't Think a US Civil War Is Likely—but They're Still Nervous

“The fabric of what binds America together at this point is basically on its final thread,” one source tells WIRED.

Physicists Create a Thermometer for Measuring ‘Quantumness’

“Anomalous” heat flow, which at first appears to violate the second law of thermodynamics, gives physicists a way to detect quantum entanglement without destroying it.

Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign Figured Out How to Channel Fandom

Much of the content about Mamdani online hasn’t come from his campaign or the dozens of political influencers invited to cover it. It has also come from fans.

Hurricane Melissa Has Meteorologists Terrified

The storm, which is set to make landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, has stunned meteorologists with its intensity and the speed at which it built.

In Orbit You Have to Slow Down to Speed Up

Driving a spacecraft around a planet isn’t anything like driving on a planet. A physicist explains orbital navigation.

Unpicking How to Measure the Complexity of Knots

Two mathematicians have proved that a straightforward question—how hard is it to untie a knot?—has a complicated answer.

How Genes Have Harnessed Physics to Grow Living Things

The same pulling force that causes “tears” in a glass of wine also shapes embryos. It’s another example of how genes exploit mechanical forces for growth and development.

The Hidden Math of Ocean Waves

The math behind even the simplest ocean waves is notoriously uncooperative. A team of Italian mathematicians has made major advances toward understanding it.