English oak trees may be more tolerant of warm climates than other species
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English oak trees are expected to form the basis of future reforestation projects and timber plantations in Europe, as one of the only native species flexible enough to withstand the rapid climate change expected in the next century. It will be done.
European forests are a mix of different tree species, all of which have been able to withstand local climate fluctuations for hundreds of years.
But climate change means that trees planted today, for example for tree plantations and timber plantations, must be able to withstand both current conditions and those of a warmer world in 2100.
Johannes Wessely Professors at the University of Vienna in Austria studied 69 of Europe's most common tree species to assess how well they meet this challenge.
English oak (Quercus serrata) is one of the only species assessed as suitable to thrive under current and future conditions across many regions, Wesley says. Importantly, he says, English oak is “very important for timber production, carbon storage and biodiversity” and is suitable for all types of reforestation projects across Europe.
However, European beech (Beech), you will have a hard time. Many places where European beech was planted and would grow today will be unsuitable later this century, but many areas where beech could grow later this century would be climatically unsuitable today. Research has revealed this.
Overall, the researchers found that depending on the rate of climate change, the average number of tree species per square kilometer that can survive continuously until 2100 could fall by a third to half. discovered.
This means that some forests in Europe consist of only a few tree species and may lack the diversity and resilience of mixed forests.
Wessely said the discovery means “we should be very careful about what we plant today, because it will shape our future forests and their future.”
He suggests that conservationists may even need to replant woodlands with fresh species later this century to ensure that forests can thrive beyond 2100.
Some foxes can dive headfirst into snow without causing harm, and we now know how the shape of their skulls is adapted to this technique.
In colder climates, where small rodents live deep beneath the snow, red foxes (Vulpes Vulpes Vulpes) and arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) has a special hunting technique known as mouse. They use their strong sense of hearing to pinpoint the location of their prey, then jump into the air and dive face-first into large piles of snow at speeds of up to 4 meters per second, catching their prey by surprise.
“This is a very interesting and unique behavior,” he says. Jung Sung-hwan At Cornell University in New York. “Not all foxes do that.”
To learn more about why red and arctic foxes are so adept at snow diving, Jung et al. scanned.
Their analysis found that felines tend to have broader and shorter snouts compared to foxes. This creates a stronger bite, which is more beneficial for felines, which typically hunt alone, Jung said.
Foxes, on the other hand, which hunt in packs, had much longer and more pointed skulls. This leads to a weak bite. The red fox and the arctic fox have similarly narrow muzzles that are slightly longer than other foxes.
The researchers dropped a 3D-printed model of a regular arctic fox skull and a flattened version of the skull into snow from a height of 50 centimeters.
“What we found is that a sharper nose compresses the snow less, reducing the impact,” Jung says. This reduces the risk of injury. Its longer, pointier snout gently pushes the snow aside, as if it were liquid, he said. “Such an elongated shape helps foxes dive safely into the snow so they can focus on hunting.”
American theoretical physicist Joseph Polczynski once said that the existence of magnetic monopoles is “one of the safest bets you can make about physics that has yet to be seen.” In the search for these particles that have magnetic charges and are predicted by several theories that extend the standard model, Moedal (Monopole and Exotic Detectors at the LHC) Although the collaboration has yet to prove Polczynski correct, its latest discovery represents a major advance. The new results narrow the search window for these hypothetical particles.
Generation of monopole pairs by Schwinger mechanism. Image credit: MoEDAL Collaboration / CERN.
At CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC), interactions between protons or heavy ions can produce pairs of magnetic monopoles.
In collisions between protons, protons can be formed from a single virtual photon (Dorrell-Yang mechanism) or from the fusion of two virtual photons (photon fusion mechanism).
Through a process called the Schwinger mechanism, pairs of magnetic monopoles can also be generated from the vacuum of huge magnetic fields produced by near-miss collisions of heavy ions.
Since starting data acquisition in 2012, MoEDAL has achieved several firsts, including conducting the first search for magnetic monopoles produced by photon fusion and Schwinger mechanisms at the LHC. Ta.
inside First part of the latest researchMoEDAL physicists explored monopoles and highly charged objects (HECOs) produced via the Dorell-Yang mechanism and the photon fusion mechanism.
This search was based on proton-proton collision data collected during Experiment 2 at the LHC using the complete MoEDAL detector for the first time.
The complete detector consists of two main systems that sense magnetic monopoles, HECO, and other highly ionizing virtual particles.
First, magnetic monopole and HECO trajectories can be permanently registered without background signals from standard model particles. The second system consists of an approximately 1-ton capture volume designed to capture magnetic monopoles.
Although the researchers did not find any magnetic monopoles or HECOs in their latest scan of the trapping volume, the masses and production rates of these particles were determined for different values of particle spin, a unique form of angular momentum. limits have been set.
For magnetic monopoles, a mass limit of 1 to 10 times the Dirac charge (gD), the basic unit of magnetic charge, is set, excluding the existence of monopoles with masses as high as about 3.9 trillion electron volts (TeV). I did. .
For HECO, a mass limit was established for charges from 5e to 350e, where e is the electronic charge, and the presence of HECO with masses in the range up to 3.4 TeV was excluded.
“MoEDAL's search reach for both monopoles and HECOs allows the collaboration to explore vast swaths of the theoretical 'discovery space' for these hypothetical particles,” said a spokesperson for the MoEDAL collaboration. said Dr. James Pinfold.
in their second studyMoEDAL scientists focused on searching for monopoles produced via the Schwinger mechanism in heavy ion collision data collected during LHC Experiment 1.
In a unique effort, we scanned a decommissioned section of the CMS experimental beam pipe for trapped monopoles instead of the trapping volume of the MoEDAL detector.
Again, the team found no monopoles, but set the strongest mass constraints yet for Schwinger monopoles with charges between 2 gD and 45 gD, ruling out the existence of monopoles with masses up to 80 GeV. did.
“A crucial aspect of the Schwinger mechanism is that the production of complex monopoles is not suppressed compared to the production of elementary monopoles, as is the case with Dorell-Yang and photon fusion processes,” Pinfold said. Ta.
“Therefore, if monopoles are composite particles, this and the previous Schwinger monopole search may have been the first ever chance to observe monopoles.”
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Moedal collaboration. 2024. Searching for highly ionized particles in pp collisions in LHC Run-2 using the Full MoEDAL detector. arXiv: 2311.06509
B. Acharya other. 2024. MoEDAL explores magnetic monopoles generated by the Schwinger effect in CMS beam pipes. arXiv: 2402.15682
Large theropods were as intelligent as reptiles, but not as smart as apes, according to a new study led by paleontologists at the University of Bristol.
tyrannosaurus rex Holotype specimen at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, USA. Image credit: Scott Robert Anselmo / CC BY-SA 3.0.
in study Vanderbilt University paleontologist Suzana Herculano-Hausel announced last year that dinosaurs tyrannosaurus It had a huge number of neurons and was much more intelligent than expected.
She argued that these high numbers of neurons could directly inform intelligence, metabolism, and life history. tyrannosaurus In some habits they were more like monkeys.
Theropod dinosaurs of North America from the Late Cretaceous tyrannosaurus “It is an apex predator, one of the largest, heaviest, and most powerful (in terms of bite force) terrestrial carnivores ever known,” said Dr. Heidi George from the University of Bristol.
“Recently, Dr. Herculano Hausel proposed that we should add primate-level intelligence to great apes. tyrannosaurusAlready an impressive predation history, based on high estimates of the number of neurons in the forebrain. ”
“This conclusion arose from the paradigm that neurological variables inferred from endocasts can be used to infer metabolic parameters, behavior, and lifespan of fossil species.”
In the new study, Dr. George and his co-authors took a closer look at the techniques used to predict both brain size and number of neurons in dinosaur brains.
They found that previous assumptions about the size of dinosaur brains and the number of neurons they contained were unreliable.
This new study follows decades of analysis in which paleontologists and biologists studied the size and anatomy of dinosaur brains and used these data to infer behavior and lifestyle.
Information about dinosaur brains comes not only from the shape of the brain cavity itself, but also from its mineral fillings, called endocasts.
The authors found that their brain size, particularly the size of the forebrain, was overestimated, and thus the number of neurons was also overestimated.
Furthermore, we show that estimates of neuron number are not a reliable guide to intelligence.
“To reliably reconstruct the biology of a long-extinct species, researchers need to examine multiple lines of evidence, including skeletal anatomy, bone histology, the behavior of living relatives, and trace fossils.” the researchers said.
“To determine the intelligence of dinosaurs and other extinct animals, it's best to use a wealth of evidence, from gross anatomy to fossilized footprints, rather than relying solely on estimates of neuron counts,” Dr. Heidi said. added.
“We argue that it is not a good idea to predict the intelligence of extinct species when only the number of neurons reconstructed from endocasts is sufficient,” said Dr. Kai Kasper, a paleontologist at Heinrich Heine University. Ta.
“Neuron number is not a good predictor of cognitive ability, and using neuron number to predict intelligence in long-extinct species can lead to very misleading interpretations,” Mikel Crusafont Catalan Paleontologist said Dr. Ornella Bertrand, a paleontologist at the Institute.
“The possibility is that tyrannosaurus The possibility that they were as intelligent as baboons is both fascinating and frightening, and has the potential to transform the way we view our past,” said Dr Darren Naish, a palaeontologist at the University of Southampton. .
“But our study shows how all the data we have contradicts this idea. They were more like smart giant crocodiles, which was just as fascinating. ”
Kai R. Kasper other.How clever! tyrannosaurus• Examine claims about the extraordinary cognitive abilities of dinosaurs and the application of neuron number estimation in paleontological research. anatomical records, published online on April 26, 2024. doi: 10.1002/ar.25459
A research team led by University of Cincinnati archaeologists has found evidence of an assemblage of four species of ceremonial plants beneath the endfield of a late Preclassic ball field at the Helena complex in Mexico’s ancient Mayan city of Yaxnoca. Plants included Ipomoea corymbosa (xtabentun in Mayan), Capsicum sp. (chili pepper or ic in Mayan), Hampea Trilobata (Joel), and Oxandra lanceolata (Chilkahuit). Two of these plants, jor and Cirkawit, are involved in the production of ritually related crafts, while chili pepper and Stabentun are associated with divination rituals. Extaventun (known to the Aztecs as oloruqui) produces a highly effective hallucinogenic compound.
Map of the Helena complex showing excavation locations in relation to the baseball field structures (Structures H-4 to H-7). Image credit: Lenz other., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301497.
The ancient Mayans played several ball games, including pokatok, which had rules similar to soccer and basketball. Players tried to pass the ball through rings and hoops on the wall.
“The ancient Mayans likely made ceremonial offerings during the construction of their ball courts,” said University of Cincinnati professor David Lentz.
“When they built a new building, they asked for God’s goodness to protect the people living there.”
“Some people call this a soul-entering ritual to obtain blessings from the gods and appease them.”
From 2016 to 2022, Professor Lentz and colleagues worked in the ancient Mayan city of Yaxnoca, in the state of Campeche, about 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) north of the Guatemalan border.
They discovered 2,000-year-old Mayan ceremonial deposits beneath the early piazza floor of the civil ceremonial platform on which the ball court was built in Yaxnoca’s Helena complex.
“Just like with baseball stadiums, when a building was expanded or reused, the ancient Mayans made offerings to bless the site,” said Nicholas Dunning, a professor emeritus at the University of Cincinnati.
“Archaeologists sometimes find ceramics and jewelry among these offerings, along with culturally significant plants.”
“We’ve known for years from ethnohistorical sources that the Maya also used perishable materials in these offerings, but finding them archaeologically is nearly impossible and That’s what makes this discovery using eDNA so special.”
“In tropical climates, ancient plant remains are rarely found and quickly decompose.”
However, using environmental DNA, scientists were able to identify several types known for their ritual significance.
They found evidence of a morning glory called stabentun, known for its hallucinogenic properties, lancewood, chili pepper, and jowl, whose leaves were used to wrap ritual offerings.
“It’s significant that we found evidence that these plants exist together in the same small sediment sample,” said Dr. Eric Tepe, a botanist at the University of Cincinnati.
“The fact that these four plants, known to be culturally important to the Maya, were found in concentrated samples indicates that they were intentionally and purposefully collected under this platform. I think that says a lot.”
“Interpreting a botanical collection through the opaque lens of 2,000 years of prehistory is a challenge, but this discovery helps further deepen the story of this sophisticated culture,” Professor Lenz said.
The ancient Mayans devised water filtration systems and adopted forest practices with conservation in mind.
However, they were powerless against years of drought and are thought to have cleared vast areas of forest for agriculture.
“We see the yin and yang of human existence in the ancient Maya. To me, that’s why they’re so fascinating,” Professor Lentz said.
of findings It was published in the magazine PLoS ONE.
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DL Lenz other. 2024. Psychotropic drugs and other ceremonial plants unearthed from a 2,000-year-old Mayan ritual deposit at Yaxnoca, Mexico. PLoS ONE 19 (4): e0301497; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301497
The EU has reportedly taken legal action against Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, for failing to address Russian disinformation concerns ahead of the upcoming EU general election in June. The intention is to wake her up.
Concerns are also raised regarding the inadequate monitoring of election-related content and the effectiveness of mechanisms to flag illegal content.
The European Commission is worried that Meta’s moderation system is not strong enough to combat fake news propagation and suppression of votes.
Officials are particularly concerned about Meta’s response to Russia’s attempts to interfere with upcoming European elections, without explicitly mentioning the Kremlin.
According to reports, the European Commission has rejected Meta’s proposal to discontinue CrowdTangle, a tool that helps monitor the spread of fake news and voter suppression attempts in real time across the EU, raising significant concerns.
In accordance with a new law requiring tech companies to regulate their content to comply with EU regulations, Facebook and others must implement systems to guard against election interference risks.
A Meta spokesperson stated: “We have established processes to identify and mitigate risks on our platform. We are collaborating with the European Commission and will provide additional details on our work. We look forward to the opportunity.”
If Meta’s actions are confirmed, it follows recent stress tests conducted by the Commission on major social media platforms to assess their readiness against Russian disinformation. An official announcement is expected shortly.
The stress tests included hypothetical scenarios based on historical attempts to influence elections and cyber-based misinformation campaigns.
This encompassed deepfakes and efforts to suppress authentic voices through online harassment and intimidation.
The EU recognized the stifling of legitimate democratic voices as a new tool to silence dissent in February.
“The objective was to evaluate the platforms’ preparedness to combat manipulative activities leading up to elections, including various tactics,” said the committee.
This allowed them to assess social media’s resilience to manipulation, which is anticipated to escalate in the coming weeks.
The upcoming European Parliament elections between June 6 and 9 are facing a surge in disinformation across the region.
Congress released voter guidelines on Monday, highlighting past incidents, such as the false claim that only specific ink colors could be used on ballots.
Voters are cautioned to be vigilant against disinformation, drawing from recent national election experiences.
In elections in various countries, misinformation about erasable ink pens and physical threats at polling stations have circulated on social media, reflecting the challenges of combating fake news and manipulation.
The EU Disinfolab documented thousands of cases of fake news targeting Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion and spreading misinformation about President Putin’s motives.
Recently, a Czech news agency’s website was hacked to display fabricated news stories, including alleged assassination attempts and political reactions.
Last month, the Czech government exposed a disinformation network linked to Moscow.
The Belgian prime minister announced an investigation into alleged Russian payments to influence European Parliament elections.
Electrocardiogram tests used to train AI to predict risk of fatal heart disease
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Artificial intelligence systems have proven they can save lives by alerting doctors to test patients whose heart test results show they are at high risk of death. In a randomized clinical trial of approximately 16,000 patients across two hospitals, AI reduced overall deaths in high-risk patients by 31%.
“This is actually quite unusual,” he says Eric Topol Researchers at the Scripps Research Institute Translational Institute in California were not involved in the study. “Any drug, [produce] Mortality is down 31%, and it's even rarer for non-drugs, but that's just monitoring people with AI. ”
Chin Lin Researchers at Taiwan's National Defense Medical Center first trained the AI on more than 450,000 electrocardiogram (ECG) tests that measure the electrical activity of the heart, as well as survival data from ECG subjects. The AI learned to generate a percentile score representing each patient's risk of death, and considered patients at at least the 95th percentile to be at high risk.
The researchers then tested the AI alert system with 39 doctors from two different hospitals. When a nurse uploads a new patient's EKG test to a computer server, an AI system analyzes the results and immediately alerts doctors if the patient is deemed to be at high risk.
In addition to reducing the risk of death from all causes, the AI system reduced deaths in high-risk patients from heart disease by more than 90%.
Lin and his colleagues speculate that AI predictions could help focus attention on groups most at risk. Doctors usually respond to alerts with more diagnostic tests or additional treatments.
The AI alert system is already in use at 14 military hospitals in Taiwan.
“This can be implemented in every hospital in the world, and it shouldn't be expensive,” says Topol. “If it's so effective, it should become the standard of care.”
Golden rice is genetically modified to produce beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A
Ili
Farmers in the Philippines may be able to continue growing golden rice, which has been genetically modified to fight malnutrition, despite a court ruling revoking permits to grow it.
Adrian Duboc, a member of the Golden Rice Humanitarian Committee that guided the production of Golden Rice, said the Philippine government would oppose the decision. “A challenge will be filed in the Court of Appeals and I think it will probably be successful,” he says.
Golden Rice was developed to combat vitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of disability and death worldwide. As a result, it is estimated as follows. Up to 500,000 children go blind every yearHalf of them die within a year.
This is completely preventable if the child eats sufficient amounts of vitamin A or foods containing vitamin A precursors such as beta-carotene. This orange pigment, found in vegetables such as carrots, is converted into vitamins in the body.
In the 1980s, a group of scientists set out to genetically modify rice to contain beta-carotene, and it became known as golden rice because of its color.
The project became a major target for campaigners against genetically modified crops, and adoption of Golden Rice was significantly delayed. “The suspicions raised by Greenpeace were very effective,” Dubock said.
In 2021, the Philippines became the first country to approve the cultivation of golden rice (locally known as Marsog or healthy rice). It was previously approved as safe to eat. It is also approved for human consumption in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Rice cultivation and consumption is promoted by the Philippine Rice Institute, a government corporation.
This means that over the past three years, those who could benefit from that rice have finally been able to eat it. For example, the city of San Mateo introduced golden rice this year to its school lunch program for severely underweight infants.a recent research One in six children under the age of five in the Philippines has been found to be vitamin A deficient.
However, on April 17, the Philippine Court of Appeals revoked Golden Rice's permit following a lawsuit filed by Greenpeace Southeast Asia and other groups.
“This decision is a monumental victory for Filipino farmers and Filipinos who have been fighting against genetically modified (GM) crops for decades,” said Greenpeace Southeast Asia activist Wilhelmina Peregrina. stated in a statement.
Dubock said it is his understanding that the court's decision was based on a specific technical error that occurred during the approval process. “We have to assume that the Philippine government will win the appeal,” he says.
in a statementthe Philippine Rice Research Institute said it is reviewing the impact of the court's decision to prepare a response.
Scientists have also applied for permission to grow golden rice in Bangladesh, but the country has been delaying a decision since 2017. “The need is greater than the Philippines,” Duboc said.
There is also significant vitamin A deficiency in many African countries, he says.
In his own research, Dubock compared the health outcomes of children eating golden rice to other types of rice, and hopes the results will encourage more countries to adopt golden rice.
The Hubble team has released a beautiful new image of the dwarf galaxy IC 776 in the constellation Virgo.
This Hubble image shows IC 776, a dwarf galaxy about 100 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / M. Sun.
IC776 It is located in the constellation Virgo, about 100 million light years away from Earth.
This galaxy, also known as ALFALFA 3-210, LEDA 39613, and UGC 7352, discovered It was announced by French astronomer Stéphane Javert on May 4, 1893.
IC 776 is Virgo Clusterthe nearest and best-studied large galaxy cluster.
It is a dwarf galaxy and is also classified as a dwarf galaxy. SAB type One study calls this the “complex case” in morphology.
“This extremely detailed observation from Hubble illustrates its complexity,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.
“IC 776 has a ragged and disorganized disk, but it still appears to spiral around a central core, creating an arc of star-forming regions.”
The color image of IC 776 was created from separate exposures taken in the visible and near-infrared regions of the spectrum. Hubble's advanced survey camera (ACS).
Two filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is obtained by assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.
“This image comes from an observational program dedicated to the study of dwarf galaxies in the Virgo cluster and searching for X-ray sources in such galaxies,” the researchers said.
“X-rays are often emitted from accretion disks, where matter pulled into a compact object by gravity collides, forming a hot, glowing disk.”
“This compact object could be a white dwarf or neutron star that steals material from its companion star, or it could be a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy that consumes its surroundings.”
“Dwarf galaxies like IC 776 passing through the Virgo cluster can experience pressure from intergalactic gas, stimulate star formation, and feed the black hole at the galaxy's center,” the study says. they added.
“It could produce a high-energy accretion disk that is hot enough to emit X-rays.”
“Hubble cannot see X-rays, but in conjunction with X-ray telescopes such as NASA's Chandra, it can use visible light to reveal the source of this radiation in high resolution.”
“Dwarf galaxies are thought to be of great importance for understanding cosmology and galaxy evolution.”
“As with many fields of astronomy, the ability to examine these galaxies across the electromagnetic spectrum is critical to research.”
Meme coins and NFTs have outlived their relevance and it is time for crypto investors to focus on RWA projects like DePin and ETFSwap (ETFS).
For the past three years, meme coins and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have been one of the major stories in the cryptocurrency space. Thanks to all the hype surrounding these meme coins and NFTs, cryptocurrency investors are making incredible returns on their investments.
However, there is a shift in the tide that it is time to pivot away from these meme coins and NFT projects and focus on new narratives such as RWA and DePin.
Real-world assets (RWA) and decentralized physical infrastructure (DePin) are two areas that are gaining traction and could soon become the center of attention.
RWA and DePin take over meme coins and NFTs
Tokenization of assets continues to be widely discussed, with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink also Mention We see this as the “next generation of the market.” This led to more emphasis on his RWA project to bring this concept to life. Essentially, these projects utilize blockchain technology to tokenize real-world assets such as real estate, royalties, securities, contracts, ETFs, and artwork.
This will change the way investors interact with these assets by making them easier to access and trade. In terms of accessibility, asset tokenization further facilitates fractional ownership. This means that an individual can own a portion of an asset that they would not otherwise have the means to access.
By making it easier to trade these assets, previously illiquid assets will become more liquid. In general, we expect new capital inflows into all asset classes, which will increase liquidity in all asset classes. Therefore, the RWA industry is predicted to become a $1 trillion market by 2030.
On the other hand, it is worth noting that RWA projects are the tunnel through which this liquidity passes. That is why cryptocurrency investors should pay more attention to them and try to position themselves accordingly.
Similar to the RWA industry, the DePin market also boasts great potential. As the name suggests, these projects manage physical infrastructure in a decentralized manner with the help of blockchain technology and tokenization. These physical infrastructures include telecommunications, healthcare systems, power grids, and road networks.
Unlike traditional enterprises, the decentralized mode of operation of these projects helps simplify operations and reduce operating costs. On the other hand, this business model also benefits users, as they are incentivized (in tokens) to contribute to the services provided by these projects.
Given such huge potential, we expect the narrative shift from meme coins and NFTs to these RWA and DePin projects to happen sooner or later. In fact, these projects may already be the dominant story given that they have recently seen greater success than meme coins and NFT projects this cycle.
Cryptocurrency expert Michael van de Poppe correctly called it just like before the Bitcoin halving. mentioned After the halving, there will be a shift in the narrative towards RWA and the DePin project.
ETFSwap (ETFS) Pre-sale increases demand
of ETFS Wap (ETFS) Token pre-sales are already in high demand, with crypto investors turning their attention to RWA and DePin projects. ETFS is the native token of ETFSwap, a decentralized finance (DeFi) platform that enables on-chain trading of exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
This explains why investors are rushing to accumulate as many ETFSwap (ETFS) tokens as possible, as this platform is already ranked as one of the most promising RWA projects.
Meanwhile, with RWA and DePin being projected as the next big thing in the cryptocurrency space, ETFSwap (ETFS) has been instantly singled out as one of the tokens likely to move wildly in this market cycle. Experts also predict that the price of crypto tokens in particular will rise significantly, saying that it could rise in price like Shiba Inu (SHIB) in 2021.
They say this is possible because ETFSwap (ETFS) has a lot of bullish stories working in its favor. In addition to the RWA story, ETFSwap offers the following ETFs: Spot Bitcoin ETFSince its inception, it has already attracted a lot of attention in the cryptocurrency field.
Additionally, staking rewards have recently become more attractive to investors seeking passive income. ETFSwap (ETFS) stands out in this regard, as it offers a uniquely attractive yield.
Privacy concerns continue to be raised in the cryptocurrency space, with users complaining that many projects are not truly decentralized and their data is not protected. This plays out in favor of his ETFSwap, as the ETFSwap (ETFS) platform prioritizes user privacy above all else. For example, Know-Your-Customer (KYC) requirements are not mandatory on the platform, so users don’t have to worry about sharing sensitive data or having their information tracked and exposed.
Over 30 million so far ETFS Wap (ETFS) The tokens were sold in Stage 1 of the ongoing presale. This pre-sale phase is still ongoing and each token costs $0.00854. However, due to the increased demand for these tokens, we expect them to sell out before the scheduled end date.
For more information on the ETFS presale, please see below.
Have you ever taken melatonin to help you sleep? Melatonin is a natural hormone involved in sleep. Our brains react to darkness by synthesizing melatonin, which helps regulate our internal and biological clocks. circadian rhythm. However, melatonin has many diverse functions that help maintain our health. It’s more than just a good night’s sleep.
For example, researchers have shown in the past that melatonin is an antioxidant and helps calm inflammation. When our bodies are damaged, the immune system initiates a natural repair response through inflammation, but excessive inflammation can actually harm cells. Scientists have discovered that melatonin has anti-inflammatory properties and can help stop harmful inflammation.
These properties have led scientists to propose that melatonin may also help heal injuries associated with severe inflammation, such as spinal cord injuries. These complex injuries are rooted in the central nervous system and can affect our ability to move, speak, and process information. Healing is very difficult because spinal cord cells cannot regenerate like other cells such as skin cells.
A team of Chinese scientists recently began testing whether melatonin can reduce spinal cord injuries in mice. They hypothesized that melatonin may do so through a biochemical pathway that activates it.anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway.
The researchers paralyzed the limbs of 100 mice to simulate spinal cord injury, then injected them with different doses of melatonin. They injected a control group of 25 mice with a placebo and compared their responses to mice receiving melatonin injections.
The scientists took sections of tissue from the spinal cords of mice before and after giving them melatonin. They stained the tissue to see if the cells were dead, dying, or normal. They found that mice injected with melatonin had fewer dead cells than the control group.
To see how the mice responded to these treatments at the cellular level, the scientists also investigated the energy factories in the mice’s cells, mitochondria. They stained the mice’s mitochondria and examined them under a microscope. Scientists have discovered that the mitochondria in mice are fatally affected by paralysis. They observed bubble-like structures within the mitochondria. vacuole, only in mice that did not receive melatonin. This means that the mouse’s cells died from lack of energy, just as plants die when they are deprived of water.
The research team confirmed that fewer vacuoles formed within mitochondria in mice injected with melatonin. They suggested that this means that melatonin’s antioxidant properties protect the membranes of our cellular power-generating factories, just as our skin protects us from the elements.
Scientists also tested whether melatonin could prevent inflammation and other changes in the chemical structure of cells by interacting with proteins.a protein called NLRP3 inflammasome Code of inflammation within our body. Scientists predicted that too much NLRP3 could promote injury, cause uncontrolled inflammation, and cause cell death.
The scientists used a gel-based method to separate proteins in tissue samples based on size. western blot, to detect what kind of proteins are made by mice injected with melatonin. They confirmed that melatonin interacted with the NLRP3 inflammasome in these mice through proteins of the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway and reversed the inflammatory effects of NLRP3. They confirmed that melatonin reduced inflammation in these mice and prevented the progression of the simulated spinal cord injury.
The researchers concluded that melatonin may reduce spinal cord injury and provide insight into the recovery process. They suggested that future researchers should test whether melatonin’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects could treat other diseases associated with cell death, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Reports suggest that Elon Musk’s visit to China led to an immediate benefit with a deal for Tesla to utilize mapping data from Baidu, a major web search company, to introduce driver-assistance technology to the largest car market globally. This marks a significant advancement.
Over the weekend, Musk made a surprise visit to China. He shared a photo of his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang on the social network X, which he acquired in 2022.
According to sources referenced by Bloomberg News, Baidu, a dominant force in Chinese web search, will offer mapping and navigation services to aid Tesla in implementing driver-assistance technology labeled as “Full Self-Driving” (FSD). The provision of mapping services, crucial for driver-assistance technology, is strictly regulated by the Chinese government.
Despite its name, FSD does not enable autonomous driving. It necessitates a driver who is prepared to take control at any moment. Launching in China could enhance Tesla’s position in the competitive market there and boost revenue. The service costs $8,000 or $99 (£80) per month, but is not accessible in many countries.
Musk has had confrontational interactions with politicians in the past, criticizing U.S. President Joe Biden and entering a dispute in Brazil over censorship issues on X, formerly Twitter. However, his approach towards China’s second-ranking official, Li, was more conciliatory, expressing being “honored” to meet him.
Musk’s interactions with China have been complex due to various business ties. X is blocked by the Chinese government due to strict censorship policies. Additionally, there were concerns from the Chinese government regarding an incident involving a satellite launched by SpaceX, Musk’s rocket company, coming close to their space station.
However, Tesla operates a factory in Shanghai, and its Model Y was the third best-selling electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle in China in March 2024, according to CleanTechnica. BYD, a Chinese competitor to Tesla in electric car sales, has two top-selling models.
The news of Musk’s visit and the partnership with Baidu were met with enthusiasm by Tesla investors, who view potential self-driving capabilities as crucial for Tesla’s position as the most valuable automaker globally. Tesla’s stock price rose by 6% in premarket trading in New York.
Dan Ives, a technology analyst at Wedbush investment bank, mentioned in a client note that Tesla’s future standing relies heavily on FSD and autonomous driving. He emphasized the significance of making FSD accessible in China, a step that appears to be imminent.
Discovered by chance in 2019, Odd radio circles (ORCs) are circular regions of faint radio radiation with bright edges that are not visible to optical, infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray wavelengths.
Some ORCs contain galaxies at their centers, while others do not, but what sets them apart is their size, which is significantly larger than normal galaxies. Some ORCs display a double ring structure, while others have a single ring. There are also some with internal arc-like structures that might be linked to galaxies surrounded by bubbles of radio emission.
While objects with high spherical symmetry are common in the universe, ORCs appear to be distinct from them all, prompting astronomers to classify them as a new type of object.
ORCs could potentially be a type of spherical shock wave generated by fast radio bursts, gamma-ray bursts, or neutron star mergers. If this is the case, they must be extremely ancient to have grown to such a large size.
Alternatively, they may be associated with material jets emanating from the central regions of radio galaxies, but explaining their size and the absence of central objects in all galaxies is challenging.
One intriguing theory suggests that ORCs are created by the fusion of two supermassive black holes in a central galaxy. The available data also support the idea that the shell is caused by a “shock termination” of high-energy particle winds from the central “starburst” galaxy.
Another hypothesis proposes that the ORC is the throat of a “wormhole,” a theoretical passage through spacetime. However, astronomers have yet to agree on the true nature of ORC.
This article addresses the question (by Bradford’s Brendan Owens): “What are strange radio circles?”
If you have any questions, please email us at:questions@sciencefocus.comor send us a messageFacebook,XorInstagramPage (remember to include your name and location).
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On a daily basis, everyone naturally releases about 2.5 liters of gas through burps and farts. This gas originates from the air we breathe, the liquids we consume, and the bacteria in our digestive system. Our bodies expel this excessive gas through the mouth and anus. Sometimes, the gas may be released without notice, in small amounts, and without any detectable odor.
Unlike cows, methane is not the primary component of human farts. Therefore, when someone ignites a fart, it usually burns hydrogen gas.
Farting is a normal bodily function, but if you notice an increase in farting frequency, it may be due to an underlying medical condition.
Why do we fart?
Farting occurs because there is gas in our intestines that needs to be released.
A mixture of swallowed air and gas produced by digestive bacteria in the intestines eventually needs to be expelled through burps and farts.
The main gases in flatulence are hydrogen and carbon dioxide, while the unpleasant odor often comes from sulfur compounds present in small amounts.
Nerve endings in the anus help distinguish between gas buildup and solid stool, allowing gas to pass through without any issues.
Does everyone fart?
Every individual, without exception, passes gas through the large intestine due to swallowed air and intestinal bacteria. This gas mainly consists of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, methane, and trace amounts of smelly compounds.
Although everyone farts, some individuals may be more discreet about their flatulence.
Read more about flatulence:
Why do I fart so much?
It is normal for some people to fart more frequently than others. According to NHS, the average person farts between 5 and 15 times a day. However, certain medical conditions can lead to excessive farting.
Farting can be a symptom of conditions like celiac disease and lactose intolerance, as well as issues like constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, and gastroenteritis.
If you are concerned about your farting frequency, it is advisable to consult a doctor.
If you try to suppress a fart, it might come out more quietly or get retained until your next trip to the bathroom. Eventually, the gas will find its way out!
What foods make you fart?
Beans, lentils, cabbage, broccoli, onions, prunes, and apples are among the foods that can cause flatulence. Consuming these foods, rich in soluble fiber, can lead to the production of gas during the fermentation process in the colon.
Do animals fart?
All humans fart, but not all animals do. Different animals have varying digestive systems that influence flatulence production.
Do rabbits fart?
Yes, rabbits fart due to their plant-based diet and digestive process involving fermentation in the cecum. Excessive gas buildup can be harmful to rabbits if not expelled properly.
Do spiders fart?
The possibility of spiders farting exists, but it has not been extensively studied. Their unique digestive system suggests gas production during liquid digestion.
Do birds fart?
Birds can fart, but evidence of this phenomenon is scarce. Some theories propose that birds may not fart frequently due to their rapid digestion process.
Did dinosaurs fart?
Dinosaurs, like other animals, did fart. Their historical flatulence played a role in the planet’s climate during the Mesozoic Era.
a A class action lawsuit filed in U.S. federal court on Valentine's Day last year alleges that Match Group, owner of dating apps such as Tinder, Hinge and OkCupid, uses a “predatory business model” to keep users hooked. The lawsuit directly contradicts Hinge's claims of being “designed to be removed”.
The lawsuit has sparked new debate about the potential harm to mental health caused by dating apps, but for scientists who study romantic relationships, the central question remains: do these apps actually work? The answer, according to Elizabeth Bruch, a sociologist at the University of Michigan who has studied online dating for a decade, is that there is no definitive scientific evidence either way.
Michael Rosenfeld, a sociologist at Stanford University, notes that online dating has become increasingly popular, with half of all heterosexual couples in the U.S. now meeting online. The trend is also growing in Europe, with an estimated 80 million users on dating apps. Despite this growth, the effectiveness of these apps in helping users find their soulmates remains uncertain.
While online dating continues to gain traction, research on the success and longevity of couples who meet through these apps is scarce. Companies generally do not publicly release data on this topic, but experts like Bruch argue that there is no evidence to suggest that these companies have better insights than scientific researchers.
Recent studies have shown that couples who meet online report slightly lower satisfaction and stability in their relationships compared to those who meet offline. However, this difference may be attributed to other factors rather than the online dating experience itself, such as deep-seated biases and geographical distance between partners.
As dating platforms continue to evolve, promising new methods for matchmaking based on brain activity or facial expressions, questions remain about the efficacy of these approaches. Many users have reported disappointments and frustrations with online dating, raising concerns about the addictive nature of dating apps and their impact on users’ well-being.
To address these concerns, researchers like Bruch and Gordon are developing their own dating app that doubles as a research tool to improve our understanding of romantic relationships. Their goal is to provide users with transparent and ethical matchmaking experiences that prioritize compatibility over preconceived notions of compatibility.
What makes a good match? Similarity in age, ethnicity, and education level does not guarantee longevity. Photo: Maria Korneeva/Getty
Bruch and Gordon hope that their research will shed light on the complex dynamics of love and relationships, offering users a more fulfilling and transparent dating experience. They are particularly interested in exploring how users’ perceptions of compatibility can influence their dating preferences and outcomes.
While dating apps have revolutionized how people connect and form relationships, concerns remain about their addictive qualities and potential negative impacts on users’ mental health. Researchers are advocating for greater transparency and accountability within the industry to ensure that users can make informed decisions and have positive dating experiences.
In the midst of ongoing debates about the impact of dating apps on society and relationships, researchers and experts emphasize the need for greater scrutiny and regulation to ensure the well-being of users and the integrity of the industry.
Her voice seemed off, not quite right, and it meandered in unexpected ways.
Viewers familiar with science presenter Liz Bonnin’s Irish accent were puzzled when they received an audio message seemingly from her endorsing a product from a distant location.
It turned out the message was a fake, created by artificial intelligence to mimic Bonnin’s voice. After spotting her image in an online advertisement, Bonnin’s team investigated and found out it was a scam.
Bonin, known for her work on TV shows like Bang Goes The Theory, expressed her discomfort with the imitated voice, which she described as shifting from Irish to Australian to British.
The person behind the failed campaign, Incognito CEO Howard Carter, claimed he had received convincing audio messages from someone posing as Bonin, leading him to believe it was the real presenter.
The fake Bonin provided contact details and even posed as a representative from the Wildlife Trust charity, negotiating a deal for the advertisement campaign. Carter eventually realized he had been scammed after transferring money and receiving the image for the campaign.
AI experts confirmed that the voice memos were likely artificially generated due to inconsistencies in accent and recitation speed. Bonin warned about the dangers of AI misuse and stressed the importance of caution.
Incognito reported the incident to authorities and issued a statement cautioning others about sophisticated scams involving AI. They apologized to Bonin for any unintended harm caused by the deception.
Neither the BBC nor the Wildlife Trust responded to requests for comments on the incident.
The federal government announced this week that grizzly bears will be reintroduced to Washington state’s North Cascade Mountains. The decision follows many years of intense and divisive debate.
But due to the complex process of capturing bears from British Columbia and northwestern Montana, transporting them by truck and helicopter, it will take many years before bears can venture into the remote and rugged terrain. It may also be costly.
“There’s a lot of work to do before we can schedule it,” said Jason Ransom, a wildlife biologist with North Cascades National Park. “Getting the planning right is critical to the success of a project like this.”
This reintroduction will restore a keystone species to the North Cascades, one of the most protected landscapes in the United States. Grizzlies once roamed throughout the region, but were extensively hunted for their fur. The National Park Service reports that there has not been a confirmed bear sighting since 1996.
Both agencies plan to release between three and seven bears each year with the goal of reaching a population of 200 bears within 60 to 100 years.
Ransom mentioned that grizzly bears play a vital role in turning soil, spreading seeds, and adapting to various habitats for reproduction. Their versatility makes them resilient to environmental changes, including those caused by climate change.
But opponents express concerns about the safety risks grizzly bears may pose to humans, as well as the potential conflicts with farmers and ranchers in the surrounding areas. The reintroduction project is addressing these concerns by selecting a release site in high-quality habitat far from populated areas.
The federal government has designated the project’s grizzly bears as a “nonessential experimental population” under the Endangered Species Act, providing legal flexibility to manage potential conflicts and protect both humans and bears.
The process of capturing and releasing bears involves using culvert traps, anesthesia, veterinary examinations, and radio collars for tracking purposes. The gradual reintroduction process aims to allow humans and bears to adapt to each other in an environment that has been bear-free for decades.
Starting with 25 bears allows the population to grow slowly, giving both humans and bears a chance to coexist in the area that has been without bears for a long time.
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A few weeks ago, it was quietly announced that the Future of Humanity Institute, a famous interdisciplinary research center in Oxford, no longer has a future. It closed without warning on April 16th. Initially, its website contained only a short statement that it had been closed and that research could continue elsewhere within or outside the university.
The institute, dedicated to the study of humanity’s existential risks, was founded in 2005 by Swedish-born philosopher Nick Bostrom and quickly made a name for itself beyond academia. Many high-tech billionaires praised the institute, especially in Silicon Valley, and provided financial support.
Mr. Bostrom is perhaps best known for his 2014 best-selling book. super intelligence, which warned of the existential dangers of artificial intelligence, but also became widely known for his 2003 academic paper “Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?” The paper argues that over time, humans are likely to develop the ability to create simulations that are indistinguishable from reality, and if this is the case, it has already happened and we may be the simulation. insisted.
I interviewed Bostrom more than a decade ago, and he had one of those elusive and rather abstract personalities that perhaps lends credence to simulation theory. He was pale, had a reputation for working all night, and seemed like the type of person who didn’t go out much. The Institute appears to be aware of this social shortcoming. final reporta long inscription written by Fuji Heavy Industries researcher Anders Sandberg states:
“We have not invested enough in the politics and socialization of the university to build long-term, stable relationships with faculty…When epistemology and communication practices become too disconnected, misunderstandings flourish.”
Nick Bostrom: “Proudly provocative on paper, cautious and defensive in person.” Photo: Washington Post/Getty Images
Like Sandberg, Bostrom is an advocate of transhumanism, the belief in using advanced technology to improve longevity and cognitive abilities, and is said …
If anything symbolizes the end of Twitter, it’s the rise and fall of Oprah Winfrey’s account.
Oprah joined the platform in 2009. First time tweeting Live from her popular TV show “HI TWITTERS. Thank you for the warm welcome. It feels very 21st century.”
Queensland University of Technology Digital Media Research Center Professor Axel Brands said it was a “landmark moment” for the platform.
“That was really the moment when the numbers skyrocketed.”
Oprah still has an account under the renamed X with 41.7 million followers. But since November 2022, a month after Elon Musk’s acquisition of the site was completed, she posted: Just once – In January 2023, she told Chelsea Clinton that she was “still laughing so hard 😂” about Clinton accidentally wearing two different black shoes at an event.
Debate over X reignited last week after the Australian government took the platform to court to force it to remove a video of a Sydney bishop allegedly being stabbed while leading a church service.
Company X says it complied with the order to delete the footage of the stabbing (though, ironically, just below the post announcing its compliance is a comment saying someone had shared the full graphic video) Musk has been harshly critical of Australia’s request to delete the footage. We asked Mr. X for comment.
But as debate intensifies over what responsibility social media platforms have to stop the spread of violent or extremist content, other questions are emerging. “What is Twitter/X anymore?”
What happened to the site, once a staple of the news cycle and political debate, now increasingly abandoned by those who once religiously followed it?
The beginning: “Utopian vision”
A former Twitter Australia employee, who requested anonymity, said Twitter had lofty goals in its early days.
“I think it was definitely a utopian vision at the time. Like many of these founders, they really thought they were disruptors and creating a space for real public debate. “I was thinking about it,” she says. “I think people really enjoyed it at the time. It was a very fast-moving, innovative platform where you could get the latest news and follow and connect with people you really admired. Even in the early days, it always had parts of it as a toxic swamp, but not entirely.”
“It had a social profile,” she says. “Remember when everyone was obsessed with the existence of blue ticks and pretended that people who didn’t have them didn’t care?”
Although the exact number of monthly active users is unknown, Twitter/X has had a significant impact on the world of news and politics over the years, although it has not had the broad mainstream appeal of Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, or TikTok. I did.
“It’s a very specific, limited audience,” Brands says. “But the types of audiences that could be reached on Twitter were journalists, politicians, activists, and various forms of experts. Often people who were influential in other communities online and offline.”
Belinda Barnett, senior lecturer in media and communications at Melbourne’s Swinburne University of Technology, said: In essence, it has become a must-have tool, especially for journalists. ”
This was also because Twitter’s features, especially @mentions and hashtags, are well-suited for breaking news.
For example, Twitter became big in Japan in part because people turned to Twitter as a way to communicate and organize when the country was hit by a devastating tsunami in 2011, said a former Twitter user. Employees speak.
“It became a real lifeline for people and a way for people to be rescued,” she said.
According to a 2021 Pew study, 69% of U.S. Twitter users said they got their news from the site, 46% said the site gave them a better understanding of current events, and 30% said the site made them more interested in politics. They responded that they felt more involved.
The breaking news feature was not without its problems. The immediacy of this platform gave voice to dissidents and citizen journalists, which was crucial for uprisings like those seen in the Arab Spring, but it also allowed politicians to bypass traditional journalistic mediation. Bruns says it’s now possible.
“There are quite a few politicians who have essentially stopped giving interviews to journalists, leaving them exposed to critical questions and basically just posting their announcements on Twitter.”
Barnett said misinformation and trolls have always been a problem, but the company is committed to what she calls the “three pillars”: user blue checkmarks, moderation policies, and trust and safety. team.
“All of these things worked together to give us some credibility during breaking news, so people went there. Twitter in the old days certainly spread misinformation, but it started trending before it spread.” I often ended up crushing it,” she said.
Now: Musk’s Wild West
Barnett said all three pillars were quickly dismantled after Musk acquired the platform at the end of 2022.
The trust and safety teams were among those who were abruptly fired within weeks of Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of the company, showing up to work at headquarters with a ceramic sink on their first day. A video of Mr. Musk’s entrance was posted on the site with the caption, “Let it sink in.”
Many people who were blocked from the site for violating online rules, including Donald Trump, had their accounts reinstated (although Trump’s account was later blocked again).
The verification process has changed dramatically. Instead of being given blue ticks for being a celebrity or working for a popular news site, you can now buy them.
My approach to moderation has also changed. Mr. Musk’s spat with the Australian government reveals something about his vision for X, which he sees as a bastion of free speech.
“They’re very reluctant to engage in any kind of arbitration,” Brands said. “To some extent, this reflects the broader sense that free speech in the United States is an absolute good above all else. On the other hand, in Australia, Europe, and many other regions, the right to free speech and protection from harmful speech are And that would essentially sound like censorship to many otherwise very liberal people in the United States.”
Ironically, in 2022, X suspended the accounts of people who criticized Musk, including those of several prominent journalists from CNN, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. account has been banned Track the whereabouts of your private jet using public data.
“Elon wants it both ways,” Barnett says. “He wants it to be the original Twitter, which was certainly absolutely critical to the news cycle,” but he also wants to “remove the pillars and processes that Twitter has spent years building up and make it more… We also want it to promote community. ”
“I think it’s becoming a toxic mess,” Barnett says.
The future: a place out of control
A Pew study found that 60% of U.S. Twitter users left the platform for more than a few weeks in the first few months after Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. A quarter of those surveyed said they had not used the site at all in the past year.
Even the most prolific tweeters saw their use of the platform decrease, with the number of tweets per month dropping by 25%.
Whether this trend continues is a difficult question to answer, but one reason is that it has become prohibitively expensive for researchers studying social media to continue their work under Musk. That’s what happened.
For many years, Twitter has provided application programming interfaces (APIs) to academic researchers and private sector organizations for a fee. About a year ago, the cost of accessing these APIs skyrocketed.
Aaron Smith, director of Pew’s Data Lab, said the center has developed a “pretty rich body of research” on Twitter over the years, but that access to the API is now limited due to the price increase for accessing Tweets. He said that such annual fees have become expensive. “It’s bigger than our team’s entire research budget for several years” – they couldn’t do any more research on the platform.
Bruns says academics are in the same position. “We cannot conduct particularly exploratory research, such as looking for hate speech bots or misinformation on the platform. [X] Almost priced out of the market. ”
This is unfortunate, as academic research on Twitter has shown that the platform was able to identify and dispel some hate speech and misinformation in the past, but will now go even further unchecked. he says.
“Certainly, it’s already starting to turn into platforms like Gab and Parler and things like that. [Trump’s] In True Social, people on the far right vehemently agree with each other and ferociously hate everyone else. ”
Even former employees have since deactivated their accounts. “I think it’s a really dangerous space right now and it’s out of control,” she says.
“I miss it sometimes. I always thought this was a great newswire for journalists and citizen journalists…I don’t know, but I found myself sitting watching breaking news and wondering where to go. There’s a hole left, and I’m hoping someone will try to fill that gap.”
Almost enough to stop doomscrolling. A boring device is now cool.
The Boring Phone is a new featureless flip phone that is catching the attention of young people seeking to switch from smartphones to basic phones.
The latest model, a collaboration between Heineken beer and fashion retailer Bodega, made waves when introduced at Milan Design Week this month, where designers worldwide showcase their latest trends. The Boring Phone is part of a growing trend of dumb phones evolving from Gen Z’s skepticism towards data collection and attention-grabbing technology. This skepticism has revitalized retro cultural items, known as nutro, seen in the resurgence of vinyl records, cassettes, fanzines, 8-bit games, and vintage cell phones.
“I always despised being constantly connected,” said Lana Ali. The 29-year-old, previously in finance and now a music producer and rapper known as Surya Sen, added, “I tried using a smartphone, but I always return to simplicity.”
Nostalgia for “brick” phones with long-lasting batteries led to the relaunch of the Nokia 3310 in 2017, but the trend really took off in the US last year, sparked by TikTokers using the #bringbackflipphones hashtag. HMD, behind the Nokia relaunch, saw foldable phone sales double by April 2023, while Punkt, which focuses on minimalist phones, also experienced a significant sales boost.
The Boring Phone is a retro flip phone with minimal functionality.
Mintel mentioned that Apple and Samsung are not yet threatened. Nine out of ten phones are smartphones, and dumb phones remain a niche market, as per Joe Birch, a technology analyst at the research firm. “Nevertheless, there are signs that this generation is altering their smartphone habits, and we are concerned about the potential negative effects of constant digital connectivity driving this change,” Birch added. “For instance, three out of five Gen Zers express a desire to disconnect from the digital world.”
This shift towards offline life or digital minimalism is also evident in Gen Z’s reduced use of social media. They are the only generation to have cut back on social media usage since 2021, as per GWI. Yet, seniors are also undergoing digital detox, including Lars Silberbauer, HMD’s chief marketing officer, who mentioned a transitional period after disconnecting. “In the first few hours, you may feel anxious,” he explained. “But soon, focus returns, and previous activities resume.”
According to technology analyst Portulance Institute, the internet now appears more as a surveillance tool for brands, governments, and scammers rather than a place for exploration or meeting interesting individuals, causing more young adults to prioritize privacy.
Older tech can offer greater freedom. Sampling music has become a challenge for emerging artists due to Spotify and YouTube’s algorithms, which detect uncleared samples. However, an underground artist can press 500 copies of an EP record and distribute it to DJs and fans without hurdles.
The downside to going offline is the increasing reliance on smartphones in today’s world. Hannah Whelan from the Good Things Foundation’s Data Poverty Lab noted that 2.4 million UK households cannot afford mobile contracts, and 2 million young people lack access to learning devices, hindering essential services now online.
The Luddite Club of New York schoolchildren announced their decision to switch from iPhones to flip phones in December 2022, although Punkt founder Petter Nebby noted that smartphones are still necessary. “It’s impractical,” he commented. “While we discuss banning smartphones in UK schools, education systems rely heavily on online tasks for scheduling and assignments. I advocate for banning smartphones for children, but it’s a complex issue that requires balance.”
Piers Garrett, a 27-year-old tech sales executive, found a balance by using a Litephone, an e-ink device without apps. However, he eventually gave up. “The concept was good, but I lasted only six months,” he admitted. “WhatsApp is the main mode of communication. Now I maintain a strict app usage policy, only using banking and transit apps and turning off notifications. In the morning, I prioritize personal activities like coffee or reading, noticing a significant mental clarity improvement.”
When it comes to apocalypse scenarios, nuclear destruction stands out as both fascinating to viewers and alarmingly realistic. From the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the disasters at Chernobyl and Fukushima, humanity has witnessed the devastating consequences of our current nuclear power usage.
But what impact does radiation actually have on the environment where it is released? Recent reports of thriving life at Chernobyl present a different perspective on the post-apocalyptic wasteland depicted in many fallout series.
“We live in an increasingly radioactive world,” says biologist Professor Timothy Mousseau, who has studied ecosystems in nuclear disaster sites for 25 years, as reported by BBC Science Focus.
“So, what we learn from places like Chernobyl, Fukushima, and atomic bomb test sites will ultimately have implications for humanity,” Mousseau adds.
The effects of radiation are usually dire
One thing that movies get right is that you definitely don’t want to be involved in a nuclear disaster if you can avoid it.
Mousseau explains that when radioactive events like Chernobyl happen, ionizing radiation is released into the environment, potentially damaging or altering DNA in exposed organisms. These genetic changes can lead to mutations, with some causing no harm, others resulting in severe issues like cancer or juvenile cataracts.
“Between these extremes, there are many mutations with small or partial effects, such as asymmetric individuals or odd growths,” Mousseau elaborates.
The effects of radiation are not limited to animals. Plants also feel the brunt of nuclear disaster impacts, with radioactive materials often being absorbed by the soil. The International Atomic Energy Agency notes that leaves around Chernobyl changed shape post-explosion, and the once green pine forest turned red, eventually being cleared due to the risk of radioactive clouds in case of a fire.
Though the original trees of the Red Forest have been cut down, the area remains highly radioactive. – Image credit: Getty
In conclusion, living in highly radioactive areas is not ideal, as Mousseau points out.
Superpowers are (probably) unlikely
While radiation-induced mutations can have negative impacts, some may also be advantageous. Mousseau mentions that scientists have found certain crops benefiting from mutations, resulting in increased yields and pest resistance. Even coffee trees resistant to fungal diseases have been developed using nuclear mutation breeding methods.
Naturally occurring beneficial mutations can also arise, as seen in Chernobyl’s tree frogs, which developed darker skin to protect against radiation-induced oxidative stress.
Despite the energy released in the Chernobyl disaster, tree frogs adapted with darker skin. – Image credits: German Orizaola and Pablo Burraco
However, Mousseau emphasizes that beneficial mutations are rare, and the chances of gaining any form of superpowers from radiation exposure are slim.
About our experts:
Timothy Mousseau, a professor at the University of South Carolina, has extensive research experience in genetic adaptations to environmental stresses, including radiation effects on organisms in nuclear disaster zones. His work has shed light on the implications for these environments on various species and their evolutionary responses. Mousseau has authored numerous scientific papers related to Chernobyl and Fukushima research.
The Ryusho orbital trace contains 12 bipedal orbitals, which are classified into two forms, distinguished by both size and shape.
The small footprints, approximately 11 cm (4.3 inches) long, belong to the long-known genus Ichno. Velociraptoricnus.
Large footprints up to 36 cm (14.2 inches) long Fujianipus inryangi.
Based on body size, this tracker was over 1.8 m (5.9 ft) tall at the waist, comparable in size to the largest known deinonychosaurids. Austraptor and Utahraptor.
“When you think of raptor dinosaurs, you probably think of the muscular, human-sized, aggressive hunters from the movie Jurassic Park,’ said Anthony Romilio, a paleontologist at the University of Queensland. .
“But these traces were left by a much leaner and smarter group in the family. TroodontidaeIt appeared in the late Jurassic period about 95 million years ago. ”
“This raptor was about 5 meters long and had legs of 1.8 meters, far exceeding the size of the raptors depicted in Jurassic Park. Imagine coming.”
“The footprints were compared to other known bipedal dinosaur footprints found throughout Asia, the Americas, and Europe.”
details of Fujianipus inryangi Railway tracks preserved at the site of the Longxiang track in China. Image credit: Xing other., doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109598.
“We found this type of truck to be unique in shape and very unique,” he said.
“The concept of large troodontids has only recently emerged in paleontology.”
“The bones found in Alaska suggest a trend towards giantism near the ancient Arctic Circle, an area where long winter darkness may have led to less competition for species.”
“But our findings suggest that these raptor giants roamed much farther south and were more widely dispersed.”
“Interestingly, some of our research teams are also working on the world’s smallest dinosaur footprint, a Korean raptor footprint that is just one centimeter long.”
“This shows the amazing size range of raptor dinosaurs and highlights their adaptability and ecological diversity.”
a paper A description of the discovery was published in a magazine iscience.
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Rida Singh other. Deinonychosaurid footprints in southeastern China record a possible giant troodontid. iscience, published online on April 24, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109598
The avian influenza virus continues to spread among dairy cows in the United States, and the country’s health authorities are actively preparing for possible spread to humans.
“risk [of bird flu] “While the current rate remains low, we continue to be strongly prepared as new data becomes available,” Vivian Dugan of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said at a meeting of health officials on April 25. Stated.
The first priority is tracking the spread of the virus. So far, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed the H5N1 avian influenza virus subtype in dairy cows. 33 farms across 8 statessix cats on farms in three of those states.
Genetic sequencing has shown that out of 260 samples taken from sick dairy cows, only one has a mutation that suggests H5N1 is adapted to infect mammals, he said. Rosemary Chiffod At the Department of Agriculture during a meeting. However, this marker has been previously observed in other diseased mammals and did not affect the ability of the virus to transmit between mammals. Furthermore, her other 10 samples from the same herd from which this sample was collected did not have the same mutation.
“It hasn’t changed much and remains an avian virus…in other words, it hasn’t become an avian virus. [cow] It’s a virus,” Sifford said.
According to data presented at the meeting, the CDC tested 23 people who had close contact with the animals for the virus. Only one person tested positive, a dairy worker in Texas whose only symptom was bloodshot eyes. To increase testing capacity, the CDC recently increased funding to genetic sequencing centers in six states, Dugan said.
Another important measure being taken is to ensure the security of the milk supply in the United States. Milk from infected cows contains large amounts of the virus. Although milk from sick animals should not enter the milk supply, initial testing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that: 1 in 5 milk samples Contains genetic signatures of avian influenza.
“Importantly, this does not mean the sample contains intact infectious virus.” donald prater At the FDA. The test method used detects any genetic material, including dead virus.
Most milk sold in the United States is pasteurized, a process that uses high heat to kill pathogens. Although no studies have evaluated the effectiveness of pasteurization against H5N1, research on similar influenza viruses suggests it may be effective, Prater said. This is why people should avoid consuming or touching raw dairy products.
Two vaccine candidates against H5N1 are also under development. Initial testing by the CDC showed both to be effective in laboratory tests on current strains of cattle, Dugan said.
As part of pre-established procedures, the US Office of Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) said it is stockpiling supplies for the avian influenza vaccine. david boucher At the ASPR conference. This involves producing a part of the vaccine called an antigen that triggers an immune response to the virus. He said ASPR and its commercial partners have already filled hundreds of thousands of bottles of H5N1 vaccine and can quickly supply it for clinical trials or emergency use if needed.
“Based on the CDC’s current situational risks, vaccination is not a necessary tool at this time. But we want to be prepared in case the situation changes,” Boucher said. Enough material is also stockpiled to produce 10 million more doses. And ASPR has contracts with vaccine manufacturers to further increase production as needed.
“If we need to pull any of these levers, we are ready to do so,” Boucher said.
Voyager 1 faced a critical issue when it was first discovered in November. NASA acknowledged that while the spacecraft was still in communication with Earth, the signals being received were indecipherable. This led to a concentrated effort over a month to identify and rectify the problem, saving the Voyager 1 mission.
Despite the challenges faced by the team, including the difficulty of troubleshooting a spacecraft over 15 billion miles away in interstellar space, there remained hope and determination to overcome the obstacles.
The main culprit was found to be a hardware failure in one of Voyager 1’s three computers, resulting in corrupted code that hindered the transmission of crucial updates and data. Unfortunately, the chip containing the problematic software was deemed irreparable.
However, a solution was devised by splitting and storing the code in different memory locations of the computer. This allowed for the affected sections to be reprogrammed, ensuring the continued functionality of the system.
Following meticulous verification and testing processes, Voyager 1 gradually resumed its normal operations, as confirmed by NASA’s recent update.
The Voyager missions, launched in 1977, have been instrumental in exploring the outer regions of our solar system. Voyager 1, now in interstellar space, continues to transmit valuable data and may well do so until the 2030s, serving as an enduring reminder of human exploration.
Both Voyager probes carry time capsules containing images and sounds representing Earth and its inhabitants, intended to be discovered by extraterrestrial beings in the distant future.
“Our silent ambassadors,” as Voyager 1 and 2 are affectionately known, will continue their journey for millennia, potentially reaching other stars and civilizations,” remarked Spilker.
Two of the researchers and several study participants with Laron syndrome
Jaime Guevara-Aguirre and Bartel Longo
People with rare genetic mutations that cause short stature and may even live longer are helping to understand the causes of aging.
People with unusual genetic mutations have some characteristics that protect them from heart disease, one of the most common causes of death, and this explains why their life expectancy exceeds that of the general population. You may have.
A signaling molecule called insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has long been suspected to be involved in longevity. Several animals, including worms and mice, have been shown to live longer when their levels of this compound are artificially lowered, such as through genetic modification. Centenarians also have slightly lower IGF-1 levels,on average.
In most species, IGF-1 promotes growth when the animal is young and influences how cells use energy later in life. One idea is that there is a trade-off between animals investing energy in further growth and maintaining health.
“As you get older and your body starts to break down, you want to spend your energy on preventing your body from breaking down instead of spending it on growth,” he says. Nir Barzilai from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York was not involved in the new study.
The question of whether this trade-off also occurs in humans is through a rare genetic disease called Laron syndrome, first identified in a group of Ecuadorians whose ancestors left Spain during the Inquisition centuries ago. can be researched.
This mutation causes people to have defective growth hormone receptors, leading to short stature. People with Laron syndrome also have low levels of IGF-1 because the release of IGF-1 is usually triggered by growth hormone.
The researchers found that more people with the disease were surviving longer than expected compared to the general Ecuadorian population. 'We know they are more common in older people' walter longo at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
In the latest study, Longo and his colleagues compared 24 people with Laron syndrome from Ecuador or the United States to 27 relatives who did not have the mutation. People with Laron syndrome appeared to be healthier on several heart-related measures, including blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and sensitivity to insulin, a hormone involved in controlling blood sugar levels.
People with this mutation also had higher levels of a compound called low-density lipoprotein. Low-density lipoproteins are also known as “bad cholesterol” because they are thought to make arteries more susceptible to plaque, which can lead to heart attacks. However, only 7 percent of Laron syndrome patients had such plaques, compared with 36 percent of their relatives.
The small number of people in the study means this difference may have arisen by chance, but it does suggest that their arteries appear less unhealthy than those of people without the mutation. suggests, Longo said.
This new finding supports the idea that somehow weakening the IGF-1 signaling pathway in later life can slow the aging process. Alexey Maklakov at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK. “It's a matter of timing,” he says. “At critical stages of growth and development, you definitely don't want to do that. But later in life, it can interfere with the function of these pathways.”
Sui Basecamp, the first global conference of the Sui ecosystem, opened today in Paris, welcoming developers and entrepreneurs from around the world to celebrate Paris Blockchain Week. Sui Basecamp, his two-day event held at two venues, will feature his Web2 and Web3 speakers spanning industry verticals from payments to gaming to e-commerce to Major League Sports. Celebrating and exploring the latest developments in Web3, this event takes attendees to presentations on cryptography from the world's leading technologists, fireside chats on improving market liquidity, and panel discussions on real-world technology use cases. You will be invited.
Key announcements from the conference include:
Introducing SuiPlay0x1 – A lightweight handheld gaming device designed in collaboration with Playtron. SuiPlay0x1 runs Playtron's device-independent gaming operating system, building compatibility with a variety of hardware configurations, gaming storefronts, and direct download gaming partners. SuiPlay is the first handheld gaming device with native Web3 functionality and is expected to be available in stores worldwide in 2025.
first digital lab launches FDUSD, the fastest growing stablecoin in cryptocurrencies, on Sui, becoming the ecosystem's first native stablecoin. Initially deployed on Ethereum and BNB, there are plans to expand to other blockchains, and Sui will be the first blockchain that FDUSD has expanded to since its creation. FDUSD was established in August 2023 and already has a market capitalization of over $3.5 billion. Last week, FDUSD's trading volume was his fifth highest in the entire industry, with daily trading volume exceeding his $8 billion.
Enoki – Mysten Labs, an original Sui contributor, announced the launch of the Enoki platform, the gateway to next-generation customer experiences. Within the Enoki portal, businesses can access, leverage, and embed public ledger solutions within their applications, products, and services thanks to his SDK that leverages Sui's native functionality, zkLogin. The following partners will be integrating Enoki at launch:
blue fina perpetual DEX with super-fast payments and a seamless trading experience.
dry lifeis a blockchain-powered decentralized ride-hailing platform that aims to empower both drivers and commuters.
quantum templea digital platform for immersive cultural travel.
This is a two-day event starting on Wednesday, April 10th at 9:30am local time and ending on Thursday, April 11th at 4:15pm Central European Time. On Wednesday nights, registered guests are invited to a Sui Soiree. Enjoy a night of cocktails, snacks and dancing, along with performances by Boyz, a German electronic music record producer, songwriter and DJ, His Noise. Learn more about. sui.io/Basecamp.
About Sui—Sui is a first-of-its-kind Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform designed from the bottom up to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible to everyone. An object-centric model based on the Move programming language enables parallel execution, sub-second finality, and rich on-chain assets. With horizontally scalable processing and storage, Sui supports a wide range of applications at low cost and unmatched speed. Sui is a step-function advancement in blockchain and a platform that allows creators and developers to build amazing user-friendly experiences. learn more: https://sui.io
About Mysten Labs—Mysten Labs is a team of leading experts in distributed systems, programming languages, and cryptography, and its founders were senior executives and lead architects of pioneering blockchain projects. Mysten Labs' mission is to create the foundational infrastructure for Web3. learn more: https://mystenlabs.com
About First Digital Labs—First Digital Labs is a brand name of FD121 Limited, a Hong Kong registered subsidiary of First Digital Group. First Digital Labs focuses on cutting-edge research and development dedicated to the innovation and advancement of digital assets. First Digital Labs is the issuer of his FDUSD stablecoin. For more information about First Digital Lab, please visit: https://firstdigitallabs.com/.
About Playtron—Playtron builds a lightweight gaming OS optimized for a new generation of powerful handheld gaming PCs and beyond. Play all your games from any store, including Steam, Epic, and GOG. Playtron's founders oversaw an operational systems team of several hundred people to break the existing mobile monopoly while developing Android for a billion users. Playtron is backed by Samsung Next, Polychain, Circle, Mysten Labs, Alumni Ventures, and others. Playtron-powered devices will ship worldwide later this year, ready to join his next 100 million core and casual gamers.
The problem of consciousness is one of the greatest mysteries in science
Yuichiro Kayano/Getty Images
It's been two years since we opened our New York office, and we're excited to share it with you. New Scientist is launching a new live event series in the US. It starts in New York on June 22nd. A one-day masterclass on the science of the brain and human consciousness. To celebrate this, we've unlocked access to his five in-depth features that explore the mysteries of the human heart.
Perhaps there is no greater mystery in human experience than consciousness. In the simplest terms, it's about being aware of our existence. It is our experience of ourselves and the world.
It's less clear how and why this happens, and whether other living things, or indeed machines or forms of artificial intelligence, can experience consciousness in the same way that we do.
For much of human history, the idea that consciousness could somehow be explained or fully understood seemed fanciful and beyond the scope of scientific study. However, in recent decades, we have come closer than ever to identifying the physical structures, mechanisms, and neural networks responsible.
As neuroscientist Christoph Koch had to admit last year, we're not there yet. “When you're young, you have to believe that things are simple,” said Koch, who has been working with philosopher David Chalmers for 25 years to find out exactly which brain cells give rise to life by 2023. He admitted that he lost the bet. into our conscious experience of the world.
Still, Koch doesn't have to think too hard. We're always getting a little closer, from what happens inside our brains when we sleep and dream to how increasingly sophisticated artificial intelligence is challenging the meaning of the world. It brings out fresh insights into everything. Be aware – and how can a machine even recognize this if it happens?
One day master class on consciousness
Join us on June 22nd in New York City for an instant expert event on the latest science of consciousness and the human brain.
Web3 platform for startups, unauthorized capital invited Web3 startups to apply to the Permissionless Opportunities event. This program provides eligible Web3 startups with access to the resources they need to successfully build their concepts and bring their products to market.
Permissionless Opportunities provides great Web3 startups with the tools, funding, and connections to navigate the blockchain industry and launch their products. Signing up for a Permissionless event takes just 90 seconds and requires no fees or pitches. Dozens of startups are expected to apply for the first Permissionless Opportunities Event, after which the best applicants will be invited to join the program.
The largest event of its kind for Web3 and blockchain startups, Permissionless Opportunities gamifies the funding process and helps great companies realize their potential. The event has secured partnerships with Solana, Polygon, ImmutableX, Chainlink, Arweave, and more.
Permissionless Opportunities was designed in a game show manner with an audience participation component. Contest winners will be determined equally by a panel of expert judges and community consensus.
Winners of the Permissionless Opportunities Event will have the opportunity to pitch to over 50 leading VCs and partner with an ecosystem that will help advance their concept and provide mentoring and technical support. Other benefits include her one-on-one access to expert advisors, credits, discounts, and extensive media coverage to increase your visibility.
The program targets Web3 startups in the Defi, Infrastructure, Security, Gaming, and RWA categories, covering both B2B and B2C applications. Applications can be registered for Permissionless Opportunities from April 10th to May 1st. The program promises to shine a light on the next generation of his Web3 companies while giving the best applicants everything they need to optimize their prospects for success.
About unauthorized event events
Permissionless Opportunities is the first online event hosted by Permissionless Capital. The startup and investor network believes in equality of opportunity, regardless of a startup's connections, background, or country. Permissionless Opportunities takes the form of an online contest that Web3 startups can apply and participate in for free. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to receive grants, credit, one-on-one mentoring, and maximum media exposure.
A long exposure photo showing the trajectory of asteroid 2024 BX1 just before impact. Changes in brightness are caused by the asteroid’s rotation
L. Buzzi, Schiaparelli Observatory, Italy (MPC 204)
The asteroid that entered Earth’s atmosphere this year was spinning at a rate of 2.6 seconds per rotation, faster than any known asteroid.
The object, known as 2024 BX1, was likely less than one meter wide and entered Earth’s atmosphere on January 21. It disintegrated over Berlin, Germany. Some debris survived the fireball and was retrieved. This is a rare instance of a monitored asteroid fall, where the incoming rock was detected before impact, in this case, just three hours prior to impact.
Maxime Devogele and his team at the European Space Agency’s Near-Earth Object Coordination Center in Italy captured images of the asteroid before impact. Despite traveling at around 50,000 kilometers per hour, the elongated shape of the asteroid made changes in brightness due to rotation quite noticeable in these images.
These changes in brightness corresponded to a rotation time of 2.588 seconds, equivalent to approximately 30,000 rotations per day. “This is the fastest rotation we have observed to date,” Devogele remarked.
Asteroids rotate for various reasons, including early-life collisions. In general, a space rock larger than one kilometer cannot rotate more than once every 2.2 hours, as it would disintegrate. However, smaller asteroids like 2024 BX1 are more resilient and can withstand much faster rotations. “They have internal strength, allowing them to rotate at higher speeds,” Devogele explained.
Measuring the rotation of such objects could be beneficial for planetary defense, providing insights into the durability of small asteroids and their likelihood of surviving passage through Earth’s atmosphere. “If you have hard snow, it will react differently than if you have snow with no internal strength,” Devogele stated.
99 bitcoinwas founded in 2013 and recently launched a pre-sale of its tokens to capitalize on the upward trend in Bitcoin’s value. The 99BTC team is seizing this opportunity to bring you the Earn While You Learn platform, a long-standing resource in crypto education.
What is 99 Bitcoin?
99Bitcoins has been disrupting technology concepts and welcoming new entrants to the world of cryptocurrencies for over a decade, as evidenced by the numbers on its team’s social media accounts. 700,000 YouTube followers, 16,000 Twitter followers 2 million registered users have found our 80+ hours of resources to be a great entry point for anyone wanting to learn more about cryptocurrencies.
The 99BTC token is its latest venture. The team accelerates education initiatives by bringing ‘gamification of learning’ to the platform, including exclusive access to premium content, discounts on partner products and services, a VIP community, trading signals and more when completing a course. We will reward those who do so with $99BTC and token holder events.
The 99Bitcoins team aims to attract all potential new users who are expected to enter the cryptocurrency space and explore Bitcoin in light of the upcoming halving. The event, which takes place this month, is expected to increase the number of first-time crypto enthusiasts, as confirmed by multiple surveys and leading sources. cointelegraph and coin desk.
Pioneering BRC-20: Pushing earning while you learn in a new direction
99Bitcoins is also positioning itself as a pioneer in the BRC-20 movement, a new token standard that allows developers to deploy smart contracts on top of the Bitcoin blockchain. Security and transparency are also key to this project. solid proof audit Verify that there are no potential issues or caveats in the 99Bitcoins contract.
It is worth noting that 99BTC was originally deployed as an ERC-20 token and will only be bridged to BRC-20 in Q4 2024, transferring the project’s security to the Bitcoin network.
When it comes to tokenomics (renamed Token Metrics by the team), 99Bitcoins is distributing 99BTC with a total supply of $99 billion, with the aim of remaining competitive and providing lasting sustainability.
15% is allocated to presale, currently selling 99BTC for $0.001.
14% on staking rewards, 2 years of rewards for stakers of $99BTC
23% will be allocated to project funds
17% community rewards
8% to provide liquidity to exchanges
23% for marketing
This tokenomics structure is coupled with an ambitious roadmap to release a beta version of the platform by the fourth quarter of this year, followed by a full version next year.
About 99 Bitcoin
99 bitcoin is an important educational resource about Bitcoin. We focus on providing information about cryptocurrencies and bringing new users into the industry. The website was founded by him in 2013 and has since expanded its knowledge base to popular blockchains and cryptocurrencies such as Litecoin, Ethereum, Cardano, and Solana.
The platform is currently introducing gamification elements into its products, allowing students to receive rewards of $99BTC in the L2E economy. The 99BTC token is also a forerunner of the BRC-20 movement, a new token standard that enables the deployment of smart contracts on the Bitcoin network.
Shares of Alphabet, the owner of Google and YouTube, surged following the company’s announcement of its inaugural dividend and a substantial increase in profits for the last quarter.
CEO Sundar Pichai lauded the shift to artificial intelligence as a rare opportunity and emphasized the company’s swift adoption of technology across all sectors.
Investors were pleased with the company’s financial results and the news of a $70 billion share repurchase.
Google’s Q1 2024 revenue reached $80.5 billion, with earnings per share ranging from $1.17 to $1.89, marking a 15% year-over-year increase, surpassing analysts’ expectations on both fronts.
Alphabet’s shares climbed approximately 15% in after-hours trading. An initial dividend of $0.20 per share was declared, with payments scheduled quarterly.
“Our first quarter results reflect strong performance in search, YouTube, and cloud services. We are propelling into the Gemini era with significant momentum across the organization,” Pichai stated in a press release.
Alphabet CFO Ruth Porat noted that revenue from Google Search ads and Google Cloud contributed to overall positive growth. Revenue from YouTube and Google Cloud surpassed Wall Street’s estimates, with Cloud’s operating profit quadrupling to $900 million. Despite a 10% increase in traffic acquisition costs, Alphabet saw strong financial performance.
Analyst Nikhil Rai from Forrester Research commented on Alphabet’s exceptional quarter driven by robust search and YouTube advertising revenue, though challenges remain in monetizing conversational search and measuring branded media impact.
Recent internal and external controversies have disrupted Google’s operations, with financial results coinciding with employee protests, antitrust concerns, and the delayed rollout of the Gemini AI tool.
Google’s stock price has continued to climb despite ongoing legal battles and internal turmoil, positioning the company for potential growth pending the outcome of key antitrust proceedings.
Despite setbacks related to Gemini AI and controversies surrounding business contracts, Google remains resilient in the face of challenges and is actively reshaping its operations in response to market dynamics.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Pfizer’s treatment of rare genetic diseases and bleeding disorders, making it the company’s first-ever gene therapy. The approval came on Friday. This groundbreaking gene therapy, named Bekvez, is for adults with moderate to severe hemophilia B, meeting specific requirements. Pfizer spokesperson mentioned that the medication will be available by prescription to eligible patients this quarter with a hefty price tag of $3.5 million, making it one of the most expensive drugs in the United States.
More than 7,000 people in the US live with hemophilia B, primarily affecting men as it causes a lack of Factor IX, a crucial protein for blood clotting. Bekvez is designed as a one-time treatment to enable patients to produce their own Factor IX to prevent and control bleeding effectively.
Pfizer’s approval for Bekvez is a major milestone in the company’s efforts to diversify its portfolio after facing challenges due to the decline in its COVID-19 business. The company has heavily invested in anti-cancer drugs and gene and cell therapies, aiming to revolutionize the treatment of chronic diseases. Pfizer also acquired the rights to manufacture and market Bekvez in collaboration with Spark Therapeutics.
In addition, Pfizer is seeking FDA approval for marstasimab, an experimental antibody to treat hemophilia A and B. The company is also developing a gene therapy for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Bekvez will be competing with similar gene therapies like Hemogenix from CSL Behring, which also comes with a significant price tag of $3.5 million in the US, marking a new era in the treatment of hemophilia.
Despite the high costs and logistical challenges associated with gene therapies, medical experts are hopeful that these one-time treatments can replace traditional lifelong treatments for chronic diseases, offering long-term benefits to patients.
Shurin Financial recently announced a DeFi card. It is an innovative solution designed to integrate the functionality of traditional debit and credit cards with the decentralized financial services offered by DeFi. The introduction of this card aims to facilitate everyday transactions using cryptocurrencies and strengthen its integration into the global payments ecosystem.
Overview of Xuirin Finance’s DeFi card
Xuirin Finance's DeFi card allows users to use cryptocurrencies to perform a variety of financial transactions, including online purchases, bill payments, and cash withdrawals at ATMs. This initiative is part of Xuirin Finance's efforts to increase the accessibility and practicality of digital currencies in daily financial activities.
Pre-sale phase and token distribution
In the first pre-sale phase, Xuirin Finance offered 15 million tokens at a price of $0.03 each, reaching the funding limit of $450,000. After completing stage 1, the company is preparing for the second stage of the token pre-sale. At this stage, he offers 25 million tokens at a price of $0.04 each, with a funding goal of $1 million.
Xuirin Finance’s $500,000 Mega Giveaway
In conjunction with the ongoing presale, Xuirin Finance has announced a mega giveaway with a total prize pool of $500,000. The benefit includes generous rewards for 20 winners, with the aim of engaging and growing the community around Xuirin Finance's services. Participation in the giveaway requires a minimal investment in the pre-sale, but provides additional engagement opportunities to increase your chances of winning.
Main features of Xuirin Finance's services
Focused on increasing the utility of cryptocurrencies in everyday transactions, Xuirin Finance has integrated several features into its DeFi card. These features include seamless online shopping, bill payments, and ATM withdrawals with digital currencies. This initiative reflects the company's goal to improve the infrastructure that supports the widespread adoption of decentralized financial technology.
This section also highlights the value that Xuirin Finance offers, but sticks strictly to feature descriptions without hinting at enthusiasm or encouraging investment.
Future outlook for Xuirin Finance
As the pre-sale progresses and Xuirin Finance continues to enhance its services, the company is focused on expanding the practical use of cryptocurrencies in everyday financial transactions. This initiative is in line with ongoing developments in the cryptocurrency space aimed at improving accessibility and convenience for users.
About Ruirin
Shurin Financial is a groundbreaking DeFi platform dedicated to transforming the decentralized finance landscape. With a mission to bridge the gap between traditional finance and his DeFi, his Xuirin is introducing innovative solutions such as DeFi debit cards, AI-enhanced P2P lending, and secure multi-chain DeFi wallets. . Designed to enhance accessibility and user empowerment, Xuirin aims to redefine financial transactions and make them more efficient, transparent, and inclusive.
For more information about Xuirin Finance and to participate in the ongoing presale, users can visit:
Microsoft’s significant investment in artificial intelligence continues to yield positive results, surpassing Wall Street expectations in the latest quarter.
Tech giants have poured billions into AI to boost the growth of cloud computing services, resulting in a more than 20% increase in cloud computing revenue.
According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the company’s AI tools are ushering in a new era of AI transformation, delivering enhanced business outcomes across various industries.
Nadella highlighted the accelerated integration of AI into Microsoft’s software and services, noting significant upticks in deals within the Azure cloud computing business, along with the introduction of Copilot AI software add-ons for small and medium-sized businesses.
Microsoft’s total revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 rose by 17% to $61.86 billion, exceeding analysts’ projections. Earnings per share also increased by 20% to $2.94.
Following the positive earnings report, Microsoft’s shares saw a 4% rise in after-hours trading on Thursday.
With a market value close to $3 trillion, Microsoft remains the largest publicly traded company globally. The company’s stock price has grown by over 30% in the past year.
Microsoft’s strategic investments include acquiring ChatGPT developer OpenAI, positioning itself as a key player in the AI landscape and attracting industry talent.
The company is now focusing on leveraging its strong position in AI, as evidenced by AI contributing 6% to Azure’s revenue growth in the final months of 2023.
In addition, the integration of AI features into LinkedIn has boosted engagement on the platform, leading to a revenue increase of 10%.
Microsoft has secured notable AI deals, including a significant partnership with Coca-Cola for AI and cloud computing services, underscoring the company’s commitment to advancing AI technologies.
Trust Company Complex, Ajeltake Road, Ajeltake Island, Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands MH 96960, MH 96960, April 26, 2024, Chainwire
Shining moment: BloFin shines with TOKEN2049
Brofinthe fastest growing exchange platform, proudly announces its platinum sponsorship of TOKEN2049 Dubai. Limited Side Event: Whale’s Night After Party 2024. Following their previous role as Gold at TOKEN2049 Singapore and now Platinum at TOKEN2049 as his sponsor, his BloFin team continues to shine on this stage with their enthusiasm and unique dedication to serving the cryptocurrency industry. I am.
Brofin successfully sponsored TOKEN2049 Dubai, which witnessed an extraordinary gathering of industry leaders, enthusiasts, KOLs, and innovators. Brofin's participation in this prestigious event not only reaffirms the company's commitment to fostering innovation within the blockchain ecosystem, but also demonstrates the company's dedication to advancing the development of the industry. Ta.
An unforgettable night: WhalesNight AfterParty 2024
As part of the conference, BloFin hosted a highly anticipated event. Whales Night After Party 2024promises an unforgettable evening of networking and celebration.
Thanks for the attention: heartfelt thanks to our valued partners and media
BloFin would like to thank its esteemed media partners such as U.Today, BeInCrypto, CoinTelegraph MENA, Crypto.news, and Chainwire for their help in promoting this event. Additionally, BloFin would like to thank its key partners, KOLs, and participants for their solid support and participation.
Dubai Whales Night provides the BloFin team with a unique opportunity to meet users and friends.
BloFin CEO Matt shared his insights and expressed his excitement at the WhalesNight afterparty. He said, “We understand the importance of trust. We will continue to provide safe, secure, and fast services to our users.”
As we continue to expand our reach and enhance our services, Blofin remains steadfast in its mission of empowering individuals and organizations to realize the full potential of blockchain technology.
About Brofin:
As the fastest growing crypto exchange, BloFin offers a premium PERP&Futures Trading Service It boasts over 320 USDT-M trading pairs and 100x trading volume. We now offer higher quality products, including spot trading, copy trading, earnings, API access, and more. To ensure maximum security of user funds, BloFin has partnered with Fireblocks to protect user assets.
contact
Head of Marketing and Public Relations Anio Wu Brofin annio@blofin.io
ERon Musk became the richest man in the world by evangelizing electric cars and delivering one million electric cars. But in recent months, his company Tesla has struggled to maintain its momentum. This year's sales have declined and stock prices have fallen.
These struggles are emblematic of the broader situation facing the electric vehicle (EV) industry. The pace of sales growth has slowed after years of the coronavirus pandemic that sent demand and valuations soaring. The industry is entering a new phase, raising questions about whether the switch from gasoline and diesel to cleaner electricity will face a nasty stall or a temporary speed bump.
Musk acknowledged the difficulties this week, telling investors: “Globally, EV penetration is under pressure, with many other automakers pulling back from EVs and pursuing plug-in hybrids instead. ” he said. Musk, of course, insisted it was the wrong decision.
Electric vehicle charging stations in Norway, where EVs account for 90% of the market. Photo: Andreas Wirth/Alamy
However, sluggish sales are a reality. Tesla and its closest rival in electric car sales, China's BYD, have both reported declines in electric car sales. Across Europe, the share of sales of battery electric cars fell to 13% from 13.9% last year, while sales of hybrid cars, which combine a battery and an internal combustion engine, rose to 29% from 24.4%. In the UK, electric cars accounted for 15.5% of total car sales in the first three months of 2024, only a slight increase on the same period last year.
In recent years, electric car manufacturers have been able to easily sell every electric car they make. However, many companies around the world are currently struggling to cope with the end of the era of rock-bottom interest rates, when households have less money left in their pockets.
“The economic headwinds are pretty bad across the board, so it's no surprise that the economy is slowing down,” said Ian Henry, whose auto analysis consultancy works with several automakers.
Buyers still have to pay more upfront for battery cars (though most will save money by owning an electric car because energy is cheaper). Additionally, electric vehicle repair costs and insurance premiums may be higher in some locations due to a lack of mechanics. Another important factor is that the rollout of public chargers has been very patchy, giving some potential buyers pause. All of these were pounced on by EV industry skeptics, turning the industry into a culture war battleground.
government's hand
Rico Luhmann, senior sector economist for automotive at investment bank ING, said EV sales had reached a “plateau” and that after an initial rush of early adopters accustomed to switching from gas-powered cars, electric vehicle sales were on the rise. He said sales will become even more difficult. diesel.
But there is more at play in this showdown than purely economic factors. Government also plays a big role. This trend is particularly evident across Europe, where EV sales are following diverging paths even as buyers face similar pressures. Norway is an outlier. Electric vehicle sales are heavily subsidized and EVs currently account for 90% of the market. This year, EV market share also expanded in Denmark, Belgium, and France.
However, in Germany, once the largest electric car market, the adoption rate of electric cars has declined simply because the government has ended subsidies.
Regulations not only affect demand but also play a large role in the cars sold. Matthias Schmidt, a Berlin-based electric vehicle analyst, has long predicted that European electric vehicle sales growth will slow in 2024. The reason is that January 1, 2025, is the date when the EU will take the next big step towards zero-emission vehicles, meaning lower average carbon emissions. The carbon footprint of the cars sold by each manufacturer must be reduced by 15% compared to 2021.
Ford Puma. Photo: SYSPEO/Sipa/Rex/Shutterstock
Therefore, this rule is a big incentive for automakers to focus their efforts on electric vehicles next year. Schmidt argues that the European industry is experiencing a “replay” of the situation experienced in 2019 when manufacturers held back sales of electric cars before mass-launching new models in 2020.
Sure enough, automakers are releasing new mass-market models at just the right time. Renault's electric 5 hatchback will cost less than €25,000 (£21,430) when it goes on sale this autumn, while Ford plans to launch an electric version of Britain's best-selling car, the Ford Puma, later this year.
A man helps assemble an Opel Grandland X SUV at the Opel factory in Eisenach, eastern Germany. Photo: Martin Schutt/dpa/AFP/Getty Images
Stellantis, which owns the Vauxhall, Peugeot-Fiat, and Chrysler brands, is also joining the rush, unveiling the Vauxhall/Opel Grandland electric SUV on Tuesday. Still, the company's CEO, Carlos Tavares, complained bitterly about how regulations are encouraging the switch to electric cars.
This week, he slammed Britain's Transport Secretary Mark Harper over the government's zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which forces car manufacturers to increase the proportion of electric vehicles they sell. He later told journalists that the mandate was a “terrible” policy because it would force automakers to introduce electric models too quickly.
“The result of this is that everyone starts pushing BEVs (battery electric vehicles), pushing metals into the market, completely destroying profitability and destroying businesses,” he said.
Schmidt said the automakers’ complaints could have ulterior motives. EU rules will ban the sale of most internal combustion engines by 2035 but are expected to be revised in 2026.
“Many manufacturers are now complaining that it's unrealistic to meet these goals, but that's lobbying by stealth,” Schmidt said. “They do it so often that it's almost like a boy-werewolf affair. There’s definitely an ulterior motive to their moans.”
But other manufacturers have already delayed that shift, which means extending the sales period for still-profitable gasoline models. In the United States, General Motors postponed production at a plant in Michigan last year, and Ford also postponed construction of a plant in Kentucky. And in the UK, luxury car maker Bentley announced last month that it would postpone the launch of its first battery car by one year, until 2026.
“Manufacturers are definitely struggling strategically at the moment,” Luhmann said. “They're playing around with the timing of the model right now, but they're not delaying it too much. If they don't, they're going to miss out in terms of market share.”
Perhaps the biggest reason why European and American automakers are unlikely to switch gears toward EVs is China. China sales growth may have slowed in the first quarter of 2024 compared to a year ago, but still exceeded 1 million units, according to industry data cited by Reuters. Many Chinese automakers, including leader BYD and cash-rich new entrants such as mobile phone maker Xiaomi, are fighting to dominate their home market and capture a new role as the world's biggest car exporter. There is.
During a recent visit to China, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke out against protectionism, keenly aware that imposing penalties on Chinese EVs would lead to swift retaliation against German automakers, but that Chinese manufacturers remain He said there needs to be access to the market.
Massive competition is fierce for electric car makers, with even Tesla having to cut prices to keep selling its cars. The competition will give auto industry executives sleepless nights and could force some companies to face mergers or bankruptcies, causing job losses. But prices could fall even further, making electric cars cheaper than gasoline cars.
“This is potentially good for consumers,” Ian Henry said. “Whether that's a good thing for manufacturers who are trying to make a profit is another question.”
If ByteDance exhausts all legal avenues to fight a bill banning TikTok from U.S. app stores, the Chinese company would prefer to shut down the app rather than sell it, according to four sources.
The core algorithms that TikTok relies on are crucial to ByteDance’s overall operations, making it highly unlikely that the app powered by these algorithms would be sold, sources close to the parent company said.
Despite TikTok’s popularity with over 1 billion users, it still operates at a loss and represents a small portion of ByteDance’s total revenue and daily active users. In a worst-case scenario, the parent company would choose to shut down TikTok in the US rather than sell it to an American buyer.
Shutting down TikTok would have minimal impact on ByteDance’s business, allowing the company to maintain its core algorithms, as per unidentified sources not authorized to speak to the media.
ByteDance confirmed in a statement on Toutiao that it has no plans to sell TikTok, responding to speculations suggesting otherwise. The company is not considering selling TikTok’s US business without its recommendation algorithm.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed optimism about blocking the bill signed by President Joe Biden, banning the app used by 170 million Americans. The company believes it will win the appeal against the ban.
The bill, passed by the US Senate, raises concerns about potential access to Americans’ data by China or surveillance through apps. The deadline for TikTok’s sale is set for January 19, but it could be extended if ByteDance shows progress.
ByteDance’s revenue increased from $80 billion in 2022 to nearly $120 billion in 2023, with TikTok’s US daily active users accounting for 5% of the company’s total DAUs worldwide, sources familiar with the matter revealed.
The core algorithm shared by TikTok and ByteDance’s domestic apps like Douyin is a valuable asset that ByteDance is not willing to sell to a competitor. Separating the algorithms from TikTok’s US assets would be complex, making it an unlikely option, sources added.
Former US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s interest in forming an investor group to acquire TikTok may not attract buyers for ByteDance’s US assets, excluding the algorithm, sources noted.
Investors valued ByteDance at $268 billion when they offered to repurchase about $5 billion worth of stock in December.
I I told my wife that I wanted a Mini Amiga for Christmas. I know it’s only April, but she’s making what she wants in hopes that this is what her wife will think when she shows up unexpectedly at the house next week. she He bought it for me. I’ve used this method to discreetly purchase seven game consoles, a stuffed tarantula, and a fryer. In a world of contradictions, I like the way this institution of marriage works.
I read the review and was surprised to see two words that appeared that had no connection whatsoever to the original Amiga. They are “cool” and “cool”. Love. It may seem strange to say that the Amiga wasn’t loved, since so many people bought and used it. But people use things they don’t like every day: electric shavers, perseverance, door handles, trains.
people loved ZX Spectrum.They are loved mega drive. When I talked to the owner, Any Nintendo machines, from the Game Boy to the Switch OLED, now sound like Romeo talking about Juliet, like Meredith Gray talking about Derek Shepherd, or like Elon Musk talking about himself. Masu.
As someone who was actually there in the 80’s and 90’s, the Amiga didn’t enjoy that kind of love. why? Because it looked bad. The Game Boy looked like an alien artifact from a trendy 70s sci-fi show. The PlayStation is what you get when you combine a high-end vinyl turntable with the sexiest sandwich maker imaginable. The Xbox 360’s curves were the definition of glamor. He was one of those rare machines that looked just as beautiful lying down as standing up. Even now, when I see one in the wild, I run my finger along its curves.
The Amiga looked like something a bank teller would use. It’s not a cool bank-related job like stopping a robbery.
Amiga 500. It’s very dignified. So boring! It’s so gray! Photo: Felix Chu/Alamy
I know the Amiga is a computer, not a console, but so was the ZX Spectrum, and it looked tasty enough. The Atari ST didn’t look great either, but at least they angled the top row of function buttons to make it look that way. considered Its aesthetics.
They should have at least cut off the corner of the Amiga. That would have helped. It was also usable on Game Boy. (Actually, it first worked on the Fender Stratocaster.)
personally?I really did Love Amiga. I’ve had more great nights on this machine than any other in terms of play time and quality of that time. It gave us the best party game ever with Sensible Soccer, the best futuristic (and best-looking) sports game with Speedball 2, and the best time-consuming game with Championship Manager, which slightly beats Sim City. And I don’t know if there’s ever been a more mathematically accurate sports game than Jimmy White’s whirlwind snooker.
Party time…soccer with flair. Photo: Wise Software
The Amiga provided Lemmings and Worms with the most originality and humor. In IK+, 3 player play fighting game. In the early ’90s, even whispering something like that could get you burned in a giant wicker box. I had never read the Dune books, so watching the Dune movie reminded me of my first introduction to that world, the amazing Dune 2 Amiga game.
Secret of Monkey Island is the best adventure game ever made, and it might just be the funniest game ever. “Cannon Fodder” was also interesting, but at the same time it was poignant and sad. Could there have been a better game developer than Sensible Software? Game development now sounds fun and cool, not the words we used to associate with game developers.
Amiga was solid. It was reliable. Even before I played the game, it felt good to put the floppy disk into the slot. That pleasant thunk sound. The way it grabbed the last few millimeters of the disc and pulled it in was very reassuring and believable.
Phwoar … Vintage 80s Commodore Amiga 500 Game Console. Photo: Neil Godwin/Future/Getty Images
I don’t remember anything breaking on my Amiga. I don’t remember any games that didn’t load. The peripheral equipment was also solid. I can’t believe my delicate little cheetah bug joystick took such a beating from Sensible Sucker alone and survived. All I have to do to break his R1 button on the Xbox controller is look at it with disapproval.
Like the Spectrum before it, the Amiga allowed people who couldn’t afford a PC to play games on their computers. Then the PCs killed it. Microchips were getting cheaper and the Amiga just didn’t work fast enough and seemed to die really quickly.
We couldn’t love the Amiga enough. We were like Andy getting Buzz Lightyear and then putting Woody in the cupboard. Unfortunately, Pixar doesn’t feature the Amiga in a single scene in the movie. Instead, Toy Story featured Speak and Spell. Have you ever played Zool? that?
Social media platform X claims to have followed an Australian Federal Court order to take down footage of the Wakeley church stabbing. However, the footage was still accessible to Australian users as it was posted right below the compliance announcement.
X stated that it complied with the law by “restricting” some posts for Australian users. They argue that the post should not have been banned in Australia and that the government shouldn’t have the power to censor content from users in other countries.
Last week, eSafety commissioners requested X to remove footage of an attack on Bishop Mar-Marie Emmanuel due to its graphic nature.
A federal court on Monday ordered X, previously known as Twitter, to hide posts with video of the Sydney church stabbing from global users. The Australian Federal Police raised concerns in court about the potential use of the video to incite terrorism.
Regulators asked X to remove 65 separate tweets containing videos of the attack.
X’s lawyers argued in court that they had already geo-blocked the posts in Australia, but the eSafety Commissioner insisted this was not sufficient.
Many tweets could still be accessed outside Australia or through VPNs within the country.
The court extended the injunction on Wednesday, ordering the posts to be hidden until May 10, 2024, pending further legal proceedings.
Late on Thursday, X’s Global Government Affairs account stated, “We feel we are complying with the eSafety notice and Australian law by restricting all relevant posts in Australia.” They also posted a statement.
However, a verified user, X, based in New Hampshire, USA, posted footage of the attack in response to X’s statement, which was visible to Australian users.
X stated on Thursday that they believe the content did not incite violence and should be considered part of public debate, arguing against global content removal demands.
The company opposes government authority to censor online content and believes in respecting each country’s laws within its jurisdiction.
The eSafety Commissioner emphasized the need to minimize harm caused by harmful content online, despite the challenges of completely eradicating it.
Posts including the video in question became inaccessible to some users after inquiries from Guardian Australia.
Federal opposition leader Peter Dutton supported X and Elon Musk, stating that Australia should not act as the internet police and federal law should not dictate global content removal.
abnormalityannounced the launch of the first AI-powered zero-gas layer 3 gaming platform leveraging play-to-airdrop mechanics to reach Telegram's 900 million daily active users.mounted arbitram orbit and use gelato Rollup as a service (RaaS), Anomaly's new Layer-3 fully abstracts the complexity of blockchain while leveraging an AI-enabled game engine to enable developers to create immersive, decentralized gaming experiences at unprecedented speed. We plan to redefine the gaming industry by allowing you to create.
Anomaly streamlines the UX of blockchain games with account abstraction, enables user onboarding through social platforms, and leverages SocialFi for game monetization. At the core of the new game layer 3 are: Abnormal SDKThis enables advanced AI features such as AI-driven matchmaking, decision-making, player model training, automatic quest creation, and asset generation in Web3 games. This aims to save developer time, address the cost challenges of AI integration, and significantly improve user engagement and experience within the Anomaly gaming ecosystem.
“At Anomaly, we are not just launching another gaming platform. We are pioneering a new paradigm for Web3 gaming, which will fundamentally change the blockchain gaming industry,” said Long Do, founder of Anomaly. says. “Anomaly Layer-3 acts as a decentralized gaming layer with a native AI technology stack to facilitate interoperability and platform experience.”
Utilization of Arbitrum anytrust DAC technology, the Anomaly Layer-3 Orbit chain inherits a fast, secure, and scalable execution environment, boasting 250ms block times with near-instantaneous transaction finality, processing thousands of transactions per second, It stands out as one of the fastest EVM Layer-3. Commercial roll-up. The chain features the native gas token $nom, which ensures smooth navigation between game areas.
“Anomaly’s implementation of the Arbitrum Orbit technology stack addresses fundamental problems facing blockchain games,” said Cooper Midroni, Product Manager at Offchain Labs. “The Anomaly Layer-3 ecosystem will allow on-chain games to offer the same level of fun and seamless experience as traditional games.”
The chain operates with a gasless user experience designed to provide a Web2-like user experience gameplay. Start with Gelato, Gelato's industry standard Web3 service. relay person, Web3 featuresand VRF. These services enable fully automated and immersive gaming experiences and provide a verified on-chain randomness source for fair gameplay. The chain will also soon be equipped with key infrastructure such as the Blockscout block explorer, which provides easy access to block, transaction, and address data, and a standard bridge UI serviced by Gelato.
“Anomaly came to us looking for a future-proof gaming platform that would support millions of users,” explained Hilmar Orth, founder of Gelato. “We have created a game-centric, full-service, auto-scalable, layer 3 infrastructure that allows Anomaly to attract community and liquidity, and ultimately support distribution.”
Anomaly Layer-3 will also leverage Gelato's latest Node-Sale-as-a-Service solution to sell validation node licenses and enable the community to participate in securing Anomaly's infrastructure. , harden rollup security. Anomaly's launch will feature a private sale of AI-based node NFTs to Telegram's early supporters, highlighting the platform's focus on a community-driven ecosystem. Additionally, Anomaly makes it easy for all users to operate their nodes using a cloud-based subscription that can be done by paying monthly directly within Telegram.
Anomaly is revolutionizing Web3 gaming by working with the Telegram, Discord, and Farcaster communities. This approach provides an in-platform gaming experience that accommodates users wherever they are, avoids onboarding challenges, abstracts blockchain complexity, and provides an experience comparable to Web2 gaming.
About anomalies
abnormality is an avant-garde AI game studio and layer 3 blockchain innovator poised to redefine gaming by fusing Web3 and SocialFi and leveraging AI to create immersive experiences. Anomaly is at the forefront of gaming evolution, focused on leveraging the synergies of AI and blockchain. The studio is dedicated to rapid game development and deployment, community engagement through social platforms, and innovative approaches to gaming, setting new benchmarks in interactive entertainment.
About Arbitrum Foundation
of Arbitrum Founded in March 2023, the Foundation supports and grows the Arbitrum network and community by securely scaling Ethereum. Introduced in March 2023, Arbitrum Orbit is a permissionless path to launch customizable, dedicated L2 and L3 orbit chains using Arbitrum technology. Arbitrum Orbit leverages secure, scalable, and cost-effective blockchain scaling technology to enable features such as custom gas tokens, dedicated throughput, customizable permissions, and interoperability. Over 25 Orbit chains have been officially announced, and over 50 more are in active development to date.
About gelato
gelato All-in-one Ethereum rollup as a service platform Built without limits. Designed to be ultra-fast, incredibly secure, and infinitely scalable, Gelato Rollups provides full-service Layer 2 and Layer 3 chains that are natively integrated with industry-standard Web3 tools and services. Anyone can build, deploy, and launch a production-ready Web3 development environment. One click.
contact
head of marketing Ella Jonas Gelato Digital GmbH press@gelato.digital
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