Postponing the gift of a cell phone annually offers significant advantages: Managing screen time for children everywhere.

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Despite the availability of affordable cell phones, parents have new ways to stay connected with their children. However, this development has also sparked debates on screen time, safety, and social media.

As worries about phone usage rise and the age at which children get their first mobile phone decreases, countries worldwide are considering ways to address this issue in schools and homes.

While there’s no single solution, various action plans and suggestions are being explored, ranging from strict laws to grassroots initiatives.

Our correspondent delves into some of the noteworthy solutions to screen time as Australia and Spain gear up to implement stringent laws to combat the problem.

Australia: “Ensuring our children have a good childhood.”

In a significant move, Australia recently passed a law prohibiting social media use for under-16s, although specifics regarding its implementation and application are unclear.

While some Australian states already ban mobile phones in schools, a new federal ban aims to completely restrict social media usage for children under 16 by year-end. The law grants the communications minister authority to determine which platforms are restricted, likely including Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

YouTube is expected to be exempt due to its claimed educational benefits.

The legislation mandates platforms to verify users’ ages and take necessary steps to ensure compliance, with penalties of up to A$50m for non-compliance. Trials for age verification technology are ongoing, including facial age estimation and other authentication methods.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that the ban aims to offer children “a childhood”, encouraging them to engage in outdoor activities and sports instead of being glued to their phones.

Josh Taylor, Melbourne

Spain: “You can use ours.”

Spain’s government is proposing a bill to raise the minimum age for social media account registration from 14 to 16, along with mandatory age verification measures for tech companies.

Additionally, the bill suggests default parental controls on smartphones and a national education campaign to educate children and teens on responsible social media usage.

An expert panel has recommended including warning labels on digital devices sold in Spain to inform consumers of the health risks associated with social media and technology.

In Barcelona’s Poblenou district, parents initiated a campaign to delay children’s access to mobile phones until age 16. This movement quickly spread across Catalonia, emphasizing the importance of holding off on phone ownership until a later age.

Major project spokesperson Nuria González Rojas noted the significant impact of delaying mobile phone ownership, with over 72% of Spanish children owning smartphones by age 12.

In another initiative, Basque parents’ organization Archa Brua is piloting schemes to delay mobile phone ownership with support from schools, families, and local businesses.

Sam Jones, Madrid

France: “Take back control of your screen”

French President Emmanuel Macron commissioned a report urging a reassessment of screen usage to safeguard children’s well-being and democracy’s future.

The report advocates for delaying smartphone usage until age 13, restricting access to social media until 18, and banning mobile phones with internet access until after school hours.

Experts stress the need to shield children from profit-focused tech influences due to adverse effects on vision, sleep, and overall health.

Macron urges ministers to consider and implement the report’s recommendations.

Angelique Chrysafis (Paris)

Italy: school ban

Italy has issued a blanket ban on smartphones and tablets in primary and middle school classrooms, citing disruptive incidents like physical altercations between students and teachers.

Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara supports efforts to ban mobile phones for children under 14 and social media profiles for those under 16.

Angela Giuffrida (Rome)

Germany: “The longer we can delay children from using smartphones, the better.”

German schools can’t outright ban cellphones, but restrictions on their use in classrooms and during breaks are in place.

Efforts to enhance digital literacy among youth are encouraged, with calls in some regions for total bans on mobile phones in elementary schools.

Pediatric experts advocate delaying smartphone ownership until age 11 to protect children’s development, noting adverse effects on mental health and well-being from early exposure to social media.

Despite concerns surrounding smartphones, Germany’s decentralized governance system means a national policy remains elusive.

Deborah Cole, Berlin

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tech Titans Bowing Down to President Trump in Silicon Valley

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

On January 28, 2017, I hurried to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). That evening, protests were gaining momentum across the United States against President Donald Trump’s travel ban on visitors from seven Muslim-majority countries. The night was unusually cold, and I had not brought a proper jacket. Luckily, the train to the airport was warm and filled with nervous and chatty protesters. The airport itself was chaotic. Angry demonstrators blocked roads, causing taxis and Ubers to be stranded with meters still running. A hijab-wearing protester prayed next to a protest sign in the baggage claim area, while others shouted at travelers collecting their luggage. At that time, Trump was the most controversial figure in America, and his election had shocked the world.

Later that night, rumors of a $150 billion face in the crowd started to circulate. Sergey Brin, the founder and co-founder of Google, was present. At that time, he was the president of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, which also owns YouTube. The impact was electrifying. One of the wealthiest and most influential men in the world was publicly expressing his displeasure with Trump by participating in a protest against him. Brin, originally from Moscow and immigrating to the United States at the age of 6, stated he was at SFO that night “because I’m a refugee,” delivering a personal rebuke to Mr. Trump, whom he described as a complete xenophobe.

Following Brin’s lead, Google and other tech giants condemned Trump’s travel ban. Nearly 100 technology companies, including Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, and Uber, supported a lawsuit challenging the measure.

However, today’s protests against President Trump’s reelection have had minimal impact. Silicon Valley is shifting its stance to show more deference to Mr. Trump. This week, the tech industry finished its nominations for the upcoming president.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced the cessation of the company’s fact-checking operations in the United States. In 2022, Meta had claimed to have built the largest global fact-checking network and spent $100 million on it.

A few days later, Mr. Zuckerberg revealed a reduction in efforts to enhance workforce diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) – a move met with controversy. These policies had been disdained by Trump and faced criticism from his prominent supporter, Elon Musk. Zuckerberg, seemingly driven by ambition rather than personal beliefs, took actions such as promoting Dana White to Meta’s board of directors after dining with Trump and supporting his inaugural committee.

Mr. Zuckerberg’s actions seemed to be influenced by Trump’s threats, as the president-elect had warned of dire consequences if Zuckerberg interfered in the election. Mehta, like others, stood to benefit from a friendly Trump administration, particularly concerning Meta’s antitrust lawsuit.

Several tech CEOs, including Tim Cook, Sundar Pichai, and Satya Nadella, also demonstrated support for President Trump, each contributing in different ways. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi donated $2 million to Trump, and even Google made a substantial donation despite being targeted by Trump’s campaign.

The president-elect, noticing his newfound popularity, remarked on the change in attitude towards him. Meanwhile, Musk’s threats loomed over tech leaders like Jeff Bezos, Sam Altman, and Jensen Huang, demonstrating the power dynamics at play in the tech industry.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Invasion of a Giant Snowman: How a 122-Foot-Tall Figure Dominated a Small American Town

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Who holds the record for the world’s tallest snowman? Surprisingly, it’s a snow woman. Back in 2008, the residents of Bethel, Maine, USA built Olympia the Snow Woman, standing at an impressive height of 37.21 meters (just over 122 feet).

Science played a crucial role in creating this monumental snowman. The right type of snow is essential for such a feat. Snow that accumulates in temperatures between 0 to 2 °C (32 to 35 °F) is ideal. This temperature range allows free water to act as glue between the ice crystals, helping maintain the snowman’s shape. Snow with a moisture content of 3-8% is perfect, while anything over 15% leads to slushiness.

But why bother building a snowman if it’s just going to melt? The first known depiction of a snowman dates back to a Dutch prayer book from 1380. Unlike the cheery snowmen we’re familiar with like Frosty and Olaf, this medieval illustration shows a snowman being melted by fire, conveying a different message.

A snowman from the medieval book The Book of Hours – Photo courtesy of Wikicommons

Historian Robert Eckstein notes that snow was a form of artistic expression for people. Building snowmen was a source of entertainment and a way to creatively express oneself, much like selfies are today. People could create their own snow sculptures for fun or display. Even the renowned Michelangelo was once asked to construct a giant snowman for a clown in 1494.

Building snowmen also served as a unique method for people to express their opinions on political matters. In 1511, residents of Brussels crafted over 200 snowy scenes, many of which were satirical representations of politicians and public figures. Snow became a medium for sharing messages.

This article answers a question from Teresa Thomas: “What is the largest snowman ever built?”

To submit your queries, email questions@sciencefocus.com or message us on our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram Page (don’t forget to include your name and location).

For more fascinating scientific facts, visit our Ultimate Fun Facts page.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Meta announces end of DEI program just days before Trump’s inauguration | US News

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Effective immediately, the company will be discontinuing its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) program as of Friday, following Meta’s announcement that fact-checking would be eliminated by Mark Zuckerberg.

An internal memo from Meta acknowledged the changing legal and policy landscape surrounding DEI efforts in the United States, referencing recent Supreme Court decisions and the concept of DEI. It also highlighted the “reprehensible” views held by some individuals. Axios and Business Insider initially reported on the memo. Mehta confirmed the termination of DEI practices but did not provide further comment on how this decision aligns with the company’s overarching goals.

Janelle Gale, vice president of human resources, mentioned in the memo the discontinuation of various programs targeting underrepresented groups, such as the Diverse Slate Approach and Representation Goals, which are currently facing challenges. These programs were utilized to promote diverse employment practices.

Despite Meta’s efforts to increase diversity in the workforce, the company will no longer implement certain diversity employment practices, as stated in a new announcement.

Furthermore, the company will be ending its equity and inclusion training program and permanently disbanding its DEI-focused team.

The decision to terminate diversity efforts contradicts Meta’s AI-powered Instagram and Facebook profiles, which highlighted the need for a more representative team.

The termination of DEI initiatives follows Meta’s alignment with Donald Trump and the addition of Trump ally Dana White to the company’s board of directors. Meta joins a list of companies, including McDonald’s, Walmart, Ford, and Lowe’s, that have voluntarily halted their diversity initiatives or have been targeted by far-right groups.

Source: www.theguardian.com

I am a neuroscientist exploring how gambling impacts the brain

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is a text created by the World Health Organization that summarizes all medical problems recognized by the organization.

When it comes to the latest version, ICD-11was created and added the category of addictive behaviors to the section on addictive disorders. It is now medically accepted that people can become addicted not only to substances but also to certain activities. The most important of these behaviors is gambling.

Gambling addiction is definitely real and a big problem. therefore, UK government introduces measures Hopefully, we can curb or at least reduce that harm.

But why do people become addicted to gambling? And why is it often so difficult to treat compared to more “typical” substance-based addictions?

The “method” is relatively simple. The main attraction of gambling is essentially the ability to win large amounts of money with little effort.

When making decisions, humans brain You are constantly weighing effort against potential reward. When something leans heavily toward the latter (for example, paying a small amount of money and receiving a large amount in return), we tend to really approve of it.

Up to 4 percent of people in the United States may have a gambling problem – Photo credit: Getty

There's also the fact that the human brain is complex enough to recognize money as important in a biological sense, even though it's a technically abstract concept. Our brains also prioritize novelty and unpredictability.

All of this together means that gambling can and does affect the brain's reward system in the same way as certain drugs and substances. Addiction develops and all the subsequent effects are felt on the individual.

Of course, this does not happen to everyone who gambles. There are many people who don't gamble at all. Many people instinctively dislike risk and loss, but these are unavoidable aspects of gambling. However, some people are not as sensitive and are more willing to accept gambling as a form of entertainment.

But while the similarities in the brain's responses to gambling and drugs may explain why gambling is often addictive, it is the combination of both that can make gambling addiction particularly difficult to treat. That's the difference.

Gambling addiction lacks a biological substance, making it easier to overlook and hide. As a result, some evidence suggests that 90% of gambling problems go unreported and untreated.

Also, the absence of specific substances that support gambling addiction means that there is nothing to “take away”, so to speak. Even in cases of long-term chronic drug addiction, there is an option to remove the drug (going “cold turkey”) and allow people's brains and bodies to adapt to the absence of the drug. Indeed, this is often a very unpleasant and even dangerous option. But it's still an option.

This is not the case with gambling. It is an action, not a substance. As long as someone has money and autonomy, it is very difficult to deny them access to gambling. Even if you could, it still might not make any difference because of your gambling experience.

The nature of gambling means that it is not experienced as a direct “stimulus = reward'' process of the kind that applies to drug taking and that underlies the basic learning processes of classical conditioning (which is why addiction is established in the first place). key aspects of the system). .

Such a relatively simple process is also easy to unlearn. When a stimulus stops producing a reward, the association “dies” in the brain. When you do this to the source of your addiction, the addiction loses its power over you. The human brain is so complex that this will be quite difficult to achieve, but at least we can try.

According to the Journal of Gambling Studies, men are twice as likely to be frequent gamblers than women – Photo courtesy of Getty

However, think about this. If an alcoholic found out that only one random drink out of 20 had alcohol in it and the others made him feel nauseous, it would probably be much easier to kick the habit. Dew. But that doesn't work with gambling. Because that's how you experience gambling.

Gambling rewards occur through a variable schedule of reinforcement. You never know when you will win, and losing is inevitable. But as long as you win often enough, keep doing it. And then an addiction to that behavior develops.

Knowing the negative consequences of gambling is already part of the process. It's like trying to treat an alcoholic by making him pay for his own drinks. They always already are.

These are just some of the reasons why gambling addiction is a difficult problem to address medically. This means it is essential to work towards reducing exposure to gambling and the development of addiction in the first place. We have to even the odds somehow.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Astronomers Find the Farthest Blazar Ever Detected

Posted on January 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers have discovered a blazar — a quasar with a jet aligned along our line of sight — at redshift of 7. Named VLASS J041009.05-013919.88, this object is the most distant blazar ever identified, providing a rare glimpse into the epoch of reionization when the Universe was less than 800 million years old.

An artist's impression of a blazar. Image credit: DESY / Science Communication Lab.

VLASS J041009.05-013919.88 (J0410-0139 for short) is powered by a black hole with a mass of 700 million solar masses.

Multi-wavelength observations show that its radio variability, compact structure, and X-ray properties identify it as a blazar with a jet aligned toward Earth.

The discovery of J0410-0139 implies the existence of a much larger population of similar jetted sources in the early Universe.

These jets likely enhance black hole growth and significantly affect their host galaxies.

“The fact that J0410–0139 is a blazar, a jet that by chance happens to point directly towards Earth, has immediate statistical implications,” said Dr. Eduardo Bañados, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy.

“As a real-life analogy, imagine that you read about someone who has won $100 million in a lottery.”

“Given how rare such a win is, you can immediately deduce that there must have been many more people who participated in that lottery but have not won such an exorbitant amount.”

“Similarly, finding one active galactic nucleus with a jet pointing directly towards us implies that at that time, there must have been many active galactic nuclei in that period of cosmic history with jets that do not point at us.”

“Where there is one, there's one hundred more,” said Dr. Silvia Belladitta, also from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy.

Observations with instruments such as NSF's Very Large Array, NSF's Very Long Baseline Array, NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) indicate that J0410-0139 exhibits radio emission amplified by relativistic beaming, a hallmark of blazers.

Its spectrum also confirms stable accretion and emission regions typical of active black holes.

This discovery raises questions about how supermassive black holes grow so rapidly in the Universe's infancy.

Models may need to account for jet-enhanced accretion or obscured, super-Eddington growth to reconcile this finding with the known black hole population at such high redshifts.

“This blazar offers a unique laboratory to study the interplay between jets, black holes, and their environments during one of the Universe's most transformative epochs,” said Dr. Emmanuel Momjian, an astronomer at NSF's National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

“The alignment of J0410-0139's jet with our line of sight allows astronomers to peer directly into the heart of this cosmic powerhouse.”

“The existence of J0410-0139 at such an early time suggests that current radio surveys might uncover additional jetted quasars from the same era.”

“Understanding these objects will illuminate the role of jets in shaping galaxies and growing supermassive black holes in the early Universe.”

The results appear in two papers (paper #1 and paper #2) in the journal Nature Astronomy and the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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E. Bañados et al. A blazar in the epoch of reionization. Nat Astronpublished online December 17, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02431-4

Eduardo Bañados et al.2025. [C ii] Properties and Far-infrared Variability of az = 7 Blazar. ApJL 977, L46; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad823b

Source: www.sci.news

UK experiences emergence of Glyphosate-resistant weeds for the first time

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Italian ryegrass is a common weed in agricultural crops.

John Cousins

Weeds resistant to the herbicide glyphosate have been discovered for the first time in the UK. The species in question is called Italian ryegrass and is very widespread in the UK, although chemical-free specimens have only been found on one farm in Kent.

Glyphosate says it's helping farmers adopt more environmentally friendly farming practices known as regenerative agriculture John Cousins a weed management expert at consulting firm ADAS. His team confirmed that the plants were resistant in greenhouse tests.

“It could impact the ability to transition agricultural systems,” Cousins said. “Herbicide resistance to glyphosate is a real issue of great importance to farms.”

In the UK, farmers primarily use glyphosate to remove all vegetation in a field before planting. This helps avoid tillage, which compromises soil health, increases erosion and reduces carbon storage.

Minimizing soil disturbance is one of the key efforts of regenerative agriculture, along with crop rotation and ground cover maintenance.

“Glyphosate is relatively environmentally friendly compared to other pesticides,” he says. Helen Metcalf At Rothamsted Research Institute, Harpenden, UK. “It has very little bioaccumulation and low toxicity. It also supports regenerative practices such as minimal tillage, which is very good for soil health. There may be benefits.”

He says weeds are a big problem for farmers. paul nave at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. “We lose more crop yields to weeds than to pests and pathogens.”

Around the world, Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) Glyphosate resistance is evolving and it is occurring independently in hundreds of different locations. Such weeds are a major problem for many farmers in the United States and Argentina, where crops developed to be immune to glyphosate have been grown on a large scale for years.

“But the fact is, this hasn't become a big problem, considering the first incident was 30 years ago,” Neve said.

Nave said resistant weeds are a big problem on individual farms, but they spread more slowly than insects that are resistant to pesticides, for example. Precautions such as cleaning farm equipment and removing seeds can slow the spread.

Farmers also need to employ a variety of weed control measures rather than relying solely on glyphosate, Metcalf says. “We found that if farmers focused on weed control and implemented all the alternatives to glyphosate, profits could start to recover after five to 10 years,” she says.

Cousins' team increased its surveillance in the UK in 2018, testing more than 300 samples of Italian ryegrass. He believes the resistant plants on the Kent farm were almost certainly evolved there, rather than being brought in from elsewhere.

He also said the fact that resistance appears to have taken longer to develop in the UK than in other countries means that British farmers have not genetically modified or conventionally bred crops to be resistant to glyphosate. They also think that this may be because they are not growing crops that are not cultivated. In such crops, glyphosate can be applied to control weeds before planting as well as during crop growth.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Earth becomes visible to the naked eye, shining as bright as Venus

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) captured on December 31, 2024 using the telescope at Rio Hurtado, Chile

lionel magic

A comet that has surprised astronomers could shine as brightly as Venus in the night sky as it passes Earth in the coming days.

Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) was discovered by NASA’s Asteroid Earth Impact Last Alert System more than 600 million kilometers from Earth in April last year. Astronomers initially thought that the comet would not be able to survive in an orbit so close to the Sun, but subsequent observations showed that the comet was following a different path that would allow it to survive, possibly reaching Earth. It has been suggested that it may even be possible to remain unharmed until the approach of

This new orbit, which takes 160,000 years to complete, will mean the comet will snake its way through the solar system, making it visible to stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere. But for the last part of its journey around the sun, people in the northern hemisphere should also be mostly visible through binoculars.

Observations since the new orbit was proposed have shown the comet to be brighter than expected, which could mean it is breaking up as it approaches the sun. However, the latest observations show that the brightness persists and even increases, which would not be the case if the comet disintegrated.

If C/2024 G3 survives, it could appear very bright in the night sky, with some astronomers predicting its brightness could rival that of Venus, making it one of the brightest comets in decades. I’m doing it.

However, the comet’s exact brightness is unknown. It may be far enough away that it reflects the sunlight and is clearly visible, or it may be washed away by the sunlight and become invisible.

Astronomers have also suggested a phenomenon called forward scatter, where dust from the comet makes it appear brighter than normal, but meteorologist Joe Rao said that’s unlikely. space dot com.

If a comet shines brightly, it will probably reach its maximum level around the time of its closest approach to the Sun. The Central Astronomical Telegraph Office, which aggregates observations from astronomers around the world, predicts that this will occur on January 13 at 10:17 a.m. GMT, with the comet’s closest approach to Earth occurring several hours later. are.

This equates to an approximately three-day viewing period from January 12 to 14 for people in the Northern Hemisphere hoping to catch a glimpse of the comet if it’s bright enough. For people in areas such as the United States and Europe, the best time to see the comet is about 30 minutes before sunrise on January 12, when it should be visible through binoculars about 5 degrees from the sun or directly above the horizon. You should get a second chance around 30 minutes after sunset on January 14th.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Tech giants Google and Microsoft donate $1 million each to President Trump’s inaugural fund

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Google and Microsoft each contributed $1 million to President Donald Trump’s Inaugural Fund, along with companies like Amazon, Meta, OpenAI, and Uber.

“Google is supporting the 2025 Inauguration with a live stream on YouTube and a direct link to the homepage. We are also donating to the inaugural committee,” said Google Government Affairs & Public Policy global head Karan Bhatia in a statement to the Guardian on Thursday.

Google made the donation on Monday, as reported by CNBC. Google spokesperson Jose Castaneda mentioned that the company had previously donated to the Inauguration Fund and hosted a livestream of the inauguration.

Microsoft confirmed its $1 million donation to President Trump’s inaugural fund in a statement to Bloomberg on Thursday. The company had also donated to Trump’s 2017 inauguration and Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration.

Many other major companies made significant donations to President Trump’s inaugural fund last month, including Toyota, Uber, Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI.

These donations helped raise funds for President Trump’s inaugural committee, which received a $170 million donation. This appears to be an attempt by tech giants to gain favor with President Trump for his second term in office.

President Trump’s relationship with big tech companies has been contentious, but as his inauguration approaches, there seems to be a shift in tone from both parties.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai criticized the January 6 riot and praised President Trump’s victory. President Trump also noted a change in attitude towards him from various tech companies.

Mark Zuckerberg of Meta Inc. announced changes in the company’s approach to fact-checking and censorship, aiming to reduce censorship and recommend more political content across their platforms.

Experts believe that contributing to Trump’s inauguration is a way for tech companies to gain support from the new administration and avoid being targeted by President Trump in the future.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Resident Evil 4: The Horror Game That Breathed New Life Into the Genre – Celebrating 20 Years

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

IIt’s an interesting oddity in video game history that one of the greatest horror titles of all time debuted on the Nintendo GameCube, the toy-like console known for some of the cutest titles in the Zelda series and Animal Crossing. But in 2002, Capcom announced five exclusive titles to shore up the struggling platform. That included Resident Evil 4, which is technically the 13th title in the franchise. This title would be considered its pinnacle when released three years later. It was an exciting new breath of life for the survival horror genre.

You wouldn’t guess all this from the game’s very pedestrian setting. Six years after the collapse of Umbrella Corporation, smoldering police officer Leon Kennedy is sent on a mission to retrieve the kidnapped daughter of the U.S. president, who has been found in a small village in rural Spain. For some reason well known to the Secret Service, he is aboard alone.

But with this B-movie premise, the film fundamentally challenged the conventions of the Resident Evil series and the survival horror genre itself. By moving the action from the rainy Midwest of Raccoon City to the Spanish countryside, Capcom thrust Regifan (and Leon himself) into an entirely unfamiliar environment. This sense of chaos is amplified by the traditional limp zombies (obviously inspired by George A. This continued even when the nobles were infected with parasites and replaced by axe-wielding, savage, swift countrymen. These feisty creatures more closely resemble the infectious maniacs depicted in Danny Boyle’s modern zombie film 28 Days Later, and are no doubt an influence on “Register 4” director Shinji Mikami. there is no. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the obscure Lovecraftian horror film Dagon, which was actually set in Spain, have also been cited by fans as possible inspirations.

The action feels frighteningly close to… Resident Evil 4 (2005).

Photo: Capcom

Producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi said in an interview that the theme of this work is “collective fear.” Throwing swarms of ganados at players instead of small groups of zombies increased the pressure, causing outright panic on more than one occasion. The game’s rudimentary AI allowed enemies to sneak around behind the player instead of mindlessly tripping straight up.

But most importantly, Resi 4 pulled the player’s gaze downward from a floating third-person perspective to an intense over-the-shoulder perspective. This made it easier to aim at enemies compared to earlier Resident Evil games, which were frustratingly insensitive, but more importantly, it emphasized a sense of specificity and proximity. . The action is graphic, with teeth and ax blades coming terrifyingly close together. Mikami then said that while he never expected this to be such a revolutionary feature, it’s a feature that has inspired all generations of brawler adventures, including Gears of War (and 2018’s God of War reboot). He said he was an inspiration.

Also: Dead Space designer Ben Wanat

Referenced
EA’s Cosmic Horror Shooter Joins ‘Resident Evil 4 in Space’ and ‘The Last of Us’ Designer Ricky Cambia

talked about
And looking at it now, the sense of interdependence between Leon and Ashley certainly foreshadows the fragile relationship between Joel and Ellie.

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vP45ZXbFRH0?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="Resident Evil 4 Gamecube (Trailer)" height="480" width="640" allowfullscreen="

The new shoulder camera has changed the tempo of the entire Resi experience, with an emphasis on action and gunfights. A tense silence still prevailed for several minutes as we explored the farm and castle grounds strewn with dank corpses. But then a bloody siege ensued as huge waves of warriors surged through muddy lanes and dimly lit industrial tunnels. The set-piece encounter became the stuff of legend. From ferocious dogs lurking in an ornate garden maze to giant snake beasts in a lake, this game has a thrilling menagerie of boss enemies to contend with. Surprisingly, players are even reminded of inventory management, with fond memories of relentlessly refilling attaché cases to contain more goods purchased from shadowy traders.

In 2023, Capcom released an amazing updated version, bringing thrilling Grand Guignol fun to a new generation. But going back to the original still works. Every now and then a video game comes along that fans love, but game designers love even more. And these games will ultimately change the approach of the entire industry. Super Mario 64 was one of them, and so was Doom. I have to add Resident Evil 4 to that list.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mark Zuckerberg allegedly authorized Meta to use copyrighted books for AI training, author claims

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A group of authors claimed that Mark Zuckerberg authorized Meta to use “pirated copies” of his copyrighted books to train the company’s artificial intelligence models. This claim was made in a filing in US court.

According to the filing, internal meta-communications revealed that the social network company’s CEO warned that the data set used was “known to be pirated” within the company’s AI executive team. The filing also mentioned support for the use of the LibGen dataset, an extensive online archive of books.

The authors suing Meta for copyright infringement, including Ta-Nehisi Coates and Sarah Silverman, made these accusations in a filing in California federal court. They alleged that Meta misused their books to train Llama, a large-scale language model powering chatbots.

The use of copyrighted content in training AI models has become a legal issue in the development of generative AI tools like chatbots. Authors and publishers have been warned that their work may be used without permission, putting their livelihood at risk.

The filing referenced a memo with Mark Zuckerberg’s approval for Meta’s AI team to use LibGen. However, discussions about accessing and reviewing LibGen data internally at Meta raised concerns about the legality of using pirated content.

Last year, a US District Judge ruled that Meta’s AI model infringed an author’s copyright by using copyrighted text. Despite rejecting claims of depriving the author’s name and copyright holder, the plaintiff was granted permission to amend its claims.

The authors argued this week that the evidence supports their infringement claims and justifies reinstating the CMI case and adding new computer fraud claims.

During Thursday’s hearing, Judge Chhabria expressed skepticism about the fraud and the validity of CMI claims but allowed the writers to file an amended complaint.

We have contacted Meta for comment.

Reuters contributed to this article

Source: www.theguardian.com

Are TikTok’s Health Tips Backed by Science? A Comparison of Autozen Picks and Mouth Taping

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The influx of unrealistic health tips on TikTok signals the beginning of a new year. Let’s explore some intriguing suggestions and the evidence behind them.

Try wearing rubber bands around your ears to reduce facial swelling

A TikTok trend from South Korea suggests wrapping rubber bands around your ears for 10 minutes to combat facial swelling, claiming to facilitate lymphatic fluid movement. However, science does not support this theory. While lymphatic massage can temporarily reduce swelling by stroking outwards, there is no evidence to validate the rubber bands’ effectiveness.

Professor Hywel Williams, an expert in evidence-based dermatology at the University of Nottingham, points out that many TikTok videos feature individuals without facial puffiness, potentially leading to unnecessary worry and anxiety. He suggests a comprehensive trial where individuals with facial swelling wear various items like rubber bands and cotton, with their swelling assessed by independent estheticians before and after. Williams emphasizes the importance of conducting proper scientific studies to verify health claims.

Experimenting with garlic in your nose for sinus cleansing

TikTok showcases individuals showcasing giant mucus bubbles or a stream of snot expelled after inserting garlic in their nostrils, claiming it alleviates nasal congestion. However, experts like Simon, a consultant ear, nose, and throat specialist, refute this, stating that the mucus production is a response to the strong garlic odor, not a sign of congestion relief.

Exploring the benefits of applying castor oil in the belly button for bloating reduction

Some TikTokers advocate for applying castor oil on the belly button, known as belly button lubrication, to aid digestion, reduce bloating, and alleviate menstrual pain and endometriosis. This practice originates from Ayurveda, claiming that essential oils are absorbed through the “pechoti glands” in the belly button. However, research has yet to confirm the existence of such glands, casting doubt on the effectiveness of this technique.

Dr. Gemma Sharp, an epidemiologist at the University of Exeter, highlights the lack of scientific evidence supporting the use of castor oil for weight loss or managing endometriosis symptoms. She warns against relying on unproven home remedies that may potentially trigger allergic reactions.

Consider the weight loss benefits of Oat Empic

Ozempic, a diabetes medication known for its weight loss effects, contains semaglutide, a compound that slows digestion. TikTok users have popularized Oatzempik, a mixture of oats, water, and lime juice, suggesting similar weight loss benefits. While the claim is unverified, weight loss ultimately depends on calorie balance. Oats, however, contain beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that may aid weight loss and BMI reduction.

Explore the concept of mouth taping for health benefits

Mouth breathing at night can lead to dry mouth, sore throats, and snoring. Mouth taping, using porous tape to encourage nasal breathing, aims to filter allergens and humidify inhaled air. While limited studies suggest it may reduce snoring in mild obstructive sleep apnea, caution is advised as it can pose risks, particularly for individuals with sleep disorders. Consultation with an otolaryngologist is recommended before attempting mouth taping, especially for those with respiratory issues.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Meta prioritizes a frictionless oligarchy over fact-checking, says Joan Donovan.

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

That week, Meta announced the discontinuation of its fact-checking program in the United States and a rollback to its content moderation policy regarding “hateful conduct.” These measures will undoubtedly open the floodgates to more hateful, harassing, and inflammatory content on Facebook and Instagram. Immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community are two of the groups most likely to be affected.

Last month, after Donald Trump won the election, Zuckerberg visited Trump at Mar-a-Lago and Mehta transferred $1 million to the presidential inaugural fund. When asked for comment on the meth policy change, Trump acknowledged that Zuckerberg said: “probably” Influenced by his threat to jail tech company CEOs.

This is the formation of a mafia state, where open threats are rewarded with lavish gifts and public praise.

Looking back at the history of content moderation, it is easy to conclude that social media companies are tailoring their products to the needs of those with the power to regulate them. This time is no different, but the impact on vulnerable groups will likely be even worse. By changing the meta policy on fact-checking to appease Trump, Zuckerberg is laying the foundations for a frictionless oligarchy. There, those with the most power and influence would no longer have to fight over facts and corrections.

It was during the first Trump administration that technology companies realized that social media was susceptible to domestic and international media manipulation campaigns. Because their products were being used to spread lies, complaints, conspiracies, and hatred to millions of people. Journalists exposed a massive media manipulation campaign carried out by Cambridge Analytica and Russia’s Internet Research Agency. The campaign used Facebook for political purposes during the 2016 US election and Brexit.

Instead of taking responsibility and aggressively removing abusers, Mr. Zuckerberg turned to advisers known in political circles as a cadre of cutthroat fixers. Most of them are Harvard educated and accustomed to political doublespeak. But controlling speech globally became their lifelong challenge.

In November 2016, in response to the growing public criticism of “fake news” on Facebook, Posted by Zuckerberg Facebook contacted “respected fact-checking organizations,” said it was working methodically to avoid becoming the “arbiter of truth,” and posted a lengthy message on its profile about the misinformation. . By December, Adam Mosseri, then the company’s vice president of newsfeed, said: new protocol For publishing the false story, responsibility for content management was transferred to third-party fact checkers who have signed the non-profit media organization Poynter’s International Code of Principles for Fact-Checking. Despite these efforts, Misinformation continued especially thrives among right-leaning audience.

In 2018, the company’s COO, Sheryl SandbergThe former chief of staff at the U.S. Treasury Department before leaving for Google, he supported Facebook’s “Oversight Board,” also known as its “Supreme Court,” which rules on and reviews controversial moderation decisions. did. In early 2021, former British Deputy Prime Minister and Director of Communications Mehta nick cleggwrote the decision to indefinitely expel President Trump after he used the company’s products to facilitate the attack on the Capitol. Zuckerberg said at the time that the “risk of allowing the president to continue using our services” was “simply too great.”

While Meta’s content arbitration system was expensive and unwieldy, on the plus side it forced some transparency into content moderation decisions and ensured that misinformation is a feature rather than a bug in the right-wing media ecosystem. provided conclusive evidence that there is.

Mark Zuckerberg met with Donald Trump at the White House in 2019. Photo: 2020 Images/Alamy

Clegg will now be replaced by Meta’s new head of global policy, Joel Kaplan. Mr. Kaplan is a former senior staffer to George W. Bush. brooks brothers riot After Mr. Mehta’s announcement this week, Mr. Kaplan appeared on Fox News and spoke of his enthusiasm for policy change and lavished Mr. Trump with praise. His influence on the new direction of the meta is clear and troubling to him. defender of internet freedomthey don’t want social media platforms to continue to be pawns in a political chess match.

In remarks attributed to Trump himself, Zuckerberg claimed that “fact checkers are too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve built, especially in the United States.” Importantly, academic research on fact-checking reveals the opposite of Zuckerberg’s claims. a Research by researchers at MIT Sloan School of Management Even among right-wing viewers who doubt the effectiveness of fact-checking, exposure to fact-checking has been shown to reduce beliefs in misinformation.

Meta never applied its rules equally to all users. Whistleblower Francis Haugen revealed that Meta maintained a high-profile list of accounts that were repeatedly allowed to violate the platform’s rules. Meta has historically excluded politicians from fact-checking eligibility, and the end of the fact-checking program is primarily a windfall for right-wing users of Meta products who are more likely to share misinformation on Facebook. That’s likely, according to a study conducted by academics in partnership with Meta and published in 2016. science.

A lack of fact-checking will likely lead to the aggressive spread of conspiracy theories and hateful content about meta products, testing advertisers and brand safety.

Instead of trained fact-checkers who are experts at detecting, documenting, and debunking misinformation, Meta employs a “community notes” system similar to Elon Musk’s We plan to set up a gallery of unauthorized users to control speech.

But moderation around X is also not going well. After facing a rapidly declining user base and an advertiser boycott, X was worth 20% of what Musk paid. A clear example of how moderation on the platform reflects Musk’s whims and preferences is when Musk was admonished last week by ardent MAGA supporters regarding issuing H-1B visas for foreign workers. It became clear when it was being done. Musk’s response is to optimize the platform for “unrepentant user seconds” by focusing on more interesting content, while banning and demonetizing many Maga heavyweights. It was.

Musk has previously criticized deplatforming and demonetization as censorship tactics only employed by the left. That argument doesn’t hold up now “Dark Maga” himself Play the algorithm and Zuckerberg will follow suit. Rather than criticize fact-checkers, Mr. Zuckerberg should admit that he is changing the rules to reflect Mr. Trump’s political agenda, and after Mr. Musk paved the way with will adjust the algorithm so that it can build a base on Facebook and Instagram.

“It’s time to get back to the basics of freedom of expression,” Zuckerberg declared. (It’s not a meta origin story. Facebook’s predecessor asked students at Harvard to rate the physical attractiveness of their female classmates, but Zuckerberg tried to commit it to memory at every opportunity.) ) However, freedom of expression refers to the human right to “seek and receive.” According to the United Nations, provide information.” universal declaration of human rights. It does not guarantee an audience or amplification of the speech. Furthermore, it does not provide protection against fact-checking or labeling of online speech. This is a power reserved only for companies that control the flow of content between platforms.

Far from enabling freedom of expression, Mehta’s changes to its “hateful conduct” policy signal a return to Facebook’s more misogynistic roots. In a blog post, Mehta pledged to align his moderate policies with “mainstream discourse,” particularly on gender and immigration, two issues championed by Trump and Musk during the 2024 campaign. It’s okay to refer to it now LGBTQ+ people Blaming immigrants as mentally ill when it comes to meth products.

It is a clear sign of techno-fascism that communication systems are disrupted by changes in political power after every election. The protection of vulnerable groups online continues to depend on the political ambitions of social media platform CEOs or owners.

This is further proof that social media is not about free speech. That was never the case. Instead, content moderation is the core product of social media, with algorithms deciding whether speech is displayed, how loud it is, and whether there is counter-speech. Contrary to Zuckerberg’s claims, it wasn’t the fact checkers who ruined the meta product. It was always insider political operatives, including Clegg, Sandberg, and Kaplan, who turned social media into a new frontier in the culture wars.

Source: www.theguardian.com

U.S. Supreme Court to Consider TikTok Ban or Sale Lawsuit

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on Friday regarding the future of TikTok. This marks the latest development in an ongoing debate over whether to ban the immensely popular social media platform in the U.S. The judges will consider the balance between national security concerns and the preservation of free speech.

TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance have appealed to the Supreme Court after a lower court upheld a law banning the app in the U.S. The ban is scheduled to take effect on January 19th, unless ByteDance sells TikTok’s assets to a non-Chinese entity. ByteDance has argued that a sale is not feasible from commercial, technical, and legal standpoints.

The oral arguments are expected to last for two hours, with each side given the opportunity to present their case. The court has outlined that the discussion will focus on whether the ban infringes on the First Amendment.

TikTok boasts 170 million users, approximately half of the U.S. population, making the potential ban a contentious issue. While some believe the app could be exploited by the Chinese government, there is a coalition of influencers, civil rights groups, and even President Donald Trump advocating against the ban, citing concerns about free speech violations.

ByteDance has faced legal challenges from federal and state authorities, with legislation to ban TikTok passing in Congress last year. The company maintains that it operates independently from Chinese influence and handles U.S. user data through Oracle.

Federal law at the center of the case

The law in question, known as the Protecting Americans from Regulatory Applications by Foreign Adversaries Act, was enacted by President Joe Biden. It follows a previous ban on TikTok in federal devices and underscores concerns about national security risks associated with the app.

U.S. lawmakers have expressed apprehensions about China’s potential control over TikTok’s content and user data, citing security threats and propaganda dissemination. However, no concrete evidence has been presented to show that China or ByteDance have manipulated the app for espionage purposes.

Shortly after Biden signed the law, TikTok filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government, arguing that the ban violates the Constitution and impinges on free speech rights. The company emphasized the importance of preserving communication and expression for its vast user base.

Supreme Court review and President Trump’s opinion

Following a recent ruling by a federal appeals court, TikTok sought an emergency motion from the Supreme Court to halt the ban. The court agreed to expedite oral arguments and has received numerous briefs from both sides of the debate.

Notably, former President Trump submitted an amicus brief requesting the court to suspend the ban to allow for negotiation. This stance contrasts with his previous efforts to ban TikTok over national security concerns.

President Trump’s involvement in the case underscores the complexity of the issue, with diverging viewpoints within the political landscape. The upcoming Supreme Court decision will have far-reaching implications for the future of TikTok in the U.S.

Source: www.theguardian.com

2024 to surpass global warming benchmarks as hottest year on record

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists announced on Friday that the world has experienced the first full year with global temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Agency (C3S) confirmed this milestone, attributing it to climate change causing global temperatures to rise to unprecedented levels for modern humans.

C3S director Carlo Buontempo described the trajectory as remarkable, with every month in 2024 being either the warmest or second warmest on record.

The average global temperature in 2024, according to C3S, is projected to be 1.6 degrees Celsius (34 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the pre-industrial period from 1850-1900, prior to significant CO2-emitting fossil fuel usage.

Last year marked the hottest year on record, and the past decade has consistently ranked among the warmest.

While the Met Office anticipates average temperatures in 2024 surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius, they estimate a slightly lower average of 1.53 degrees Celsius (34.75 degrees Fahrenheit). US climate data for 2024 is also set to be released on Friday.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, governments have committed to preventing average temperatures from surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid severe climate disasters.

Despite reaching the first year above 1.5°C, C3S believes there is still an opportunity to alter this trajectory and work towards meeting the Paris Agreement goals to curb rising emissions.

In 2024, a woman pours water drop by drop into a bucket after drawing water from a well in a village in Zimbabwe.
Jekesai Nikizana/AFP – Getty Images File

The impacts of climate change are being felt across all continents, affecting populations from wealthy to impoverished nations.

Wildfires in California, devastating fires in Bolivia and Venezuela, heavy rains in Nepal, Sudan, and Spain, and fatal heatwaves in Mexico and Saudi Arabia were all experienced in 2024.

Climate change is intensifying storms and heavy rains due to increased atmospheric heat retention and moisture levels, with water vapor reaching record highs in 2024.

Despite escalating costs from these disasters, some countries are weakening in their commitment to emission control measures.

Incoming US President Donald Trump has dismissed scientific consensus on man-made climate change and its hazardous consequences, despite the country experiencing numerous billion-dollar climate disasters in 2024.

Flooded roads in New Port Richey as Florida looks to recover from Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
Spencer Pratt/Getty Images

Chukwumerije Okereke, a global climate governance professor, emphasizes that the 1.5 degree temperature surpass should serve as a wakeup call for key political figures to take action.

Despite ongoing warnings from scientists, many countries are failing to meet their responsibilities, Okereke added.

Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere hit a record high of 422 ppm in 2024, according to C3S.

Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist, anticipates that 2025 will be among the hottest on record, but unlikely to top the rankings.

As anthropogenic emissions remain a primary driver of climate warming, the transition from El Niño to cooler La Niña conditions is expected to moderate temperatures moving forward.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Research: Teeth of saber-tooth predators proved to be extremely efficient in piercing their prey.

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Saber-toothed tiger predators — such as the famous saber-toothed tiger Smilodon Fatalis — evolved multiple times between different mammalian groups. Their unusual teeth were functionally optimal and highly effective at stabbing prey, a new study led by researchers has found. University of Bristol Paleontologist.

Graphics illustrating optimal functionality repeat the evolution of the extreme sabertooth shape. Image credit: Talia Pollock.

Dr Talia Pollock from the University of Bristol said: “Our research helps us to better understand how extreme adaptations evolve, not just in saber-toothed predators, but throughout nature.” Ta.

“By combining biomechanics and evolutionary theory, we can reveal how natural selection shapes animals to perform specific tasks.”

Dr. Pollock and his colleagues used 3D-printed steel tooth replicas in a series of occlusal experiments and advanced computer simulations to analyze the shape and performance of teeth in 95 different carnivorous mammal species, including 25 saber-toothed species. .

They discovered that the long, sharp, blade-like teeth gave the sabertooth a real advantage as a specialized weapon for capturing prey.

This discovery helps explain why saber teeth have evolved so many times, at least five times independently in mammals, and also explains the possible eventual demise of saber teeth. There are also things.

Their increased specialization may have acted as an evolutionary ratchet, making them highly effective hunters, but would put them at greater risk of extinction as ecosystems change and prey becomes scarce.

Another important finding challenges the conventional idea that saber-toothed predators fall into two categories: dark-toothed and scimitar-toothed.

Instead, researchers found a variety of saber-tooth shapes ranging from long, curved teeth. barborofelis fricky For straighter and stronger teeth Dinofelis Barlowi.

This adds to a growing body of research suggesting that the hunting strategies of these predators are more diverse than previously thought.

The research team now plans to expand their analysis to all tooth types and uncover the biomechanical tradeoffs that have shaped the evolution of diverse tooth structures across the animal kingdom.

Professor Alistair Evans from Monash University said: “This discovery not only deepens our understanding of saber-toothed predators, but also has far-reaching implications for evolutionary biology and biomechanics.”

“Insights from this study could also help inform bio-inspired designs in engineering.”

The result is today journal current biology.

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Talia Pollock others. 2025. Functional optimality underpins the repeated evolution of extreme “sword-tooth” morphology. current biologyin press.

Source: www.sci.news

Confirmed: Global Warming to Exceed 1.5℃ Limit in 2024

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The sun sets on a hot day in London in July 2024.

Guy Corbishley/Alamy

Hopes for keeping global warming below 1.5C above pre-industrial levels have all but disappeared after new data confirms that 2024 will be the first calendar year in which average temperatures exceeded that threshold.

Last year was the hottest year in human history, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is expected to issue its latest stark warning later today that humans are pushing the Earth’s climate into uncharted territory.

Officials are also expected to confirm that this year’s average global temperature exceeded pre-industrial standards by 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time, breaking the threshold set by the Paris Agreement.

The WMO assessment is calculated using global average temperatures across six datasets and uses the period 1850-1900 to provide a pre-industrial baseline. Temperature datasets collected by different agencies and agencies around the world vary slightly, mainly due to differences in how ocean temperatures are measured and analyzed over the decades. Some of these datasets fall just below the 1.5°C mark. new scientist I understand, but others are much better.

The Met Office predicts average temperatures in 2024 to be 1.53°C above pre-industrial levels, with a margin of error of 0.08°C. This is 0.07°C higher than the previous warmest year on record, in 2023. Meanwhile, according to the European Union’s climate change service Copernicus, temperatures in 2024 will be 1.6 degrees Celsius higher than before the industrial revolution and 0.12 degrees Celsius higher than the record set in 2023.

Scientists agree that the main causes of rising temperatures are continued human-induced climate change and El Niño patterns, which tend to push up global temperatures. But the scale and persistence of the heat has shocked many experts, who had predicted that temperatures would drop once El Niño ended in May 2024. Instead, Temperatures remained at record levels throughout the remainder of the year.

The world’s oceans are the most affected, with sea surface temperatures remaining at record levels through most of 2024, wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems. The year also saw no shortage of extreme weather events on the ground, including intense heatwaves, plummeting polar ice, deadly floods, and out-of-control wildfires. “This year was a year in which the effects of climate change were felt across the planet,” he says. david kingformer Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government and founder of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group.

Technically, the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to below 1.5°C is calculated using a 20-year average, so even just one year above the threshold does not constitute a formal violation of the goal. It is not meant to be shown. But given the pace of warming in recent years, many scientists say the long-term Paris goal is no longer achievable.

At the press conference on January 9th, Samantha Burgess Professor Copernicus told reporters that it would probably be impossible to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. “There is an extremely high possibility that the long-term average temperature will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius and the upper limit of the Paris Agreement,” he said.

duochan from the University of Southampton in the UK is helping develop a new global dataset, DCENT, which he says uses cutting-edge technology to provide a more accurate historical picture of warming levels. It is said that a baseline is being generated. Although not included in WMO’s calculations, this new data set suggests global average temperatures in 2024 were 1.66°C above pre-industrial levels, he said.

As a result, Chan also believes that the 1.5°C target is probably no longer achievable. “We need to prepare for the broader future, and 1.5°C is not the only target we need to aim for,” he says. But he stressed that this is also an important time to be even more ambitious in reducing emissions. “It’s too early to give up,” he says.

The outlook for 2025 remains uncertain. There are early signs that global sea surface temperatures are finally starting to fall to expected levels. “This is a good sign that at least heat is dissipating from the ocean surface,” Burgess said. Meanwhile, after months of anticipation, La Niña phenomenon finally occurs near the Pacific equatorThis should reduce global temperatures until 2025.

But Chan cautions that if temperatures follow the pattern of past El Niño events, the world could have experienced a gradual change in warming. “Every time we have a major El Niño event… we are basically taking global warming to a new level,” he said, adding that 2024 could be the first time in years that average temperatures exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius. It suggests that there is.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists develop ultra-thin niobium phosphide conductors for use in nanoelectronics

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Niobium phosphide conducts electricity better than copper in films a few atoms thick. What's more, these films can be created and deposited at low enough temperatures to be compatible with modern computer chip manufacturing, according to a team of scientists led by Stanford University.

Amorphous niobium phosphide films a few atoms thick have better surface conductivity, making the entire material a better conductor. Image credit: Il-Kwon Oh / Asir Khan.

“We are breaking the fundamental bottlenecks of traditional materials like copper,” said Dr. Aseel Intisar Khan of Stanford University.

“We show that our niobium phosphide conductor can transmit signals faster and more efficiently through ultra-thin wires.”

“This could make future chips more energy efficient, and even small gains can add up when large numbers of chips are used, such as in large data centers storing and processing today's information. There is a possibility.”

Niobium phosphide is what researchers call a topological metalloid, meaning that the entire material can conduct electricity, but its outer surface is more conductive than the center.

As a film of niobium phosphide becomes thinner, the central region shrinks, but its surface remains the same, allowing the surface to take a greater share in the flow of electricity, making the entire material a better conductor. .

Traditional metals such as copper, on the other hand, become less conductive when thinned below about 50 nm.

The researchers found that niobium phosphide is a better conductor than copper at film thicknesses of 5 nm or less, even when operating at room temperature.

At this size, copper wire has a hard time handling rapid electrical signals and loses more energy to heat.

“Really high-density electronics requires very thin metal connections, and if those metals don't conduct well, you're going to lose a lot of power and energy,” said Eric Popp, a professor at Stanford University. said.

“If we had better materials, we could spend less energy on thin wires and more energy on actual calculations.”

Many researchers have been working to find better conductors for nanoscale electronics, but so far the best candidates have very precise crystal structures, which can be used at very high temperatures. must be formed with.

The niobium phosphide film the researchers created is the first example of an amorphous material that becomes a better conductor as it becomes thinner.

“It has been thought that if you want to take advantage of these topological surfaces, you need good single-crystal films that are very difficult to deposit,” said Akash Ramdas, a doctoral student at Stanford University. .

“Now we have another class of materials, topological metalloids, that could serve as a way to reduce energy usage in electronics.”

Niobium phosphide films do not need to be single crystal, so they can be made at low temperatures.

The scientists deposited the film at 400 degrees Celsius (752 degrees Fahrenheit). This temperature is low enough to avoid damage or destruction to existing silicon computer chips.

“If you have to make a perfect crystalline wire, that doesn't work in nanoelectronics,” says Yuri Suzuki, a professor at Stanford University.

“But if you can make them amorphous or slightly disordered and still give them the properties you need, that opens the door to potential real-world applications.”

The authors are also working on fabricating the niobium phosphide film into thin wires for additional testing.

They want to determine how reliable and effective the material is in real-world applications.

“We've taken some really cool physics and transplanted it into the world of applied electronics,” Professor Popp said.

“This type of breakthrough in amorphous materials could help address power and energy challenges in current and future electronics.”

of work Published in a magazine science.

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Asil Intisar Khan others. 2025. Surface conduction and electrical resistivity reduction in ultrathin amorphous NbP semimetals. science 387 (6729): 62-67;doi: 10.1126/science.adq7096

This article is a version of a press release provided by Stanford University.

Source: www.sci.news

Innovative Approach to Assisting Parkinson’s Patients with Walking

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease that makes it difficult for people to regulate their voluntary movements. Parkinson's disease affects about 500,000 Americans and causes symptoms such as stiffness, slowness of movement, and a hunched back. For this reason, the way the patient walks; How to walkis one of the main ways doctors determine the quality of life of Parkinson's disease patients. Doctors have developed a variety of treatments for Parkinson's disease, but few have been able to help patients walk.

Scientists have discovered that walking problems in Parkinson's disease patients are related to brain overactivity. This hyperactivity is caused by brain wave patterns. beta bandIt is located in a specific area of the brain that regulates movement, known as the . subthalamic nucleusor STN. Researchers have developed treatments that modulate STN activity, but it is not known whether changing the associated brain wave patterns can help patients walk more easily.

Previous researchers have shown that electrical stimulation of a patient's skin in different areas can stimulate nerves that regulate muscle tone and other bodily functions. vagus nerve. Scientists in Italy and the United Kingdom recently discovered that a form of electrical stimulation Transauricular vagus nerve stimulation taVNS may help people with Parkinson's disease walk.

To perform taVNS, researchers placed electrodes in the outer ears of Parkinson's disease patients to stimulate the vagus nerve. Scientists had two main questions. Does taVNS reduce STN beta-band wave activity, and does this reduction in activity allow Parkinson's disease patients to walk more easily?

Researchers enrolled 10 people with Parkinson's disease in the study. Each patient was treated with a different type of electrical stimulation to the STN. They asked participants to stop taking traditional Parkinson's medications the night before the taVNS test and turned off electrical stimulation an hour before the test.

During the taVNS test, scientists applied two types of stimulation to each patient. One stimulated the vagus nerve through the ear, and the other stimulated another area that did not affect the brain. imitative stimulus. They ran each type of simulation on the patient four times for two minutes, with one minute in between.

The researchers also measured the patients' involuntary side-to-side movements while walking. swaythe time it took to change direction mid-test, or Rotation timemeasure the total number of steps, step length variability, total walking time, and walking speed, and compare the effects of real and imitation treatments on patients. Finally, each patient's quality of life was physically assessed using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III.

The scientists found that during taVNS, patients' STN beta-band waves were 7% weaker on the right side than during mimic stimulation. They also found that taVNS improved patients' step length variability, total walking time, and walking speed. The researchers also used statistical tests to show that participants with less active STN beta-band brainwave patterns walked faster. However, there was no significant improvement in patients' quality of life based on rating scale scores.

The researchers concluded that taVNS could help Parkinson's patients walk faster, perhaps by altering brain waves in the STN beta band. They also pointed out that taVNS is a non-invasive treatment, meaning it does not require surgery or implantation into the body, and is much more affordable than invasive treatments. The scientists acknowledged that their study was small, and future researchers will look to do more research to further understand how STN beta-band waves are related to gait in Parkinson's disease. He emphasized the need to conduct trials in large patient groups.

Post views: 404

Source: sciworthy.com

The Los Angeles Fires: A Foreseen and Feared Worst-Case Scenario

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

overview

The Los Angeles-area fires are a worst-case scenario, caused by high winds after months of no rain.
Fire experts, past reports, and risk assessments all predicted wildfire catastrophe to some degree.
The geography and weather of the affected areas, combined with climate change and suburban sprawl in fire-prone areas, created a vulnerable situation.

For the Los Angeles area, the recent series of wildfires represents the worst-case scenario. After months of no significant rain, unusually strong and prolonged Santa Ana winds hit. But the severe effects of the fires are surprising, according to an NBC News review of past fire post-mortem reports, wildfire risk maps, wildfire risk public meetings, and interviews with fire experts. It is said that it is not.

“It’s completely foreseeable,” said Char Miller, a professor of environmental analysis and history at Pomona College.

The fire forced the evacuation of about 180,000 people, knocked out power to about 500,000 customers, and destroyed thousands of homes.

“We’ve been building homes deep in fire zones. We know it’s a fire zone, we know it’s dangerous, and yet city halls and county governments are increasingly We continue to green light development in high-risk locations,” Miller said. “It’s a combination of all the undesirable factors.”

Wildfire risk for homes in Los Angeles County Higher than 99% of U.S. countiesaccording to a federal government analysis. The Pacific Palisades, Hollywood Hills and Altadena are the three areas where the fires are occurring, and are at “very high fire risk.” According to a map from the Los Angeles Fire Department and state.

“It’s not a matter of if, but when,” said Joe Scott, chief fire scientist at wildfire risk consultancy Pyrologics, which worked on the federal analysis. “But this is the high end of what could happen.”

After the Woolsey Fire in November 2018, Review after action We discussed problems similar to those faced by firefighters today.

The flames shot across the Santa Monica Mountains toward homes on the Malibu coast, spreading flames up to a mile from the front line and forcing the evacuation of 250,000 people. More than 1,000 homes were destroyed in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

The report described it as a “perfect storm”.

The report said the speed and intensity of the fire “overwhelmed resources on the scene” and noted that the dead-end canyon road made access for evacuation and firefighting efforts difficult. The review said that given the weather and fire department limitations, initial responses in Malibu and along the Pacific Coast Highway should have focused on protecting lives and providing safety, rather than protecting property. But the public and policymakers did not fully understand that reality, the report said.

“The public has a sense that public institutions will always protect them. As the scale of the Woolsey Fire shows, this is not always possible,” the report said, putting the death toll at 3. He praised the first responders who kept the situation under control.

It concluded that adding more fire engines and taking steps to better prepare homes for potential fires may not be enough to protect new developments in fire-prone areas.

“Even if the current fire weather cycle were to stop, it would occur again,” the report said.

This week, that prediction came true. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone said Wednesday there simply aren’t enough firefighters. Deal with the situation considering the weather conditions.

Firefighters are battling the Palisades fire Tuesday.Ethan Swope/Associated Press

… (Content continues)

Source: www.nbcnews.com

La arrival of La Niña is finally here, but it’s not going to stick around for long

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

La Niña increases the risk of drought in certain regions, as occurred in California in 2022

David McNew/Getty Images

A weak La Niña weather pattern has emerged in the Pacific Ocean several months later than originally expected. Although this will reduce average global temperatures, it will increase the risk of droughts and heavy rains in parts of the world.

The eastern tropical Pacific Ocean transitions from hot to cold and back again in a temperature cycle known as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). La Niña is the cold phase of the cycle. It typically occurs about every three to five years when trade winds strengthen, pushing cold water westward from off the coast of South America.

Sea surface temperatures in that part of the Pacific Ocean have been below average in recent months, but never below the threshold needed to declare a La Niña event. Until nowaccording to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Wind patterns also now reflect La Niña conditions.

The agency expects La Niña to last until April 2025, before temperatures return to normal.

Even as a weak event, below-average sea surface temperatures are expected to have a unique impact on global weather patterns, increasing the risk of drought in parts of North and South America and torrential rain in Australia and the Southeast. has been. Asia.

He also notes that La Niña events tend to lower global average temperatures, and that this cooling effect is proportional to the strength of the event. Pedro Dinegio At the University of Colorado Boulder. Dinezio said the transition from warm El Niño conditions to neutral La Niña conditions has brought temperatures down, but they are still above average in many parts of the world.

That also applies to the ocean. A transition to La Niña means temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are colder than average. However, global sea surface temperatures are still rising 0.5℃ or more Above average.

“The oceans, in particular, were record warm and slow to cool in mid-to-late 2023,” he said. Karin Gleeson He spoke at a press conference at NOAA in December, before La Niña officially occurred.

It is not unusual for a La Niña event to occur this late, even after a strong El Niño event. But that change will occur several months later than forecasters expected. It remains unclear why predictions were so far off and whether anthropogenic climate change played a role in the delay.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Ex-European tech leader accuses Elon Musk of lying during AfD interview

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A former EU leader in the technology sector alleges that the EU attempted to prevent the owner of Company X from meeting with the co-leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party, branding Elon Musk as “outrageous.” He accused, “You’re lying.”

Thierry Breton, who spearheaded the passing of ambitious legislation to regulate big tech and stepped down as European commissioner in September, claimed that the EU was striving to censor Musk’s scheduled meeting with Alice Weidel. He asserted that it was deceitful to suggest otherwise.

The US billionaire asserted on his social media platforms: “First, the EU tried to hinder my online conversation with President @realDonaldTrump. Now they are trying to block people from hearing my discussion with Alice Weidel, a potential future German chancellor. It appears that these individuals truly detest democracy.”

His tweet referred to a letter Breton sent to Musk prior to a similar discussion with Donald Trump in August. In the letter, Breton reminded Musk of his responsibilities under the Digital Services Act (DSA) not to enable the “amplification of harmful content.”

Following Musk’s announcement of his intention to interview Weidel, whose party holds a 19% approval rating and is anti-immigration, Breton issued a similar caution to Weidel via a social media post. “I reached out to him, but it appears to have been a stunt.” This led to accusations against Musk on Wednesday.

In an interview with the Guardian, Breton stated: “[Musk] is trying to portray the EU as stifling conversations. We are distorting information here.”

When asked if Musk could be lying, Breton responded: “No one attempted to prevent him from speaking to Trump, or to Germany.”

The Frenchman mentioned that he has always had a positive and constructive relationship with Musk in person.

X did not provide any comments. Musk recently criticized Breton as “annoying,” and in August referenced a quote from the satirical film Tropic Thunder, telling the then-commissioner to “take a big step back and literally defecate on himself.”

The dispute is the latest in a series instigated by Musk in recent weeks, including hostile remarks towards British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, provoking outrage across Europe.

Breton called on leaders to denounce the propagation of misinformation and hatred. “Leadership is crucial, especially in these times. Europe can only thrive with strong leadership.”

X is currently under investigation by the European Commission under the DSA, partly initiated by Breton. The company mentioned that it is “collaborating with the regulatory process” and is committed to creating a safe and inclusive platform for all users while safeguarding freedom of expression.

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Insiders indicated that the verdict was expected in the fall of 2023, but X needed time to prepare a legal defense. Some anticipated that conclusions would be disclosed soon.

Breton declined to address the investigation but emphasized that the DSA is not intended to silence critics or curb the freedom of speech cherished by all European democracies. He reiterated that such a notion does not exist.

“Freedom of speech is of utmost importance in Europe, vital for democracy across all member states, and non-negotiable for the Court of Justice,” he affirmed.

However, he emphasized that it operates within a legal framework that also prohibits anti-Semitic remarks, racist hate speech, and terrorism apologists, which tech companies must be cautious of.

“These are forbidden by law in physical spaces, on streets, in media, and now in the digital realm,” he stated, pointing out that social media companies, unlike traditional media, wield immense power to disseminate content to audiences and must acknowledge the responsibility that comes with it.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Nomination for the 2025 Award for Reverse Nomination Determinism

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

An intelligent approach?

Feedback always falls on deaf ears when I see publications with self-aggrandizing titles. So we noticed one social media post with interest. rebecca shearDemographers at Brunel University in London, publisher Elsevier, said: “The new editor was chosen by intelligence”.

intelligenceAs you know, this isconsiderable contribution It leads to an understanding of the nature and function of intelligence. ” Feedback cannot confirm that the editor has changed.About” page was not updated, but it has been updated. advertise There have been reports that most of the editorial board has resigned in protest against the appointment of a new editor-in-chief, but since the report was published on a far-right website, the feedback is unwilling to be believed without further evidence.

Wait a minute, you might be thinking that. How did a scientific journal change editors and transition into a far-right website?The question is, especially in the eugenics movement of the early 20th century, intelligence research justified claims of racial superiority. It is said that it was sometimes exploited for this purpose. and intelligence You published a study that your racist uncle might cite favorably.

Looks like someone at Elsevier has noticed. guardian Reported Publisher I was considering a paper by the late Richard Linn who claimed to have discovered differences in IQ between countries. Including papers on intelligence.

Now that things are getting a little dark, let's move on to another issue quickly. intelligence: Defining characteristics are clearly missing. Shear highlighted a paper with an innocuous-looking title.Temperature and evolutionary novelty as forces supporting the evolution of general intelligence”.

The driving force is when homo sapiens The first people to migrate outside Africa encountered all sorts of new conditions, including different climates. This allowed them to evolve higher levels of intelligence. What this means for the people of Africa is left to the reader's guess.

If this all sounds like something from the good old days of Victorian science, Feedback regrets to inform you that this paper was actually first published online in 2007. But when you swallow your nausea and take a closer look, the real joy appears.

The first problem is that the authors are calculating the distance that the population has traveled “as if by flying.” Even as a first approximation to the history of great human migrations, straight-line distances cannot be used. The history of the Great Human Migration involves people traveling to the far northeast of Asia, into North America, and on to the southern tip of South America.

But it gets better. In the same sentence, the paper's authors say they calculated the distance “using the Pythagorean theorem.” The reader will be reminded that the Pythagorean theorem only applies to planes and not to curved surfaces. Yes, this study of the racial origins of intelligence is built on the premise that the Earth is flat.

While there are many restrictions placed on academics, 2009 rebuttal He suggested the study may be “questionable.” Other psychologists also brought this issue to the attention of the magazine, only to be told that their criticisms were as follows:completely negative and noisy”.Paper remains alive.

Therefore, feedback would like to recommend the journal intelligence Winner of the 2025 Reverse Nomination Determinism Award.

40 eyelashes

new scientist Reporter Carmela Padavich Callahan emphasizes that: paper They describe the reason for their curly eyelashes as “ridiculous enough to warrant feedback.” Excuse me: This is a very serious column about serious things.

The research is mainly about the physics of eyelashes, explaining how they move water away from our eyes and allow us to see even when it's raining. The process relies on “hydrophobic curved flexible fiber arrays with surface microratchets and macrocurvature.” Much has been written about the importance of eyelash curvature for adhesion and water drainage.

Then proceed to the discussion section. There, as Carmela coolly notes, “authors delve into aesthetic advice.” Modern beauty standards encourage women to use mascara “to lengthen and condition eyelashes,” which “compromises the eyelash's protective function.” But don't worry. The solution is just around the corner. “As a hint, for those with sparse eyelashes, hydrophobic curved false eyelashes may be a practical solution to enhance your appearance while maintaining eye protection.” Probably patent pending Shall we?

Feedback wonders if the author has any advice for middle-aged writers whose eyebrows grow so long that they end up looking like macaroni penguins if they aren't trimmed regularly. For a friend.

Worst reading material ever

Some form of feedback has reached the mailing list of Spines, a technology company aiming to revolutionize the publishing industry through the power of artificial intelligence.

by Utilizing AI To do editing and other work done previously by a skilled and paid person, thorn aims to publish 8000 books in 2025. The feedback says “Yes, please.” When we look at the publishing industry's structural problems, such as its abysmal fact-checking standards for non-fiction works, we conclude that what we really need is an even larger volume of even lower-quality books. There is nothing else.

Have a story for feedback?

You can email your article to Feedback at feedback@newscientist.com. Please enter your home address. This week's and past feedback can be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Review: Grunn – A Unique Blend of Gardening Sim and Survival Horror Thriller Game

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

ILooks like it’s going to be a fun vacation. A week spent tending to the absentee landlord’s garden in a remote village in the Netherlands. Birds chirping in the trees, a picturesque church just across the path. But there’s something wrong with designer Tom van den Boogaart’s surreal and quietly creepy puzzle game. All the tools are missing and the villagers are strange and have been warned not to go out at night. Additionally, the sky is a hallucinogenic red and orange haze, and you can sometimes see someone watching you from behind a door or through a window. What the heck is going on?

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/QDxm5HEYbt8?wmode=opaque&feature=oembed" title="Grunn – Official Launch Trailer" height="480" width="854" allowfullscreen="

Grunn is somehow part gardening sim, part point-and-click adventure, and part survival horror thriller. Once you’ve found your scissors and trowel, you can spend your time sorting hedges and digging up molehills, but you can also explore small hamlets and their lonely haunted places. You can often find discarded Polaroid photos that provide photo clues as to where the next tool is. You may find tools and puzzle items. There is a day/night cycle in the background, and as you venture out into the darkness, strange glitches and ghostly beings can be glimpsed at the edge of your vision. As you explore, you will have to fight against dangers that can cost you your life. Then I start all over again, relying only on my memories and photos.

As a result, you feel like you’re trapped inside an Alejandro Jodorowsky movie. Ominous and strange, yet beautiful and compelling. Everywhere you look, there are eerie images, from skeletons lying on riverbanks to strange children sitting alone in bus stops and ferry cafeterias. The puzzles are clever and challenging, and the blocky, discordant visuals make the entire environment feel like the uncanny valley of the mind. If you’re looking for a completely different kind of challenge in a decidedly unnatural open world, Grunn offers more than the gentle rural idyll it was initially promised.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Researchers recommend making keeping spaces clean and tidy a global UN goal.

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artist’s impression of space junk orbiting Earth

Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Alamy

The growing threat of space debris should be addressed with a new global agreement to protect Earth’s orbit, says a group of researchers calling on the United Nations to make space protection a key international goal.

Although there are existing guidelines for tackling space debris, such as the 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty, the researchers write in the journal: one earth calls for further action to “raise awareness about the use of orbital resources and the increased risk of orbital contamination while sending a strong message that Earth’s orbit is not disconnected from Earth.”

Specifically, the research team proposes adding space protection to the United Nations’ existing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are 17 broad goals set for member countries to achieve by 2030. These goals include eradicating poverty, promoting quality education and gender equality, accessing affordable and clean energy, and tackling climate change. “We know from the ocean that it is very difficult to remove debris that has washed ashore,” Koldewey said. “We want to avoid the same thing happening in space.”

To fix this, the researchers want to add 18.^th The SDGs include ensuring that end-of-life satellites and rockets are removed from orbit to prevent collisions and the creation of new debris, as well as introducing fines and legislation to ensure accountability. “We know from the ocean that it is very difficult to remove debris that has washed ashore,” Koldewey said. “We want to avoid the same thing happening in space.”

The number of operating satellites in orbit has increased rapidly in recent years, from less than 3,000 in 2020 to more than 10,000 today. Most of that increase will come down to the roughly 7,000 satellites that make up SpaceX’s Starlink space internet megaconstellation. Other companies and countries, including Amazon and China, are planning thousands more services while building large groups of their own. In addition to this, there are thousands of empty rockets and millions of pieces of space junk orbiting the Earth.

Include space debris in 18^th says the SDGs have the potential to raise the profile of issues Heather Koldeway At the Zoological Society of London. “Anything that raises awareness of space debris has to be good,” he says. But he says getting countries to act is more difficult. “If you roll 18^th SDGs, what’s next?” he says. “All international agreements and treaties are products of compromise.”

Hugh Lewis A space debris expert at the University of Southampton in the UK said creating a space-focused SDG would be a “worthy endeavour.” However, he added that mechanisms to tackle space debris, such as the United Nations long-term sustainability goals For space activities and more localized activities, such as in the United States, where the Federal Communications Commission has introduced. 5 year rule Removing dead satellites from orbit. “It’s hard to argue that it’s not already on the UN agenda,” Lewis says.

There is also the question of whether the SDGs will achieve their goals. Last year, the United Nations reported: less than one-fifth Of the 17 existing SDGs, progress is on track.

On top of that, the problem is that nothing meaningful will happen without the agreement of SpaceX and its owner Elon Musk. “You can’t talk about space governance without talking about it now,” Newman said. “We can no longer just look at member states.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

How have saber-toothed animals evolved multiple times?

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

saber-toothed tiger skull (Smilodon)

steve morton

Predators have evolved saber teeth many times throughout the history of life. And now we have a better understanding of why these teeth develop the way they do.

Saber teeth have very special characteristics. Very long, sharp canine teeth that tend to be slightly flat and curved rather than round. Such teeth have evolved independently at least five times in different groups of mammals, and fossils of saber-toothed tiger predators have been found in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

These teeth were first known to appear in mammal-like reptiles called gorgonopsians about 270 million years ago. Another example is Thylacosmiluswhich became extinct about 2.5 million years ago and was most closely related to marsupials. Saber teeth were last seen Smilodonoften referred to as the saber-toothed tiger, existed until about 10,000 years ago.

To find out why these teeth continued to re-evolve, Talia Pollock and colleagues from the University of Bristol, UK, examined the canine teeth of 95 species of carnivorous mammals, including 25 species of saberodonts.

First, the researchers measured, classified, and modeled the shape of the teeth. They then 3D printed a smaller version of each tooth in metal and tested its performance in a puncture test in which the teeth were mechanically pushed into a gelatin block designed to mimic the density of animal tissue.

This showed that the saber teeth could drill into the block with up to 50% less force than the other teeth, Pollock said.

The researchers then evaluated the tooth shape and puncture performance data using a measure called the Pareto rank ratio. This determines how optimal the tooth is in terms of strength or puncture.

“Carnivores’ teeth need to be sharp and thin enough to pierce the flesh of their prey, but they also need to be blunt and strong so they don’t break when the animal bites,” Pollock says.

i like animals Smilodon It had very long saber teeth. “These teeth probably appeared over and over again because they’re the perfect design for puncture,” Pollock says. “They’re very good at drilling holes, but that also means they’re a little more fragile.” For example, California’s La Brea tar pits have Smilodonsome broken tooth.

Other saberodonts also had teeth shaped ideally for slightly different tasks. cat Dino Feliz According to Pollock, they had squatter saber teeth for a more even balance of sting and strength.

The teeth of other saber-toothed species fall between these optimal shapes, which may be why some saber-toothed teeth did not last very long. “These are trade-offs,” Pollock said. “Aspects of the shape of your teeth make you good at some things and bad at others.”

One of the leading theories as to why the saber-toothed tiger species went extinct is that the ecosystem changed and the large prey that the saber-toothed species, such as mammoths, were thought to have gone after disappeared.

The team’s blowout findings support this. Giant teeth would not have been as effective in catching prey as large as rabbits, and the risk of tooth breakage here may have increased, making saber-tooths more effective prey. would have been defeated by someone. Pollock says it’s difficult to hunt prey like cats with small teeth.

“As ecological and environmental conditions changed, highly specialized saber-toothed tiger predators quickly became unable to adapt and went extinct.” Stefan Lautenschlager At the University of Birmingham, UK.

“I think that’s part of the reason why this saber-toothed form hasn’t evolved again now. We don’t have megafauna,” he says. Julie Michen At Des Moines University, Iowa. “The prey isn’t there.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

BepiColombo captures images of Mercury’s shadowed craters and volcanic lands

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The bright and dark part of Mercury's north pole seen from the BepiColombo spacecraft

ESA/BepiColombo/MTM

These images illustrate the pockmarked surface of Mercury and are a preview of what to expect as the BepiColombo mission enters orbit around the innermost region of our solar system in late 2026.

Since its launch in 2018, the joint Japan-Europe spacecraft BepiColombo has made six flybys of Mercury, gradually decelerating with each pass to fine-tune its trajectory for orbital insertion. While the mission’s primary scientific instruments are yet to be utilized, the spacecraft’s cameras have already provided detailed images of the planet.

The European Space Agency (ESA) recently released three striking images captured during BepiColombo’s latest flyby on January 8, taken from an altitude of around 300 kilometers above Mercury’s north pole and northern regions.

David Rothery, from the Open University, UK, shared his excitement about the images, saying, “We had to wake up early to see these close-ups, and they exceeded our expectations based on simulated views we studied beforehand.”

The image above showcasing Mercury’s north pole reveals the sharp contrast between light and darkness on the planet, known as the terminator line. This region shows extreme temperature variations, with some areas exposed to scorching sunlight while others remain perpetually shaded within craters.

Notably, shadowed regions containing potential frozen water deposits can be observed along the terminator line in the image. Rothery further highlights the fascinating details visible, such as the sunlit peak inside Tolkien Crater, providing key insights for the mission’s scientific objectives.

Scientific investigations suggest that these shadowed crater areas may harbor frozen water, a key aspect of BepiColombo’s mission to uncover the presence and extent of water on Mercury.

Mercury's vast volcanic plain known as Borealis Planum

ESA/BepiColombo/MTM

Mesmerizing images from BepiColombo’s mission highlight Mercury’s expansive volcanic plain known as Borealis Planitia, formed over 3 billion years ago from massive lava flows that engulfed existing craters, some of which are visible in the image. While most of these plains are relatively smooth, more recent impact craters provide intriguing targets for scientific study.

Spanning 1,500 kilometers, the Caloris Basin is the largest crater on Mercury, appearing as a semicircular light-colored feature on the planet’s surface. Once BepiColombo enters orbit, researchers aim to investigate the relationships between the Caloris Basin, Borealis Planitia, and the solidified lava flows connecting them.

Natal Facula, believed to be the remains of the largest volcanic eruption in Mercury's history, is seen as a bright spot in this image.

ESA/BepiColombo/MTM

The illuminated region at the top of the planet, known as Natal Facula, is believed to be the aftermath of Mercury’s most significant volcanic eruption. The presence of a central crater, approximately 40 kilometers wide, indicates multiple eruptions that scattered volcanic material over hundreds of kilometers.

Rothery expresses eagerness for future observations of Natal Facula by BepiColombo’s instruments, emphasizing its scientific importance in understanding Mercury’s volcanic history. Discovering the reasons behind Mercury’s enduring volcanic activity remains a key goal of the mission.

topic:

solar system/
space exploration

Source: www.newscientist.com

“Exploring the Untold Tale: A Developer’s Battle to Create a Game on the 1948 Nakba Despite Taboos”

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

IIn the West Bank city of Nablus, Rashid Abueide operates a nut roaster to support his family. Additionally, he is an award-winning game developer. A decade ago, amidst the escalating 2014 Gaza war, he created a compelling video game titled “Lilya and the Shadow of War” which depicts a man’s quest for safety for his daughter and himself. However, amidst the falling missiles, it becomes evident that safety is unattainable. Initially rejected by Apple upon release in 2016 due to inappropriate content, the decision was eventually reversed after a week of protests.

Despite the acclaim and attention “Lilya” received, Abueide struggled to secure funding for his next game through conventional means. His envisioned game, “dream on the pillow,” narrates the story of the 1948 Nakba and reflects on the Arab-Israeli conflict through a mother’s folklore. Rejected nearly 300 times for being contentious and risky, Abueide’s games challenge the narratives surrounding the Palestinian experience, which has long been taboo.

Historical Background…The game’s timeline switches between the protagonist Om’s past and her horrifying present. Photo: Rasheed Abueide

Currently, as conflict rages in his homeland, Abueide is resolute in telling the Palestinian narrative. With the collaboration of a dedicated team, he initiated a crowdfunding campaign to bring “Dreams on a Pillow” to life.

Despite challenges, the team successfully reached its fundraising goal through Launch Good, a platform that acknowledges Muslim causes. This achievement covers a significant portion of the game’s development costs, paving the way for further funding opportunities as the project evolves. Abueide expresses gratitude for overwhelming support and emphasizes the importance of portraying the Palestinian plight in gaming.

“I want to send a message.” Rashid Abueide, who operates a nut roaster in Nablus. Photo: Rasheed Abueide

“The Dream on the Pillow” draws inspiration from a mother fleeing with her infant, inadvertently carrying a pillow and recalling her childhood in Palestine. The game interweaves her journey post-Tantura massacre with nostalgic dreams, using the pillow as a key element for progression but also triggering nightmares. Abueide anticipates a two-year development timeline, underscoring the project’s significance with contingency plans in place for potential interruptions.

Abueide’s ultimate goal is for players to empathize with the Palestinian experience, understanding the lasting impact of past conflicts on present realities. By shedding light on the ongoing struggles of the Palestinian people, he aims to prompt an informed and empathetic response from players.

Source: www.theguardian.com

First successful implementation of automatic error correction on a quantum computer

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Quantum computers could use heat to eliminate errors

Chalmers University of Technology, Lovisa Håkansson

A small cooling device can automatically reset malfunctioning components in a quantum computer. Its performance suggests that manipulating heat may also enable other autonomous quantum devices.

Quantum computers are not yet fully operational because they have too many errors. In fact, if a qubit, a key component of this type of computer, is accidentally heated and has too much energy, it can end up in an incorrect state before calculations can even begin. One way to “reset” a qubit to the correct state is to cool it.

Simone Gasparinetti For the first time, researchers at Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology have delegated this task to an autonomous quantum “fridge.”

Researchers have constructed two qubits and a single qubit, which can store more complex information than a quantum bit, from a tiny superconducting circuit. The qutrit and one of the qubits form a refrigerator for the second target qubit, which can eventually be used for computation.

The researchers investigated the interaction between the three components so that if the target qubit has too much energy and an error occurs, heat automatically flows out of the qubit and into the other two elements. carefully designed. This lowered the temperature of the target qubit and reset it. Because this process is autonomous, qubits and quantum trit refrigerators were able to correct errors without external control.

aamir aliThe researchers, also at Chalmers University of Technology, said this approach to resetting qubits required less new hardware and produced better results than traditional methods. Without a major redesign of the quantum computer or the introduction of new wires, the starting state of the qubit would be accurate 99.97% of the time. In contrast, other reset methods typically only manage 99.8%, he says.

He said this is a powerful example of how thermodynamic machines, which deal with heat, energy, and temperature, can be useful in the quantum realm. nicole junger halpern I worked on this project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Maryland.

Traditional thermodynamic machines like heat engines sparked an entire industrial revolution, but so far quantum thermodynamics hasn't been very practical. “We are interested in making quantum thermodynamics useful, and this potentially useful autonomous quantum refrigerator is our first example,” says Jünger Halpern.

“I'm glad that this machine has been implemented and has become useful. Being autonomous, it does not require external control and should be efficient and versatile,” he says. Nicholas Bruner at the University of Geneva, Switzerland.

Michał Holodeck Researchers at the University of Gdańsk in Poland say one of the most pressing problems for quantum computers built with superconducting circuits is to keep the machines from overheating and causing errors. He says the new experiment paves the way for many similar projects that have been proposed but untested, such as using qubits to build autonomous quantum engines.

The researchers are already considering whether they can take the experiment further. For example, we might create autonomous quantum clocks or design quantum computers with other functions that are automatically driven by temperature differences.

topic:

quantum computing/
quantum physics

Source: www.newscientist.com

Experts warn that Meta police policy changes will cause conflict between EU and UK

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Experts and politicians are warning that significant changes to Meta’s social media platform are setting it on a collision course with lawmakers in the UK and the European Union.

Lawmakers in Brussels and London have criticized Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to remove fact-checkers from Facebook, Instagram, and Threads in the US, with one MP describing it as “absolutely frightening.”

Changes to Meta’s global policy on hateful content now allow users to refer to transgender people as “it,” and the guidelines state that “no mental illness or abnormality based on gender or sexual orientation shall be permitted.”

Chi Onwula, a Labor MP and chair of the House of Commons science and technology committee, has expressed alarm at Zuckerberg’s decision to eliminate professional fact-checkers, calling it “alarming” and “pretty scary.”

Maria Ressa, a Nobel Peace Prize-winning American-Filipino journalist, has warned of “very dangerous times” ahead for journalism, democracy, and social media users due to Meta’s changes.

Damian Collins, the former UK technology secretary, has raised concerns about potential trade negotiations by the Trump administration that could pressure the UK to accept US digital regulatory standards.

Mehta’s move, revealed as a response to Donald Trump’s inauguration, has sparked predictions of challenges from the Trump administration on laws like the Online Safety Act.

Zuckerberg has hinted at extending his policy of removing fact-checkers beyond the US, raising concerns among experts and lawmakers in the UK and EU.

Regulatory scrutiny on Meta’s changes is expected to increase in the UK and EU, with concerns about the spread of misinformation and potential violations of digital services law.

Mehta has assured that content related to suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders will continue to be considered high-severity violations, but concerns remain about the impact on children in the UK.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Why is the proliferation of AI-generated content harming the internet unchecked? – Arwa Mahdawi

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

HWhat do you think, humans? My name is Arwa and I am a genuine member of this species homo sapiens. We are talking about 100% real people; meat space This is it. I am by no means an AI-powered bot. I know, I know. That's exactly what the bot says, isn't it? I think you'll just have to trust me on this matter.

By the way, the reason I have such a hard time pointing this out is because content created by real humans is becoming kind of a novelty these days. The internet is rapidly being overtaken by advances in AI. (It's not clear who coined the term, but “slop” is a sophisticated iteration of Internet spam: low-quality text, video, and images generated by AI.) recent analysis It is estimated that more than half of all English long-form posts on LinkedIn are generated by AI. Meanwhile, many news sites are secretly experimenting with AI-generated content, in some cases signed. Author generated by AI.

Slop is everywhere, but Facebook is actively sloshing strange AI-generated images, including bizarre depictions. Jesus was made of shrimp. Much of the AI-generated content is created by fraudsters looking to drive user engagement, rather than remove them from their platforms. fraudulent purpose – Facebook accepted it. A study conducted last year by researchers at Stanford and Georgetown found that Facebook's recommendation algorithm is accelerating. These AI-generated posts.

Meta also creates its own slops. In 2023, the company began introducing AI-powered profiles like Liv, a “proud black queer mom of two and truth teller.” These didn't get much attention until Meta executive Connor Hayes talked about them. financial times The company announced in December that it plans to fill its platform with AI characters. I don't know why he thought bragging that soon we'll have a platform full of AI characters talking to each other would work, but it didn't. Meta quickly deleted the AI profile after it went viral.

For now, people like Liv may be gone from Meta, but our online future looks increasingly sloppy. The gradual “ensitization” of the Internet, as Cory Doctorow memorably called it, is accelerating. Let's pray that Shrimp Jesus will perform a miracle soon. we need that.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Time to reconsider the impact of uterine fibroids, a widespread silent epidemic among women with 70% affected

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Are you familiar with uterine fibroids? It’s not surprising if you’re not, as they are not widely discussed. However, they can affect 70-80% of women by age 50. Despite being more prevalent among Black women, women of color are often underdiagnosed.

Uterine fibroids are growths of muscle and fibrous tissue in the uterus, typically occurring in women aged 30-50. These fibroids can vary in size and shape and can be found in different layers of the uterus, leading to various symptoms.

Although referred to as “benign” tumors by doctors, uterine fibroids can still cause numerous issues, such as heavy menstruation, lower abdominal pain, and pressure on other organs when they grow large enough.

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2025/01/fibroids.mp4

A CT scan showing a large solid mass in the uterus, indicating a uterine fibroid

Uterine fibroids are influenced by genetics, family history, and ethnicity, as well as hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which stimulate their growth. While pregnancy can lead to an increase in fibroid size due to higher hormone levels, they are commonly detected through ultrasound scans.

Treatment options for uterine fibroids vary based on symptoms and pregnancy plans. Some women may opt for monitoring small, asymptomatic fibroids, while others may choose drug therapy to reduce hormone levels and shrink the fibroids.

Surgical treatments like myomectomy or hysterectomy can also be considered, but these may not be suitable for women looking to conceive. Uterine fibroids can significantly impact pregnancy, increasing the risk of complications like miscarriage and premature birth.

Despite available treatments, awareness of uterine fibroids remains low. Increasing awareness about menstrual health and pregnancy complications is crucial for timely and effective treatment.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New discovery of fossils reveals a revamped dinosaur evolutionary history

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

American paleontologists have discovered the fossilized remains of a new species of sauropod dinosaur that lived in the northern hemisphere (Laurasian supercontinent) during the Carnian period of the late Triassic period, about 230 million years ago.

reconstruction of Avaitum banduichethe world's oldest known low-latitude dinosaur species. Image credit: Gabriel Uguet.

Until now, it was thought that dinosaurs originated deep in the high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere (Gondwana supercontinent).

The dinosaur fauna of Gondwana and the earliest dinosaur occurrences in the Northern Hemisphere (Laurasian supercontinent) were separated by 6 to 10 million years.

However, the newly described Laurasia species lived at the same time as the oldest known southern dinosaurs.

named Avaitum banduicheThis sauropod is the oldest known Laurasian dinosaur.

“Avaitum banduiche Dr. Dave Loveless of the University of Wisconsin Museum of Geology and his colleagues found that “Dinosaurs lived in Laurasia during or shortly after a period of huge climate change known as the Carnian Plug, which previously led to the diversification of dinosaur species. “It was involved in the early stages of.” .

“The climate at the time was much wetter than before, turning vast, hot desert regions into more hospitable habitats for early dinosaurs.”

Avaitum banduiche It was about 1 meter (3 feet) long from head to tail.

“Avaitum banduiche “It's basically the size of a chicken, but it has a very long tail,” Dr. Lovelace said.

“We think of dinosaurs as giant behemoths, but they didn't start out that way.”

fossil remains are Avaitum banduiche It was discovered in 2013 at Garrett's Surprise (named after Garrett Johnson, the undergraduate field assistant who discovered the locality), a small outcrop of the Popo Aggie Formation in Wyoming.

“These fossils reveal the world's oldest equatorial dinosaur, which is also the oldest North American dinosaur,” Dr. Loveless said.

At the same Garrett's Surprise site, paleontologists also discovered fossilized bones of dinosaur-like creatures called silesaurids.

“The presence of early low-latitude sauropods from the Northern Hemisphere, along with silesaurids, 230 million years ago casts doubt on the hypothesis that the dispersal of dinosaurs from high-latitude Gondwana was delayed.” the researchers said.

“These data fill a critical gap in the early record of the evolution of sauropod dinosaurs and demonstrate a wide geographic distribution from mid-to-late Carnian times.”

their result will appear in Zoological journal of the Linnean Society.

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David M. Lovelace others. 2025. Rethinking the origins of dinosaurs: The oldest known equatorial dinosaur population (Mid-Late Carnian Popo Aggie FM, Wyoming, USA). Zoological journal of the Linnean Society 203 (1): zlae153;doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae153

Source: www.sci.news

UAV Technology Reveals Hidden Secrets of Ancient Mega-Fortress in Southern Georgia

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

High-resolution UAV-based aerial survey of the massive Bronze Age fortress Domanissis Gora in Georgia, South Caucasus, reveals the extent of a large external fortification system and settlements that are largely undocumented in the region. The exceptional size of D. gora helps add a new dimension to population assembly models in Eurasia and other regions.

Aerial photo of the Domanisis Gora ruins. It shows where two canyons meet. Excavation work on the inner fortress in 2023 is visible in the foreground. Image credit: Nathaniel Erb-Satullo.

Fortified settlements in the South Caucasus appeared between 1500 and 500 BC and represent an unprecedented development in the region’s prehistory.

Located on the border between Europe, the Eurasian steppe and the Middle East, the Caucasus region has a long history as a crossroads of cultures with a unique regional identity.

In a new study, archaeologists focused on Domanisis Gora, a 60-80 hectare fortified settlement in Georgia that is exceptional in its preservation and size.

Dr. Nathaniel Erb Satullo of the Cranfield Institute of Forensic Sciences at Cranfield University and his colleagues wrote: “The fortifications of Domanisis Gora consisted of a double-walled fortified core and a much larger outer shell with additional fortifications. “There is,” he said.

“Two steep-sided gorges, 60 meters deep in places, supplement the defensive walls.”

“Previous research had noted that the site had an unusually large walled enclosure, but the site had not been systematically mapped.”

The researchers used the DJI Phantom 4 RTK drone, which can provide less than 2 cm relative position accuracy and very high-resolution aerial imagery.

To obtain high-precision maps containing man-made features, each feature in the aerial images was carefully checked to confirm its identity.

To understand how the landscape at the site has evolved, the orthophotos were compared to 50-year-old photos taken by a Cold War-era reconnaissance satellite that was declassified in 2013.

This gave scientists much-needed insight into which features are recent and which are old.

The team was also able to assess which areas of the ancient settlement were damaged by modern agriculture.

All of these data sets were integrated into geographic information system (GIS) software to help identify patterns and changes in the landscape.

“The drone takes approximately 11,000 photos and uses advanced software to combine these photos with a high-resolution digital elevation model and orthophotos, which show every point as if looking directly down. We created a composite photo,” said Dr. Elvusaturo.

The researchers found that the Domanisis Gora ruins were more than 40 times larger than originally thought, and included a large outer settlement protected by a kilometer-long wall.

“Using a drone, we were able to understand the importance of the site and document it in a way that would not be possible on the ground,” said Dr. Herv Saturo.

“Domanisis Gora is not only an important discovery for the South Caucasus region, but also has broader significance for the diversity of large-scale settlement structures and their formation processes.”

“We hypothesize that Domanicis gora may have expanded through interaction with mobile pastoral groups, with large settlements outside it expanding and contracting seasonally.”

“The site has now been extensively mapped and further research will be initiated to gain insight into areas such as population density and density, livestock movements and agricultural practices.”

The team’s paper was published in a magazine ancient.

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Nathaniel L. Erb-Saturo others. Megaforts of the South Caucasus: New data from southern Georgia. ancientpublished online on January 8, 2025. doi: 10.15184/aqy.2024.197

Source: www.sci.news

Evidence of Electrical Signaling and Coordinated Behavior Uncovered in Choanoflagellates by Biologists

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists of University of Bergen: The surprising diversity of behavior within the rosette-shaped colony has been revealed. Salpingoeca Rosetta is a rare species of choanoflagellates – the closest relatives of animals.

Artwork depicting calcium signaling in rosette colonies of choanoflagellates Salpingoeca Rosetta. Image credit: Davis Laundon & Kate Zvorykina, Ella MAR Studio, Inc.

“We discovered that communication takes place between the cells of the colony, which regulates the overall shape of the rosette and the beating of the ciliary body,” said Dr. Jeffrey Colgren, a researcher at the Michael Szasz Center at the University of Bergen. Ta.

“Before I put the cultures under the microscope, I didn’t really have any expectations of what I was going to see in the cultures, but once I saw them, I was really excited.”

Multicellularity is a defining feature of all animals, allowing animals to interact with their environment in unique ways by integrating input from highly specialized cell types such as neurons and muscle cells. make it possible.

In the case of choanoflagellates, flagellated bacterial organisms found in marine and aquatic environments around the world, the boundaries between unicellularity and multicellularity are less clear-cut.

including some species Salpingoeca Rosetta exhibiting a complex life cycle that includes a colonial period.

Colonies are formed by cell division, similar to the development of animal embryos, but they do not have specialized cell types and resemble groups of individual cells rather than cohesive organisms.

“Salpingoeca Rosetta “This is a powerful model to study the emergence of multicellularity in animal evolution,” said Dr. Pawel Burkhardt, also from the Michael Saas Center at the University of Bergen.

“Our study provides interesting insights into early sensorimotor systems, as it reveals that colonial flagellates coordinate their movements through a common signaling pathway.”

Using a newly developed genetic tool that can visualize calcium activity Salpingoeca Rosetta The authors found that the cells synchronize their behavior through voltage-gated calcium channels, the same type of channels used by neurons and muscle cells in animals.

“This evidence of how information flows between cells in a choanoflagellate colony points to cell-to-cell signaling at the apex of multicellularity,” Dr. Colgren said.

“Surprisingly, this discovery suggests that the ability to coordinate movement at the cellular level predates the first animals.”

The research team now plans to further investigate how signals are propagated between cells and whether similar mechanisms exist in other choanoflagellate species.

“The tools developed and the results of this study reveal many new and interesting questions,” said Dr. Colgren.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing what direction ourselves and others take this in the future.”

a paper A description of the discovery was published in a magazine scientific progress.

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Jeffrey Colgren and Pawel Burkhardt. 2025. Electrical signaling and cooperative behavior in animals’ closest relatives. scientific progress 11(2);doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adr7434

Source: www.sci.news

Newly discovered Silurian fossils provide insight into the intricate early development of molluscs

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have discovered two new three-dimensionally preserved aculiferous mollusks from the Silurian period, showing that the earliest molluscs were more complex and adaptable than previously known. It was revealed that there was.

3D model of punk ferox (above) and emo swirl (Bottom) Reconstructed as a digital virtual fossil. Image credit: Mark Sutton, Imperial College London.

The two new Aculifera species are punk ferox and emo swirllived about 430 million years ago.

The specimen was discovered in a Silurian deposit in the county of Herefordshire, England.

These had distinctive spikes and other features that set them apart from the earlier molluscs mentioned above.

Dr Mark Sutton, a paleontologist at Imperial College London, said: “Molluscans are one of the largest and most diverse groups of animals on Earth.

“However, early acripheran molluscs are less well known than their relatives.”

“Information about this group was limited, and for a very long time we thought they were fairly basic, simple, and primitive.”

“It's extremely rare to find fossils that are so well-preserved and have such detailed soft tissues.”

“We were able to create 'virtual fossils', or 3D digital models. This provided us with a treasure trove of information and revealed that the evolutionary branches of molluscs include: It helps you understand that punk ferox and emo swirl It was much more evolutionarily rich and diverse than we expected. similar to other mollusk groups. ”

Sutton and his colleagues used two different methods to obtain clear images of both the interior and exterior of the fossil.

First, an X-ray scan was used to closely observe the internal structure without damaging the exterior.

The fossil is then carefully crushed into very thin layers and photographed at each stage to create 3D images of its external features.

The researchers found that both fossils had smooth undersides, suggesting they lived on the ocean floor, and both had some unique features and unconventional locomotion strategies.

of emo swirl The fossil is preserved in a folded position, suggesting it moved like an inchworm to grasp the vertebrae and push forward.

Meanwhile, how punk ferox Scientists weren't sure if it was still mobile, but it turned out that it had ridge-like legs, unlike any mollusk that exists today.

“The name is punk ferox and emo swirl In fact, our first nicknames for these ancient mollusks were inspired by some of their unique features and personalities,” Dr. Sutton said.

“punk ferox In particular, its spiky appearance clearly resembles a rebellious punk rocker. emo swirl It complemented it nicely. ”

“meanwhile punk ferox They resemble insect-like molluscs with long spines, but also have wide legs and chiton-like gills. ”

“emo swirlIt resembles an earthworm with a similarly long body and spines, but also features a chiton-like shell and compressed body. ”

“Such a combination of features helps us better understand the evolutionary tree of molluscs. This points to a story involving more complexity and diversity than previously thought.”

of study Published in a magazine nature.

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MD Sutton others. New Silurian aculiferan fossils reveal the mollusk's complex early history. naturepublished online on January 8, 2025. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08312-0

Source: www.sci.news

Unusually parched with fierce gusts

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the return of offshore wind power is expected to keep fire danger high across the region through Friday morning. Storm Prediction Center.

Santa Ana winds pick up speed as they blow westward down the Great Basin and are typical for this time of year. But when winds gust over the mountains of Southern California toward the Pacific Coast, conditions are usually not completely dry.

“Normally, everything would be wet by now, which means the chances of a fire leading to an out-of-control conflagration like what we're seeing now are much lower,” Moritz said. .

The Palisades Fire burns in a storm on the west side of Los Angeles on Tuesday, with winds shaking the embers.
Ringo Chiu/Reuters

The Palisades Fire has already burned more than 15,000 acres. The Eaton Fire, which broke out in the Pasadena and Altadena areas Tuesday night, has burned more than 10,000 acres. In Sylmar, the Hearst Fire also grew to 500 acres. According to of Cal Ifornia Forest and Fire Protection Service (California) fire ).

All three fires have a 0% containment rate, and firefighting efforts are facing difficult conditions due to continued strong winds.

These catastrophic fires are expected to become more frequent as climate change amplifies the ingredients that help wildfires ignite and spread. Most of California's largest wildfires have occurred in the past decade. According to Cal Fire.

Fires are usually caused by hot, dry, and windy conditions. Moritz said there isn't enough research yet to know whether climate change is causing significant changes in winds, but said global warming is already having an impact on rainfall and droughts. .

The Palisades Fire burns along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Wednesday.
Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

“Climate change is causing more erratic and extreme precipitation patterns,” he said. “This effect on precipitation is very important because we have wetter periods and drier dry periods, and overall the timing of precipitation has become very erratic.”

That means areas like Southern California could experience severe flooding at one point, like in March, and then go into drought months later. Moritz said vacillating between these extremes puts people and their communities at high risk.

“This is a climate signal in all of this that we have now opened this window where such large-scale, devastating extreme events can occur,” he said. Ta.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Firefighting efforts made difficult as water tanks run dry.

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Eric Porth, director of the California Water Resources Institute, mentioned that having more water tanks in the Palisades area could have been beneficial. However, he noted that municipal water systems, like the one in place, are primarily used for extinguishing residential fires and not typically designed for larger scale emergencies. He emphasized that the current situation has resulted in a significant burn scar that is overwhelming the existing water resources.

Los Angeles officials have advised residents to reduce their water consumption in light of the ongoing fire situation. Quiñones, from the water department, highlighted the need for water conservation to ensure that fire departments have enough resources to combat fires effectively.

Furthermore, a 48-hour boil water notice was issued for a specific zip code that includes the Palisades area and neighboring communities due to declining water quality caused by the fire and ash particles in the system.

Ajami expressed concerns about potential water contamination due to the drop in water pressure during the fire. She pointed out that the compromised pipeline infrastructure could allow external contaminants to enter the system.

Mark Gold, director of water scarcity solutions at the Natural Resources Defense Council, emphasized the impact of climate change on the frequency and intensity of fires. He underscored the need to reassess infrastructure in order to better cope with such disasters.

President-elect Donald Trump has criticized California Governor Gavin Newsom for the wildfires in Los Angeles, attributing the situation to a policy dispute regarding water allocation in the state.

In response to Trump’s accusations, Governor Newsom’s communications director clarified that there is no such document as a Water Restoration Proclamation and emphasized Newsom’s commitment to prioritizing public safety and supporting firefighters.

Gold, formerly associated with the Newsom administration, identified infrastructure issues and environmental factors as key contributors to the water resource challenges in Southern California.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Robots are challenging our understanding of emperor penguins

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The breeding season for emperor penguins is fraught with danger.

Stefan Christmann/naturepl.com

A rover silently explores a forbidding icy landscape. Suddenly it buzzed to life and spotted an emperor penguin. A 90-centimeter-long robot with a scanning antenna saunters toward the bird, searching for signals from the RFID chip under the penguin's skin to finally understand this enigmatic species. Record important information that may be useful.

Emperor penguins are quickly becoming the stars of countless nature documentaries. 2005 movie march of penguins. This media exposure may give the impression that we have a solid understanding of their ecology. it's not. Almost all of that footage was collected from just two breeding colonies on opposite sides of Antarctica, which make up perhaps 10 percent of the emperor penguin population. For decades, the hundreds of thousands of emperors who lived elsewhere along the continent's coasts were virtually unstudied.

That situation is now changing. Over the past 15 years, researchers have learned more about these birds using new technology, including satellites that can spot colonies from space and AI-powered robots that scan them on the ground. . “I hope we're starting to enter a golden age of research,” he says. Daniel Zitterbart At Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts.

The research has already revealed subtle differences in the genetics and behavior of penguins at different points along the Antarctic coast, showing that penguins are surprisingly adaptable to changing conditions. But these discoveries were made amid rapid warming in the region, leading the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to declare him “Emperor.” Endangered species in 2022.…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Optimal AI Implementation Can Enhance Healthcare and Save Lives

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Physicians as a whole are a very smart group, but they can be resistant to change. The most famous example is probably the 19th century surgeon who refused to wash his hands when going from the mortuary to the delivery room, spreading undiscovered microorganisms that led to the infant's death. Hungarian doctor Ignaz Semmelweis collected statistics to argue that soap and water can save lives, but was ridiculed and ostracized.

Today, we live in more enlightened times and medical practices are generally supported by evidence, but do we always have the right evidence to make changes? For example, do we always have the right evidence to make changes? There are also indications that bringing it into clinical practice could save lives. As we report in “AI Helps Radiologists Detect Breast Cancer During Physical Exams,” radiologists who choose to use image classification AI to help detect breast cancer are detected one extra case per 1,000 people. Across the health system, the impact can be significant.

Does that mean we should encourage doctors to ditch the scrubs and let the machines do it? Far from it. AI systems with large language models like ChatGPT can pass multiple-choice medical tests, but do poorly at conversational diagnosis (see “AI Chatbot Fails Conversational Diagnosis of Patients”). ). Physicians with a good bedside manner and a listening ear remain essential for now.

We should be bolder when testing medical AI systems in real-world settings

Instead, there are two conclusions that can be drawn from these studies. The first is that we need to be careful in using the general term “artificial intelligence.” Although the two systems we report share underlying neural network technology, image classification is a completely different task than text generation, and the latter risks the AI spitting out plausible but inaccurate results. much higher. In other words, not all AIs are created equal.

The second conclusion is that we need to be more bold in testing medical AI systems in real-world settings, not just in the lab or in simulations. The breast cancer study showed that AI can be a useful tool, giving radiologists control over when to use it. This effort to obtain more evidence could save lives, as it did for Semmelweis, who is now considered a medical hero.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com