Science Magazine – December 21, 2023: The new issue features AI-Powered Forecasting – Predicting worldwide weather and cyclone tracks with greater speed and accuracy; Fifty years after the Endangered Species Act, what’s next?; Long-sought quasiparticle could transform quantum computing and What Salvadorans feared about bitcoin…

The quantum phantom

A ghostly quasiparticle rooted in a century-old Italian mystery could unlock quantum computing’s potential—if only it could be pinned down

Are cryptocurrencies currencies? Bitcoin as legal tender in El Salvador

Preference for cash and privacy fears deterred bitcoin adoption in El Salvador.

Mimicking polar bear hairs in aerogel fibers

Encapsulated aerogel fibers offer thermal insulation, breathability, and strength