Too many words for snow, drugged up elephants and expensive AI manners

From environmental impacts of AI politeness to the linguistic mysteries of snow, today's science roundup may leave you with more questions than answers, and that’s the way we like it. We're exploring a world where being nice to robots could harm the planet, scientists gave elephants LSD (yes, really), and Australian’s get creative with their election day propaganda. 

Got thoughts? Wild theories? Stories about other elephants on acid? (Please don't actually give elephants acid.) Drop us a line at [e-mail]. 

Stay curious, stay weird, and maybe ease up on the pleases and thank yous to your robot friends!

 

Sources:

Tool We Mentioned: https://charleskemp.com/code/lexicalelaboration_conversation.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/technology/chatgpt-alexa-please-thank-you.html

https://futurism.com/altman-please-thanks-chatgpt

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010027724002233

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2417304122

http://www.lel.ed.ac.uk/~gpullum/EskimoHoax.pdf

https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/the-science-behind-cocaine-bear-and-other-inebriated-animals

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2004/feb/26/research.science

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/declassified-cold-warera-cia-files-detail-soviet-clash-with-aliens-who-witnesses-say-turned-soldiers-to-stone/news-story/e8ced6d1fdca4df3454e79049533f8f8

https://futurism.com/altman-please-thanks-chatgpt?utm_term=Futurism%20//%2004.21.25&utm_campaign=Futurism_Actives_Newsletter&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email

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