A Cephalopod Has Passed a Cognitive Test Designed For Human Children
18hCuttlefish show incredible learning and restraint.
Brunt Ice Shelf: Big iceberg calves near UK Antarctic base
5dThe berg covers 1,270 sq km – nearly 490 square miles – but its break-off was expected.
Physicist creates AI algorithm that may prove reality is a simulation
2dPrinceton physicist Hong Qin creates an AI algorithm that can predict planetary orbits. The scientist partially based his work on the hypothesis which believes reality is a simulation. The algorithm is being adapted to predict behavior of plasma and can be used on other natural phenomena. A scientist devised a computer algorithm which may lead to transformative discoveries in energy and whose ver
Covid Vaccines: Johnson & Johnson's shot authorized by F.D.A.
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3d& Johnson Vaccine
The authorization of a third Covid-19 vaccine will bring millions more doses within days. But health officials worry that some people will see the vaccine as the inferior choice.
Mars Is a Hellhole
5dThere's no place like home—unless you're Elon Musk. A prototype of SpaceX's Starship, which may someday send humans to Mars, is, according to Musk, likely to launch soon , possibly within the coming days. But what motivates Musk? Why bother with Mars? A video clip from an interview Musk gave in 2019 seems to sum up Musk's vision—and everything that's wrong with it. In the video , Musk is seen rea
The Man Who Refused to Bow
4dadam Kinzinger is a liberated individual—liberated from his party leadership, liberated from the fear of being beaten in a primary, liberated to speak his mind. The 43-year-old representative was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump for inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol. "I don't have a constitutional duty to defend against a guy that is a jerk and maybe says some t
Virus Variant in Brazil Infected Many Who Had Already Recovered From Covid-19
1dThe first detailed studies of the so-called P.1 variant show how it devastated a Brazilian city. Now scientists want to know what it will do elsewhere.
Killings by Police Declined after Black Lives Matter Protests
2dA study also found body-camera use and community policing increased in places with the most active movements — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Killings by Police Declined after Black Lives Matter Protests
2dA study also found body-camera use and community policing increased in places with the most active movements — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Killings by Police Declined after Black Lives Matter Protests
2dA study also found body-camera use and community policing increased in places with the most active movements — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
The False Dilemma of Post-Vaccination Risk
5dEditor's Note: The Atlantic is making vital coverage of the coronavirus available to all readers. Find the collection here . Every day, more than 1 million American deltoids are being loaded with a vaccine. The ensuing immune response has proved to be extremely effective—essentially perfect—at preventing severe cases of COVID-19. And now, with yet another highly effective vaccine on the verge of
Will I have to wear a mask after getting the Covid vaccine?
5dWith Johnson & Johnson's one-shot vaccine close to distribution in the US, the end of the pandemic seems a big step closer. But not everything will return to normal right away Public health authorities want people to keep wearing masks and social distancing, even after they receive a vaccine . This might seem counterintuitive – after all, if someone gets a vaccine, aren't they protected from the
Lab-grown black hole analog behaves just like Stephen Hawking said it would
1dLike mad scientists, researchers are creating miniature black holes in their laboratories. Their mission? To see if a mysterious form of radiation predicted by Stephen Hawking exists.
Mars: Nasa's Perseverance rover sends stunning images
18hAmazing images as Nasa's Perseverance rover lands on Mars and seeks signs of past microbial life.
5 Pandemic Mistakes We Keep Repeating
5dW hen the polio vaccine was declared safe and effective, the news was met with jubilant celebration . Church bells rang across the nation, and factories blew their whistles . "Polio routed!" newspaper headlines exclaimed. "An historic victory," "monumental," "sensational," newscasters declared . People erupted with joy across the United States. Some danced in the streets; others wept . Kids were
Far-Right Platform Gab Has Been Hacked—Including Private Data
2dThe transparency group DDoSecrets says it will make the 70GB of passwords, private posts, and more available to researchers, journalists, and social scientists.
UK meteor: 'huge flash' as fireball lights up skies
2dVery bright meteor, known as a fireball, was captured on doorbell cameras across the country A large meteor blazed across UK skies on Sunday night, delighting those lucky enough to spot it. The meteor was spotted shortly before 10pm and was visible for around seven seconds. It was captured on doorbell and security cameras in Manchester, Cardiff, Honiton, Bath, Midsomer Norton and Milton Keynes. C
Bird believed extinct for 170 years spotted in Borneo
5dA team of researchers from Indonesia and Singapore has found evidence of the continued existence of a bird long thought extinct. In their paper published in the journal BirdingASIA, the team describes the history of the bird, why it was thought to be extinct and how it was found in Borneo.
If oestrogen can save women from the worst of Covid, they should be given it | Kate Muir
3dThere is mounting evidence that HRT can help menopausal women recover from the virus, but little action is being taken Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage 'To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle," wrote George Orwell , and seeing in front of our masks in this endless pandemic turns out to be even harder. Take the compelling case of the effect of
For The First Time, A 'Space Hurricane' Has Been Detected Over The North Pole
17hIt lasted for around 8 hours.
Meet the swirlon, a new kind of matter that bends the laws of physics
2dA new form of active matter known as swirlonic matter clumps together in quasi-particles that bend the laws of physics.
COVID Found Mutating Inside a Baby Born With The Virus, in a World First
1dThere were significant changes to the placenta.
Pompeii: Archaeologists unveil ceremonial chariot discovery
3dThe ornate discovery was used during festivities and parades almost 2,000 years ago, experts say.
Amazon rainforest plots sold via Facebook Marketplace ads
5dProtected land reserved for Brazil's indigenous communities is being traded on the social network.
Miljontals har dött av restriktionerna
3dDe flesta länder har stoppat fri rörlighet, stängt skolor och mycket sjukvård har ställts in sedan i mars förra året för att minska smittspridning. Men restriktionerna har också kostat miljontals liv i andra sjukdomar enligt FN-statistik sammanställd av svenska forskare.
In a Momentous Discovery, Scientists Show Neanderthals Could Produce Human-Like Speech
2dAnd hear it, too.
Three Words: Supersonic. Combat. Drones.
2dFly Like an Arrow A Singapore-based aerospace company has developed a combat drone capable of reaching supersonic speeds. Kelley Aerospace unveiled their concept for an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) called the Arrow last week, according to Auto Evolution . The drone's capable of flying more than 2,600 nautical miles at mach 2.1, or 1,611 miles per hour. That means the drone can fly from Los Angel
Archeologists find intact ceremonial chariot near Pompeii
3dOfficials at the Pompeii archaeological site in Italy announced Saturday the discovery of an intact ceremonial chariot, one of several important discoveries made in the same area outside the park near Naples following an investigation into an illegal dig.
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Giant crack frees a massive iceberg in Antarctica
4dThis dramatic breakup comes after a major crack formed on the shelf in November 2020 and continued to grow.
Scientists Talked To People In Their Dreams. They Answered
4dScientists have found that two-way communication is possible with someone who is asleep and dreaming. Specifically, lucid dreaming — dreaming while being aware you're dreaming. (Image credit: Virginia State Parks/Flickr)
Bird believed extinct for 170 years spotted in Borneo
5dA team of researchers from Indonesia and Singapore has found evidence of the continued existence of a bird long thought extinct. In their paper published in the journal BirdingASIA, the team describes the history of the bird, why it was thought to be extinct and how it was found in Borneo.
There's a Better Way to Parent: Less Yelling, Less Praise
1dAt one point in her new book, the NPR journalist Michaeleen Doucleff suggests that parents consider throwing out most of the toys they've bought for their kids. It's an extreme piece of advice, but the way Doucleff frames it, it seems entirely sensible: "Kids spent two hundred thousand years without these items," she writes. Her deeply researched book, Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures
Australia confirms extinction of 13 more species, including first reptile since colonisation
10hChristmas Island forest skink and 12 mammals on list, which also includes the desert bettong, broad-cheeked hopping mouse and Nullarbor barred bandicoot The Australian government has officially acknowledged the extinction of 13 endemic species, including 12 mammals and the first reptile known to have been lost since European colonisation. The addition of the dozen mammal species confirms Australi
Why Greenpeace is dropping huge boulders into the sea
2hFishing community leaders say Greenpeace's action is dangerous and illegal.
Why Was Google Telling People to Throw Car Batteries Into the Ocean?
2dGreat Tips Over the weekend, a quirk of Google's search engine emerged. On Saturday night, reporter and author Violet Blue googled "why do people throw car batteries in the ocean." The algorithm's top response, which was formatted in a blurb at the top of the results, was strange. "Throwing car batteries into the ocean is good for the environment, as they charge electric eels and power the Gulf s
Neandertals had the capacity to perceive and produce human speech
2dNeandertals—the closest ancestor to modern humans—possessed the ability to perceive and produce human speech, according to a new study published by an international multidisciplinary team of researchers including Binghamton University anthropology professor Rolf Quam and graduate student Alex Velez.
Dust From Asteroid That Ended Dinosaur Reign Closes Case on Impact Extinction Theory
4dThis really is the smoking gun.
Cats are too socially inept to be loyal
1dA new study finds that cats, unlike dogs, will gladly accept food from people who are not nice to their owners.
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Neandertals had the capacity to perceive and produce human speech
2dNeandertals—the closest ancestor to modern humans—possessed the ability to perceive and produce human speech, according to a new study published by an international multidisciplinary team of researchers including Binghamton University anthropology professor Rolf Quam and graduate student Alex Velez.
Researchers read sealed 17th century letter without opening it
1d'Virtual unfolding' is hailed a breakthrough in the study of historic documents as unopened letter from 1697 is read for the first time using X-ray technology In a world first for the study of historic documents, an unopened letter written in 1697 has been read by researchers without breaking the seal. The letter, dated 31 July 1697 and sent from French merchant Jacques Sennacques in Lille to his
Scientists Observe Eight-Hour "Space Plasma Hurricane"
1dSpace Hurricanes A team of scientists have confirmed the existence of a gigantic, 1,000 kilometer-across "space hurricane" swirling hundreds of kilometers above the North Pole, the BBC's Science Focus reports . The team analyzed data in the form of low geomagnetic activity over the North Pole dating back to 2014. What they found was something truly awe-inspiring: an anticlockwise spinning vortex
Extinct atom reveals the long-kept secrets of the solar system
1dUsing the extinct niobium-92 atom, ETH researchers have been able to date events in the early solar system with greater precision than before. The study concludes that supernova explosions must have taken place in the birth environment of our sun.
Human origins: 'Little Foot' fossil's big journey out of Africa
1dHow the priceless skull of an ancient ancestor was brought to the UK from South Africa for study.
People Are Accidentally Poisoning Themselves Trying to Treat COVID With a Horse Drug
1dPlease always consult your doctor before trying any treatments.
A Covid Vaccine Side Effect, Enlarged Lymph Nodes, Can Be Mistaken for Cancer
1dThe condition is becoming more common as immunization rates increase. Experts are suggesting ways to ease patients' fears and avoid needless testing.
Archaeologists find unique ceremonial vehicle near Pompeii
4dWell-preserved iron, bronze and tin carriage discovery is 'without precedent in Italy' Archaeologists have unearthed a unique Roman ceremonial carriage from a villa just outside Pompeii, the city buried in a volcanic eruption in 79 AD. The almost perfectly preserved four-wheeled carriage, made of iron, bronze and tin, was found near the stables of an ancient villa at Civita Giuliana, about 700 me
Company Has Ambitious Plan to Build Private Space Station with Artificial Gravity
5dA space colonization company has some bold plans to turn a specific kind of science fiction into reality: Artificial gravity. Which you may recognize from, say, Interstellar , The Martian , Halo , Cowboy Bebop , 2001: A Space Odyssey , and more . The Orbital Assembly Corporation's (OAC) bold vision? To construct a gigantic orbital space station called Voyager that can hold up to 400 passengers. A
James Webb Hated Gay People. Why Are We Naming a Telescope After Him?
1dHold Up Later this year, NASA plans to launch the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the Hubble Space Telescope's long-awaited successor that's expected to revolutionize space research . But scientists are concerned, saying that Webb may not be the right person to name such an important observatory after. Aside from being a former NASA Administrator, Webb had an extensive career in the State Depa
'The Earth could hear itself think': how birdsong became the sound of lockdown
3dWhen the pandemic hit, the song of birds offered joy and hope. The author of a new book recalls that glittering spring and explains the science behind bird calls and how to identify them It's six in the morning and still dark, 24 March 2020. I wake early and, knowing the children will soon be up, decide to steal half an hour's solitude in the park. From the dense latticework of trees and shrubs t
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Forskere før genåbning af skoler: Over halvdelen af alle positive svar fra lyntest er falske
4dRisikoen for falske positive svar fra antigentest vil sende skoleelever og lærere hjem i isolation uden grund, når skolerne fra mandag skal lynteste lærere og elever. Ekspert opfordrer til større fokus på oplysning om opfølgende PCR-test.
Astrophysicist's 2004 theory confirmed: Why the Sun's composition varies
1dAbout 17 years ago, J. Martin Laming, an astrophysicist at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, theorized why the chemical composition of the Sun's tenuous outermost layer differs from that lower down. His theory has recently been validated by combined observations of the Sun's magnetic waves from the Earth and from space.
Data on long Covid in UK children is cause for concern, scientists say
1dWith lack of vaccinations and schools in England set to reopen cases must not be ignored, experts warn Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Scientists have warned that emerging data on long Covid in children should not be ignored given the lack of a vaccine for this age group, but cautioned that the evidence describing these enduring symptoms in the young is so far uncert
In the Distant Future, All Earth's Creatures May Asphyxiate From Lack of Oxygen
2dAll complex aerobic life on Earth as we know it will eventually die as oxygen levels deplete in our planet's atmosphere. Fortunately, that won't happen for another billion years or so, according to an international team of researchers. But eventually, New Scientist reports , Earth's atmosphere will return to the considerably lower oxygen levels of its early history — and that will be bad news for
The 'LitterCam' that's watching you
2hAI software can now match footage of motorists throwing rubbish with their car's number plate and issue an automatic fine .
Reversing Trump, Interior Department Moves Swiftly on Climate Change
1dAs Deb Haaland, President Biden's choice for Interior secretary, heads toward a showdown vote, the department she would head is moving ahead on environmental policies.
New Technique Reveals Centuries of Secrets in Locked Letters
1dM.I.T. researchers have devised a virtual-reality technique that lets them read old letters that were mailed not in envelopes but in the writing paper itself after being folded into elaborate enclosures.
Neanderthal and early modern human stone tool culture co-existed for over 100,000 years
1dThe Acheulean was estimated to have died out around 200,000 years ago but the new findings suggest it may have persisted for much longer, creating over 100,000 years of overlap with more advanced technologies produced by Neanderthals and early modern humans.
Photos of Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie and others come alive (creepily), thanks to AI
1dIn AI-generated animations, faces that were once frozen in time blink, turn their heads and even smile.
Overcaution Carries Its Own Danger to Children
4dThe past year of COVID-19 has been so terrible that many people struggle to imagine any return to normalcy. More than 500,000 Americans have died. The continued shutdown of schools has led to rising rates of depression and anxiety, unhealthy weight gain, and self-harm among students. Now, because of the rapid development and distribution of highly effective vaccines against COVID-19, a long perio
How Bitcoin's vast energy use could burst its bubble
4dCould the cryptocurrency's huge electricity consumption also sink it?
Decades-Long Experiment Finds Strange Mix of Antimatter in The Heart of Every Proton
5dForget what you thought you knew.
Covid: Germany and France under pressure to shift Oxford vaccine
1dBoth countries urged to take action to avoid pile-up of unused AstraZeneca vaccine doses Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Authorities in Germany and France are under pressure to come up with creative solutions to shift the AstraZeneca vaccine at higher speed in order to avoid a pile-up of unused doses over the coming weeks. On Monday, France's medical regulator revers
High Turnover at Nursing Homes Threatens Residents' Care
1dA new study highlights the persistent problems caused by an unstable work force, an underlying threat that may have led to staggering death tolls in the pandemic.
Brazil virus variant found to evade natural immunity
2dStudies 'urgently needed' to check efficacy of current vaccines against strain, researchers say
Cross-Cultural Study Finds Atheists And Believers Have Similar Moral Compasses
4dThere are just a few key differences.
Sub-diffraction optical writing enables data storage at the nanoscale
5dThe total amount of data generated worldwide is expected to reach 175 zettabytes (1 ZB equals 1 billion terabytes) by 2025. If 175 ZB were stored on Blu-ray disks, the stack would be 23 times the distance to the moon. There is an urgent need to develop storage technologies that can accommodate this enormous amount of data.
Overgrown sheep 'Baarack' gets epic quarantine haircut, loses 78 lbs. of matted wool
5dA sheep found wandering wild in Victoria, Australia carried a massive coat of fleece weighing as much as a 10-year-old child.
Enjoy It While It Lasts: Dropping Oxygen Will Eventually Suffocate Most Life on Earth
13hWe'll run out of oxygen long before the Sun boils away our water.
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Simulations suggest Earth's oxygen-rich atmosphere will last only another billion years
1dA pair of researchers from Toho University and NASA Nexus for Exoplanet System Science has found evidence, via simulation, that Earth will lose its oxygen-rich atmosphere in approximately 1 billion years. In their paper published in the journal Nature Geoscience, Kazumi Ozaki and Christopher Reinhard describe the factors that went into their simulation and what it showed.
Theoretical interpretations of the pulsar timing data recently released by NANOGrav
1dThe North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) is a gravitational-wave detector that monitors areas in the vicinity of Earth using a network of pulsars (i.e., clock-like stars). At the end of 2020, the NANOGrav collaboration gathered evidence of fluctuations in the timing data of 45 pulsars, which could be compatible with a stochastic gravitational wave background (SGW
Documenting emperor penguins in Antarctica
1dStefan Christmann spent almost 15 months in Antarctica alongside 10,000 emperor penguins.
China's most important border is imaginary: the Hu Line
1dIn 1935, demographer Hu Huanyong drew a line across a map of China. The 'Hu Line' illustrated a remarkable divide in China's population distribution. That divide remains relevant, not just for China's present but also for its future. Consequential feature The Hu Line is arguably the most consequential feature of China's geography, with demographic, economic, cultural, and political implications f
California Offers $2 Billion Incentive In A Push For In-Person Learning
1dPublic schools that don't offer in-person instruction for k-2 students by the end of the month will lose out on 1% of eligible funds every day that students remain out of the classroom. (Image credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)
This Bird Wasn't Seen for 170 Years. Then It Appeared in an Indonesian Forest.
1dThe black-browed babbler has long been one of Indonesia's most enigmatic birds.
NASA Needs to Rename the James Webb Space Telescope
2dThe successor to the Hubble honors a man who took part in the effort to purge LGBT people from the federal workforce — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
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Study: Social Media Turns Us Into Hungry Rats Basically
3dAs if the way social media dominates every facet of our lives wasn't evident enough: A new study found that people pursue "likes" on platforms like Facebook and Instagram much in the same way rats pursue food . An international team of scientists analyzed more than one million social media posts from more than 4,000 users across a variety of social media sites, according to New York University .
A Decades-Long Quest Reveals New Details of Antimatter
3dTwenty years ago, physicists began investigating a mysterious asymmetry inside the proton. Their results show how antimatter helps stabilize every atom's core.
Colombia's apiarists say avocado buzz is killing bees
4dFor the second time in two years, Gildardo Urrego is scooping up piles of dead bees after an invisible evil invaded his hives in northwest Colombia, wreaking havoc among his swarms.
Hidden scenes in ancient Etruscan paintings revealed
5dScientists using a new technique have uncovered the colorful and once-hidden scenes in paintings of the ancient Etruscans.
Utah Considers State Park Named For Utahraptor Dinosaur
19hUtah is considering naming a new park in honor of dinosaurs discovered there. Researchers expect to uncover more Utahraptor bones — provided they can get them out of a massive block of rock. (Image credit: Utah Geological Survey)
Trump Is Threatening Republican Prospects in 2022
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1dGOP Trump Republican
The 2021 Conservative Political Action Conference proved that it's still Donald Trump's Republican Party, but then you knew that. So did the organizers, the attendees, and the politicians who attended. It's why the conference moved from its traditional home outside Washington, D.C., to Florida. Oh, sure, COVID-19 restrictions played a part, but CPAC could have chosen any number of places to reloc
Expert: Vaccination Passports Could Become a "Dystopian Nightmare"
1dFor practically as long as the coronavirus pandemic has been raging, officials have suggested that "immunity passports" — or "vaccination passports" now that we're talking about inoculations rather than antibodies — could help society safely reopen . By allowing those who are less likely to catch the coronavirus go to offices, stores, and otherwise participate in the economy, the argument goes ,
Photon-photon polaritons: the intriguing particles that emerge when two photons couple
1dScientists at the University of Bath in the UK have found a way to bind together two photons of different colors, paving the way for important advancements in quantum-electrodynamics—the field of science that describes how light and matter interact. In time, the team's findings are likely to impact developments in optical and quantum communication, and precision measurements of frequency, time and
Brazil variant evaded up to 61% of immunity in previous Covid cases
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1dUK Brazil Covid England
Scientists call for more genetic sequencing of emerging variants like P1 to bring pandemic under control Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The coronavirus variant originally found in Manaus in Brazil and detected in six cases in the UK was able to infect 25% to 61% of the people in the Amazonian city who might have expected to be immune after a first bout of Covid, res
Benefits of microdosing LSD might be placebo effect, study finds
1dImperial College London researchers conducted largest placebo-controlled trial of psychedelics It became the trend in Silicon Valley and spread swiftly around the world: the latest hack to boost the mood, sharpen the mind and get the creative juices flowing. But for all the entrepreneurs and tech gurus that flocked to the practice, scientists have never been sure whether consuming small doses of
Once Upon a Time on Mars
1dA dune buggy is about to set off on behalf of its human owners to fulfill a primordial yearning.
Biden urged to back AI weapons to counter China and Russia threats
1dA long-awaited report says the US president should ignore calls for a ban on autonomous weapons.
People Literally Don't Know When to Shut Up–or Keep Talking–Science Confirms
1dWe are really bad at navigating a key transition point during one of the most basic social interactions — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
The human brain grew as a result of the extinction of large animals
2dA new paper by Dr. Miki Ben-Dor and Prof. Ran Barkai from the Jacob M. Alkow Department of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University proposes an original unifying explanation for the physiological, behavioral and cultural evolution of the human species, from its first appearance about two million years ago, to the agricultural revolution (around 10,000 BCE). According to the paper, humans developed as hu
The human brain grew as a result of the extinction of large animals
2dA new paper by Dr. Miki Ben-Dor and Prof. Ran Barkai from the Jacob M. Alkow Department of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University proposes an original unifying explanation for the physiological, behavioral and cultural evolution of the human species, from its first appearance about two million years ago, to the agricultural revolution (around 10,000 BCE). According to the paper, humans developed as hu
Island ryster: Mere end 10.000 jordskælv på under en uge
2dDet er ikke til at sige, hvornår jordskælvene stopper, vurderer ekspert.
Surf's Up. The Temperature Isn't.
2dGrowing numbers of surfers are taking to the Great Lakes — even when the weather is well below freezing.
How Fast Are Oceans Rising? The Answer May Be In Century-Old Shipping Logs
2dA century ago, the shipping industry recorded the daily ebb and flow of tides. Now, those records are becoming crucial for forecasting how fast sea levels are rising in a warming climate. (Image credit: Heritage Images/Getty Images)
Long Before The Pandemic, The UN Was Urging Us to Transform Our Economic System
2dNow, maybe we'll listen.
Huge, Global Study of Plastic Toys Finds Over 100 Substances That May Harm Children
2dThis is worrying.
Scientists Find 140,000 Virus Species in The Human Gut, And Most Are Unknown
3dThey're totally new to science.
The Surprising Key to Combatting Vaccine Refusal
3dWhy wouldn't someone want a COVID-19 vaccine? Staring at the raw numbers, it doesn't seem like a hard choice. Thousands of people are dying of COVID-19 every day. Meanwhile, out of the 75,000 people who received a shot in the vaccine trials from Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax, zero died and none were hospitalized after four weeks. As the United States scream
Covid vaccine does not affect fertility but misinformation persists
3dScientists emphasise safety but younger women still hesitant Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Amy Taylor was chatting to friends over a Zoom drink when the conversation took an unexpected turn. One of the group – all in their early 30s, mostly university-educated and in professional jobs – mentioned that she had concerns about the Covid vaccine because she wanted to t
Thousands of Human Skeletons Show Us The Evolutionary War Between Man And Disease
3dThe fight to survive goes both ways.
Colombia's apiarists say avocado buzz is killing bees
4dFor the second time in two years, Gildardo Urrego is scooping up piles of dead bees after an invisible evil invaded his hives in northwest Colombia, wreaking havoc among his swarms.
Billionaire Says He'll Fly Eight People Around the Moon for Free
3hRound Trip Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa announced yesterday that he's inviting eight members of the public to get onboard a SpaceX Starship with him and fly around the Moon as soon as 2023. "I'm inviting you to join me on this mission," Maezawa says in an announcement video , alongside SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. The Japanese fashion tycoon is feeling generous and is willing to "pay for the enti
DR Congo's Virunga National Park: The deadly job of protecting gorillas
8hIn the past year, more than 20 rangers have been killed defending Africa's oldest national park.
Renaissance-Era Letter Sealed For Centuries Just Virtually Unfolded And Read For The First Time
17hThis is actually so cool.
The best defense against authoritarianism? More educated citizens.
18hIt's difficult to overstate the impact of technology and artificial intelligence. Smart machines are fundamentally reshaping the economy—indeed, society as a whole. Seemingly overnight, they have changed our roles in the workplace, our views of democracy—even our family and personal relationships. In my latest book , I argue that we can—and must—rise to this challenge by developing our capacity f
Landmark Study Shows Soil Pesticide Reduces Wild Bee Reproduction by 89%
19hMost bees nest underground, not in hives.
New P.1 Strain Can Re-Infect People Who Already Caught COVID
1dA variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 called P.1 seems to be able to reinfect people who already recovered from COVID-19, despite whatever protections their immune systems built up. The variant, which was discovered and began circulating in Brazil back in December, poses a new threat that has scientists worried about the potential for yet another major wave of the coronavirus, The New York Time
Covid vaccines show few serious side-effects after millions of jabs
1dSurveillance of AstraZeneca and Pfizer recipients in UK reports minor complaints but few severe reactions
Reading A Letter That's Been Sealed For More Than 300 Years — Without Opening It
1dA signed, sealed but not delivered letter from 1697 has finally been read with the help of a high-tech scan that looked inside without breaking its seal. (Image credit: Unlocking History Research Group)
Struggling Koalas Get Help from a Bold Breeding Program
1dAustralia's bushfires devastated koala populations, but a first-ever mix of capture and genetics could aid a marsupial comeback — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
There's Another New Variant of SARS-CoV-2 Spreading Fast. Here's What We Know So Far
1dVariant B1525 has already been found in 20 countries.
Scientists use lipid nanoparticles to precisely target gene editing to the liver
1dThe genome editing technology CRISPR has emerged as a powerful new tool that can change the way we treat disease. The challenge when altering the genetics of our cells, however, is how to do it safely, effectively, and specifically targeted to the gene, tissue and organ that needs treatment. Scientists at Tufts University and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT have developed unique nanoparticl
For Constipated Scorpions, Females Suffer Reproductively. Males, Not So Much.
2dAfter the arachnids drop their tails, poop backs up until it kills them, but before that it can affect pregnancy
Why a YouTube Chat About Chess Got Flagged for Hate Speech
2dAI programs that analyze language have difficulty gauging context. Words such as "black," "white," and "attack" can have different meanings.
UK Covid live news: Brazil variant may make foreign summer holidays impossible, ministers warned
2dLatest updates: UK officials face urgent calls for tougher border measures as the search continues for one of six people infected with Brazilian variant Alarm over delays in border measures as Brazil Covid variant hits UK Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage 10.24am GMT Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccine deployment minister, was in the government hot seat on the news programmes t
Small Study Reveals a Link Between Suicide And People's Perception of Time
2dWe need to know what this means.
CDC Panel Endorses Johnson & Johnson's One-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine
2dAdvisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted to endorse the emergency use of a single dose of a vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson. A study showed it was 66% effective in the U.S. (Image credit: Phill Magakoe/AFP via Getty Images)
Clean break: the risk of catching Covid from surfaces overblown, experts say
3dPrioritising eye protection and face masks will prevent the spread of coronavirus more than disinfecting surfaces, research shows Australia vaccine tracker: when will you get the jab? Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage When cases of Covid-19 first began emerging in Australia, some people reported disinfecting their groceries before bringing them into their homes, and th
Vulnerable Inmates Left in Prison as Covid Rages
4dAt a federal compound in Connecticut, inmates in precarious health "are like sitting ducks," one lawyer said.
Dræber Zoom også dig langsomt? Derfor er det så hårdt at være på virtuelt
4dUndervisning og møder på video sender vores hjerner på overarbejde.
The SolarWinds Body Count Now Includes NASA and the FAA
4dPlus: Firefox blocks more tracking, how to fight a robodog, and more of the week's top security news.
Feast Your Eyes on This Mind-Blowingly Close Photo of Venus
4dScientists aren't sure how the probe peered beneath the planet's clouds.
Woman Recovers From Mysterious Ulcer Disease After Switching to a Plant-Based Diet
4dNo specific cause for the disease is known.
Facebook, Amazon and Others Restrict Online Sales of Masks
4dScientists are urging Americans to upgrade their face coverings. But Amazon, Google and Facebook restrict the sale of medical-grade masks. Critics say the rules are outdated.
Radioactivity in meteorites sheds light on origin of heaviest elements in our solar system
4dA team of international researchers went back to the formation of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago to gain new insights into the cosmic origin of the heaviest elements on the period-ic table.
Virushalterna i avloppsvattnet är skyhöga och sportlovet har inte ens börjat
5dSamtidigt som sportlovet hägrar i Stockholm så kommer nya rapporter på att virushalterna av SARS-CoV-2, som orsakar covid-19, stiger i avloppsvattnet. Stockholm uppmäter nu de högsta halterna hittills under pandemin.
The Fever That Struck New York
5dThe front lines of a terrible epidemic, through the eyes of a young doctor profoundly touched by tragedy
American Cynicism Has Reached a Breaking Point
5dO n Tuesday evening, at the start of his Fox News show, Tucker Carlson shared the results of an investigation that he and his staff had conducted into a well-known agent of American disinformation. "We spent all day trying to locate the famous QAnon," Carlson said, "which, in the end, we learned is not even a website . If it's out there, we could not find it." They kept looking, though, checking
Single Pfizer jab can reduce asymptomatic Covid infections by 75%
5dCambridge doctors record sharp fall in infections after 12 days in Covid test analysis on healthcare workers Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A single dose of the Pfizer vaccine can reduce asymptomatic infections by 75%, according to research that suggests the jab could substantially curtail transmission of the disease. Doctors in Cambridge recorded the sharp fall in
Hunting for a Giant Black Hole, Astronomers Found a Nest of Darkness
5dNo Gargantua dwells at the heart of stellar cluster NGC 6397. Instead, a few dozen smaller black holes seem to be swarming around in there, throwing their considerable masses around.
Hvalhaj gendanner oversavet finne for øjnene af måbende forskere
5dHvalhajen kan på få uger hele livstruende sår og skader.
What's in a vaccine and what does it do to your body?
8hThere are all sorts of different vaccines but many of them share specific types of ingredients. Josh Toussaint-Strauss talks to Prof Adam Finn to find out what is in most conventional vaccines, as well as what's going on in our bodies when we take them – and why the Covid jabs work differently Continue reading…
Strange Earthquakes in Utah Reveal Volcanic Activity Hidden Below The Desert
9hSleeping with one eye open.
Cuttlefish have ability to exert self-control, study finds
18hDelaying gratification may have evolved in the squid-like creature to maximise efficiency Humans, chimps, parrots and crows have evolved to exert self-control, a trait linked to higher intelligence. Now, researchers say cuttlefish – chunky squid-like creatures with eight arms – also have the ability to delay gratification for a better reward. Researchers used an adapted version of the Stanford ma
Scientists Suggest Farming Fish on the Moon
22hFishy Situation A team of French scientists has a pressing concern. When the European Space Agency constructs its planned Moon Village , what exactly are the astronauts supposed to eat? Thankfully, they have a plan: farming fish on the Moon using live eggs shipped from Earth and water harvested from the lunar surface, Hakai Magazine reports . It sounds outlandish to consider raising animals on th
Renaissance-era letter sealed for centuries just virtually unfolded and read for the first time
22hX-ray scans and digital reconstructions revealed the contents of undelivered letters that were sealed more than 600 years ago.
There's Something Very Different About Tomorrow's Starship Test
23hThird Time SpaceX is ramping up to launch its third full-scale Starship rocket this week — but this time, the company will attempt a new strategy. The prototype, called SN10, could be rocketing high into the sky from its launch pad in Boca Chica, Texas as early as Wednesday afternoon, Teslarati reports , according to flight restrictions announced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This
A quantum internet is closer to reality, thanks to this switch
1dWhen quantum computers become more powerful and widespread, they will need a robust quantum internet to communicate.
Mammal ancestors moved in their own unique way
1dThe backbone is the Swiss Army Knife of mammal locomotion. It can function in all sorts of ways that allows living mammals to have remarkable diversity in their movements. They can run, swim, climb and fly all due, in part, to the extensive reorganization of their vertebral column, which occurred over roughly 320 million years of evolution.
Mammal ancestors moved in their own unique way
1dThe backbone is the Swiss Army Knife of mammal locomotion. It can function in all sorts of ways that allows living mammals to have remarkable diversity in their movements. They can run, swim, climb and fly all due, in part, to the extensive reorganization of their vertebral column, which occurred over roughly 320 million years of evolution.
Testing waters of East Siberian Arctic Ocean suggests origin of elevated methane is reservoir located in Laptev Sea
1dAn international team of researchers has found evidence implicating a deep underground reservoir as the source of high levels of methane in the waters of the East Siberian Arctic Ocean. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes testing three isotopic forms of dissolved methane in the waters.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope completes final functional tests to prepare for launch
1dFebruary marked significant progress for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, which completed its final functional performance tests at Northrop Grumman in Redondo Beach, California. Testing teams successfully completed two important milestones that confirmed the observatory's internal electronics are all functioning as intended, and that the spacecraft and its four scientific instruments can send a
The problems with anti-vaccers' precautionary principle arguments
1dInvoking the precautionary principle is a favorite tactic of anti-vaccers, anti-GMO activists, and various other groups that are prone to opposing scientific advances, but there are numerous issues with this strategy. The exact definition of the precautionary principle is a bit amorphous and variable, but the general concept is that before taking an action that Continue reading ""
Struggling Koalas Get Help from a Bold Breeding Program
1dAustralia's bushfires devastated koala populations, but a first-ever mix of capture and genetics could aid a marsupial comeback — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
5 Medical Appointments You Should Stop Putting Off
1dIf you've been delaying routine medical care in the past year, now's the time to catch up, doctors say. The consequences of missing some key screenings and health checkups can be lethal. (Image credit: Kristen Uroda for NPR)
Miami Says It Can Adapt to Rising Seas. Not Everyone Is Convinced.
1dOfficials have a new plan to manage rising water. Succeed or fail, it will very likely become a case study for other cities facing climate threats.
Eerie Stars of 'Dark Matter' May Be Behind Largest Gravitational Wave Detection Yet
1dDid we detect boson stars colliding?
Paralyzed Man Walks More Than 100 Miles in Powered Exoskeleton
1dOver the month of February, a man named Simon Kindleysides walked a total of 112 miles despite being utterly paralyzed from the waist down. Kindleysides, who used a robotic exoskeleton to run the London Marathon back in 2018, once again donned the assistive device to raise money for the UK's National Health Service, BBC News r eports . The robotic exoskeleton restored his ability to walk . Every
People Literally Don't Know When to Shut Up–or Keep Talking–Science Confirms
1dWe are really bad at navigating a key transition point during one of the most basic social interactions — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Wisconsin hunters have already killed more gray wolves than allowed
1dThe event was called off early as non-Indigenous hunters quickly exceeded the harvest quota. (John Hafner/) This post originally featured on Outdoor Life . Wolf hunters in Wisconsin exceeded the state's harvest quota just three days into their first wolf hunt since 2014. The hunt was supposed to last a week, but it was called early because of the fast and furious harvest. The Wisconsin Department
New study challenges 'established' mechanism about selectivity of cellular ion channels
1dThe cell membranes of all organisms contain ion channels that permit ions to pass into or out of the cell, and these channels play extremely important roles in fundamental physiological processes such as heartbeats and the rapid conduction of signals along neurons. An important property of these ion channels is their selective conductivity—they selectively permit the passage of particular ions. Fo
New study challenges 'established' mechanism about selectivity of cellular ion channels
1dThe cell membranes of all organisms contain ion channels that permit ions to pass into or out of the cell, and these channels play extremely important roles in fundamental physiological processes such as heartbeats and the rapid conduction of signals along neurons. An important property of these ion channels is their selective conductivity—they selectively permit the passage of particular ions. Fo
How 'great' was the great oxygenation event?
2dAround 2.5 billion years ago, our planet experienced what was possibly the greatest change in its history: According to the geological record, molecular oxygen suddenly went from nonexistent to becoming freely available everywhere. Evidence for the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE) is clearly visible, for example, in banded iron formations containing oxidized iron. The GOE, of course, is what allowed
How 'great' was the great oxygenation event?
2dAround 2.5 billion years ago, our planet experienced what was possibly the greatest change in its history: According to the geological record, molecular oxygen suddenly went from nonexistent to becoming freely available everywhere. Evidence for the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE) is clearly visible, for example, in banded iron formations containing oxidized iron. The GOE, of course, is what allowed
EU plans digital vaccine passports to boost travel
2dBrussels proposes 'Green Pass' to help revive region's devastated travel industry and wider economy
Sci-fi carbon coins could actually save our planet
2dA currency based on carbon would be like a green version of the gold standard. (Pixabay/) By now we're probably all familiar with the concept of carbon taxes. The idea is pretty simple: if we want less carbon to go into the atmosphere, we have to provide economic incentives to change behavior. Most mainstream economic proposals to tackle climate change are essentially ways of attaching a cost to
Graphene 'Nano-Origami' Could Take Us Past the End of Moore's Law
2dWonder material graphene is often touted as a potential way a round the death of Moore's Law, but harnessing its promising properties has proven tricky. Now, researchers have shown they can build graphene chips 100 times smaller than normal ones using a process they've dubbed "nano-origami." For decades our ability to miniaturize electronic components improved exponentially, and with it the perfo
Gamma-ray and optical flares detected from the blazar S5 1803+784
2dUsing NASA's Fermi spacecraft, astronomers have conducted a long-term monitoring campaign of a blazar known as S5 1803+784 and have identified several gamma-ray and optical flares from this source. The finding is detailed in a paper published February 19 on arXiv.org.
Facebook's Oversight Board Must Uphold the Ban on Trump
2dIt's not just about penalizing the former president. It's about protecting democracy—in the US and around the world.
To Help Farmworkers Get COVID-19 Tests And Vaccine, Build Trust And A Safety Net
2dGetting COVID-19 tests and vaccine to essential workers on commercial farms and in meatpacking plants requires more than a pop-up clinic miles away. A positive test can be financially devastating. (Image credit: Christine Herman/Illinois Public Media)
Argentine titanosaur may be oldest yet: study
2dA colossal dinosaur dug up in Argentina could be the oldest titanosaur ever found, having roamed what is now Patagonia some 140 million years ago at the beginning of the Cretaceous period, scientists said Sunday.
Argentine titanosaur may be oldest yet: study
2dA colossal dinosaur dug up in Argentina could be the oldest titanosaur ever found, having roamed what is now Patagonia some 140 million years ago at the beginning of the Cretaceous period, scientists said Sunday.
Slime Mold Doesn't Have a Brain, But It Can 'Remember' Where to Find Food
2dMemories without a nervous system.
Ekstreme temperaturudsving truer havens små fugle på livet: De har brug for din hjælp nu
3dPå kun ti dage svingede temperaturen med 35 grader. Det forvirrer fuglene.
Vulnerable children 'forgotten' in Covid vaccine rollout, say UK charities
3dMinisters urged to help families struggling to protect children with underlying health conditions Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Thousands of the UK's most vulnerable children are being "forgotten" in the coronavirus vaccine rollout, charities have said, as they urged ministers to help struggling families. The country has met its target of vaccinating the most clini
Nevada Just Letting a Crypto Firm Run Entire Town as "Innovation Zone" (?!?)
3dInnovation Nation In an apparent attempt to barrel the country towards its inevitable cyberpunk dystopia, Nevada's governor announced a proposal on Friday that would give tech companies jurisdiction and power akin to county governments. Gov. Steve Sisolak wants to allow tech companies to be able to create "Innovation Zones" in Nevada, according to The Associated Press . These zones will be govern
'I've had my vaccine – how well will it protect me and for how long?'
3dThe latest answers to the important medical questions about the vaccines and the pandemic Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage The prospects of vaccines failing to trigger immune responses are dismissed as remote by scientists. "If a vaccine has not been properly refrigerated that might pose problems but doctors take great care to ensure that doesn't happen," said Prof He
The future of probiotics and gut microbiomes is bright
4dWhile most probiotics overstate their benefits, maybe there will be a magic body-balancing pill someday. (Daily Nouri/Uns/) Every person hosts as many microbial cells as human ones—bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other organisms that help keep us healthy. "It's like another organ system," says Lita Proctor, former director of the National Institutes of Health's Human Microbiome Project, which ident
Alligators in Oklahoma turn into 'popsicles' sticking out of the frozen water
4dAlligators often 'snorkel' during cold snaps, so they don't become trapped underwater without access to air.
What underwater sounds can tell us about the state of coral reefs
5dSoundscape ecology is an emerging field of science, examining what sounds might reveal about a coral reef ecosystem. (Pixabay /) When we think about underwater noises, our minds often turn to whale songs and dolphin clicks. But there are other voices, too. In fact, coral reefs generate a constant stream of melodious tunes. Over the past several decades, researchers have learned that analyzing the
Changes in Atlantic currents may have dire climate implications for the next century | Andrew Meijers
5dWithout modifying human behaviour we run the risk of violent weather swings and a drastic effect on crops and ocean life The ocean circulation that keeps our relatively northern corner of Europe warm(ish) is often likened to a gigantic conveyor belt bringing warm equatorial water northwards at the surface, balanced by cold southward flow at great depth. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circula
Ancient Egyptian manual reveals new details about mummification
5dBased on a manual recently discovered in a 3,500-year-old medical papyrus, University of Copenhagen Egyptologist Sofie Schiødt has been able to help reconstruct the embalming process used to prepare ancient Egyptians for the afterlife. It is the oldest surviving manual on mummification yet discovered.
Were it not for humans, woolly mammoths would have lived for 4,000 more years, simulation shows
5dAn international team of researchers has used computer simulations to show that it was likely a combination of climate change and human hunting that led to the extinction of the woolly mammoth. They have written a paper describing their findings, available on the bioRxiv preprint server—in it, they suggest that were it not for human hunters, the mammoths would have lasted another 4,000 years.
Climate change: Carbon emission promises 'put Earth on red alert'
5dNations' current carbon-cutting plans will not keep global temperature rise below 1.5C, the UN says.
Using deep-sea fiber optic cables to detect earthquakes
5dSeismologists at Caltech working with optics experts at Google have developed a method to use existing underwater telecommunication cables to detect earthquakes. The technique could lead to improved earthquake and tsunami warning systems around the world.
The COVID Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language
5dDeaf people are adapting signs to accommodate the limitations of video communication while working from home — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
America's Political Roots Are in Eutaw, Alabama
5dG randdaddy's voice was raspy; love laced his hello . His throne, a maroon recliner, filled the corner of the den in his ranch-style home. On a typical summer afternoon—during one of our weeklong sojourns back to Montgomery, Alabama, from wherever the Air Force took my dad—my cousins and I would be sprawled across the floor, keeping up a ruckus. In the evening, Granddaddy would fumble with the re
Trump Is Gone, but Democracy Is in Trouble
4hAfter November 3, I allowed myself to dream that the battered troops of democracy would regain their courage and go on the offensive. For a decade or more, authoritarian populists around the globe had won one upset victory after another. They rose to power in India and Brazil, in the Philippines and the United States. And though Jair Bolsonaro and Rodrigo Duterte were at first mocked as incompete
Stockton's Basic-Income Experiment Pays Off
4hTwo years ago, the city of Stockton, California, did something remarkable: It brought back welfare. Using donated funds, the industrial city on the edge of the Bay Area tech economy launched a small demonstration program, sending payments of $500 a month to 125 randomly selected individuals living in neighborhoods with average incomes lower than the city median of $46,000 a year. The recipients w
Democrats' Only Chance to Stop the GOP Assault on Voting Rights
4hT he most explosive battle in decades over access to the voting booth will reach a new crescendo this week, as Republican-controlled states advance an array of measures to restrict the ballot, and the U.S. House of Representatives votes on the federal legislation that represents Democrats' best chance to stop them. It's no exaggeration to say that future Americans could view the resolution of thi
Unions attack 'sinister' plan to force NHS staff to have Covid vaccine
4hGovernment reportedly considering making jab mandatory for health and care workers in England Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage A government plan to force all NHS and care staff in England to get vaccinated against Covid-19 has been criticised as "sinister" and likely to increase the numbers refusing to have the jab. Health unions and hospital bosses urged the health s
Researchers realize quantum communications milestone using light
5hFew terms are more ubiquitous in the scientific arena these days than "quantum."
Cuttlefish show self-control, pass 'marshmallow test'
6hThey resisted the temptation to eat up the fishy snack knowing they could get a better one if they waited.
The climate crisis can't be solved by carbon accounting tricks | Simon Lewis
9hDisaster looms if big finance is allowed to game the carbon offsetting markets to achieve 'net zero' emissions An astonishing global shift is under way: 127 countries have now stated that by mid-century their overall emissions of carbon dioxide will be zero. That includes the EU, US, and UK by 2050 – and China by 2060. Companies are enthusiastically signing up to similar "net zero" goals . Finall
12h
Study: COVID-19 Can Kill Heart Cells
20hEven though we're nearly a full calendar year into the COVID pandemic, scientists still don't fully understand how the coronavirus targets and attacks different parts of our bodies. Now, doctors have uncovered that SARS-CoV-2 can attack the heart directly, according to a massive study led by Washington University School of Medicine researchers that was published in the journal JACC: Basic to Tran
Despite Rebounding Cases of COVID, TX to Open State "100 Percent"
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20hTexas Abbott Mask Mandate
The governors of both Texas and Mississippi announced they will be lifting both states' mask mandates and rolling back COVID-19 health mandates, NBC News reports . "It is now time to open Texas 100 percent," Texas governor Greg Abbott told a largely unmasked crowd at a Mexican restaurant in Lubbock, Texas. The news comes just one day after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned
Catholic Archdiocese Calls COVID Vaccine "Morally Compromised"
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21hCatholic & Johnson
There are now three COVID-19 vaccines approved for use by the United States government. By all accounts, this is great news — unless, apparently, you're responsible for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, in which case you're busy telling your community that the newly-approved Johnson & Johnson vaccine is "morally compromised." The Archdiocese released a statement urging Catholics to avoid the Johnso
New UK science body could be used as 'cover for cronyism'
22hAdvanced Research & Innovation Agency will be exempt from existing procurement rules for 'maximum flexibility', says government A new £800m government science and defence research agency will be exempt from existing procurement rules, prompting warnings from Labour that it could be used as "cover for cronyism". Originally the brainchild of Dominic Cummings, the Advanced Research & Innovation Agen
Unusual earthquakes highlight central Utah volcanoes
23hIf you drive south through central Utah on Interstate 15 and look west somewhere around Fillmore, you'll see smooth hills and fields of black rock. The area is, aptly, named the Black Rock Desert. It may not look like much, but you're looking at some of Utah's volcanoes.
How Green Are Electric Vehicles?
23hIn short: Very green. But plug-in cars still have environmental effects. Here's a guide to the main issues and how they might be addressed.
What Happened to Jordan Peterson?
1dIllustration by Vanessa Saba; photos by Rene Johnston; Chris Williamson; Getty This article was published online on March 2, 2021. O ne day in early 2020 , Jordan B. Peterson rose from the dead. The Canadian academic, then 57, had been placed in a nine-day coma by doctors in a Russian clinic, after becoming addicted to benzodiazepines, a class of drug that includes Xanax and Valium. The coma kept
New study finds atmospheric rivers increase snow mass in West Antarctica
1dA new study published today in the journal Geophysical Research Letters used NASA's ice-measuring laser satellite to identify atmospheric river storms as a key driver of increased snowfall in West Antarctica during the 2019 austral winter.
Model describes interactions between light and mechanical vibration in microcavities
1dOptomechanical microcavities are extremely small structures with diameters of less than 10 micrometers (about a tenth of a human hair) inside which light and mechanical vibrations are confined. Thanks to their small size and to efficient microfabrication techniques that enable them to hold intense light energy and interact with mechanical waves, microcavities can be used as mass and acceleration s
NASA Is Testing an All-Electric Airplane
1dGround Control NASA is gearing up to begin tests on the X-57 Maxwell, the space agency's first aircraft to be powered entirely by electricity. For now, the X-57 will remain safely grounded while NASA engineers test its electrical systems and motors, according to a NASA press release . But these preliminary tests will mark an important milestone in the development of all-electric aircraft — and, i
Flexible 'slinkies' form in DNA of archaea
1dNew cryo-electron microscopy images suggest archaeal microbes pack their chromatin into tight coils that can spring open, forming unexpected contortions.
Flexible 'slinkies' form in DNA of archaea
1dNew cryo-electron microscopy images suggest archaeal microbes pack their chromatin into tight coils that can spring open, forming unexpected contortions.
Scientists Discover Glow-in-the-Dark Sharks
1dGlow-In-the-Shark A team of researchers in New Zealand have discovered yet another mystery lurking in the deepest, mostly unexplored depths of our planet's oceans: three species of sharks that can glow in the dark, NBC reports . As detailed in a new paper published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science last week, the researchers found for the first time that the kitefin shark, the blackbelly
How compassion could save your strained relationships | Betty Hart
1dWhen personal relationships and ideological differences collide, the result can lead to strained relations — or even years of silence and distance. Actor Betty Hart offers an alternative to cold shoulders and haughty hellos: compassion, and a chance for growth and change instead of losing important time with loved ones.
Austria and Denmark to work with Israel on future Covid jabs, saying EU 'too slow'
1dAustrian chancellor says two nations 'will no longer rely on EU' as he unveils manufacturing deal to tackle new variants Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Austria's chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, described the EU's vaccination deployment as "too slow" as he announced that his country and Denmark would work with Israel on protecting their citizens against new coronavirus v
Study shows conversations rarely end when people want them to end
1dA team of researchers from Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and the University of Virginia has found that conversations between people usually do not end when either partner in the conversation wants them to end. In their paper published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the group describes the results of surveys and experiments they conducted r
Photonics discovery portends dramatic efficiencies in silicon chips
1dA team led by Vanderbilt engineers has achieved the ability to transmit two different types of optical signals across a single chip at the same time.
Microsoft's Dream of Decentralized IDs Enters the Real World
1dThe company will launch a public preview of its identification platform this spring—and has already tested it at the UK's National Health Service.
Hvor blev den af? Uddød fugl dukker op efter 173 år
1dDen sjældne fugl er ikke blevet set på Borneo siden 1848.
Supertest evaluates performance of engineering students in Russia, U.S., India, China
1dA group of researchers representing four countries summed up the results of a large-scale study of the academic performance of engineering students in Russia, China, India, and the United States. Supertest is the first study to track the progress of students in computer science and electrical engineering over the course of their studies with regard to their abilities in physics, mathematics and cr
Secrets of sealed 17th century letters revealed by dental X-ray scanners
1dIn a world first, an international team of researchers has read an unopened letter from Renaissance Europe—without breaking its seal or damaging it in any way.
Study of Over 600,000 Women Shows Almost Half Are Getting The Wrong UTI Treatment
1dUTIs are common, but getting the right treatment isn't.
Nearly four in 10 university students addicted to smartphones, study finds
1dResearch finds students who showed signs of addiction were also highly likely to suffer from poor sleep Almost four in 10 university students are addicted to their smartphones, and their habit plays havoc with their sleep, research has found. A study of 1,043 students aged 18-30 at King's College London found that 406 (38.9%) displayed symptoms of smartphone addiction, as defined by a clinical to
Neanderthals Listened to the World Much Like Us
1dA reconstructed Neanderthal ear adds a new piece to the puzzle of whether the early humans could speak.
Meteorites from sky fireball 'may have fallen near Cheltenham'
1dComputer modelling suggests fragments of space debris may have landed outside Gloucestershire town The yellow-green fireball that pierced Earth's atmosphere on Sunday night , delighting observers from the UK to the Netherlands, is thought to have partially survived the journey in the form of meteorites, most likely landing just north of Cheltenham. Fireballs are particularly bright meteors – spac
New Johnson & Johnson Shot Prevents Severe COVID As Well As Existing Vaccines Do, Experts Say
1dTrials of all three vaccines came up with different efficacy numbers, but all offer crucial protection in this health emergency — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Scientists describe 'hidden biodiversity crisis' as variation within species is lost
1dThe rapid loss of variation within species is a hidden biodiversity crisis, according to the authors of a new study looking at how this variation supports essential ecological functions and the benefits nature provides for people.
Scientists describe 'hidden biodiversity crisis' as variation within species is lost
1dThe rapid loss of variation within species is a hidden biodiversity crisis, according to the authors of a new study looking at how this variation supports essential ecological functions and the benefits nature provides for people.
Plants set a 'bedtime' alarm to ensure their survival, new study shows
1dPlants have a metabolic signal that adjusts their circadian clock in the evening to ensure they store enough energy to survive the night, a new study reveals.
People Literally Don't Know When to Shut Up–or Keep Talking–Science Confirms
1dWe are really bad at navigating a key transition point during one of the most basic social interactions — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Startup Unveils Rocket Capable of Sending Humans to Space
1dJimmy Neutron New Zealand-based space startup Rocket Lab unveiled a brand new spacecraft today : the Neutron, a fully reusable launch vehicle technically capable of sending a crew of eight astronauts into orbit. The sleek rocket is "tailored for mega constellations, deep space missions and human spaceflight," according to the company. It stands just over 130 feet tall, a little smaller than Space
Plants set a 'bedtime' alarm to ensure their survival, new study shows
1dPlants have a metabolic signal that adjusts their circadian clock in the evening to ensure they store enough energy to survive the night, a new study reveals.
Officials Hunting For Missing Person Infected With New COVID Strain
2dHealth officials in the UK are desperately trying to locate an individual who was infected with a highly transmissible new variant of the coronavirus that originated in Brazil, CNBC reports . Experts are worried that the variant, called P.1, spreads more rapidly than the original strains of the virus. But it's important to note that our understanding of the new variant is still limited. In one gl
Half a trillion corals: World-first coral count prompts rethink of extinction risks
2dFor the first time, scientists have assessed how many corals there are in the Pacific Ocean—and evaluated their risk of extinction.
Half a trillion corals: World-first coral count prompts rethink of extinction risks
2dFor the first time, scientists have assessed how many corals there are in the Pacific Ocean—and evaluated their risk of extinction.
Statistics Postdoc Tames Decades-Old Geometry Problem
2dIn the mid-1980s, the mathematician Jean Bourgain thought up a simple question about high-dimensional shapes. And then he remained stuck on it for the rest of his life. Bourgain, who died in 2018, was one of the preeminent mathematicians of the modern era. A winner of the Fields Medal , mathematics' highest honor, he was known as a problem-solver extraordinaire — the kind of person you might talk
New study identifies mountain snowpack most 'at-risk' from climate change
2dAs the planet warms, scientists expect that mountain snowpack should melt progressively earlier in the year. However, observations in the U.S. show that as temperatures have risen, snowpack melt is relatively unaffected in some regions while others can experience snowpack melt a month earlier in the year.
How video game skills can get you ahead in life | William Collis
2dWhat does it take to be a pro gamer? Esports expert William Collis charts the rise of the multibillion-dollar competitive gaming industry and breaks down three skills needed to master video games like Fortnite, League of Legends and Rocket League. And watch out, Collis says: these skills can set you up for crushing it at work, too.
Rare red sprite and blue jet create otherworldly light show above Hawaii
2dA camera at an observatory in Hawaii captured a red sprite and a blue jet in the same frame.
Large meteor 'fireball' blazes across the UK, lighting up skies – video
2dA large meteor was visible over parts of the UK on Sunday night, delighting those lucky enough to see it. The meteor was spotted shortly before 10pm and was visible for about seven seconds. It was captured on doorbell and security cameras in Manchester, Cardiff, Honiton, Bath, Midsomer Norton and Milton Keynes UK meteor: 'huge flash' as fireball lights up skies Continue reading…
Part of Being a Domestic Goddess in 17th-Century Europe Was Making Medicines
2dHousewives' essential role in health care is coming to light as more recipe books from the pre-Industrial Revolution era are digitized
Brazilian Covid variant: what do we know about P1?
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2dBrazil Covid England UK
Six cases have been detected in Britain. What threat does the variant pose, and how is it different? Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Two coronavirus variants have been detected in Brazil, or in people who have travelled from Brazil, called P1 and P2. They are similar but it is P1 that is causing concern in the UK, after the detection of six cases – three in England a
The Raging Evolutionary War Between Humans and Covid-19
2dFighting the pandemic isn't only about vaccines and drugs. It's about understanding how viruses mutate and change inside us, and among us.
Hackers are finding ways to hide inside Apple's walled garden
2dYou've heard of Apple's famous walled garden, the tightly controlled tech ecosystem that gives the company unique control of features and security. All apps go through a strict Apple approval process, they are confined so sensitive information isn't gathered on the phone, and developers are locked out of places they'd be able to get into in other systems. The barriers are so high now that it's pr
Letter demands action over 'UK nature in freefall'
2dWildlife experts urge the prime minister to step up action on the loss of species in the UK.
Cumbria coal mine plan 'damaging PM's reputation'
2dForeign ambassadors say Boris Johnson's tacit support for the mine prompts accusations of hypocrisy.
Spacewalking astronauts prep station for new solar wings
3dSpacewalking astronauts ventured out Sunday to install support frames for new, high-efficiency solar panels arriving at the International Space Station later this year.
America Didn't Need Sports After All
3dThe night that sports began shutting down was the night that the United States began shutting down. On March 11, 2020, an announcer at the Oklahoma City Thunder's home arena told fans just before tip-off that the evening's game had been postponed. Within an hour, the visiting Utah Jazz revealed that a player—soon identified as the center Rudy Gobert—had tested positive for COVID-19, and the NBA a
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Recreated Particles of Titan's Haze Could Help Us Understand How Life Began on Earth
3dSeeing it anew.
AI Tool "Deep Nostalgia" Lets You Reanimate Your Dead Relatives
4dAnimate the Dead Have you ever taken a look at old family photos and think, "These just aren't creepy enough!" or "I wish these looked more like the characters from The Polar Express, " perhaps? Now they can! Get this: An online genealogy platform has developed AI that allows you to animate old family photos. Genealogy website MyHeritage introduced a tool called Deep Nostalgia that leverages AI t
Concerns grow as UK Covid testing labs scaled back before even opening
4dPlanned multi-million Lighthouse facilities cut by up to 50%, with smaller labs decommissioned Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage New Lighthouse labs, created by the government to boost the nation's Covid testing capacity, are to be dramatically scaled back before they open. It is understood that new multi-million pound labs in Gateshead and Plymouth, announced last yea
'To Me, This Penis Is Out of Control'
4dThe world of Danish children's television is not for the prudish. Kids who turn on the tube in Denmark might be greeted by gratuitous flatulence, cursing, casual nudity, or cross-dressing puppets. One show centers on a pipe-smoking pirate who wallops ninjas and flirts with Satanism . In another , an audience of 11-to-13-year-olds asks probing questions about the bodies of adults who disrobe befor
How Google's Grand Plan to Make Stadia Games Fell Apart
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4dGoogle Stadia Class
The tech giant hired 150 game developers for Stadia Games and Entertainment, only to lay them all off. Sources say it never gave the studios a chance.
Perseverance is a tiny pale speck on Mars in this orbiter's eerie photo
4dA camera on the ExoMars orbiter recently captured a photo showing a very, very tiny Perseverance on Mars.
Scientists Simulate Thousands of New Universes to Understand How Ours Began
5dRewinding Time Armed with a powerful supercomputer, a team of Japanese scientists is figuratively turning back time to unravel the mysteries that still shroud the first fleeting moments of the universe. We know that our universe began with a rapid expansion, but the "why" is still hazy. Same with what happened in the crucial microseconds after the Big Bang that shaped the universe as it exists to
Single Pfizer Dose "Robust" For Those Who Have Had COVID
5dEver since the vaccine rollout began, the lingering question of what to do about people who already caught and recovered from COVID-19 has forced scientists to collectively throw up their arms, in a latent conclusion effectively amounting to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. But now, thanks to a pair of new studies published Thursday in medical journal The Lancet , it appears that those with coronavirus antibodies alre
You're Thinking About Home Heating Wrong
5dI f you're like me, you know that getting rid of your car is one of the best things you can do for the climate, and also that you will never do it. This is a car-oriented country, and a car-oriented time . But in 2019, the private cars and light trucks that ordinary people drive for work and shopping and leisure were responsible for about 15 percent of U.S. fossil-fuel-energy use. Electric vehicl
Ancient Egyptian manual reveals new details about mummification
5dBased on a manual recently discovered in a 3,500-year-old medical papyrus, University of Copenhagen Egyptologist Sofie Schiødt has been able to reconstruct the embalming process used to prepare ancient Egyptians for the afterlife. It is the oldest surviving manual on mummification yet discovered.
Check out the most extensive map of black holes ever
5dEach tiny dot is sweeping up loads of cosmic matter in it's own galaxy. (LOFAR/LOL Survey/) At first glance, this glittering array of white dots against a black background looks like any other night sky. In reality, this image captures something much cooler— those starry white spots are actually thousands of supermassive black holes captured via radio signals. It's the most detailed map of black
Were it not for humans, woolly mammoths would have lived for 4,000 more years, simulation shows
5dAn international team of researchers has used computer simulations to show that it was likely a combination of climate change and human hunting that led to the extinction of the woolly mammoth. They have written a paper describing their findings, available on the bioRxiv preprint server—in it, they suggest that were it not for human hunters, the mammoths would have lasted another 4,000 years.
Life-extending drug for incurable breast cancer approved for NHS
5dAbout 3,300 women a year may benefit from decision to approve ribociclib Women with incurable advanced breast cancer will be able to get a drug from the NHS that can potentially extend their life by almost eight months after a new ruling. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has approved the drug – ribociclib , also known as Kisqali – for routine use by the NHS in England
What geologists see when they look at Perseverance's landing site
5dGeologists love fieldwork. They love getting their specialized hammers and chisels into seams in the rock, exposing unweathered surfaces and teasing out the rock's secrets. Mars would be the ultimate field trip for many of them, but sadly, that's not possible.
Thrift shopping is an environmental and ethical trap
5dThrifting can be a joyful experience, but it's not a 100-percent guilt-free one. (Becca McHaffie on Unsplash/) There's really nothing quite like finding an incredible piece of clothing sitting on the rack in a thrift store. Among what seems like millions of grandpa sweaters might be a vintage cashmere lurking, or a pair of Prada heels unassumingly tossed in a pile of Payless flats. When you've sp
Recluse Spiders at University of Michigan Cause Brief Library Closure
5dThe discovery of Mediterranean recluse spiders at the University of Michigan prompted a two-day closure of one of its libraries.
How to see the full 'Snow Moon' and other celestial events this weekend
5dHere's why February's full moon is sometimes called the "Snow Moon" and how to watch it and other celestial events this weekend.
Mysterious stripes spotted over Russia in satellite images — and NASA is perplexed
5dScientists can't agree on why these hills in the Russian Arctic ripple with stripes.
The COVID Zoom Boom Is Reshaping Sign Language
5dDeaf people are adapting signs to accommodate the limitations of video communication while working from home — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Tusentals utan cancerdiagnos under pandemin
5dUnder coronapandemin har betydligt färre patienter sökt vård för cancer och hjärtsjukdom. 6000 färre än normalt har fått en cancerdiagnos mellan mars och oktober 2020.
Klimarådet dumper regeringens klimaindsats: Den er utilstrækkelig
5dStøttepartier og oppositionen er oprørte over Klimarådets "sønderlemmende" kritik af regeringens klimaindsats. Nu truer de med at tvinge mere klimahandling igennem.
Imaginary Numbers May Be Essential for Describing Reality
3hMathematicians were disturbed, centuries ago, to find that calculating the properties of certain curves demanded the seemingly impossible: numbers that, when multiplied by themselves, turn negative. All the numbers on the number line, when squared, yield a positive number; 2 2 = 4, and (-2) 2 = 4. Mathematicians started calling those familiar numbers "real" and the apparently impossible breed of
America's Andrew Cuomo Problem
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4hNew York Cuomo Ruch
Updated at 12:00 p.m. ET on March 3, 2021. Cable-news shows treated Andrew Cuomo like a living legend this summer, thanks to his supposedly superlative handling of the coronavirus pandemic, yet his past few weeks really have been the stuff of myth. But which myth? Is he Icarus, flying too close to the sun in his premature attempt to claim credit for New York's public-health prowess, only to have
Strong T-cell response is good news for battle against Covid variants
5hUS study likely to alleviate some concerns about new strains outsmarting vaccines
Fake News Gets More Engagement on Facebook—If It's Right-Wing
5hFar-right pages that publish misinformation get the most interactions by far compared to other news sources, new research shows.
Anthony Fauci Pleads: Don't Declare Victory
6hThe Covidologist-in-chief says we can't relax on masks and social distancing yet. Hear that, Texas?
Cuba starts final-stage trials of two homegrown Covid vaccines
13hSoberana 2 and Abdala jabs reported to show 'potent immunological response' in earlier trials
Japanese billionaire looking for people who 'push the envelope' for moon flight
15hYusaku Maezawa, an online fashion tycoon, needs to fill eight spare seats on the lunar spaceship being developed by SpaceX It's the sort of chance that comes along just once in a blue moon: a Japanese billionaire is throwing open a private lunar expedition to eight people from around the world. Yusaku Maezawa , an online fashion tycoon, was announced in 2018 as the first man to book a spot aboard
Muskelhukommelsen er din ven, når fitnesscenteret åbner igen
23hDine muskler har klare fordele, når du skal tilbage i træningscenteret, hvis du har trænet før.
Does this Make Sense? Gasoline Delivered to Your Car
23hGas trucks fill your vehicle where it is parked — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Do conversations end when people want them to? [Psychological and Cognitive Sciences]
1dDo conversations end when people want them to? Surprisingly, behavioral science provides no answer to this fundamental question about the most ubiquitous of all human social activities. In two studies of 932 conversations, we asked conversants to report when they had wanted a conversation to end and to estimate when…
COVID-19 cases aren't dropping anymore
1dSocially distanced events will continue to be a reality for a while. (Unsplash/) Click here to see all of PopSci's COVID-19 coverage. If you've lost count (or never started), we are now at week 51 of the COVID era, which officially began on March 11, 2020, when the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic. It's been more than a year since the WHO announced there was a mysterious vir
Don't Help Your Kids With Homework
1dSo much of the homework advice parents are given is theory-based, and therefore not entirely helpful in the chaos of day-to-day life. People are told that students should have " grit ." They should " learn from failure ." But it's hard to know how to implement these ideas when what you really need is to support a kid who has a chemistry test and two papers due in the next 48 hours but seems to be
Why Do Virus Variants Have Such Weird Names?
1dB.1.351 may sound sweet to a molecular epidemiologist, but what's the alternative, other than stigmatizing geographical names?
The vaccine rollout makes it clear: the randomness of nationality still determines our lives | Kanishk Tharoor
1dNot one Covid jab had been administered in 130 of the world's poorer countries by mid-February After the news in November of the successful trials of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid vaccine, a curious photo spread online. It showed a Turkish immigrant family of six in Germany in the 1970s. The father stood in the middle, arms stretched around his head-scarfed wife and children. A shoeless boy hung off
Sleuths Read Old Booby-Trapped Letters Without Opening Them
1dPeople once folded their correspondence in intricate ways, known as "letterlocking," to keep out snoops. A fancy new imaging technique sees right through it.
Rare Australian bee rediscovered after nearly a century
1dA rare Australian bee has been spotted for the first time since 1923. It was previously believed to be extinct.
Identifying animals in photos is trickier than you might think
1dThylacines at the National Zoo in 1903. (Smithsonian Institution Archives/) After a week of fanfare, an Australian man released photos of what he believes to be a Tasmanian tiger, also known as a thylacine, a six-foot long marsupial carnivore that white settlers hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. The photographer, Neil Waters, is the president of Tasmania's Thylacine Awareness Group, which
How Rivers in the Sky Melt Huge Holes in Antarctic Ice
1dNew research is causing scientists to rethink how polynyas—massive openings in the sea ice—are formed
Astronomers identify faint radio-jets in the galaxy cluster CLJ1449+0856
1dUsing ground-based facilities and space telescopes, an international team of astronomers has conducted multiwavelength observations of a galaxy cluster known as CLJ1449+0856. The observational campaign detected multiple faint radio-jets, what could shed more light on the nature of this cluster. The finding is reported in a paper published February 23 on the arXiv pre-print server.
Intel Discontinues Overclocking Warranties as Hobby Continues to Die
1dIntel has announced the end of its Performance Tuning Protection Plan (PTPP). An end-user who previously bought a PTPP from Intel was guaranteed a one-time replacement CPU if they fried their chip by overclocking it, provided the chip was still within warranty. The program has existed since the Sandy Bridge era, but Intel is bringing it to an end , effective immediately. All previously purchased
How to break free of the bystander effect and help someone in trouble
1dYou can help make the world a kinder place. (Cristian Newman/Unsplash/) When someone gets mugged or is subjected to racist harassment on the street , most people will walk by like nothing happened. Sometimes, no one stops to help at all. In fact, the more people present, the less likely that any one person will intervene—a phenomenon known as the bystander effect. Ignoring someone in danger is a
Fossil-biler skaber langt mere affald end elbiler
1dEn ny analyse viser, at elektriske køretøjer bruger langt færre ressourcer end biler, der kører på fossilt brændstof.
Dads Who Take a More Hands-on Role Their Kid's First Year Have Better Mental Health
1dNew dads get depression, too.
Is it time to decriminalize prostitution? Two New York bills answer yes in unique ways
1dToday in the majority of the United States, it is a crime to sell sex, buy it, or promote its sale. The Sex Trade Survivors Justice & Equality Act would decriminalize prostitution in New York state while maintaining punitive measures against buyers and pimps. Opponents suggest this law would only push the illegal sex trade further underground and seek full decriminalization for everyone involved.
Israel's "green pass" is an early vision of how we leave lockdown
1dThe commercial opens with a tempting vision and soaring instrumentals. A door swings wide to reveal a sunlit patio and a relaxed, smiling couple awaiting a meal. "How much have we missed going out with friends?" a voiceover asks. "With the green pass, doors simply open in front of you … We're returning to life." It's an ad to promote Israel's version of a vaccine passport , but it's also catnip f
Link found between cannabis and rebound headaches after migraine
1dThe early data suggest a link, but cannot say whether cannabis causes the rebound headaches.
This Startup Wants to Tattoo Brain-Reading Electrodes on Your Skull
1dA startup thinks that listening in on your brain waves could reveal medical mysteries — and perhaps even help connect your mind to virtual reality or video games — and it has an unusual plan to get access. Brain Scientific is developing what it's calling an "e-tattoo" that it can implant beneath someone's scalp with a robotic device that looks like a conventional tattoo gun got mixed up with a 3D
To move cargo with less mess, these ships unload themselves
1dThis is the Baie St. Paul, a self-unloading ship that currently carries the salt. (CSL /) In the winter, roads require salt to melt ice so that drivers don't lose control of their cars. And in eastern Canada, salt for the byways of places like Quebec City and Montreal comes from a mine on the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. But salt from the Mines Seleine can't just magically transp
Venomous spiders take advantage of pandemic, move into college buildings
1dSightings of these spiders in the university's library basement prompted staff to close the library for two days.
Study examines what makes people susceptible to fake health news
1dResearchers conducted a study to see what makes people susceptible to fake health news. They found the credentials of the author and how the info is written make little difference in how people assess health news, but that social media efficacy and labeling of potentially false info makes people think more critically about what they're reading.
Optimally promoting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes
1dDue to modern agriculture, biodiversity across many species groups is in decline. Over the last three decades, attempts have been made to counteract this with agri-environmental schemes at various levels—from the national federal state to EU-wide programs. This is not only out of appreciation of nature, but also because many species fulfill important functions for agriculture itself: some pollinat
Optimally promoting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes
1dDue to modern agriculture, biodiversity across many species groups is in decline. Over the last three decades, attempts have been made to counteract this with agri-environmental schemes at various levels—from the national federal state to EU-wide programs. This is not only out of appreciation of nature, but also because many species fulfill important functions for agriculture itself: some pollinat
Oozing tendrils of lava spew from Mount Etna in spectacular nighttime photos
1dMount Etna, Europe's most active volcano, has been erupting for nearly two weeks straight, and the photos are stunning.
Neanderthals had the capacity to perceive and produce human speech
2dNeanderthals — the closest ancestor to modern humans — possessed the ability to perceive and produce human speech, according to a new study.
Understanding the spatial and temporal dimensions of landscape dynamics
2dThe Earth's surface is subject to continual changes that dynamically shape natural landscapes. Global phenomena like climate change play a role, as do short-term, local events of natural or human origin. The 3-D Geospatial Data Processing (3DGeo) research group of Heidelberg University has developed a new analysis method to help improve our understanding of processes shaping the Earth's surface li
2,000-year-old chariot unearthed at Pompeii
2dAn ornate four-wheeled chariot of iron, bronze and wood that archaeologists think was drawn by a team of horses in processions through Pompeii almost 2,000 years ago has been unearthed during excavations of a wealthy Roman villa.
Polaris and Zero Motorcycles just revealed their first electric vehicle collaboration
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2dPolaris Ranger Zero
We know from this teaser image that the new electric Ranger will definitely have headlights. (Polaris Off Road/) A clear trend has emerged in the transportation world, at least when it comes to vehicles that roll around on wheels: They're going electric. Sure, Tesla has been making splashy claims and manufacturing exciting vehicles for a while now, but lately the industry is seeing even more of a
Pro Wrestler Challenges Elon Musk to Fight
2dWrestleMania Mars WWE wrestling superstar Triple H isn't impressed by Elon Musk. Speaking on The Good Time Show , a tech and culture podcast, the semi-retired wrestler HHH publicly challenged the scrawny billionaire to a fight. And not in any old wrestling ring — the wrestler wants to duke it out on Mars. "Let me address Elon Musk because I feel like there's some disrespect going on here," HHH sa
Gwyneth Paltrow's wacky COVID-19 treatments have no medical justification
2dExperts said there was no evidence that any of Paltrow's remedies could help with prolonged symptoms of COVID-19.
To Beat COVID, We May Need a Good Shot in the Nose
2dIntranasal vaccines might stop the spread of the coronavirus more effectively than needles in arms — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Microplastic sizes in Hudson-Raritan Estuary and coastal ocean revealed
2dRutgers scientists for the first time have pinpointed the sizes of microplastics from a highly urbanized estuarine and coastal system with numerous sources of fresh water, including the Hudson River and Raritan River.
Can You Spot The Perseverance Rover in This Breathtaking Satellite Image of Mars?
2dA little bit of humanity a long way from home.
UK meteor spotted above Midsomer Norton and Bath
2dSocial media users reported seeing a 'flash' with a 'tail of orange light' in the night sky.
Sex Differences in Immune Responses to Viral Infection
2dStronger interferon production, greater T cell activation, and increased susceptibility to autoimmunity are just some of the ways that females seem to differ from males.
Massdöd när jordens poler bytte plats
2dFör över 40 000 år sedan skedde en omkastning av jordens poler: Nord blev syd och omvänt. Magnetfältet försvagades och farlig strålning från rymden nådde jorden. Följderna för livet blev massdöd bland djur. Och kanske grottmålningar, säger en grupp forskare i Australien.
Your Indifferent Cat Won't Choose Your Friend Over Your Enemy, Research Finds
2dA controversial study finds cats, unlike dogs, will not avoid a stranger who won't help their owner.
U.S. COVID Case Decline Has Stalled, Researchers Warn
3dPublic health officials are warning that the decline in daily Coronavirus cases have begun to stall. Data indicates that the recent decline in COVID-19 cases may have begun to level off, according to The New York Times . In response, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the White House's chief medical adviser for the Coronavirus, have issued t
Green pass: how are Covid vaccine passports working for Israel?
3dAs hotels and gyms reopen in Israel, governments elsewhere are considering a similar certificate scheme – raising ethical concerns Four key questions on a Covid certification scheme in England Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage As the UK and other governments consider whether to give Covid-vaccinated people certificates that allow entry to bars, hotels, and swimming poo
How to Set Up a 4G LTE Wi-Fi Network as an Alternative to Broadband
3dConnecting to cell networks is an increasingly viable option—here's how it works.
Period Underwear Changed My Life—and I'm Never Going Back
3dWearing underwear designed to absorb my menstrual flow—with no additional protection—has made my period more comfortable. It's kinder to the planet too.
Under threat: the birthplace of Darwin's historic theory
3dGroups including the Geological and Linnean societies say government's 3,000% rent rise could force them to quit their Burlington House premises after 167 years Some of Britain's most distinguished learned societies say they may be forced to leave their central London premises because the government has imposed rent rises of more than 3,000% over the past few years. Last week the Geological Socie
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The FDA just authorized Johnson & Johnson's single-shot COVID-19 vaccine
3dThe newly analyzed data found the vaccine had a 72 percent overall efficacy rate in the United States as well as an 86 percent efficacy rate against severe disease. (Pixabay/) Click here to see all of PopSci's COVID-19 coverage. We now have another vaccine to add to the US's arsenal against COVID-19. Today, Johnson & Johnson became the third pharmaceutical company to gain emergency use authorizat
Study: The US Needs To Build More Space Weapons
3dDefense Against the Dark Arts (In Space) A new report released Friday shined a light on the growing need for the US space defense system. Researchers at the Center for Strategic and International Studies called attention to the lack of defenses to guard against — yes — threats in space, in a new report published on Feb 26. Titled " Defense Against the Dark Arts in Space: Protecting Space Systems
Germany set to give AstraZeneca jab to older people
3dRegulator concedes process had 'somehow gone wrong' and could soon approve vaccine Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Germany could soon authorise the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine for seniors after the head of the country's vaccination committee said his body's advice to give the Oxford-developed vaccine only to those under 65 had "somehow gone wrong". Unlike the Euro
NASA Deliberately Made Eerie Glowing Clouds… to Study Eerie Glowing Clouds
4d"Noctilucent" is such a great word.
Adopting older children can be the start of a special bond
4dFor one mother, a potentially challenging choice turned out to be amazingly fulfilling When Margaret Reynolds was in her mid-40s, she was a successful writer, academic and broadcaster. One winter's morning, she asked herself what she would like in her life that she did not already have. The answer was clear and quick: she realised she'd like to have a child. She wanted to be a mother. She was sin
Alexa Skills That Are Actually Fun and Useful
4dSure, you can add items to your shopping list, check the weather, and get random trivia. Now let's take your Echo to the next level.
Why does Christianity have so many denominations?
4dSchisms within the church have led to more and more denominations over the millennia.
NASA Scientists Spot Strangely Shaped Rock in Latest Mars Panorama
4dEye-Searing Detail NASA is embarking on its next exciting adventure on the Martian surface — and lucky for us, the agency's taking us along for the ride. Earlier this week, NASA released a stunning high-res panorama taken by Perseverance's Mastcam-Z camera and later stitched together by engineers at the agency's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California. The image shows an incredible amount of d
Astronomers Find Five Dozen Baby Black Holes in Distant Psychotic Chaos Galaxy
4dInstead of finding one big black hole at the center of a cluster of 250,000 stars, a pair of astronomers made a very, very unusual discovery: Evidence of a concentration of much smaller black holes, causing nearby stars to move in seemingly random patterns. The discovery, as detailed in a paper published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics earlier this month, could rewrite the way we understa
Murderers Should Be Called Murderers
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4dUS Saudi Khashoggi
Today the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released its report on the murder of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi. If the report were the denouement of a dinner-theater murder mystery, most of the audience would be so confident of the conclusion that they would already be walking out to the parking lot. The crown prince ordered it. In the consulate. With the bone saw . Even the S
Here Are 4 Key Things to Know About The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine
4dMore relief is on the way.
Light-emitting tattoo engineered for the first time
5dScientists at UCL and the IIT—Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (Italian Institute of Technology) have created a temporary tattoo with light-emitting technology used in TV and smartphone screens, paving the way for a new type of 'smart tattoo' with a range of potential uses.
Retroviruses are re-writing the koala genome and causing cancer
5dThe koala retrovirus (KoRV) is a virus which, like other retroviruses such as HIV, inserts itself into the DNA of an infected cell. At some point in the past 50,000 years, KoRV has infected the egg or sperm cells of koalas, leading to offspring that carry the retrovirus in every cell in their body. The entire koala population of Queensland and New South Wales in Australia now carry copies of KoRV
Retroviruses are re-writing the koala genome and causing cancer
5dThe koala retrovirus (KoRV) is a virus which, like other retroviruses such as HIV, inserts itself into the DNA of an infected cell. At some point in the past 50,000 years, KoRV has infected the egg or sperm cells of koalas, leading to offspring that carry the retrovirus in every cell in their body. The entire koala population of Queensland and New South Wales in Australia now carry copies of KoRV
The GRANTECAN discovers the largest cluster of galaxies known in the early universe
5dA study, led by researchers at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) and carried out with OSIRIS, an instrument on the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), has found the most densely populated galaxy cluster in formation in the primitive universe. The researchers predict that this structure, which is at a distance of 12.5 billion light years from us, will have evolved becoming a cluster simila
The World's First 3D Printed School Will Be Built in Madagascar
5d3D printed houses have been popping up all over the map. Some are hive-shaped , some can float , some are up for sale . Now this practical, cost-cutting technology is being employed for another type of building: a school. Located on the island of Madagascar, the project is a collaboration between San Francisco-based architecture firm Studio Mortazavi and Thinking Huts , a nonprofit whose mission
Global Action Is 'Very Far' From What's Needed to Avert Climate Chaos
5dNew climate pledges submitted to the United Nations would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by less than 1 percent, the world body announced.
Billie Eilish and the Future of the Pop Star Documentary
5dThe Grammy-winner's Apple TV+ film The World's a Little Blurry is radical in its transparency.
Could Fruit Flies Help Match Patients With Cancer Treatments?
5dA British company is seeding genetically modified flies with human tumors, giving patients their own personal drug trials.
When devastation strikes the oceans, sharks can hold the key to recovery
5dA world without sharks is a world less resilient to extreme climate events, scientists say.
When devastation strikes the oceans, sharks can hold the key to recovery
5dA world without sharks is a world less resilient to extreme climate events, scientists say.
If You Transplant a Head, Does Its Consciousness Follow?
5hIn her new book, Brandy Schillace recalls the unbelievable legacy of a Cold War era neurosurgeon's mission to preserve the soul.
Can you still spread coronavirus after getting the vaccine?
10hEditor's note: So you've gotten your coronavirus vaccine, waited the two weeks for your immune system to respond to the shot and are now fully vaccinated. Does this mean you can make your way through the world like the old days without fear of spreading the virus? Deborah Fuller is a microbiologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine working on coronavirus vaccines. She explains wh
Awkwardly, Research Shows 98% of Conversations Don't End When We Want Them To
12hMeet the 'coordination problem'.
Quick-learning cuttlefish pass 'the marshmallow test'
18hMuch like the popular TikTok challenge where kids resist eating snacks, cuttlefish can do the same! Cuttlefish can delay gratification—wait for a better meal rather than be tempted by the one at hand—and those that can wait longest also do better in a learning test, scientists have discovered.
Nonequilibrium dynamics and action at a distance in transcriptionally driven DNA supercoiling [Biophysics and Computational Biology]
1dWe study the effect of transcription on the kinetics of DNA supercoiling in three dimensions by means of Brownian dynamics simulations of a single-nucleotide–resolution coarse-grained model for double-stranded DNA. By explicitly accounting for the action of a transcribing RNA polymerase (RNAP), we characterize the geometry and nonequilibrium dynamics of the…
Nuclear fusion: Building a star on Earth is hard, which is why we need better materials
1dNuclear fusion is the process that powers the Sun and all other stars. During fusion, the nuclei of two atoms are brought close enough together that they fuse together, releasing huge amounts of energy.
Biden says US will have enough jabs to vaccinate all adults by end of May
1dWhite House announces accelerated timeline after brokering production deal between J&J and Merck
Email and Slack Have Locked Us in a Productivity Paradox
1dFrom PCs to smartphones, office tech has always promised to make us more productive. But time and again, it's come with unexpected side effects.
Microdosing study shows placebo effect of taking psychedelics
1dUK research into LSD consumption reveals expectation of improved wellbeing drives transformation
Surgeon Contests Traffic Ticket While Operating on Patient
1dLast Thursday, plastic surgeon Scott Green signed onto a Zoom call to a local court to contest a traffic violation — while performing surgery on an unconscious patient. The video, obtained by The Sacramento Bee , shows Green, apparently double-booked, working with a team of doctors while also responding to questions on the Zoom call. "Hello, Mr. Green? Are you available for trial?" a courtroom cl
New skills of graphene: Tunable lattice vibrations
2dWithout electronics and photonics, there would be no computers, smartphones, sensors, or information and communication technologies. In the coming years, the new field of phononics may further expand these options. That field is concerned with understanding and controlling lattice vibrations (phonons) in solids. In order to realize phononic devices, however, lattice vibrations have to be controlle
The right '5-a-day' mix is 2 fruit and 3 vegetable servings for longer life
2dHigher consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of death in men and women, according to data representing nearly 2 million adults. Five daily servings of fruits and vegetables, eaten as 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables, may be the optimal amount and combination for a longer life. These findings support current U.S. dietary recommendations to eat more fru
NHS doctors criticised over 'do not resuscitate' orders during pandemic
2dHuman rights group says denying treatment to some disabled and elderly patients is clear breach of the law
With MOXIE, Perseverance will try to make air on Mars
2dIt might not look like much, but future generations of this box could be the key to bringing astronauts home from Mars. (R. Lannom/) Follow all of PopSci's Perseverance-mission coverage here. Inside the Perseverance rover sits a gleaming, toaster-sized appliance. It has nothing to do with the mission's primary objective of searching for signs of ancient life on the Red Planet, and it's still tech
Starwatch: Mars closes in on Pleiades star cluster
2dSky-watchers will be rewarded with contrasting celestial colours as red planet approaches blue-white stars Mars, the new home of Nasa's Perseverance rover , closes in on the Pleiades star cluster this week to give sky-watchers a beautiful view of contrasting celestial colours. Continue reading…
After 33 years of failure, Novavax closes in on Covid triumph
2dUS company prepares to launch its vaccine but the road to success has been long
Social media use driven by search for reward, akin to animals seeking food
3dOur use of social media, specifically our efforts to maximize 'likes,' follows a pattern of 'reward learning,' concludes a new study by an international team of scientists. Its findings reveal parallels with the behavior of animals, such as rats, in seeking food rewards.
NFTs Boom as Collectors Shell Out to 'Own' Digital Art
4dNon-fungible tokens provide a way to invest in and own digital imagery. But is it just another crypto fad—or the future of intangible art?
Border Disputes Threaten Climate Science in the Himalayas
4dCross-border teams of scientists need to collaborate on climate models, even as their countries' militaries clash.
The Total Absurdity of Outdoor Dining Structures
4dPandemic creativity in the restaurant industry has been a wonder to behold. All those outdoor tables and benches with planters appeared. They looked tasteful, you know? Like if a shop class had built Paris. But then stupid fall came out of nowhere. So we wheeled out these slick heaters and tried warming up the outside. It was great. You felt like an unsold rotisserie chicken. And you felt free. B
The Rumored Apple Car Is Bad News for Elon
5dPlus: The Ford heir, presidential briefings, and a sad day for gadget lovers.
Researchers solve puzzle of water-to-land transition of vertebrates
5dThe water-to-land transition is a leap in the history of vertebrate evolution and one of the most important scientific issues in vertebrate evolution. Previous studies have shown that vertebrate landing occurred in bony fishes.
What is an "algorithm"? It depends whom you ask
5dDescribing a decision-making system as an "algorithm" is often a way to deflect accountability for human decisions. For many, the term implies a set of rules based objectively on empirical evidence or data. It also suggests a system that is highly complex—perhaps so complex that a human would struggle to understand its inner workings or anticipate its behavior when deployed. But is this character
The Conversation That Can Change the Course of a Cardiac Arrest
5dCavan / RUNSTUDIO / Getty / The Atlantic T he call came in at 7:42:02 p.m. on March 21, 2019. A man in his early 60s had just sat down to dinner with his daughter and her boyfriend at an otherwise empty North Brooklyn restaurant, when he suddenly slumped in his chair. The daughter shouted at a hostess to call 911. Within seconds—by precisely 7:42:16, according to my review of the incident—a New Y
An AI is training counselors to deal with teens in crisis
5dCounselors volunteering at the Trevor Project need to be prepared for their first conversation with an LGBTQ teen who may be thinking about suicide. So first, they practice. One of the ways they do it is by talking to fictional personas like "Riley," a 16-year-old from North Carolina who is feeling a bit down and depressed. With a team member playing Riley's part, trainees can drill into what's h
Scientists: There's Something Lurking in the Center of Earth's Core
53minInnermost Core In school, you probably learned that our planet is made up of four distinct layers: the crust, the mantle, the outer core, and the inner core. But new research by a team of scientists from The Australian National University (ANU) is shaking up the game: like a Russian doll, they say, the inner core has yet another core hidden inside of it. This "innermost inner core" may have been
Researchers unveil issues with nuclear theory, observe no magic behavior at N=32 in charge radii of potassium isotopes
4hMeasuring the size of atomic nuclei has sometimes been useful to probe aspects of nucleon-nucleon interaction and the bulk properties of nuclear matter. The charge radius of atomic nuclei, which can be extracted using laser spectroscopy techniques, is sensitive to both the bulk properties of nuclear matter and particularly subtle details of the interactions between protons and neutrons.
Prehistoric killing machine exposed
4hPreviously thought of as heavy, slow and sluggish, the 260-million-year-old predator, Anteosaurus, was a ferocious hunter-killer.
Prehistoric killing machine exposed
4hPreviously thought of as heavy, slow and sluggish, the 260-million-year-old predator, Anteosaurus, was a ferocious hunter-killer.
A silver swining: 'Destructive' pigs help build rainforests
9hWild pigs are often maligned as ecosystem destroyers, but a University of Queensland study has found they also cultivate biodiverse rainforests in their native habitats.
A silver swining: 'Destructive' pigs help build rainforests
9hWild pigs are often maligned as ecosystem destroyers, but a University of Queensland study has found they also cultivate biodiverse rainforests in their native habitats.
Animals fake death for long periods to escape predators
18hMany animals feign death to try to escape their predators, with some individuals in prey species remaining motionless, if in danger, for extended lengths of time.
Quick-learning cuttlefish pass 'the marshmallow test'
18hMuch like the popular TikTok challenge where kids resist eating snacks, cuttlefish can do the same! Cuttlefish can delay gratification—wait for a better meal rather than be tempted by the one at hand—and those that can wait longest also do better in a learning test, scientists have discovered.
Animals fake death for long periods to escape predators
18hMany animals feign death to try to escape their predators, with some individuals in prey species remaining motionless, if in danger, for extended lengths of time.
It's a Myth That Asian-Americans Are Doing Well in the Pandemic
23hStatistics suggest they are—but numbers often don't include the most vulnerable with limited English — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Data-driven humanitarianism
1dIt's one of the most beautiful places on Earth, but its people are among the most vulnerable. Afghanistan's snowy mountains and fertile foothills give way to arid plateaus, offering a contrast often described as stark and gorgeous. The nexus of ancient East-West trade routes, this landlocked country hosts many languages, artisan traditions, and centuries of influence from Islamic, Buddhist, and H
SpaceX Preparing Third Launch of Astronauts to Space Station
1dCrew-2 SpaceX is getting ready to send the next batch of astronauts to the International Space Station on April 20, Space.com reports . The launch, dubbed Crew-2, could soon mark the third time the space company has launched astronauts into orbit on board its Crew Dragon spacecraft — and the second fully-crewed launch since the Crew-1 mission in November 2020. "Everybody is on track and ready," S
Shift in scientific consensus about demise of Neanderthals
1dIt is still unclear how the Neanderthals died out. For long, one theory seemed most likely: the emergence of the highly intelligent Homo sapiens, or modern humans. This competition hypothesis is no longer the dominant theory among scientists, research among archaeologists and anthropologists has shown. Publication in Scientific Reports.
Plant clock could be the key to producing more food for the world
1dA University of Melbourne led study has established how plants use their metabolism to tell time and know when to grow—a discovery that could help leverage growing crops in different environments, including different seasons, different latitudes or even in artificial environments and vertical gardens.
Plant clock could be the key to producing more food for the world
1dA University of Melbourne led study has established how plants use their metabolism to tell time and know when to grow—a discovery that could help leverage growing crops in different environments, including different seasons, different latitudes or even in artificial environments and vertical gardens.
2 ancient stone coffins for husband and wife unearthed at Israeli wildlife park
1dTwo ancient stone coffins that may have once held the remains of a husband and wife have been rediscovered in a wildlife park near the Israeli city of Tel Aviv.
How Elon Musk Convinced Gwynne Shotwell to Join SpaceX
1dUltimately, their management styles were similar: Don't talk about doing things, just do things.
Image: Hubble looks at a 'black eye' galaxy
1dThis image taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features NGC 4826—a spiral galaxy located 17 million light-years away in the constellation of Coma Berenices (Berenice's Hair). This galaxy is often referred to as the "Black Eye" or "Evil Eye" galaxy because of the dark band of dust that sweeps across one side of its bright nucleus.
As China Rises, the US Builds Toward a Bigger Role in AI
1dAfter decades of staying out of industrial policy, a Pentagon-appointed commission recommends more spending on research and support for US chip makers.
Can Technology Open Spaceflight to Disabled Astronauts?
1dThe European Space Agency wants to make sure its new astronaut class is more diverse. But it will take redesigned gear to make space accessible to everybody.
On calm days, sunlight warms the ocean surface and drives turbulence
1dIn tropical oceans, a combination of sunlight and weak winds drives up surface temperatures in the afternoon, increasing atmospheric turbulence, unprecedented new observational data collected by an Oregon State University researcher shows.
Time to say goodbye? Calls rarely end when we want them to, study finds
1dWhether talking to family, friends or strangers, calls hardly ever end when both parties are ready So you just called to say "I love you" – but how long should you stay on the phone? New research suggests no matter who we're talking to, or what we're talking about, conversations rarely conclude when the two individuals want them to end. Continue reading…
Regeneron Cocktail Stumbles Against SARS-CoV-2 Variant in Vitro
1dA treatment of two monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is ninefold less effective in the lab against the B.1.351 variant than against the dominant version of the virus.
British Soldiers Training for Combat in Virtual Reality
2dTraining Grounds The British military is training its soldiers and running military exercises through a virtual reality simulation . The simulation looked more like a first-person shooter video game than a serious military engagement, according to a new BBC video , in no small part due to the fact that the soldiers used commercially-available Oculus Rift S headsets and handheld controllers. The s
Johnson defends UK border regime amid hunt for Covid patient
2dNews about P.1 variant balanced by data confirming vaccines highly effective at preventing disease
'Explicit instruction' provides dramatic benefits in learning to read
2dWhen it comes to learning to read, new research suggests that explicit instruction — a phonics teaching method in which the relationship between sound and spelling is taught directly and systematically — is more effective than self-discovery through reading.
20 million people in UK have had first dose of coronavirus vaccine
3dHealth secretary hails latest inoculation figures as 'magnificent achievement for the country' Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage More than 20 million Britons have received their first coronavirus vaccine dose, the UK government has said. In a video uploaded to his Twitter profile, the health secretary, Matt Hancock, said it was a "magnificent achievement for the countr
All the Easter Eggs NASA Engineers Left on the Mars Rover
3dCosmic Codes We already heard a little about the Easter Eggs that NASA left on the Perseverance Mars rover. This weekend, we're learning a little bit more. "Sometimes we leave messages in our work for others to find for that purpose. So we invite you all to give it a shot and show your work." That was the call to action issued by Allen Chen, engineer of Perseverance's landing system, at a press c
This Wild Video Maps the Entire Internet and Its Evolution Since 1997
3dIn the early days of digital computing, the machines were monolithic and isolated. They didn't communicate. In fact, they couldn't communicate. There was no lingua franca. This problem was no secret. Computer scientists had been working on ways to network computers as early as 1962. Then on October 29, 1969 —only a few months after Apollo 11 landed on the moon—grad student, Charley Kline, sent a
The Lie at the Heart of the Western
3dAnne Rearick / Agence vu / Redux A gentleman comes from the East Coast to make his fortune. When the train lets him off in a dusty Wyoming town, he encounters an array of cowpunchers, card sharps, and ne'er-do-wells, whose coarse manners shock and intrigue him. At the saloon, he's treated to their opinions on the local women, as well as one man's boast that he never forgets a face—so long as that
How Blizzard Transforms Its Fans Into Employees
4dThe game developer has a reputation for pulling some of its most avid fans into its ranks, but whether that relationship will persevere isn't so clear.
F.D.A. Expert Panel Endorses Johnson & Johnson's Vaccine
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4d& Johnson Vaccine
With this last hurdle cleared, formal authorization of the one-dose vaccine is expected on Saturday and distribution within days.
Clubhouse's Security and Privacy Lag Behind Its Huge Growth
5dThe platform has promised to do better after a string of incidents. But the hardest part might be managing user expectations.
COVID, Quickly, Episode 1: Vaccines, Variants and Diabetes
5dToday we begin a new podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American 's senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential developments in the pandemic: from vaccines to new variants and everything in between.
COVID, Quickly, Episode 1: Vaccines, Variants and Diabetes
5dToday we begin a new podcast series: COVID, Quickly. Every two weeks, Scientific American's senior health editors Tanya Lewis and Josh Fischman catch you up on the essential… — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Microbes deep beneath seafloor survive on byproducts of radioactive process
5dA team of researchers from the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography and their collaborators have revealed that the abundant microbes living in ancient sediment below the seafloor are sustained primarily by chemicals created by the natural irradiation of water molecules.
Humans control majority of freshwater ebb and flow on Earth, study finds
2hHumans have made a remarkable impact on the planet, from clearing forests for agriculture and urbanization to altering the chemistry of the atmosphere with fossil fuels. Now, a new study in the journal Nature reveals for the first time the extent of human impact on the global water cycle.
Human ancestor 'Lucy' gets a new face in stunning reconstruction
3hNew depictions of Lucy and the Taung child are shedding light on the tricky task of facial reconstruction.
Who Is R. A. Lafferty? And Is He the Best Sci-Fi Writer Ever?
5hYou've never heard of him, but your favorite writers have, and his mad-drunk prose will knock you sideways.
Call of the rewild: releasing Britain's rivers to ease flooding
10hConfining rivers creates valuable agricultural land but can lead to greater flood risk downstream For many of us across the UK it has felt like another wet winter; yet again homes have flooded and politicians are under pressure to improve flood protection. Engineering our rivers and building defences might bring reassurance, but recent research shows that doing nothing is often more effective at
Cutting-edge analysis of prehistoric teeth sheds new light on the diets of lizards and snakes
18hNew research has revealed that the diets of early lizards and snakes, which lived alongside dinosaurs around 100 million years ago, were more varied and advanced than previously thought.
Cutting-edge analysis of prehistoric teeth sheds new light on the diets of lizards and snakes
18hNew research has revealed that the diets of early lizards and snakes, which lived alongside dinosaurs around 100 million years ago, were more varied and advanced than previously thought.
Kazuo Ishiguro's Radiant Robot
19hNa Kim This article was published online on March 2, 2021. G irl AF Klara , an Artificial Friend sold as a children's companion, lives in a store. On lucky days, Klara gets to spend time in the store window, where she can see and be seen and soak up the solar energy on which she runs. Not needing human food, Klara hungers and thirsts for the Sun (she capitalizes it) and what he (she also personif
Theodore Roosevelt's North Dakota and 27 Other Smithsonian Programs Streaming in March
22hMulti-part courses, studio arts classes and virtual study tours produced by the world's largest museum-based educational program
Impact of Running Reaches Marrow to Spark Bone Growth in Mice
23hA study offers a new explanation for how exercise strengthens bones and the immune system.
Source apportionment of methane escaping the subsea permafrost system in the outer Eurasian Arctic Shelf [Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences]
1dThe East Siberian Arctic Shelf holds large amounts of inundated carbon and methane (CH4). Holocene warming by overlying seawater, recently fortified by anthropogenic warming, has caused thawing of the underlying subsea permafrost. Despite extensive observations of elevated seawater CH4 in the past decades, relative contributions from different subsea compartments such…
An American Reckoning at the Golden Globes
1dIf this were a normal year, Hollywood's awards season would already be over. This being the opposite of a normal year, however, the Golden Globes have only just aired, and the glitterati of TV and film Zoomed in from their homes, wearing everything from haute couture to homey sweatshirts. One winner, Chloé Zhao —the first Asian woman to win the Globe for best director—toasted the camera with a mu
'I'm the Doctor Who Is Here to Help You Die'
1dThe first thing Dr. Lonny Shavelson thought when he stepped into the room was This is a bad room to die in . It was small and stuffy and there weren't enough chairs. He would have to rearrange things. He would start by pulling the hospital bed away from the wall, so that anyone who wanted to touch the patient as he died would have easy access to a hand or an arm or a soft, uncovered foot. But fir
FAIR Health releases study on impact of COVID-19 on pediatric mental health
1dIn March and April 2020, mental health claim lines for individuals aged 13-18, as a percentage of all medical claim lines, approximately doubled over the same months in the previous year. At the height of the spring wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, this rise in mental health claim lines amounted to 97.0 percent in March and 103.5 percent in April.
Strap on a HoloLens and Step Into the AR Conference Room
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1dMicrosoft Mesh HoloLens
Microsoft's new Mesh software platform helps faraway coworkers meet up and interact in mixed reality. The results are, well, still mixed.
Space hurricane observed for the first time
1dThe first observations of a space hurricane have been revealed in Earth's upper atmosphere, confirming their existence and shedding new light on the relationship between planets and space.
The 'Girl Games' of the '90s Were Fun and Feminist
1dHere's a look back at some of the earliest games for girls—and the role women played in the game industry's early days.
Vaccine Passports Can Help the US Reopen—or Further Divide Us
1dOverly restrictive "yellow cards" could end up disproportionately excluding Black and Latinx citizens from jobs, schools, or even the neighborhood market.
What Do TV's Race Fantasies Actually Want to Say?
1dShows like Bridgerton and Hollywood alter the past in the name of inclusion. It would benefit us more to write the world as it was, as it is.
Valheim Is Changing How We Play Survival Games
1dThe CEO behind the viral success discusses how it became the top-selling game on Steam—and the game's biggest weakness moving forward.
The U.S. Needs Tolerance More Than Unity
1dTolerance allows us to live in harmony despite deep-seated differences — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
What Did I Just Read? A Conversation With the Authors of '2034'
1dElliot Ackerman and Admiral James Stavridis discuss their inspirations, personal experiences, and what keeps them up at night.
Common bacteria modified to make designer sugar-based drug
1dEnvisioning an animal-free drug supply, scientists have—for the first time—reprogrammed a common bacterium to make a designer polysaccharide molecule used in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Published today in Nature Communications, the researchers modified E. coli to produce chondroitin sulfate, a drug best known as a dietary supplement to treat arthritis that is currently sourced from cow tra
WHO investigators deeply sceptical of China's Covid origin theory
1dMembers of Wuhan team say authorities' claim virus entered city on frozen food highly unlikely
Covid-19: why are we feeling burnt out?
1dIt's getting towards a year since the UK first went into lockdown. That's almost 12 months of home-schooling, staying in at the weekends, and not being able to see groups of friends and family in person. For many, the pandemic has also brought grief, loss of financial stability and isolation. So it should come as no surprise that lots of us are feeling emotionally exhausted, stressed and generall
France lifts restrictions on Oxford/AstraZeneca jab for over-65s
1dNew data bring about policy shift as other EU countries likely to abandon age limits
"The right decision": Group retracts Nature Chemical Biology paper after finding a key error
2dResearchers in Australia have retracted a 2016 paper in Nature Chemical Biology after discovering a critical error in their research, bringing some closure to a gut-wrenching case for the scientists involved. As we reported in January, Nicola Smith, the senior author of the article, titled "Orphan receptor ligand discovery by pickpocketing pharmacological neighbors," described learning … Continue
Neandertals had the capacity to perceive and produce human speech
2dNeandertals — the closest ancestor to modern humans — possessed the ability to perceive and produce human speech, according to a new study published by an international multidisciplinary team of researchers including Binghamton University anthropology professor Rolf Quam and graduate student Alex Velez.
Instagram Live Now Hosts More People With 'Rooms'
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2dInstagram Live Four
Instagram is finally giving creators their most requested feature—which the company hopes will make it a more dynamic destination for viewers.
Bottling the world's coldest plasma
2dRice University physicists have discovered a way to trap the world's coldest plasma in a magnetic bottle, a technological achievement that could advance research into clean energy, space weather and astrophysics.
NASA's Perseverance Has a Mars Rover Family Portrait
2dIt's not every day you send something to another planet, and NASA likes to adorn its robotic explorers with a little decoration to make these missions extra-special. That's why the people of Earth were invited to add their name to a tiny silicon chip mounted on the rover. Now that the rover is on the surface and there are dozens of photos of its hardware, the internet has spotted another fun orna
Sherry Turkle Talks Going Remote, Loneliness, and Her Memoir
2dIn The Empathy Diaries, the pioneering computer researcher finally studies her own life. She tells WIRED why now was the right time.
'Overwhelming' international support for more government action on environment, message-testing experiment finds
2dWith eight months to go before the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), an international survey experiment has found evidence of "overwhelming" support across seven major countries for governments to "do more" to protect the environment.
Warnings From the Queer History of Modern Internet Regulation
3dSection 230 faces countless reform efforts. But a look back reminds us that categorical content bans often come at the expense of marginalized groups.
Study: "Zoom Fatigue" Exists—and It Totally Sucks
3dA new study recently confirmed what millions of people working from home have felt for a while: Video calls are tiring us the hell out . Stanford researchers released a new study last week in the journal Technology, Mind, and Behavior that analyzed the impact videoconferencing had on peoples' mental and emotional health. They discovered that prolonged video calls contribute to a phenomena called
Clubhouse Cured My Imposter Syndrome
4dThe scammers turned savants and the whimsical nerds who abound on the audio platform have freed me of personal doubt.
Ugens debat: Strid blæst efter solstrålehistorie om atomkraft
4dPLUS. En rapport udarbejdet for fire medlemmer af Europa-Parlamentet konkluderer, at atomkraft er billigere end både vind- og solenergi. Dét budskab fik både en energiprofessor og mange ing.dk-læsere op af stolen.
This modular laptop makes repairs and upgrades easy
4dThe company will offer a DIY kit that comes fully disassembled for extra fun. (Framework /) I recently switched over to a desktop computer, and after years of using laptops almost exclusively, it still feels novel that I can easily crack open my gaming PC's case and swap out parts. Now, a startup called Framework has built a laptop that would—at least on paper—allow people to easily change just a
Coronavirus live news: UK will face 'enormous strains', says chancellor; New Zealand PM says Auckland to go into lockdown for seven days
4dRishi Sunak warns of risk to economy; Joe Biden tells US 'now is not the time to relax – follow all the day's news as it happens Van-Tam warns against giving up on Covid rules Experts criticise Boris Johnson for putting dates in Covid roadmap See all our coronavirus coverage 9.43am GMT Turkey 's ruling party has come under fire for holding political rallies in areas near the Black Sea where local
The one-shot vaccine from Johnson & Johnson now has FDA support in the US
4dAn advisory board to the US Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously in favor of the first single-shot covid-19 vaccine, clearing the path for the health agency to authorize its immediate use as soon as tomorrow. The one-shot vaccine, developed by Johnson & Johnson, has the additional advantage of being easy to store, because it requires nothing colder than ordinary refrigerator temperature
Stark warning: Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic
4dEminent scientists warn that key ecosystems around Australia and Antarctica are collapsing, and propose a three-step framework to combat irreversible global damage.
Medium-size dinos are missing from the fossil record. Here's why.
4dHere's why there aren't more medium-size carnivorous dinosaurs.
On-surface synthesis of graphene molecules and their superlattices
5dNUS scientists have devised a new method for the synthesis of nanographene molecules with a high product yield for the development of next generation quantum devices.
Is There Life on Mars?
5dSmithsonian scientist John Grant says we have to know what to look for and where to go on the planet for evidence
America's Immigration System Is a COVID Superspreader
5dICE detention centers have some of the worst outbreaks in the country, endangering immigrants, staff and local communities — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Pride festivals in Manchester and London to go ahead
5dOrganisers say vaccine rollout and lockdown easing mean celebrations will take place in some form Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Pride festivals in Manchester and London will be going ahead this year, organisers have confirmed, with Manchester Pride being an in-person event as long as the UK government's roadmap out of lockdown for England remains on track. After be
Researchers solve puzzle of water-to-land transition of vertebrates
5dThe water-to-land transition is a leap in the history of vertebrate evolution and one of the most important scientific issues in vertebrate evolution. Previous studies have shown that vertebrate landing occurred in bony fishes.
5 things you have to know about the new USPS trucks
5dIt will take at least a decade for the Next Generation Delivery Vehicles to replace the Postal Service's current fleet. (U.S. Postal Service/) The United States Postal Service (USPS) unveiled the designs for its next-gen delivery trucks this week, and the result marks a jarring shift from the cramped cabs that zigzag neighborhoods today. The agency announced it was contracting Wisconsin-based com
A Very Technical—and Emotional—Journey to Mars
5dThe Perseverance rover is positively packed with tech. We talk about the cameras, mics, and sensors bringing the sights and sounds of Mars back to us.
Coding Blackness: A History of Black Video Game Characters
5dFrom nameless grayscale sprites in the '70s to Spider-Man's Miles Morales now, Black characters in games have come far. But is it enough?
This Is What It's Like to Live Without Smell
5dLosing any sense can be devastating, even if you never appreciated it before it was gone.
Kontakttallet vokser: Genåbningens 870 indlagte står nu til at blive 1400
5dPLUS. Da SSI regnede på genåbningen, var forudsætningen et kontakttal på 0,78. Men i sidste uge steg det en tak, og dermed slår den eksponentielle vækst hårdt igennem.
I Found My Niche on TikTok—You Can Too
5dYou have one minute to make a statement, but trust me, it's enough time to do something amazing.
Book Review: The Unintended Consequences of Taming Nature
5dIn "Under a White Sky," Elizabeth Kolbert explores the consequences of human attempts to control the environment. From the exploding invasive carp population to a nuanced view of geoengineering to dim the sun, Kolbert contemplates the blurring of the boundary between the natural world and the managed one.
First complete coronavirus model shows cooperation
5dThe COVID-19 virus holds some mysteries. Scientists remain in the dark on aspects of how it fuses and enters the host cell; how it assembles itself; and how it buds off the host cell.
First complete coronavirus model shows cooperation
5dThe COVID-19 virus holds some mysteries. Scientists remain in the dark on aspects of how it fuses and enters the host cell; how it assembles itself; and how it buds off the host cell.
Nuclear physicists on the hunt for squeezed protons
5dWhile protons populate the nucleus of every atom in the universe, sometimes they can be squeezed into a smaller size and slip out of the nucleus for a romp on their own. Observing these squeezed protons may offer unique insights into the particles that build our universe.
White House Says US Will Have Enough Vaccine For All Adults by May
10minOn Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced that the United States would have enough doses of the various coronavirus vaccines to inoculate every adult in the country by the end of May. That's a significant improvement over Biden's previous prediction — that the US would secure enough vaccines by the end of July — which he made just last month, according to CNBC . It's some much-needed good news ab
'UK first' nuclear fusion plan for Nottinghamshire power station
24minA Nottinghamshire power station is put forward as a possible site for a prototype reactor.
Scientists find strongest evidence yet of 'migration gene'
2hA team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Cardiff University say they have found the strongest evidence yet of a "migration gene" in birds.
Scientists find strongest evidence yet of 'migration gene'
2hA team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Cardiff University say they have found the strongest evidence yet of a "migration gene" in birds.
Ancient papyrus holds the world's oldest guide to mummification
3hA newly discovered instruction manual for embalming mummies in ancient Egypt contains the earliest known description of these mysterious techniques.
TikTok Played a Key Role in MAGA Radicalization
4hThe platform's absorbing endless scroll and karaoke features have built an overlooked disinformation machine.
Expect more extreme short-duration thunderstorms caused by global warming
5hClimate experts have revealed that rising temperatures will intensify future rainfall extremes at a much greater rate than average rainfall, with largest increases to short thunderstorms.
Ice Age testing reveals challenges in climate model sensitivity
5hKey to the usefulness of climate models as tools for both scientists and policymakers is the models' ability to connect changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas levels to corresponding shifts in temperature. Equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) is one such measure, representing the predicted warming after a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.
Pandemics and the paradox of human progress
7hThe more we destabilise the planet in the name of advancement, the more pathogens will emerge
Bläckfisk kan "känna" ljus med sina armar
12hBläckfiskar reagerar reflexmässigt på ljus när det hamnar på djurets armar, även om den inte kan se det med sina ögon.
Tempers fray over France's vaccine strategy
13hEmmanuel Macron's government under fire for handling of jabs and lockdowns
Novel drug prevents amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease
17hResearchers have identified a new drug that could prevent AD by modulating, rather than inhibiting, a key enzyme involved in forming amyloid plaques.
Indoors, outdoors, 6 feet apart? Transmission risk of airborne viruses can be quantified
20hThe rush for scientific understanding of the novel coronavirus has focused on biological mechanisms: how people get infected, the response of the human body, and the fastest path to a vaccine. As an aerosol scientist, Tami Bond went a different route, convening a research team that would treat the virus like any other aerosol. This team set out to quantify the dynamics of how aerosols like viruses
Frontiers Removes Controversial Ivermectin Paper Pre-Publication
21hA review article containing contested claims about the tropical medicine drug as a COVID-19 treatment was listed as "provisionally accepted" on the journal's website before being removed this week.
The strongest fishing knots you can tie
21hWhen it comes to finding the strongest fishing knot, sometimes you've got to do a bit of experimenting. (C D-X/Unsplash/) This story was originally featured on Field & Stream . Fishing line has advanced remarkably in the past few decades. Nylon monofilament, fluorocarbon, and so-called "superline" give fishermen tremendous advantages in strength, visibility, and ease of use. Each of the three pri
'Space hurricane' in Earth's upper atmosphere discovered
23hAnalysis of observations made by satellites in 2014 has revealed a long-lasting 'space hurricane' — a swirling mass of plasma several hundred kilometers above the North Pole, raining electrons instead of water.
Insecticide known for killing pollinators found in deer across Minnesota
22hPowerful insecticides are turning up in deer in nearly every corner of Minnesota, raising concerns that the ubiquitous chemicals may be keeping fawns from surviving to maturity or harming deer reproduction.
How the trap-jaw ant got its ultrafast bite
23hPowerful and deadly, the bite of a trap-jaw ant is renowned throughout the animal kingdom. Unlike normal gripping jaws, which rely on muscles to open and close, the trap-jaw latches itself open, storing energy like a stretched spring. When released, the jaws of the ansnap shut on their prey in one ultrafast strike.
How the trap-jaw ant got its ultrafast bite
23hPowerful and deadly, the bite of a trap-jaw ant is renowned throughout the animal kingdom. Unlike normal gripping jaws, which rely on muscles to open and close, the trap-jaw latches itself open, storing energy like a stretched spring. When released, the jaws of the ansnap shut on their prey in one ultrafast strike.
Human DNA methylation signatures differentiate persistent from resolving MRSA bacteremia [Immunology and Inflammation]
1dPersistent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia is life threatening and occurs in up to 30% of MRSA bacteremia cases despite appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Isolates of MRSA that cause antibiotic-persistent methicillin-resistant S. aureus bacteremia (APMB) typically have in vitro antibiotic susceptibilities equivalent to those causing antibiotic-resolving methicillin-re
ASCL2 reciprocally controls key trophoblast lineage decisions during hemochorial placenta development [Developmental Biology]
1dInvasive trophoblast cells are critical to spiral artery remodeling in hemochorial placentation. Insufficient trophoblast cell invasion and vascular remodeling can lead to pregnancy disorders including preeclampsia, preterm birth, and intrauterine growth restriction. Previous studies in mice identified achaete-scute homolog 2 (ASCL2) as essential to extraembryonic development. We hypothesized that
Lipid droplets in mammalian eggs are utilized during embryonic diapause [Developmental Biology]
1dEmbryonic diapause (ED) is a temporary arrest of an embryo at the blastocyst stage when it waits for the uterine receptivity signal to implant. ED used by over 100 species may also occur in normally "nondiapausing" mammals when the uterine receptivity signal is blocked or delayed. A large number of…
Twitch's First Transparency Report Is Here—and Long Overdue
1dThe decade-old streaming platform has for the first time detailed its efforts to safeguard its user base in one place.
Dear Therapist's Guide to Dealing With Regret
1dEditor's Note: With Lori Gottlieb on book leave, Rebecca J. Rosen, the editor of "Dear Therapist," begins another month as The Atlantic 's "Dear Therapist" archivist, pointing readers to some of Lori's most beloved columns. Today marks the first day of March, the third month of Lori's book leave. March is always a time of rebirth, a time when we look ahead to spring. This year, with the emergence
Researchers detects chiral structures using vortex light
1dRecently, the Laboratory of Micro and Nano Engineering, School of Engineering Science, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) has made important progress in the field of structural chirality detection research using vortex light, and found that photon orbital angular momentum can efficiently detect the optical chiral signal of structures.
Wolf social group dynamics matter for infectious disease spread, models suggest
1dBy modeling wolves in Yellowstone National Park, researchers have discovered that how a population is organized into social groups affects the spread of infectious diseases within the population. The findings may be applicable to any social species and could be useful in the protection of endangered species that suffer from disease invasion.
Wolf social group dynamics matter for infectious disease spread, models suggest
1dBy modeling wolves in Yellowstone National Park, researchers have discovered that how a population is organized into social groups affects the spread of infectious diseases within the population. The findings may be applicable to any social species and could be useful in the protection of endangered species that suffer from disease invasion.
Ultracold atom interferometry in space
1dIn 2017, a team of researchers led by Leibniz University Hannover succeeded in generating Bose-Einstein condensates in space within the scope of the MAIUS-1 rocket mission. Bose-Einstein condensates describe a highly unusual state of matter close to absolute zero and can be illustrated with a single wave function. Through time-consuming analyses, the researchers studied different components of the
Toward the development of drugs for aging-related diseases
1dIn the search for ways to effectively combat age-related human disease, the enzyme sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) has recently become a focus of biochemical research. A targeted activation of Sirt6 could prevent or mitigate such diseases, for example some types of cancer. In a paper for the journal Nature Chemical Biology, biochemists from the University of Bayreuth have now shown how the small molecule MDL-80
Toward the development of drugs for aging-related diseases
1dIn the search for ways to effectively combat age-related human disease, the enzyme sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) has recently become a focus of biochemical research. A targeted activation of Sirt6 could prevent or mitigate such diseases, for example some types of cancer. In a paper for the journal Nature Chemical Biology, biochemists from the University of Bayreuth have now shown how the small molecule MDL-80
Three elder sisters of the Sun with planets
1dAn international team led by Prof. Dr. habil. Andrzej Niedzielski, an astronomer from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (Poland), has discovered yet another three extrasolar planets. These planets revolve around the stars that can be called elder sisters of our Sun.
Here's how insects coax plants into making galls
1dInsects can reprogram plant growth, transforming ordinary plant parts into intricately patterned shelters that are safe havens for feeding and reproduction.
Here's how insects coax plants into making galls
1dInsects can reprogram plant growth, transforming ordinary plant parts into intricately patterned shelters that are safe havens for feeding and reproduction.
Should the US start prioritizing first vaccine doses to beat the variants?
1dThe vaccine rollout in the United States has been sluggish, hampered by manufacturing delays, logistical challenges , and freak snowstorms. Demand far outstrips supply. Meanwhile, the more transmissible variant circulating widely in the UK is gaining a foothold in the US. Modeling by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests it will quickly become the dominant strain, bringing a sur
Major Physics Society Will Not Meet in Cities with Racist Policing Records
1dThe American Physical Society's new criteria for conference venues seem to be unique among scientific societies — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Littlest shop of horrors: Hungry green algae prefer to eat bacteria alive
1dNew research suggests that the ability of green algae to eat bacteria is likely much more widespread than previously thought, a finding that could be crucial to environmental and climate science. The work, led by scientists at the American Museum of Natural History, Columbia University, and the University of Arizona, found that five strains of single-celled green algae consume bacteria when they a
How #BringBackOurGirls Became an International Rallying Cry
1dIn 2014, more than 200 Nigerian schoolgirls were kidnapped. It hardly made global headlines—until a Twitter hashtag took off.
Detective work inside plant cells finds a key piece of the C4 photosynthesis puzzle
1dAn impressive body of evidence published this week reveals the answer to a mystery that has puzzled plant scientists for more than 30 years: the role of the molecule suberin in the leaves of some of our most productive crops. This discovery could be the key to engineering better crops and ensuring future food security.
Detective work inside plant cells finds a key piece of the C4 photosynthesis puzzle
1dAn impressive body of evidence published this week reveals the answer to a mystery that has puzzled plant scientists for more than 30 years: the role of the molecule suberin in the leaves of some of our most productive crops. This discovery could be the key to engineering better crops and ensuring future food security.
Study reveals surprising history of world's largest lizard
1dThe unusual breeding history of the Earth's largest living lizard—the Komodo dragon—has been laid bare in a new study from The Australian National University.
The Milky Way's merging history: Reconstructing the Cetus stream
1dAround the Milky Way, there are many river-like structures made up of stars. They are called stellar streams. How these stellar streams formed remains unclear.
Bahamas were settled earlier than believed, settlers dramatically changed landscape
1dHumans were present in Florida by 14,000 years ago, and until recently, it was believed the Bahamas—located only a few miles away—were not colonized until about 1,000 years ago. But new findings from a team including a Texas A&M University at Galveston researcher prove that the area was colonized earlier, and the new settlers dramatically changed the landscape.
Study reveals surprising history of world's largest lizard
1dThe unusual breeding history of the Earth's largest living lizard—the Komodo dragon—has been laid bare in a new study from The Australian National University.
The U.S. Needs Tolerance More Than Unity
1dTolerance allows us to live in harmony despite deep-seated differences — Read more on ScientificAmerican.com
Planetary defense experts use infamous asteroid Apophis to practice spotting dangerous space rocks
1dEight years after an asteroid exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, scientists are taking advantage of a flyby of the infamous asteroid Apophis to practice protecting Earth from space rocks.
2034, Part VI: Crossing the Red Line
1d"Eventually, the Americans would find them. But by then it would be too late."
Recovering from the SolarWinds hack could take 18 months
1dFully recovering from the SolarWinds hack will take the US government from a year to as long as 18 months, according to the head of the agency that is leading Washington's recovery. The hacking campaign against American government agencies and major companies was first discovered in November 2020. At least nine federal agencies were targeted, including the Department of Homeland Security and the
Derek Applewhite's Actin Research Inspires the Next Generation
1dThe biologist's undergraduate-centered lab allows students to play a meaningful role in research.
Designing spaces with marginalized people in mind makes them better for everyone
1dThe pictograms on crosswalk signs haven't always been ubiquitous. (The Voorhes/) In the 1940s, hundreds of thousands of World War II veterans returned home with disabilities. Frustrated by the difficulties they faced, Jack Fisher of Kalamazoo, Michigan, petitioned his city commission to install an experimental curb cut —a gentle slope that brings the end of a sidewalk down to meet the level of th
Common bacteria modified to make designer sugar-based drug
1dEnvisioning an animal-free drug supply, scientists have—for the first time—reprogrammed a common bacterium to make a designer polysaccharide molecule used in pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Published today in Nature Communications, the researchers modified E. coli to produce chondroitin sulfate, a drug best known as a dietary supplement to treat arthritis that is currently sourced from cow tra
Lead up to volcanic eruption in Galapagos captured in rare detail
1dHours before the 2018 eruption of Sierra Negra, the Galápagos Islands' largest volcano, an earthquake rumbled and raised the ground more than 6 feet in an instant. The event, which triggered the eruption, was captured in rare detail by an international team of scientists, who said it offers new insights into one of the world's most active volcanoes.
Forsker om bly i solceller: Forbyd det og undgå miljøbombe
1dPLUS. Indtil videre er det lykkedes solcelleindustrien at overbevise EU om det giftige tungmetals nødvendighed.
Swapping alpha cells for beta cells to treat diabetes
1dBlocking cell receptors for glucagon, the counter-hormone to insulin, cured mouse models of diabetes by converting glucagon-producing cells into insulin producers instead, a team reports in a new study. The findings could offer a new way to treat both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes in people.
New Zealand urged 'don't let virus divide you' as Covid frustration builds
1dJacinda Ardern said lockdown breaches would face 'judgment of nation' but director general of health calls for unity Coronavirus – latest updates See all our coronavirus coverage Ashley Bloomfield, New Zealand's director general of health, has called on the nation to "not let the virus divide you" amidst frustration with rule-breakers linked to recent coronavirus cases, as well as with the govern
Future of immunotherapy could be 'off-the-shelf' treatments
1dScientists argue that emerging protein-based immunotherapies could lead to highly effective 'off-the-shelf' cancer treatments for more patients.
COVID-19 lockdown highlights ozone chemistry in China
1dRecently, the ozone season in China has been getting longer, spreading from summer into early spring and late winter. The COVID-19 lockdown can help explain why. Researchers found that decreases in NOx emissions are driving increased ozone pollution in late winter in China.
New exotic invasive snake is captured in Everglades National Park. It's likely a released pet
1dVisitors hiking the Mahogany Hammock Trail in Everglades National Park earlier this month spotted an unfamiliar snake. It turned out to be a brand-new invasive species.
4-D bioengineering materials bend, curve like natural tissue
1dTissue engineering has long-depended on geometrically static scaffolds seeded with cells in the lab to create new tissues and even organs. The scaffolding material—usually a biodegradable polymer structure—is supplied with cells and the cells, if supplied with the right nutrients, then develop into tissue as the underlying scaffold biodegrades. But this model ignores the extraordinarily dynamic mo
New exotic invasive snake is captured in Everglades National Park. It's likely a released pet
1dVisitors hiking the Mahogany Hammock Trail in Everglades National Park earlier this month spotted an unfamiliar snake. It turned out to be a brand-new invasive species.
Due to climate change, Miami Beach moving away from palm trees to create more shade
1dWhether swaying in the background of a Super Bowl glamour shot or printed on Art Deco-themed postcards, palm trees are synonymous with the sun-and-fun allure of Miami Beach. In a city with nearly 50,000 trees, more than half have fronds.
"We have to put our foot down": Florida wildlife managers ban invasive reptiles
1dThe Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on Thursday signed off on banning the sale, ownership and breeding of tegus, iguanas and other invasive reptiles that have overrun native wildlife populations.
Goodbye UTIs: Scientists develop vaccine strategy for urinary tract infections
1dResearchers describe a new vaccination strategy that they think could re-program the body to fight off the bacteria that cause urinary tract infections.
Scientists describe 'hidden biodiversity crisis' as variation within species is lost
1dThe rapid loss of variation within species is a hidden biodiversity crisis, according to a new study looking at how this variation supports essential ecological functions and the benefits nature provides for people. The study highlights the need to better understand and conserve variation within species in order to safeguard nature's contributions to people.
True cost of the planet's energy and transport systems
1dThe hidden social, environmental and health costs of the world's energy and transport sectors is equal to more than a quarter of the globe's entire economic output, new research reveals.
Individualized brain cell grafts reverse Parkinson's symptoms in monkeys
1dGrafting neurons grown from monkeys' own cells into their brains relieved the debilitating movement and depression symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, researchers report.
Second order optical merons, or light pretending to be a ferromagnet
2dOne of the key concepts in physics, and science overall, is the notion of a 'field' which can describe the spatial distribution of a physical quantity. For instance, a weather map shows the distributions of temperature and pressure (these are known as scalar fields), as well as the wind speed and direction (known as a vector field). Almost everyone wears a vector field on their head—every hair has
Tundra vegetation shows similar patterns along microclimates from Arctic to sub-Antarctic
2dResearchers are in the search for generalisable rules and patterns in nature. Biogeographer Julia Kemppinen together with her colleagues tested if plant functional traits show similar patterns along microclimatic gradients across far-apart regions from the high-Arctic Svalbard to the sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Kemppinen and her colleagues found surprisingly identical patterns.
Tundra vegetation shows similar patterns along microclimates from Arctic to sub-Antarctic
2dResearchers are in the search for generalisable rules and patterns in nature. Biogeographer Julia Kemppinen together with her colleagues tested if plant functional traits show similar patterns along microclimatic gradients across far-apart regions from the high-Arctic Svalbard to the sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Kemppinen and her colleagues found surprisingly identical patterns.
Wrasses dazzle: How fairy wrasses got their flamboyant colours
2dWith their exuberant colors, fiery personalities and captivating courtship displays, the fairy wrasses are one of the most beloved coral reef fish. Despite this, the evolutionary history of its genus was not well understood—until now.