Theodor Diener had a problem. It was in 1967, and he and his colleagues successfully isolated an infectious agent that caused spindle tuber disease in potatoes that destroy crops. But it wasn’t like what they realised. They called it a virus, but it didn’t act like one thing.
It took Diener four years to demonstrate that mystical beings are even simpler than viruses. It is a single “naked” molecule that can infect potato cells and thus reproduce. He suggested calling it a wild. It was the smallest replicating agent ever identified. With a stroke, dinner expanded my understanding of living in the microscope world.
You might think that such a dramatic discovery would, uh, go viral. Almost no one noticed it yet. Apart from several other plant pathologists, the world of science has forgotten much about wilds for half a century. They had never even heard of him in 2020 when Benjamin Lee of the National Center for Biotechnology Information in Bethesda, Maryland, was encouraged to look into Wild.
Since then, there has been an explosion of discovery thanks to Lee and others. Now we know thousands of wilds and violids-like entities, with exotic names such as obelisks, ribojunctions, satellites and more. They appear to be found everywhere in a vast range of organisms and microorganisms. I don’t know what most of them are doing, whether most of them are benign or dangerous. However, these simplest replicators raise basic questions about the meaning of being alive. They can even go back to the origins of…
The incredibly powerful neutrinos that tore through a new Mediterranean particle detector have amazed physicists, offering a first glimpse into some of the universe’s most intense events, such as the collision of ultrafine black holes.
Neutrinos, sometimes known as “ghost particles,” interact minimally with matter due to their small mass and lack of charge. By placing detectors in dense mediums like water or ice, researchers hope to detect the subtle signals of neutrinos interacting with atoms and producing showers of particles. This, in turn, helps in understanding their properties.
Damian Dornick from the Centre for Particle Physics in Marseille, France, along with his team, discovered the most energetic neutrino ever recorded. Using the Cubic Kilometer Neutrino Telescope (km3net) at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, they detected this extraordinary neutrino on February 13, 2023. The discovery left the researchers astonished.
“Initially, we were puzzled,” he says. “As we delved deeper, we realized that this event was truly exceptional, and our excitement grew.”
The signal observed appeared as a bright, almost horizontal line on the detector, believed to be created by muons – small electron-like particles produced by neutrinos interacting with km3net’s detectors.
When the researchers tentatively published their results in 2024, they were still in the process of calculating the exact energy of the particles. “The high energy levels surprised us, as our neutrino simulations had not yet reached such levels,” says Morgan Wasco from Oxford University.
To validate their findings, researchers meticulously considered the impact of other sources of illumination on the detector, such as neutrinos generated by cosmic rays – charged particles from space. These signals are believed to surpass higher-energy neutrinos originating from more distant cosmic sources by 1 to 100 million times.
The energy of the detected neutrino was calculated to be 120 peta electron volts (PEV), about 10 times higher than the previous record set by the IceCube neutrino observatory in Antarctica. Such high-energy neutrino detections offer unique insights into the events producing them, like black hole mergers and supernova explosions.
“While cosmic rays get deflected and lose their original direction as they pass through interstellar space, neutrinos travel straight,” explains Wascko. The relatively large spatial spread of the neutrino’s trail in this case makes pinpointing the exact source challenging, but future enhancements to the telescope could potentially identify similarly powerful neutrinos and their sources.
Children who used paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, during their mother’s pregnancy, are more likely to develop ADHD than those whose mothers do not, suggesting small studies. Although inconclusive, this finding gives weight to the contested idea that widely used painkillers can affect fetal brain development.
Previous studies on paracetamol and neurodevelopmental conditions provide conflicting findings. For example, a 2019 study linking over 4,700 children and their mothers with their mothers to use painkillers during pregnancy There is a 20% higher risk Children developing ADHD. However, the analysis presented by nearly 2.5 million children last year There is no such connection When comparing siblings who were exposed or not to paracetamol before birth.
One problem is that most of these studies rely on self-reported medication use. This is a serious limitation as you may not remember taking paracetamol during pregnancy. For example, only 7% of participants in the 2019 study reported using paracetamol during pregnancy. It's well below the 50% seen in other studies. “A lot of people take it [paracetamol] Without knowing that” Brennan Baker At Washington University in Seattle. “It could be the active ingredient in some of the cold medicines you're using, and you don't necessarily know.”
So Baker and his colleagues used more accurate metrics instead. They looked for medication markers in blood samples collected from 307 women. They were all black and lived in Tennessee in the late pregnancy. None of them were taking medication due to chronic illnesses and were unaware of the complications of pregnancy. The researchers then followed up with participants when the child was 8 to 10 years old. In the US, Approximately 8% of children I have ADHD between the ages of 5 and 11.
On average, children whose mothers had a marker of paracetamol in their blood were three times more likely than children born to mothers, even after adjusting for factors such as mother's age and body mass index before pregnancy. There was a possibility (BMI), mental health status among close relatives of socioeconomic status and mental health. This suggests that using paracetamol during pregnancy may increase the risk of developing ADHD in children.
However, it is also possible that the actual factor that increases your risk of ADHD is not the drug itself, but the first thing you will be taking paracetamol. “They couldn't explain anything like the reason why their mother took it. [paracetamol]”It has been found to be risk factors for adverse development in children, such as headaches, fever, pain and infectious diseases.” Viktor Ahlqvist At the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
But Baker believes that it is the drugs that are responsible. Subsequent analysis of tissue samples from 174 of participants' placenta showed that people using paracetamol have different metabolic and immune system changes. These changes are similar to those seen in studies testing the effects of paracetamol in pregnant animals without infection or underlying health conditions.
“I think the fact that we see immune upregulation in animal models also really strengthens the causal case,” Baker says. “There are many previous studies showing that elevated immune activation during pregnancy is linked to adverse neurodevelopment.”
Yet these findings are far from conclusive. For one thing, the study included a small number of participants, all black and lived in the same city, limiting the generalization of the findings. Another case, it measured only the blood markers of paracetamol at one moment. These markers have stuck for about three days, so the study probably captured more frequent users, and may have a dose-dependent effect, says Baker.
“[Paracetamol] Now is the first-line treatment option for pain and fever during pregnancy,” says Baker. “But I think I'm an agency [US Food and Drug Administration] In addition, various obstetric and gynecological associations should continuously review all available research and update their guidance. ”
Meanwhile, if it's unclear whether to take paracetamol during pregnancy, people should talk to their doctor, Baker says.
People report lower alcohol cravings when using semaglutide
ShutterStock/David MG
According to the first randomized clinical trials of drugs for this purpose, semaglutide appears to help people who are truly obsessed with alcohol reduce their intake.
Semaglutide, sold under brand names including Wegovy and Ozempic, uses the work by mimicking the intestinal hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), so the technical term is GLP-1 receptor It's an agonist. This drug was first used to treat type 2 diabetes, but to reduce appetite, Wegovy is also approved for weight loss 8 countries. Semaglutide also offers tips to help with an extraordinary number of medical conditions.
Regarding alcohol use, there was a 2024 survey that 84,000 people injected Ozempic or Wegovy because of a lower risk of alcoholism. The results were promising and showed correlation rather than causality.
But now, Christian Hendershot The University of Southern California and his colleagues completed the first randomized clinical trial of the effects of semaglutide on alcohol use disorders.
Their trial involved 48 US people diagnosed with the condition, of which 34 were women and 14 were male. Half received a weekly low-dose injection of semaglutide for 9 weeks, and the rest received a placebo injection.
Semaglutide patients no longer consumed drinks per drinking session, reducing their weekly alcohol cravings compared to placebo drinks.
“There was no evidence of any significant adverse effects or safety concerns for drugs in this population. Overall, we found that it reduces the amount of alcohol people consume across several different drinking outcomes,” Hender said. Shot says.
“The results are promising.” Long Xu at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Ohio. “Despite the small sample size, this randomized clinical trial highlights the therapeutic potential of semaglutide in the treatment of alcohol use disorders.”
ziyad al-aly At Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, the study added ” yet another evidence of GLP-1RAS . [GLP-1 receptor agonists] It could help with addiction disorders.”
He needs greater research to answer questions about whether people will increase their drinking, especially when they leave semaglutide, particularly what the long-term impact is, and whether people will increase their drinking. He says. Bone and muscle mass.
The study should be treated as a promising first evidence, says Hendershot, but more research is needed. People should not start taking semaglutide due to alcohol problems, he says.
“This is the first study like this and people are excited about it, but we have approved effective drugs for alcohol use disorders, so more research has been conducted. Until now, people are encouraged to pursue and approve the existing medicines there right now,” says Hendershot.
The male and female genitals provide a clear environment for microorganisms
Artur Plawgo/Getty Images
Sexual partners transfer their unique genital microbiota to one another during sexual intercourse. This can affect forensic investigations of sexual assault.
Brendan Chapman Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia and his colleagues collected swabs from the genitals of 12 monogamous heterosexual couples and used RNA gene sequences to identify microbial signatures for each participant. Researchers asked couples to refrain from sex for two days to two weeks, and took follow-up samples several hours after sex.
“We found that these genetic signatures from female bacteria can be detected in male partners and vice versa,” Chapman says. As the team infused it, this change in a person's “sexome” could prove useful in criminal investigations, he says.
The amount of transfers varies from couple to couple, and the team found that even the use of condoms completely prevented the movement of the Sensomem from one partner to another. However, one major limitation of the outcome was the significant changes in female sexsomes during the period.
Chapman says there may be long-term homogenization of the microbiota of monogamous couples, but the bacterial population clearly differs between genders.
“The big advantage we have in our penis and vaginal microbiota is that we observe very different types of bacteria in each because there are huge differences in the two environments,” says Chapman. “For example, the penis is primarily a skin-like surface and therefore reflects similarity to the skin microbiota. There are a variety of anaerobic bacteria in the vagina, and the aerobic type in the penis. .”
So many of these bacteria cannot last indefinitely in the opposite environment, he says. “It's like comparing land to sea animals. Some live exclusively in one or the other and die if removed, but they willingly move and last.”
After establishing bacterial movement during sex, the team wants to prove that individual sexsomes are unique, like fingerprints and DNA. “I think every person's Sensomem contains enough diversity and uniqueness, but there's still something to do to demonstrate it with robust enough techniques to meet the forensic challenges. There is,” says Chapman.
If researchers can prove this, it can help investigate sexual assaults, particularly those in which male suspects do not ejaculate, have had vascular resections, or use condoms. “The genetic profile of a bacterial may be able to support or oppose propositions or testimony about what happened in the allegations of sexual assault,” he says. Dennis McNevin At Sydney Institute of Technology, Australia.
In such cases, the standard profile of human DNA is always preferred due to the great power of distinguishing individuals, he says, but sexomes may offer useful alternatives. “Bacterial genetic profiles may one day complement DNA evidence, or may help refer to the perpetrator of a rare sexual assault where DNA profiles are not available,” McNevin says.
What is the difference between artificial intelligence and quantum computing? One is sci-fi sound technology that has long been committed to revolutionizing our world, providing researchers can sort out some technical wrinkles, such as the tendency to cause errors. In fact, the other one is too.
Still, AI seems breathless and inevitably inevitable, but the average person has no experience with quantum computing. Is this important?
Practitioners in both fields certainly commit the crime of hyping their products, but part of the problem with quantum advocates is that the current generation of quantum computers are essentially useless. With a special report on the state of the industry (see “Quantum Computers Finally Arrived, Will They Be Useful?”), races are intended to build machines that can actually do useful calculations. Currently underway. This is not possible on a regular computer.
There is no clear use case to prevent high-tech giants from forcing AI into the software they use every day, but the subtle nature of this hardware makes quantum computing the masses more difficult. It is much more difficult to bring in the same way. You probably won’t own a personal quantum computer. Instead, the industry is targeting businesses and governments.
Practitioners in both AI and quantum computing fields are guilty of hyping their products
Perhaps that’s why quantum computer builders seem to keep their feet on science, drumming business while publishing peer-reviewed research. It appears that the major AI companies have all those who have given up on publishing. Why are you troubled when you can simply charge a monthly fee to use your technology, whether it actually works or not?
The quantum approach is correct. When you are committed to technology that transforms research, industry and society, explaining how it works in the most open way possible is the only way to persuade people to believe in the hype. .
It may not be flashy, but in the long run it’s not style, it’s substance. So, I will definitely aim to revolutionize the world, but please show me your work.
Named SNR J0614-7251 and SNR J0624-6948, the newly discovered supernova remains are located on the outskirts of the large Magelanic Cloud, the largest milky white satellite galaxy.
In the center of the image, stars cluster into a large Magellan cloud, a bright, dark green candy floss colored haze. Scattered in the center of the image are about 50 small yellow crosses, some of which are almost overlapping as they are very close to each other. SNR J0624-6948 (orange, high image) and SNR J0614-7251 (blue, bottom image) are seen in the lower left quarter of the image. Image credits: Eckhard Slawik/ESA/Xmm-Newton/Sasaki et al. / F. Zangrandi.
“Supranovae are stellar explosions, caused by massive star core collapse, neutron stars or black holes (core collapsing supernovae), or by thermonuclear destruction of white nuclei in binary systems. Friedrich- “We are a scientist at the same time,” said Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and colleague Dr. Manami Sasaki.
“Supranovae are important for galaxy material cycles and the formation of next-generation stars. Shockwave produces supernova debris that heats environmental or interstellar media to ionize, sweeping and compressing the environment, and making the environment more environmentally friendly and compressing. Enrich it. With chemical elements.”
use ESA's XMM-Newton Spaceshipastronomers discovered two supernova remnants, SNR J0614-7251 and SNR J0624-6948, in the large Magellan cloud.
“The big and small Magellan clouds are the largest satellite galaxies in the Milky Way and the closest ones,” they said.
“The Magellan Cloud is also the only satellite galaxy in the Milky Way with current active star formation.”
“A large Magellan cloud at a small distance (49,600 Parsec), its morphology is almost a hassle disk, and its low foreground absorption provides a detailed laboratory ideal for the study of large samples of the remaining supernovae. Masu.”
“Proximity allows for spatially resolved spectroscopic studies of supernova debris, and precisely known distances allow for the analysis of the energetics of each supernova debris.”
“In addition, the rich data of wide-field multi-wavelength data available provides information about the environment in which these supernova debris evolves.”
XMM-Newton observed SNR J0614-7251 and SNR J0624-6948 with three different types of X-ray light.
They show the most common chemical elements in various parts of the debris.
The center of SNR J0614-7251 is primarily made up of iron, according to the team.
This clue allowed researchers to classify this remnant for the first time as a result of a type IA supernova.
“The discovery of supernova remnants on the outskirts of the large Magellan cloud confirms that stellar explosions occur outside the galaxy and allows us to study their shocks, stellar ejectors and environment,” they said. I said that.
“It will help us to better understand the evolution of the Magellan cloud and the history of interacting galaxies and their surrounding star formation.”
“We hope that new multi-wavelength investigations will reveal more supernova remnants around the Magellan cloud.”
“This new supernova remnants allows us to study the supernova explosions and the rest of the supernova evolution in low density and low metallic environments, and better serve to better the effects of metallicity on star formation and star evolution. I can understand it.”
result It will be displayed in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
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Manamisasaki et al. 2025. The remains of a supernova on the outskirts of the large Magellan cloud. A&A 693, L15; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202452178
Astronomers have imaged planetary belts of 74 planetary systems as part of resolved ALMA and SMA observations in nearby star (reason) investigations (reason).
The gallery contains 74 images of different star systems with exoconterry belts taken at the Sub-Millimeter Array (SMA) and Atacama's Large Millimeter/Sub-Millimeter (ALMA) Wireless Telescope Facility. Image credit: Luca Matrà.
To find evidence of comets outside our solar system, astronomers have turned to two facilities that detect specific bands of radio waves: sub-millimeter arrays (SMAs) and large millimeters/sub-millimeters in Atacama Meter array (ALMA).
Due to the dust and rock size of these belts, this type of light is especially good for finding and imaging these structures.
The stars in this study ranged from very young to middle-aged ages like our Sun.
“The joint programme between SMA and Alma Dubbed reasons presents a significant milestone in the Exometallibelt study, as its images and subsequent analysis reveal where the pebbles and exomets are located. is”
“In these regions, it's very cold (minus 250 to minus celsius), so most compounds, including water, are frozen like ice from these exomets.”
“Exocomet is a rock and ice rock of at least 1 kilometre in size, and it collides together within these belts, and here produces pebbles that are observed in an array of telescope Alma and SMA,” says Dr. Matra. said.
“The Exometallibelt is located in at least 20% of our planetary systems, including our solar system.”
“The Kuiper Belt is an example of the comet belt of our own solar system.”
“Far beyond Pluto's orbit, some scientists believe the Kuiper belt is the source of the internal solar system where Earth was located, delivered through comets billions of years ago.”
The new image shows a significant diversity of structures within the belt. Some are narrow rings, while others are wider and may be classified as discs rather than belts.
Additionally, some of the 74 Exocomet systems have multiple rings or discs, some of which are eccentric. In other words, it's more like an elliptical shape, not a circular orbit.
This provides evidence that there are still undetectable planets or possibly moons, and that their gravity affects the distribution of pebble in these systems.
“The arrays like Alma and SMA used in this work are extraordinary tools that continue to give us incredible new insights into the universe and how it works,” says Harvard & Smithsonian Astrophysics. said Dr. David Wilner, an astrophysicist at the Center for Science.
“The research requires extensive community effort and has incredible legacy value with multiple potential pathways for future research.”
“The dataset of belt and planetary systems properties enables research into the birth and evolution of these belts, as well as the study of tracking observations across next-generation wavelength ranges from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webspace Telescope. “The huge telescope and future plans for Alma are plans to zoom further into the details of these belts.”
a paper The explanation of the results was published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
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L. Matra et al. 2025. Reasons for the nearby stars Alma and SMA: population resolved 74 planetary belts at millimeter wavelengths. A&A 693, A151; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202451397
The pandemic may have changed people’s outlook for life
Disobeyart/Alamy
The Covid-19 pandemic has increased a stronger sense of purpose and life satisfaction as it deepened the appreciation of older adults in the UK for the simple things in life.
The happiness of some people Life satisfaction immersed in the early days of the pandemic however, after most restrictions have been lifted, what happened later is not much understood. “Unfortunately, most of the research conducted did not continue. [in the later years of] “Because it's a pandemic, there was a big gap in research.” Paola Zaninot University College London.
To address this, Zaninotto and her colleagues analyzed data from a survey on the well-being and depressive symptoms of approximately 4,000 people, primarily white.
Each participant completed the survey over two years from the second pandemic in the first year of the 2020 pandemic and the last participant between the end of 2021 and the last between 2023. The final survey of 2022 was after most infection control measures were concluded in the UK.
The team found that prior to the pandemic, participants rated their sense of purpose in life with an average score of 7.5 out of 10. This fell to 7.2 in 2020, rising from 7.6 in the final survey to 7.6 above pre-pandemic levels. .
Similarly, participants reported an average life satisfaction score of 7.3 prior to the pandemic, which fell to 6.9 early in the pandemic, but rose to 7.5 in the final survey.
These are small changes in happiness at the population level, but some individuals say they are experiencing major changes that affect their work and relationships. Rebecca Pierson At the University of Bristol, UK.
Zaninot may have reminded people of the importance of the global outbreak in life. “The pandemic has brought some challenges, but it has also brought a broad appreciation to our lives, perhaps about social connections and other meaningful activities,” she says.
The team also found that the average rate of depression (defined as having at least four depressive symptoms, such as feeling lonely) was more than doubled from the first to the second period. The final survey saw prices drop but exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
“People might feel like we've overcome it, I'm back to work, I've been able to see my family again.” You may be low at times and you may not be able to enjoy the same joy,” Pearson says. Furthermore, research needs to explore what drives these rates of depression increase, she says.
Additionally, additional studies say we need to investigate how results are converted to people elsewhere, Kelsey O'Connor At the National Institute of Statistics in Luxembourg. “The pandemic policy and the severity of the pandemic have been dramatically different in other countries,” he says. “You can't really generalize to young people, ethnic minorities, or marginalized groups.”
bSquare Enix, which ACK purchased the series from Eidos in 2013, has released a reboot of the 1990s hit action game Tomb Raider. I I loved that game despite the first nearby semi-assault scene, I later came to consider it a bit nasty. I wasn’t the only one. It was very well received, selling 3.4 million copies in the first month alone. After that, Square Enix came out. I called it a disappointment.
The sale did not meet the publisher’s expectations. It was What are your expectations? Was it supposed to sell 5m? One month? If the book sells 10,000 copies in a week, it is considered a bestseller. Even at its popularity in the 90s, no Tomb Raider game sold over millions. Square Enix’s expectations were clearly unrealistic. That’s not the last one. In a 2016 interview with Hajime Tabata, director of Final Fantasy XV, he told me that he needs to sell 10m for the game to succeed.
In last week’s revenue call, EA executives had to explain their lack of profits. It was driven primarily by EA FC. This is the ubiquitous football series, which saw revenue declines the previous year, but CEO Andrew Wilson also chose to go single-out for the much-anticipated RPG Dragon Age: Bailguard, which was announced last October. “Dragon Age had a high quality launch and was well reviewed by critics and those who played it. However, in this highly competitive market, it didn’t resonate with a wide audience,” he says. I did.
Dragon Age “reached 1.5 million players” for several months since its release. This is likely to include people paying through subscription services and direct sales. If 3.4m was Square Enix’s disappointment in 2013, then the game can imagine 1.5m was a disaster for EA in 2024.
But as Polygon’s Maddie Myers points out Detailed analysis of comparable games 1. Last year’s genre breakout hit, Dragon’s Dogma, sold 3.3m over six months.
A network of airports like Hong Kong International Airport could effectively detect disease outbreaks
Yuen Man Cheung / Alamy
A global early warning system for disease outbreaks and future pandemics is possible with minimal surveillance. We test wastewater from just a few of our international flights at just 20 airports around the world.
If passengers fly while infected with bacteria or viruses, traces of these pathogens can be left in the waste, allowing airports to gather from the plane after the flight. “If you go to the airplane toilet, blow your nose and place it in the toilet, some of the genetic material from the pathogen can go. In the wastewater.” Guillaume St-Onge at Northeastern University, Massachusetts.
St-Onge and his colleagues used an A Simulator Called the Global Epidemic and Mobility Model, it analyzes how airport waste monitoring networks can detect new variants of the virus, such as those that cause Covid-19. By testing the model using different numbers and locations at airports, they have been able to provide 20 strategically located “sentinel airports” around the world and are as quickly as a network involving thousands of airports. It has been shown that occurrence can be detected efficiently. The larger network was only 20% faster, but cost more.
To detect new threats from anywhere in the world, your network should include major international airports in cities such as London, Paris, Dubai and Singapore. However, the team also showed how networks containing different airport sets could provide a more targeted detection of disease outbreaks that are likely to occur on a particular continent.
“This modeling study is the first to provide the actual number of sentinel airports needed to support effective global monitoring while optimizing resource use,” he says. jiaying li At the University of Sydney, Australia.
Additionally, airport-based networks provide useful information on disease outbreaks during an epidemic, such as how quickly diseases spread from person to person, and estimating people who may become infected from exposure to a single case. You can also do it, says ST-. Onge.
Such wastewater surveillance provides early warnings for known diseases and could also track new and emerging threats if genome data for bacterial or viral is available. “I don’t think I can look at the wastewater and say, ‘There’s a new pathogen out there.'” Temi Ibitoye At Brown University in Rhode Island. “But when new pathogens are announced, we can look at previous waste data very quickly and say, “Is this present in the sample?” “
A map of Sentinel Airport shows how quickly the network detects new disease outbreaks at various sites around the world
Northeastern University
There are still some nuances, such as the frequency of ingesting wastewater samples to track different pathogens. Other challenges include knowing the most efficient way to sample wastewater from an aircraft and assessing the actual effectiveness of the system, says Li.
Long-term surveillance programs also require cooperation from airlines and airports, along with consistent funding sources.
Individual airports can hesitate to participate as risks are recognized for business if infectious disease statistics become widely available. Unless a data processing agreement can alleviate such concerns, Trevor Charles At the University of Waterloo, Canada. He emphasized the importance of coordinated international funding to offset “local political considerations.”
However, given President Donald Trump’s launch of the US withdrawal from the organization, even coordination through international organizations such as the World Health Organization is bringing its own political complications, according to Ibitoye He said. Still, such research is “contributed to making it.” [the monitoring network] She says.
During a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, Harrison Ford commended voice actor Troy Baker’s performance in the latest video game featuring Indiana Jones. Ford emphasized that stealing his essence doesn’t require artificial intelligence, but rather good ideas and talent. The ongoing strike by SAG-AFTRA Union video game performers is primarily focused on the use of AI in the industry. The union is advocating for compensation, consent, and transparency when it comes to AI-generated performances. Major video game publishers like Activision Blizzard, Disney, Warner Bros, and Electronic Arts are involved in the conflict, resulting in the absence of English voice performances in recent titles such as Destiny 2: Heresy and Genshin Impact. Voice actor Sarah Elmaleh, chair of the SAG-AFTRA committee negotiating with the gaming industry, echoes Ford’s sentiment on the importance of human-to-human interactions in game performances.
Many video game developers are open to meeting the union’s demands, with over 160 video game productions already signing AI protection contracts. However, major publishers are still pushing back against some of the union’s proposals. SAG-AFTRA is battling to prevent motion capture work from being classified as “data” rather than “performance” in the gaming industry. Despite the challenges, Elmaleh remains resolute in fighting for actors’ rights and fair compensation across all entertainment sectors. Ford’s advocacy sheds light on the importance of safeguarding actors’ work and preventing exploitation in the digital age.
As negotiations continue, the struggle for fair treatment of actors in the gaming industry persists. The commitment to protecting performers’ rights remains a top priority for SAG-AFTRA, as they push for industry standards that uphold the value of human performances over AI-generated replicas. Ford’s intervention serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle for recognition and compensation for all actors, regardless of their level of fame or the medium in which they work.
Hello, return to TechScape. This week in Tech, Elon Musk and Donald Trump are using brinkmanship as a negotiation tactic. US immigration and customs enforcement are optimizing search engines during arrests and deportations. Spotify is working on improving its image with more human-centered public relations. Thank you for reading.
Zone Flood: Trump’s Executive Order and Musk’s Doji
Donald Trump has been busy issuing executive orders, from ending birthright citizenship to imposing bans on gender transitions. Elon Musk, known as the world’s wealthiest person and in charge of the “Government’s Ministry of Efficiency,” is targeting federal agencies to reduce waste. Both Trump and Musk are using brinkmanship tactics to achieve their goals in negotiations.
Trump recently threatened tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, only to delay them after agreements were reached. Musk, on the other hand, is reshaping government agencies, with USAID likely being folded into the State Department. Their aggressive tactics aim to overwhelm opposition and media coverage.
Musk has a history of using similar tactics in business dealings, such as with X, where he made bold moves and threats but later backtracked. His approach, while effective at times, has faced challenges and scrutiny.
Silicon Valley companies like Musk move fast and disrupt the status quo, aligning with Trump’s approach. Their next targets could be Medicare and Medicaid, signaling potential upheavals in the healthcare sector.
The Logical End of SEO: Deportation Mirage in Google Search Results
SEO tactics are crucial for ranking on Google search results, but even governmental agencies are using these tactics. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently updated old press releases to appear as recent enforcement actions, highlighting the challenges of SEO manipulation.
Reports of immigrant arrests have sparked controversy, with ICE press releases dominating search results. However, closer inspection reveals that many of these actions took place years ago but are presented as recent events, showcasing the power of SEO in shaping perceptions.
Spotify Balances Human Touch and AI Features
Spotify has faced criticism from artists like Björk for its impact on the music industry. However, the company is emphasizing the role of AI in transforming music discovery while also highlighting the human touch behind its recommendations.
Despite the shift towards AI-generated playlists, Spotify is showcasing the human element through stories like that of Sulinna Ong, who brings a personal touch to finding new hits. While AI plays a significant role, Spotify is keen on maintaining a human connection with its users.
By leveraging AI for improved recommendations, Spotify aims to balance technology with human interaction. While facing criticism from some artists, the company is focused on providing a personalized experience for its users.
Google’s online and mobile calendars no longer feature Black History Month, Women’s History Month, and LGBTQ+ Holidays.
Previously, the world’s largest search engine acknowledged the beginning of Black History Month in February and Pride Month in June, but they will not be included in 2025.
The removal of these holidays was first reported by The Verge last week.
Google spokesperson Madison Cushman Veld shared a statement with The Guardian stating that the listed holidays were not “sustainable” for the model.
“A few years ago, the calendar team started manually adding broader cultural moments in many countries worldwide. It was noted that several other events and countries were missing, making it unsustainable to maintain hundreds of moments globally. So, in mid-2024, we decided to only display public holidays and national compliance from Timeanddate.com worldwide, allowing users to manually add other important moments,” the statement said.
The decision to remove black, LGBTQ+ and women’s holidays is another change by Google following Donald Trump’s second presidency.
Recently, Google announced a rollback of previous commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in employment policy following an order by the US President to end DEI in federal agencies.
Google also revealed that US users will now be referred to as “American Gulf,” following an executive order by Trump to rename Alaska’s mountains to “Mount McKinley”. The company announced the name change for US users will take effect on Monday.
Many users on social media have expressed disappointment and frustration at Google’s latest decision. Users who wish to track events like Pride Month, Black History Month, and Indigenous Month will need to manually add them to their calendar.
Google assured The Guardian that changes to the calendars will not impact future Google Doodles, which typically celebrate these events with digital artwork on the website’s homepage. The company stated, “Google continues to actively celebrate and promote our cultural moments as a company,” and offers a Black History Month Playlist on YouTube Music.
eLon Musk and Sam Altman are not exactly best friends. Altman’s pursuit of a for-profit approach for Openai, a company founded in 2015, seems to have irked Musk. Altman’s focus on making money rather than advancing humanity’s interests clashed with Musk’s vision for Openai.
As a result, Musk, who previously attempted to acquire Twitter, has now acquired ownership of an entity called X, which is linked to Openai’s growth.
Musk, characterized by the US government as lean, efficient, and globally influential, made a substantial bid of nearly $100 million for Openai’s nonprofit sector. Musk emphasized the need for Openai to return to its original open-source and safety-focused model. However, this bid was rejected by Altman, who jokingly mentioned that he would buy Twitter for $97.4 billion if necessary.
Musk’s bid was not about enriching investors or inflating corporate valuations, but about steering AI development towards societal benefits. Although the bid to reclaim control of Openai’s nonprofit was significant, the outcome remains uncertain.
The ongoing feud between Musk and Altman may escalate further, especially considering the history of their disagreements. Musk’s bid to take over Openai’s nonprofit could be seen as an attempt to thwart Altman’s for-profit ambitions for the company.
Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Washington, January 19, 2025. Photo: Brian Snyder/Reuters
Musk’s bid for Openai’s nonprofit could have multiple interpretations, ranging from a strategic move to a mere publicity stunt. Given Musk’s penchant for unconventional actions, the true motives behind his bid remain uncertain.
There are various theories regarding the significance of the bid, including references to literature and playful numbers. However, the bid’s seriousness cannot be discounted, especially in light of potential political implications.
The bid may also reflect Musk’s attempt to disrupt the status quo and reshape the future trajectory of AI development. The possibility of Musk and Openai merging in the future cannot be ruled out entirely, given the unpredictable nature of the current situation.
Geoscientists at the University of Southern California, the University of Los Angeles, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cornell University, the Institute of Geology at the University of Utah and the University of Utah have said they have detected structural changes near the center of the Earth.
The inner core of the Earth was previously thought to be solid. Image credit: USC Graphics/Edward Sotero.
Professor John Vidale, a researcher at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, said:
“What we discovered is evidence that the surface near the inner core of the Earth is undergoing structural changes.”
Located 5,000 km (3,000 miles) on the surface of the Earth, the inner core is fixed by gravity within the outer core of the molten liquid. Until now, the inner core was widely considered to be a solid sphere.
“The original purpose was to further diagram the deceleration of the inner core. However, when I was analyzing decades of earthquake records, one dataset of seismic waves remained. It was strangely distinctive from that,” Dr. Vidale said.
“Later I realized I was staring at evidence that my inner core was not solid.”
In this study, the authors recorded seismic waves recorded by Yelson and Yellow Knife Receber Array Stations in North America from repeated seismic pairs in the North-South Sandwich Islands between 1991 and 2023.
One dataset of seismic waves from the latter station contained non-characteristic properties that researchers have never seen before.
“The dataset initially confused me,” Dr. Vidale said.
It was not revealed that seismic waveforms represent additional physical activity in the inner core until the team improved their resolution techniques.
Physical activity is best described as a temporal change in the shape of the inner core.
New research shows that surfaces near the inner core can undergo viscous deformation, altering their shape and shifting at the shallow boundary of the inner core.
The most obvious cause of structural changes is the interaction between the inner and outer cores.
“It is widely known that the melted outer core is a turbulent flow, but that turbulence has not been observed to contiguously contiguously to the inner core of the human timescale,” Dr. Vidale said. Ta.
“The first thing we're looking at in this study is the outer core that probably disrupts the inner core.”
“This discovery could open the door to uncover previously hidden dynamics deep within the Earth's nucleus, and lead to a better understanding of the Earth's thermal and magnetic fields.”
study Published in the journal Natural Earth Science.
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Je Vidale et al. Variations in annual scales at both rotation speed and surfaces near the inner core of the Earth. nut. GeosciPublished online on February 10th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41561-025-01642-2
Five years later, Apple is back with a complete revamp of its earphones, which rebranded the Beats Headphones brand for athletes and sports enthusiasts as the Powerbeats Pro 2.
Designed to be attached to the ear and placed without wires, the original PowerBeats Pro is the perfect earphone for workouts and was worn by sports superstars such as Lebron James and Anthony Joshua.
In 2025, Apple refined the fit, slimmed the bulk, added noise cancellation and heart rate monitoring to the original Powerbeats Pro, priced at $250, aiming to reclaim the top spot in the industry.
The overall design of the earphones remains the same, with a flexible silicone wire that hooks behind the user’s ears and connects to earphones with arms sitting in the ears. It is lighter and more secure than its predecessor, making it comfortable for extended listening sessions during commute and active exercise without any discomfort.
Each earphone includes a multi-functional “B” button for playback and noise cancellation control, as well as a volume locker for easy adjustments during workouts. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The earphones provide approximately 8 hours of playback with noise cancellation (10 hours without it) and come with a flip-top case that can charge the earphones three times. The case, which is 30% smaller than before, is still quite spacious and fits easily in a bag, but may be a bit bulky for pockets.
The PowerBeats Pro 2 features the same H2 chip and connectivity as Apple’s AirPods Pro 2, offering seamless connections with various Apple devices, spatial audio for movies and music, audio sharing, SIRI support, lossless audio, and more when used with the Apple Vision Pro.
Additionally, the earphones support advanced Android features, making the Beats app more versatile than other Apple earphones, allowing for one-touch pairing, customization, updates, and other functionalities.
Great Sound Quality and Effective Noise Cancellation
Adjust noise cancellation and other settings using iPhone Bluetooth settings or the Android Beats app. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The H2 chip equips the Powerbeats with many top features of AirPods, including active noise cancellation that is nearly as effective as Apple’s top buds, providing significant reduction of external sounds. The earphones handle wind noise well and boast the best-in-class transparency mode.
The new Powerbeats offer excellent sound quality, with great separation of tones, well-controlled bass, and detailed high notes. They perform well across various music genres, from pop and hip hop to classical and jazz. They may not match the AirPods Pro in sound adjustment capabilities, but they excel in most workout scenarios.
Additionally, they support Apple’s personalized spatial audio system for immersive sound experiences and offer exceptional call quality.
Specifications
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3, SBC, AAC, H2 chip, HR sensor
Battery life: 8 hours ANC playback (36 hours with case)
Water resistance: IPX4 earphones (sweat resistant)
Earphone dimensions: 45 x 41 x 24mm
Earphone weight: 8.7g each
Charging case dimensions: 75 x 66 x 34mm
Charging case weight: 69g
Case charging: USB-C, QI wireless
Ear Heart Rate Monitoring
The optical heart rate sensor is located just inside the ear next to the silicon tip. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The Powerbeats Pro 2 feature an optical heart rate sensor that enables pulse monitoring through the ears, similar to Sennheiser’s Momentum Sport Earbuds. The sensor, located on the earphones’ inner side touching the tragus, achieves accurate pulse readings when both earphones are worn.
Data from the heart rate sensor is stored in the health app on iPhones or connected training apps for Android users, providing accurate and useful fitness tracking.
Sustainability
The PowerBeats Pro 2 case is sturdy and charges via USB-C and QI, but lacks water resistance and may be bulky for some users. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Apple has not disclosed the expected battery lifespan, but it is estimated to endure over 500 full charge cycles at 80% capacity. Additionally, the earphones incorporate recycled plastic in some internal components and offer individual replacements for lost or damaged parts.
While the earphones are not repairable, Apple supports trade-in and recycling programs for its products, including non-Apple devices, promoting responsible disposal and reducing environmental impact.
Price
The PowerBeats Pro 2 are priced at £249.95 ($249.99).
When compared to other models, the Beats Fit Pro is priced at £219.99, Beats Studio Buds+ at £179.99, Beats Solo Buds at £79.99, Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 at £229, and Sennheiser Momentum Sport at £199.
Verdict
The PowerBeats Pro 2 represents a significant upgrade from its predecessor, offering top-notch features and performance for premium training earphones.
With secure and lightweight fit, effective noise cancellation, and heart rate monitoring, these earphones cater to a wide range of workout needs. They excel in sound quality, call quality, and offer platform compatibility with iPhone and Android devices.
While the price point may be high, the PowerBeats Pro 2 stand out as versatile and high-performance earbuds suitable for various activities, especially for iPhone users seeking a secure and reliable fit.
The main drawback is the non-replaceable batteries, which may impact the long-term sustainability and lifespan of the earphones.
Strong Points: Excellent sound quality, effective noise cancellation and transparency mode, long battery life, secure and comfortable fit, user-friendly controls, spatial sound experience, excellent call quality, cross-platform compatibility with iPhone and Android.
Cons: High price point, bulky case, limited iPhone app support for heart rate monitoring features, lack of multipoint connection, non-replaceable batteries.
The music pauses when you remove the PowerBeats Pro 2, thanks to the sensor located on the earphones’ bottom. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Candidate planetary systems detected by microlens method are thought to travel at least 540 km (1.2 million mph) per 540 km.
Impressions of the superniputin exoplanet artist orbiting a low-mass star near the center of our Milky Way galaxy. Image credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt, Caltech-IPAC.
“I think this is the so-called Super Neptune world orbiting a low-mass star at the distance between Venus and Earth's orbit,” University of Maryland, College Park, NASA Goddard. At the Space Flight Center.
“The star is so weak that it is outside its habitable zone. If so, it will be the first planet ever discovered orbiting a fast star.”
The system was first discovered indirectly in 2011 thanks to the microlens event MOA-2011-BLG-262.
“Microlenses occur because a large amount of presence distorts the fabric of space-time,” the astronomer explained.
“Whenever an intervening object appears to drift near a background star, light from the star curve passes through space-time, distorted around nearby objects.”
“If the alignment is particularly close, the distortion around the object behaves like a natural lens and can amplify the light of the background star.”
In MOA-2011-BLG-262, microlens signals revealed pairs of celestial bodies.
Astronomers have determined relative masses (one is about 2,300 times heavier than the other), but their exact mass depends on how far they are from the Earth.
“It's easy to determine the mass ratio,” said Dr. David Bennett, a senior research scientist at the Goddard Space Flight Center at the University of Maryland, College Park and NASA.
The MOA-2011-BLG-262 Discovery Team has a microlens object that is about 20% of the stars, about 29 times heavier than Earth, or Jupiter's mass with Exomoon. They suspected it was one of roughly four times more illicit planets.
To understand which explanations were more likely, Dr. Terry, Dr. Bennett and his colleagues searched data from the Keck Observatory in Hawaii and the Gaia satellite at the ESA.
If the pair are illegitimate Exoplanets and Exomoons, they will not look effective – dark objects lost in the black space of the universe.
Researchers discovered a strong suspect about 24,000 light years away and put it in the bulge of the Milky Way galaxy.
By comparing the position of the stars in 2011 and 2021, they calculated its speed.
But that's its 2D motion. If it's heading towards us or away from us, it must be moving even faster.
Its true speed may increase to the galaxy's escape speed exceeding 600 km/s (1.3 million mph) per second.
If so, the planetary system is destined to traverse intergalactic space for millions of years to come.
“To make sure the newly identified star is part of the system that caused the 2011 signal, we looked again in another year and it moved the right amount and moved in the right direction. And I want to see where it is. We've detected a signal,” Dr. Bennett said.
“If a high-resolution observation indicates that the stars remain in the same position, it can be sure that it is not part of the system that caused the signal,” says Aparna Bhatacharya at the University of Maryland. The doctor said. College Park and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
“That means the Rogue Planet and the Exomoon model are preferred.”
Team's paper It was released this week Astronomy Journal.
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Sean K. Terry et al. 2025. A candidate high-speed peeling system for galaxy swelling. AJ 169, 131; doi:10.3847/1538-3881/ad9b0f
A team of scientists from Helmholtz Senturm Dresden Rossendorf, Tad Dresden Institute of Technology, and the Australian National University have discovered an “unexpected” accumulation of Beryllium-10 from the bottom of the central and North Pacific Oceans.
Col et al. Report on the discovery of anomalies in the beryllium-10 concentration profiles of several deep-sea ferromanganese crusts (stars) from the late Miocene central and North Pacific Oceans. The main bottom (blue line) and surface (red line) ocean currents of the thermal halin circulation are shown. Image credit: Koll et al., doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-55662-4.
Radionuclides are types of nuclei (isotopes) that decay into other elements over time.
They are used to date archaeological and geological samples, and radiocarbon dating is one of the best-known methods.
“The major ocean floors on Earth show one of the most pristine geological archives documenting environmental conditions and changes over millions of years, the ferromanganese crust,” Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and his colleagues.
“Dating these marine archives can be achieved through fossils through changes in biostratigraphy, isotope, or elemental composition. Alternatively, we can analyze the imprinted changes in the Earth's magnetic field due to magnetic stratigraphy. Masu.”
“Another commonly employed technique is dating space-forming nuclides,” they added.
“The radionuclide Beryllium-10 is continuously produced in the upper atmosphere, primarily through cosmic ray spallation for nitrogen and oxygen.”
“The residence time of Beryllium-10 in the atmosphere is about 1-2 years for it to adhere to the aerosol and precipitate.”
“In the ocean, atmospheric beryllium-10 mixes with the stable beryllium-9 of the lithosphere, which is transported to the ocean by river runoff and river dust, primarily after erosion of terrestrial minerals.”
Dr. Koll and co-authors have discovered long-term cosmicogenic beryllium-10 anomalies in central and North Pacific samples.
Such anomalies can be attributed to changes in ocean currents or astrophysical events that occurred during the late Miocene era around 10 million years ago.
The findings have the potential to serve as a global time marker for promising advances in dating geological archives over millions of years.
“For a period of millions of years, such space-forming time markers still do not exist,” Dr. Koll said.
“However, this beryllium abnormality can act as such a marker.”
result It will be displayed in the journal Natural Communication.
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D. Koll et al. 2025. Cosmic genome 10It becomes abnormal in the late Miocene as an independent time marker for marine archives. Nut commune 16, 866; doi:10.1038/s41467-024-55662-4
Paradise birds are families of small to medium-sized forest birds found in the New Guinea region. With its elaborate and colorful feathers, these birds are one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet. A new study found that ornithologists at the American Museum of Natural History and ornithologists at the University of Nebraska Lincoln University were biological fluorescents out of 45 currently recognized paradise. They suggest that this special “brightness” is important among male birds due to hierarchy and mating displays.
The bigger bird bird (Paradisaea apoda). Image credit: Andrea Lawardi.
With colorful feathers and intricate courtship displays, the paradise bird has a special place in natural history.
They serve as examples of school books for sexual choice. This is the result of the selection of male female peers with attractive features.
The results show unparalleled radiation of species in which men exhibit extreme morphological features and behaviors, and behaviours that have no evolutionary meaning other than attracting women due to coalescence.
“The unique mating rituals and exhibitions of paradise birds fascinated scientists and promoted countless research focusing on the evolution of traits and sexual choice,” said Rene Martin, PhD, University of Nebraska, Dr. Lincoln. The doctor said.
“It seems appropriate that these flashy birds are likely signaling each other in an additional flashy way.”
Biofluorescence is a phenomenon that occurs when an organism absorbs light, converts it, and releases it as a different color.
“More than 10,000 people recorded birds and despite numerous studies that included bright feathers, elaborate mating displays and excellent vision, we surprisingly investigated the presence of biological fluorescence. There are very few people.”
“Bowerbirds and Fairy Wrens were unable to shine, but bright green yellow fluorescent light was found among the bird birds.”
Biological fluorescence is found in Emperor's birds (Paradisaea guilielmi). Image credit: Rene Martin.
Researchers discovered that when exposed to not only bird light, but also purple light, the birds also fluorescently, and that the birds emitted fluorescence.
This phenomenon is particularly prominent in men, focusing on the bright feathers and skin of the area highlighted during the exhibition: the mouth and bills of the head, neck, and belly.
In women, biological fluorescence is usually restricted to feathers in the chest and belly.
“These birds live near the equator, where bright sunlight is abundant all year round, and in forests where light complexity is heavily affected by different canopy differences, enhancing bioflaorent signals. It could be,” Emily said. Kerr, PhD student at the American Museum of Natural History.
“Studies based on closely related species found that bird eye pigments align with fluorescent peaks measured by researchers.”
“Based on this, we speculate that avian paradises can see these biological fluorescent patterns, which enhance the contrast with dark feathers and possibly play an important role in courtship and hierarchy. there is.”
study It will be published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.
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Rene Martin et al. Royal Society Open Sciencein press; doi: 10.1098/rsos.241905
when I was growing up, the genre-defining dollhouse sim Sims was the ultimate escape. I built my dream home, grew the neighborhoods of strange and wonderful friends, and lived a fantasy adult life.
So when EA drops surprise Sims 1 and 2 Last weekend, all expansions are included to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series (my 9 year old self dream) I was naturally forced to return to my happy place. Beginners, rooms, goths, and sometimes, I removed the pool ladders while swimming a bit, and only had the pauses I needed for my mommy roast dinner.
I’ve introduced familiar music, tragic pool accidents, and my own personal nostalgia of French maids, but there’s something lurking beneath the game’s quirky and hilarious look. Surprisingly, this game now feels more like a struggle simulator than a chance to live your dream life. (I forgot how much time the Sims spent playing chess.) Like the town of Picket Fence in Lynch, I realized that there was darkness lurking under the sheen of the suburbs.
The original Sims Game was more dystopian than the cheerful and brightly colored Sims 4 of today. Contrast is not just about aesthetics. Twenty years ago, Sims had no dreams or ambitions. Your virtual family has worked long hours for a pricey life, some of the most poignant music in the history of death and gaming.
Forget your personality, desires and preferences. Sims 1 is a capitalist nightmare where survival outweighs self-realization.
Be careful of ovens that burn spontaneously! …Sims 1 + 2.
I forgot the time my original Sim actually spent on work. They are doing boring and boring work from your vision. Create a simple message you get when they are oddly shocked (or handed over). It’ll probably be fired and kill you, heading towards the cheapest oven that’s offered that small wage packet. This is a game that punishes you for being poor. It means that, like the iconic Goth family of rich people, the poor remain in their stay in stone mansions, still surrounded by charming cemeteries while the poor are poor. I have learned that social mobility in Sims 1 is nearly impossible.
And do you live in a social life? Forget that at least when you’re at the bottom of your random career ladder. There’s no time to make friends. I didn’t remember from my time as a tween who was obsessed with Sims. I now find that the nasty EastEnders-level entanglements in my neighborhood are mostly scripted in my head. Instead, you should remove the ++ and –relationship scores until you’ve finally “played in bed” anti-climic. -olds. There’s nothing dark about that heart-shaped bed of extension. I still want that in real life.
Even these moments with the most meaningful love in my Sims life seemed to offer them nothing. They were transactions and no use was helpful other than unlocking new interactions. They are playing for my enjoyment, not for theirs.
Friendships are also very traded here. To improve your rank at work, you need a certain number. Keeping yourself alone will make you poor and you will likely die of having a cheap, spontaneously burning microwave. This is particularly sad for Sims, who live alone. I’m exhausted from work. If you don’t have time to call friends over the phone for hours, or if they refuse to come, your relationship will quickly break
It’s a capitalist nightmare, but still, it’s an escape… Relaise from Sims 1 + 2.
alleys. Like the award-winning No Deeve episode of Black Mirror, when you lose social credibility, the spiral will soon go downhill for your Sim.
And it’s not as fast as music that announces the stomachs of millennials of a sudden, terrifying robbery. It’s still terrifying 25 years from now, so I hope there was a foresight to spend a small savings on theft alarm. That’s before we enter from a visit from the harsh Grim Reaper and even from a creepy prank call. These unexpected callers scared me just as they did back then.
Perhaps my new, dark perspective on the game comes from the world we live in now. I’m finally living a fantasy adult life – I’ve been on the brink of less relaxation in my gothic apartment dream home, more overwork, lower wages, and spiral breakdowns I didn’t realize that it was. In a time of economic insecurity and burnout in 2025, Sims’ crushing feels brutal.
For all existential horrors, Sims 1 is still an escape. Certainly, it presents a kind of capitalist nightmare. But it’s a capitalism nightmare you can control. No matter how hard your daily slogans work, you can always enter your cheat code and click to wipe out any financial stress. This is the ultimate fantasy. It’s also strangely accurate. Just like in real life, external benefits (and systemic misconduct) are more likely to lead to success than shattering rules and following them.
Yes, Sims 1 was and remains a dystopian suburban treadmill, but there is also room for humor. Confusion is interesting, failure is temporary, and the worst tragedy can be reversed by clicking the mouse.
The US and the UK have opted not to sign the Paris AI Summit declaration concerning “comprehensive and sustainable” artificial intelligence.
The rationale behind the two countries’ decision to withhold their signatures from the document, endorsed by 60 other signatories, including China, India, Japan, Australia, and Canada, was not immediately clarified.
The UK’s Prime Minister’s official spokesperson stated that France is among the UK’s closest allies, but the government is committed to signing initiatives that align with the UK’s national interests.
Nevertheless, it was mentioned that the UK did sign the Sustainable AI Coalition of the Summit and supported the cybersecurity statement.
When asked if the UK’s refusal to sign was influenced by the US’s decision, the spokesperson asserted that the UK does not acknowledge or align with the reasons or stance of the US detailed in the declaration.
The rejection was confirmed following US Vice President JD Vance’s critical speech at the Grand Palais, denouncing the “overregulation” of European technology and cautioning against collaboration with China.
The Communique emphasized priorities such as ensuring AI remains open, inclusive, transparent, ethical, safe, secure, and reliable, while establishing an international framework for all stakeholders.
After the event, Elise Palace suggested that more countries could eventually sign the declaration.
Vance’s address conveyed dissatisfaction with the global approach to regulating and developing technology before leaders like French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Keir Starmer was notably absent from the summit.
During his inaugural overseas trip as US Vice President, Vance expressed concerns about the EU’s regulatory measures, cautioning that excessive regulation in the AI sector could stifle transformative industries.
Vance also highlighted the risks of engaging with authoritarian regimes and issued sharp warnings directed at China regarding their exports of CCTV and 5G equipment.
China’s Vice President Zhang Guoqing echoed Vance’s sentiments, cautioning against deals that appear too good to be true, referencing his Silicon Valley learnings.
Vance’s speech primarily focused on AI safety, criticizing the cautious approach of the UK’s inaugural global AI summit in 2023 branded as an AI safety summit. He contrasted this with the potential of cutting-edge technologies that could be both self-aware and risky.
In a closing remark before departing from the meeting, Vance drew parallels to the significance of swords like the one held by Marquis de Lafayette, emphasizing their potential for freedom and prosperity when wielded appropriately.
He reflected on the shared heritage between France and the US, symbolized by the Sabers, emphasizing the need for a thoughtful approach to potentially dangerous technologies like AI, guided by the spirit of collaboration seen in historical figures like Lafayette and the American founders.
WhatsApp recently won a legal battle against NSO Group, an Israeli cyberwareponds manufacturer. Despite this victory, a new threat has emerged from another company, Paragon Solutions, which is also based in Israel, including the United States.
In January, WhatsApp revealed that 90 users, including journalists and civil society members, were targeted by SPYware created by Paragon Solutions last year. This raises concerns about how Paragon’s government clients utilize hacking tools.
Among the targeted individuals were Italian journalist Francesco Cancerato, immigrant support NGO founder Luca Casarini, and Libyan activist Husam El Gomati. University of Toronto researchers, who work closely with WhatsApp, plan to release a technical report on the breach.
Paragon, like NSO Group, provides spyware to government agencies. The spyware, known as Graphite, allows for hacking without the user’s knowledge, granting access to photos and encrypted messages. Paragon claims its use aligns with US policies for national security missions.
Paragon stated a zero-tolerance policy for violations and terminated contracts with Italy after breaching terms. David Kay, a former special rapporteur, described the marketing of such surveillance products as an abuse and a threat to the rule of law.
The issue has relevance in the US, where the Biden administration blacklisted NSO in 2021 due to reports of abuse. A contract between ICE and Paragon was suspended after concerns were raised about spyware use.
Paragon assures compliance with US laws and regulations, following the Biden executive order. The company, now US-owned, has a subsidiary in Virginia. Concerns remain about potential misuse against political opponents.
Experts from Citizen Lab and Amnestytech are vigilant in detecting illegal surveillance in democracies worldwide.
Elon Musk stirred up a dispute between Openai and its CEO Sam Altman on Monday. The billionaire heads a group of investors that revealed they had put forth a $97.4 billion bid for “all assets” of the artificial intelligence company to Openai’s board of directors.
The startup behind ChatGpt is in the process of transitioning from its original non-commercial status. Openai also operates a for-profit subsidiary, and Musk’s unsolicited offer could complicate the company’s plans. Wall Street Journal first reported the proposed bid.
“If Sam Altman and the current Openai, Inc. board of directors are intending to fully focus on profit, it is crucial that the charity is adequately compensated for what its leadership is taking away from it. It’s about time,” stated Mark Toberov, a lawyer representing investors.
Altman quickly responded to Musk shortly after the news broke, stating, “Thank you, but I’ll buy Twitter for $9.74 billion if necessary.” Musk acquired Twitter for $44 billion in 2022 and rebranded it. Musk’s reply to the post was “Swindler.”
Musk co-founded Openai but left the company in 2019 to start his own AI company called Xai. There have been ongoing disagreements between him and Altman over the company’s direction. He sued Openai over its restructuring plan, dropped the lawsuit, and then reignited the conflict.
The bid is backed by Xai and several investment firms, including those managed by Joe Lonsdale, who co-founded Stealth Government contractor Palantir. Ari Emanuel, CEO of entertainment company Endeavor, also joined the group through his investment fund.
“At X.ai, we adhere to the values that Openai has committed to uphold. Grok has fostered open source. We respect the rights of content creators,” Musk stated. “It’s time for Openai to return to its roots of open-source, safety-focused power. We will ensure that happens.”
Toberoff informed the Wall Street Journal that Musk’s consortium of investors is prepared to match or exceed the value of any other potential bids.
Openai argues that the restructuring is crucial for the company’s sustainability and access to capital. They claim that sticking with the non-profit structure alone will not keep up with the highly competitive world of AI innovation. Openai anticipates the restructuring to be completed by 2026.
Musk is a close associate of Donald Trump, whereas Altman met with the president and attended the inauguration. Trump has identified Openai as part of a group of AI companies collaborating on a $500 million deal named Stargate to invest in cutting-edge technology. Musk’s Xai is not included in this agreement.
Einstein rings (also known as Einstein – Chuworson rings or Chuworson rings) pass through very large masses such as galaxy clusters and giant galaxies as light from distant objects, such as galaxies.
Close-up of Einstein rings around NGC 6505. Image credits: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/J.-C. Cuillandre / G. Anselmi / T. Li.
This is the first powerful gravitational lens discovered in Euclidean, and the first powerful lens in the NGC object of investigation.
In the Galaxy-Galaxy's strong gravitational lens, light from the distant source galaxy is distorted and enlarged by the gravitational field of the foreground lens galaxy, forming multiple images of the source galaxy.
When the source is resolved, that is, not like a point, but close to the projection center of the lens of the source plane, a so-called Einstein ring is formed.
Both Einstein rings and lensed sources have enormous scientific value and are used in a variety of applications.
“The Einstein ring is an example of a strong gravity lens,” says Dr. Conor O'Riordan, an astronomer at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics.
“All powerful lenses are special because they are very rare and very scientifically useful.”
“This is especially special because it's very close to the Earth and makes the alignment very beautiful.”
The ring of light surrounding the NGC 6505, captured by ESA's Euclidean telescope, is a stunning example of the Einstein ring. Image credits: ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA/J.-C. Cuillandre / G. Anselmi / T. Li.
Not only are you on the ESA's Euclidean spacecraft using deep imaging data from visible cameras (VIS) and near-infrared spectrometers and photometers (NISP) equipment, but also Keck Cosmic Web Imager (kcwi) At the Wm Keck Observatory, astronomers discovered Einstein rings around the center NGC 6505An oval galaxy about 590 million light years from Earth.
The ring around the foreground NGC 6505 is made up of light from even brighter galaxies.
The galaxy in the background is 4.42 billion light years away, and the light is distorted by the force of gravity on its way towards us.
“I think it's very interesting to see this ring within the famous galaxy, first discovered in 1884,” says Dr. Valeria Pettorino, scientist of the ESA Euclid project.
“The galaxy has been known to astronomers for a very long time. Still, this ring has not been observed before.”
“This shows how powerful Euclidean is and we're finding new things in places we thought we knew well.”
“This discovery is extremely encouraging and demonstrates its incredible capabilities for the future of the Euclidean Mission.”
The discovery of the Einstein ring on the NGC 6505 is paper Published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.
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CM Orioludan et al. 2025. Euclid: Complete Einstein Ring for NGC 6505. A&A 694, A145; doi: 10.1051/0004-6361/202453014
It is not unusual for the Earth’s core to experience changes in its rotational speed and shape over time. However, recent research has revealed some unexpected developments.
Scientists have been debating the reasons behind peculiar alterations in seismic waves caused by earthquakes. One side argues that changes in the rotational speed affect the travel time of the waves, while the other side suggests that alterations in the shape of the inner core are responsible. A new study published in Natural Earth Science by Chinese and US scientists indicates that it could be a combination of both factors.
The study reveals that in 2010, the Earth’s inner core started to rotate faster than other planets, potentially impacting seismic waves with changes near the surface of the core. These waves, similar to X-rays, provide insights into the planet’s interior. The findings are expected to provide more information about the core’s properties and structure.
“These findings present observable changes that offer a clearer understanding of how the inner core evolves over a few years. There could be more surprises in store,” said Professor John Emilio Vidale, the lead author of the study, to BBC Science Focus.
The Earth’s core is almost as hot as the sun’s surface and is located approximately 6,500 km (4,000 miles) below the Earth’s surface, with pressure exceeding that of the deepest ocean depths. Due to these extreme conditions, direct exploration of the core is not feasible.
Scientists rely on seismic waves generated by earthquakes to study the core. By analyzing how these waves travel through different layers of the Earth, including the core, scientists can gain a better understanding of its structure and movement.
In this recent research, the team focused on seismic waves from 121 repeat earthquake pairs in the South Sandwich Islands between 1991 and 2023. By examining changes in the arrival times and waveforms of these signals over decades, the team identified minor shifts in core movement.
These findings revealed interesting trends in the Earth’s inner core. It rotated faster than the mantle and crust for decades before slowing down around 2010. However, some earthquakes showed no significant time shifts, indicating occasional pauses or reversals in rotations.
The study also made secondary findings, suggesting that factors other than rotation might be affecting the inner core. The team believes that viscous transformations near the inner core’s boundary could be influencing its behavior.
While this behavior may appear unstable, further data is needed to confirm its normality and deepen our understanding of how the Earth’s core functions.
According to Vidale, the simplest explanation is that the movement of the outer core initiates rotations in the inner core, readjusting its position over decades. However, the exact mechanisms behind these adjustments remain uncertain.
“The inner core’s movements may not follow a harmonious pattern, as they seem to align with the outer core’s movements,” he explained.
While this study presents intriguing insights into the Earth’s core behavior, it could pave the way for more discoveries in the future. Vidale suggests that further analysis may reveal more about the core’s activity and its potential impact on Earth’s magnetic field and other phenomena.
This could help researchers understand unpredictable occurrences that may affect satellite operations and compass readings, although they may not have a direct impact on daily life.
About our experts
John Vidale is a professor of Earth Sciences and Dean at the University of Southern California. His research focuses on earthquakes, the Earth’s structure, volcanoes, and seismic hazards. Vidale has held various roles in earthquake research institutions and warning systems, contributing significantly to our understanding of seismic events.
Archaeologists with Vejle Museum unearthed a 1,600-year-old weapon offering, including over 100 spearheads, lances, swords, chainmails, and two fragments of Roman helmets, at the site of Løsning Søndermark, Hedentified, Denmark.
Dr. Elias Witt Thomasen reveals the provision of a massive weapon at the Løsning Søndermark site in Hedensted, Denmark. Image credit: Vejle Museums.
“Two unusual iron plates were excavated during the investigation of one of the largest weapons deposits provided in the home’s mailholes.
“In the beginning, their origins were unknown. However, with the help of x-ray imaging, parents and archaeologists were able to see under the thick layer of rust surrounding the object.”
“The results revealed a very rare find: the ruins of a Roman helmet.”
According to the team, the discovery is the only known Roman helmet discovered in Denmark and the earliest iron helmet in the country.
“The two plates consist of a neck plate of a so-called coat of arms of helmets and decorated cheek plates, a type used in the Roman Empire of the 4th century AD,” the researchers said.
“In southern Scandinavia, Roman helmets from the Iron Age are extremely rare and have no direct similarities to this discovery.”
“There are several similar findings from Thorsbjerg Moor in Schleswig and from South Sweden and Gotland-None in Denmark.”
X-ray image of neck and cheek guards from a Roman helmet. Image credits: Vejle Museums
The finding raises an important question: why were the neck plate and one cheek plate only discovered?
“The answer lies in the nature of postwar rituals in the Iron Age, where weapons and military equipment rarely accumulate intact,” explained Dr. Thomasen.
“The spearhead was separated from the shaft, the blade of the sword was divided into the handle, the equipment was destroyed and divided between the parties involved in the conflict.”
“The missing cheek plates and helmet bowls could be distributed elsewhere.”
“Helmets may have belonged to Germanic warlords who served in Roman auxiliary institutions.
“Or maybe it was plundered from Roman legions in a battle near the Imperial Germanic frontier and later brought to Jatland.”
“In itself, in relation to the broader deposition of weapons and military equipment at the site, the helmet offers valuable insight into the connection between the Iron Age military elite and the powerful southern neighbor, the Roman Empire. .”
If you ask someone how the universe began, they will probably reply with these three familiar words: the Big Bang. But just like in the 1960s, cosmologists discussed the issue with heat. On the other side of the discussion on the Big Bang was the idea of an unchanging “stable state” universe, whose density was kept the same by continuously adding new problems when it expanded.
Ultimately, observation ruled out the idea of the universe in a stable state and solidified the place of Canon's Big Bang in Cosmology. Its primitive explosion has begun a process of continuous expansion, and cosmologists today see cosmologists as a place of constant flux.
But now, a bold group of cosmologists is questioning everything. To be clear, this is not a return to steady-state universe, but is completely interesting. Researchers suggest that universe history could have been interrupted by a spell of eerie stillness. These periods of stagnation in the universe can occur in such a way that it replaces the entire epoch of traditional universe history, or is spliced within that timeline.
Bold is certainly the term of this hypothesis. “This refers to a completely different family that could have never realised we could have happened before this.” Adrienne Erickcek He was not involved in the work at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. However, when these static periods exist, all sorts of challenges can be solved, including those in which dark matter is being created. Even more exciting, these ideas may be testable soon. …
Paleontologists have discovered a fragmentary skeleton of a new Lamboosaurin hadrosaurus dinosaur in the Daranshan Formation in the Cretaceous period of southern China.
Skeletal material present in Lambeosaurin specimens from the Upper Darranshan Formation of Cretaceous period in southern China. Image credit: Wang et al. , doi: 10.1080/08912963.2025.2454652.
The fragmentary skeleton of a single hadrosaurus individual is Daranshan Formation Near Zhaoqing city in Guangdong Province, China.
The specimen is between 70-67 million years old (Maastrichtian Age), and includes vertebrae, humerus, ilium, femur and tibia.
“The specimens were collected from the Sanshui Basin in the northwest of the Pearl River Delta in southern China, the inland basin closest to the South China Sea, a land source in South China,” colleagues.
“A large area of the Upper Cretaceous layer, divided into two large deposition zones, occurs within it.”
“Stratigraphy is well understood, but few vertebrate fossils were found except for the aforementioned Tyrannosauld teeth at the Typingansite.”
“The new Lamboosaurin was found in the red gravel of the second member of the Daranshan Formation.”
Individuals were members of the tribe Lambeo Sauriniotherwise it is not often expressed in the Chinese fossil record.
“The Hadrosaurudoa fossil record occurs throughout the lower and upper Cretaceous layers of the world,” the paleontologist said.
“Hadrosauroids consist of a graded basal member and a derived Hadrosauridae, the latter consisting of the Lamboosaurus River and Hadrosaurinae or Saurolophinae.”
“The most distinctive character that unites the Lambeosaurin hadrosaurin-like group is the hollow skull, formed by the pair's anterior exosarobes and noses, which may have functioned in acoustic and/or visual signaling.”
“The fossil record of Lambo Osaurinae ranges from the Santonian to the Maastrichtian.”
“To date, four species have been discovered in China. Charonosaurus jiayinensis, Jaxartosaurus sp. , Tsintaosaurus Spinorhinusand Sahaliyania Elunchunorum. ”
Researchers say the new specimen is the first known Lamboosaurin in southern China.
“It represents the first hadrosaurus from the Sanshui Basin and the first Lamboosaurin from southern China,” they said.
“This specimen suggests the possibility of future fossil discoveries in Cretaceous sediments of the Sanshui Basin, indicating that the area was once home to typical late Cretaceous Cretaceous dinosaur animals. It's there.”
Team's paper Published in the journal Historical Biology.
____
Donghao Wang et al. 2025. The first occurrence of the ducked dinosaur tribe Lambosaurini (Hadrosauridae: Lambosaurinae) in southern China. Historical BiologyPublished online on January 25th, 2025. doi:10.1080/08912963.2025.2454652
The closest Einstein ring ever picked up by the European Space Agency's Euclidean Space Telescope
ESA
Astronomers have identified the closest Einstein ring ever. This is a rare phenomenon in which light from even more off-the-sea galaxies bend due to the gravity of galaxies near Earth. The ring was previously thought to be one galaxy, and was identified over 100 years ago.
Such a galaxy lens, the closest astronomer to date, was predicted by Albert Einstein in 1936 from his general theory of relativity. At the time, he thought it was impossible to observe such an effect. In fact, if he had a strong enough telescope, he would have seen it. “It was there all along, but we didn't know.” Thomas Collett At the University of Portsmouth, UK.
Colette and his team are about 600 million light years from Earth, and the oval galaxy NGC 6505, first discovered in 1884, is actually the second galaxy behind about 600 million light years from Earth. I noticed that the light was bent.
Close-up of Einstein Ring
ESA/Euclid/Euclid Consortium/NASA, J.-C. Image processing by Cuillandre, T. Li
Team Members Bruno Artieri We observed Einstein rings at the European Space Agency while verifying early test data from the Euclidean telescope. “There was this abundant and obvious Einstein ring. There aren't many in the universe that can produce rings like this,” says Colette.
“We would have expected about one of three opportunities to find something as spectacular as this throughout the research,” he says. “It's essentially a great fortune to find it in the first data. This is probably the most beautiful lens we find on a mission.”
The ring itself is very bright compared to most Einstein rings we know, Colette says. This is not only very close to us, but also due to the Euclidean imaging capabilities. “I'm like someone with poor eyesight,” says Colette. This makes it easy to see four images of distant galaxies. The faint orange lights surrounding the bright ring are the galaxy of Rensing.
Bringing the Einstein ring closer to Earth allows us to test relativity in ways that we cannot do with other distant lenses, says Colette. This is because galaxies can be measured in two ways. , often too far to measure accurately. Einstein's general theory of relativity states that these masses should be the same, so if there are differences it may suggest that the theory of gravity should be revised.
When Colette and his colleagues measured the mass of the lensed galaxy, they also found a slightly higher number than possible from the galaxy's estimated number of stars. This could be due to the dark matter aggregation together at Galaxy's Center. Frédéric Dux He says observatory in southern Europe needs to find more Einstein lenses to check.
The lawsuit names both the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services as Defendants, stating that the impact of the changes in indirect rates announced on Friday would be “immediate and catastrophic.”
NIH revealed on Friday that it will cap indirect funding for research projects at 15% and significantly decrease the federal government’s funding for research institutions for equipment, maintenance, utilities, support staff, and more. Previously, these rates were negotiated with the agencies. The new policy took effect on Monday for all new and existing NIH grants.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts and led by the attorney generals of Illinois and Michigan, alleges that the NIH violated the Administrative Procedure Act and disregarded the will of Congress, which aimed to prevent changes in indirect cost rates since 2018.
All Democratic state Attorneys General are part of this lawsuit.
The lawsuit demands a temporary restraining order and an injunction to prevent the NIH from implementing the new rules.
Scientists have warned that reducing indirect costs will negatively impact research efforts, hinder basic science research, and potentially impede disease research and new discoveries.
In response to the proposed changes, the University of California System stated that this will significantly reduce personnel and services, affecting education, training, patient care, basic research, and clinical trials.
Supporters of the NIH policy change argue that indirect costs are currently excessive and need to be controlled.
According to a Friday post by x, Katie Miller from the newly formed Government Efficiency Bureau, or Doge, stated: “This will reduce Harvard’s exorbitant costs by $150 million annually.”
As we age, we naturally struggle to remember our memories. However, the condition that usually occurs later in life is dementiawhich can cause more severe memory loss. Dementia can affect our quality of life by making it difficult to remember important information, such as our age, phone number, home address, and the names of loved ones. Although there is no treatment for dementia, researchers have investigated the impact of different lifestyle choices on the risks of developing it.
A team of researchers recently analyzed the effects of diet on individuals who are sensitive to the onset of dementia and depression. These researchers previously found that both dementia and depression are associated with brain cells formed in areas that create new memories. Hippocampus. This process is known as Neurogenesis in the hippocampus, andIT problems involving cells dying at increasingly high speeds can exacerbate the risk of dementia and depression. The researchers mentioned the genetic predisposition of people with problems with neurogenesis in the hippocampus in terms they coined. Biological sensitivity of neurogenesis centers.
The researchers wanted to determine whether their diet affects neurogenesis in the hippocampus. They looked for either an increased or reduced risk of dementia and depression, depending on what participants ate. Other dementia researchers focus primarily on: Mediterranean diet Reduced the risk of dementia. In contrast, these researchers have shown that the relationship between several vitamins and food groups and conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, blood vessels and other types of dementia, depression, and general cognitive decline. We focused on neurogenesis sensitivity.
The team worked with 371 people without dementia, with an average age of 76 at the start of the exam. First, the researchers obtained blood samples from each participant to assess nutritional levels. Information from blood samples was then used to identify those who met and did not meet the criteria for neurogenesis-centered biosensitivity. Finally, they recorded the participants' medical history and paid attention to their medication.
After they gathered this initial information, they met with participants every two years for 12 years. They interviewed them about their diet during their first two years of follow-up visit. They also monitored their mental abilities and emotional states with each visit. Over the course of 12 years, 21% of participants developed dementia and 29% experienced symptoms related to depression.
After a 12-year trial, the researchers assessed how each participant's diet affected the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or depression. They are Odds ratio, Odds ratios above 1 mean that individuals are at a higher risk of developing these conditions, and odds ratios below 1 reduce the risk. They found that sensitive participants who reported a greater chicken diet, such as chicken or turkey, had an odds ratio of 0.9, or a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. On the other hand, for Alzheimer's disease, those who reported a diet consisting of large amounts of lean meat, such as beef and pork, showed 1.1 or increased risk.
Scientists also found that vulnerable participants who consumed large amounts of vitamin D in fatty fish, fortified milk and grains were either an increased odds ratio, or a risk for vascular dementia. . They found susceptible individuals who consumed more vitamin E forms found in whole grains, lush greens, and nuts. γ-Tocopherolshowed an increased odds ratio or risk for depression. However, researchers noted that diet did not affect whether an individual experiences natural cognitive decline, and did not affect the risk of dementia in people who are not sensitive to it.
Scientists concluded that eating more poultry than lean meat could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease in individuals with neurogenetic-centered biological sensitivity. However, since these vitamins should benefit human health, they did not expect vitamins D and E to increase the risk of dementia and depression, respectively. Regardless of these nuances, researchers suggested that understanding the relationship between meat consumption and Alzheimer's disease could improve the later health of those with that tendency.
The inner core of Earth’s solids appears to have changed shape over the last 20 years or so, according to seismic wave measurements, but the behavior of these waves can also be explained by other shifts at the center of the planet.
Since the 1990s, models and earthquake measurements have shown that the inner core of Earth’s iron nickel moves at its own pace. Over decades, the inner core rotation is faster, slower than other planets, affecting the length of the day and more.
These rotational changes are primarily due to magnetic forces produced by convection in the Earth’s liquid outer core, they say. John Vidale At the University of Southern California. “That flow constantly torques the inner core.”
These magnetic forces, or related processes, can change the shape of the inner core and its rotation. In fact, previous measurements of seismic waves passing through the center of the planet seem to show just that. However, uncertainty regarding the rotation of the core made it impossible to distinguish between rotational changes and shape changes.
Now, Vidale and his colleagues are analyzing seismic waves generated by 128 earthquakes off the coast of South America between 1991 and 2023. All waves were measured by Alaskan instruments after passing through the planet.
From these, researchers have identified 168 sets of seismic waves that have passed through or near the same area of the inner core, but have been away for years. It was only possible to identify these matches Recent work Vidale says it will better constrain the variation in rotation of the inner core.
Both waves of each pair that did not pass through the inner core shared a similar pattern, suggesting that in the region within the planet nothing had changed between the first and second earthquakes. Masu. However, the waves of the pair crossed with the inner core did not match.
Researchers say this suggests that the inner core not only slows down and speeds up rotation for decades but also changes shape. They say that these changes are magnetically pulled at the less viscous edge of the inner core of the solid or interaction between the inner core and the structure of the planetary core and the lower mantle. They say it is likely caused by interactions between the layers. The crust.
hrvojetkalčić At Australian National University, which was not involved in the study, this is a “step” to resolve changes in the internal core beyond rotation. However, he says that the shape change is not the only explanation for the seismic waves of incongruity.
As Vidale and his colleagues acknowledge, these differences can also be caused by unrelated changes in the outer core, convection within the inner core itself, or by eruption of melted material from the inner core. There is. “It’s really hard to tell,” Bidal says. He suggests that studying more repeated earthquakes in the future will help identify changes in more detail.
Tkalčić says seismological measurements in remote areas such as the seabed are also useful. “This is important for understanding the deepest inner evolution of Earth, from the time of the planetary layers to the present,” he says.
The PlayStation Network (PSN) is currently experiencing technical difficulties, causing online gamers worldwide to be unable to access weekend events.
PSN is a service utilized by Sony PlayStation console users to connect to online gaming networks, enabling them to play with other gamers globally.
The outage started in the UK late on Friday night, affecting approximately 71,000 gamers who have reported the problem on the PlayStation website, with many losing access to the online game lobby, PlayStation store, and their online accounts.
PSN offers subscriptions at different price points, ranging from £13.49 per month to £119.99 per month for a premium subscription. Users have been expressing their frustration over these costs when addressing Sony.
During weekends, specific games hold special tournaments and events, such as Electronic Arts’ FC 25 with its “weekend leagues” on the ultimate team platform. Additionally, Call of Duty fans will miss out on promotional weekends and Double XP events in Black Ops 6 and Warzone due to the ongoing PSN disruption.
Many disgruntled PlayStation users have taken to social media to voice their displeasure with the outage through memes, jokes, and complaints.
One user wrote, “Let’s be honest. Everyone should get free PS Plus this month. Paying a monthly fee only for the network to go down over the weekend is unacceptable.” Another user expressed frustration about missing out on gaming time due to the server issues.
Sony is actively working to resolve the problem and has advised users to check their digital services for updates. The Guardian has reached out to PlayStation, Electronic Arts, and Activision Blizzard for comments on the situation.
tHe’s the way the world ends: not with bangs, but… rounded? According to my favorite Wikipedia wormhole, it is the number of possible ways our universe can bite about 100 quin desirion (give or take several losses) into a bullet a few years from now. It’s just one.
To me, Wikipedia looks harmless A distant future timeline Page (along with its existentially miserable nature, The ultimate fate of the universe) The perfect encapsulation of the built-in dissonance of the Internet is monolithic in meaning, but in its presentation it is very pedestrian. It provides a heart-warming snapshot of scientific theory wrapped in boring color-coded spreadsheets. Catalogs the theoretical extinction of Y chromosomes five million years later.
Every year human history has its own dedicated Wikipedia page, 719BC (When Zhou Huan Wang clearly didn’t happen much other than becoming the ruler of China). Although nature has younger years than others, these pages generally provide useful TLs of major world events, famous births and deaths, astronomical phenomena.
However, if you scroll through the 2020s, you will see that 2026, 2027, 2028 and more continue. The cleverly dull Wikipedia interface remains unchanged in the cedees of recorded history Speculative history.
The audience at John Cage’s performance was as late as possible. This is scheduled to begin in 2001 and close in 2640. Photo: Markus Schreiber/AP
It is possible to surf Wikipedia in the very distant future. Each page provides the best guesses of the current year, ten years, century, or the millennium may have. In 2029, “Digital Time Capsule “Message from Earth” reaches the destination of Earth’s Gliese 581c.” In 2085, “Queen Elizabeth II’s “Secret” letter will be opened in Sydney.” In 2140, “It is expected that all of the approximately 21 million Bitcoins will be mined.”
It was a troubling combination of asteroid near misses, severe climate catastrophes, strange geopolitics, until around the 24th century, when he had the same surname in 2531, a “negative bear-spot paradox” in 2353. is. “John Cage’s organ’s performance in 639 will be as slow as possible,” he said in 2640.
It’s been a while since the movie was 2012. Will the world end up with “a big freeze, a big crunch, a big bounce, a big rift, or actually a big round lup?” Photo: Sony/Sportsphoto/Allstar
From there, all roads lead to a timeline of the distant future. Here we see the explosive red hyper-illusions that appear in the daytime sky, the addition of daily moments on Earth, planetary collisions, ocean evaporation, space-time singularities, pyramidal erosion, Mars terra formation, black holes, Boltzmann’s You can learn about brain erosion of the brain. The final ending ext of JavaScript (time of death: 275,760 September 13th).
Truly adventurous people can delve deeper into the ultimate fate of the universe, which reads like a tasting menu to completely disappear. Is it a big freeze, a big crunch, a big bounce, a big rift, or actually a big round thing?
Wikipedia, like other encyclopedias, was not designed to induce emotions, but the pure spiritual weight of the information made me feel a bit of awe-inspiring. It may not be possible. When I read these completely benign “Astro Engineering Project” and “Femtosecond Laser Etched Nanostructures”, I feel my little human brain stabbing against the limits of that imagination You can do it.
Some people have explained that they are in a small mood in honor, looking up at the stars on a sunny night. Scrolling through these Wikipedia pages and reading history before it happens, I get the same feeling. My little desk, my little keyboard is doing my little work, and my head is in the world where future archaeologists identify the “urban strata” of fossilized coastal cities I’m trying to wrap it around. Next, close all browser tabs and compete for Pilates.
The global summit in Paris, attended by political leaders, technical executives, and experts, opened with a focus on the impact of artificial intelligence on the environment and inequality.
Anne Bouverot, Emmanuel Macron’s AI envoy, addressed the environmental impact of AI at the two-day gathering at Grand Palais in Paris.
Bouverot emphasized the potential of AI to mitigate climate change but also highlighted the current unsustainable trajectory. Sustainable development of technology was a key agenda item.
Christy Hoffman from the UNI Global Union emphasized the importance of involving workers in AI technologies to prevent increased inequality. Without workers’ representation, AI could exacerbate existing inequalities and strain democracy further.
Safety concerns were raised at the conference, with attendees expressing worries about the rapid pace of AI development.
Max Tegmark, a scientist, warned that the development of powerful AI systems could lead to unintended consequences similar to the scenarios depicted in a climate crisis satire film. His concerns echoed those from a previous summit in the UK.
The Paris summit, co-chaired by Macron and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focused on AI action. However, safety discussions were prominent given the potential risks associated with the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Demis Hassabis, head of Google’s AI efforts, mentioned that achieving AGI is likely within the next five years and emphasized the need for society to prepare for its impact.
Hassabis expressed confidence in human ingenuity to address the risks associated with AGI, particularly in autonomous systems. He believed that with enough focus and attention, these concerns could be alleviated.
Before the global AI summit in Paris, British technology secretary warns that Western, liberal, democratic countries should lead artificial intelligence races, hinting at China’s involvement in the competition. He emphasized the importance of liberal values in advancing AI technology.
Peter Kyle mentioned that political leaders and tech executives will convene in France to discuss the emergence of a new Chinese AI powerhouse, posing a challenge to Silicon Valley’s dominance. Kyle highlighted the UK’s potential to lead AI development.
The summit aims to facilitate collaboration between global leaders and businesses to showcase the UK’s expertise and role in advancing AI technology. Kyle stressed the significance of democratic countries maintaining leadership in this critical field.
Kyle also emphasized the impact of AI on various sectors, including national security and defense. He underscored the need for democratic principles to guide the development and deployment of AI technology.
The emergence of Deepseek, a Chinese AI model, has sparked competition among countries and businesses to accelerate their efforts in technology development. Kyle expressed enthusiasm and determination to stay competitive in the AI race.
The AI Litigation Summit, co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will bring together top leaders and tech experts to discuss AI advancements and global governance.
Peter Kyle said the government “has an agency on how this technology is developed, deployed and consumed.” Photo: Linda Nylind/The Guardian
Kyle defended the decision of British Prime Minister not to attend the summit, highlighting the government’s role in shaping the AI action plan. He stressed the importance of focusing on issues such as work, culture, and global governance in the summit.
The summit aims to promote sustainable AI development and make technology more environmentally friendly and accessible worldwide. It also addresses concerns about using copyrighted material to build AI models and emphasizes the importance of safety and transparency in AI development.
Kyle announced plans to establish an “AI Growth Zone” in the UK to support the training and operation of AI systems. The government aims to revitalize regions that have historically lagged behind in technological advancements.
Efforts are underway to provide energy infrastructure to support the growth zone and enhance the country’s capacity to lead in AI technology. The government is working with network operators to meet the energy demands of AI data centers.
The government has identified potential sites for the AI Growth Zone, including regions in Scotland, Wales, and England. Kyle highlighted the opportunity for energy-intensive regions to benefit from AI technology advancements.
The upcoming summit aims to address concerns and promote trust and safety in AI development, ensuring that AI technology benefits both people and the planet.
The human brain is like an electrified sphere, considered the most complex object in the universe. Sometimes, don’t you wish it would just quiet down, especially at night?
One common symptom of insomnia is a racing mind when trying to sleep. Our brains bounce thoughts around like a pinball machine due to caffeine, anxiety, or stress.
This mental perturbation includes repetitive negative thoughts that we may not even be aware of, focusing on mistakes and worrying about the future.
While this is challenging for those with mental health conditions, it affects everyone when overwhelmed with tasks or life challenges.
Insomnia affects about 1 in 3 people – Photo Credit: Getty
Psychologist Dr. Luc Beaudoin believes that cognitive shuffle, a technique that mimics the brain’s natural processes during sleep onset, can help control runaway thoughts while trying to sleep.
The cognitive shuffle involves imagining unrelated images, like a photo show, to bring light structure to racing thoughts. By focusing on connecting images related to a chosen word, it aims to quiet the mind before falling asleep.
Counting sheep may not be as effective as cognitive shuffle – Photo credit: Getty
Cognitive shuffling strikes a balance between conscious and unconscious thoughts, keeping unwanted thoughts at bay without overwhelming executive functioning.
Dr. Beaudoin’s broader sleep initiation theory, Somnolent Information Processing, explores factors that help or hinder the process, with spiritual perturbation as a common hindrance.
Cognitive shuffling is still under research, but promising results suggest it can aid sleep initiation along with other scientifically proven techniques.
About our experts
Dr. Luc Beaudoin is an adjunct professor at Simon Fraser University and founder of Cogsest. He has published books on cognitive productivity and is recognized in various academic journals.
High-tech companies are urging the UK government to support the growth of AI data centers in remote areas of the UK by offering the lowest electricity prices in Europe.
A report commissioned by high-tech companies Amazon and Openai calls on the government to reform the UK electricity market by implementing zonal pricing, where prices vary based on different zones to incentivize investment in areas with lower electricity costs.
This zonal pricing model, according to a report by SMF Think Tank, highlights Scotland as a hotspot for AI data centers due to its abundant wind farms and population density.
Political leader Keir Starmer has emphasized the importance of artificial intelligence in positioning the UK as a global technology leader.
However, concerns have been raised about hosting data centers in the UK due to high industrial electricity prices and ambitious targets to phase out fossil fuels from the electricity system.
The SMF report suggests that zonal pricing could significantly reduce electricity costs for data centers, making Scotland’s electricity prices the lowest in Europe.
Support for zonal pricing has been recommended by cross-party Think Tanks to expedite the deployment of AI data centers by connecting more low-carbon electricity to the grid and addressing planning delays.
The report also backs the government’s plan to build small modular reactors outside traditional nuclear areas to facilitate the development of Data Centre Hubs in England and Wales.
According to Sam Robinson of SMF, urgent action is needed to address rising energy costs and planning delays to maintain the UK’s position as a global innovation leader.
Zone pricing alignment has garnered support from SMF clients and tech companies in government consultations on the future of electricity markets.
The proposed zoning system aims to attract high-energy users to regions with lower electricity prices, creating new job opportunities outside of southeastern England while balancing demand on the local grid.
However, concerns have been raised that changes in energy pricing may impact profitability of remote clean energy projects, potentially hindering investment in green energy.
The government is expected to make a decision on the future of the electricity market in the coming months.
The gambling company is secretly tracking visitors to its website and sending data to Facebook’s parent company without obtaining consent, a clear violation of data protection laws.
Meta, the owner of Facebook, uses this data to profile individuals as gamblers and bombard them with ads from casinos and betting sites, as reported by the observer. Hidden tracking tools embedded in many UK gambling websites extract visitor data and share it with social media companies.
According to the law, data should only be used and shared for marketing purposes with explicit permission from users on the website. However, an investigation by the observer found numerous violations across 150 gambling sites.
A call for immediate intervention was made by Ian Duncan Smith, chairman of the All-Parliamentary Group on Gambling Reform, criticizing the illegal use of tools like Metapixel without consent. Concerns were raised about the lack of regulation and accountability in the gambling industry.
Data sharing and profiling practices by gambling operators are raising concerns about targeted advertising and potential harm to individuals. The Information Committee (ICO) has taken action against companies like Sky Betting & Gaming for illegally processing personal data.
The gambling industry is under scrutiny for its marketing strategies, with calls for stricter regulations to protect consumers. Meta and other social media platforms are being called out for their role in facilitating these illegal data practices.
Concerns about the misuse of Metapixel tracking tools extend beyond the gambling industry to other sectors, prompting calls for more transparency and accountability in data collection and usage.
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