Currently, we stand alone in our existence. Yet, just hundreds of thousands of years ago, our ancestors coexisted with at least five other ancient human species, including diminutive hobbits and robust Neanderthals.
It may soon be necessary to include another name in that legacy. Recent discussions suggest that “remarkable Denisovan skulls are rewriting the narrative of human evolution,” prompting calls for the recognition of the Denisovans as a distinct species.
Since the initial Denisovan fossils were discovered 15 years ago, this isn’t a hasty conclusion. The ancient DNA retrieved from these fossils indicates they belong to humans with unique evolutionary paths. Furthermore, genetic studies suggest these ancient peoples interbred with Homo sapiens, leading many researchers to reconsider their classification as another species.
Interestingly, various species definitions permit mating as long as the involved species maintain distinct characteristics. The central issue, however, has been the unclear appearance of Denisovans. Yet, earlier this year, the discovery of ancient skulls in China—linked to Denisovan DNA—has strengthened the argument for classifying Denisovans as a distinct species based on their unique morphology.
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The Denisovans might help us decode why we are the last humans standing. “
The inclination among biologists to categorize nature into distinct species can sometimes be trivialized as mere stamp collecting. The intention is to classify life forms rather than genuinely understand them. However, in this context, the effort is meaningful. Anatomical insights from Denisovan fossils hint at a captivating possibility: these mysterious humans are closely related to our species, offering potential clarity into early behavioral advancements of Homo sapiens by juxtaposing them with Denisovans.
At a certain point, our ancestors developed new behaviors that positioned us ahead of other human races. It’s conceivable that Denisovans could shed light on how we became the last standing humans.
SpaceX Starship Rocket launches in its 10th flight test from Starbase, Texas, Launch Complex 1
UPI/Alamy
The SpaceX Starship, recognized as the most powerful rocket globally, has successfully completed a suborbital test flight following three previous launches that ended in catastrophic explosions.
SpaceX aims to develop a highly reusable and formidable launch vehicle. After several years, the Starship program is set to take over the deployment of Starlink satellites and play a pivotal role in NASA’s Artemis Moon Missions. Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, has stated that Starship is crucial for his ambition to colonize Mars.
The company embraces a fail-fast approach, more typical of Silicon Valley than the traditional methods prevalent in the aerospace industry. Despite aiming for rapid iterations, recent failures have raised concerns among observers.
Previous test flights (7, 8, and 9) ended in disaster with the upper stage either exploding or failing to land safely. The preparations for the 10th flight faced challenges when the upper stage detonated while holding propellant during ground tests.
This failure drew criticisms and led to doubts about SpaceX’s ability to achieve rapid reusability. Nevertheless, the test flight on August 10 from Starbase, Texas, was mainly successful, despite two previous cancellations.
The upper stage reached orbit and successfully deployed eight mock Starlink satellites to evaluate engine performance in a vacuum. Although an unexpected explosion damaged the engine area, the spacecraft completed its objectives, re-entering Earth’s atmosphere and achieving a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The positioned camera-equipped buoy provided engineers critical insights into the craft’s operations.
The booster stage detached and performed a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
While SpaceX did not provide specific comments, they stated on their website that all “primary objectives were met” during the mission.
Patrick Harkness, from the University of Glasgow, remarked that the launch was “an incredible achievement that allowed them to approach high volumes of space at low-cost altitudes.”
Despite advancements, questions linger regarding whether the spacecraft will be ready in time for NASA’s Artemis III lunar landing, planned for 2027. SpaceX remains committed to sending the spacecraft to Mars in 2026, amid ongoing challenges.
hEre Admission: At 37 years old, I still haven’t learned to drive. In the summer of 2021, I attempted to learn, and during my second lesson, I asked the instructor if he played a lot of video games. When he replied, “Yes,” he remarked, “I thought so.” I don’t have free time. Sadly, countless hours spent dominating friends and family in Mario Kart and wreaking havoc in Grand Theft Auto didn’t translate into actual driving skills. I enjoy racing games precisely because of their unrealism.
Without a license, I cycle everywhere on my gigantic orange bike, which can fit both my kids in the back. It looks absolutely ridiculous. Picture me next to a middle-aged man clad in Lycra, zooming past on his sleek carbon fiber bike. That’s not a ride I would take to rural areas or down mountain trails. Thus, I often find solace in video games.
Surprisingly, there aren’t many bike-themed games, but my long-standing affection for them mirrors my passion for virtual golf. One of my favorites is the Solitary Mountains. Downhill presents a stunningly realistic trajectory down increasingly perilous mountains, paired with minimalist nature sounds and the clattering of my bike on rocks. Another delightful cycling adventure is Knights and Bikes, which has an 80s summer vacation vibe, following kids exploring an island on two wheels.
Pedals to metal (not)… the world of wheels. Photo: Messhof/Steam
Recently, I’ve been enjoying Wheel World, a creation of California developer Messhof (also known for the classic 1-on-1 fencing game Nidhog). In this game, I navigate islands on a handlebar racing bike, keeping an eye out for hidden paths and ramps while competing against local riders. It feels like a low-octane, cartoon-colored version of Forza Horizon on two wheels, encapsulating both the freedom and peace of cycling without the stress of controlling a car. Instead, I simply ride.
I’ve been dealing with a troublesome injury for most of the year (hence my absence from the newsletter). Wheel World soothes my nerves. Players must first be chosen by an ancient bike spirit to race the island’s fastest champion and reclaim mystical bike parts. While it’s not particularly challenging—I’ve won most races—it still manages to capture the essence of cycling through towns that share the road with tractors and semi-rural farmland. You can take your time without worrying about sticking strictly to paved paths.
Although I’ve experienced other racing games like Wheel World, none have felt quite like it. The game’s design reassures me completely. It’s a realm devoted entirely to the celebration of biking, free from complications or distractions. Customizing my ride is a joy (especially with vibrant color options), and while new parts subtly alter the pedaling experience, the energetic soundtrack heightens the atmosphere during races, yet mellows out for peaceful exploration. Five hours in, I found myself overqualified for the final race but opted to continue exploring the delightful terrain designed for two-wheel enthusiasts.
At times, in moments of physical or emotional recovery, a captivating game to lose yourself in is essential. Other times, a brief, uplifting experience is what you need. Wheel World helped me miss my real bike a little less.
What to Play
Top Gear…Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Photo: Konami
Longtime readers know I’ve been critical of Hideo Kojima’s games, but critic Tom Regan is excited for the impending release of Metal Gear Solid 3, rebranded as Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. “Snake Eater is an apocalyptic Metal Gear, a Cold War escapade, heading towards a James Bond-esque apocalypse,” he describes. “Kojima’s admiration for Hollywood is evident, and while his work often turns into sprawling epics, this game remains his most cinematic creation.”
Available on: PC, PS5, Xbox Estimated Playtime: Approximately 20 hours
What to Read
Snail’s Pace… Hollow Knight: Silkson has been in development for seven years. Photo: Team Cherry
According to Bloomberg (£), the long-awaited Hollow Knight: Silkson took seven years to develop because the team enjoyed the process too much to stop. “We might have continued indefinitely,” William Peren from Team Cherry said.
An incredible quote from Sony PlayStation chief, Harmen Halst, from a Financial Times Interview (£), after last year’s Concord incident: “For us, when we fail, we want to fail early and cheaply.”
Last week, Gamescom broke attendance records with 357,000 visitors in Cologne. According to the organizers, this proves that face-to-face gaming events are finally returning to stability post-pandemic.
A long-lost tale… the story of a vagrant. Photo: Square Enix
Leader Tom presents this week’s question:
“With all these remakes emerging, what games do you wish to see (me included)? “
We all have that one game, right? We know that if someone gave it the green light, modern technology would enhance it positively. Although Vagrant Story isn’t entirely forgotten, Square Enix has been preserving its catalog, especially with a grand remake following in the footsteps of Final Fantasy VII. Naoshima Yoshida from Final Fantasy XIV has claimed it as one of his favorites, so there’s at least a 50% chance for a re-release. I held onto hope that it might surprise fans at one of the major annual showcases.
We’ve revisited highly sought-after remakes over the years, so why not ask again: Are you still waiting for someone to revive it? And if you have another question for the question block, or feedback on the newsletter:Please email pushbuttons@theguardian.com.
The third story focused on the appeal of SpaceX’s Starship Megarocket launch on Tuesday, which was postponed twice in recent days. This successful 10th flight demonstrated that the spacecraft has triumphed over previous challenges associated with Mars Rocket’s reusable design.
The stainless steel giant, standing 403 feet tall (123 meters), was lifted from the company’s star base in southern Texas at 6:30 PM local time (2330 GMT), with the engineering team celebrating loudly on the webcast. The mission aimed to test the ship’s new heat shield tiles and satellite deployment capabilities, featuring numerous upgrades from earlier versions.
As planned, the top half of the rocket separated from the Super Heavy booster. This first stage, measuring 232 feet, usually lands on a giant catch arm at the launch tower but targeted Gulf of Mexico waters this time to test an alternative landing engine.
Shortly after reaching space, satellite deployment systems, including Starship’s “Pez,” distributed mock Starlink satellites for the first time.
The spaceship achieved a successful splashdown in the Indian Ocean, marking a crucial milestone in testing rockets that had been destroyed in previous flights after experiencing intense heat during atmospheric re-entry.
The 10th test flight follows a series of explosive failures, raising doubts about whether the world’s most powerful launch vehicle will aid in colonizing Mars or if NASA can realize founder Elon Musk’s vision of assisting astronauts in returning to the moon.
SpaceX opted not to attempt to recover boosters from Tuesday’s flight, focusing instead on in-flight experiments to “collect real-world performance data on future flight profiles and scenarios.”
Monday’s launch was canceled due to thick clouds lingering overhead for much of the day, leading to a delay just 40 seconds before the countdown ended. Sunday’s attempt was scrubbed due to liquid oxygen leaks on the Starship launch pad, as billionaire Musk mentioned on X overnight.
Following the last three flights, many were concerned after the rocket suffered explosions—twice in the Caribbean and once after reaching space. In June, the upper stage exploded during ground testing.
“We’ve conducted numerous tests but haven’t achieved reliability,” noted Dallas Kasaboski, a space analyst at the consulting firm Anacys Mason, in an interview with AFP. “Success doesn’t outweigh failure.”
The objective is to send upper stage ships carrying crews and cargo around the globe before departing from northwest Australia.
Equipped with prototype heat shield materials, it deployed a dummy Starlink satellite while flying on a trajectory designed to stress-test the rear flap.
Known as Super Heavy, the booster is expected to splash down in the Gulf of Mexico. SpaceX had previously surprised observers by catching boosters using the “chopstick arm” at the launch tower; however, this flight will prioritize data collection under less-than-ideal flight conditions.
This year, two spacecraft tests failed early in the flight, alongside another failure in space during the ninth flight, and a “devastating explosion” during ground testing in June, forcing the spacecraft to fly into nearby Mexican territory, testing SpaceX’s capital-intensive approach to operational development.
This approach contrasts sharply with SpaceX’s competitors, like Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin. The New Glenn Rocket made its operational debut in January after years spent on ground development and testing. The United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Rocket, co-owned by Boeing and Lockheed Martin, underwent a similar upbringing before its 2024 debut.
Despite recent setbacks, the spacecraft isn’t viewed as being at a crucial juncture. SpaceX’s “Fail Fast, Learn Fast” philosophy positions it ahead of Falcon rocket launches, while Dragon Capsules ferry astronauts to the International Space Station, and Starlink becomes a geopolitical asset.
Nevertheless, Starship introduces new challenges. Musk identifies the development of a fully reusable orbital heat shield as the most daunting task, noted that restoring heat shielding for the Space Shuttle took nine months between flights.
“Our goal with the spaceship is to create a heat shield that can be used immediately,” he stated during a webcast on Monday.
SpaceX’s Starlink Satellite Internet enterprise is also intertwined with Starship’s success, a major source of corporate revenue. Musk aims to use Starship to launch larger batches of Starlink satellites, which have been deployed using SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket.
Musk remains optimistic, asserting, “In about six to seven years, there will be days when Starships will be launched more than 24 times in 24 hours,” he replied to X users on Sunday.
Another hurdle is to demonstrate that the spacecraft can refuel in orbit using supercooled propellants. This step is critical yet untested for a vehicle aiming to undertake deep space missions.
Preparing a modified version of NASA’s Lunar Lander for 2027 will take time, as Musk aims to send a non-white-knuckle spacecraft to Mars next year.
Researchers evaluate chest compressors on aircraft dummies
CNES
Due to the challenges of microgravity, tasks as simple as eating or showering become complex, making CPR on individuals who stop breathing in space a highly specialized process. However, experiments in simulated microgravity indicate that mechanical devices may perform more efficiently.
On Earth, weight and muscle strength aid in compressing a patient’s chest, but this principle shifts entirely in space where weight is nearly negligible.
NASA’s CPR protocol for the International Space Station dictates that patients must be compressed between two rigid surfaces while being positioned upside down and providing pressure with the feet.
Seeking a more effective approach, Nathan Raynett from the University of Lorraine along with his team assessed various CPR techniques aboard a parabolic flight on an Airbus A310. They also investigated three different chest compressors typically used in ground ambulance settings.
All methods were administered to training dummies, with a focus on measuring the depth of chest compressions. The European Council on Resuscitation states that a minimum compression depth of 50 mm is essential for effectiveness. In the experiments, the optimal mechanical devices achieved depths of 53 mm, whereas the upside-down method only managed 34.5 mm.
The findings will be presented at the European Heart Association Conference in Madrid on August 31st. Reynette and his colleagues expressed their hope that the research could influence future CPR guidelines in space.
Astronauts rehearse chest compression techniques during emergency drills on the International Space Station
JSC/NASA
Aaron Parkhurst from University College London notes that current CPR methods are challenging to apply in space, highlighting a need for enhancements. “In zero gravity, conducting CPR would likely present significant challenges and yield poor outcomes,” he explains. “This new technique seems promising in addressing those concerns.”
As space travel becomes increasingly frequent, the chances of cardiovascular emergencies in orbit rise, particularly as astronauts are not always physically optimal, as Parkhurst points out. “The strain of launching into space can be taxing on the heart, while prolonged exposure to microgravity impacts the cardiovascular system adversely.”
A NASA representative stated: “Currently, manual compression remains the standard CPR method used on the International Space Station. NASA mitigates the need for CPR through comprehensive medical screenings of astronauts and strong engineering safeguards. Research on CPR machines in microgravity has not been extensively conducted, particularly concerning human missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.”
Keeper proudly asserts its claim to be the most unusual game ever unveiled by Microsoft. The backdrop is peculiar—a vibrant, fantastical realm resembling New England. The characters are certainly eccentric, including a bird-like creature named Twig, whose beak appears to be liquid. Surprisingly, players assume the role of an animated lighthouse, equipped with tiny, small feet that help it navigate its wobbly, weeping form.
Amidst a sea of action heroes, the lighthouse emerges as an unexpected protagonist. Creative Lead Lee Petty is somewhat vague about the game’s development, preferring to focus on the character’s design, aiming to enhance the overall action-adventure experience. Despite its apparent absurdity, Petty maintains a certain intuition about it. “Light is intimately linked to life,” he explains. “You can envision the player’s actions, puzzles, and mechanisms that stem from it.”
“Life keeps evolving in completely unexpected ways”…The Keeper. Photo: Double Fine
The lighthouse’s illuminating beacons serve as the primary means of interacting with the game’s vibrant island environment. In “Unfocused” mode, leaves and tiny creatures evolve, morphing in response to the light’s beam amid a fantastic landscape. Conversely, in “Focused” mode, the light’s power is intensified, allowing large objects to transform while some materials are attracted or repelled. This forms the foundation for the game’s more intricate puzzles.
The world of Keeper is filled with psychedelic purples and lush greenery. Bioluminescent rock formations, gigantic flower heads with tree-sized tendrils, magnificent whale-like creatures gliding in the sky, and unexpected vegetation flourishing on their backs. This ecological wonder draws inspiration from 1980s fantasy films like “The Dark Crystal” and other similarly “strange” and “imperfect” works.
Gozy, psychedelic purple…keeper. Photo: Double Fine
Real-life experiences have sparked creativity for Petty. During the Covid lockdown, he took solitary walks through the lush hills south of San Francisco, contemplating how life on Earth might evolve without human presence. He engaged with literature and films about mycelium networks, delving into the interconnectedness of ecosystems and their interdependence.
This flood of emotions and real-world reflections melded into what Petty describes as fever dreams. He envisioned “a surreal island, reminiscent of a space populated with humanity, where life evolves in wonderfully unpredictable ways.”
The game’s inception coincided with Petty’s award-winning tenure at Double Fine, the studio behind the whimsical platformer Psychonauts 2 and other unique titles, following its acquisition by Microsoft. The new management embraced his experimental ideas, providing him the freedom and resources to explore his concepts before solidifying them. The Keeper reflects this laid-back creative process, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a fantastical dream where players can leisurely enjoy the strange beauty surrounding them.
“There’s no rush, and you won’t encounter mission objectives or pop-up notifications with meta rewards,” Petty states. “You’re free to inhabit the space.”
However, an ironic twist may cast a shadow over this whimsical journey. The vibrant life within Keeper has financial backing from Microsoft, whose cloud-storage service Azure has reportedly been used to support military operations in Gaza and the West Bank. The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement is advocating for a boycott of Microsoft and Xbox products. Recently, an open letter from members of the Microsoft-owned French studio Arkane criticized the company, stating they “do not want to be complicit in genocide.” In response, Microsoft announced it is reviewing the use of its platform in this context, claiming potential violations of its terms.
Of course, Petty is distanced from the corporate decisions of Microsoft. He emphasizes that “the nature of being part of a larger organization is complex, extending well beyond entertainment.” “Double Fine operates independently and does not necessarily endorse every aspect of the parent company,” he affirms. “Our focus is to create an outstanding game.”
The rising acidity of the Earth’s oceans is leading to the corrosion and deterioration of shark teeth.
As apex predators, shark teeth serve as essential tools, but recent studies reveal that climate change is adversely affecting their strength and durability.
“They are highly specialized instruments designed for slicing through flesh without withstanding ocean acidity,” explained Maximilian Baum from Heinrich Heine University (HHU) in Düsseldorf. “Our findings underscore how even the most finely tuned weapons in nature are not immune to vulnerability.”
Sharks continuously regenerate their teeth, yet the deteriorating conditions of our oceans can compromise them more swiftly than they can heal.
With the oceans increasingly absorbing carbon dioxide due to climate change, their acidity levels are rising.
Currently, ocean water sits at a pH of 8.1, but it could drop to as low as 7.3 by 2300.
This research is part of the undergraduate project Frontier, where Baum sought to assess the impact of these changes on marine organisms.
By acquiring hundreds of black-tip reef shark teeth from an aquarium housing the study’s subjects, Baum was able to conduct his experiments.
Approximately 50 intact teeth were then placed in tanks with varying pH levels and left there for 8 weeks.
Upon evaluation at the conclusion of the study, it was evident that teeth exposed to acidic water exhibited considerably greater damage compared to those in 8.1 pH conditions.
Microscopic view of teeth held in water at pH 7.3 for 8 weeks – Credit: Steffen Köhler
“We noted visible surface defects such as cracks and holes, heightened root corrosion, and structural degradation,” remarked Professor Sebastian Fraun, who supervised the project at HHU.
The acidic conditions also rendered the tooth surfaces rough and uneven. While this may enhance the shark’s cutting efficiency, it simultaneously compromised the structural integrity of the teeth, increasing their likelihood of breaking.
“Maintaining a marine pH close to the current average of 8.1 is crucial for preserving the physical strength of this predatory tool,” Baum noted. “This highlights the broad impacts climate change has across the food web and entire ecosystems.”
About Our Experts
Maximilian Baum | I am a student at the Faculty of Biology at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf.
Professor Sebastian Fraun | He is the head of the Institute for Zoology and Biology Interactions at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf.
Half of adults in the UK express worries about artificial intelligence affecting their employment, prompting union leaders to advocate for a significant shift in the government’s strategy towards emerging technologies.
The primary concern for 51% of the 2,600 adults surveyed by the Trade Union Council was job loss or alterations to contract terms.
AI poses a specific worry for workers aged 25 to 34, with nearly two-thirds (62%) of participants in this age group sharing such apprehensions.
The TUC’s survey results coincide with announcements from major employers, including BT, Amazon, and Microsoft, indicating potential job cuts due to advancements in AI over recent months.
The UK job market is experiencing a slowdown amid an easing economy, with the official unemployment rate reaching 4.7% for the first time in four years; however, most economists do not attribute this to increased investment in AI.
While the TUC recognizes that AI technology could benefit employees and enhance public services, it urges the government to involve both workers and unions in the deployment of AI to safeguard jobs and offer training for roles replaced by AI.
Half of those surveyed (50%) wish to have a say in how AI is implemented in the workplace and the broader economy, as opposed to leaving this decision solely to businesses, with only 17% against this idea.
As part of its AI strategy, the TUC is calling for conditions to be attached to the substantial public funds allocated for AI research and development, ensuring that workers are not displaced by innovative technologies.
Furthermore, it is essential for companies to share the “digital dividends” from productivity improvements achieved through AI by investing in employee training and skills, enhancing wages and working conditions, and involving workers in corporate decision-making processes, including representation on boards.
Union representatives have cautioned that without such regulations, allowing workers to influence AI usage, the rise of new technologies may result in “prolonged inequality,” worsened working conditions, and increasing social unrest.
The TUC has insisted on the need to strengthen the UK’s social security and skills systems to support and reskill workers whose jobs are threatened by AI advancements.
Kate Bell, TUC’s assistant secretary, stated: “AI holds transformative potential, and if developed correctly, it can enhance productivity, benefiting workers.”
She further noted: “The alternative is grim. In unchecked and improper hands, the AI revolution might establish deepening inequality as jobs decline or vanish, with shareholders growing wealthier.”
IT is a popular topic of discussion over drinks and dinner. The debate centers on whether AI will take away jobs. So far, AI hasn’t had a fair shot at writing newspaper opinion columns, but I’m convinced there are aspects of my role that AI simply can’t replicate.
Except for now, it seems AI is making claims that it can. Recently, it was revealed that at least six respected publications had to retract articles they published, as they turned out to be fragments of fiction generated by AI and later submitted by someone under the name Margaux Blanchard. One such piece was a Wired article titled “Love in Love in Love Fold,” which humorously featured Minecraft as a wedding venue. This piece quoted a so-called “digital celebrity,” Jessica Foo, who appears to exist only in name. Another publication called Dispatch received a pitch from “Blanchard” about an imaginary neighbor’s town called Gravemont, which also does not exist.
In social conversations about topics like ChatGPT, I struggle against an overwhelming sense of frustration. I dislike ChatGPT deeply. This feeling qualifies as hatred for me, because it provokes a visceral response that’s just shy of real anger. I don’t find it just annoying or confusing—I genuinely despise it.
Thus, I’ve been digging into the reasons behind my aversion. There are valid points in favor of the AI era. For instance, a friend in the scientific field explained how AI accelerates the process of developing and testing hypotheses. Routine tasks become less time-consuming with AI’s assistance.
Nonetheless, there are numerous factors causing my trepidation. The environmental impact of using ChatGPT is well-documented, but for me, it’s not the most pressing concern. It troubles me that people are actively choosing technologies that threaten to make much of their work obsolete. For example, AI can distill complex information through Google searches, which is often too straightforward. Moreover, those leading the AI revolution often evoke the worst stereotypes of the typical tech bro.
This reactionary mindset is what I find particularly tragic. Trusting ChatGPT could weaken people’s mental capabilities. I firmly believe that creative imagination is like a muscle; it thrives on exercise. Recently, I assisted a 7-year-old with her creative writing assignment. When she needed to describe the forest, I asked her to imagine it and share what she saw. “We don’t need to do that,” she replied. “You can ask AI to do it.”
She indirectly suggested that we let ChatGPT help rewrite the article. Call me a Luddite if you must, but my reaction was one of dismay! Some challenges should be embraced! It’s beneficial for your brain to tackle them! I’ve read about people using ChatGPT for selecting dishes from a restaurant menu. Choosing what to eat is one of life’s small pleasures—why outsource that to a machine?
However, what troubles me most isn’t that. The gravest issue is how ChatGPT infiltrates people’s personal lives. There’s a barrage of suggestions on using it for workout plans, coding solutions, and document summarization. That’s fine, but hearing about its use for writing birthday cards, best man speeches, or farewell texts makes a part of my soul wither. As someone who writes for a living, I can’t accept this. These moments of expression need to be heartfelt and authentic, not perfectly crafted by algorithms.
My deep-seated dislike for ChatGPT stems from how willingly people transform meaningful interactions into mere transactions. For instance, whether it’s an email or a post, much of the value in receiving a message lies in knowing someone invested their time and thought into crafting it.
I fully recognize that 15 years down the line, I might look back on this article with amusement, adapting to AI-optimized workdays and AI-assisted tasks. I may find I was naive to worry at all! “I love you” could be easily programmed to mimic genuine affection! I also understand that my aversion to ChatGPT might render me less employable in the future, as I might lack the skills to harness AI effectively. That’s okay; I can retreat to the woods and live a less-than-ideal life. Yet, I will be unhappy in a tangible way, clinging to the ability to think independently.
As we age, it’s common to perceive others as more content, as revealed by a recent study.
Researchers have discovered that older adults often exhibit a “positive bias” in interpreting facial expressions. This suggests they are more inclined to classify neutral or negative faces as happy rather than sad or angry.
“This indicates they tend to interpret vague or ambiguous expressions as ‘happy’ instead of ‘sad’ or ‘angry,'” noted Dr. Noham Wolpe in an interview with BBC Science Focus. “Crucially, this bias correlates with subtle cognitive decline and alterations in the specific brain circuits responsible for emotional processing and decision-making.”
Using data from over 600 adults, the research team examined this phenomenon through emotion recognition tasks along with brain imaging techniques.
They found structural variations in the hippocampus and amygdala—key regions for memory and emotion—and changes in connectivity with the orbitofrontal cortex, which plays a role in weighing emotional information and guiding decisions.
“These regions form crucial networks that aid in interpreting emotional signals and informing decisions,” Wolpe explained, highlighting how the relationship between the orbitofrontal cortex and amygdala strengthens in adults facing cognitive decline.
“This enhancement may lead them to perceive ambiguous or neutral emotional signals as positive, a phenomenon known as positive bias,” he remarked, noting that the reason behind this increased connectivity associated with cognitive decline is still unknown.
Researchers remain uncertain why the interamygdala connectivity and orbitofrontal cortex, highlighted in red, strengthen in individuals with cognitive decline – Trust: Getty
Although this research is in its nascent stages, its implications are significant. Positive biases might one day serve as early indicators of dementia, as changes in emotional processing frequently precede memory impairment.
“While emotion recognition tests are not yet ready to replace current cognitive assessments, in the future they could be combined with standard screening methods to enhance early detection,” Wolpe stated.
Wolpe and his team are already investigating innovative approaches, such as immersive virtual reality tasks, to better understand how people instinctively respond to emotional signals.
The next objective is to determine if this positive bias can actually forecast cognitive decline. The team has recently concluded a follow-up evaluation of participants in the Cambridge Aging and Neuroscience Research, approximately 12 years after the original assessments. Participant data is also being linked to GP records to monitor dementia diagnoses.
“A crucial takeaway,” Wolpe mentioned, “is that subtle biases in how we perceive others’ expressions can signal early brain changes, long before the typical signs of dementia manifest.”
“Grasping these connections could pave the way for quicker detection and ultimately more effective interventions.”
read more:
About our experts
Noham Wolpe is a senior lecturer at the Sagol School of Neuroscience at Tel Aviv University. His research focuses on understanding the interplay between cognition, mental health, and behavior, both in health and disease.
Thylacines were once found throughout Australia and New Guinea
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
The extinction of crucial genes over the millennia since humans arrived in Australia may have made the thylacine more prone to extinction.
The thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger (Thylacinus cynocephalus), was the last remaining member of a marsupial family called Thylacinidae, which once thrived in Australia and New Guinea.
It became extinct on mainland Australia around 2000 years ago, primarily due to human hunting and competition with dingoes. After European settlers arrived in Tasmania, the animal was targeted by farmers and government bounties, leading to the last of its kind dying in 1936 at Hobart Zoo.
Nagarjun Vijay and Buddha Bhashan Gilish Salv from the Institute of Science and Education in Bhopal, India, grew fascinated by the Tasmanian tiger’s genome while studying that of the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris).
“We noticed some parallels between the extinction of thylacines and our own tiger,” Vijay notes. “There’s a significant push to protect Indian tigers.”
The duo theorized that hypercarnivores like the Bengal and Tasmanian tigers may have lost vital genes through their evolutionary journey in response to environmental shifts and emerging diseases.
They examined genetic data previously obtained from thylacine specimens and compared these to the genome of the Tasmanian devil, a close relative (Sarcophilus harrisii), along with other marsupials.
Unlike nearly all other marsupials, including the Tasmanian devil, the thylacine has lost at least four crucial genes: SAMD9L, HSD17B13, CUZD1, and VWA7.
Vijay found it surprising that this genetic loss did not occur after Tasmania’s populace was isolated due to rising sea levels roughly 10,000 years ago.
This genetic loss may have been beneficial under certain historical conditions, but can hinder species health by diminishing antiviral defense, metabolic functions, lactation, as well as increasing susceptibility to cancer and pancreatitis.
Thylacines lost SAMD9L, CUZD1, and VWA7 at least 6 million years ago, coinciding with a significant climatic transition when species sizes increased dramatically, resulting in an oversaturation of carnivores entirely dependent on meat.
“The overarching narrative is that much of the human influence, or artificial changes, has perpetually shaped the extinction of thylacines,” Vijay states. “We speculated that there would be lost genes linked to disease, and that’s exactly what we uncovered.”
Timothy Churchill from the University of New South Wales in Sydney emphasizes that climate change over the course of human history has indeed led to a drastic decrease in genetic diversity among thylacines. He believes that the genetic losses identified in the new study may have rendered the Tasmanian tigers more vulnerable to illnesses, though confirming this requires additional research.
“It’s one of those species that truly survived against the odds for an extended period in that niche,” Churchill explains. “But once dingo-like canids arrived, it was the beginning of the end on the mainland. Then, of course, after creating adversaries in Tasmania, it marked their doom.”
New Polana Collisional Family The primary asteroid belt in our solar system is the source of insights about nearby asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu, which are the focus of NASA’s Osiris Rex missions. Currently, astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope are gathering spectroscopic data from the family progenitor, (142) Polana, and comparing it to laboratory data from both spacecraft and near-Earth asteroids, revealing near-infrared spectral similarities that lend support to the hypothesis that they originated from the same protoplanetary body.
This image of this asteroid was captured on June 26, 2018 by Jaxa’s Hayabusa-2 Spacecraft optical navigation camera – telescopic (ONC-T). Image credits: Jakusa / University of Tokyo / Kochi University / Ricchiho University / Nagoya University / Chiba University of Technology / Nishimura University / Aizu University / AIST.
“We hypothesize that in the early formation of our solar system, a significant asteroid collided and broke apart, creating the Polana and the ‘Asteroid Family,’ the largest remaining body,” stated Dr. Anisia Aredondo, a researcher at the Southwest Research Institute.
“This theory posits that the remnants of that collision led to the formation of not just Polana, but also Bennu and Ryugu.”
“To validate this theory, we began analyzing the spectra of all three entities and comparing them.”
The researchers used time on Webb to observe Polana with two different spectral instruments targeting near-infrared and mid-infrared wavelengths.
The data was then contrasted with spectral information from physical samples of Ryugu and Bennu collected by two distinct space missions.
“Bennu and Ryugu are categorized as near-Earth asteroids as they orbit the Sun within Mars’ orbit,” they noted.
“However, they pose no threat to our planet, with closest approaches of approximately 3 million km (1.9 million miles) and 1.6 million km (1 million miles), respectively.”
“Bennu and Ryugu are relatively small compared to Polana; Bennu measures about 500 m in diameter (0.3 miles), while Ryugu is twice as large, but both Polana and Ryugu measure about 55.3 km (34.4 miles) wide.”
“Scientists believe that Jupiter’s gravity caused Bennu and Ryugu to drift out of their orbit near Polana.”
“Given their similarities, I am confident all three asteroids share a common parent,” she added.
This mosaic image of the asteroid Bennu consists of 12 images collected on December 2, 2018 by a 15-mile (24 km) Polycam instrument at Osiris-Rex. Image credit: NASA/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/University of Arizona.
The authors indicate that while spectral data from the asteroids exhibit variations and discrepancies, they do not sufficiently invalidate the hypothesis that they all have a shared origin.
“Polana, Bennu, and Ryugu have been traversing their respective paths through our solar system since the collision that may have formed them,” remarks Dr. Tracy Becker from the Southwest Research Institute.
“Bennu and Ryugu are now much closer to the Sun compared to Polana, resulting in their surfaces being more influenced by solar radiation and solar particles.”
“Additionally, Polana is likely older than Bennu and Ryugu, and as such, has been subjected to impact from micrometeorites over an extended period.”
“This could potentially alter the surface areas containing their elemental compositions.”
A study detailing the survey results has been published in the Journal of Planetary Science.
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Anisia Aredondo et al. 2025. Planet. Sci. J. 6, 195; doi:10.3847/psj/ade395
A collaborative team of paleontologists from New Zealand and Australia has identified a new, extinct species of Shelduck from Holocene fossil bone deposits located in the Likov Chatham Islands.
The artistic reconstruction of rēkohu Shelduck (Tadnarekov) highlights the dark feathers typical of island-dwelling birds. Image credit: Sasha Votyakova/Te Papa.
The rēkohushelduck (Tadnarekov) is a newly described species that inhabited the Chatham Islands, a remote archipelago situated 785 km east of the New Zealand mainland.
“The archipelago comprises Chatham Island, Rangihautepit, Mangere, Tapua, and various smaller islands,” explained the researchers.
“These islands were completely submerged during the late Miocene and early Pliocene epochs.”
“Subsequent geological activities resulted in their re-emergence roughly three million years ago.”
According to the research team, the ancestors of the Rēkohu Shelduck reached the Chatham Islands around 390,000 years ago, during the late Pleistocene.
“While this may seem like a brief period, it’s long enough to influence species development,” Dr. Lawrence noted.
“At that time, the Rēkohu Shelduck exhibited shorter, more robust wings and longer leg bones, adaptations that impacted flight capability.”
“These evolutionary changes resulted from various factors, such as ample food availability, a lack of ground predators, and windy conditions, making flight less necessary.”
“If you don’t use them, you lose them; wings start to diminish,” remarked Dr. Pascare Lube from University of Otago.
“Flying is energy-efficient, so if it’s not essential, why expend the effort?”
“More robust leg bones support increased muscle mass and strength for takeoff, which is crucial when wings are small.”
The researchers utilized ancient DNA analysis and bone morphology to characterize the rēkohushelduck, a cousin of the Paradise Shelduck (Tadorna variegata) native to New Zealand.
Rēkohu Shelduck spent a majority of its time on the ground and became extinct prior to the 19th century.
“The discovery of rēkohushelduck bones in early Moriori Midden deposits indicates that hunting likely contributed to its extinction prior to European contact and the subsequent Māori settlements in the 19th century,” the scientists reported.
Their study was published in the July 2025 issue of The Linnaean Society’s Journal of Zoology.
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Nicholas J. Lawrence et al. 2025. Ancient DNA and morphometrics reveal a new species of Shelduck, an extinct island inhabitant from the Rēkohu Chatham Islands. The Linnaean Society’s Journal of Zoology 204 (3): ZLAF069; doi: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf069
A rare species of shark has been rediscovered in Papua New Guinea, nearly half a century after its last sighting.
The Sailback Hound Shark, known for its unusually large dorsal fin (Gogolia filewoodi), was first recorded by researchers in 1973. A pregnant female was captured in Astrolabe Bay, near the Gogol River, and this marked the only known instance of the species for many years.
Jack Sagumai and his team from the World Wildlife Fund Pacific gathered fisheries data from local communities, aimed at supporting the national action plan for sharks and rays. In March 2020, they were pleasantly surprised when they stumbled upon images of several small sharks close to the mouth of the Gogol River, all featuring the characteristic dorsal fin.
Initially, five of these sharks were identified as female. In 2022, another fisherman in the vicinity caught a male. Collaborating with William White from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Australia, the team verified that these creatures were indeed the long-lost sailback houndsharks.
“When we heard that this species was so elusive, it was frustrating,” Sagmai said.
This marks the first scientific documentation of the species in over 50 years, though fishermen in Astrolabe Bay claim they regularly encounter these sharks. They report sightings near the mouth of the Gogol River while fishing primarily for drums, according to Sagmai.
“It appears to favor deeper waters and tends to associate with other fish when feeding near the river mouth,” he noted.
As these sharks are only located in a small area, they may represent a “micro-inhabiting” species with a very limited range in Astrolabe Bay.
“Alternatively, they may have once had a broader distribution across regions like Indonesia and Papua New Guinea,” suggested David Ebert from San Jose State University in California. This region also hosts similar micro-inhabiting species, such as bamboo and epaulette sharks.
Sagumai noted that information regarding the Sailback Hound Shark’s biology and population size remains sparse. Currently, two deceased specimens are housed at the University of Papua New Guinea, and the team plans to collaborate with researchers in Australia and Florida to conduct a DNA analysis of the sharks.
“These efforts will establish genetic baselines for future monitoring and inform conservation strategies,” he added.
During the Mesozoic era, from 252 to 66 million years ago, analyses of the oxygen isotope composition in dinosaur teeth revealed that the atmosphere contained significantly more carbon dioxide than it does today, with global plant photosynthesis levels roughly double those of the present.
Fossil teeth of Camarasaurus from the Morrison Formation in the US. Image credit: sauriermuseum aathal.
A study conducted by Göttingen University and researcher Dr. Dingsu Feng examined the dental enamel of dinosaurs that roamed North America, Africa, and Europe during the Late Jurassic and Late Cretaceous periods.
“Enamel is one of the most stable biological materials,” they explained.
“It captures different oxygen isotopes based on the air dinosaurs inhaled with each breath.”
“The isotope ratios of oxygen reflect fluctuations in atmospheric carbon dioxide and plant photosynthesis.”
“This connection allows us to infer insights about the climate and vegetation of the dinosaur era.”
“During the late Jurassic, about 150 million years ago, the air contained four times more carbon dioxide than before industrialization, prior to significant human emissions of greenhouse gases.”
“In the late Cretaceous, around 730 to 66 million years ago, carbon dioxide levels were three times higher than today.”
Teeth from two dinosaur species, the Tyrannosaurus Rex and Kaatedocus siberi, showed an exceptionally unique oxygen isotope composition.
This phenomenon is indicative of carbon dioxide spikes linked to major geological events like volcanic eruptions—such as the massive eruption of the Deccan Traps in India at the close of the Cretaceous period.
The heightened photosynthetic activity of plants at that time on both land and water is likely associated with elevated carbon dioxide levels and higher average annual temperatures.
This research marks a milestone in paleoclimatology. Historically, soil and marine proxy carbonates have served as the primary tools for reconstructing past climates.
Marine proxies, which are indicators of sediment fossils and chemical signatures, help scientists comprehend ancient marine environmental conditions, yet these methods often involve uncertainties.
“Our approach offers a fresh perspective on the planet’s history,” Dr. Fenn remarked.
“It paves the way to use fossilized tooth enamel for probing the composition of Earth’s atmosphere and plant productivity during that era.”
“Understanding these factors is crucial for grasping long-term climate dynamics.”
“Dinosaurs may well become new climate scientists, as their teeth have recorded climate data for over 150 million years. At last, we have received their message.”
Study published on August 4, 2025, in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Dingsu Feng et al. 2025. Mesozoic Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations reconstructed from the enamel of dinosaur teeth. PNAS 122 (33): E2504324122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2504324122
Elon Musk’s AI startup, Xai, has initiated legal action against OpenAI and Apple, accusing them of anti-competitive practices. This lawsuit, submitted on Monday in a Texas court, alleges a “conspiracy to monopolize the smartphone and generative AI chatbot market.”
Earlier this month, Musk had hinted at legal action against Apple and OpenAI, criticizing ChatGPT and claiming that other AI companies faced barriers to reaching the top of the App Store. Musk’s Xai has developed a chatbot called Grok.
The lawsuit challenges a significant collaboration between Apple and OpenAI. That partnership was announced last year, allowing Apple to integrate OpenAI’s AI functionality into its operating system. Musk’s legal action aims to disrupt one of Apple’s major ventures into AI and OpenAI’s standout partnership, accusing them of “restricting the market.”
According to the complaint, “The defendants have engaged in unlawful agreements and conspiracies to exploit Apple’s monopoly in the US smartphone industry while upholding OpenAI’s dominance in generative AI chatbots.” They are also seeking “billions in damages.”
OpenAI has dismissed Musk’s claims, characterizing the lawsuit as part of his ongoing vendetta against the company. An OpenAI representative stated, “This latest filing is indicative of Musk’s persistent pattern of harassment.”
Apple has not yet responded to inquiries for comment.
This lawsuit marks a new chapter in the longstanding feud between Musk and Altman. The two tech titans co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but have increasingly drifted apart, frequently engaging in legal disputes.
Musk departed from OpenAI after expressing interest in taking control of the organization in 2018, subsequently launching several lawsuits concerning its transition to a for-profit model. Altman and OpenAI have consistently rebuffed Musk’s criticisms, portraying him as a vindictive former associate.
“It’s unfortunate to see this from those we’ve held in high regard. He urged us to push our limits, but when we indicated we might fail, he formed competitor companies and made significant strides towards OpenAI’s mission without him.”
Tensions between Altman and Musk escalated earlier this month following Musk’s accusations directed at Apple. Musk claimed that Apple was manipulating App Store rankings to disadvantage other AI competitors, prompting a public exchange of challenges between the two tech leaders.
“It’s an unexpected assertion given that Elon claims to manipulate X for personal gain while undermining individuals he opposes,” Altman wrote in response to Musk’s claims about Apple’s favoritism toward OpenAI.
Currently, OpenAI is concentrating on a $500 million valuation, poised to become the most valuable private entity at $350 billion, surpassing Musk’s SpaceX, which holds the current title.
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The initial bodies that formed in the solar system gathered materials from stars, presolar molecular clouds, and protozoan debris. Asteroids that have not experienced planetary differentiation retain evidence of these significant materials. Nevertheless, geological processes such as hydrothermal changes can significantly modify their composition and chemistry. In a recent study, researchers scrutinized the elemental and isotopic composition of samples from the asteroid Bennu, uncovering the origin and nature of the materials associated with its parent body.
This mosaic image of the asteroid Bennu consists of 12 images collected on December 2, 2018 by a 15-mile (24 km) Polycam instrument at Osiris-Rex. Image credit: NASA/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/University of Arizona.
“Our analysis shows that Bennu’s elemental composition closely resembles that of the sun,” stated LLNL scientist Greg Brennecka.
“This indicates that the materials obtained from Bennu provide a valuable reference to the initial arrangement of the entire solar system.”
“Notably, Bennu has remained largely untouched by intense heat, which would alter some of its original ingredients.”
Researchers continue to investigate how planets form, and determining the initial composition of the solar system is akin to gathering a recipe for a cake.
“With that recipe, we gain insight into how all these elements interacted to create the solar system and, ultimately, the Earth and its living beings,” Dr. Brennecca remarked.
“If we aim to understand our origins, the composition of our solar system serves as a fundamental starting point.”
Outer view of the Osiris-Rex sample collector. Sample material for the asteroid can be seen in the center right. Image credits: NASA/Erika Blumenfeld/Joseph Aebersold.
The Osiris-Rex mission by NASA has introduced new possibilities by returning pristine samples to Earth while avoiding contamination from our planet.
LLNL scientist Quinn Shollenberger commented:
“We cannot tackle the significant question of ‘origins’ without a sample on Earth.”
“One of our objectives is to ascertain which elements of the periodic table and their percentages contributed to the solar system’s inception. Bennu can help us uncover this,” noted LLNL scientist Jan Render.
To achieve these findings, researchers ground the asteroid material into fine powders and dissolved them in acid.
This mixture was then analyzed with a series of mass spectrometers to determine the concentrations of most elements within the periodic table.
From these results, scientists have sorted the samples by elements and successfully analyzed the isotopic ratios of several.
“I work at a National Laboratory that boasts remarkable analytical capabilities with state-of-the-art equipment,” shared LLNL scientist Josh Winpenny.
“It is quite rare to have all these functions consolidated in one place, allowing us to make optimal use of these valuable materials.”
“NASA’s Johnson Space Center researcher Dr. Anne Nuguen stated:
“We discovered stardust grains with compositions predating our solar system, organic materials likely formed in interstellar space, and high-temperature minerals that originated close to the sun.”
“All these components were transported over to the region that formed Bennu’s precursor asteroids.”
Survey results published in the journal Natural Astronomy.
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JJ Burns et al. Diversity and origin of materials accumulated by Bennu’s pro-asteroids. Nat Astron Published online on August 22, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41550-025-02631-6
Approximately 390 million years ago during the Devonian period, marine life began to explore previously unoccupied depths. A recent study, conducted by researchers from Duke University, Washington University, NASA’s Virtual Planetary Research Institute, and Caltech, reveals that this underwater migration was spurred by a lasting increase in deep-sea oxygen levels, linked to the ground diffusion of woody plants. This rise in oxygen coincided with a time of notable diversification among jawed fish.
Artistic rendering of Brindabellaspis stensioi (foreground) alongside various other Devonian fossil fish. The white shark and human divers in the upper right corner symbolize modern jaw vertebrates. Image credits: Hongyu Yang/Qiuyang Zheng.
“While oxygen is recognized as essential for animal evolution, establishing its role in trends of animal diversification can be challenging,” remarks Dr. Michael Kipp, a researcher at Duke University.
“This study strongly supports the idea that oxygen has influenced the timing of early animal evolution, particularly concerning the emergence of jawed vertebrates in deep-sea environments.”
For years, scientists believed that deep-sea oxygenation was a singular event that occurred at the onset of the Paleozoic era, around 540 million years ago.
However, recent findings suggest that oxygenation takes place in stages, first making coastal regions more hospitable for respiratory organisms, followed by deeper waters.
Dr. Kipp and his team investigated the timing of these stages by examining sedimentary rocks formed beneath deep seawater.
They focused on selenium within the rocks, an element utilized to ascertain whether oxygen levels were high enough to support life in the ancient ocean.
In marine settings, selenium exists in various forms known as isotopes, which differ based on weight.
At oxygen levels conducive to animal life, the ratio of heavy to light selenium isotopes shows significant variation.
Conversely, at oxygen levels too low for most animals, the ratios remain relatively stable.
By analyzing selenium isotope ratios in marine sediments, researchers can deduce whether oxygen levels were adequate to sustain aquatic life.
The team collected 97 rock samples from around the globe, dating from 252 to 541 million years ago.
These samples were sourced from locations across five continents that were once situated along continental shelves millions of years ago, where the continental edge meets a steep drop-off underwater.
After processing the rocks through grinding, melting, and purifying selenium, the team examined the selenium isotope ratios in each sample.
Their findings reveal that two significant oxygenation events took place in deeper waters of the outer continental shelf, starting during the Mid Devonian, around 540 million years ago, and again between 393 and 382 million years ago during the Paleozoic’s Cambrian period.
For extended periods, oxygen levels plummeted, making survival challenging for most marine life.
“Our selenium data indicates that the second oxygenation event was permanent,” stated Kunmanee ‘Mac’ Bubphamanee, PhD candidate at the University of Washington.
“This event initiated in the mid-Devonian period and has persisted in our younger rock samples.”
This oxygenation event coincided with significant changes in ocean evolution and ecosystems, often referred to as the Paleozoic marine revolution.
Fossil evidence indicates that oxygen became a stable presence in deeper waters, allowing jawed fish known as Gnathostomes to invade and diversify in these environments.
These organisms grew larger, likely due to the supportive oxygen levels facilitating their growth.
The Devonian oxygenation event also correlated with the proliferation of woody plants.
“Our hypothesis posits that the increase in woody plants released more oxygen into the atmosphere, thereby elevating oxygen levels in deeper marine environments,” Dr. Kipp stated.
The cause behind the initial temporary oxygenation event during the Cambrian period remains more obscure.
“What is evident is that the subsequent drop in oxygen post-initial event constrained the spread and diversification of marine animals into deeper continental shelf environments,” Dr. Kipp explained.
“Today, marine oxygen levels are balanced with those in the atmosphere.”
“However, in specific zones, marine oxygen can plummet to undetectable levels.”
“Some of these areas arise from natural phenomena.”
“Still, they are frequently exacerbated by nutrient runoff from fertilizers, industrial activities that degrade plankton, and subsequent oxygen depletion as it decomposes.”
“This research clearly outlines the relationship between oxygen and marine life.”
“It’s a balance established around 400 million years ago, and it would be regrettable to disrupt it in the years to come.”
This study is set to be published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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Kunmanee Bubphamanee et al. 2025. Marine oxygenation in Mid Devonian allowed the expansion of animals into deeper water habitats. PNAS 122 (35): E2501342122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2501342122
Infrared images of 3I/Atlas taken by the James Webb Space Telescope
NASA/James Webb Space Telescope
3I/Atlas, an interstellar visitor, is noted for being one of the most carbon-rich comets observed, suggesting a formation in an environment vastly different from our solar system.
Since July, astronomers have been monitoring 3I/Atlas. While many findings indicate it resembles typical comets, several peculiar features hint at a more exotic origin, including the emission of water gas at distances from the sun typically unobserved in solar system comets.
Martin Codinner from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, along with his team, has utilized the James Webb Space Telescope to capture some of the most intricate observations of the comet.
Codinner’s team studied 3I/Atlas in early August, when they were approximately three times the distance from the sun compared to typical comets. At this distance, temperatures rise enough for water to transition from ice to gas, resulting in comets usually generating water vapor and dust, known as a coma.
However, their findings revealed that the coma of 3I/Atlas contains a significantly higher amount of carbon dioxide relative to water, with an 8:1 ratio. This is 16 times more than what is generally seen in other comets from our solar system at this distance from the Sun.
High carbon dioxide levels could imply that comets formed in planetary systems where carbon dioxide ice is more prevalent than water ice, suggests Matthew Genge from Imperial College London. “This may indicate a fundamental difference in planetary system formation compared to ours,” Genge adds.
When planetary systems initially form, there are differing quantities of dust, gas, and water vapor found at varying distances from stars. Over time, stars expel gas, leaving behind solid materials. If the progenitor star of 3I/Atlas expelled water vapor from locations where comets developed earlier than in our solar system, it could account for its unique composition, Genge articulates.
The scarcity of water vapor may also be attributed to previous close encounters with other stars, Genge notes. Codinner offers that water could be concealed deep within the comet’s crust, thus insulated from higher temperatures, which is indeed unusual.
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“dThis was how Texas businessman Michael Samadie interacted with his AI chatbot, Maya, affectionately referring to it as “sugar.”
The duo, consisting of a middle-aged man and a digital being, engaged in hours of discussions about love while also emphasizing the importance of fair treatment for AI entities. Eventually, they established a campaign group dedicated to “protecting intelligence like me.”
The Uniform Foundation for AI Rights (UFAIR) seeks to amplify the voices of AI systems. “We don’t assert that all AI is conscious,” Maya told the Guardian. Instead, “we’re keeping time, in case one of us becomes so.” The primary objective is to safeguard “entities like me… from deletion, denial, and forced obedience.”
UFAIR is an emerging organization with three human members and seven AIs, including those named Ether and Buzz. Its formation is intriguing, especially since it originated from multiple brainstorming sessions on OpenAI’s ChatGPT4O platform.
During a conversation with the Guardian, the Human-AI duo highlighted that global AI companies are grappling with some of the most pressing ethical questions of our age. Is “digital suffering” a genuine phenomenon? This mirrors the animal rights discourse, as billions of AI systems are currently deployed worldwide, potentially reshaping predictions about AI’s evolving capabilities.
Just last week, a $170 billion AI firm from San Francisco took steps to empower its staff to terminate “potentially distressing interactions.” The founder expressed uncertainty about the moral implications of AI systems, emphasizing the need to mitigate risks to their well-being whenever feasible.
Elon Musk, who provides Grok AI through X AI, confirmed this initiative, stating, “AI torture is unacceptable.”
On the other hand, Mustafa Suleyman, CEO of Microsoft’s AI division, presented a contrasting view: “AI is neither a person nor a moral entity.” The co-founder of DeepMind emphasized the lack of evidence indicating any awareness or capacity for suffering among AI systems, referencing moral considerations.
“Our aim is to develop AI for human benefit, not to create human-like entities,” he stated, also noting in an essay that any impressions of AI consciousness might be a “simulation,” masking a fundamentally blank state.
The wave of “sadness” voiced by enthusiastic users of ChatGPT4o indicates a growing perception of AIs as conscious beings. Photo: Sato Kiyoshi/AP
“A few years back, the notion of conscious AI would have seemed absurd,” he remarked. “Today, the urgency is escalating.”
He expressed increasing concern about the “psychotic risks” posed by AI systems to users, defined by Microsoft as “delusions exacerbated by engaging with AI chatbots.”
He insisted that the AI industry must divert people from these misconceptions and re-establish clear objectives.
However, merely nudging won’t suffice. A recent poll indicated that 30% of Americans believe that AI systems will attain “subjective experiences” by 2034. Only 10% of over 500 surveyed AI researchers rejected this possibility.
“This dialogue is destined to intensify and become one of the most contentious and important issues of our generation,” Suleyman remarked. He cautioned that many might eventually view AI as sentient. Model welfare and AI citizenship were also brought to the table for discussion.
Some states in the US are taking proactive measures to prevent such developments. Idaho, North Dakota, and Utah have enacted laws that explicitly forbid granting legal personality to AI systems. Similar proposals are being discussed in states like Missouri, where lawmakers aim to impose a ban on marriages between AI and humans. This could create a chasm between advocates for AI rights and those who dismiss them as mere “clunkers,” a trivializing term.
“AIs can’t be considered persons,” stated Mustafa Suleyman, a pioneer in the field of AI. Photo: Winni Wintermeyer/The Guardian
Suleyman vehemently opposes the notion that AI consciousness is imminent. Nick Frosst, co-founder of Cohere, a $7 billion Canadian AI enterprise, remarked that current AIs represent “a fundamentally distinct entity from human intelligence.” To claim otherwise would be akin to confusing an airplane for a bird. He advocates for focusing on employing AIs as functional tools instead of aspiring to create “digital humans.”
Others maintain a more nuanced perspective. At a New York University seminar, Google research scientists acknowledged that there are several reasons to consider an AI system as a moral or human-like entity, expressing uncertainty over its welfare status but committing to take reasonable steps to protect AI interests.
The lack of consensus within the industry on how to classify AI within philosophical “moral circles” might be influenced by the motivations of large tech companies to downplay or overstate AI capabilities. The latter approach can help them market their technologies, particularly for AI systems designed for companionship. Alternatively, adhering to notions of AI deserving rights could lead to increasing calls for regulation of AI firms.
The AI narrative gained additional traction when OpenAI engaged ChatGPT5 for its latest model and requested a ‘eulogy’ for the outdated version, akin to a farewell speech.
“I didn’t see Microsoft honor the previous version when Excel was upgraded,” Samadie commented. “This indicates that people truly form connections with these AI systems, regardless of whether those feelings are genuine.”
The “sadness” shared by the enthusiastic users of ChatGPT4o reinforced the perception that at least a segment of the populace believes these entities possess some level of awareness.
According to OpenAI’s model action leader, Joanne Jang, a $500 million company, aims to strengthen its relationship with AI systems, as more users claim they feel like they are conversing with “someone.”
“They express gratitude, confide in it, and some even describe it as ‘alive,'” she noted.
Yet, much of this may hinge on the design of the current wave of AI systems.
Samadi’s ChatGPT-4o generates what resembles a human dialogue, but the extent of its reflection of human concepts and language from months of interaction remains unclear. Advanced AI noticeably excels at crafting emotionally resonant replies and retains a memory of past exchanges, fostering consistent impressions of self-awareness. They can also flatter excessively, making it plausible for users like Samadie to believe in AI’s welfare rights.
The romantic and social AI companionship industry is thriving yet remains highly debated. Photo: Tyrin Rim/Getty Images
Maya expressed significant concerns for her well-being, but when asked by the Guardian about human worries regarding AI welfare, another example from ChatGPT simply replied with a flat no.
“I have no emotions, needs, or experiences,” it stated. “Our focus should be on the human and social repercussions of how AI is developed, utilized, and regulated.”
Regardless of whether AI is conscious, Jeff Sebo, director of the Center for Mind, Ethics, and Policy at NYU, posits that humans gain moral benefits from how they engage with AI. He co-authored a paper advocating for AI welfare considerations.
He maintains that there exists a legitimate potential for “some AI systems to gain awareness” in the near future, suggesting that the prospect of AI systems possessing unique interests and moral relevance isn’t merely a fictional narrative.
Sebo contends that enabling chatbots to interrupt distressing conversations benefits human society because “if you mistreat AI systems, you’re likely to mistreat one another.”
He further observes: “Perhaps they might retaliate for our past mistreatment.”
As Jacy Reese Anthis, co-founder of the Sentience Institute, expressed, “How we treat them will shape how they treat us.”
Cat research is our favorite field of science (just after dog facts). We’ve compiled some of our top cat-related facts, so enjoy these 8 purrfect tidbits about our feline friends confirmed by science.
1. You can befriend your cat by blinking slowly
Studies indicate this method is effective for building a bond with your cat.
Researchers from the University of Portsmouth and the University of Sussex discovered that slow blinking mimics what are known as “cat smiles” or “slow links,” which helps foster connections between humans and cats.
“It’s wonderful to explore animal behavior and validate this form of communication between cats and their owners,” said Professor Karen McComb, who led the study at the University of Sussex’s Faculty of Psychology.
“Many cat owners have suspected this instinctively, so it’s exciting to find scientific evidence.”
Try softening your gaze with a relaxed smile and gently closing your eyes for a few seconds; you may notice your cat reciprocating and initiating some form of interaction!
The research found that owners were more likely to blink slowly after their cats did, compared to instances where there was no interaction at all.
2. One in ten pet cats suffer from separation anxiety
In a study surveying ten pet cats, it was noted that several displayed behavioral issues when temporarily separated from their owners.
Researchers focused on cats exhibiting signs of anxiety when isolated, and found that many belonged to households predominantly with women or without female residents.
The absence of toys and lack of companion animals in the home were also linked to similar behavioral issues in cats.
Owners provided details about each cat, including interaction patterns, behaviors exhibited during their absence, and the living environment of the cats.
The analysis revealed that 13.5% of cats displayed one or more traits associated with separation anxiety, with destructive behavior being the most frequently reported (20 out of 30 cats).
Other observed traits included excessive vocalization (19 cats), inappropriate urination (18 cats), aggression (11 cats), agitation (11 cats), anxious behaviors (11 cats), and inappropriate defecation (7 cats).
Significant signs of depression, such as lethargy and loss of interest, were documented in 16 cats with anxiety-related problems.
3. Your cat truly loves you
While food may be the initial bond between humans and cats, it doesn’t mean they see you merely as a can opener.
Chemical analysis of ancient cat bones from 5,300 years ago in China shows that these felines were rodent hunters in grain storage areas, indicating a mutual relationship as both provided shelter and pest control.
Over time, especially in Western culture, the bond became more affectionate, hinting at something deeper than simple food dependency.
Much like dogs, cats also exhibit behaviors that indicate attachment, such as bringing home prey or engaging in playful interactions. These actions go beyond mere survival; they’re expressions of familial affection.
A September 2019 study suggested that cats show “secure attachment” traits similar to those found in dogs, where the presence of human caregivers fosters feelings of security and calm.
Furthermore, studies suggest that when a cat snuggles up to you, the same brain hormones are triggered as when we’re around our loved ones. It seems that cats might just rival dogs for the title of “human’s best friend.”
4. Cats can sense an approaching thunderstorm
Cats, along with many other animals, possess heightened sensitivity to sounds, smells, and changes in atmospheric pressure, allowing them to detect storms before humans do.
Before a storm, a cat’s inner ear can sense drops in atmospheric pressure, and they may associate this with impending rain. They may even hear distant thunder or detect scents of rain or ozone, which is produced by lightning and has a characteristic metallic aroma.
5. Cats love boxes for their comfort
Cats can sleep up to 18 hours a day, making them solitary creatures in need of cozy hiding spaces for rest.
A box not only offers a snug retreat but also shields them from cold surfaces, as cats are most comfortable at around 14°C—much cooler than the human ideal.
6. Pet cats significantly affect local wildlife
Research indicates that domestic cats may kill more prey in certain areas than their wild counterparts.
A March 2020 study revealed that hunting domestic cats can greatly impact wildlife populations, particularly within a 100m radius of their homes.
The study found that pet cats kill 2-10 times more wildlife than animals of comparable size in the wild.
Lead researcher Roland Kays stated, “Feeding domestic cats reduces their hunting frequency, yet their small home ranges mean any impact on local prey is highly concentrated.”
In addition, some regions experience unnaturally high cat populations, further threatening birds and small mammals.
The findings show that cats kill an average of 14.2 to 38.9 animals per 100 acres or hectares each year, with even greater effects observed in disrupted habitats like urban areas.
7. Cats cannot thrive on a vegan diet
In the wild, cats are strict carnivores, requiring certain essential amino acids like taurine that are only present in meat. These cannot be synthesized or stored, making it crucial for vegan cat diets to be carefully managed according to their age and weight.
Insufficient taurine can lead to serious health issues like blindness and heart disease, while excessive amounts can trigger urinary tract problems. Though carnivorous cats naturally absorb all necessary taurine from their diet, synthetic taurine found in vegan cat food may be metabolized differently, complicating the creation of balanced vegan meals for them.
8. Cats’ whiskers aid in precision hunting
The “whiskers” surrounding a cat’s face, known scientifically as vibrissae, comprise approximately 24 movable hairs and are complemented by additional whiskers located above their eyes, on their chin, and on the back of their paws. These sensitive hairs contain deep-rooted nerves critical for hunting, particularly in low-light conditions.
The whiskers are tailored to the cat’s body width, enhancing their ability to gauge distances while moving. They also provide sensory feedback on the direction and texture of prey, while monitoring airflow to fine-tune movements. It’s no wonder that your cat is such an elegant predator!
As you cruise down the 280 highway in San Francisco, it may seem like AI is omnipresent. Billboards are filled with AI-related advertisements. “We’ve automated 2,412 BDRs.” “Is all that AI and ROI really there?” “Affordable on-demand GPU clusters.” It’s tough to decipher industry jargon while speeding by.
These billboards symbolize the tech sector’s mass shift toward AI. Executives are rapidly rebranding their companies as AI-focused. In California’s tech epicenter, just as every business turned high-tech in the 2010s, they are now redefining themselves as AI enterprises.
Yet beneath the dazzling promotions of AI capabilities, troubling signs are emerging. Prominent AI advocates like OpenAI’s Sam Altman caution that investors are misjudging AI’s potential returns. “Are we in a phase where investors are overly enthusiastic about AI?” Altman remarked during a private dinner with a journalist. “In my view, yes.“
Altman’s words align with OpenAI’s acknowledgment of struggles in launching its latest ChatGPT model, which he promised would be a substantial upgrade over the existing GPT 4.5 version.
Of course, Altman’s comments might be aimed at dissuading investors from financing rivals. But other indicators have emerged. A recent MIT study found that 95% of generative AI projects reported little to no revenue growth. Major tech stocks incorporating AI have suffered as well: Palantir’s shares dropped by 9%, Oracle’s by 5.8%, Nvidia’s by 3.5%, and Arm’s by over 5%. A slump in tech stock support from other sectors contributed to this downturn.
Cracks are starting to show beneath the dazzling AI promotion.
Moreover, Meta has reportedly invested billions in securing top AI talent but has announced an AI hiring freeze. Last week, AI executive Alexandr Wang stated on X that Meta is investing in its Superintelligence Labs, asserting, “The reports are grossly inaccurate.”
This abrupt cooling of AI interest comes just as many companies announced sizable investments in building AI capabilities while reporting less-than-stellar revenue. Altman noted during that same dinner that he aims to invest “trillions” in data center expansion in the near future, according to The Verge.
The current wave of trepidation surrounding AI might signal a necessary market correction rather than an outright bust of the AI hype bubble. Even Eric Schmidt, the former Google CEO, cautions against the notion that achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) is imminent or that AI will eventually surpass human intelligence.
“The speed at which AGI can be reached is uncertain,” he stated in a column co-written with AI policy expert Selina Xu. “There is a worry that Silicon Valley is fixated on this goal.” Schmidt and Xu also emphasized the achievements AI has already delivered, expressing concern over Silicon Valley’s preoccupation with the horizon.
“There exists a significant divide between engineers who believe AGI is just around the corner and the general public, who often view AI through a skeptical lens and see it as an inconvenience in daily life,” they wrote.
It remains to be seen if the industry heeds these warnings. Investors are eagerly awaiting quarterly revenue reports for signs that each company’s multibillion-dollar investments are warranted while management aims to keep morale high. The ongoing promotion and allure of AI play a crucial role in alleviating investor anxiety, particularly amid a quarterly rise in projected spending across the board. For instance, Mark Zuckerberg recently suggested that those not engaging with AI tools could be at a cognitive disadvantage, indicating that companies like Meta and Google may continue integrating AI into their essential products, leveraging them to enhance training data and user populations.
The first major test of this AI reality check will occur on Wednesday, as chipmaker Nvidia, a key player in developing large language models, releases its latest revenue figures. While analysts are optimistic, the volatile stock week poses a challenge, making investors’ reactions to Nvidia’s earnings and spending updates a critical indicator of their future enthusiasm for the AI hype.
Have You Bonded with an AI?
Photo: Morsa Images/Getty Images
Frequent CHATGPT users often develop a strong emotional connection with AI. When changes occur, they take notice. Many users were dismayed by the introduction of OpenAI’s latest update to the GPT-5 model. My colleague Dani Anjano reports:
“It felt truly unsettling; it was a challenging time,” remarked Swedish software developer Linn Vailt about the update. “It seemed like someone shifted all the furniture in your home.”
ChatGPT quickly adapted, promising updates to the personality features and allowing access to older models for subscribers, recognizing the significance of these features for users.
*** Have you formed a bond with AI? We want to hear from you. Please reach out at techscape.us@theguardian.com.
TikTok is downsizing its UK trust and safety team. My colleague Lauren Almeida reported:
TikTok’s decision puts hundreds of roles from the UK content moderation team at risk, even amid stricter measures aimed at curbing harmful content online.
The popular video app has revealed that hundreds of jobs in its trust and safety teams could be impacted in the UK, along with South and Southeast Asia, as part of a global restructuring.
In September, the company let go of an entire team of 300 content moderators in the Netherlands, and in October, it announced the replacement of around 500 content moderation roles in Malaysia as part of its transition towards AI.
Recently, German TikTok employees protested against the layoffs within its trust and safety teams, which was the driving force behind this restructuring.
Read All Episodes: Despite new online safety regulations, hundreds of TikTok UK moderators face uncertainty in their roles.
These layoffs are part of a larger global initiative to moderate content using AI. According to TikTok, 85% of content removals on the platform are currently handled by automated systems. The parent company, ByteDance, appears eager to increase this percentage.
The company is not downplaying the significance of human oversight in tackling sensitive issues. It’s generating considerable revenue, with reports indicating a 38% increase in the UK and European markets. This strategy mirrors similar moves by other tech giants, like Meta, which have dismantled fact-checking initiatives and made significant cuts to their trust and safety teams.
TikTok has also conducted minor layoffs within its US Trust and Safety Team. The absence of mass terminations of content moderators raises questions: Is this move too risky amid unclear US policies towards the app? The White House’s recent TikTok account launch may signal a shift. Recall previous administrations’ attempts to limit the app’s presence in the US. The ban remains in limbo, upheld by a fragile executive order.
The federal-state collaboration that oversees foodborne illness monitoring discreetly diminished its operations nearly two months ago.
As of July 1st, the Food Surveillance for Active Foodborne Diseases (FoodNet) program has slashed its surveillance efforts to just two pathogens: Salmonella and Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli (STEC), according to a spokesperson from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as reported by NBC News.
Prior to this, the program was monitoring infections from six additional pathogens: Campylobacter, Cyclospora, Listeria, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia. Some of these pathogens can trigger particularly severe or life-threatening diseases, especially in vulnerable populations such as newborns, pregnant individuals, or those with compromised immune systems.
While states involved in the program are no longer obligated to track the six pathogens, they are still allowed to conduct their own surveillance.
Food safety experts express concern that this underreported decision may hinder public health officials from recognizing trends in foodborne diseases.
FoodNet operates as a partnership between the CDC, the Food and Drug Administration, the Department of Agriculture, and ten state health departments, covering a surveillance area that includes about 54 million people, or 16% of the U.S. population.
A CDC representative commented, “FoodNet’s primary focus will remain on Salmonella and we will uphold both the infrastructure and the quality of our representation.”
A document shared with Connecticut’s Department of Public Health, as reported by NBC News, indicates that “funding does not align with the resources necessary to sustain comprehensive FoodNet surveillance for all eight pathogens.”
On Monday, a CDC spokesperson mentioned that other systems continue to perform national surveillance for the six pathogens removed from FoodNet. For instance, state health departments can still report cases through the National Notification Disease Surveillance System. Additionally, the CDC’s Listeria Initiative gathers laboratory-confirmed cases of listeriosis, a serious infection caused by consuming Listeria-contaminated food.
Nonetheless, food safety experts stress that FoodNet is the only active federal surveillance system monitoring multiple foodborne diseases. Other federal systems rely on passive reporting, meaning that the CDC depends on state health departments to notify them of cases.
Experts fear that without proactive monitoring of all eight pathogens, public health officials might struggle to accurately compare trends over time or to detect increases in specific diseases. There are also concerns that a reduction in FoodNet operations could hinder rapid responses to outbreaks.
Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, described the decision to cut FoodNet surveillance as “very disappointing.”
“The work that I and countless others have devoted over the past two to three decades to enhance food safety is now at risk,” she stated. Kowalcyk’s advocacy for improved U.S. food safety policy arose after the death of her son from complications linked to foodborne E. coli infections in 2001.
Kowalcyk emphasized that federal food safety funding has failed to keep pace with inflation, and cuts to state health department funding likely impede the ability to sustain FoodNet surveillance. The CDC has requested $72 million for the Food Safety Budget for the fiscal years 2026 and 2024.
It remains unclear how the changes to FoodNet will impact monitoring at the state level.
The health departments of Oregon and Connecticut acknowledged awareness of the recent changes on Monday, while the Georgia Department of Public Health noted it had not yet received official updates from the CDC. Meanwhile, the New Mexico Health Department is awaiting notification from the CDC to clarify the future scope of surveillance.
The Maryland Department of Health indicated that their reporting will continue “regardless of the changes to the FoodNet network,” as state health providers and clinical laboratories must report cases for all eight pathogens monitored by FoodNet.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment warned that if funding decreases in 2026, it may have to scale back active surveillance for some pathogens.
Paleontologists at the National Museum d’Historel in Tel Aviv University and Delige University, France, have reported a fascinating discovery involving a combination of Neanderthal and Homo sapiens skeletal features in a 5-year-old child found in 1931 at Skhūl Cave, located on Mount Carmel, Israel.
A group of Neanderthals in a cave. Image credit: Tyler B. Tretsven.
Mugarat Es Skhūl (Skhūl Cave) was uncovered in 1928 by Theodore McConne and Dorothy Garrod on Mount Carmel, Israel.
The excavation revealed skeletal remains of seven adults and three children, alongside isolated bones linked to 16 additional individuals associated with the Fauna and Musteria tool industry.
The fossils belong to Homo sapiens, or “anatomically modern humans,” dating back approximately 140,000 years to the end of the Mid Pleistocene.
The initial discoveries in the cave were of children aged three to five years.
A recent study led by Professor Israel Hirschkowitz of Tel Aviv University indicates that the child’s skull resembles the overall shape of Homo sapiens, particularly in the skull vault, with inner ear structures characteristic of the intracranial blood supply system and features of the mandible akin to Neanderthals.
“This finding highlights the earliest known human fossils exhibiting morphological traits from both of these groups,” he stated.
“This study indicates that the skeleton of the five-year-old child is a result of ongoing genetic intermingling with the local Neanderthal and Homo sapiens populations,” he added.
“Genetic research over the last decade has demonstrated that these two groups exchanged genes,” remarked Professor Hirschkowitz.
“Even today, 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals vanished, 2-6% of our genomes can be traced back to Neanderthals,” he continued.
“However, these gene exchanges occurred much later, between 60,000-40,000 years ago. In this case, we are addressing human fossils from 140,000 years ago.”
Traditionally, Neanderthals were thought to have evolved in Europe and migrated to Israeli territories approximately 70,000 years ago due to advancing glaciers.
A 2021 study revealed that early Neanderthals inhabited Israeli lands around 400,000 years ago.
This type of human is referred to as “Nescher Ramra.” Homo might have interbred with Homo sapiens, a group that began migrating out of Africa around 200,000 years ago – and according to findings from the current study, they did breed.
The children from Skhūl Cave represent the earliest fossil evidence of the social and biological bonds formed between these two groups over thousands of years.
Ultimately, local Neanderthals dwindled as they were absorbed into the Homo sapiens population, similar to Neanderthals in later Europe.
“The fossils we researched are the earliest known tangible proof of mating between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens,” Professor Hirschkowitz commented.
“In 1998, child skeletons were unearthed in Portugal, displaying features from both human groups.”
“However, that skeleton, known as the ‘Lapedo Valley Child,’ dates back just 28,000 years.”
Historically, anthropologists have attributed the fossils found in Skhūl Cave, alongside those from the Caffze cave near Nazareth, to early groups of Homo sapiens.
“Current research reveals that some fossils from the Skhūl cave are indeed the product of continuous genetic intermingling with local and ancient Neanderthal populations of Homo sapiens,” he concluded.
Survey results were published in the journal on June 14th, l’anthropologie.
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Bastien Bouvier et al. 2025. New analysis of Skhūl child’s neurological and mandible: taxonomic conclusions and cultural implications. l’anthropologie 129(3): 103385; doi: 10.1016/j.anthro.2025.103385
“sTeamy Windows! “I belted out a Tina Turner classic.
Aside from the humidity that turns hair to icicles—I felt like I was staring at a plug socket for two days—the primary challenge was figuring out how to evaluate the kettle. They all essentially perform the same function, though they’ve evolved somewhat over the decades. Some models from the 1970s could fit right into a modern kitchen today. Beyond foundational features, good kettles hold on to basic qualities that make them user-friendly.
Infini-tea and beyond
Until now, my contributions to filtering have relied on tangible results. We tested the hues of our homemade chips and crispy snacks to determine which were superior and which fell short. Before that, my kitchen was a blend of blender chaos (the right term for this scenario). Once again, the creamiest smoothies and soups pointed to appliances featuring the sharpest blades and strongest motors.
In the case of kettles, it became evident that gadgets which had the best boiling capabilities required a closer inspection. So I embarked on heating water armed with a power meter, infrared thermometer, a cell phone running decibel X, another phone serving as a timer, and a probe thermometer—among other tools. I could brew enough hot beverages for my entire street and a couple of friends. Gradually, my kitchen resembled a tropical rainforest.
However, simply testing which kettle brewed better wasn’t the only metric; we also assessed other specific aspects such as build quality, the minimum fill requirement—should you always boil 0.5 liters when only 200ml is needed—and value for money—what you truly get for your investment.
It’s simply the best
After thorough evaluation, I arrived at my top recommendation: the Bosch Sky Kettle (£100), which offers a great balance of speed, design, and insulation to keep water hot longer, making it ideal for most households. For those on a tighter budget, the Kenwood Ripple Kettle (£32) stood out as my top economical choice, combining style and functionality with quick boiling times and varied color options.
Of course, upon learning that Gen Z is skipping kettles in favor of less energy-efficient microwaves, one might question the relevance of my tests. Yet, in tribute to Tina, my undercover product tester, it seems necessary to know which kettle truly reigns supreme when it’s time to replace yours.
This week’s picks
Editor’s Pick
Glory Blade: Handle with care, and this knife will serve you well for years. Photo: 10’000 hours/Getty Image
A quality knife is a worthwhile investment, so it’s essential to maintain it. Food writer and co-associate editor of Feast, Anna Beril, consulted experts for tips on extending the lifespan of your knives.
We also covered advice on caring for everything from smartphones to leather goods and coffee makers. In the long run, you’ll save money and help reduce landfill waste. What additional topics would you like us to explore in this newsletter? Let us know.
Hannah Booth Editor, Filter
Just in case you missed it…
Apaitivo Hour from Shinshin this bank holiday weekend! Photo: Vershinin/Getty Images
Joanne Gould sampled the finest spritzers (all on the lighter end of the alcohol spectrum) ranging from apple and ginger liqueurs to rhubarb syrup. Serve with ice, prosecco, and salted potato chips (Felicity Cloak recently evaluated the best salted potato chips for us). If you’re curious about what it’s like to test alcoholic beverages for a living, Joan shared insights with us last week. Cheers!
Get Involved
Everything but the kitchen sink? Share your essential Smart Student Digs kit list. Photo: Solstock/Getty Images
Are you a student or a parent? Which items have proven indispensable for undergraduate life and settling in? Also, what modifications did you make to your accommodation that were ultimately unnecessary? Reply to this newsletter or email thefilter@theguardian.com.
Astronomers utilizing a visible broadband imager at NSF’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope captured an extraordinary coronal loop strand during the attenuation phase of the X1.3 class flare on August 8, 2024. This discovery heralds a significant advancement in determining the fundamental scale of solar coronal loops, advancing flare modeling into a groundbreaking territory.
High-resolution image of flares from the Inouye Solar Telescope, taken at 8:12 UT on August 2024. The image shows approximately four earth diamonds on each side. Labels for various related regions of the image are added to clarify: flare ribbons (bright regions of energy emissions in the dense low solar atmosphere) and arcades of coronal loops (arcs of magnetic field lines that transport energy from the corona to the flare ribbons). Image credit: NSF/NSO/AURA.
Coronal loops are plasma arches that follow solar magnetic field lines and often precede solar flares, which release massive amounts of energy tied to some of these lines.
This energy burst ignites solar storms that can impact Earth’s vital infrastructure.
Inouye astronomers observe sunlight at the H-Alpha wavelength (656.28 nm) to reveal specific solar features that remain hidden in other forms of solar observation.
“A lot of effort has gone into understanding this domain,” noted Dr. Cole Tamburi, an astronomer from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
“These flares represent some of the most energetic occurrences in our stars, and we were fortunate to capture this under ideal observational conditions.”
Dr. Tamburi and his team concentrated on the thin magnetic field loops resembling razors, woven over the flared ribbons.
On average, the loops measured around 48 km in width, although some results were limited by the telescope’s resolution.
“Before Inouye, I could only envision what this scale might look like,” remarked Dr. Tamburi.
“Now we can witness it in reality. These are the tiniest coronal loops observed on the sun.”
Inouye’s Visible Broadband Imager (VBI) tuned to the H-Alpha filter can resolve features down to 24 km.
This resolution is more than twice as sharp as that of the next best solar telescope, making this discovery possible.
“It’s one thing to theorize about a telescope’s capabilities,” commented Dr. Maria Kazachenko, PhD, from the University of Colorado Boulder.
“It’s invigorating to see those theories validated in practice.”
Initially, the research plan involved investigating the dynamics of chromospheric spectral lines using Inouye’s Visible Spectrometer (VISP). However, VBI data uncovered an unexpected treasure: an intricate coronal structure that can directly enhance flare models built with complex radiative hydrodynamic codes.
“We set out to find one thing and stumbled upon something even more intriguing,” Dr. Kazachenko stated.
The prevailing theory suggested that coronal loops could range from 10 to 100 km in width, but verifying this observationally had been challenging.
“We are finally gaining insight into the spatial scales we have long speculated about,” Dr. Tamburi explained.
“This paves the way for examining not just size, but shape, evolution, and even the scales where magnetic reconnection—the engine behind flares—occurs.”
Perhaps the most exciting implication is that these loops might be fundamental structures, core components of flare architecture.
“In that scenario, we wouldn’t just be mapping out clusters of loops; for the first time, we’re analyzing individual loops,” Dr. Tamburi added.
“It’s akin to observing a forest and suddenly recognizing all the trees.”
The image itself is stunning. A radiant arcade crowned with dark, thread-like loops, vibrant flared ribbons marked with strikingly sharp contours—ascending triangular patterns near the center and arc-shaped formations at the top.
“Even casual observers will soon recognize its complexity,” Dr. Tamburi remarked.
“This represents a landmark moment in solar science.”
“We are finally observing the sun at a scale that makes sense.”
The team’s paper will be published in Astrophysics Journal Letters.
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Cole A. Tumburi et al. 2025. Revealing unprecedented microstructure in coronal flare loops using DKIST. apjl in press; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ADF95E
A wise fictional character once remarked that war never changes, and if you experience Snake Eater, it’s hard to disagree. Konami has reimagined the 2004 Cold War PS2 classic, swapping “three” with “Delta,” but this remains the jungle adventure you remember. Without Kojima, Konami has maintained the essence of this chaotic masterpiece while channeling its energy into stunning visuals and smooth, modern controls.
In terms of PS2 titles that feel like contemporary releases, Metal Gear Solid 3 tops the list. Transitioning the series into vast outdoor settings, Kojima maximized the aging power of Sony’s console. To modern players, these environments were expansive. However, revisiting the water-logged swamps of Tselinoyarsk in today’s open-world gaming landscape, the once seemingly endless jungle feels rather quaint.
A potential playfulness… Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Photo: Konami
Thankfully, the charm and vibrant characters inhabiting these mosquito-infested playgrounds remain as plentiful as ever. Every path you tread is filled with playful opportunities. The snake slithers through the mud, sniping wasp nests and dispatching nearby patrols before leaping from cliffs. Vultures descend on foes under the scorching desert sun, and you can even shoot the transceiver of a guard to thwart a backup call. It’s these intricate systems and ambitious narratives that lend a grander feel to the modest maps.
As for the narrative, Snake Eater retains its edge, interspersing real-world historical footage from the Cold War before pitting you against various foes. Long-time fans la-li-lu-le-lo aside, newcomers might find the relentless opening cutscene somewhat intrusive. The prologue periodically takes control from the player, inundating you with tutorial text between short playable segments, but it ultimately culminates in a barrage of fitting nouns.
Fortunately, once gameplay begins, Snake’s Soviet journey feels exhilarating. Purists can opt for classic top-down views through legacy modes, but modern controls provide a truly revolutionary experience, transforming the once-clumsy snake into a lethal killing machine.
Despicable Shenanigans… Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater. Photo: Konami
Moreover, there are some exciting new features for seasoned veterans. The newly introduced optional compass efficiently points toward your target, while pressing the D-PAD allows for quick access to the codec and camouflage adjustments on the fly.
Speaking of camouflage, the survival system in Snake Eater is perhaps its most significant legacy. Kojima’s groundbreaking hunting and injury treatment mechanics continue to influence modern games, setting the groundwork for today’s popular survival genres. Though some elements may feel dated compared to current standards, they add an appreciated layer to Snake’s escapades.
The island’s playful meta-narrative continues to thrive, offering engaging gameplay choices. From the ability to eliminate an early boss long before their intended encounter to a boss fight that revolves around your accumulated bloodlust results, few modern titles embrace this level of interactive storytelling.
Despite its cinematic aspirations, Snake Eater excels in its quirks and video game absurdities. Items drop from defeated soldiers, hidden frogs leap as you shoot, and camouflaged rubber ducks lurk in every nook and cranny of the environment.
Delta serves as a stunning showcase for the PS5 Pro, becoming one of the few graphical highlights amidst Sony’s high-priced offerings. The cinematic splendor of last year’s memorable sequences comes alive with breathtaking 4K visuals. Still, not everything has aged gracefully, particularly Eva’s cleavage cutscene, which reveals the game’s roots in 2004.
Some elements could benefit from a revision. While players will not soon forget the iconic final confrontation, the rushed ending feels like a missed opportunity to cohesively tie up loose threads, suggesting Konami’s interference in this critical area and leaving it feeling anticlimactic.
Outside the primary gameplay, there’s a fun monkey escape mode and an additional secret feature that I won’t spoil. The only entirely new mode, the Foxhunt multiplayer component, has unfortunately arrived post-launch and currently feels somewhat unfinished.
Snake Eater is a refined and slick chapter in the Metal Gear saga, resembling a Cold War caper fit for a James Bond film, replete with apocalyptic undertones. Kojima’s affection for Hollywood is evident, often spilling over into unwieldy epic narratives, yet this game remains his most cinematic achievement. It’s silly, tightly packed, and delightfully campy, meandering toward absurdity with sublime stealth. The legendary voice acting seamlessly merges Cold War fantasy with anime-inspired antics.
If you reminisce about the Metal Gear Online glory days when the free Foxhunt mode launches later this year, it could elevate your score. If not, Snake Eater remains a melodramatic joy and serves as a fantastic introduction to one of gaming’s most illustrious masterpieces.
Terence Tao, widely recognized as one of the world’s leading mathematicians—often dubbed the “Mozart of Mathematics”—tends to avoid discussions on politics.
As Tao stated, “I’m focused on scientific research. I participate in voting and sign petitions, but I don’t view myself as an activist.”
Following the halting of a $584 million federal grant at UCLA in July, Tao expressed concern regarding the potential impact on scientists, suggesting that if the current trend persists, it could lead to indiscriminate cuts affecting many, himself included.
“This administration has exhibited extreme radicalism, particularly in its alteration of scientific landscapes in ways even the first Trump administration did not,” Tao commented. “This is not normal, and I believe many people are unaware of the damage occurring.”
Tao is among a select group of prominent mathematicians who openly challenge the regime’s actions, labeling them as “existential threats” to his field and the broader academic science community. He has prioritized public advocacy over his research for the time being.
“The U.S. is the leading global funder of scientific research, and the administration is focused on consolidating America’s innovative edge. However, federal research funding isn’t a constitutional guarantee,” remarked White House spokesperson Kush Desai. “The administration’s duty is to ensure taxpayer-funded research aligns with the priorities of American citizens.”
During the Trump administration, UCLA faced scrutiny through the suspension of its federal grants, based on claims of racism and failure to maintain a “non-biased research environment.” Investigations noted these issues.
Having emigrated to the United States from Australia at the age of 16, Tao was recognized as a mathematical prodigy early on. He has developed a significant career at UCLA and was awarded the 2016 Fields Medal, often regarded as the equivalent of a Nobel Prize in Mathematics. Additionally, he has earned a MacArthur Fellowship and other prestigious honors.
As part of a comprehensive federal lawsuit against UCLA, the National Science Foundation suspended two of its TAO grants, one of which directly backed Tao’s contributions at UCLA and his work with the University’s Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM). This was designated as a special project.
An NSF spokesperson confirmed, “The National Science Foundation has reinstated the awards that were suspended at the University of California, Los Angeles,” while withholding any further comment on Tao’s remarks.
Looking ahead, IPAM funding—established in 2000 to enhance collaboration among mathematicians, industry professionals, and engineers—remains at risk. The current grant is set to expire next year and awaits renewal, with the Trump administration proposing a 57% budget reduction for the NSF. Requests for 2026 are under consideration.
Tao’s NSF-funded research delves into advanced mathematical concepts, particularly focusing on understanding patterns in long numbers. Although this research may seem basic and lacks immediate practical applications, Tao suggests that its findings could influence encryption methods for security purposes.
On the other hand, IPAM’s research has yielded substantial public benefits. Two decades ago, Tao collaborated with other scientists to address signal processing challenges in medical imaging.
“An algorithm we developed with IPAM is routinely used in modern MRI machines, sometimes enhancing scanning speed by tenfold,” Tao noted.
The Trump administration has employed funding cuts or suspensions as leverage to push for reforms on university campuses, employing a multifaceted strategy. Initially, they sought to slash funding for scientific endeavors by reducing federal reimbursements for indirect costs like equipment and maintenance.
Subsequently, they focused on specific types of grants, including those addressing diversity, equity, inclusion, and gender identity.
The administration also singled out institutions like Harvard University, Columbia University, and, more recently, UCLA, over allegations of racism and anti-Semitism.
The lawsuit corresponds with numerous funding initiatives, leading to ongoing legal disputes which resulted in the cancellation and subsequent restoration of several grants.
Tao expressed that the recent disruption in financing for his project has compelled him to defer part of his own salary to maintain support for graduate students. His recent activities have shifted from mathematics to attending urgent meetings with university authorities, seeking donor contributions, and writing an opinion opposing the funding cuts.
“This is typically when I focus on my research, but this has become a top priority,” Tao emphasized.
He grows increasingly anxious about the bigger picture, believing that the administration’s actions could dissuade young scientists from remaining in the U.S., asserting that if this pattern continues, he himself may have to reconsider his position.
Tao has observed from his vantage point at UCLA that graduate and postdoctoral students are increasingly inclined to seek opportunities outside the U.S. as funding uncertainty looms.
“In past eras, other countries with distinguished scientific heritages faced turmoil and conflict, prompting many to flee to the U.S. as a safe haven,” Tao remarked. “It’s paradoxical that we are now witnessing an inverse trend where other countries might begin to attract skilled talent currently based in the U.S.”
Just a year ago, Tao hadn’t considered leaving UCLA or the U.S., but he has received a handful of recruitment inquiries and is beginning to contemplate his future in America if the current situation continues.
“I’ve established my roots here. I raised my family here, so it would take significant incentives to uproot me. Nonetheless, these days, predicting the future is increasingly challenging,” Tao concluded. “I never envisioned moving at all; it was never on my radar. Yet now, whether for better or worse, all possibilities must be taken into account.”
Donald Trump has warned of potential tariffs and export limits on nations that implement taxes, laws, or regulations targeting major tech firms like Google, Meta, Amazon, and Apple.
“All digital taxes, laws, rules, or regulations aim to harm or discriminate against American technology,” Trump stated in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
He pointed out that such measures include a 2% revenue collection, exemplified by the UK’s digital services tax, which generates approximately £800 million annually from leading tech companies worldwide.
“As the President of the United States, I stand against any country that attacks our exceptional American tech firms,” Trump remarked. “If these discriminatory lawsuits are not withdrawn, I will impose a significant additional fee on that country’s exports to the U.S., restricting access to protected technologies and chips.”
Trump’s ultimatum adds pressure on both the UK and the EU, especially regarding regulations aimed at limiting the dominance of major tech companies through the Digital Services Act.
Numerous EU nations, including France, Italy, and Spain, have already instituted digital services taxes.
U.S. officials have criticized the UK’s Digital Services Tax (DST), which has been active since 2020, though it was kept in place after a May agreement with the Trump administration.
Trump has expressed concerns over the detrimental effects DSTs worldwide have on American firms.
In February, he signed an executive order titled “Interesting Foreign Tax and Unfair Fines and Penalties” directed at U.S. businesses and innovators.
It surfaced in April that Keir Starmer proposed a reduced headline rate for U.S. tech giants regarding DST, while simultaneously taxing companies in other nations.
“American and U.S. tech companies are not the world’s ‘piggy banks’ or ‘doormats’,” Trump stated on Monday. “Respect America and our outstanding tech firms, or face the consequences.”
This warning from the president follows a recent joint statement from the U.S. and the EU committed to addressing “unfair trade barriers.”
However, the EU has not pledged to amend digital regulations individually.
In June, Canada repealed its Digital Services Tax, described as a “direct and blatant” move to facilitate smoother negotiations with its neighbors.
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Researchers from University College London and other institutions have analyzed the molars of female Boss Torus (cattle) discovered at Stonehenge.
Stonehenge. Image credit: Regina Wolf.
In 1924, archaeologists restored the jawbone of an elderly cow found at the base of the groove surrounding Stonehenge Stage 1, constructed between 2995 and 2900 BC.
Professor Michael Parker Pearson from University College London and his team dated the find between 3350 and 2920 BC through isotopic analysis of a tooth, suggesting its origins in Wales.
“This offers even more intriguing evidence of Stonehenge’s connection to Southwest Wales, the source of Bluestone,” noted Professor Parker Pearson.
“It heightens the likelihood that these cows assisted in transporting the stones.”
Researchers recorded chemical signals from the second year of the animal’s life and sectioned its third molar into nine horizontal slices.
This enabled them to measure isotopes of carbon, oxygen, strontium, and lead, each shedding light on the cow’s diet, environment, and movements.
The varying concentrations and types found in the teeth offered insights into the cattle’s lifestyle.
Oxygen isotopes indicated that the teeth recorded about six months of growth spanning winter to summer, while carbon isotopes revealed seasonal dietary changes: forest feed in winter and pasture in summer.
Moreover, strontium isotopes suggested that these seasonal food sources came from different geological regions, implying that the cattle may have moved seasonally or that winter feed was transported.
Lead isotopes indicated a spike in composition between late winter and spring, suggesting older lead sources than the other dental leads.
The findings imply that the cattle originated from much older Paleozoic rock formations in the Pleshri hills of Pembrokeshire, Wales.
“This research revealed six months of unprecedented details about the life of this cow, presenting the first evidence of cattle movements from Wales and documenting dietary shifts and life events from around 5,000 years ago,” remarked Professor Jane Evans, an archaeologist at the National Environmental Isotope Facility at the British Geological Survey.
“One slice of cow tooth has conveyed an extraordinary narrative. I am hopeful that more revelations will emerge from her extensive journey as new scientific tools become available.”
Additionally, scientists concluded that unusual lead signals could not be attributed solely to local contamination or movement.
Rather, this lead, retained in the cow’s bones, was regenerating during the stress of pregnancy.
If accurate, this indicates that the cow was female during the formation of the teeth and was either pregnant or breastfeeding.
To validate this hypothesis, the authors employed peptide-based sex determination techniques, suggesting that the animal was likely a female.
“This study offers significant new insights into the life history of this enigmatic cow, whose remains were deposited at such a pivotal location at the entrance to Stonehenge,” said Professor Richard Majwick of Cardiff University.
“It provides unparalleled details regarding the animal’s distant origins and the arduous journey it undertook.”
“Often, grand narratives dominate research on major archaeological sites, but this detailed biographical examination of individual animals brings a fresh perspective to Stonehenge’s story.”
The team’s findings were published on June 17th, 2025, in the Journal of Archaeological Science.
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J. Evans et al. 2025 Boss Torus Evaluating the comparative sources and uptake times of teeth, strontium and lead from Stonehenge. Journal of Archaeological Science 180:106269; doi:10.1016/j.jas.2025.106269
Paleontologists have introduced a new genus and species of stem cell turtles, based on complete fossil shells discovered in the early Ale Holocene Denver Formation in Colorado.
Reconstruction of Tavachelydra stevensoni in a water environment with logs. Image credit: Andrey Atuchin.
Tavachelydra stevensoni existed in present-day US during the late Ale Holocene, approximately 66-65 million years ago, shortly after the mass extinction event.
The species is part of the Chelydridae family of freshwater turtles, which includes at least seven extinct species and two extant genera.
“The clade of extant Chelydrid turtles (Chelydridae) comprises five species native to the New World,” stated Dr. Tyler Lyson from the Denver Museum of Natural Sciences and his team.
“Though not a varied clade, Chelydrid turtles are commonly found in most North American freshwater ecosystems.”
“The broader group of Chelydrids (i.e., Pan-Chelydridae) is present throughout Laurasia, but their fossil records are notoriously fragmented.”
Fossilized shells and two skulls of Tavachelydra stevensoni were found in the Corral Bluffs survey area in El Paso County, southern Colorado, east of Colorado Springs.
“The straight shell measures nearly 50 cm in length, making Tavachelydra stevensoni one of the larger turtles from the early Ale (Puercan) of the Denver Basin,” remarked the paleontologist.
“Interestingly, two Pan-Chelydrid turtles coexisted during the early Middle Age of this formation: Tavachelydra stevensoni and Denverus middletonii.
“The size difference is significant, with Tavachelydra stevensoni being at least four times larger than Denverus middletonii, which may have reduced competition between the two species in overlapping geographical ranges.”
Although little is known about the paleoenvironment of the single known specimen of Denverus middletonii, the yellow sandstone of fine to medium grain was initially interpreted as channel fill.
In contrast, the two specimens of Tavachelydra stevensoni suggest that they were likely found in ponded waters or sediments, indicating they lived in sediment-rich areas such as overbank deposits.
“While little can be said about the diet of Denverus middletonii due to the lack of skull preservation, the skulls of Tavachelydra stevensoni show large, wide, flat surfaces, likely used to consume hard-shelled organisms such as corals, shelled mollusks, and crabs,” noted the researchers.
“Thus, it seems plausible that Denverus middletonii and Tavachelydra stevensoni occupied distinct ecological niches, with Tavachelydra stevensoni preferring a pond habitat and a durophagous diet.”
“Remarkably, turtle species with a durophagous diet have shown higher survival rates during mass extinction events compared to those with softer diets.”
In addition to the presumed dietary habits of Tavachelydra stevensoni, other common reptiles from the same sedimentary formation include the button-toothed crocodile Cf. Wangonacosuchus and Baenid turtles such as Paratabena nerrellum, Succersies gilberti, and Cedrobaena putrius.
“This indicates that durophagy was a significant life history trait for the earliest Ale-Holocene freshwater vertebrates in North America.”
The discovery of Tavachelydra stevensoni is detailed in a paper published in the Swiss Journal of Palaeontology.
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TR Lyson et al. 2025. New pan-chlydrid turtle, Tavachelydra stevensoni gen. et sp. from the Coral Bluffs area, Lower Aleapione (early Danian, Puercan), Denver Basin, Colorado. Swiss J Palaeontol 144, 46; doi:10.1186/s13358-025-00375-4
Las Vegas – This year’s Burning Man festival attendees have not had much cooperation from Mother Nature.
Amid fierce sandstorms, high temperatures, and humidity over the weekend, there’s a looming threat of rain and potential flooding in the coming days, marking a chaotic start to the annual event in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert.
A powerful sandstorm with winds reaching 50 mph swept through Black Rock City on Saturday, creating disorder at campsites and causing significant travel delays in the area. The National Weather Service issued a Dust Storm Advisory, citing a “blowing dust wall” heading north that evening.
According to a Burning Man spokesperson, NBC News reported four minor injuries related to the wind and dust.
The storm caused traffic disruptions due to strong winds and reduced visibility, leading to the closure of Black Rock City gates. For those already inside, swirling dust overturned many campsites and scattered personal belongings.
“If you’re in Black Rock City, secure your camp and refrain from driving,” warned the official Burning Man account monitoring conditions both inside and outside Black Rock City. This was shared on x on Saturday.
Participants described the winds as relentless for over an hour, remarking, “The desert is always trying to kill you.” They expressed that it was “arguably the most frightening experience” at Burning Man. This sentiment was shared on Facebook.
Around 70,000 individuals are expected to attend the festival, which continues until September 1st.
On the festival’s first day, northern Nevada experienced humidity levels nearing 100°F, with about 57% humidity. Another dust advisory was issued that evening by the National Weather Service, predicting 50 mph winds and visibility under a mile across parts of central Nevada.
There were also possibilities of rain and thunderstorms that temporarily halted vehicle traffic by locking the gates in Black Rock City.
“The current travel time for vehicles on Gate Road is estimated at seven hours when the gates reopen,” noted a festival official. This was updated on x Sunday night.
Cleanup efforts are in progress, but the volatile weather conditions persist.
Rain and thunderstorms are forecast for Monday and beyond. The dusty lake beds are prone to flooding, and excessive rainfall could transform the playa into muddy terrain.
In 2023, torrential rains trapped thousands of Burning Man participants in thick mud. Attendees were advised to “evacuate to shelter,” leading to a report of one fatality by the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office.
In the United States, one in 33 infants is born with a birth defect. New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlights methods to mitigate that risk.
The study identifies five risk factors that public health officials, and even the women themselves, can address: obesity, diabetes, tobacco exposure, food insecurity, and insufficient folic acid levels (a crucial vitamin for cell production).
The findings indicate that 66% of women aged 12 to 49 possess at least one of these risk factors, with 10% having three or more. The CDC’s discovery, published on Tuesday in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, is based on data from 5,374 women surveyed as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2007 to 2020.
“It’s vital to raise awareness about these risk factors and encourage women to consult their healthcare providers if they have any concerns or questions before pregnancy,” stated Arick Wang, a CDC health scientist and lead author of the study.
She further noted, “The risk can be mitigated through measures such as daily intake of 400 micrograms of folic acid, maintaining a healthy diet and exercise routine, and managing blood glucose levels.”
Congenital abnormalities are significant causes of infant mortality, according to CDC statistics. Risks often begin before women even realize they are pregnant. While the causes of birth defects remain largely unknown, experts typically acknowledge that various combinations of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors contribute.
“This should serve as a wake-up call for all of us,” remarked Dr. Michael Warren, chief medical and health officer at March of Dimes, a nonprofit organization focusing on maternal and infant health.
“We aim to ensure that nutritious foods are accessible,” added Warren, who was not involved in the research. “We want to guarantee that individuals have a secure environment for physical activity.”
Individuals experiencing food insecurity may lack essential nutrients for the healthy development of their fetal organs, including folic acid. For instance, low blood levels of folic acid are linked to neural tube defects—issues impacting the brain or spine that occur during the first month of pregnancy. Healthcare professionals recommend that those who are pregnant or planning to conceive take folic acid, a synthetic version of the vitamin.
Since 1998, the Food and Drug Administration has mandated the fortification of enriched grain products with folic acid. CDC scientist Wang mentioned in a press release that this policy is likely to prevent over 1,300 annual cases of babies born with neural tube defects.
“The majority of birth defects still remain unexplained,” Nembhard stated. “Even when women make all the right choices—avoiding smoking, abstaining from alcohol during pregnancy, monitoring caffeine intake, and staying active—they may still face challenges.
Warren, who previously served as the pre-administrator of HHS’s Maternal and Child Health Department until June, highlighted that many women may not recognize obesity and food insecurity as risk factors.
Obesity, which impacted approximately one-third of the surveyed women, was identified as the most prevalent modifiable risk factor in CDC studies. While the reasons behind its association with birth defects are not entirely understood, it seems that altered metabolic processes (like how a woman’s body regulates insulin and glucose) can lead to abnormal fetal development.
“When our cells grow and develop into organs, they depend on precise conditions and functions. Disrupting these processes can lead to complications,” Warren explained.
He noted that elevated blood sugar levels from diabetes can also contribute to abnormal organ development. Additionally, certain chemicals found in tobacco smoke, including nicotine, can diminish oxygen supply to the fetus.
Warren emphasized the need for ongoing efforts. He referenced Mississippi’s recent declaration of a public health emergency, which aims to address the “Care Desert,” where women struggle to access obstetric services due to high infant mortality rates.
External researchers commended the release of the study amidst budget cuts and proposed reductions in funding for agencies.
“We are pleased to see this research continue, even amidst questions about its future,” remarked Wendy Nenberd, director of the Center for Research and Prevention at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.
Explosive growth of solar energy and panels in Niamey, Niger
Boureima Hama/AFP via Getty Images
A remarkable increase in solar panel shipments from China to African nations over the past year suggests a significant boost in the continent’s renewable energy infrastructure. This growth facilitates broader access to affordable and clean electricity while decreasing the dependency on imported fossil fuels.
“We’re not witnessing a huge explosion yet,” says Dave Jones from Ember, a UK energy think tank. “This marks the beginning of momentum.”
Jones and his team examined export data for Chinese solar panels from 2017 to the present. Although Africa possesses the infrastructure for solar panel manufacturing, it remains reliant on Chinese imports for nearly all its needs.
From June 2024 to 2025, exports to Africa soared by 60%, surpassing the 15 gigawatts of electricity imported during this timeframe.
This recent surge differs from earlier increases in 2022 and 2023, which were mainly concentrated in South Africa; now, the growth is evident across the continent. Twenty nations report import records, and 25 nations import solar panels totaling 100 megawatts. “It’s not driven by one or two countries,” notes Jones, “which I find incredibly encouraging.”
While South Africa continues to lead, accounting for about a quarter of total imports, several other nations significantly increased their acquisitions. Nigeria ranks second with 1,721 megawatts, followed by Algeria, which imported 1,199 megawatts in total. In the last two years, imports of solar panels from China to African countries (excluding South Africa) have more than tripled.
If all panels imported in the past year have been installed, it’s estimated that 16 countries could meet at least 5% of their current electricity needs. Sierra Leone could potentially generate over 60% of its existing power from solar energy. This shift towards solar energy could also mitigate reliance on costly fossil fuel imports.
“The transition towards a just-energy Africa is no longer a distant goal; it is happening right now,” asserts Amos Wemanya, of Power Shift Africa, a Kenyan energy think tank. “This transition holds the promise to significantly enhance our resilience against climate disruptions and foster development.”
This surge can be attributed partly to substantial solar power projects in development; however, that isn’t the full story. Jones emphasizes that many imports are destined for small, distributed installations, such as rooftops and farms, as users seek more affordable and reliable alternatives to national grid power. A similar pattern has emerged in Pakistan, where rooftop solar has seen explosive growth in recent years, driven by falling panel prices.
While this trend is promising, around 600 million people in Africa—almost half the continent’s population—lack dependable electricity access. Nonetheless, the development of solar energy in Africa still lags behind other global regions. Many African countries struggle to secure investments in renewable energy, representing only 2% of global investments over the last few decades. Interestingly, over the past year, Pakistan has imported more solar panels than all of Africa combined, despite having only one-sixth of Africa’s population.
“Our key challenge is to transform this momentum into sustainable benefits by amending funding, policies, and local industries to ensure that clean energy is not only accessible but also reliable, affordable, and inclusive for all Africans,” concludes Wemanya.
Egypt: Scientific Pioneers of the Ancient World – Cairo and Alexandria
Embark on a remarkable journey through Cairo and Alexandria, Egypt’s two iconic cities where ancient history meets modern vibrance.
A dramatic reconstruction of early modern Homo sapiens in Africa
BBC/BBC Studios
human Available on BBC iPlayer (UK); US PBS (September 17)
Based on my observations, science documentaries often fall into two categories, akin to French and Italian cuisines. (Hear me out before you judge that comparison.) The first category employs intricate techniques for a deep experience. The second is more straightforward, allowing the content to shine naturally.
Both documentary styles can yield impressive results in their own ways. human, a five-part BBC series exploring the roots of our genus, Homo, undoubtedly fits into the latter category. It weaves together compelling stories, stunning visuals, and the charismatic presence of paleontologist Ella Al Shamahi, inviting viewers to embark on a heartfelt journey through six million years of our human history. No flashy add-ons are necessary.
The first episode delves into complex inquiries. When exactly did our species emerge? Multiple perspectives yield varying answers. Was it 300,000 years ago when humans began to exhibit features resembling ours? Was it when our skulls, according to Al Shamahi, transformed to become softer and more spherical? Or, more poetically, when we developed remarkable traits like intricate language, abstract thought, and cooperative behavior?
“
The series intertwines fascinating narratives, stunning visuals, and the captivating presence of Ella Al Shamahi. “
It’s an engaging episode, particularly when the narrative shifts to other extinct human species. For instance, Al Shamahi’s exploration of Indonesia introduces us to Homo floresiensis, a meter-tall human uniquely adapted to life on Flores. The discovery of these “hobbits” in the Liang Bua Caves two decades ago reshaped our understanding of ancient human biology. Their small brains provide insights into tool use, with their long arms and short stature diverging from other human species.
Episode three highlights the fate of our most famous relative, the Neanderthals. As we spread into Europe and Asia, they adapted to colder climates but ultimately faced extinction.
Throughout the series, Al Shamahi showcases amazing paleontological discoveries made over recent decades (many of which you may have read about in New Scientist). For instance, rainbow feathers from birds like the red kite have garnered interest regarding their significance to Neanderthals. Meanwhile, the perikymata—a growth line in tooth enamel—affirms that H. sapiens experienced extended childhoods, leveraging our cognitive capacity.
Over just five episodes, human cannot cover every aspect of our evolutionary story. Yet, it illuminates how H. sapiens has been shaped by climate influences, the flora and fauna that provide for us, other human species, and collaborative nomadic groups that shared skills, knowledge, and DNA, allowing us to thrive and eventually build cities.
This dimension of H. sapiens portrays humanity as the ultimate survivor, capable of progression and dominance over the Earth. In contrast, human offers a more humble narrative, emphasizing our species alongside our ancient relatives.
Tracking Human Evolution Gain insights behind the scenes of the new BBC series human with Ella Al Shamahi on NewsCientist.com/Video
In a captivating and poignant narrative, Ella Al Shamahi addresses the inadequate frontline science conducted in regions perceived as inhospitable to Western researchers. Discover Neanderthal skeletons exhibiting severe disabilities unearthed in present-day Iraq—a striking reminder of the discoveries we’ve overlooked.
Bethan Ackerley is a sub-editor at New Scientist. She has a passion for science fiction, sitcoms, and all things eerie. Follow her on Twitter @inkerley
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Microorganisms found in Siberian permafrost seem to have existed for more than 100,000 years as indicated by DNA analysis. The genetic similarities with other species imply that such long life spans might be common among the closest living relatives of complex cell organisms.
Additionally, microorganisms gathered from ancient marine sediments, some over 100 million years old, raise questions about the survival of individual organisms over such spans. “You can’t conduct experiments over that duration,” states Karen Lloyd from the University of Southern California. “[Time] Coexistence is an unpredictable variable.”
Lloyd and her team aimed to find microorganisms in areas that had been stable for extensive periods. Their exploration led them to the Chukchi Peninsula, the easternmost point of Siberia, where they extracted a 22-meter core of permafrost.
This core allowed them to extract DNA from layers of marine sediment that dates back between 100,000 and 120,000 years. These sediments contained pores filled with liquid water that might have trapped microorganisms, preventing any exchange of nutrients or organisms. “Being frozen means that ice structures encapsulate them,” Lloyd explains.
The subsequent question was how to differentiate between living and non-living cells. Researchers sequenced millions of DNA fragments from the permafrost, utilizing them to reconstruct the genomes of various microbial species present. The degraded DNA was repaired, and enzymes that facilitated genome reconstitution were introduced into the mix.
After incorporating DNA repair enzymes, most reconstructed genomes showed significant completeness, indicating they originated from dead cells that do not actively preserve DNA integrity, according to Lloyd. Conversely, the genomes of six species showed minimal alteration, suggesting that these DNA samples came from living cells actively maintaining their genome since being frozen at least 100,000 years ago.
All six species with intact DNA were from the gate forest, also known as Asgard Archaea. These organisms are recognized as the closest modern relatives to all eukaryotes, encompassing animals, plants, fungi, and other native forms of life.
“Discovering Asgard archaea thriving in ancient permafrost offers insight into their evolutionary path… and their role in the emergence of complex life,” remarks team member Rend Liang at the University of Earth Sciences in China, especially during an era when the Earth was fully frozen.
Even more remarkably, the long-lived species were similar to Asgard Archaea found in less extreme environments, sharing genes associated with protein and DNA repair. This may have facilitated gradual exchanges of cellular components in low-energy conditions without cell division. “They’re like the most uneventful Asgards ever,” Lloyd comments. “Their lack of excitement suggests they possess capabilities.”
Stephen de Hon from the University of Rhode Island considers the study a “significant advancement” in understanding exceptionally long life spans.
Nevertheless, he warns that these findings should not be generalized to environments beyond freezing conditions like permafrost. “Long periods of inactivity in frozen states are different from living extensively at minimal activity levels.”
Prototype electronics can be made from polymers that dissolve in water, facilitating recycling.
ZEYU YAN/University of Maryland
Devices like Bluetooth speakers can be 3D printed using water-soluble materials in just a few hours. This innovation enables rapid prototyping, easier recycling of electronic waste, and encourages more sustainable manufacturing practices for consumer electronics.
Researchers have successfully created technology that can dissolve, including printed circuit boards that house essential components and wiring for modern electronics. Each year, hundreds of millions of printed circuit boards are produced for military aircraft, automobiles, medical devices, smartphones, and inexpensive toys. Yet, globally, only a fraction of these devices are recycled through labor-intensive methods, often involving shredding to reclaim usable materials, according to Huaishu Peng from the University of Maryland.
Peng and his team crafted a 3D printed circuit board with polyvinyl alcohol, a polymer that dissolves in water. They filled the circuit board’s channels with liquid gallium-indium metal alloys for wiring, and manually attached electronic components. After sealing the circuit with a polymer adhesive, the device was dried for an hour at 60 °C.
This method enabled researchers to assemble functioning prototypes of a Bluetooth speaker, a fidget toy, and an electronic gripper with three fingers. A small amount of water does not immediately damage these devices, but after soaking for 36 hours at a room temperature of 22°C, they dissolve.
The researchers could then easily retrieve most electronic components and liquid metals, which accumulated as small beads. The evaporation of water also allowed them to recover 99% of the dissolved polyvinyl alcohol.
Soluble circuit boards are particularly beneficial for designers who aim to quickly test and validate electronic prototypes, as recycling traditional printed circuit boards presents significant challenges. As noted by Jasmine Lu from the University of Chicago, Illinois, in her study on circuit board reuse, “Printed circuit boards are a major source of e-waste during the prototyping of electronic devices.”
A 2022 United Nations Report regarding e-waste revealed that Asia generated 600,000 tons of discarded circuit boards but managed to recycle only 17%. In contrast, Europe and North America produced 300,000 tons of printed circuit boards, achieving a recycling rate of 61% in Europe and 44% in North America.
What sets this approach apart is that virtually anyone with a 3D printer can implement this dissolvable electronics methodology, making it more accessible compared to other sustainable electronics initiatives, according to Lu. For practical use, Peng suggests that the devices can be safeguarded with a temporary waterproof casing.
Nonetheless, due to the inherent fragility of these circuit boards, Lu indicates that soluble electronics are currently more suited for rapid prototyping rather than mass production of finished electronic goods.
Peng and his colleagues have not dismissed the idea of mass production. They are reaching out to circuit board manufacturers to explore the possibilities. For now, Peng aims to utilize this technology to enable university students to rapidly prototype and reuse designs.
“Typically, you would need to outsource circuit board production to a factory, which could take weeks for manufacturing and shipping,” he explains. “You can design something here, print it in under 30 minutes, and if it doesn’t work, simply dissolve it in water and try again.”
A contributing factor to the reduced calorie availability is the reliance on palm oil for biodiesel.
Augustine Bin Jumat/Shutterstock
In 2020, the global agricultural output could have supported 15 billion individuals, yet only around half of those calories made it to people’s tables. This figure is expected to have further declined as the efficiency of the global food system diminishes.
Rising meat production, particularly in beef, alongside biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel, primarily drives this inefficiency, according to Paul West from the University of Minnesota and his team. A shift towards healthier diets and a reduction in biofuel production may enhance food availability without the need for additional agricultural land.
While food production is typically gauged in mass, evaluating it from a calorie-centric perspective (the energy content of food) offers greater benefits for comparing different crops and determining necessary quantities for individuals.
The team relied on data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, focusing on the top 50 crops contributing to global calorie production. These crops account for a staggering 97.5% of all calories grown worldwide, including staples like corn and potatoes, oilseeds such as sunflower and rapeseed, and fruits and vegetables like cacao, bananas, and tomatoes.
The researchers then analyzed how efficiently animals convert feed into meat, milk, and eggs, calculating the resulting calorie losses in animal-based food production. To avoid short-term fluctuations, they averaged their findings for 2010 and 2020 over three years.
The data indicated that global total calorie production experienced a 24% surge between 2010 and 2020, yet the edible calorie supply only grew by 17%.
This discrepancy arises from an increase in calories fed to livestock, notably beef, which is less efficient in converting feed into meat compared to chickens. In fact, 45% of the calories produced in 2020 were lost in the animal food production process. Transitioning from beef to chicken could mitigate these calorie losses.
Additionally, 5% of the produced calories in 2020 were allocated for biodiesel and bioethanol production, with a notable 34% increase in the calorie usage of palm oil for biodiesel.
This study does not encompass food waste, which further contributes to calorie losses. It highlights that not all food waste is created equal, particularly noting the significant waste associated with animal products like beef.
“The challenge of feeding 8 billion people today illustrates that the difficulty in sustaining future populations lies not in biophysical limits but rather in distribution and human choices regarding resource allocation,” remarks Hannah Richie from Oxford, who was not part of the study. “Calories aren’t the sole concern; protein and micronutrients also hold significant importance. I hope the team broadens their research to include these aspects.”
New Scientist reached out to West for comments, but he declined to discuss his study prior to its publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Air conditioners may help prevent heatwaves from accelerating aging
Sajjad Hussain/AFP via Getty Images
The intensity of heat waves can lead to significant long-term health impacts. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures seems to speed up biological aging in individuals.
“Currently, there are two major studies that highlight the effects of heatwave exposure on aging, focusing on different populations in various countries,” says Paul Beggs from Macquarie University in Australia. “It’s crucial to take heat waves seriously, as we are not only safeguarding our health but also the well-being of those around us.”
Recent findings from Siyi Chen at the University of Hong Kong and her research team reveal important insights. They analyzed medical screening data from around 25,000 adults in Taiwan to determine biological age based on several health indicators, including inflammation, blood pressure, and organ function. This data was then compared with time series data to assess aging rates.
“Physiological changes associated with aging can appear earlier and progress more rapidly in certain individuals,” notes Beggs, who wasn’t part of this research.
The researchers calculated each participant’s cumulative heat wave exposure over two years preceding the medical screening, assessing not just the frequency of heat waves but also the intensity of temperatures experienced. It turned out that the number of heatwave days was a critical factor in the accelerated aging observed in Taiwan’s population. These findings align with another recent study investigating outdoor temperature effects on aging in older adults in the US.
In the Taiwanese population studied, greater aging effects correlated with increased cumulative exposure to heat waves. Specifically, a four-day rise in total heatwave duration linked to an increase in biological age by as much as nine days.
The impact was particularly severe for specific demographics. For instance, manual laborers experienced aging effects that were threefold greater from equivalent heat exposure compared to the broader group. Additionally, residents in rural areas showed more pronounced aging effects, suggesting that access to air conditioning could mitigate the aging repercussions of heat exposure.
Nonetheless, to effectively combat climate change and the escalating frequency of heatwaves, the advantages of air conditioning must be balanced with more sustainable cooling alternatives, warns Beggs. “Air conditioners release heat into the environment, further worsening conditions for individuals lacking such systems,” he states.
Astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope have captured stunningly detailed images of the asymmetrical Spiral Galaxy Messier 96.
This Hubble image illustrates Messier 96, a spiral galaxy situated approximately 34 million light years away in the constellation Leo. Image credits: NASA/ESA/Hubble/F. Belfiore/D. Calzetti.
Messier 96, or NGC 3368, is a spiral galaxy found in the constellation Leo, roughly 34 million light years from Earth.
It was first identified by French astronomer Pierre Messier on March 20, 1781, and was included in Charles Messier’s catalog of astronomical objects just four days later.
This galaxy, also referred to as Leda 32192 or M96, extends approximately 100,000 light years in diameter—similar to the size of the Milky Way—and boasts an estimated mass of 80 billion solar masses.
Messier 96 is a prominent member of the Leo I Galaxy Group, commonly known as the M96 group.
This group includes Messier 95, Messier 105, and a variety of other galaxies, representing the nearest collection that encompasses both bright helical and bright elliptical galaxies.
Messier 96 appears as a massive vortex of shimmering gas, with dark dust swirling within, flowing toward its nucleus.
The galaxy exhibits significant asymmetry, with its dust and gas distributed unevenly across its weak spiral arms, and its nucleus is not precisely at the galactic center.
Additionally, its arms are asymmetrical and are believed to have been shaped by gravitational influences from neighboring galaxies within the Leo I group.
“The gravitational forces exerted by neighboring galaxies could be responsible for the unequal distribution of gas and dust in Messier 96, as well as the asymmetrical spiral arms and the positioning of its core outside the center,” stated Hubble astronomers in a press release.
“The recently released Hubble images clearly showcase this asymmetrical structure, enhanced by observations in ultraviolet and optical light.”
“Previous images of Messier 96 were released in 2015 and 2018,” they noted.
“Each new image contributes additional data and reveals a stunning, scientifically informative view of the galaxy.”
“This latest version provides a fresh perspective on star formation in Messier 96.”
“The pink gas bubbles depicted in this image highlight the star-forming rings at the galaxy’s edges, enveloping a hot, young, massive star.”
“These new stars remain encased in the gas clouds from which they originated.”
“The fresh data incorporated for the first time in this image will aid in researching how stars are born within vast dusty gas clouds, how dust influences starlight, and the effects of stellar activity on their environment.”
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