Studies show that chickens were commonly domesticated in southern Central Asia by 400 BC

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

origin and spread of chicken (Gallus Gallus) The question throughout the ancient world is one of the most puzzling questions about Eurasian livestock. The lack of agreement regarding the time and center of origin is due to problems in morphological identification, lack of direct dating, and poor preservation of thin and fragile bird bones. In a new study, archaeologists examined ancient chicken eggshells from 13 different sites spanning 1,500 and a half years. Their results indicate that chickens were widely domesticated in southern Central Asia from the 4th century BC to the Middle Ages and may have dispersed along the ancient Silk Road.

Compilation of evidence on ancient chickens of Central Asia: SEM images of Bash Tepa eggshells. Morphologically distinct breathing holes highlighted at 30x (a), 150x (b), and 750x (f) magnification. (c) A ceramic egg with a clay ball, excavated in Bukhara from the 10th century AD to the 12th century AD. (d) Bactrian Sophites coin of 300 BC. (g) Fragments of the Bash Tepa ossuary dating from the last centuries BC. There is clearly a chicken drawn on the top. (h) Part of an eggshell collected from the Bukhara site. Color (basically all white) and burnt were evident on many of the shells.Image credit: Peters other., doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46093-2.

Dr Kari Peters, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology, said: “With the introduction of genetic and molecular techniques, the debate over the origin and spread of domesticated chickens has intensified in recent years. “An old debate over a mysterious bird is being reignited.” colleague.

“Historical sources demonstrate that chickens were prominent in southern Europe and southwest Asia by several centuries BC.”

“Similarly, art historical depictions of chickens and anthropomorphic rooster-human chimeras are recurring motifs in Central Asian prehistoric and historical traditions. It remains a mystery when this critically important bird spread along the trans-Eurasian exchange route.”

“Experts agree that domestication traits evolved in island populations of junglefowl in South Asia. Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus Gallus Subspecies Spediceus) It is located somewhere in a vast range from Thailand to India. ”

“However, scholars have also presented widely differing dates and routes of spread, and part of this confusion may be due to unclear identification of birds in ancient art, and the morphological characteristics of chicken bones that have not been identified. This is due to the overlap with that of wild birds.

“Furthermore, their fragile, hollow bones and eggshells are much less likely to be preserved, recovered, and identified than in other animals.”

In a new study, the authors found evidence that egg production was prominent in Central Asia starting in the centuries BC and continuing into the Middle Ages.

“We show that chickens were widely domesticated in Central Asia from about 400 BC to 1000 AD, and likely dispersed along the ancient Silk Road,” the researchers said.

“The abundance of eggshells further suggests that the birds were laying eggs out of season.”

“It was this ability to produce large numbers of eggs that made domestic chickens so attractive to ancient peoples.”

To reach these conclusions, researchers collected tens of thousands of eggshell fragments from 13 sites along the Silk Road's main Central Asian corridor.

They then used a biomolecular analysis method called ZooMS to determine the source of the eggs.

Similar to genetic analysis, ZooMS can identify species from animal remains such as bones, skin, and shells, but it relies on protein signals rather than DNA. This makes it a faster and more cost-effective option than genetic analysis.

“Our study shows the potential of ZooMS to shed light on human-animal interactions in the past,” said Dr. Peters.

“The identification of these shell fragments as chickens and their abundance throughout the sediment layers at each site led us to an important conclusion: this bird was They must have been laying eggs more frequently than their wild ancestor, the red junglefowl, which nests once every year.''In a year, they typically lay six eggs per clutch. ”

“This is the earliest evidence of seasonal spawning loss seen in the archaeological record,” said Dr. Robert Spengler, a researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Geoanthropology.

“This is an important clue for a deeper understanding of the human-animal mutualism that led to domestication.”

team's paper It was published in the magazine nature communications.

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C. Peters other. 2024. Archaeological and molecular evidence for ancient chickens in Central Asia. Nat Commune 15, 2697; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46093-2

Source: www.sci.news

ALMA discovers over 100 different molecules in a nearby starburst galaxy

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers using the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) have detected more than 100 molecular species at the center of starburst galaxy NGC 253. This is far more than anything previously observed in galaxies outside the Milky Way.

Artist's impression of the center of starburst galaxy NGC 253. Image credit: NRAO/AUI/NSF.

In the Universe, some galaxies form stars much faster than our Milky Way. These galaxies are called starburst galaxies.

Exactly how such extremely prolific star formation occurs and how it ends is still a mystery.

The probability of star formation is determined by the properties of the raw material from which stars are formed, such as molecular gas, which is a gaseous substance made up of various molecules.

For example, stars form in dense regions within molecular clouds where gravity can work more effectively.

Some time after a star has been actively forming, explosions from existing or dead stars can energize the surrounding material and prevent future star formation.

These physical processes affect the galaxy's chemistry and imprint signatures on the strength of the signals from its molecules.

Because each molecule emits light at a specific frequency, observations over a wide frequency range can analyze its physical properties and provide insight into the mechanism of starbursts.

It was observed by Dr. Nanase Harada of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan as part of the ALMA Comprehensive High-Resolution Extragalactic Molecular Inventory (ALCHEMI). NGC253 a starburst galaxy located 11.5 million light-years away in the constellation Corina.

They were able to detect more than 100 molecular species in the galaxy's central molecular belt.

This chemical raw material is most abundantly found outside the Milky Way, and includes molecules such as ethanol and the phosphorus-containing species PN, which were first detected beyond the Milky Way.

First, astronomers found that the dense molecular gas likely fuels active star formation in this galaxy.

Each molecule emits at multiple frequencies, and its relative and absolute signal strength varies with density and temperature.

Analysis of numerous signals from several molecular species revealed that the amount of dense gas at the center of NGC 253 is more than 10 times greater than the amount of gas at the center of the Milky Way. This could explain why NGC 253 forms about 30 stars. With the same amount of molecular gas, you can get many times more efficiency.

One mechanism by which molecular clouds compress and become denser is through collisions between them.

At the center of NGC 253, cloud collisions occur where gas streams and stars intersect, creating shock waves that travel at supersonic speeds.

These shock waves vaporize molecules such as methanol and HNCO and freeze them onto ice dust particles.

Once the molecules evaporate as a gas, they can be observed with radio telescopes such as ALMA.

Certain molecules also track ongoing star formation. It is known that complex organic molecules exist in abundance around young stars.

Schematic image of the center of NGC 253. Spectra from the ALCHEMI survey are shown where different tracer species are enriched.Image credits: ALMA / ESO / National Astronomical Observatory of Japan / NRAO / Harada other.

The study suggests that in NGC 253, active star formation creates a hot, dense environment similar to that found around individual protostars in the Milky Way.

The amount of complex organic molecules at the center of NGC 253 is similar to that found around galactic protostars.

In addition to the physical conditions that can promote star formation, the study also uncovered harsh environments left behind by previous generations of stars that could slow the formation of future stars.

When a massive star dies, a massive explosion known as a supernova occurs, releasing energetic particles called cosmic rays.

Molecular composition of NGC 253 revealed by enhancement of species such as H₃○⁺ and HOC⁺ Molecules in this region are stripped of some of their electrons by cosmic rays at least 1,000 times faster than molecules near the solar system.

This suggests that there is a significant energy input from the supernova, making it difficult for the gas to condense and form a star.

Finally, the ALCHEMI survey provided an atlas of 44 molecular species, double the number obtained in previous studies outside the Milky Way.

By applying machine learning techniques to this atlas, the researchers were able to identify which molecules can most effectively track the star formation story described above from beginning to end.

As explained above with some examples, certain molecular species track phenomena such as shock waves and dense gas that can help star formation.

Young star-forming regions are rich in chemicals, including complex organic molecules.

On the other hand, the developed starbursts show an enhancement of cyanogen radicals, which indicate an energy output in the form of ultraviolet photons from massive stars, which could also hinder future star formation.

“Finding these tracers may help plan future observations to take advantage of the broadband sensitivity improvements expected over this decade as part of the ALMA 2030 development roadmap. “Simultaneous observation of molecular transitions will become more manageable,” the scientists said.

Their paper will appear in Astrophysical Journal Appendix Series.

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Nanase Harada other. 2024. ALCHEMI Atlas: Principal component analysis reveals starburst evolution of NGC 253. APJS 271, 38; doi: 10.3847/1538-4365/ad1937

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists have discovered a distinct neural signature in chickadees for episodic memory

Posted on April 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecil atricapillus) This small passerine bird from North America, which lives in deciduous and mixed forests, has an extraordinary memory that allows it to remember thousands of food locations to help it survive the winter. Now, scientists Columbia University Zuckerman Institute for Mind, Brain, and Behavior have discovered how Gala is able to remember so many details. They memorize the location of each food item using brain cell activity similar to a barcode.

Chetty other. We propose that animals recall episodic memories by reactivating barcodes in the hippocampus.Image credit: Chetty other., doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.032.

“We found that each memory is tagged with a unique pattern of activity in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that stores memories,” said Dr. Dmitry Aronov, senior author of the study.

“We called these patterns 'barcodes' because they are very specific labels for individual memories. For example, the barcodes of two different caches are Even if two caches are next to each other, there is no correlation.

“There are a number of human discoveries that perfectly match the barcode mechanism,” added Dr. Selman Chetty, lead author of the study.

Scientists have known for decades that the brain's hippocampus is necessary for episodic memories, but understanding exactly how those memories are encoded has been much more difficult. was.

Part of the reason is that it's often difficult to know what animals remember at any given time.

To get around this problem in the new study, Dr. Aronoff and colleagues turned to the black-capped chickadee.

Researchers found that chickadees provide a unique opportunity to study episodic memory because they hide food and then have to remember to come back to retrieve it later.

“Each cache is a clear, obvious, easily observable moment in which a new memory is formed,” Dr. Aronoff said.

“By focusing on these special moments, we were able to identify patterns of memory-related activity that we had not noticed before.”

The researchers needed to design an arena that could automatically track the detailed behavior of the gulls as they hide and retrieve food.

They also needed to develop techniques to make large-scale, high-density neural recordings inside the birds' brains as they move freely.

Their brain recordings during caching revealed very sparse and transient barcode-like firing patterns across hippocampal neurons. Each barcode contains only about 7% of the cells in the hippocampus.

“When a bird creates a cache, about 7% of its neurons respond to that cache. When the bird creates another cache, another group of 7% of its neurons responds,” Dr. Aronoff said. Ta.

These neural barcodes occurred simultaneously with the conventional activity of neurons in the brain that are triggered in response to specific locations, aptly called place cells.

Interestingly, however, there were no similarities in the episodic memory barcodes of cache locations close to each other.

“It was widely thought that place cells change when animals form new memories,” Dr. Aronoff says.

“For example, placement cell firings may increase or decrease near the cache location.”

“This was a common hypothesis, but our data did not support it.”

“Place cells do not represent information about caches; rather, they appear to remain relatively stable as the chickadees cache and retrieve food from the environment.”

“Instead, episodic memory is represented by additional activity patterns, or barcodes, that coexist with place cells.”

The authors liken the newly discovered hippocampal barcode to a computer hash code, a pattern that is assigned as a unique identifier to different events.

They suggest that barcode-like patterns may be a mechanism for the rapid formation and storage of many non-interfering memories.

“Perhaps the biggest unanswered question is whether and how the brain uses barcodes to prompt behavior,” Dr. Aronoff said.

“For example, it's not clear whether chickadees activate barcodes and use their memory of food-caching events when deciding where to go next.”

“We plan to address these questions in future studies through more complex settings in the laboratory, recording brain activity while the birds choose which food stores to visit.”

“If you plan on retrieving cached items before you actually retrieve them, that's to be expected,” Dr. Chetty said.

“We wanted to identify the moments when a bird is thinking about a location but haven't gotten there yet, and see if activating the barcode might move the bird to the cache. thinking about.”

“We also want to know whether the barcoding tactics they discovered in chickadees are widely used among other animals, including humans. It might help clarify the core.”

“When you think about how people define themselves, who they think they are, their sense of self, episodic memories of specific events are central to that. That's what we're trying to understand. That is what we are doing.”

a paper The survey results were published in a magazine cell.

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Selman N. Chetty other. Barcoding of episodic memory in the hippocampus of food-storing birds. cell, published online March 29, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.032

Source: www.sci.news

New studies indicate Arrokoth and other Kuiper belt objects are made of untouched ice

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A pair of planetary scientists from Brown University and the SETI Institute have uncovered ancient ice deep within Arrokoth, the Kuiper Belt object (486958) that was the focus of a flyby by NASA’s New Horizons mission on January 1, 2019. They suggest that billions of years ago when the object first formed, there was a chance that ancient ice formed by comets could be present. By developing a new model to study comet evolution, the researchers found that this endurance is not unique to Arrokoth but may also be found in many other objects in the Kuiper belt.

This composite image of Ultima Thule was compiled from data acquired when NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft flew by the object on January 1, 2019. This image combines enhanced color data (close to what the human eye can see) with detailed high-resolution panchromatic data. picture. Image credit: NASA / Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory / Southwest Research Institute / Roman Tkachenko.

“Using a fairly simple mathematical model, we now show that primordial ice can be trapped deep inside these objects for long periods of time,” said Dr. Sam Birch, a planetary scientist at Brown University. “Most of our community thought this ice should have disappeared long ago, but now we think that may not be the case.”

Planetary scientists have long struggled to understand what happens to the ice on these space rocks over time. The new study challenges traditional thermal evolution models and suggests that highly volatile ice on these objects may persist longer than previously thought.

A model created by Birch and SETI Institute researcher Orkan Umurkhan explains this phenomenon, indicating that the ice on these objects can endure due to their extremely low temperatures. This new idea may provide insight into the explosive nature of icy objects in the Kuiper belt when they approach the sun.

Ultimately, this study presents a new perspective on comet evolution and activity, challenging existing theories and paving the way for a deeper understanding of these celestial bodies and their origins.

Birch and Dr. Umruhan are co-investigators of NASA’s Comet Astrobiology Exploration Sample Return (CAESAR) mission, which aims to collect surface material from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and return it to Earth for analysis, potentially shedding further light on comet evolution and activity.

The study is published in the journal Icarus, and the results could have implications for future space exploration missions and our understanding of the cosmos.

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Samuel PD Birch and Orkan M. Umruhan. 2024. 486958 CO ice and gas remain inside the Arokos. Icarus 413: 116027; doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2024.116027

Source: www.sci.news

The US and UK Formally Partner on Ensuring Artificial Intelligence Safety

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The United States and Britain have revealed a fresh collaboration in the realm of artificial intelligence safety on Monday, amid increasing apprehensions about the upcoming advanced versions.

US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and UK Technology Secretary Michelle Donnellan will collaborate on developing cutting-edge AI model testing, following commitments made during the AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in November. A memorandum of understanding was signed in Washington, DC.

“We all understand that AI is the defining technology of our era,” mentioned Raimondo. “This partnership will enhance efforts in both institutions to tackle risks related to national security and broader public concerns.”

Within this formal partnership, the US and UK will conduct at least one joint experiment using a publicly accessible model, and are also contemplating the possibility of personnel exchanges between the institutions. Both nations are committed to forming similar collaborations with other countries to promote AI safety.

“This is a groundbreaking agreement globally,” affirmed Donnellan. “AI is already a tremendous force for good in our society and has the potential to address significant global challenges, but only if we grasp the associated risks.”

Since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022, generative AI capable of producing text, images, and videos in response to open-ended prompts could render certain jobs redundant, disrupt elections, and potentially overwhelm humans. It elicits both anxiety and excitement simultaneously.

The two countries aim to exchange vital information on the capabilities and risks linked to AI models and systems, along with conducting technical research on AI safety and security.

In October, Joe Biden signed an executive order aimed at mitigating AI-related risks. In January, the Commerce Department proposed the imposition of a requirement for US cloud companies to determine if foreign entities access US data centers for training AI models.

In February, the UK announced an investment exceeding 100 million pounds ($125.5 million) to establish nine new research centers and train AI regulators on the technology.

Source: www.theguardian.com

What causes variations in anxiety levels among individuals?

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

We all know that person who, when faced with a tremendous problem, shrugs their shoulders, comes up with a solution, and moves forward without furrowing their brow.

For those who have had a relationship with anxiety, even temporarily, it may seem surprising how others manage to live their lives so calmly. Why are some people protected while others are more likely to experience it? As with most aspects of our behavior, genetics as well as environmental pressures and lifestyle choices Science also has an influence. Thankfully, with a deeper understanding of how they interact, we can find new ways to minimize the problem.

Let’s start with your genes. Research shows that approximately 30 percent of the variation in generalized anxiety disorder in the general population is due to Caused by genetics. This is not due to any particular gene, but rather to a large number of interacting genetic factors.

For some people, it may be a gene related to the hormone serotonin, which carries messages to the brain. A study of marmosets found that the level of anxiety the animals perceived Gene responsible for protein that removes serotonin An area of the brain called the amygdala processes memories associated with fear. When serotonin was blocked from entering cells in the amygdala, the animals’ anxiety appeared to decrease.

This suggests that some people may have a genetic predisposition to absorb too much serotonin into cells in this area. As a result, less serotonin passes between neurons, disrupting the messages that help us…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Tesla’s quarterly new car deliveries experience their first decrease in nearly four years

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla experienced its first drop in vehicle deliveries in almost four years, failing to meet Wall Street’s expectations. This indicates that the impact of price reductions is diminishing as car manufacturers face tougher competition and subdued demand.

Since the start of the year, Tesla’s shares have plummeted by nearly 30% and were down 5.7% in early trading on Tuesday.

The world’s most valuable automaker delivered approximately 386,810 vehicles in the first quarter of the year, a 20.2% decrease from the previous quarter, while producing 433,371 vehicles. Wall Street analysts, surveyed by Visible Alpha, had anticipated Tesla to deliver 454,200 vehicles on average.

Compared to the previous year, deliveries from electric vehicle manufacturers dropped by 8.5%. The last time Tesla encountered a decline in sales was in the second quarter of 2020, when the pandemic caused production halts.

The company attributed the decrease in production to preparations for scaling up production of the new Model 3 at its Fremont, Calif., plant, and disruptions at its Berlin plant due to transportation diversions amid the Red Sea conflict and an arson fire. This led to a temporary halt in early March. A left-wing group claimed responsibility for setting fire to a pylon at a German factory that churns out 500,000 cars annually.

In China, Tesla faces tough competition from local companies like BYD, which overtook the American company as the largest EV maker in the last quarter, and newcomer Xiaomi.

Despite this competition, Elon Musk’s company managed to outsell BYD in the quarter, delivering 369,783 Model 3s and Model Ys, along with around 17,000 other models including the Model S sedan, Cybertruck, and Model X premium SUV.

In January, Tesla also cautioned that sales growth would be “significantly slower” this year as it shifts its focus towards producing next-generation electric vehicles.

Source: www.theguardian.com

What is driving younger generations’ enthusiasm for a revival of retro games?

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The Bouncy, Nintendo Wii Theme MIDI Melody Falling into the drill beat. When you open the Game Boy Color, lip gloss case.a$ap rocky goes “Complete Minecraft” A man in a pixelated hoodie panting and bobbing up and down his arm got stuck in a bush. This is not a defect. Pop culture, both online and IRL, has embraced the retro gaming aesthetic.

On TikTok, #Retro game video It has been viewed over 6 billion times.upon YouTube, the number of uploads increased 1,000 times. Spotify users say he’s creating 50% more retro gaming-themed playlists compared to this time last year, and the live streamer is adding repetitive catchphrases and mechanical They use movement to their advantage. So why, in an age of hyper-realistic graphics and ever-expanding technological possibilities, are younger generations fascinated by the limits of technology?

For Kingsley Ellis, a millennial who grew up listening to the beeps and bleeps of Sega Megadrives and N64 cartridges, the appeal of retro gaming is simple. “It’s all about nostalgia,” says Ellis from the TikTok account. Unpacked, has 1.5 million followers. His interests are primarily in old gaming hardware, he says. His most-watched videos revisit the wonderfully weird world of retro peripherals. They’re often ridiculous appendages designed to enhance (or over-engineer) the gaming experience. screen magnifier and foldable speaker It clips onto the console.

Young gamers are discovering retro accessories like the Wii Fit balance board through TikTok. Photo: Itsuo Inoue/Associated Press

“I was struck by some of the obsessions that I wasn’t aware of as a child,” he says. pedice dating The snorkel allows the pediatric dentist to administer nitrous oxide to the patient while playing a game, or is controlled by a Game Boy. sewing machine. Ellis’ content offers a winning combination of innovation, discovery, novelty and nostalgia. “I think the current wave of technology will be largely ignored in the future,” he says. “I don’t feel like there are any nostalgic properties there.”

This sentiment seems to resonate with the growing demographics of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. The popularity of channels like Ellis reflects his widespread fascination with retro technology. reaction videothe return of the Web 1.0 era Frutiger Aero aesthetics (Think futuristic optimism, shiny buttons, gradients and Windows XP screensavers), filters that transform people PS2 characters, and the increasing adoption of Y2K-era devices by younger consumers. Last year, Urban Outfitters sold out of its inventory of refurbished iPod Minis and 20-year-old Olympus digital cameras.The hottest Gen Z gadgets”. Amid the ubiquity of today’s technology and instant gratification, Ellis suggests that the appealing limitations of retro devices foster a “hack and discover” mentality that leads to long-term gratification. doing.

Thanks to the memetic nature of the modern internet, video game soundtracks and graphics increasingly come to life in new contexts, and this thrill of discovery extends beyond gameplay. Games have long been a source of inspiration for artists. Remember Jay-Z’s Golden Ax sample? money, cash, hoes; Lil BUse of Masashi Hamauzu’s Final Fantasy score.and D double ease street fighter riddim. Video game music is part of the regular programming on NTS, an independent online radio platform with millions of loyal listeners. NTS’ monthly geek show highlights a specific game or theme, from iconic series like The Legend of Zelda to the history of video game sampling in rap.

“Our passion stems from our belief that music in video games and anime often doesn’t get the recognition it deserves,” said Thierry Hunn, the show’s curator. For him and the rest of his ’90s kids, video games were the gateway to music discovery. Genres such as jungle and breakbeat were first encountered by many children while fighting virtual enemies.Pink Panther Ress viral hit Boys A Liar Pt. 2Charli XCX suggests that Mr. Hung sounds like something straight out of…

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK industry rules find video game company in violation for loot box practices

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The UK government’s mandate for technology companies to self-regulate gambling-style loot boxes in video games has come under scrutiny as some developers, who were involved in creating industry guidelines, failed to comply with their own rules.

In the last six months, three companies, including major developer Electronic Arts (EA), faced charges from the advertising regulator for not disclosing the presence of loot boxes in their games as stipulated in the guidelines they helped establish.

Experts who filed the complaint noted numerous other breaches but only reported a few to highlight the issue to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

Loot boxes are game features that allow players to spend real or virtual currency to unlock digital envelopes with random rewards like character outfits or weapons.

Despite concerns about the gambling-like risks associated with loot boxes, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport announced in July 2022 that loot boxes would not be classified as gambling products.

Nadine Dorries, the then culture secretary, expressed concerns about regulating loot boxes due to potential unintended consequences.

Instead of direct regulation, the government established a “technical working group” which included video game and tech companies and introduced 11 principles related to loot boxes in August 2023.

One of the guidelines requires clear disclosure of paid loot boxes in game promotions.

Leon Hsiao, an expert on loot box regulation, found that the majority of game ads he analyzed violated the group’s disclosure rules despite being members of the Loot Box Working Group.

Several games, including those from EA, Hutch, and Jagex, were subject to complaints upheld by the ASA for inadequate disclosure of loot boxes.

While EA and Jagex cited human error and lack of space for disclosures, Hatch claimed misunderstanding of the advertising guidelines.

Hsiao stressed that these incidents were not isolated and suggested the industry’s self-regulation efforts were not sufficient.

Don Foster, chairman of the House of Lords’ group for Gambling Reform, called out the failure of self-regulation and urged government intervention to protect children from loot box-related harm.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport emphasized the need for video game companies to enhance efforts in safeguarding players from loot box risks.

The UK games industry body Ukey supported the implementation of new guidelines by July 2024 to ensure player protection and promote responsible gaming.

EA affirmed their commitment to loot box disclosures and providing players with information for safe gaming practices.

Jagex and Hatch were contacted for comments by The Guardian.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Google settles lawsuit by deleting billions of private browsing records

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Google has agreed to destroy billions of records to settle a lawsuit alleging that it secretly tracked the internet usage of people who appeared to be browsing privately in incognito mode on its Chrome browser.

Users claim Google’s analytics, cookies and apps allow Alphabet’s division to improperly track people who set Google’s Chrome browser to “incognito” mode and other browsers to “private” browsing mode.

They say this will allow Google to learn about their friends, favorite foods, hobbies, shopping habits, and “the most intimate and potentially embarrassing things” they search for online, making it “a treasure trove of unexplainable information.”

The terms of the settlement were filed Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, and must be approved by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. The class action lawsuit began in 2020 and targets millions of Google users who used private browsing after June 1, 2016.

Under the settlement, Google will update its disclosures about what it collects during “private” browsing, a process that has already begun. Also, a secret user will be able to block third-party cookies for her five years.

“As a result, Google will collect less data from users’ private browsing sessions, and Google will derive less profit from that data,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs valued the deal at more than $5 billion, with a maximum of $7.8 billion. Users will not receive damages, but may sue individually for damages. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Google supports final approval of the settlement, but disagrees with the plaintiffs’ “legal and factual findings,” according to court documents.

“There are limits to how strongly you can market the Secret Service,” Lorraine Twohill, Google’s chief marketing officer, wrote in a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai in 2019. is not truly private, requires very vague and risk-averse language, and is likely to be more damaging.”

David Boies, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement that the settlement is “an historic step in demanding honesty and accountability from powerful technology companies.”

A tentative settlement was reached in December, and a trial was scheduled for February 5, 2024. Terms were not disclosed at the time. Plaintiffs’ lawyers will now ask Google to pay unspecified legal costs.

The company has faced similar lawsuits before. In 2022, the Texas attorney general sued the company, alleging that “Incognito mode, or ‘private browsing,’ is a web browser feature that indicates to consumers that Google does not track their search history or location information.”.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Reveals your proximity to the mouse right now

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

This longstanding claim has been circulating for over a century, but its origins remain a mystery. Experts unanimously debunk this myth as completely untrue, unless you happen to reside in a sewer system.

One of the challenges is the limited knowledge about the secretive behaviors and populations of rats.

According to the 2018 Natural England report, Britain’s rat population is estimated to be 7 million, while the British Pest Control Association suggests it could be as high as 120 million.

Regardless of the exact numbers, rats in the UK are not evenly distributed. Certain regions, like parts of the Scottish Highlands, have no rat presence at all, and encountering a rat in the middle of the English countryside is rare unless you’re near a barn.

Rats are seen as symbiotic creatures, living in close proximity to humans and feeding off their resources. Even in urban settings like London, the true rat population remains a mystery.

In 2012, Dave Cowan, head of the wildlife program at the Food and Environmental Research Agency, stated in the BBC that around 3.5 million rats inhabit British cities.

However, some pest control experts, albeit biased, claim that London alone harbors 20 million rats.

To put this into perspective, if the 20 million rats were evenly spread across London’s 1,572km² area, each rat would cover 78.6 million square feet. This would suggest that you are likely within 5 meters of a rat at any given time.

With a more conservative estimate of 3 million rats, the nearest one would be approximately 13 meters away.

Dispelling a popular belief, a 2023 study revealed that there are actually fewer than 3 million rats in New York City, roughly equating to one rat for every three residents. Read more here.

Rats tend to congregate where food sources are plentiful, such as near trash bins, eateries, and markets, as well as in less traversed areas like sewers, abandoned structures, and construction sites.

They typically stay at ground level and within 200 meters of their birthplace, making it relatively feasible to avoid encountering them in certain areas.

This article addresses the question posed by Esther Lamb of Worthing: “Is it true that you are always within 6 feet of a rat?”

If you have any inquiries, please reach out to us via email at: questions@sciencefocus.com, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (be sure to include your name and location).

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Hubble photographs star-forming galaxies in close proximity

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

This stunning view of a pair of spiral galaxies called Arp 72 is a violent collision occurring in slow motion, according to the Hubble team.

This image shows Arp 72, a galaxy pair that includes NGC 5996 (a large spiral galaxy) and NGC 5994 (a small companion star in the lower left of the image). The color images were taken in the visible and infrared regions of the spectrum using Hubble's Altitude Survey Camera (ACS) and the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on NSF's Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope. created from separate exposures. Cerro Toloro Interamerican Observatory in Chile. Four filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is obtained by assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. Image credits: NASA / ESA / Hubble / L. Galvany / J. Dalcanton / Dark Energy Survey / DOE / FNAL / DECam / CTIO / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA.

of alp 72 system It is located approximately 160 million light years away in the constellation Serpens.

Arp 72 is made up of a strangely shaped spiral galaxy NGC 5996 and smaller, less deformed spiral galaxies NGC5994.

NGC 5996 was first discovered on March 21, 1784 by German-British astronomer William Herschel.

NGC 5994 is discovered Written by Irish engineer and astronomer Bindon Stoney on March 9, 1851.

“The centers of these galaxies are approximately 67,000 light-years apart from each other,” the Hubble astronomers said.

“Furthermore, the distance between galaxies at their closest points is even smaller, close to 40,000 light-years.”

“This may still sound vast, but from a galactic separation perspective, it's really, really cozy!”

“For comparison, the distance between the Milky Way and its closest independent galactic neighbor Andromeda is about 2.5 million light-years.”

“Alternatively, the distance between the Milky Way and its largest and brightest satellite galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, is about 162,000 light-years.”

“Given this and the fact that NGC 5996 is roughly comparable in size to the Milky Way, it is not surprising that NGC 5996 and NGC 5994 are interacting,” the researchers said.

“In fact, this interaction may be responsible for distorting the helical shape of NGC 5996 and apparently pulling it toward NGC 5994.”

“That's also… Formation of very long and faint tails of stars and gas It curves away from NGC 5996 to the upper right of the image. ”

“This tidal tail is a common phenomenon that appears when galaxies approach each other, as seen in some Hubble images.”

Source: www.sci.news

Tennessee legislator outlaws geoengineering, talks about ‘chemtrails’

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a bill on Monday aimed at preventing geoengineering, the deliberate modification of the atmosphere to address global warming.

The bill, which has already been approved by the state Senate, includes various technological interventions. These range from theoretical concepts like solar modulation to practical methods like cloud seeding, which is used to enhance precipitation.

Most geoengineering options are still theoretical and untested. Federal researchers have only taken preliminary steps towards feasibility studies, and atmospheric scientists emphasize the lack of evidence for large-scale implementation.

On the surface, Tennessee’s bill seeks to restrict experimentation and deployment of such technologies.

However, discussions among lawmakers around the proposal blur the lines between fact and fiction, with some suggesting ongoing solar geoengineering projects and expressing fears and misunderstandings that trace back to “chemtrail” conspiracy theories.

“This will be my wife’s favorite bill of the year. She has been concerned about this for a long time. It’s been happening for years,” said Republican Sen. Frank Knisley during a public hearing on the bill last month. “If you look up, one day it will be clear. The next day it will look like angels playing tic-tac-toe. They are everywhere. There’s a photo with an X in it. They denied any involvement for years.”

None of the six Senate sponsors responded to requests for comment. Nicely, who voted in favor of the bill, also did not respond after the House vote. Republican Rep. Monty Fritz, the bill’s House sponsor, only agreed to an in-person interview, which could not be arranged before the vote by NBC News.

The chemtrail theory posits that planes are not leaving contrails but rather spraying government-created chemicals for control purposes. It is a collection of unsubstantiated ideas.

Various conspiracy theories related to chemtrails have emerged recently, with believers claiming that contrails are actually aerosols designed to manipulate weather and climate. Republican Sen. Steve Sutherland, one of the bill’s sponsors, mentioned the chemtrail theory while presenting his case for the bill to reporters, as reported by the Tennessee Lookout, a nonprofit news outlet.

“We are witnessing significant changes,” said Justin Mankin, a climate scientist at Dartmouth College. The challenge arises from the fact that the entire chemtrail conspiracy accommodates various technologies with distinct goals, making it challenging to separate them. ”

Besides Tennessee, other states like Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Dakota have introduced or are contemplating similar anti-geoengineering legislation.

This trend indicates a blend of conspiracy theories, confusion, and genuine environmental concerns gaining ground in public awareness and among certain Republican circles.

“People in states like Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and New Hampshire fear that the chemtrail theory is factual,” Mankin explained. “By enacting legislation, policymakers are legitimizing conspiracy theories instead of relying on science to disprove them adequately.”

Josh Horton, a senior fellow studying solar geoengineering policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, mentioned that as far as he knows, Tennessee is the first state to pass such a bill in both chambers of the legislature.

If the governor signs the bill, it would prohibit the deliberate release of chemicals into the atmosphere for the purpose of influencing temperature, weather, or sunlight intensity.

The bill suggests that the “federal government” or its agents have implicated in geoengineering experiments by intentionally spraying chemicals into the atmosphere.

A White House official clarified that the government is not involved in outdoor solar radiation control testing or implementation. They mentioned engaging in limited research activities like modeling, measurement, monitoring, and laboratory studies.

The vote in Tennessee on Monday evening sparked controversy.

Democratic Rep. John Ray Clemons playfully attached an amendment to the bill suggesting that geoengineering could endanger Sasquatch habitat. His amendment did not pass.

“It’s fitting that this bill is on the calendar on April 1,” quipped Rep. Beau Mitchell, another Democrat.

The bill’s House sponsor, Fritz, cited federal funding for aerosol research as proof of the government’s intentions.

“There is intent and a plan,” he asserted. “Some individuals looking into solar radiation modification are aiming to reflect sunlight from Earth by injecting chemicals, compounds, substances, and devices into the upper atmosphere. I believe so.”

It is not surprising that lawmakers are grappling with the complexities of geoengineering. The term is broad and poorly defined, encompassing many speculative ideas from scientists brainstorming ways to combat global warming.

“It’s not fully fleshed out. It doesn’t exist,” Horton remarked. “There is jargon everywhere.”

Solar geoengineering, which the Tennessee bill seeks to prohibit, falls under this broad category. It includes activities like stratospheric aerosol injection, an unproven theory aimed at cooling the planet by injecting particles into the stratosphere from high-altitude aircraft.

Other geoengineering methods like ocean cloud brightening, cirrus thinning, and using ice cubes to absorb heat are not covered in the bill.

Tennessee’s bill also outlaws weather modification, including cloud seeding, a practice used for decades in Western states to enhance rainfall.

While some states regulate cloud seeding efforts to boost snowfall in mountainous regions, most other forms of geoengineering remain unregulated. “The Wild West of the regulation world,” Mankin noted.

The committee hearings on the bill led to a mix of truth, insinuations, and fiction.

The bill’s sponsor, Dr. Dennis Sibley, testified before both chambers of the legislature and insinuated that the federal government was releasing chemicals into the atmosphere.

“There’s no denying that weather modification is happening in our state,” Sibley stated, adding, “I am opposed to the intentional use of particulate aerosols or heavy metals to block sunlight.”

She referenced a 2023 White House Report as evidence, portraying a concept paper on geoengineering research without detailing an actual program.

Sibley did not respond to requests for comment.

During the hearing, lawmakers conflated contrails with “chemtrails,” questioning whether cloud seeding caused wildfires in Western states or if geoengineering led to higher cancer rates.

Republican Rep. Bud Hulsey even speculated if geoengineering was responsible for the decline of honey bees.

“Exactly—that’s why the bees are disappearing,” replied testimonial support David Perry, who claimed to have been a licensed healthcare provider for four decades. “Their ecosystem is impacted by these aerosols.”

There is no evidence to support Perry’s assertions. A Tennessee chiropractor with the same name mentioned during the testimony did not provide a response to requests for comment. Bees face real threats like pest pressure, habitat loss, and insecticide exposure.

“All these concepts—weather modification, chemtrails, contrails, and geoengineering—are getting muddled and intertwined,” Horton explained after reviewing recent congressional testimony.

Democratic State Sen. Heidi Campbell voted against the bill.

“It’s alarming how conspiracy theories resonate so strongly here,” Campbell expressed, also pointing out that the bill diverts attention from the primary climate issue.

Mankin and Houghton concurred that important discussions are warranted on guiding and regulating solar geoengineering research, a controversial topic among many scientists.

“Is the Tennessee Legislature the appropriate venue for this deliberation?” Horton wondered. “Probably not.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Person confirmed to have avian influenza after contact with infected dairy cows.

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

dairy cow

Shutterstock / Zhang Yuangeng

A person living in the United States contracted avian influenza from an infected dairy cow in Texas. This is the first case in which a subtype of the virus called H5N1 has been confirmed to be transmitted between humans and other mammals.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the news today after confirming a positive test result over the weekend. The patient’s only symptom was eye inflammation, and he is taking antiviral medication and is recovering. They had come into contact with cattle believed to have been infected with a virus that has decimated the world’s bird populations.

Last week, cattle in five US states (Texas, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, and Idaho) tested positive for H5N1. It’s unclear how they got sick, but it now appears the virus may be spreading among the animals. According to the US Department of Agriculture.

Until now, it had only been confirmed that mammals could be infected with the virus from sick birds. “There have been several non-human outbreaks where there may have been mammal-to-mammal transmission,” says Richard Webby at St. Jude Children’s Hospital in Tennessee. For example, 17,000 elephant seal pups died in Argentina late last year due to avian influenza. In 2022, there was an outbreak among farmed mink in Spain. But in these situations, it is difficult to rule out other sources of the virus, such as contaminated food, he said.

Despite recent human infections, the CDC says the risk of contracting bird flu remains low for most people. People who have had close contact with other animals, including infected birds and livestock, are at greatest risk. Although pasteurized milk is safe, you should avoid consuming or handling raw dairy products.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Newly discovered species of mimic spider uncovered in Copal, Colombia

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Myrmarachne colombiana This is the first species of ant-mimicking spider discovered in Colombian copal.

Myrmarachne colombiana. Image credit: George Poinar Jr. / Oregon State University.

“Ants are particularly well-suited for spiders to pretend to be ants,” said George Poyner Jr., a professor at Oregon State University. “Many animals find them unpalatable or dangerous to eat.” said.

“Ants are aggressive to protect themselves. They have strong bites and stinging venom, and can call on dozens of nestmates as allies.”

“Spiders, on the other hand, have no chemical defenses and are solitary, making them vulnerable to predators that want to avoid them, such as larger spiders, bees, and birds. So if spiders could become like ants, There is a high possibility that it will not be used.”

Myrmarachne colombiana It was discovered in a type of fossilized resin known as copal.

“Copal is a less mature form of fossilized resin than amber, which is typically more than 25 million years old. Still, copal can be up to 3 million years old.” Professor Poyner said.

“However, we were unable to determine the age of the resin in this case.”

“The resin blocks I was working with came from Medellin, Colombia, and were too small to perform aging tests without risking harming the spiders inside.”

According to the study, there are currently no records of living ant-mimicking spiders living in Colombia.

“For spiders, this magical transformation into ants is difficult to achieve. Ants have six legs and two long antennae, whereas spiders have eight legs, but only one antennae. “No,” Professor Poyner said.

“To get around these anatomical differences, spiders typically arrange their two front legs in a way that approximates the appearance of antennae.”

“But the number of legs and the presence or absence of antennae are not the only features that distinguish ants from spiders.”

“In spiders, the abdomen and cephalothorax are closely attached, whereas in ants these body parts are separated by narrow areas called petioles.”

“And there are many other small-scale structures that need to be modified to bring spiders closer to ants.” We say it starts with mutation, adaptation, and natural selection.”

“But I think spider reasoning and intelligence are also involved, because spiders often model the subsequent body changes of certain ants in the same environment.”

“In the early days, it was said that all insect behavior was the result of instinct, but this is no longer the case.”

“Some spider groups have developed the ability to look and behave like different types of ants, he added. Spiders that try to blend in with other insects, such as flies, beetles and wasps. There are some too.”

“Most of the mimic spiders belong to the few families that hunt, such as Jumping spiders and Jumping spiders. The Colombian copal specimen looks like a jumping spider.”

“Mimetic spiders also belong to the families Coringidae (Arachnidae), Tomisidae (Flower spiders), and Zodariidae (Arachidae or Arachnidae).”

of study It was published in the magazine historical biology.

_____

George Poyner. Myrmarachne colombiana sp. n. (Araneidae: Salticidae), a new species of ant-like spider that lives on copal from Colombia, South America. historical biology, published online March 7, 2024. doi: 10.1080/08912963.2024.2320190

Source: www.sci.news

Researchers develop record-breaking, highly intricate bird family tree

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The latest genealogy is detailed in two supplementary papers published today. journal Nature And that Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers have uncovered patterns in the evolutionary history of birds after the massive mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The authors observed rapid increases in effective population size, replacement rate, and relative brain size in early birds, and found that new adaptive mechanisms that drove bird diversification in the aftermath of this pivotal event. Shined a light. The researchers also took a closer look at one branch of the new family tree and found that flamingos and pigeons are more distantly related than previous genome-wide analyzes had shown.

The latest bird family tree outlining 93 million years of evolutionary relationships among 363 bird species. Image credit: Jon Fjeldså / Josefin Stiller.

“Our goal is to reconstruct the entire evolutionary history of all birds,” said Professor Siavash Milarab, a researcher at the University of California, San Diego.

This work is part of that Bird 10,000 Genomes (B10K) ProjectThis is a multi-institutional effort led by the University of Copenhagen, Zhejiang University, and the University of California, San Diego, with the aim of producing draft genome sequences for approximately 10,500 extant bird species.

At the heart of these studies is a suite of algorithms known as ASTRAL, developed by Professor Miralove and colleagues to infer evolutionary relationships with unprecedented scalability, accuracy, and speed.

By harnessing the power of these algorithms, we integrated genomic data from over 60,000 genomic regions and provided a robust statistical foundation for our analysis.

The researchers then examined the evolutionary history of individual segments across the genome.

From there, they pieced together a mosaic of gene trees and compiled them into a comprehensive species tree.

This meticulous approach has allowed researchers to construct new and improved bird genealogies that depict complex divergence events with remarkable accuracy and detail, even in the face of historical uncertainty. I did.

“We found that our method, which adds tens of thousands of genes to the analysis, is indeed necessary to unravel the evolutionary relationships between bird species,” Professor Miralove said.

“We really need all the genomic data to reconstruct with a high degree of confidence what happened during this period of time, 65 to 67 million years ago.”

The scientists also looked at the impact of different genome sampling methods on the accuracy of the tree.

They showed that to reconstruct this evolutionary history, it is important to combine two strategies: sequence many genes in each species and sequence many species. Ta.

“Because we used both strategies in combination, we were able to test which approach has a stronger impact on phylogenetic reconstructions,” said Professor Josephine Stiller from the University of Copenhagen.

We found that it is more important to sample many gene sequences from each organism than to sample from a wider range of species, but the latter method does not allow us to determine when different groups evolved. It was helpful to know. ”

mira love other. They took a closer look at one branch of the updated bird family tree and found that groups including flamingos and pigeons are more distantly related than previous genome-wide analyzes had shown. We attributed the results to an abnormal region on chromosome 4.Image credits: Ed Braun / Daniel J. Field / Siavash Miarab

With the help of advanced computational techniques, the researchers were also able to shed light on anomalies discovered in previous studies. The theory is that a particular part of a chromosome in the bird's genome remained unchanged and blank for millions of years. Description of expected genetic recombination patterns.

“Ten years ago, we put together a family tree. Neo Avesthe group that includes the vast majority of bird species,” said Professor Edward Brown of the University of Florida.

“Based on the genomes of 48 species, we divided neoabees into two broad categories: pigeons and flamingos in one group, and all the rest in the other.”

“This year, when we repeated the same analysis with 363 species, a different family tree emerged that divided pigeons and flamingos into two distinct groups.”

“Given two mutually exclusive family trees, I looked for an explanation that would allow me to determine which family tree was correct.”

“When we looked at individual genes and which trees they supported, it suddenly dawned on us that all the genes that support old trees were all in one place. That's how it all started. “It was,” he explained.

“When we investigated this site, we realized that it was a place where sexual reproduction had been occurring for millions of years, but it wasn't as mixed.”

“Just like humans, birds combine the genes of their father and mother to create the next generation.”

“But in birds and humans alike, when creating sperm and eggs, we first mix together genes inherited from both parents.”

“This process, called recombination, maximizes the genetic diversity of a species by ensuring that no two siblings are exactly alike.”

The authors found evidence that parts of bird chromosomes suppressed this recombination process for millions of years after the dinosaurs went extinct.

It is unclear whether extinction events and genomic abnormalities are related.

They found that flamingos and pigeons resemble each other in this frozen chunk of DNA.

However, when the complete genomes were considered, it became clear that the two groups were more distantly related.

“What is surprising is that this period of recombination suppression can mislead the analysis,” says Professor Brown.

“And because that can mislead the analysis, it was actually detectable more than 60 million years in the future. That's the cool thing about it.”

“Such mysteries may also be hidden in the genomes of other organisms.”

“We discovered this misleading region of birds because we put a lot of energy into deciphering their genomes.”

“I think there are similar cases in other species that are unknown at this time.”

_____

J. Stiller other. 2024. The complexity of bird evolution revealed by family-level genomes. Naturein press.

Siavash Milarab other. 2024. Suppressed recombinant regions mislead neoavian phylogenomics. PNAS 121: e2319506121; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2319506121

Source: www.sci.news

A newly discovered titanosaurus species found in Uruguay

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have announced the discovery of a new genus and species of titanosaur dinosaur, based on fossilized remains discovered in Uruguay’s Paysandu department.

Uderartitan Celeste. Image credit: Soto other., doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105894.

The newly described dinosaur species roamed the Earth during the Late Cretaceous Period, more than 85 million years ago.

Named Uderartitan Celeste, the body length of the ancient giant was 15 to 16 meters (49 to 52 feet).

This species belongs to a superfamily of dinosaurs called titanosaurs. Saltasaurinae.

“Titanosaurs represent the most successful and diverse group of sauropods, with more than 80 species described since the beginning of this century.” Dr. Matias Soto from the Uruguay Institute of Geosciences and its colleagues.

“They were the most abundant large herbivores of the Gondwana supercontinent during the Late Cretaceous, in sharp contrast to the ornithischian-dominated contemporaneous fauna of Laurasia.”

“This clade appears to have originated in South America, where it shows its greatest diversity, with records ranging from Belian-Varangian to Maastrichtian (145 million years ago to 72 million years ago). Masu.”

Fossilized materials of Uderartitan Celeste (60 vertebrae, bone fragments, and associated eggshells) were discovered within the deposit in 2006. Layers of Guichon near Quebracho, Paysandu Department, Uruguay.

“Titanosaur fossils have been known in Uruguay since the early 20th century, when four species were identified based on fragmentary fossils,” the paleontologists said.

“Such references are questionable, but given the strong central protrusion of the tail, there is no doubt that they were titanosaurs.”

“These discoveries were relevant because they allowed us to confirm the presence of Upper Cretaceous rocks in Uruguay, but given recent discoveries in South America, for example, Ninja Titan Zapatai, Tapuasaurus macedoi. Without additional data, older epochs within the Cretaceous cannot be excluded.”

According to the team: Uderartitan Celeste shows unique combinations and possibilities of character autotapomorphy.

This discovery indicates that at least two titanosaur lineages existed in Uruguay during the Late Cretaceous. Saltasauidea and Saltasauidea. Aerosaurini.

“Uderartitan Celeste represents the second sauropod taxon recognized in Uruguay, after the recently reported one. Aeolosaurus vertebrae from Asensio’s formation” said the researchers.

“Phylogenetic relationships between saltasaurids saltasaurids or non-saltasaurids saltasauridae prove the presence of saltasauroids in the Guichon Formation.”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper in diary Cretaceous research.

_____

Matias Soto other. Phylogenetic relationships of new species of titanosaurs (order Dinosauria, Sauropoda) from the Late Cretaceous of Uruguay. Cretaceous research, published online March 26, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cretres.2024.105894

Source: www.sci.news

Researchers suggest innovative therapy for stomach cancer

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Cancer cells grow abnormally and are difficult to control. Scientists call this growth on the lining of the stomach stomach cancer. Gastric cancer is a global health concern in the United States, East Asia, and Eastern Europe. There are usually no symptoms at the time of onset, but it often affects people infected with a bacterial species called Helicobacter pylori.

Researchers have found that diagnosing stomach cancer early is difficult, so many people with stomach cancer die within five years of diagnosis. As cancer grows, it moves from the stomach to other organs, such as the kidneys and liver, through a process called metastasis, which increases the severity even further. This problem raises the need for effective early diagnostic and therapeutic targets to combat gastric cancer before metastasis occurs.

Human cells contain molecules that carry genetic information essential for the development and functioning of organs and body systems. This molecule is DNA and it consists of a sequence of four nucleotide bases: adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine.

To carry out its role, DNA undergoes two transformations through biochemical reactions. First, it is transcribed into a slightly similar but less stable molecule. RNAIt is a sequence of nucleotide bases that is almost identical to DNA, except that it has uracil instead of thymine. This RNA serves as a template for protein synthesis, and there are various types. Enzymes then convert some of these RNA molecules into in particular messenger RNA or convert mRNA into protein. Proteins allow organs to grow and function.

Not all RNA molecules become proteins. What does not become protein non-coding RNA or ncRNA. These ncRNAs interact with cells and other molecules to control various processes required to form proteins from DNA for cell growth and survival.

In the past, researchers discovered a type of ncRNA called long ncRNA, which affects the body's immune system's ability to fight cancer cells. However, there are no studies specific to their activity in gastric cancer. Therefore, a group of Chinese biomedical researchers investigated how these ncRNAs influence the development of gastric cancer and how scientists can utilize their ncRNAs to predict the survival of gastric cancer patients.

Researchers found that normal and gastric cancer sample from global cancer database called cancer genome atlas. The normal samples were from patients without gastric cancer and served as the standard or reference point for comparison. Using the R programming language and a software package developed for biological data, they investigated which groups of ncRNAs were expressed at different levels in these patients. They used information from a genome browser called ensemble Identify protein-encoding genes located within and around differentially expressed ncRNA regions.

The researchers found that the expression levels of thousands of ncRNAs were different in gastric cancer compared to normal sample tissue. they again, 15 genes surrounding ncRNA regions that influence gastric cancer progression. They found that about 8 out of 10 ncRNAs were expressed at levels higher than those required in normal cells, and the rest were expressed at lower levels.

Additionally, the researchers investigated the time period during which ncRNAs interact with other ncRNAs and mRNAs to influence tumor growth and patient outcomes. They identified five long ncRNAs that interact with mRNA; microRNA. These long ncRNAs caused abnormal increases and decreases in protein levels within cells, influencing differences in tumor development and progression, as well as patient outcomes. They reported one microRNA that could inhibit tumor growth and serve as a potential target during therapy.

They used a statistical method called , to analyze the proportion of cells that fight infections and harmful substances. immune cellswere investigated in cancer and normal samples to determine how each cell interacts with ncRNAs and influences patient survival. The study highlighted that certain immune cells were higher depending on the age and stage of gastric cancer in the patients whose data were obtained. They confirmed the relationship between immunity and long ncRNA regulatory networks in gastric cancer. They identified certain immune cells whose presence increases a patient's chance of surviving stomach cancer, and those whose presence reduces survival.

With this study, the authors hope to identify new potential targets, namely specific immune cells and ncRNAs, to assess patients' chances of recovery and develop effective treatments for them. concluded that further insight into the biological processes involved in gastric cancer was gained. However, the size of the cancer data is much larger than the regular data used for comparison, which may have influenced the results, the researchers reported. They emphasized the need for further research, especially laboratory analysis, to validate the findings.

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Source: sciworthy.com

First CLOB Perp Exchange debuts on base layer 2 blockchain – News, views, and opportunities in the world of blockchain

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, April 1, 2024, Chainwire

quick take

BSXBacked by the Base Ecosystem Fund, the company raises the bar as one of the world’s leading high-performance decentralized exchanges, combining the benefits of centralized exchange and self-custody with an enhanced platform that offers the best of both worlds. We aim to provide a unique DeFi trading experience. Characteristics of decentralized exchanges.
BSX will begin trading on Base L2 Mainnet Alpha on April 1, 2024.

After the conclusion of the public testnet trading phase in Q1, BSX, the new standard for premier high-performance decentralized exchanges (DEX), is scheduled to begin trading on Base L2 Mainnet Alpha on April 1, 2024 is.

BSX is backed by a number of prominent investors including Base Ecosystem Fund, Bankless Ventures, CMS Holdings, No Limit Holdings, Saison Capital, Kyros Ventures, WW Ventures and others. BSX is also advised by Arthur Hayes, founder and CIO of Maelstrom and co-founder of BitMEX.

BSX aims to provide the ultimate DeFi trading experience, combining the liquidity, premium UX, and user-friendly features of a centralized exchange (CEX) with the pricing and self-custody features of a (DEX). By leveraging the Base network, BSX offers ultra-fast trading and low trading fees while ensuring transparency and accuracy through on-chain payments.

BSX also streamlines the interface and flow for retail traders, allowing them to easily connect to existing wallets, enable one-click trading, and execute transactions securely on-chain. BSX users will have access to a wide range of crypto products including permanent, spot and more all in one place.

Main product contents:

Low gas trading: Base transaction costs are minimal and highly optimized, allowing for near gas-free settlements. This makes the total transaction cost comparable to CEX.
unparalleled performance: Our high-performance trading engine provides extremely low latency and instant guaranteed execution. Combined with the one-click instant trading feature, it provides an experience that is equal to or better than CEX trading.
Self-management and transparency: BSX gives you full control of your funds without hidden counterparty risks by settling all trades on-chain. your keys, your coins.
API integration: BSX’s delegated key feature simplifies the use of external trading terminals without exposing your private keys or relinquishing control of your funds.

BSX launched its private testnet in November 2023, welcoming early adopters from an extensive waiting list of 80,000 members. His public testnet in January 2024 saw 5,000 traders participate, contributing to his solid $5 billion in total trading volume during the period.

BSX is positioned to compete with major centralized exchanges such as Binance and OKX, with crypto perpetual trading to begin in April, followed by other products later this year.visit bsx.exchange Trade and join our upcoming exciting rewards program for new traders or visit:

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twitter: https://twitter.com/bsx_labs

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contact

core contributor
Henry N.
BSX Protocol Foundation
team@bsx.exchange

Source: the-blockchain.com

Research suggests smartphone app could aid in early diagnosis of dementia in younger adults

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

New data suggests that a smartphone app could aid in detecting the main cause of early-onset dementia in individuals at a high risk of developing it.

Researchers have discovered that cognitive tests conducted through smartphone apps can identify early signs of frontotemporal dementia in those genetically predisposed to the condition, showing comparable sensitivity to traditional medical evaluations.

Frontotemporal dementia is a neurological disorder that typically emerges in middle age, impacting a person’s ability to plan, prioritize, filter distractions, and control impulses as certain brain regions responsible for these functions diminish over time.

Approximately one-third of individuals affected by this disease have a genetic component, underscoring the urgency of early diagnosis and monitoring response to treatments most effective in the disease’s initial stages.

Lead author Adam from the University of California, San Francisco, noted, “Most frontotemporal dementia patients receive a belated diagnosis due to their young age and symptoms being mistaken for mental health issues.”

The use of smartphones as diagnostic tools for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Huntington’s diseases has been gaining popularity. Researchers collaborated with a software company to develop an app for assessing cognitive function, gait, balance, movement, and language skills in individuals at high genetic risk for frontotemporal dementia, even before symptoms manifest.

The study published in JAMA Network Open demonstrated the app’s ability to accurately detect dementia and potentially outperform traditional neuropsychological assessments in the early stages of the disease.

While there are no immediate plans for public availability, the app could significantly advance research efforts in understanding and treating frontotemporal dementia.

Over 30 clinical trials are underway or in the pipeline, exploring treatments that may slow disease progression in specific gene carriers. The app could address the challenge of collecting sensitive outcome measures easily, benefitting patients, caregivers, and clinicians.

Stafaroni added, “We believe smartphone-based assessments could facilitate innovative trials for potential treatments, reducing the need for frequent in-person evaluations.”

Ultimately, the app may serve as a tool to monitor treatment efficacy and potentially replace most in-person visits to clinical trial sites.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Solar Eclipses: Unveiling the Secrets of the Universe for Centuries

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A total solar eclipse is a great opportunity to learn about the sun

ESA/Royal Observatory of Belgium

A total solar eclipse occurs somewhere on Earth approximately every 18 months, and that has been the case throughout human history. Not surprisingly, people have been studying these dramatic events for just as long, with the first records of solar eclipses dating back more than 3,000 years. During that time, we learned an amazing amount about the Sun, Earth, and even the basic laws of physics from total solar eclipses.

For most of history, humans could only see the faint outermost layers of the sun during total days (periods when the moon covers the entire sun’s disc). This faint blanket of plasma, called the corona, has been central to the scientific advances resulting from the study of solar eclipses.

Solar eclipse in 2024

On April 8th, a total solar eclipse will pass over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. Our special series covers everything you need to know, from how and when to see a solar eclipse to the strangest solar eclipse experience of all time.

The corona is home to many of the sun’s most fascinating phenomena, including coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which occur when the sun’s swirling magnetic fields blast bundles or clumps of matter into space. If a CME were to hit Earth, it could damage satellites and power grids, and could be extremely dangerous to astronauts in space, beyond the protection of Earth’s atmosphere.

“The Sun’s magnetic activity changes over time and changes across the star’s surface.” meredith mcgregor at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland. Currently, there is no good way to predict this activity. But by studying the coronavirus, we may be able to start doing just that.

A total solar eclipse isn’t the only way to see the outermost layer of the sun. There is also a device called a coronagraph, which uses a shade to block the sun’s disk in a type of artificial solar eclipse. These instruments are used not only to study our own star, but also to study other stars that are more distant and look for planets around them that would otherwise be hidden in the glare of starlight. It is also important. “The idea of using coronagraphs to block out the light of other stars and look for extrasolar planets comes from natural solar eclipses,” MacGregor says.

The same dimness that makes the corona difficult to observe in totality also makes it an excellent target for spectroscopy. Spectroscopy works by splitting light into its constituent wavelengths. This allows researchers to determine which elements are present in a material by the unique pattern of wavelengths each element emits or absorbs. Helium was discovered using spectroscopy during a solar eclipse in 1868. This was the first time an element had been discovered by studying the sky.

Shortly thereafter, astronomers discovered what appeared to be another new element in the corona, which they named corona, but it turned out that it was simply iron heated to extraordinary temperatures of several million degrees. found. Even though it was not a new element, it was a puzzling discovery. The surface of the sun is only about 5,600 degrees Celsius, so why is the outermost layer so hot?

I said, “Imagine you’re at a campfire and you start walking away from the campfire. It’s supposed to be cold, but it’s much hotter.” Frederick Bartley at the Ohio State Science and Industry Center. “That’s what’s happening with coronavirus, but no one knows why.”

The eclipse also provided some of the first proofs of Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which governs the behavior of large-scale gravity. One of the key predictions of general relativity is that massive objects should bend the trajectory of light as they pass by. Einstein first published the theory in his 1915, and evidence of its truth came in his 1919 when astronomer Arthur Eddington observed starlight bending around the sun during a solar eclipse.

As a total solar eclipse passes over Central and North America this month, astronomers will continue a long-standing tradition of using the totality to observe the sun and precisely how it affects the space around it. It turns out. The sun still has many secrets to unravel, and eclipses are one of the best times to study them.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

From Cixin Liu, author of “The Three Body Problem,” to Douglas Preston, this month’s top new science fiction discovery

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In The Truth of Areke, the last remaining free city in the Eternal Desert has been under siege for centuries.

Shutterstock / Liu Zishan

This month we have new works by several big name authors. Cixin Liu and Ann Leckie both have easy-to-read collections of short texts. It also depicts a dystopian future by award-winning Thea Obret, and a world where woolly mammoths have been brought back from the world. Douglas Preston's bestseller.He also loves the sound of Scott Alexander Howard's debut song another valleya town where past and future versions exist in the following valleys, and the space adventures of Sofia Samatar. Practice, horizon, and chain. There are so many things I want to read and not enough time…

This is a collection of short stories by science fiction author Liu, who is currently on the rise thanks to a new Netflix film. three body problem, from essays and interviews to short stories. I love this excerpt from an essay about science fiction fans. In it he calls us “mysterious aliens in the crowd.” They “jump like fleas from the future to the past and back again, floating like gas clouds between nebulae. In an instant we can reach the edge of the universe or tunnel into quarks.” or swim inside the core of a star.''Aren't we lucky to have a world like this on our shelves?

Leckie is a must-read author for me, and this is the first complete collection of her short stories, ranging from science fiction to fantasy. On the sci-fi side, we'll be able to dip in again. imperial latch And we're also promised to “learn the secrets of the mysterious Lake of Souls” in a brand new novel.

In the disastrous future, an 11-year-old girl arrives in Morningside with her mother. Once a luxury high-rise, Morningside is now another crumbling part of Island City, half submerged under water. Obrecht won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2011 for her debut novel. tiger's wife.

Samatar won all kinds of awards for his first novel. Stranger in Olondria. Her latest work depicts the story of a boy who grew up working on a mining ship in the stars, but whose life changes when he is given the opportunity to receive an education at the ship's university. Sounds interesting.

A boy grows up working on a mining ship surrounded by starry skies in The Practice, Horizon, and The Chain.

Getty Images

It's set in a Rocky Mountain valley, where guests at the luxury resort can see woolly mammoths, giant ground sloths and Irish moose brought back from extinction through genetic engineering. But then a series of murders begins, and the two investigators must find out what's really going on.this is what it looks like Jurassic Park-It looks like a lot of fun. And if you want more mammoth-related reading, try my colleague Michael Le Page's excellent explanation of why they won't be coming back anytime soon.

mania Written by Lionel Shriver

The award-winning author we have to talk about kevin Reflecting her thoughts on the so-called “culture wars” in her fiction, she imagines a world where the “spiritual equality movement” is at its peak, and “the worst thing you can do is call someone 'stupid'.” There is.

This speculative novel alternates endlessly through the wilderness, with the same town to the east 20 years ahead of its time, and the same town to the west 20 years behind. Border crossings are only allowed on “memorial tours,'' which allow people to see the dead in towns where they are still alive. Odile, 16, will take a seat on the Conseil Commission, which can decide who can travel across borders. I love this sound.

Many may wonder if Marvel's superhero stories are really science fiction, but I'm leaning toward the multiverse aspect of this here and including it because it seems kind of interesting. This is the first installment in a new series that reimagines the origins of some of our biggest heroes. Here, Thor died defending Earth from Loki's pranks, and the Norse trickster god, exiled to our planet, is now dealing with the consequences.

the second book of eternal desert The series is set 500 years in the future. Ajungo's lie, which follows a junior peacekeeping force in the last remaining free city in the Eternal Desert, which has been under siege for centuries. It was actually released in March, but I missed it then, and science fiction contributor Sally Addy introduced it as a title to watch this year, so I'm introducing it now.

abnormality Written by Andrei Nikolaidis, translated by Will Firth

On New Year's Eve, the last year of humanity, various stories unfold, from a high-ranking minister with blood on his hands to a nurse with a secret. Later, in a cabin in the Alps, a musicologist and his daughter, the last people left on Earth, try to make sense of this catastrophe.according to independent personNicolaidis makes “Samuel Beckett look aggressively cheerful,'' and I admit that I sometimes want to see stories like that.

In this techno-thriller, Mal is a free AI, unconcerned with the conflicts going on between humans, but is trapped inside the body of a cyborg mercenary and is responsible for keeping the girl she died protecting. It will be.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

“Why Social Media is Spiraling Out of Control: Conspiracies, Monetization, and Weirdness” – Nesrin Malik

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

○There’s a brief clip on TikTok where HRH Princess of Wales discloses her cancer diagnosis, while an AI voiceover suggests it’s a “faulty ring.” The video has amassed 1.3 million views. Other videos analyzing and distorting aspects of this clip have also gained millions of views and shares. These videos have surfaced on X (formerly known as Twitter) and have been shared via WhatsApp by friends and family, presented as factual reports without any indication of being internet rumors.

Something has shifted in the way social media content is curated. It’s a significant yet subtle transformation. Platforms that were once distinct in content types now overlap. Instagram Reels now features TikTok videos, and TikTok videos from Instagram Reels also appear on X. The algorithms seem to create a closed loop, steering us away from deliberate choices in who we follow. Every social media app now has a “For you” page displaying content from non-followed users, making it challenging to control our feed.

With increasing loss of control over our feed, social media platforms have turned into competitive attention markets. Content creators often subtly promote products through their recommendations, earning commissions on user purchases. The content that garners high engagement, like conspiracy theories, becomes lucrative. Online conspiracy theories vary in nature and source, from sensational to sober, infiltrating our feeds.

Social media has evolved from a personal platform to a lucrative profession for content creators. Videos and tweets going viral can significantly increase a user’s earning potential, follower count, and attract brand partnerships. However, this monetization model costs users their agency and shifts the focus towards generating revenue for the platform.

Traditional media tends to downplay social media manipulation and avoids hard questions. Tabloids and right-wing media have long spun news stories for clicks and shares, especially concerning celebrities and royals. The dynamic between the palace, media, and public opinion has shifted, as social media now challenges the traditional mediation of who to love and hate among royals.

Social media has become a complex arena where commercial players imitate and challenge legacy media, driving misinformation and chaos. The shifting landscape of social media engagement poses new challenges for understanding and accountability, going beyond simplistic explanations of user morality.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? Click here if you would like to email your answer of up to 300 words to be considered for publication in our email section.

Source: www.theguardian.com

6 Neuroscience-Backed Habits to Maintain Brain Health as You Age

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

If you’ve ever felt like your cognitive abilities are not as sharp as they used to be, you might be struggling to recall names of actors or politicians in the news, for example. Perhaps mental arithmetic is not as easy for you anymore. This reflection may lead you to ponder the state of your brain and whether it’s on a downward trajectory.

It’s important to consider these aspects early on because brain development typically peaks in your 20s, and then cognitive functions gradually decline with age. Additionally, there is a growing risk of dementia, particularly associated with diseases like Alzheimer’s, in aging populations. However, both cognitive decline and dementia risk can be influenced by what experts call “modifiable risk factors,” offering a beacon of hope that there are lifestyle changes you can make to maintain mental acuity and lower the risk of dementia.

Be mentally active and boost your cognitive reserve

Psychologists and gerontologists often talk about cognitive reserve, which refers to the brain’s ability to adapt to aging and disease challenges. People with high cognitive reserve can perform well on cognitive tests despite exhibiting biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease, like protein build-up that impairs brain function. Engaging in activities such as reading, learning a new language, solving puzzles, and playing musical instruments can help boost cognitive reserve and maintain mental agility.

Interact with others

While brain-training games may not have broad benefits beyond the specific tasks they target, socializing with peers has been found to be a potent brain-training activity. Social isolation is considered a major risk factor for dementia, emphasizing the importance of engaging in lively conversations, joining clubs, or volunteering to keep your brain active and healthy.

Stay physically active

Physical activity not only benefits cardiovascular health but also contributes to better brain function and reduced cognitive decline. Incorporating exercises like running, swimming, or even gardening into your routine can help maintain cognitive abilities and lower the risk of dementia.

Eat a healthy diet

Avoiding excessive saturated fats and consuming plenty of fruits and vegetables can support brain health by eliminating harmful byproducts and providing essential nutrients. The Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and olive oil, has been recommended for its brain-protective properties.

Stay curious

Personality traits like openness to experience are linked to better brain health and lower dementia risk. Activities that spark curiosity and awe can enhance cognitive abilities and mental flexibility. Incorporating habits like exploring new environments, trying new experiences, and enjoying cultural activities can promote brain health.

Think positively

Your mindset about aging can significantly impact your brain health. Maintaining a positive outlook, along with engaging in mentally stimulating activities and healthy habits, can contribute to long-lasting mental sharpness. Seeking out positive role models and adopting a proactive approach to brain health can help unlock your brain’s full potential.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

OpenAI warns against releasing voice cloning tools due to safety concerns.

Posted on April 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

OpenAI’s latest tool can create an accurate replica of someone’s voice with just 15 seconds of recorded audio. This technology is being used by AI Labs to address the threat of misinformation during a critical global election year. However, due to the risks involved, it is not being released to the public in an effort to limit potential harm.

Voice Engine was initially developed in 2022 and was initially integrated into ChatGPT for text-to-speech functionality. Despite its capabilities, OpenAI has refrained from publicizing it extensively, taking a cautious approach towards its broader release.

Through discussions and testing, OpenAI aims to make informed decisions about the responsible use of synthetic speech technology. Selected partners have access to incorporate the technology into their applications and products after careful consideration.

Various partners, like Age of Learning and HeyGen, are utilizing the technology for educational and storytelling purposes. It enables the creation of translated content while maintaining the original speaker’s accent and voice characteristics.

OpenAI showcased a study where the technology helped a person regain their lost voice due to a medical condition. Despite its potential, OpenAI is previewing the technology rather than widely releasing it to help society adapt to the challenges of advanced generative models.

OpenAI emphasizes the importance of protecting individual voices in AI applications and educating the public about the capabilities and limitations of AI technologies. The voice engine is watermarked to enable tracking of generated voices, with agreements in place to ensure consent from original speakers.

While OpenAI’s tools are known for their simplicity and efficiency in voice replication, competitors like Eleven Labs offer similar capabilities to the public. To address potential misuse, precautions are being taken to detect and prevent the creation of voice clones impersonating political figures in key elections.

Source: www.theguardian.com

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Mondo News

All of the latest tech and science news from all over the world.

Monthly Archives: April 2024

Studies show that chickens were commonly domesticated in southern Central Asia by 400 BC

ALMA discovers over 100 different molecules in a nearby starburst galaxy

Scientists have discovered a distinct neural signature in chickadees for episodic memory

New studies indicate Arrokoth and other Kuiper belt objects are made of untouched ice

The US and UK Formally Partner on Ensuring Artificial Intelligence Safety

What causes variations in anxiety levels among individuals?

Tesla’s quarterly new car deliveries experience their first decrease in nearly four years

What is driving younger generations’ enthusiasm for a revival of retro games?

UK industry rules find video game company in violation for loot box practices

Google settles lawsuit by deleting billions of private browsing records

Reveals your proximity to the mouse right now

Hubble photographs star-forming galaxies in close proximity

Tennessee legislator outlaws geoengineering, talks about ‘chemtrails’

Person confirmed to have avian influenza after contact with infected dairy cows.

Newly discovered species of mimic spider uncovered in Copal, Colombia

Researchers develop record-breaking, highly intricate bird family tree

A newly discovered titanosaurus species found in Uruguay

Researchers suggest innovative therapy for stomach cancer

First CLOB Perp Exchange debuts on base layer 2 blockchain – News, views, and opportunities in the world of blockchain

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Research suggests smartphone app could aid in early diagnosis of dementia in younger adults

Solar Eclipses: Unveiling the Secrets of the Universe for Centuries

Solar eclipse in 2024

From Cixin Liu, author of “The Three Body Problem,” to Douglas Preston, this month’s top new science fiction discovery

mania Written by Lionel Shriver

abnormality Written by Andrei Nikolaidis, translated by Will Firth

6 Neuroscience-Backed Habits to Maintain Brain Health as You Age

Be mentally active and boost your cognitive reserve

Interact with others

Stay physically active

Eat a healthy diet

Stay curious

Think positively

OpenAI warns against releasing voice cloning tools due to safety concerns.