Laura Baisas
Laura Baisas is a science news writer with a Master’s degree in science journalism from Columbia Journalism School. She has reported on various subjects including offshore wind farms, climate epidemiology, and space weather. Laura is also an experienced competitive swimmer and a former resident of the New Jersey shore. Her work has appeared in Popular Science, NBC News, Inside Climate News, and Hell Gate.
Biography:
https://www.popsci.com/authors/laura-baisas/
90%
The Daily's Verdict
This author has a mixed reputation for journalistic standards. It is advisable to fact-check, scrutinize for bias, and check for conflicts of interest before relying on the author's reporting.
Bias
95%
Examples:
- In the provided articles, there are no examples of bias.
Conflicts of Interest
100%
Examples:
- No conflicts of interest have been identified in the provided articles.
Contradictions
88%
Examples:
- Contradictions found in articles include: differences between Neanderthals and birds, the shrinking Great Red Spot on Jupiter, amputation practices among carpenter ants, and T-rex intelligence being more closely aligned with crocodiles.
- However, it should be noted that some of these contradictions may be due to natural changes or processes in the subjects being discussed.
Deceptions
75%
Examples:
- There are a few instances of deceptive practices mentioned in the articles, such as misconceptions about dinosaur intelligence and how brain tissue does not fossilize. However, these instances seem to be focused on correcting common misconceptions rather than intentionally deceiving readers.
Recent Articles
New Insights into Neanderthal Diet: Butchering Birds with Precision
Broke On: Wednesday, 24 July 2024New research reveals Neanderthals hunted and butchered birds using precision tools, leaving distinct marks on bones. Experiments with modern birds and ancient flint flakes show Neanderthals could access meat through roasting or butchering raw, providing insights into their diverse diets. 
The Shrinking Great Red Spot of Jupiter: New Study Suggests Smaller Storms Are Starving the Iconic Anticyclonic Storm
Broke On: Wednesday, 17 July 2024A team of researchers led by Caleb Keaveney from Yale University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Louisville discovered that smaller storms may be causing the Great Red Spot on Jupiter to shrink by blocking its access to essential nutrients. The findings suggest that these interactions could explain why the size of this iconic anticyclonic storm has significantly decreased from 40 degrees of longitude in the late 19th century to just 14 degrees today. The Great Red Spot, a high-pressure region with counterclockwise rotation and rosy ammonia cloud tops, is known for its mysterious origins and size larger than Earth. 
Carpenter Ants' Unique Healing Method: Amputation to Save Lives
Broke On: Tuesday, 02 July 2024In a Florida carpenter ant colony, injured ants undergo amputation by nest mates to prevent infection and save their lives, marking the first known case of an ant species using this method for injury treatment. 
Discovering the Past of Grapes: Fossilized Seeds Shed Light on Their Evolution After Dinosaurs' Extinction
Broke On: Monday, 01 July 2024Scientists discovered fossilized grape seeds dating from 60 to 19 million years ago in Colombia, Panama, and Peru. These findings reveal how grapes evolved following the extinction of dinosaurs, with dense forests allowing their growth. Oldest known seeds from the grape family were found in India around the Cretaceous-Paleogene event. Researchers from The Field Museum and University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology published their findings in Nature Plants, suggesting grapes adapted to vines post-dinosaur extinction. 
July 2024: Celestial Events to Watch - Buck Moon, Aphelion Day, and Met shower Peaks
Broke On: Monday, 01 July 2024Experience July's celestial events: Crescent Moon with Mars (July 1), Aphelion Day (July 5), Full Buck Moon and meteor showers (July 21). Observe Mars, planets, and star clusters with a telescope or binoculars. Southern Delta Aquarids, Alpha Capricornids peak late July with around 20 shooting stars per hour. Perseids peak Aug. 11-12 with up to 100 meteors. 
New Study Provides More Accurate Age Estimate for Ancient Kyrenia Shipwreck, Revealing Insights into Mediterranean Trade during Greek and Late Antique Times
Broke On: Wednesday, 26 June 2024Researchers have revised the sinking date of the ancient Kyrenia shipwreck, discovered off Cyprus in 1965, to around 280 BCE using updated radiocarbon dating and a new PEG cleaning method. This discovery offers valuable insights into maritime trade during Greek and Late Antique times. 
Discovering the First Merging Quasars During Cosmic Dawn: A Groundbreaking Observation of Galactic Cores 900 Million Years After the Big Bang
Broke On: Monday, 17 June 2024Scientists have discovered the first confirmed pair of merging quasars during the Cosmic Dawn, just 900 million years after the Big Bang. Each roughly 100 million times heavier than the Sun, these galactic cores are undergoing a mega merger, with gas and dust falling into central supermassive black holes and emitting massive amounts of light. The findings offer insights into early universe formation and quasar host galaxy evolution during Cosmic Dawn. Mystery Planet Larger Than Jupiter but as Light as Cotton Candy: Introducing WASP-193b
Broke On: Tuesday, 14 May 2024Astronomers discovered an exoplanet, WASP-193b, larger than Jupiter but surprisingly light and fluffy, with a density comparable to cotton candy. Located 1,200 light-years away, it consists mostly of hydrogen and helium gases. Scientists are intrigued by this anomaly in planetary formation and evolution processes. 
May Sky Phenomena: Witnessing the Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower and More
Broke On: Wednesday, 01 May 2024Discover the Wonders of May's Night Sky: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower, Messier 5, Lahaina Noon and a Full Moon. New Research Challenges Previous Notions of T. rex Intelligence: Cognitive Abilities More Similar to Reptiles Than Primates
Broke On: Monday, 29 April 2024New research challenges the notion that T. rex, previously thought to have had intelligence on par with primates or monkeys based on neuron count, actually had cognitive abilities more similar to those of lizards or crocodiles due to inflated brain-size estimates and the need to consider other factors beyond neuron count when assessing intelligence.
