Is this the future in a world where the oceans are rising?
Deep R&D Ltd
The Bajau are indigenous marine people of Southeast Asia, often referred to as sea nomads. For millennia, they have thrived along coastlines, relying on foraging underwater without the aid of diving gear, holding their breath for astonishing durations. Yet, the early 21st century introduced multiple crises that jeopardized their way of life—industrial overfishing, pollution, coral bleaching diminished food sources, and rising sea levels consumed coastal dwellings.
In 2035, a Bajau community near Saba, North Borneo, initiated fundraising for a contemporary floating and underwater settlement. They collaborated with deep, a manufacturer of submarine habitats, to create interconnected rafts and underwater homes, developing business models that could be emulated by other maritime communities facing similar threats from rising seas. Revenue streams included extreme adventure tourism, scientific research facilities, and longevity clinics.
The first habitat comprised a network of platforms and rafts, with tunnels leading to underwater levels. While residents occupied surface structures, they increasingly utilized submerged areas for storage, sustenance, and sleep. This habitat was constructed using a 3D printing technique known as Wire arc additive manufacturing, which allowed the most effective pressure distribution in areas experiencing strain.
The deeper sections were maintained at both ambient water pressure and the corresponding atmospheric pressure from the surface. In modules situated less than 20 meters deep, occupants, referred to as Aquanauts, inhaled a unique gas mixture to prevent nitrogen narcosis. Those exiting deep modules required decompression when returning to normal atmospheric conditions. An advantage of these surrounding modules was the incorporation of a moon door, enabling Aquanauts to swim directly into the deep sea for leisure, research, and farming activities.
Undersea hotels catering to extreme tourism have surged in popularity. In the Galapagos, tourists reside in submerged hydroelectric hotels, exploring hot springs and observing some of the planet’s rarest life forms. Simultaneously, scientists harness these modules to investigate deep-sea ecosystems. Undersea mapping technologies have evolved, enabling researchers to explore vast ocean territories that were previously unreachable, fostering understanding and interactions with whales and other deep-sea creatures, leading to significant advancements in marine biology.
Aquanauts can swim directly into the deep sea for recreational, research, and agricultural activities
The Bajau have long been adapted to marine environments. With thousands of years at sea, they possess enlarged spleens that provide a higher quantity of oxygen-retaining red blood cells compared to typical humans. Some Bajau divers can spend five hours underwater, diving freely to depths of 70 meters without oxygen tanks, holding their breath for up to 15 minutes. After transitioning to seabed habitats, many Bajau began to leave behind surface living, opting instead to spend more time submerged, even resorting to gene editing to enhance their aquatic capabilities, including intentional eardrum puncturing to facilitate deeper dives, and utilizing surfactants in their lungs to aid their decompression, akin to adaptations found in diving marine mammals.
Bajau’s Diver
Marco Rayman/Alamie
Numerous communities have established depth clinical treatments. Previous research has demonstrated that exposure to intermittent daily sessions of pressurized oxygen therapy can alleviate various medical conditions and age-related diseases. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, for instance, has proven beneficial, leading individuals who underwent consistent high-pressure sessions to possess longer telomeres and enhanced clearance of senescent cells, both of which are linked to increased longevity. The deep habitat has attracted affluent seniors looking to extend their lives, simultaneously providing a lucrative income source.
The majority of marine communities have become self-sufficient, cultivating their own food through aquaculture of fish, mollusks, and seaweed, while also growing other crops on the surface. Energy sources include a combination of solar, wind, wave, and geothermal energy, tailored to local conditions. Some communities focus on tourism, whereas others specialize in carbon capture within medical facilities. A significant amount of seaweed is harvested, sunk into the ocean depths, and sold as carbon credits.
Living beneath the waves isn’t for everyone. Nonetheless, these habitats empower those most vulnerable to climate change, giving them the tools to redefine their livelihoods and lifestyles, even in the face of rising sea levels that threaten their homes.
Rowan Hooper is the podcast editor for New Scientist and author of *How to Spend $1 Trillion: These are 10 Global Issues That Can Be Actually Fixed*. Follow him on Bluesky @rowhoop.bsky.social
Feedback presents the latest updates in science and technology from new scientists, highlighting recent developments. Share items that may captivate readers by emailing Feedback@newscientist.com.
Get Ready…
Attention athletics fans, there’s an intriguing new competition to check out: Sperm Race.
It’s been reported that male birth rates are on the decline, with reduced sperm motility (movement speed) being a significant contributing factor. To raise awareness, a teenage founder has introduced sperm racing as a sport. As they say: “We’re creating the first racecourse for sperm: two competitors, two samples, one microscope finish line.”
Their site showcases “microscopic racetracks” that mimic reproductive systems, using “high-resolution cameras” to “track all microscopic movements.” They claim, “It’s all streamed live,” suggesting the phrase choice is deliberate, with the victor being “the first sperm to cross the finish line, confirmed via advanced imaging.”
The inaugural race on April 25th featured entries from two California universities. Readers may question why feedback on this topic emerged slowly. It’s due to a twist in the tale post-event.
Unfortunately for organizers, journalists like River Page, Reporter at Free Press, revealed that “the winner was predetermined. The ‘race’ was computer-generated.”
The issue is that microscopes can’t function that way. To have tracks long enough for sperm to swim competently, tracking them on camera is impractical. In film, a cameraman can follow Tom Cruise sprinting along the roof of a moving train. Yet, focusing a microscope can be challenging, even when the cells are nearly stationary.
The creators apparently ran a real race in a private setting, relying on computer-generated imagery to “depict” sperm racing for paying spectators.
This has led to speculation that a second round of the sperm race is improbable. I can’t help but recall how millions relish completely fabricated “sports entertainment” like wrestling, and outcomes in football often hinge on which teams have the wealthiest billionaires. Perhaps sperm racing could indeed be the next big sensation.
Water-Based Cooking
Feedback loves to explore the latest food trends, from cutting carbs to eating only lean meats, salt, and water! There’s even talk of “Air Protein,” which involves “microbial organisms that harness carbon dioxide.”
Essentially, water-based cooking means utilizing water for cooking whenever possible, in favor of oil. Think boiling, stewing, or steaming over stir-frying or roasting. This method reduces the formation of harmful advanced glycation end products (AGEs) found in the crispy bits of fried foods known to be linked to health complications. Hence, water-based cooking enthusiasts should steer clear of those.
Driving this trend is Michelle Davenport, a UCSF and NYU-trained nutrition scientist and the former founder of Digital Children’s Food Company. She educates followers on Instagram on how to manage metabolic health through water-based cooking inspired by family recipes.
Feedback perceives this might revolve around minor details, but it fits perfectly within wellness culture: if you’re not in peak health, it’s certainly your choice. Regardless, we find ourselves empathetic toward Elle from Bruski, who aptly stated: “It’s just soup. They’re making soup.”
Pizza Insights
We sought examples of “obvious” scientific inquiries that tend to extend far beyond what one might have already guessed. The first query involved research indicating that an SUV poses a greater risk to pedestrians than a compact car.
Send your stories to feedback at feedback@newscientist.com. Please include your home address. Past and current feedback can also be found on our website.
HM’s revenues and customs have experienced a loss of £47 million due to phishing scams that have compromised tens of thousands of tax accounts, a panel of lawmakers has been informed.
On Wednesday, two senior tax officials briefed the Treasury Commission, reporting that 100,000 individuals have been contacted or are being contacted after their accounts were locked as part of an “organized crime” investigation initiated last year.
John Paul Marks, CEO of HMRC, stated that the affected taxpayers will face “no financial loss.”
He explained to the committee: “About 0.2% of the Pay population is being notified, with approximately 100,000 individuals informed that unusual activity has been detected on their Pay accounts.”
Marks clarified that this pertains to individual workers’ payment accounts, not business accounts.
He further elaborated: “This incident involved organized crime phishing for identity data outside of the HMRC system, which unfortunately affects banks and other entities that utilize that data to set up Payer accounts for refunds or accessing existing accounts.”
He informed MPs of investigations into issues from last year that “involve jurisdictions beyond the UK,” which led to “arrests last year.”
Angela McDonald, HMRC’s deputy chief executive and second permanent secretary, added:
“Ultimately, we successfully protected £19 billion that was targeted during last year’s attacks.”
McDonald made it clear that this breach is “not a cyber attack, there has been no hacking, and data has not been extracted.”
She went on to state: “The act of compromising someone’s system to extract data and implement ransomware constitutes a cyber attack. That is not what transpired here.”
HMRC reported that it has secured the details of the affected accounts and has eliminated logins to prevent future unauthorized access.
Incorrect information has been purged from tax records, and authorities are verifying that no other details have been altered.
Affected individuals will receive notifications from HMRC within the next three weeks.
Marks noted that HMRC’s phone line experienced an outage on Wednesday afternoon, but this was “accidental” and would be “up and running” by Thursday.
A spokesperson for HMRC stated: “We have taken steps to safeguard our customers after identifying attempts to access a minimal amount of tax revenues and will collaborate with law enforcement both domestically and internationally to bring the culprits to justice.
“This was not a cyber attack; instead, it involved criminals utilizing personal information from phishing activities or data obtained from other sources to attempt to claim funds from HMRC.”
“We are sending letters to affected customers to assist in securing their accounts and to reassure them that they have not lost any money.”
Last week, UK banks and payment companies were advised to enhance their anti-fraud systems for international transactions due to a rising number of fraudsters targeting individuals abroad.
Recent statistics indicated that international payments account for 11% of the losses attributed to push payment fraud in 2024.
As technology evolves, humans enhance their ability to teach skills to others
English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images
Research into human evolution spanning 3 million years illustrates that advancements in communication and technology have occurred simultaneously. As early humans developed more sophisticated stone tools and various techniques, they also refined their abilities to communicate and educate the next generation on these new skills.
“There exists a scenario for the evolution of modes of cultural transmission throughout human history,” states Francesco Dalico, from the University of Bordeaux, France. “It seems there’s a co-evolution between the complexity of cultural traits and the complexity of their transmission methods.”
A defining characteristic of humanity is the progression toward more complex tools and behaviors. For instance, ancient humans crafted sharp stones for cutting or stabbing and affixed them to wooden shafts to create spears.
Crucially, the ability to instruct others in these skills is vital. For more intricate tasks like playing the violin or coding, extensive education and practice are typically necessary. However, in prehistoric times, the capacity for effective communication was limited, particularly before intricate languages emerged.
Furthermore, Ivan Colagè from the Pope University of the Holy Cross in Rome, along with D’Errico, investigated how the transmission of cultural information has evolved over the last 3.3 million years, aligning with changes in behavior and technology. They examined 103 cultural traits, such as specific types of stone tools, decorative items like beads, and burial customs. They documented the initial appearances of each trait in the archaeological record, indicating common practices.
The researchers assessed the complexity involved in learning each trait. Some simple tools, like stone hammers, require minimal instruction. “They don’t need much explanation,” D’Errico notes. In contrast, demonstrating the creation of more advanced tools is necessary, and the most intricate behaviors, such as deeply symbolic burials, demand explicit verbal explanations.
To analyze this, D’Errico and Colagè outlined three dimensions of learning: First, spatial proximity—can tasks be learned from a distance, or does one need to be physically present? Second, temporality—does one brief lesson suffice, or are multiple sessions necessary, perhaps emphasizing various steps? Third, the social aspect—who learns from whom?
They evaluated these traits and consulted a panel of 24 experts for assessment, whose consensus reinforced their findings. “I believe the conclusion is quite robust,” says D’Errico.
Recent studies indicate two significant shifts in cultural communication. The first occurred around 600,000 years ago when early humans began teaching one another, likely without relying on spoken language; gestures may have sufficed. This predates the emergence of our species, Homo sapiens, and aligns with the onset of hafting.
The second shift happened between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago, coinciding with the development of modern languages, which became essential for performing complex tasks like burials. “These actions involve many detailed steps, requiring explanation,” D’Errico explains.
“The relationship between cultural communication and cultural complexity is strong,” asserts Ceri Shipton from University College London. He emphasizes that while the timeline for language development remains uncertain, this new estimate provides a “reasonable timeframe.”
In the UK, sales of new Tesla cars experienced a significant surge of over one-third last month, although electric vehicle manufacturers faced tough competition from China’s BYD and other rivals amidst a political backlash against Tesla’s billionaire CEO, Elon Musk.
In May, Tesla sold 2,016 vehicles in the UK, a decline from 3,125 in the previous May, reflecting a 36% decrease based on data from the Association of Auto Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Conversely, BYD, the Chinese automaker, saw a remarkable 407% increase in UK sales, rising from 596 units last May to 3,025 this year. BYD offers both hybrid and fully electric vehicles and first surpassed Tesla in sales back in January.
So far this year, Tesla has sold 15,002 cars in the UK, which represents a 7.8% decline compared to 16,272 in the same timeframe last year.
This year, Tesla’s sales have decreased in several of its major markets, with political protests impacting some of its showrooms, along with stiff competition from rivals such as BYD.
Overall new car sales in the UK rose by 1.6% last month, totaling 150,070 units. According to SMMT, this marked the best performance since 2021, although it remained 18.3% lower than pre-COVID levels in 2019, with growth seen in just the second month of this year’s upward trend.
Corporate fleets and businesses drove demand, accounting for nearly two-thirds of vehicle registrations, while interest from private buyers dropped by 2.3% for the second consecutive month. While gasoline and diesel vehicle registrations declined significantly—12.5% and 15.5% respectively—the demand for the latest electric models soared, capturing a total market share of 47.3%.
Sales of hybrid-electric vehicles rose by 6.8% to 20,351 units, and plug-in hybrid EVs surged nearly 51% to 17,898. Furthermore, registrations for battery electric vehicles increased by over 25%, now representing 21.8% of the market as carmakers vie for consumer interest.
Colin Walker, the transport director for the nonprofit Energy and Climate Intelligence Force, is involved in the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) initiative—a series of government regulations aimed at boosting the number of EVs on the roads. He emphasized, “continue doing that, increasing competition between manufacturers, declining prices, increasing sales.”
In terms of EV sales this year, Tesla is reportedly losing its top position to Volkswagen, which has seen a 201% increase in EV sales, according to an analysis by Thinktank New Automotive. Other automakers such as Ford, Renault, and Peugeot are also witnessing substantial growth as they transition to electric vehicles. BYD, the only Chinese maker in the top 10, recorded a 261% increase.
Amazon is said to be working on software for humanoid robots intended to serve as delivery personnel and operate “bomber” vans.
The £1.47 trillion technology giant is establishing a “humanoid park” in the US to trial these robots, with insights being shared with tech news outlets, according to individuals involved in the initiative.
Reportedly, the robot could ultimately replace delivery workers. It is designed with artificial intelligence software that powers the robots but utilizes hardware sourced from other companies.
According to reports, the indoor obstacle course at Amazon’s San Francisco offices is about the size of a coffee shop, with hopes that the robots can navigate Amazon’s Libyan vans for deliveries.
Even if a human is operating the vehicle, the robot could potentially expedite drop-off times by managing deliveries to one address while human staff service another. Amazon is also exploring self-driving vehicles through its Zoox division.
As reported, Amazon has over 20,000 Libyan vans in the US, including one stationed in the Humanoid Test Zone. Following successful tests at Humanoid Park, the robots are slated for a real-world “field trip” to attempt package deliveries to customers’ residences.
Amazon has already initiated trials with humanoid robots and is utilizing devices developed by US-based Agility Robotics within its warehouses. Agility CEO Peggy Johnson mentioned to the Guardian last year that their humanoid robots are enabling employees to transition into “robot manager” roles.
Last year, Amazon obtained permission to test drone flights beyond the line of sight of British human controllers, furthering its innovations in home delivery technology.
Professor Subramanian Ramamoorthy, head of robot learning and autonomy at the University of Edinburgh, acknowledged that Amazon has a respected robotics team, emphasizing that their focus on “last-mile” delivery is expected. He noted that humanoid robot hardware is advanced enough for these tasks, but highlighted the challenge of achieving reliable performance outside controlled environments like the proposed “humanoid park.”
He remarked: “If Amazon restricts the environment, utilizing relatively clear driveways and standard doorway layouts, the task becomes fairly straightforward. Challenges arise as the environment becomes more diverse, particularly with variables like pets and small children entering the equation.”
n Nintendo enthusiasts across the United States are breathing a sigh of relief as they unwrap their packages containing the new Nintendo Switch 2 gaming console. This comes amidst unresolved trade tariffs implemented during Donald Trump’s administration. Nintendo’s pre-order delays indicated that a May launch seemed more aspirational than guaranteed. The anticipated price initially soared to $450, but the worst fears of consumers did not materialize.
Nevertheless, Nintendo’s battle against Trump’s tariffs isn’t over yet. The Japanese gaming titan managed to introduce the device just before a 90-day tariff suspension issued by the former president. However, if tariffs in regions like India and Japan revert to those proposed during Trump’s “liberation day” speech earlier in April, analysts suggest Nintendo may have to navigate another fraught trade landscape.
The price of the Switch 2 during the holiday season could exceed that of its launch. Competing gaming hardware brands, and virtually all other electronics firms shipping to the U.S., are closely monitoring the Switch 2 narrative.
Since its debut in March 2017, the Switch has become one of the top-selling gaming consoles of all time, with over 150 million units sold globally. Nintendo unveiled its successor in January, providing full details during a livestream on April 2nd, announcing a release date of June 5th at $450 in the U.S. (Or $500 when bundled with Mario Kart World). Just hours later, Trump addressed the nation, announcing new tariffs on imports from countries with trade deficits with the U.S.
Among these tariffs is a 24% levy from Japan, where Nintendo is headquartered, and a 46% tariff from Vietnam, where much of the Switch’s manufacturing takes place. Stock market fluctuations left Nintendo fans wondering if these abrupt tariffs would increase costs for consumers.
U.S. pre-orders for the Switch 2 were initially set to start on April 9th, but Nintendo postponed to “evaluate the potential effects of tariffs and market developments.” The release date of June 5th remained unchanged. Gamers expressed their frustrations on social media, targeting much of their anger towards the Trump administration rather than Nintendo. Pre-orders resumed on April 24th, with units selling out in no time.
Nintendo has not provided immediate comments on the situation.
Saved by ‘tacos’ after preparing for the wrong tariffs
Johnson remarked, like many home appliance manufacturers, “Where is the production happening?”
In 2019, near the end of Trump’s first administration, gaming companies began relocating production for the Switch from China to Vietnam to avoid U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. While Nintendo still produces some Switch items in China, these units are generally directed to non-U.S. markets. Other prominent tech firms like Apple have similarly shifted manufacturing away from China to nations such as India to diminish tariff impacts.
Gamers lined up outside Nintendo’s store in New York. Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images
This strategy became contentious when the current administration announced a 46% tariff on imports from Vietnam, catching virtually everyone off guard, according to Johnson. These impending tariffs and the uncertainty they generate can affect the pricing strategies of nearly all consumer technology products reaching the U.S.
“Setting up new production facilities takes considerable time and capital investment. Manufacturers prefer operating in a stable environment,” Johnson noted. “The current trade climate is the exact opposite.”
Tariffs tied to the release date could have easily inflated Switch 2 prices or delayed its rollout. However, Nintendo avoided this predicament due to the Trump administration’s withdrawal. This scenario is described in financial terms as “Taco,” stemming from Trump’s call for a 90-day tariff suspension to facilitate negotiations with the affected country—allowing the Switch 2 to launch in a timeframe where import duties were not in effect.
Even if negotiations with Vietnam ultimately fall through, reports indicate Nintendo has already shipped approximately 746,000 Switch 2 units to the U.S., which remain exempt from increased tariffs.
Higher add-on costs
Nintendo consumers will not escape the impact of customs duties. The company has indicated that accessories related to the device, which comprise a significant portion of the Switch’s dual functionality, are now experiencing price adjustments. So far, CNBC reports that the dock for playing the Switch on a larger screen costs an additional $10, while the straps for the two controllers are up by $1. Johnson also expressed that he wouldn’t be surprised if Nintendo contemplates increasing console prices over the holiday season, particularly if Trump proceeds with the 46% tariff in Vietnam.
“It’s hard to envision Trump’s administration publishing numerous articles about how he ruined Christmas during the holiday season,” Johnson remarked. “So I hope they find a way through this; still, like everyone else, I am uncertain.”
However, there’s another factor motivating Nintendo to minimize price hikes. A significant portion of its revenue doesn’t come from console sales. Instead, the real profit drivers for Nintendo and its competitors are software and online subscriptions, which are not impacted by customs duties.
“Ultimately, Nintendo aims to sell consoles to enable game and accessory purchases,” Johnson noted. “As a result, they may be inclined to keep console prices down.”
sITS January announcement
Nintendo Switch 2 predictions are intensifying. This follows the incredible success of the 150m Nintendo Switch. Major console launches are now infrequent, marking the first since
2020 when Sony’s PlayStation 5 was released. Whether you’re contemplating a purchase or curious about the excitement, here’s everything you need to know.
Basics
Today, June 5th, the Switch 2 has been released, accompanied by the flagship game Mario Kart World for £395.99 ($449.99/€469.99) or £429.99 ($499.99/€509.99). True to its predecessor, it’s a portable gaming console with a built-in screen. You can play it as a handheld mini-console while on the go or dock it to connect to your TV using an HDMI cable for a larger screen experience. Unlike the previous 6.2-inch display, it now comes with upgraded Joy-Con controllers that are larger and more robust, featuring a bright 7.9-inch LCD touchscreen. These controllers attach magnetically to the sides of the screen and eliminate the troublesome sliding system that many users disliked. Additional large L and R buttons have been incorporated at the top—a small detail that’s crucial for anyone aiming to master a Mario Kart power slide.
Specification
Advancements in technology… Nintendo Switch 2. Photo: Nintendo
The Switch 2 is equipped with cutting-edge technology, featuring custom NVIDIA processors and a screen capable of 4K resolution (when linked to a compatible TV), or 1920×1080 resolution in portable mode. It also supports 5.1 surround sound and high dynamic range (HDR) graphical effects at frame rates of up to 120Hz. This places the Switch 2 in a competitive position against other modern consoles. Experts suggest its technical specifications fall between the PS4 and PS5, or the Xbox One and Xbox Series X.
In the Box
The Nintendo Switch 2 package includes the console itself, two Joy-Con controllers, a power adapter and USB-C charging cable, a dock, a Joy-Con grip (which allows you to combine two Joy-Cons to form a traditional game controller), and two wrist straps to prevent accidental drops.
Out of the Box
Nintendo has significantly enhanced the social features of the console. The Game Share feature allows you to enjoy games with others who don’t own a copy. You need only your Switch or Switch 2 to play together, either in person or online. This is particularly useful for families sharing a single copy of a game. GameChat functions similarly to Zoom, but for gaming: you can invite multiple friends into group video chat sessions to converse while playing the same game, different games, or just hanging out. If you purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 camera, you can even see each other’s video feeds on the screen. Please note, GameChat requires a subscription to Nintendo’s online gaming service.
Games
Exciting News… Mario Kart World Game. Photo: Nintendo
The console will launch with approximately 25 games, many of which are enhanced versions of existing Switch titles. Notably, the big arrival is Mario Kart World, an open-world iteration of the classic kart racing franchise. Other introductory games include Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, Cooperative Survival Challenge Survival Kids, and anti-gravity racers High Speed Fusion. Popular titles such as Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Legend of Zelda: The Kingdom’s Tears/Tears of Tears will also be present. Most games are priced between £45 and £70, and are available for online download or as physical copies. Additionally, you can enjoy nearly any older Switch game on the new console, along with an extensive collection of 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s retro classics from NES, Nintendo 64, SNES, and GameCube.
Accessories
Add-ons: Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller and camera. Photo: Nintendo
There are three accessories you’ll want to consider: the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller,
a conventional joystick designed for serious gamers, and the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera
that pairs with GameChat services and games using camera functionality. You can also expand your game’s storage with a MicroSD Express card.
Where Can I Buy One?
If you missed the pre-orders, patience is key while you shop. Larger retailers like Amazon, Argos, Currys, and John Lewis might have stock today, so consider checking Nintendo’s online store. Exercise caution when purchasing from private sellers on eBay or similar platforms, as many scams are prevalent. Remember the incidents where people discovered that PlayStation 5 deliveries were filled with rice bags instead?
The defiant peers have presented a significant challenge to the government. They urge artists to provide copyright protections for artificial intelligence companies, or they risk losing essential legal protections.
The government has encountered its fifth defeat in the House regarding a controversial initiative that would permit AI companies to train their models using copyrighted materials.
With a vote of 221-116 on Wednesday, they insisted on amendments that would enhance transparency regarding the materials used by AI companies for training their models.
At the awards event following the vote, Elton John emphasized that copyright protection is an “existential issue” for artists and called on the government to “do the right thing.”
He remarked: “We will not let the government forget their promise to support the creative industry. We will not retreat, and we will not go quietly. This is just the beginning.”
Wednesday night’s vote highlights the ongoing conflict between the Commons and the Lords over a data bill utilized by campaigners to challenge the government’s proposed copyright reforms.
Leading the opposition to the Lords’ changes is crossbench peer and film director Beeban Kidron, whose amendments consistently receive support from the upper chamber.
The data bill faces the likelihood of being shelved unless the Commons agrees to Kidron’s amendments or presents alternative solutions.
Maggie Jones, the minister for digital economy and online safety, urged her colleagues to vote against the Kidron amendment after the government proposed last-minute concessions to avoid another setback.
Before the vote, Jones stated that her colleagues “must decide whether to jeopardize the entire bill” and claimed that voting for Kidron’s amendment would “appear unprecedented”—attempting to disrupt a bill that does not undermine copyright law, while also addressing important issues like combating sexually explicit deepfake images.
Kidron told Piers: “This is the last chance to urge the government to implement meaningful solutions,” pressing the minister to take solid steps ensuring AI companies adhere to copyright regulations.
“It is unfair and irrational for the creative industry to suffer at the hands of those who take their jobs and assets. It’s not neutral.”
“We have repeatedly asked both houses: What is the government doing to protect creative jobs from being stolen? There has been no response.”
Several peers criticized the notion that the Lords’ actions were unprecedented, arguing that the government itself is breaking precedent by refusing to compromise. Tim Clement Jones, a Liberal Democrat spokesman for the digital economy, voiced strong support for Kidron’s amendments.
Beeban Kidron expressed concern, asking: Why is the government neglecting the interests of the UK while attempting to hand over the wealth and labor of the country? Photo: Curlcoat/Getty
The Lords’ amendments place the data bill in a state of double claims, indicating that both the Commons and the Lords are unable to agree on the legislation. Under this circumstance, the bill will be dropped unless ministers accept the rebellious revisions or offer other changes through parliamentary processes. Although the bill’s failure is uncommon, it has occurred before, notably in the 1997-98 session regarding the European Parliament election bill.
According to parliamentary tradition, the Commons holds a favorable position as the elected House, and in rare situations, if the Lords refuse to concede, the minister can utilize parliamentary law to enact the bill in the following session, which may significantly delay the legislation.
As a concession to the peers on Tuesday night, the government pledged to release additional technical reports on the future of AI and copyright regulations within nine months, rather than the previously proposed twelve.
“Many peers have expressed experiencing a lack of hearing during ping pong,” Jones noted in her letter.
Jones pointed out that by updating the Data Protection Act, the data bill is projected to yield £10 billion in economic benefits, enhancing online safety and strengthening the authority to require social media companies to retain data following a child’s death.
Kidron asserted: “It would be wise for the government to accept the amendment or propose something meaningful in its place. They have failed to listen to the Lords, to the creative sector, and even to their own supporters.”
Under the proposed government regulations, AI companies would be authorized to train their models using copyrighted works unless the owners specifically opt out. This plan has garnered heavy criticism from creators and publishers, including renowned artists such as Paul McCartney and Tom Stoppard.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle expressed regret over the decision to initiate consultations regarding the opt-out system associated with changes to copyright laws as a “priority option,” indicating that there may be resistance within Downing Street to make more concessions.
The identification of TO-6894B, an exoplanet roughly 86% the size of Jupiter orbiting the low-mass Redd star (0.2 solar masses), underscores the importance of enhancing our comprehension of the formation mechanisms of giant planets and their protoplanetary disc environments.
Artist’s illustration of TOI-6894B behind its host star. Image credit: Markgarlic/Warwick University.
The TOI-6894 system is located approximately 73 parsecs (238 light years) away in the Leo constellation.
This planet was discovered through a comprehensive analysis of data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), aimed at locating giant planets around low-mass stars.
“I was thrilled by this discovery. My initial focus was on observing a low-mass red star with TESS, in search of a giant planet,” remarked Dr. Edward Bryant, an astronomer from the University of London.
“Then, utilizing observations from ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), one of the most substantial telescopes globally, I identified TO-6894B, a giant planet orbiting the smallest known star with such a companion planet.”
“I never anticipated that a planet like TOI-6894B could exist around such a low-mass star.”
“This finding will serve as a foundational element in our understanding of the boundary conditions for giant planet formation.”
TOI-6894B is a low-density gas giant, with a radius slightly exceeding that of Saturn, which has only 50% of its mass.
The parent star is the lowest mass star yet found to host a massive planet, being just 60% of the mass of the next smallest star observed with such a planet.
“Most stars in our galaxy are actually small, and it was previously believed that they couldn’t support a gas giant,” stated Dr. Daniel Baylis, an astronomer at Warwick University.
“Therefore, the fact that this star has a giant planet significantly impacts our estimates of the total number of giant planets likely to exist in the galaxy.”
“This is a fascinating discovery. We still don’t completely understand why relatively few stars can form such large planets,” commented Dr. Vincent Van Eilen, an astronomer at the University of London.
“This drives one of our objectives to search for more exoplanets.”
“By exploring different planetary systems compared to our own solar system, we can evaluate our models and gain insights into how our solar system was formed.”
The prevailing theory of planetary formation is known as core accretion theory.
According to this theory, the cores of planets are initially formed by accreting material, and as the core grows, it attracts gases that eventually create its atmosphere.
Eventually, the core becomes sufficiently large to initiate the runaway gas accretion process, leading to the formation of a gas giant.
However, forming gas giants around low-mass stars presents challenges, as the gas and dust necessary for planetary formation in their protoplanetary discs is limited, hindering the formation of a sufficiently large core to kickstart this runaway process.
The existence of TOI-6894B indicates that this model may be insufficient and that alternative theories need to be considered.
“Considering TO-6894B’s mass, it might have been formed through an intermediate core-fault mechanism, whereby the protoplanet forms and accumulates gas steadily without orbiting, making it large enough to undergo runaway gas accretion,” Dr. Edward explained.
“Alternatively, it might have formed due to an unstable gravitational disk.”
“In certain cases, the disk surrounding the star can become unstable due to the gravitational forces it exerts on itself.”
“These disks may fragment as gas and dust collapse, leading to planet formation.”
However, the research team found that neither theory fully accounted for the formation of TOI-6894B based on the data available.
“Based on the stellar irradiation affecting TOI-6894B, we anticipate that its atmosphere is primarily influenced by methane chemistry, which is quite rare to identify.”
“The temperatures are low enough that atmospheric observations may even reveal the presence of ammonia.”
TOI-6894B might serve as a benchmark for methane-dominated atmospheric studies and an ideal laboratory for investigating planetary atmospheres containing carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen beyond our solar system.
Survey results will be featured in the journal Nature Astronomy.
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Bryant et al. A giant exoplanet in orbit around a 0.2 solar mass star. Nature Astronomy, Published online on June 4th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41550-025-02552-4
A vibrant website showcasing illustrations of Donald Trump launched on Tuesday, depicting him flexing his muscles and raising his fist. This image serves as the logo for one of Trump’s digital currencies, with the website branding itself as the “official $Trump wallet,” promoting products that facilitate transactions using the president’s cryptocurrency.
The site highlights Trump Coin$Trump and encourages visitors to sign up for a waitlist to access their digital wallet. I first spotted it in the Crypto Newsletter a quote is required. Magic Eden, a well-established cryptocurrency marketplace, announced a partnership with Trump’s official digital coin team to develop the wallet. Accounts on Twitter/X also advertised wallet products linked to one of Trump’s cryptocurrencies.
“The $Trump Wallet with @magiceden is on its way. Join the $Trump Community! http://trumpwallet.com”
This announcement seems to lend an air of legitimacy, but Trump’s sons are raising concerns.
“The Trump organization is not affiliated with this wallet product,” Donald Trump Jr. stated on X. Subsequently, Eric Trump tweeted: “I run @Trump, but I know nothing about this project!” Even Baron Trump chimed in, stating: “Our family is not involved in this wallet.”
Donald Jr. added that he has been “working tirelessly” on launching an official wallet with World Liberty Financial, a separate family crypto venture established last year.
The cryptocurrency sector is notorious for its fraud and internal disputes. The latest rift between Magic Eden and World Liberty Financial seems linked to a longstanding conflict involving Trump’s business associate and his son. This associate runs the company that issued the Trump organization’s cryptocurrency and is engaged in separate ventures. Additionally, the Trump Organization owns a company called CIC Digital, which is valued at around $2 billion and manages 80% of Coin’s reserves along with oversight of cryptocurrency trading profits.
On X, both Magic Eden and Zanker’s company claimed the newly announced crypto wallet is indeed collaborating with Trump and is supported by Magic Eden.
Eric Trump disputed this claim, later issuing a warning on Tuesday: X: “This project has not been authorized by @Trump,” he mentioned. “@magiceden, I am very cautious about using our name on unapproved projects that are unknown to anyone in our organization.”
In recent months, Trump’s family members and business associates have launched various crypto and digital currency initiatives. These ventures include meme coins featuring fist-pumping playing cards and stable coins designed to maintain a steady value of $1. Melania Trump even unveiled her own memo coin.
Throughout his first term, Trump was strongly opposed to cryptocurrency, but his stance has changed since then. He has embraced this volatile market, becoming the first major candidate to accept campaign donations in cryptocurrency and speaking at prominent crypto conferences. Trump entertained industry leaders at the White House, hosting high-profile cryptocurrency investors at a private golf club just outside Washington, DC. Moreover, his administration appointed a high-tech investor, David, as the “crypto Czar.” A series of federal investigations into cryptocurrency firms have been put on hold regarding digital assets.
Neither the White House, Magic Eden, nor Zanker responded to requests for commentary.
Researchers from the Muon G-2 Experiment have unveiled their third measurement of the Muon magnetic anomaly. The conclusive results align with findings published in 2021 and 2023 but boast significantly improved precision at 127 parts per billion, surpassing the experimental goal for 140 people.
Muon particles traveling through lead in the cloud chamber. Image credit: Jino John 1996 / cc by-sa 4.0.
The Muon G-2 experiment investigates the wobble of a fundamental particle known as the Muon.
Muons resemble electrons but are roughly 200 times more massive. Like electrons, they exhibit quantum mechanical properties called spins, which can be interpreted as tiny internal magnets.
When subjected to an external magnetic field, these internal magnets wobble akin to the axis of a spinning top.
The precession speed of a magnetic field is influenced by the muon’s characteristics, captured numerically as the G-factor.
Theoretical physicists derive G-factors based on our current understanding of the universe’s fundamental mechanics, as outlined in the standard model of particle physics.
Nearly a century ago, G was anticipated to be 2; however, experimental measurements revealed minor deviations from this value, quantified as the Muon magnetic anomaly, Aμ, based on the formula (G-2)/2, giving the Muon G-2 experiment its name.
Muon magnetic anomalies encapsulate the effects of all standard model particles, enabling theoretical physicists to compute these contributions with remarkable precision.
Earlier measurements conducted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory during the 1990s and 2000s indicated potential discrepancies with the theoretical calculations of that era.
Disparities between experimental results and theoretical predictions could signal the existence of new physics.
In particular, physicists contemplated whether these discrepancies could stem from an undetected particle influencing the muon’s precession.
Consequently, physicists opted to enhance the Muon G-2 experiments to obtain more accurate measurements.
In 2013, Brookhaven’s magnetic storage ring was relocated from Long Island, New York, to Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois.
Following extensive upgrades and enhancements, the Fermilab Muon G-2 experiment launched on May 31, 2017.
Simultaneously, an international collaboration among theorists established the Muon G-2 theory initiative aimed at refining theoretical calculations.
In 2020, the Theoretical Initiative released updated and more precise standard model values informed by data from other experiments.
The differences between the experimental results continued to widen in 2021 as Fermilab announced the initial experimental results, corroborating Brookhaven’s findings with improved accuracy.
Simultaneously, new theoretical predictions emerged, relying significantly on computational capabilities.
This information closely aligned with experimental measurements and narrowed the existing discrepancies.
Recently, the Theoretical Initiative published a new set of predictions integrating results from various groups using novel calculation techniques.
This result remains in close agreement with experimental findings and diminishes the likelihood of new physics.
Nevertheless, theoretical endeavors will persist in addressing the disparities between data-driven and computational approaches.
The latest experimental values for the muon magnetic moment from Fermilab’s experiments are:
aμ =(g-2)/2 (Muon experiment) = 0.001 165 920 705
This final measurement is based on an analysis of data collected over the past three years, spanning 2021 to 2023, and is integrated with previously published datasets.
This has more than tripled the dataset size utilized in the second results from 2023, achieving the precision target set in 2012.
Moreover, it signifies the analysis of the highest quality data from the experiment.
As the second data collection run concluded, the Muon G-2 collaboration finalized adjustments and enhancements to the experiment, boosting muon beam quality and minimizing uncertainties.
“The extraordinary magnetic moment of the muon (G-2) is pivotal as it provides a sensitive test of the standard model of particle physics,” remarked Regina Lameika, associate director of high energy physics at the U.S. Department of Energy.
“This is an exhilarating result, and it’s fantastic to witness the experiment reach a definitive conclusion with precise measurements.”
“This highly anticipated outcome represents a remarkable achievement in accuracy and will hold the title of the most precise measurement of muon magnetic anomalies for the foreseeable future.”
“Despite recent theoretical challenges that have lessened the evidence for new physics in Muon G-2, this finding presents a robust benchmark for proposed extensions to the standard model of particle physics.”
“This is an incredibly exciting moment; not only did we meet our objectives, but we surpassed them, indicating that such precision measurements are challenging.”
“Thanks to Fermilab, the funding agencies, and the host lab, we accomplished our goals successfully.”
“For over a century, the G-2 has imparted crucial insights into the nature of reality,” stated Lawrence Gibbons, a professor at Cornell University.
“It’s thrilling to contribute accurate measurements that are likely to endure for a long time.”
“For decades, muon magnetic moments have served as a significant benchmark for the standard models,” noted Dr. Simon Kolody, a physicist at Argonne National Laboratory.
“The new experimental results illuminate this fundamental theory and establish a benchmark to guide new theoretical calculations.”
The advent of fire marks a significant point in human evolution, though scholars continue to debate its primary function. While cooking is frequently regarded as a key factor, researchers from Tel Aviv University propose that the protection of meat and fat from predators is more plausible. Homo Erectus lived during the Lower Paleolithic era, approximately 1.9 to 0.78 million years ago.
Miki Ben-Dor & Ran Barkai’s research highlights the nutritional value of meat and fat from large prey in the Lower Paleolithic, questioning the significance of culinary practices in shaping human dietary evolution and offering new insights into adaptations in Homo Erectus.
“The origins of fire usage is a ‘burning’ question among prehistoric researchers globally,” stated Professor Barkay, a co-author of the study.
“By around 400,000 years ago, it was widely accepted that fire was commonly used in domestic settings. I concur with the idea of meat roasting, as well as its use for lighting and heating.”
“However, there remains a debate concerning the past million years, with various theories put forth to explain early human interactions with fire.”
“This study aimed to approach this issue from a new angle.”
“For early humans, the use of fire wasn’t a given; most archaeological sites dated around 400,000 years ago show no signs of fire usage,” explained Dr. Miki Ben-Dor, lead author of the study from Tel Aviv University.
“However, in many early locations, there are clear indications of fire usage, even if there’s no evidence of burnt bones or roasted meat.”
“We see early humans—nearly Homo Erectus—utilizing fire sporadically for specific purposes rather than regularly.”
“Collecting fuel, igniting a fire, and maintaining it involved substantial effort, requiring a compelling energy-efficient reason.”
“We propose a new hypothesis for that motivation.”
In their research, the authors reviewed existing literature on all identified prehistoric sites between 1.8 million and 800,000 years ago where fire evidence has been found.
They identified nine sites globally, including Gesher Benot Ya’aqov and Evron Quarry in Israel, six sites in Africa, and one site in Spain.
The study also drew from ethnographic research on contemporary hunter-gatherer societies, relating their behaviors to ancient conditions.
“We examined the common features of these nine ancient sites and found they all contained a significant number of bones from large animals, mainly elephants, hippos, and rhinoceroses,” Dr. Ben-Dor noted.
“Previous research has shown these large animals were critical to early human diets, providing a substantial portion of their caloric needs.”
“For instance, the meat and fat from a single elephant can supply millions of calories, enough to sustain a group of 20 to 30 people for over a month.”
“Thus, hunting elephants and hippos was highly valuable—essentially a ‘bank’ of meat and fat that required protection and preservation, as it was sought after by predators and susceptible to decay.”
Through their analysis of findings and assessments of energetic benefits of preserving meat and fat, the researchers arrived at new conclusions that challenge previous theories. Early fires served dual purposes: first, to safeguard valuable resources from predators, and second, to facilitate smoking and prevent spoilage.
“This study introduces a novel perspective on the motivations behind early human fire use: the necessity to protect large game from other predators and the long-term preservation of substantial meat supplies,” Professor Barkay explained.
“Cooking may have occurred occasionally after fire was established for these protective purposes.”
“Such usage could elucidate evidence of fish roasting around 800,000 years ago found at Gesher Benot Ya’aqov.”
“Our approach aligns with evolving global theories that characterize major prehistoric trends as adaptations to hunting and consuming large animals, followed by a gradual shift to smaller prey exploitation.”
Survey results were published in the journal Nutrition Frontier.
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Miki Ben-Dor & Ran Barkai. 2025. The bioenergy approach supports the conservation and protection of prey, rather than cooking, as a primary driver for early use of fire. Front. Nutr. 12; doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1585182
A recent study conducted by physicists at the University of Oxford, Johns Hopkins, and the Institute of Astrophysics in Paris reveals a natural process involving a gravitational particle charger that utilizes free-falling particles from infinity, matter collisions from the most stable circular orbit of rotating black holes, and a gravitational particle charger that repeatedly cycles mass energy—excluding heavy particles. In essence, this describes the Super Collider.
The artist’s concept depicts an ultra-high massive black hole in the heart of the Milky Way galaxy known as Sagittarius A*. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/RALF CRAWFORD, STSCI.
Particle corridors accelerate protons and other subatomic particles towards one another at nearly the speed of light, revealing the fundamental properties of matter.
A subtle energy flash occurs upon collision, with fragments potentially unveiling previously unknown particles that may serve as candidates for dark matter—a crucial, yet elusive, component of the universe that remains undetected by scientists.
Facilities like the Large Hadron Collider also contribute to advancements in areas such as the internet, cancer therapy, and high-performance computing.
“One of the great aspirations for a particle collider like the Large Hadron Collider is to produce dark matter particles, though we have yet to find any evidence,” commented Professor Joseph Silk, an astrophysicist from Johns Hopkins University and Oxford University.
“This is why there’s ongoing dialogue about the necessity of constructing a much more powerful version for the next generation of Super Collider.”
“However, we’ve been waiting for 40 years to invest $30 billion in building this Super Collider, allowing nature to give us a glimpse into the future with supermassive black holes.”
A black hole can rotate around its axis like a planet but possesses significantly greater strength due to its intense gravitational field.
Increasingly, scientists are discovering that massive black holes rapidly spinning at the center of galaxies release enormous explosions of plasma, potentially due to jets transporting energy from the spin and surrounding accretion disks.
These phenomena can yield similar results to those produced by engineered Super Colliders.
“If ultra-high energy black holes can generate these particles through high-energy proton collisions, we could receive signals on Earth. Some high-energy particles pass through the detectors rapidly,” Professor Silk explained.
“This indicates a new particle collider effect within one of the universe’s most mysterious entities, achieving energies unattainable by any accelerator on Earth.”
“We may observe something with a unique signature believed to indicate the presence of dark matter. While this is somewhat speculative, it remains a possibility.”
New research indicates that gas falling into a black hole can harness energy from its spin, resulting in more violent behavior than previously thought.
Near rapidly spinning black holes, these particles can collide in a coordinated manner.
While not identical, this process resembles the collisions created using strong magnetic fields, where particles are accelerated in a circular high-energy particle corridor.
“Some particles from these collisions are swallowed by the black hole and vanish forever,” stated Professor Silk.
“However, due to their energy and momentum, some particles emerge, achieving unprecedented high energies.”
“We have recognized the immense energy of these particle beams, rivaling what can be produced in a Super Collider.”
“Determining the limits of this energy is challenging, but these phenomena are certainly aligned with the energy levels of the latest Super Colliders we plan to construct, providing complementary results.”
To detect such high-energy particles, scientists can utilize observatories that are already monitoring supernovae, massive black hole eruptions, and other cosmic occurrences.
These include detectors like the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the Kilometer Cube Neutrino Telescope in Antarctica.
The difference between a Super Collider and a black hole is their vast distances from one another. Nevertheless, these particles still reach us.
The team’s paper was published this week in the journal Physical Review Letters.
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Andrew Mamalie and Joseph Silk. 2025. Black Hole Super Collider. Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 221401; doi:10.1103/physrevlett.134.221401
Characterized by pale greening, a timeline of ancient handwritten manuscripts—like the scroll of death—is vital for reconstructing the progression of ideas. However, there is an almost complete absence of manuscripts with dates. To address this challenge, an international team of researchers developed an AI-driven date prediction model named Enoch, inspired by biblical figures.
Dead Sea Scroll 4Q7, fragment Genesis Wadi Qumran Cave4. ImageCredit: Ketefhinnomfan.
While some ancient manuscripts include dates, facilitating precise dating by archaeologists, many do not provide this information.
Researchers can estimate the age of certain undated manuscripts by analyzing the evolution of handwriting styles, but this requires a sufficient number of manuscripts with known dates for creating an accurate timeline.
In the recent study, the University of Groningen and Dr. Mladen Popović assessed the historical periods of manuscripts from various locations in contemporary Israel and the West Bank through radiocarbon dating and utilized machine learning to explore the handwriting styles of each document.
By merging these two datasets, they developed the Enoch program, which objectively estimates the approximate age range by comparing handwriting styles from other manuscripts in the area.
To validate the program, ancient handwriting specialists reviewed age estimates for 135 Ennochs from the Dead Sea Scrolls.
Experts concluded that around 79% of the AI-generated estimates were credible, while the remaining 21% were considered too old, too young, or uncertain.
Enoch has already aided researchers in uncovering new insights about these ancient manuscripts.
For instance, both Enoch and radiocarbon dating techniques estimated an older age for more Dead Sea scrolls compared to traditional handwriting analyses.
“While additional data and further investigation could enhance our understanding of the timeline, our findings offer novel perspectives on the creation periods of these documents,” the researchers stated.
“The Enoch tool serves as a gateway to an ancient world, akin to a time machine, permitting the exploration of biblical handwritten texts.
“It is thrilling to establish significant steps in developing new tools that can tackle the dating challenges of the Dead Sea Scrolls and examine other partially dated manuscript collections from history.”
“This achievement would not have been feasible without collaboration across diverse scientific fields and genuine teamwork.”
A paper detailing this study was published in the journal PLOS 1.
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M. Popovich et al. 2025. Dating ancient manuscripts using radiocarbon and AI-based writing style analysis. PLOS 1 20 (6): E0323185; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0323185
A device designed for facial and neck massage suggests it might enhance the brain’s waste removal system and alleviate symptoms associated with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) envelops the brain and inflates it before moving through a network of delicate tubes known as grinft blood vessels. Research on mice indicates that this fluid clears waste produced by brain cells, including proteins linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, such as beta-amyloid.
This has prompted researchers to consider whether increasing CSF flow could promote brain health. However, they note that the grinft vessels, previously only discovered deep within the neck, are difficult to access. Gou Young Koh, from the Advanced Science and Technology Research Institute in Korea, remarks on this challenge.
Recently, Koh and his team identified a network of grinft vessels located just five millimeters beneath the skin on the faces and necks of mice and monkeys. They made this breakthrough by administering fluorescent dyes that label the CSF and imaging the subjects under anesthesia. “We utilized a different kind of anesthesia than was applied in earlier studies. The previous anesthetic blocked the visualization of vessels close to the skin,” Koh explains.
In their effort to determine if massaging these vessels could boost CSF flow, the researchers developed a device with small rods attached to a 1 cm cotton ball. They used it to gently stroke down the face and neck of a 2-year-old mouse for a few months, applying strokes for one minute on younger mice. “A gentle facial and neck massage can compress the liquid and enhance the CSF flow,” Koh states.
After 30 minutes of massage, CSF flow was observed to increase nearly threefold in the brains of the mice compared to their flow prior to the massage. Furthermore, this process seemed to reverse age-related decreases in CSF flow. “After stimulation, the CSF flow in older mice appeared comparable to that of younger mice [who hadn’t received the massage],” Koh elaborates.
In their unpublished findings, the team observed similar outcomes in monkeys. They also identified glymphetic blood vessels in human cadavers, implying that massage could stimulate CSF flow in humans, as suggested by Koh.
However, due to anatomical differences between mice, monkeys, and humans, further investigations are necessary to confirm this, remarks Vesa Kiviniemi from Uru University in Finland. “It’s a slightly different scenario.”
Moreover, it remains uncertain whether increased CSF flow can genuinely mitigate brain aging or offer protection against neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. Stephen Prucks of the University of Bern in Switzerland stated that Koh’s team aims to investigate this with mice that exhibit Alzheimer-like traits.
Rivers like the Chuya in Russia can emit carbon dioxide and methane.
Parilov/Shutterstock
Globally, rivers are releasing ancient carbon into the atmosphere, revealing surprising insights for scientists and indicating that human impact on natural landscapes may be more severe than previously understood.
It is already established that rivers emit carbon dioxide and methane as part of the carbon cycle, a rapid gas exchange linked to the growth and decay of organisms, estimated to release around 2 Gigatonnes of carbon annually.
Researchers, including Josh Dean from the University of Bristol, explored the age of this carbon.
The team utilized radiocarbon dating to analyze carbon and methane released from over 700 river segments across 26 countries.
“When we compiled the available data, what we found was surprisingly significant. [Regarding the carbon released], these ancient stores may originate from much older reserves,” Dean states.
Ancient carbon is sequestered in geological formations such as rocks, peat bogs, and wetlands. The findings reveal that around one Gigatonne of this carbon is released annually via rivers, leading to the conclusion that ecosystems are currently removing one Gigatonne less carbon from the atmospheric balance than previously believed.
“This represents the first comprehensive assessment of river emissions on a global scale, which is quite remarkable,” remarks Taylor Maavara from the Cary Ecosystem Studies Institute in Millbrook, New York.
The pressing concern now is understanding the reasons behind the release of such ancient carbon. Factors might include climate change and human activities that alter natural landscapes. Dean observes that the carbon from rivers has appeared “aged” since the 1990s.
“Human activity may be accessing these long-term carbon reservoirs, which can lead to older carbon being released through these channels,” he explains.
For instance, rising temperatures due to climate change can result in carbon being released from thawing permafrost and increase the weathering rates of rocks. Additional factors such as peatland drainage and wetland desiccation could also play a role. Dean emphasizes the necessity for further research to ascertain the degree to which human activities contribute to this phenomenon and how carbon release varies over time.
“This is a critical area of research,” he asserts. “If we believe we are storing old carbon within these reservoirs, we’re mistaken; this understanding is crucial.” These insights carry significant implications for national climate strategies, particularly concerning reliance on natural ecosystems to mitigate ongoing emissions.
“This research raises intriguing questions about how and to what extent we can manage ancient carbon,” says Scott Teig from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He adds that tackling climate change is likely vital to prevent the release of CO2 and methane from these ancient reserves.
“That’s the million-dollar question,” he remarked. “I don’t have a very satisfactory answer.”
There are three distinct types of Sargassum found in the Caribbean and surrounding regions, buoyed by small air sacs, which makes their presence truly remarkable. According to Burns, scientists are currently observing various factors influencing its growth, which depend on sunlight, nutrients, and water temperature.
Experts also point to agricultural runoff, warmer waters, and alterations in wind, currents, and rainfall as factors that can have an impact.
Large mats of algae in the open ocean create what Burns refers to as a “healthy and thriving ecosystem,” home to species ranging from tiny shrimp to endangered sea turtles. However, Sargassum close to shore can wreak havoc.
It can block sunlight essential for coral reefs and seagrasses, and when the algae sink, they may suffocate these ecosystems. Once washed ashore, the organisms that inhabit the algae either perish or are scavenged by birds, according to Burns.
The massive piles of odorous seaweed pose a significant challenge for the Caribbean, especially since tourism is a vital economic driver for many small islands.
“It’s a hurdle, but it hasn’t impacted every corner of the Caribbean,” said Frank Comitto, a special advisor to the Caribbean Hotels and Tourism Association.
At a popular tourist destination in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, officials have invested in barriers to keep Sargassum from reaching the beaches, he noted.
In St. Maarten’s Dutch Caribbean territory, teams equipped with backhoes were mobilized for an emergency cleanup after residents reported a strong ammonia and hydrogen sulfide odor.
“The smell is quite unpleasant,” Burns stated.
Meanwhile, in the French Caribbean, officials plan to quickly utilize storage barges and specialized vessels capable of collecting several tons of seaweed daily.
Sargassum “will harm our coastlines, hinder swimming, and create unbearable living conditions for local residents,” French Prime Minister François Beilou recently informed the press.
However, Comitto mentioned that employing such vessels is “very costly” and not widely accepted, while an alternative method (using heavy machinery) is labor-intensive.
“We must tread carefully, as sea turtle eggs might be affected,” he advised. “You can’t just go there and bulldoze everything away.”
As some Caribbean islands face financial challenges, most cleanup efforts fall to hotels, with certain guests receiving refunds and complimentary shuttles to unaffected beaches.
Each year, the volume of Sargassum increases at the end of spring, peaks during summer, and then starts to decline in late autumn or early winter, noted Burns.
The recent record levels remain relatively stationary. Experts are hopeful for more Sargassum in June.
Researchers might be on the brink of solving one of the most significant challenges in physics, potentially laying the groundwork for groundbreaking theories.
At present, two distinct theories—quantum mechanics and gravity—are employed to elucidate various facets of the universe. Numerous attempts have been made to fuse these theories into a cohesive framework, but a compelling unification remains elusive.
“Integrating gravity with quantum theory into a single framework is one of the primary objectives of contemporary theoretical physics,” states Dr. Mikko Partanen, the lead author of the recently published research in Report on Progress in Physics. He elaborates on this innovative approach in the context of BBC Science Focus, calling it “the holy grail of physics.”
The challenge of formulating a theory of “quantum gravity” arises from the fact that these two concepts operate on entirely different scales.
Quantum mechanics investigates the minutest scale of subatomic particles, leading to the development of standard models. These models link three fundamental forces: electromagnetic, strong (which binds protons and neutrons), and weak (responsible for radioactive decay).
The fourth fundamental force, gravity, is articulated by Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which portrays gravity as a curvature of spacetime. Massive objects and high-energy entities distort spacetime, influencing surrounding objects and governing the domain of planets, stars, and galaxies. Yet, gravity seems resistant to aligning with quantum mechanics.
The Duality of Theories
A significant issue is that gravity is rooted in a “deterministic classical” framework, meaning the laws predict specific outcomes. For instance, if you drop a ball, gravity guarantees it will fall.
In contrast, quantum theory is inherently probabilistic, offering only the likelihood of an event rather than a definitive outcome.
“These are challenging to merge,” Partanen comments. “Attempts to apply quantum theory within gravitational contexts have yielded numerous nonsensical results.”
For example, when quantum physicists measure the electron’s mass, the equations spiral into infinity. Similarly, applying gravity in extreme conditions, like at the edge of a black hole, renders Einstein’s equations meaningless.
Even general relativity fails to explain phenomena within a black hole. -NASA
“While intriguing approaches like string theory [which substitutes particles with vibrating energy strings] exist, we currently lack unique, testable predictions to differentiate these theories from standard models or general relativity,” notes Partanen.
Instead of crafting an entirely new theory for unification, Partanen and his colleague, Professor Jukka Tulkki, approached gravity through the lens of quantum mechanics by reformulating the gravitational equations using fields.
Fields represent how quantum theory elucidates the variation of physical quantities over space and time. You may already be acquainted with electric and magnetic fields.
This novel perspective allowed them to replicate the principles of general relativity in a format that combines effortlessly with quantum mechanics.
Testing the Theories
A particularly promising aspect of this new theory is that it does not require the introduction of exotic new particles or altered physical laws, meaning physicists already possess the necessary tools for its verification.
According to him, this new theory generates equations that account for phenomena like the bending of light around massive galaxies and redshifts—the elongation of light’s wavelength as objects recede in the expanding universe.
This new theory aligns with predictions from general relativity. – Credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker
While this validates the theory, it does not confirm its correctness.
To establish this, experiments must be conducted in extreme gravitational environments where general relativity falters.
If quantum gravity can make superior predictions in such scenarios, it would serve as a crucial step towards validating this new theory and suggesting that Einstein’s framework might be incomplete.
However, this is challenging due to the minimal differences between the two theories.
For instance, when observing how the sun’s mass bends light from a distant star, the predictive discrepancy is a mere 0.0001%. Current astronomical tools are insufficient for precise measurements.
Fortunately, larger celestial bodies can amplify these differences dramatically.
“For neutron stars with intense gravitational fields, relative differences can reach a few percent,” Partanen observes. While no observatory currently exists to make such observations, advancements in technology could soon enable this.
The theory remains in its nascent stages, with the team embarking on a mission to finalize mathematical proofs to ensure the theory avoids diverging into infinities or other complications.
If progress remains encouraging, they will then apply the theory to extreme situations, such as the singularity of a black hole.
“Our theory represents a novel endeavor to unify all four fundamental forces of nature within one coherent framework, and thorough investigation may unveil phenomena beyond our current understanding,” concludes Partanen.
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About Our Experts
Mikko Partanen is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physics and Nanoengineering at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland. He specializes in studying light and its quantum properties, with his research appearing in journals such as Physics Chronicles, New Journal of Physics, and Scientific Reports.
Glue guns generally employ harmful oil-based adhesives
Shutterstock/ekaterina43
A by-product from the wood industry has been innovatively transformed into safe, reusable hot glue adhesives that could serve as an alternative to hazardous solvent-based adhesives.
Ziwen LV of Beijing University of Forestry, along with a colleague, developed an adhesive from xylan, a component of plant cell walls.
“Xylan acts as a binding agent for cellulose, yet isn’t traditionally considered a ‘glue’ on its own,” stated Nick Aldred, who wasn’t part of the research team at the University of Essex, UK. “This initiative aims to reactivate it as a viable adhesive.”
The LV team chemically modified xylan to create dai-alcohol xylan, utilizing sodium acid and sodium borate in the process.
The resultant adhesive, when extruded from the hot glue gun, boasts a bond strength of 30 megapascals, surpassing that of traditional epoxy resin adhesives. Additionally, it can be reused by remelting, maintaining its adhesive properties even after 10 cycles.
The team also constructed plywood held together with xylan adhesive and found its performance comparable to that of phenol-formaldehyde resin adhesives.
However, there’s a significant limitation: after being submerged in water for one hour, the adhesive melts and the layers disintegrate. The researchers didn’t respond to requests for comment from New Scientist.
Jonathan Wilker from Purdue University, Indiana, highlights the pressing need for sustainable alternatives to the petroleum-based adhesives presently in use.
“[The] combined performance [of the new glue] was quite impressive, especially on wood substrates,” remarked Wilker.
“If we can implement this on a larger scale within the plywood industry, it could be revolutionary,” emphasized Aldred. “Plywood remains one of the last consumer products still containing materials like phenols and formaldehyde, substances that were banned years ago in products such as cosmetics.”
Launch Week has arrived at last. I want to provide you with an in-depth review of the Nintendo Switch 2 in this week’s newsletter, but as I write this, it has yet to be released. In light of this, Nintendo chose not to send a review unit until just a day before its launch, so as you read this, my dog stands by the door eagerly, as if waiting for its owner.
Nevertheless, you have the chance to make a first impression by playing the console throughout your day in your Nintendo office. Regarding hardware, it’s everything I dreamed of. A robust Joy-Con, a stunning screen, and graphical capabilities that present the games beautifully, just as one would hope to see in 2025 (still not quite on par with a high-end PlayStation 5 Pro or a modern gaming PC). I appreciate the sleek menu design with a subtle touch of color on the controller, accompanied by soothing chimes and blips. Game sharing, online functionalities, and other essentials now operate smoothly. I admire the affordability of Nintendo Switch Online: £18 a year,
which is comparably priced to gaming services that offer access to a treasure trove of classic Nintendo games, while others typically charge around the same amount per month.
Yet, the key takeaway from that paragraph is that it is indeed an upgrade. Eight years later, I can’t help but feel that this upgrade is somewhat overdue. I was hoping for something distinctly new. There isn’t a tremendous amount that’s fresh with the Switch 2, except for the unique ability to use the controllers like a mouse by moving them sideways across your desk or lap. It seems overshadowed by the main launch title, Mario Kart World. I ponder if families with numerous games on their existing Switch, akin to January’s sales figures, will truly see the reason for upgrading. £400 is the suggested price.
Amazing… Mario Kart World. Photo: Nintendo
As for Mario Kart World, it’s incredible. It’s absolutely outstanding. Naturally, it’s bound to be a hit. Besides the classic competitive Grand Prix and time trial races, the standout features include an expansive driving world where you can explore as you wish, collect characters, costumes, and enter elimination-style races across the continent. All courses are interconnected in one vast map, ensuring smooth transitions between them.
Your cart elegantly transforms into a boat upon hitting the water, and I discovered a challenging island where I had to board a seaplane towards skyscrapers. This setting allows everyone to leisurely cruise around a vibrant variety of mountains, jungles, and winding highways. There’s even a space station-themed course that cleverly recalls the original Donkey Kong arcade game, delivering fun nostalgic moments reminiscent of the new Donk City Festival in the climax of Super Mario Odyssey.
Meanwhile, Case Stuart had a fantastic experience with another launch game, Survival Kids by Konami. (If you typically find survival games laborious, fear not. This game is much more enjoyable than it sounds).
However, I must mention the Nintendo Switch Welcome Tour, a rather positively interacting tour that highlights the console’s new features. Priced at £7.99, it allows you to roam a massive recreation of the Switch 2 console, searching for invisible plaques that describe its various components. For instance, there’s a display that provides mundane technical details about the console’s HD Rumble quality. One interactive exhibit challenges you to guess the number of frames per second while a ball on the screen gains boundaries. As someone who doesn’t actively engage with technical specifics, I found myself woefully inadequate in this task. It felt akin to being on the most tedious school trip imaginable.
And it felt a bit too Nintendo-free, lacking character and charm, which left me somewhat concerned. In contrast, Nintendo Labo was an incredibly fan-friendly approach to showcasing the technical aspects of the original Switch. I expected the Welcome Tour to be conducted by the same creative team, but evidently, that was not the case.
I couldn’t wait to dive back into Mario Kart World, and once again, it was phenomenal. I look forward to spending the rest of the week reviewing it thoroughly. Additionally, if you pre-order the Switch 2, you can receive it within the next 24 hours. For those who are hesitant, more information and opinions about the Switch 2 will be available in the coming weeks to assist in your decision-making.
What to do
Arm Akinbo… T is intriguing and peculiar. Illustration: Annapurna Interactive/Steam
Last week, I played To A T, a beautifully odd and unexpected game from Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi. It follows a young teenager perpetually stuck in a T-pose, named Arms Bobo. As you can imagine, this poses significant challenges, forcing them to rely on their fluffy little dogs for support. It’s a children’s game about embracing your uniqueness—I played it with my son—and it’s both amusing and eccentric, featuring songs about giraffes who enjoy making sandwiches. I adore games that come with surprises, and if I asked all of you to guess the ending, I bet none would be close.
Available on: PS5, Xbox, PC Estimated playtime: 5 hours
What to read
Seize the chance… Remy Siu (left) and NHI accept the Peabody Award at 1000xResist. Photo: Charlie Galley/Getty Images
1000xResist is a critically acclaimed sci-fi game that addresses the immigration experience and the price of political resistance, and it was awarded a Peabody Award this week. The creators’ acceptance speech resonated: “I encourage the gaming industry to invest in marginalized voices and to seek to make a difference. I continuously take opportunities. This art form is still in its infancy; it’s too soon to define it.”
Keith Stuart wrote about the events largely overlooked at Midnight launch party—Only Smyths Toys is hosting the Midnight release for the Switch 2. Have you ever attended one of these events? If so, please share your experience— I vividly recall feeling both excited and embarrassed waiting for the Wii on Prince Street in Edinburgh as a teenager.
The developers at OpenAI are very proud of their latest artificial “intelligence” model, which allows you to play Pokémon Red. However, it took me over 80 hours to obtain just three gym badges, as we try to overlook the environmental impacts that AI has on video games.
When Imran Khan suffered a stroke last year, he lost his ability to play video games. His poignant essay discussed the role of Kaizo Mario (Super Difficult Hacking Mario Level) in his recovery.
“At this moment, I’m hugging you while he naps on the couch for three months and I played the Blue Prince. This might be the ultimate postnatal game: It has minimal background sound and music, allows me to pause anytime, and carries zero risk. It also presents fascinating storylines and incredible puzzles. You find yourself deciphering letters and speaking out loud for math puzzles. (Do you get algebra in 3 months?) Your Article [about Nintendo during naptime] made me feel guilty. Are there any other updated tips for similar games discovered after eight years in the postnatal phase?”
During my time with a little one, I engaged in two types of games: one that takes about 5 hours to complete in a single evening, or endlessly zoning out with titles like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. It didn’t matter if I was “achieving” anything. My brain was often fatigued, making it hard to follow linear plots. However, that doesn’t suit everyone—my friend Sarah became engrossed in Grand Theft Auto during her baby’s naps.
I became hooked on exploitative mobile games, which I do not recommend—stay away if you have a vulnerable brain. You’ll find yourself spending countless hours on virtual goodies and splurging cash for dopamine. Something like Unpacking or A Little to the Left might soothe your puzzle-thirsty mind without being too overwhelming (plus, they’re brief). To all gamer moms out there: what games did you enjoy in those early months of parenthood?
If you have a question for the block or anything to share about the newsletter— please reach out at pushbuttons@theguardian.com.
The newest artificial intelligence models demonstrate a comprehension of the world akin to human understanding. Yet, their sensory limitations hinder their grasp of concepts like flowers and humor.
Qihui Xu from Ohio State and her team explored the understanding of nearly 4,500 words by both humans and large-scale language models (LLMs), covering terms such as “flowers,” “hooves,” “humorous,” and “swings.” Both human participants and AI models evaluated these words based on emotional arousal and physical interactions associated with various body parts.
The objective was to analyze how LLMs, such as OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, along with Google’s Palm and Gemini, compared with human rankings. While both humans and AI exhibited similar concept maps for words unrelated to sensory interaction, substantial discrepancies arose when it involved physical sensations and actions.
For instance, AI models often suggested that flowers could be perceived through the torso, a notion that most people find peculiar, as they typically enjoy flowers visually or through scent.
The challenge lies in the fact that LLMs develop their understanding from a vast array of text sourced from the internet, which falls short in tackling sensual concepts. “They are fundamentally different from humans,” she explains.
Certain AI models have undergone training using visual data like images and videos alongside text. Researchers have noticed that these models yield results more closely aligned with human evaluations, enhancing the chances that future AI will bridge sensory understanding with human cognition.
“This illustrates that the advantages of multimodal training might surpass expectations. In reality, it seems that one plus one can yield two or more,” states Xu. “In terms of AI advancement, this underscores the significance of developing multimodal models and the necessity of embodying these models.”
Philip Feldman at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County suggests that simulating an AI with a robotic body, exposed to sensorimotor experiences, could greatly enhance its capabilities, but he cautions about the inherent risks of physical harm to others.
Preventing such dangers requires implementing safeguards in robotic actions or opting for softer robots to avoid causing injury during training, warns Feldman, although this approach has its downsides.
“This may distort their perception of the world,” Feldman remarks. “One lesson they might learn is that they can gently bounce objects. [In a real robot with mass] The humanoid robots might believe they can collide with one another at full speed. That could lead to serious issues.”
Visitors from France accessing adult sites like PornHub, YouPorn, and RedTube will encounter a message that criticizes the nation’s age verification laws, as announced by the company on Tuesday.
A spokesperson indicated that Iro, the parent company, has set a requirement for users to be 18 years or older, responding to French legislation mandating that adult sites implement stricter measures to verify the ages of their users.
“It’s clear that Iro has made the tough choice to restrict access for French users on platforms like Pornhub, Youporn, and Redtube. Tomorrow, we will utilize these platforms to directly engage with the French public,” stated a Pornhub representative on Tuesday.
Instead of providing a vast array of adult content on PornHub, Iro aims to “directly communicate with the French populace about the dangers and invasiveness of privacy, along with the ineffectiveness of French laws,” said Solomon Friedman, owner of Iro and a partner at Ethical Capital Partners, during a video call with reporters on Tuesday.
This year, France will gradually implement new requirements for all adult sites, enabling users to verify their ages using personal information such as credit cards and identification documents.
To safeguard privacy, operators are required to offer third-party “double-blind” options that prevent the sites from accessing users’ identities.
However, Iro contends that this approach is flawed and jeopardizes user data to potential threats, hacks, and leaks.
The company argues that France should focus on the developers of operating systems like Microsoft’s Windows, Apple’s iOS, and Google’s Android, rather than targeting pornographic platforms.
“Iro takes age verification seriously,” executive Alex Kekesi noted during a media call.
She emphasized that individual platforms carry a “significant risk” to privacy rights concerning age verification.
Friedman from ECP stated, “Google, Apple, and Microsoft have integrated features within their operating systems to verify a user’s age at the device level.”
The capacity to “supply age signals to any site or application” can enable control over access to adult content while keeping sensitive information private, offering a viable solution,” he argued.
“We recognize that these three companies are powerful, but that doesn’t excuse France’s actions,” he added.
Iro’s message to adult content viewers includes imagery promoting freedom, inspired by Eugene Delacroix’s renowned painting featuring nude figures.
Culture Minister Auroa Berge mentioned that if adult sites choose to block French users instead of adhering to the law, it would be “very positive.”
“Minors in France will have less access to violent, degrading, and humiliating content,” she remarked.
“If Iro prefers to withdraw from France rather than comply with our regulations, they are free to do so,” stated Clara Chappaz, the French Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology, on X.
According to Arcom, 2.3 million minors visit porn sites each month, even though they are legally prohibited from doing so.
Elsewhere in the European Union, adult content platforms face increased scrutiny. EU regulators announced last month that several sites, including Pornhub, are under investigation for failing to uphold child protection regulations.
This social media platform positions itself as a leader in youth culture, setting trends for others to follow. However, observations of music, television, and daily life in the UK suggest that TikTok is embracing a new wave of nostalgia.
The music and television of the 2000s have been rediscovered by Gen X and older Millennials, with Gen Z being the first to engage with this content.
“Sex and The City,” which aired from 1999 to 2004, now boasts 108,000 videos on the platform, doubling its count over the past year. “Gossip Girl,” running from 2007 to 2012, has 120,000 videos, while “Gilmore Girls,” from 2000 to 2007, has amassed 1 million related videos. “The Vampire Diaries,” which aired for eight years until 2017, has generated over 2 million discussions in video form.
Additionally, the revival of the British show “Skins,” a drama about Bristol teenagers that first aired in 2007, has gained significant attention.
Lily Hall, Programs and Insights Manager for TikTok UK, Ireland, and Nordics, remarked: “Fashion and beauty continue to be dominant themes, and we see a rise in interest for older music, television shows, and films as users seek comfort and authenticity from the past.”
“Currently, classic series are thriving on the platform. We’ve reintroduced this new generation to beloved old TV shows, while older users are sharing their favorites again.”
TikTok’s focus on “Britcore” content reflects the increasing demand for 2000s nostalgia, with creators sharing videos related to fashion and lifestyle, childhood toys, and discontinued snacks like pink and white mouse sweets and Cadbury animal crackers.
Crime dramas have also seen a significant impact, with a 70% increase in related videos over the past year.
The viral success of puberty content, which was collectively created in one take, has resulted in 76,000 associated videos. Other creators have revived themes from series like “Code of Silence” and “Kin.”
Interestingly, a song recorded 64 years ago, initially seen as merely a B-side, found new life on the platform. “Who’s Sorry Now” by Connie Francis has captured the attention of a younger audience, especially after the 87-year-old artist joined TikTok herself.
The track has gone viral on the platform, racking up video productions totaling over 20 million views. This resurgence occurs 65 years after Francis became the first woman to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. TikTok notes that the song has been used as a soundtrack for positive content featuring family and pets.
“This demonstrates that the TikTok community transcends genres and ages,” says Sheemashidiki, Artist Partnership Manager at TikTok. “Whether a song was released last month or decades ago, what matters is that the community can engage creatively with it.”
A potential new dwarf planet has been identified at the distant fringes of our solar system, taking approximately 25,000 years to complete one orbit around the Sun.
This celestial object, designated 2017, was discovered by a team from the Advanced Research Institute and Princeton University who were searching for a “Planet 9,” a hypothesized planet larger than Earth that is believed to orbit beyond Neptune. Some astronomers suspect that this elusive Ninth planet could shed light on the peculiar clustering of various objects and other oddities observed in the outer solar system.
While in pursuit of the elusive Planet Nine, researchers instead came across another resident of our cosmic neighborhood.
“It’s similar to the way Pluto was discovered,” remarked Sihao Cheng, a member of the Advanced Research Institute that spearheaded the research team. “This endeavor was a real adventure.”
If validated, the newly found dwarf planet could be what Chen refers to as Pluton’s “extreme cousin.” The findings were published on the Preprint site arXiv and have yet to undergo peer review.
Cheng and his colleagues estimate that 2017 measures approximately 435 miles in diameter.
Dwarf planets are categorized as celestial bodies orbiting the Sun that possess enough mass and gravity to be nearly round, yet unlike typical planets, they do not clear their orbital paths of asteroids and other objects.
Eritayan, a co-author of the study and a graduate student at Princeton University, noted that one fascinating characteristic of 2017 is its highly elongated orbit. At its most distant points from the Sun, it lies over 1,600 times farther than Earth does from the Sun.
The potential dwarf planets were discovered through a meticulous examination of a vast dataset from a Chilean telescope that was scanning the universe for signs of dark energy. By compiling observations over time, the researchers identified moving objects exhibiting clear patterns.
While 2017 may be one of the most distant known objects in the solar system, its discovery suggests that other dwarf planets may exist in that vast region of space.
“We used public data that had been available for some time,” explained Jiaxuan Li, a graduate student and co-author of the research at Princeton University. “It was just hiding in plain sight.”
Li mentioned that the object is currently located near the Sun, necessitating a wait of about a month for researchers to conduct follow-up observations using ground-based telescopes. They also hope to eventually study the object with the Hubble Space Telescope or the James Webb Space Telescope.
In the meantime, Chen stated he remains committed to the quest for Planet Nine. However, new findings may complicate long-held theories about the existence of such a planet.
The hypothesis surrounding Planet Nine suggests that planets several times Earth’s size in the outer solar system might clarify why certain groups of icy objects seem to have unusually clustered orbits.
“Under the influence of Planet Nine, any object lacking a specific orbital geometry would eventually become unstable and be expelled from the solar system,” Yang explained.
Despite 2017’s long orbit leading it away from clustered objects, Yang’s calculations indicate that its path will remain stable for the next billion years.
In essence, if Planet Nine existed, 2017 would not persist. Yet, Yang emphasized that further research is essential, and the discovery of a new dwarf planet candidate does not definitively rule out Planet Nine’s existence.
For one thing, the simulations currently utilize a single hypothetical location for Planet Nine, and scientists do not all agree on the locations of these planets.
Konstantin Batygin, a planetary science professor at the California Institute of Technology, first proposed the existence of Planet Nine in a 2016 study co-authored with Mike Brown from Caltech.
He remarked that the discoveries related to 2017 neither confirm nor deny the theory. Batygin noted that outer solar system objects that might demonstrate gravitational influences of Planet Nine must have their closest points of orbit remain sufficiently distant and not interact significantly with Neptune.
“Unfortunately, this object does not fall into that category,” Batygin told NBC News. “It’s in a chaotic orbit, so the implications are not significant, as it complicates the scenario.”
Batygin expressed excitement about the new research for providing additional context regarding how objects evolve in the outer solar system, praising the researchers’ efforts in mining public datasets as “heroic.”
Chen, however, remains optimistic about finding Planet Nine.
“The entire project commenced as a search for Planet Nine, and I’m still in that mindset,” he remarked. “This, however, is an enthralling tale of scientific discovery. Whether or not Planet Nine exists, the pursuit is a captivating venture.”
Email accounts have evolved beyond a traditional communication method; they are now central to the digital experience, as users access countless services ranging from shopping to social media. Therefore, forgetting a password or having your email compromised can lead to significant issues.
If you find yourself in such a situation, follow these steps to regain access to your email and secure other linked accounts.
What to do as soon as you discover your account has been compromised
Attempt to change your password from a device where you are still logged in.
Utilize familiar devices that you often use to access your email, such as your home computer or Wi-Fi-connected phones. It’s advisable to use the same browser if you have multiple installations.
Follow the account recovery process provided by your email service: Google or Microsoft. If possible, leverage your account or phone to access.
Even partial answers to recovery questions can be helpful, so provide as much information as you can, including any old passwords you may recall. Both Google and Microsoft offer guidance for this process. It may take up to 24 hours for account verification for recovery.
If all else fails, create a new email account to facilitate swift migration of your logins across various platforms and services.
Once you regain access to your account or create a new one, take the following steps
Create a unique, strong password for your email account. It should contain a minimum of 12 characters, with a mix of letters, numbers, and special symbols. Consider using Random Word Combinations or memorable lyrics and quotes, avoiding simple or easy-to-guess combinations. Use a password manager to keep track of it and other vital information.
Enable two-step verification using an app for generating codes instead of SMS text messages. Ensure you store the backup code securely.
Consider using a PassKey for authentication, which leverages devices or biometrics instead of traditional passwords, making it harder to compromise.
If you encounter issues logging in, set up a recovery email address and phone number to assist in regaining access.
It’s advisable to establish as many security questions as your account permits and answer them comprehensively. Make a note of your answers in a secure location.
A recent study conducted by researchers at Harvard Chan Public Health indicates that caffeine and regular coffee consumption during middle age are modestly and positively linked to various aspects of healthy aging in women. However, no notable correlation was found with tea or caffeinated coffee, whereas increased cola intake was associated with healthy aging and a lower likelihood of related health issues.
Mahdavi et al. Our aim was to explore the relationship between caffeine intake in middle age and the chances of healthy aging in older women participating in nurse health studies. Image credit: Sci.News.
“While earlier studies have linked coffee to specific health outcomes, this research is the first to evaluate coffee’s impact on multiple aspects of aging over three decades,” stated Dr. Sarah Mahadhabi, a researcher at Harvard Chan School of Public Health and the University of Toronto.
“The findings indicate that coffee may uniquely support aging processes that foster both mental and physical well-being.”
“Our study boasts several significant strengths, including a substantial sample size and three decades of follow-up. Moreover, we assessed various elements of longevity and healthy aging, in conjunction with comprehensive data on nutrition and lifestyle habits collected every four years after the study began.”
The research encompassed 47,513 women from the Nurses Health Survey, utilizing dietary and health data gathered since 1984.
Researchers evaluated caffeine consumption using a validated food frequency questionnaire, focusing on major caffeine sources like coffee, tea, cola, and caffeinated coffee.
Healthy aging was characterized as living to age 70 and above, free from 11 major chronic diseases, preserving physical abilities, maintaining mental health, exhibiting no cognitive impairment, and having no memory complaints.
Following 30 years of monitoring, researchers assessed how the probability of healthy aging varied with each additional 80 mg of caffeine consumed daily by the participants.
They also examined specific beverage types, including coffee, tea, caffeinated coffee (per 8-ounce cup), and cola (per 12-ounce glass).
The preliminary analyses identified other factors that might influence healthy aging, such as body weight, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, physical activity levels, educational attainment, and protein intake.
By 2016, 3,706 women in the study met all criteria for being classified as healthy agers.
Women aged between 45-60 typically consumed an average of 315 mg of caffeine daily, with over 80% of that derived from regular coffee consumption.
For those in the Healthy Agers Group, each additional cup of coffee per day was linked to a 2% to 5% increased likelihood of aging well, up to about 5 small cups per day, or approximately 2.5 standard cups by today’s measurements.
Researchers discovered no significant correlation between the consumption of decaffeinated coffee or tea and an elevated likelihood of healthy aging.
Importantly, for each additional glass of soda with caffeine, the chances of healthy aging decreased by 20-26%, indicating that not all caffeine sources are beneficial.
“While these findings are preliminary, they suggest that small, consistent habits can profoundly influence long-term health,” Dr. Mahadhabi noted.
“Moderate coffee intake can provide a range of protective benefits when coupled with other healthy practices, such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking.”
“This study expands on previous evidence linking coffee consumption to healthy aging, but the benefits of coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of an overall healthy lifestyle, warranting further investigation.”
The findings were presented at the Survey results on June 2nd during the Nutrition 2025 annual meeting hosted by the American Nutrition Association.
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Sarah Mahadabi et al. Caffeine intake and healthy aging in women. Nutrition 2025 Summary #P22-039-25
Microsoft’s newest Surface laptops are compact and affordable, allowing users to enjoy many of the great features of their larger counterparts in a more portable format, while still delivering impressive performance.
The Surface Laptop 13-inch model features the latest 7th generation laptops, available in 13.8″ and 15″ sizes released last summer. It sits at the lower end of the price spectrum, starting at £899 (1,099 Euro/$900/$1,699), making it an attractive option.
The design of the new 13-inch model blends elements from both the Laptop Go and its larger siblings. It features a glossy LCD touchscreen that, while not the brightest or clearest, looks great for its size. The smooth aluminum surface includes a full-size keyboard that provides a premium typing experience, outclassing many competitors.
The power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The generously-sized trackpad is smooth and precise, though it features an older hinge design that some might find less tactile compared to newer models from bigger competitors. Nevertheless, it gets the job done, although clicking can be a bit awkward.
The speakers are impressive for the device’s size, and the 1080p webcam performs well even if you don’t utilize Microsoft’s Windows Hello facial recognition for logging in.
Specifications
Screen: 13in LCD 1920 x 1280 (178 ppi)
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (8 cores)
RAM: 16 GB
Storage: 256 or 512GB
Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Camera: 1080p front
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-A, 2X USB-C (3.2), Headphones
Size: 285.7 x 214.1 x 15.6mm
Weight: 1.2kg
Snapdragon X Plus
The laptop takes approximately 2 hours to fully charge using a 60W or higher power adapter (not included), achieving 50% battery in just 36 minutes. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The 13-inch model is powered by a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processor with 8 cores (compared to 10 in larger models). While it may not lead in raw performance, it holds up well against Intel’s offerings and is sufficiently fast for a laptop of this size. Under typical workloads, it remains quiet and efficient, delivering approximately 14 hours of usage with multiple browser tabs and apps open. This is nearly double the battery life of its Intel-based predecessor and rivals Apple’s MacBook Air.
For resource-intensive tasks like large photo editing or other creative software, expect battery life to decrease by nearly half.
The Surface Laptop includes two USB-C (3.2) ports and a USB-A port, suitable for devices of this size. Notably, it lacks USB4/Thunderbolt support and instead uses USB-C for charging.
Windows 11 on Arm
Recall lets you use your timeline or search to revisit what you were doing in various apps. Composite: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian
The Surface runs Windows 11 effectively, avoiding the clutter of unnecessary features and software that often plague competitors. However, there are some compatibility issues with apps designed for ARM processors, like the Snapdragon model, that don’t affect those running on Intel or AMD’s x86 architecture.
Applications that aren’t specifically designed for ARM must run in emulation mode, which can slow them down significantly. Lightweight x86 applications like Evernote perform adequately but lag behind their ARM-native counterparts.
Many popular applications have ARM versions that perform seamlessly, including Google Drive. Until recently, Google Drive was not compatible with Windows on ARM. It’s essential to check for app-specific issues, especially in the creative field, as many major games, including Fortnite, face incompatibility with ARM chips.
Using Copilot in the Edge browser, instead of performing a Google search, you can ask questions related to the site you are currently visiting. Composite: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian
The laptop boasts a Copilot+PC feature that includes an array of Microsoft AI tools. This encompasses a recall function that captures snapshots of your activities, allowing you to revisit what was displayed at specific moments. Users can search recalls using natural language and interact with text, images, or data—like reopening websites browsed in the past.
This feature is opt-in and safely stores screenshots locally on a device protected by fingerprint security, which helps prevent the capture of sensitive information. However, some individuals may view this as a privacy risk.
Other AI tools echo those available on previous Surface models, including a sketch recognition system that can transform hand-drawn sketches into refined artwork. The standout tool is Copilot, integrated into various Microsoft applications such as Word and others in the Office Suite, provided you have a subscription. It functions as a cross between a search tool and an AI assistant, capable of performing tasks like converting data into tables or enhancing written content while working exclusively within Microsoft’s Edge browser.
Clicking serves as a new and efficient way to interact with images, objects, and text on your screen. Composite: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian
Microsoft’s new “Click to do it” feature allows users to press the Windows button and click on an item on the screen to initiate an action. For example, you can use Paint to remove the background from an image or rewrite text with AI. More features are expected to roll out later this year, providing a quicker and more intuitive way to perform AI tasks on your PC.
Sustainability
The sleek aluminum lid appears premium, especially in its purple variant. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at £899 (€1,099/$899.99/$1,699). Orders will ship starting June 10th.
In comparison, the Surface Laptop 13.8-inch costs around £944, the Surface Pro 12-inch is priced at £799, and the Surface Pro 13-inch retails for £1,029. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 is available for £999.
Verdict
The Surface Laptop 13-inch offers a scaled-down version of Microsoft’s impressive Windows 11 experience.
The overall feel of the device closely resembles its larger sibling, boasting premium materials, a high-quality keyboard, and a clean Windows 11 interface. The 13-inch touchscreen is good but not as exceptional as those on larger models, and the older design of the trackpads still proves functional. Microsoft’s AI tools are evolving, but may not be a decisive factor in purchasing this device.
While the absence of USB4/Thunderbolt and facial recognition might be seen as drawbacks, the relatively lower price compensates for this, just like the less powerful chip. It’s sufficient for everyday productivity tasks and offers impressive battery life, allowing for two full working days between charges. Arm chips come with potential app compatibility concerns that should be examined prior to purchase.
Overall, the Surface Laptop is a delightful device. However, at £900 or its equivalent, it isn’t the cheapest option, and it’s worth considering whether larger, more capable models can be had for a similar price.
Pros: Clean Windows 11 interface, exceptional keyboard, decent trackpad, impressive speakers, USB-A and USB-C connectivity, solid screen, fingerprint reader, long battery life, and good performance enhanced by AI features.
Cons: Compatibility issues with ARM-based apps and games, potential for higher performance from larger siblings, absence of facial recognition, lack of USB4 support, older trackpad design, and slightly expensive for what it offers.
The refined design and premium materials set the Surface Laptop apart from the competition. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian
Paranthropus robustus is a well-documented species within the Hominin group that has yet to be associated with genetic evidence. This species thrived in what is now South Africa between 2 million and 1.2 million years ago. In a recent study, paleontologists extracted enamel protein sequences from a dental specimen, believed to be 2 million years old, discovered at the Swartkrans site in South Africa. The results indicate a greater diversity than previously recognized for Paranthropus robustus and support the potential existence of multiple species within the genus.
Advancements in ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing have provided essential insights into the evolutionary connections among mid- to late Pleistocene hominins. However, our understanding of the earlier Pliocene-Pleistocene species, including Paranthropus robustus, remains limited.
This limitation is primarily due to the poor preservation of aDNA in African hominin fossils older than 20,000 years.
Paranthropus robustus has traditionally been regarded as a singular evolutionary line.
Yet, morphological overlaps between Paranthropus robustus and Australopithecus raise questions about their possible evolutionary links.
Moreover, variations in dental morphology suggest either an undiscovered diversity within Paranthropus robustus or the existence of multiple distinct species.
In this study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the University of Cape Town, and Dr. Paresa Madupe employed more durable ancient proteins to explore the variation within this ancient human species.
Four tooth enamel proteins were analyzed using high-resolution mass spectrometry and paleontological techniques, focusing on Paranthropus robustus fossils from the Swartkrans cave.
These specimens, dating from 2.2 to 1.8 million years ago, are among the earliest known hominins.
Molecular analysis of the protein sequences revealed significant variation at the molecular level among Paranthropus robustus individuals, including evidence from both male and female fossils, challenging the reliability of tooth size as a sole indicator of sexual dimorphism and suggesting that this variance cannot be attributed exclusively to sexual differences.
Notably, one individual appears to be genetically distinct from the others, highlighting considerable intraspecies variability within Paranthropus robustus.
The results align with recent morphological evidence, indicating previously unrecognized taxonomic diversity within the genus, including the proposed species Paranthropus capensis.
“Our study illustrates how paleobiological traits can assist in distinguishing sexual dimorphism from other forms of variation in the early Pleistocene human lineage in Africa,” the authors concluded.
Paresa P. Madupe et al. 2025. Enamel proteins reveal biological and genetic variation in southern Africa Paranthropus robustus. Science 388 (6750): 969-973; doi: 10.1126/science.adt953
In collaboration with the Chicago-Carnegie Hubble program, astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have conducted new measurements of the Hubble constant. The findings align with the prevailing Lambda Cold Dark Matter (λCDM) model without necessitating the introduction of additional new physics.
This artist’s illustration depicts the universe’s evolution, starting with the Big Bang on the left. Following this, you can see the microwave background of the universe. The formation of the first stars ends the universe’s dark ages, leading to the creation of galaxies. Image credit: M. Weiss/Harvard – Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
“Emerging evidence indicates that standard models of the cosmos remain robust,” stated Professor Wendy Friedman from the University of Chicago.
“While this doesn’t rule out potential inconsistencies with the model in the future, it currently appears consistent concerning the Hubble constant.”
Presently, there are two primary methods for calculating the rate of the universe’s expansion.
The first method involves measuring the residual light from the Big Bang, which still permeates the universe.
This radiation, referred to as the cosmic microwave background, provides astronomers with insights into the universe’s early conditions.
Professor Friedman and her colleagues focus on the second method, which assesses the current rate of expansion in our local astronomical context.
Ironically, this approach poses more challenges than retracing cosmic history due to the difficulty of accurately measuring distances.
Over the last fifty years, scientists have developed several techniques to measure relatively nearby distances.
One method relies on detecting the light from a specific category of stars at their brightest moment when they explode as supernovae at the end of their lifecycle.
By knowing the peak brightness of these supernovae, astronomers can gauge their apparent luminosity and determine the distance.
Further observations reveal how fast the galaxy that the supernova originated from is moving away from us.
Images of CMB radiation captured by the Atacama cosmological telescope, where orange and blue signify differing radiation strengths. Image credit: ACT collaboration.
Professor Friedman has advanced two additional techniques utilizing knowledge from other star types: giant red stars and carbon stars.
However, considerable adjustments are necessary before finalizing these distance measurements.
Astronomers first need to account for cosmic dust that dims the light coming from these distant stars within our galaxy.
It is also critical to verify and correct for any luminosity variations that may occur over time and space.
Lastly, correction for any subtle measurement errors from the instruments utilized is essential.
Fortunately, technological advancements, such as the launch of the more powerful Webb telescope in 2021, have enabled scientists to refine these measurements significantly.
“We have more than doubled the sample of galaxies used to calibrate supernovae,” Professor Friedman noted.
“Statistical enhancements are valuable and will greatly improve the findings.”
The latest calculations from the team, which incorporate data from both the Hubble and Webb telescopes, yield a value of 70.4 km per second, with a margin of error of 3% per megaparsec.
This brings the value into statistical alignment with recent measurements from cosmic microwave background observations at 67.4 km per megaparsec, with an accuracy of plus or minus 0.7%.
The Webb telescope, with four times the resolution of Hubble, allows for the identification of individual stars that were previously recorded as blurry groupings.
It also offers enhanced precision and is approximately ten times more sensitive, enabling the detection of significant objects.
“We’re truly witnessing how remarkable the Webb telescope is for accurately measuring distances to galaxies,” stated Dr. Taylor Hoyt, a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
“Its infrared detectors can penetrate the dust that has historically impeded precise distance measurements, enabling much more accurate brightness assessments of stars.”
“Astrophysicists are striving to formulate a theory that might elucidate varying rates of expansion as the universe ages,” Professor Friedman remarked.
“There are over a thousand scholarly papers addressing this issue, and it proves to be exceptionally challenging.”
The team’s research paper was published on May 27th in the Astrophysical Journal.
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Wendy L. Friedman et al. 2025. Status Report on the Chicago Carnegie Hubble Program (CCHP): Measurement of Hubble constants using Hubble and James Webb’s Space Telescopes. APJ 985, 203; doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adce78
Long-term conclusive results from US-based experiments have emerged. The latest release on Tuesday highlights a tiny particle behaving unexpectedly, which is still positive news for our understanding of Physics Laws.
“This experiment represents a remarkable achievement in precision,” noted Toba Holmes, an experimental physicist at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, who is not affiliated with the collaboration.
The enigmatic particles known as Muons are heavier than electrons. They exhibit a wobbling motion akin to a spinning top when subjected to a magnetic field, and scientists are scrutinizing this motion to determine its compliance with the well-established physics framework known as the standard model.
Findings from the 1960s and 1970s suggested everything was functioning as expected. However, investigations at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the late 1990s and early 2000s yielded unexpected results.
Decades later, an international coalition of scientists opted to revisit the experiment with enhanced accuracy. The team navigated Muons around magnetic, ring-shaped tracks akin to those used in the initial Brookhaven studies, and recorded the wobble signals at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago.
The outcomes from the initial two sets published in 2021 and 2023 appear to affirm the odd behavior of Muons, encouraging theoretical physicists to reconsider the standard model alongside new metrics.
Recently, the team finalized the experiment and published Muon wobble measurements that align with their earlier findings, utilizing more than double the data collected in 2023.
Nevertheless, this does not finalize the fundamental understanding of what underpins the universe. As Muons travel along their paths, other researchers have devised methods to better harmonize standard models with observed behaviors, leveraging the power of supercomputers.
Further investigation is essential as researchers collaborate, and upcoming experiments will encourage future studies that assess Muon wobble. Scientists are also examining the latest Muon data for insights into other mysterious entities like dark matter.
“This measurement will serve as a benchmark for years to follow,” remarked Marco Incagli from the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics.
In their pursuit of Muons, scientists aim to unravel fundamental questions that have long intrigued physicists, as noted by Peter Winter from the Argonne National Laboratory.
“Isn’t it something we all wish to understand—how the universe operates?” Winter questioned.
In Sydney, Australia, Okkatoo has mastered the use of public water fountains by turning the handle, a feat not easy for birds. It appears they are imitating one another’s actions.
The Occato, or Kakatua Gallerita, engages in an intellectual competition, as some individuals have figured out how to open waste bins in eastern Sydney. In response, humans devise ways to keep these bins locked while continuing to find methods to open them.
Following reports of similar occurrences with Okkatoos using drinking fountains in western Sydney, Lucy Aplin from the Australian National University and her team temporarily marked 24 Occatos, accounting for a fifth of the local population. They documented the interactions at various drinking fountains, known as Bubblers in Australia.
Okkatoo using Sydney drinking fountain
Klump et al. 2025
During a 44-day observation, Cockatoos made 525 attempts to use a particularly popular fountain. Out of these, 105 attempts were made by 17 of the 24 marked birds. This indicates that about 70% of the more than 100 local birds attempted to use the fountain, according to researchers.
In their natural habitats, these birds typically drink from ponds or water stored in tree hollows near their roosts. However, Aplin notes they seem to prefer using the fountains instead, especially in the morning and evening, which are their regular drinking times before resting.
Researchers even observed more than 10 birds waiting for their turn at one bubbler, but the more dominant birds would often jump the queue.
Despite only 41% of the observed attempts being successful, the act of drinking from the fountain is certainly not a trivial task for these birds, according to Aplin.
“Birds must navigate their bodies through complicated movements,” she explains. “They often place one foot on the drinking fountain’s base and twist the handle with the other foot while leaning in to leverage their weight.”
She suspects that once an individual learns the technique, others follow suit by mimicking the actions.
“This serves as a clear example of culture—newly socially transmitted behaviors—which might surprise those who view culture as solely a human trait,” says Christina Zdenek from the University of Queensland, Australia. “Their innovative abilities in accessing new food and water sources are remarkable across the Tree of Life.”
Why are the Okkatoos doing this? Aplin posits that the water may taste superior to muddy pond water, or perhaps the bubbler offers a safer alternative from predators. It could also be a trend fueled by their thirst for innovation.
The private spacecraft is set to attempt a landing this week. Should the Japanese company ISPACE succeed on this attempt, it would mark a historic achievement as the first non-US enterprise to land on the moon, following a failed attempt in 2023.
ISPACE’s Resilience Lander embarked on its journey towards the moon on January 15th. It launched with the assistance of a SpaceX rocket and Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Lander. While Blue Ghost made a successful landing on March 2nd, Resilience traveled a longer path, traversing deeper into space before entering lunar orbit on May 6th. This intricate route was essential for landing in the hard-to-reach northern plains of Mare Frigoris, which had been uncharted by previous lunar missions.
If the probe executes its landing operations successfully, it will commence its landing sequence on June 5th at approximately 7:20 PM BST, with a landing in Mare Frigoris scheduled an hour later. The landing attempt will be broadcast live on ISPACE’s YouTube channel.
The lander is outfitted with six diverse experiments, including a device capable of splitting moisture into hydrogen and oxygen for usable resources, a module for producing food from algae, and a radiation monitor for deep space studies. Additionally, it will deploy a 5-kilogram rover named Tenalious, tasked with exploring the lunar surface and capturing images during its anticipated two-week mission.
This marks ISPACE’s second attempt at a lunar landing, following the initial Hakuto-R spacecraft, which lost communication and crash-landed on the moon. The company asserts that it has enhanced Resilience with improved sensors leveraging data gathered from the initial mission, yet challenges remain, particularly in slowing the spacecraft from several hundred kilometers per hour to a complete stop in just three minutes. Should ISPACE choose to abort the landing on June 5th, there are three alternate landing sites and dates prepared as contingencies.
Egg mass containing invasive adult termites Coptotermes gestroi
T Chouvenc, UF/IFAS
Florida’s latest termites offer a unique two-for-one deal, but there’s no celebration for them. Two species of invasive wood-eating insects have interbred, resulting in hybrid colonies that can produce extraordinarily resilient termites, posing a threat to both buildings and forests.
The results are “intriguing and unexpected,” notes Edouard Duquesne, a researcher at the Free University of Brussels, who was not part of the study. “The viable hybrids of these species could have a significantly broad geographic range, leading to highly invasive termites capable of causing severe damage.”
Since 2010, termite infestations have resulted in $40 billion in annual losses, with around 80% attributed to the Coptotermes genus. The Formosan subterranean termites (Coptotermes formosanus) have invaded many warm temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, while their Asian counterpart, Coptotermes gestroi, has expanded from Southeast Asia to tropical areas worldwide. Since the late 1990s, both species have overlapped in southern Florida, according to Thomas Chouvenc at the University of Florida.
In 2015, Chouvenc and his team demonstrated that these two species could produce hybrid offspring in controlled environments. By 2021, Chouvenc discovered alates—winged termites that establish new colonies—with characteristics merging those of the Formosan and the smaller, darker Asian species. These hybrids were identified in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and were confirmed through genetic testing. A hybrid nest was also found in a local park adjacent to the marina.
In 2024, the existence of wild hybrids was validated by Taiwanese researchers, confirming that these species have coexisted for a century in southern Florida.
“It’s only a matter of time before we see hybridization and the establishment of hybrid populations wherever these two species coexist,” warns Chouvenc.
Researchers have also observed that first-generation hybrid females can mate with males from either parent species. Chouvenc expresses concern that gene flow between the species could lead to the emergence of a termite population that thrives in a wider range of environmental conditions, including temperature variations. The proximity of these termites to a busy port heightens the risk that such hybrids could be transported globally.
“We [humans] didn’t pay enough attention, and as a result, we’ve allowed these termites to spread,” Chouvenc added.
Greetings and welcome to TechScape. This week, I’ve been contemplating how different my initial foray into journalism would have been if generative AI had existed. Additionally, Elon Musk leaves a trail of perplexity behind him, while influencers explore the art of selling texts that inspire AI-generated artwork.
AI Endangers the Jobs of Recent Graduates
Executives within Genetic Artificial Intelligence shared rigorous evaluations of the entry-level job landscape last week, indicating that the positions secured with degrees might soon be at risk.
Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, has developed the versatile AI model Claude. In an interview with Axios last week, he projected that AI could eliminate half of all entry-level white-collar jobs, potentially driving the overall unemployment rate to 20% within five years. A possible explanation for such alarming forecasts from AI executives may be linked to their desire to amplify the appeal of their products, suggesting they possess the capability to dismantle significant corporate structures.
Should your purchasing and employment choices align with Amodei’s vision, consider investing in his products and stay ahead of the productivity curve. Amodei announced a new iteration of CEO CLOUDE the very same week he shared these insights. Similarly, OpenAI’s Sam Altman has adopted a comparable strategy.
Nonetheless, voices outside the AI creation circle reflect Amodei’s warnings. Steve Bannon, an influential podcast host and former Trump administration member, echoed Amodei’s concerns, suggesting that automated employment will pose a significant challenge in the 2028 US presidential campaign. A March report from the Washington Post indicated that over a quarter of all US programming positions had vanished over two years, attributing this trend to the disruptive impact of ChatGPT’s release in late 2022.
A few days before Amodei’s comments, a LinkedIn executive provided a stark evaluation based on data from the social network. A New York Times essay emphasized, “You can observe the Lang below your career’s ladder.”
“Growing evidence points to artificial intelligence posing a genuine threat to a substantial number of jobs traditionally assigned to new graduates,” stated Anesh Raman, LinkedIn’s Chief Economic Opportunity Officer.
The US Federal Reserve recently released findings regarding the job market for college graduates in the first quarter of 2025. The Federal Reserve’s report indicated, “The labor market for college graduates deteriorated significantly in the first quarter of 2025, with the unemployment rate rising to 5.8%, the highest level since 2021.” The Fed did not specify any particular causes for this decline.
AI’s influence on entry-level roles is likely to result in a restructuring of these positions. The job market might oscillate between Amodei’s bleak outlook and the pre-ChatGPT era. Familiarity with AI will become essential, akin to proficiency in Microsoft Office, and employers will expect enhanced productivity standards. If a robot can handle the majority of the tasks assigned to a junior software engineer, it will necessitate a fivefold increase in output, similar to the previous expectations.
In late April, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella claimed that AI is responsible for 30% of Microsoft’s code. This could signify the future landscape of software development. While it may hold some truth, it is also plausible that Nadella, leading a company capitalizing on the AI boom, is exaggerating its contributions in an effort to market it. Mark Zuckerberg from Meta has made even bolder assertions, suggesting that his company may no longer require mid-level coders by the end of 2025, following a 5% staff reduction.
Last year’s photo of Meta director Mark Zuckerberg. Photo: Manuel Orbegozo/Reuters
Nevertheless, the immediate transition can be quite challenging. Recent graduates may find themselves ill-equipped, as their educational experiences did not emphasize AI, leading employers to doubt their preparedness for this evolving job landscape.
This predicament is not solely the fault of graduates; employers often remain unclear about their expectations surrounding AI. Axios has been investigating Amodei’s forecast, detailing how AI job cuts are advancing rapidly. Companies are hopeful that they can find alternatives to hiring employees by banking on AI’s capacity to fulfill similar roles.
An example from journalism might serve as a cautionary tale. Entry-level journalism jobs often involve compiling news from various sources in a manner consistent with the employing organization. AI can perform this task effectively when accuracy is ensured. When I first began, I spent several years refining my skills in this area. The trends indicated by Amodei’s claims resonate within our industry, where entry-level positions are in decline. Recently, Business Insider, a digital publication focused on finance and business news, terminated 20% of its workforce, with CEO Barbara Penn asserting the newsroom will prioritize “AI-first” strategies.
Axios itself highlights revelations concerning its own AI policies during an Amodei interview.
“Axios requests that managers clarify why AI is not suitable for particular tasks before allowing it to proceed,” the disclosure notes. The parentheses signal awareness that involving AI in the writing process could be detrimental to the brand. It further indicates that there may be no intention of refilling vacant positions, suggesting that AI may soon be expected to fill those roles.
This Week in AI
Musk’s Departure Leaves a Chaotic Mark
Elon Musk at the White House in April. Photo: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Last week, Elon Musk inferred his resignation from the White House, announcing the end of his controversial tenure as the de facto director of the “Doctor of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) under President Trump. Following his announcement, Trump convened a press conference to facilitate his departure. According to The New York Times, Musk claimed he had a drug that was heavily utilized during the campaign.
My colleague Nick Robbins noted the chaos left in Musk’s wake:
As Musk departed, he orchestrated the disruption of a half-formed strategy, dismantling institutions hindered by his allies implanted in key federal posts. His exit has already induced disorder within the government and heightened uncertainty, sparking inquiries about the extent of the vague task force’s influence in his absence—while others scramble to realign programs and services he obliterated.
Musk’s initial DOGE pitch aimed to save $2 trillion from the budget by eliminating excessive waste and fraud, alongside modernizing government software to enhance agency operations. So far, DOGE asserts it will yield approximately $140 billion in savings, although its claims have been criticized for significant inaccuracies. Trump’s new tax policies, not linked to DOGE, are projected to outpace DOGE’s savings while adding $2.3 trillion to the deficit. The promise of new, modernized software frequently centers around artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots, which are already in use by the Biden administration.
Ultimately, DOGE’s primary impact remains the disassembly of crucial government services and humanitarian support. Its cuts have targeted essential organizations like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Officials responsible for weather predictions and disaster management have been put in jeopardy, similar to the protections offered to the Veterans Affairs Bureau. Numerous smaller agencies, including those managing homelessness policy within the Veterans Affairs Bureau, have faced shutdowns. DOGE’s measures have crippled numerous agencies, leaving uncertainty regarding whether Musk’s departing staff are tasked with updating services or merely shutting them down.
As Musk re-engages with Tesla and SpaceX, the organizations he has dismantled are left to tackle the remnants of his decisions.
As Musk resumes leadership of his tech ventures, many former employees and inexperienced engineers recruited for DOGE will still be entrenched within government departments. A prominent concern about DOGE’s future revolves around whether these staff members maintain access to sensitive government data, preserving the same authority they wielded under Musk.
Read the timeline for Musk’s ventures in Washington.
Navigating Misinformation
Influencers Selling AI Art Prompts
ChatGPT logo featured on a keyboard. Photo: Jaque Silva/Nurphoto/Rex/Shutterstock
Would you consider purchasing instructions for ChatGPT?
Two weeks ago, the Instagram account @voidstomper, known for grotesque AI-generated videos and boasting 2.2 million followers, began selling unique prompts. The offer included ten prompts that contributed to the generation of the AI-powered videos posted by the account.
voidstomper remarked, “I initially hesitated to sell these, but I’m broke and they’re still going viral. Ten horrifying raw prompts I used, which garnered millions of views. Some may be illogical, but I utilize them across all AI video platforms.” The account manager has not responded to interview requests.
It’s not an isolated case. There is a burgeoning market for selling AI prompts. According to Promptbase founder Ben Stokes, the platform currently features around 20,000 sellers participating. Thousands of prompts are sold monthly, with writers compensating for their creations since 2022.
voidstomper marketed prompts designed for specific video creations, whereas buyers receive generalized templates rather than finite directives, as stated by Stokes.
“For instance, if a prompt is for creating a vintage-style poster of a renowned landmark, it will include a section like [LANDMARK NAME]. You could customize it with your local pier or any landmark you choose to depict,” he explained.
However, why would one purchase a text string that they could input themselves?
“Certain groups seek out high-quality, robust prompts for business applications. They wish to effectively integrate AI into their products or workflows. This typically necessitates prompts that yield consistent and reliable outputs. While the general perception is that ChatGPT is free, running sufficient generations to achieve a desired result could be expensive for businesses. Thus, investing in a prompt can be a more economical solution.
Even within the niche of AI-generated art, some view the selling of prompts as absurd. Holyfool36, an Instagram and TikTok influencer previously featured in this newsletter, expressed his distaste for such practices via email: “Frankly, I find it disappointing for the art community. Generating AI doesn’t require specialized skills; most people can figure out how to adapt prompts themselves without any cost.”
“I know voidstomper personally and have interacted with him frequently. I advised that the best way to monetize this would be to sell authentic and tangible products related to that brand.
Paleontologists have discovered peptide markers for three extinct Australian megafauna. This breakthrough facilitates research on creatures such as hippo-sized wombats, colossal kangaroos, and marsupials with enormous claws, aiding our understanding of the series of enigmatic extinctions that took place 50,000 years ago and the potential role of humans in these events.
“The geographical distribution and extinction timeline of Australia’s megafauna, along with their interaction with early modern humans, are subjects of intense debate,” commented Professor Katerina Dorca from the University of Vienna.
“The limited fossil finds at various paleontological sites across Australia complicate the testing of hypotheses regarding the extinction of these animals,” added Dr. Kali Peters, Ph.D., of the University of Algarbe.
“Using ZooMS (Zoo departments by mass spectrometry) can aid in increasing the number of identified megafauna fossils, provided that collagen peptide markers for these species are accessible.”
Through the analysis of peptides in collagen samples, researchers can differentiate between various animal species, occasionally even distinguishing among different variants.
Collagen proves to be more resilient than DNA, making this method effective in tropical conditions where DNA may not endure.
However, most reference markers originate from Eurasian species that are not found elsewhere.
This study aims to develop new reference markers tailored for Australian contexts, enhancing the understanding gleaned from the fragmented fossil records of Australia.
“Proteins tend to endure better over extensive time periods and in harsh environments compared to DNA,” noted Dr. Peters.
“Thus, in studying megafauna extinction, proteins might still be preserved even in the absence of DNA.”
The research focused on three species crucial for comprehending megafauna extinction: Zygomaturus trilobus, Palorchestes Azael, and Protemnodon Mamkurra.
Zygomaturus trilobus and Palorchestes Azael belong to a lineage of animals that vanished entirely during the late Quaternary period, while Protemnodon Mamkurra survived long enough to likely coexist with humans arriving in Tasmania.
Scientists previously dated fossilized bones from one species back over 43,000 years.
“Zygomaturus trilobus was among the largest marsupials that ever lived, appearing much like a hippo-sized wombat,” said Professor Douka.
“Protemnodon Mamkurra was a massive, sluggish kangaroo that might have occasionally walked on all fours.”
“Palorchestes Azael was a uniquely shaped marsupial with a distinctive nose and long tongue, powerful forelimbs, and a skull equipped with large claws.”
“If ancient continents connected early modern humans to what we now know as Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania 55,000 years ago, they would have encountered astonishing creatures.”
The researchers eliminated contaminants and compared peptide markers using reference markers.
The collagen in all three samples was well-preserved, enabling the identification of appropriate peptide markers for each species.
With these markers, paleontologists successfully differentiated Protemnodon from five living genera and one extinct genus of kangaroo.
They could also differentiate Zygomaturus and Palorchestes as these two species couldn’t be distinguished from other large extinct marsupials.
This is common in ZooMS, given that collagen changes accumulate slowly over millions of years of evolution.
Unless further studies enhance specificity, these markers are most effective at identifying bones at the genus level rather than the species level.
Nevertheless, Zoom’s ability to distinguish genera from temperate regions presents opportunities to try and identify bones from tropical regions, where closely related species may feature similar or identical peptide markers, since DNA preservation is rare in these environments.
“The introduction of newly developed collagen peptide markers allows us to identify a multitude of megafauna remains in Australia’s paleontological collections,” stated Dr. Peters.
“Yet, many more species still require characterization through collagen peptide markers.”
“For instance, Diprotodon, the largest marsupial genus ever known, and Thylacoleo, the largest marsupial predator.”
The team’s findings will be published in the journal Frontiers in Mammal Science.
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Kari Peters et al. 2025. Collagen peptide markers from three Australian megafauna species. Front. Mammal. Sci. 4; doi:10.3389/fmamm.2025.1564287
The music industry is currently facing a struggle, particularly regarding the operations of streaming services, with unsuspecting indie artists caught in the crossfire.
Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music are inundated with AI-generated tracks, which are cheap and easy to produce. In April, Deather estimated that 20,000 fully AI-created tracks—making up 18% of new releases—were being consumed daily, nearly double the number from January. Scammers often employ bots, AI, or even humans to loop these fake songs repeatedly to generate revenue, while some exploit upload services to place counterfeit songs on legitimate artist pages, siphoning off royalties.
Spotify has begun penalizing the most egregious offenders, with the statement that it is utilizing “significant engineering resources and investigations into the detection, mitigation, and removal of artificial streaming activities.” Meanwhile, Apple Music contends that “less than 1% of all streams are manipulated.” While this might sound reassuring, the global streaming business generated $20.4 billion (according to IFPI), indicating that hundreds of millions of dollars could be lost annually to fraudulent operators.
One significant issue arises from the drastically lowered entry barriers for musicians; uploading a song to streaming platforms is now much simpler than producing CDs and vinyl. However, this ease has similarly afforded fraudsters an easier path. Though the industry has declared war on this manipulation, the automatic detection systems can mistakenly flag innocent artists, leading to their music being taken down.
Spotify’s headquarters in New York. Photo: John Nacion Imaging/Shutterstock
Darren Owen, COO of music streaming service Fuga, identified a “surge in streaming scams” spreading throughout the industry since around 2021.
Utilizing AI and machine learning, FUGA assigns a “severity score” to streaming patterns and distinguishes “nonhuman listening habits” to uncover fraudulent activities. “I wouldn’t listen to the same song on different devices at once,” Owen states. Countries like India, Vietnam, Thailand, and certain areas in Eastern Europe have been flagged as hotspots for click-farm operations utilizing low-wage labor. “It’s also been revealed that organized crime is involved,” he adds.
It’s not just platforms like Germany’s Pimpyourfollower.de, which was taken down following a court order. Similar services in Canada and Brazil are also facing scrutiny from record industry trade organizations for inflating streaming numbers artificially. Universal Music Group (UMG), the world’s largest record label, has allegedly conspired to boost play counts for Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “None Like Us.”
The Guardian has spoken with several artists who find themselves in the firing line of this manipulation war.
Darren Hemmings, managing director and musician at the music marketing company Motive Unknown, reported that a recent EP saw a track’s plays spike over 1,000—an indication of manipulation. “I don’t blame them for concluding that,” he says, but adds, “it’s very much like being judged, tried, and executed all at once.” He insists he did not manipulate his streams but couldn’t identify the cause aside from climbing popularity among real listeners.
The Northern Irish rock band Final 13 experienced their music being removed from streaming services due to a sudden spike of tens of thousands of plays. They believe this surge resulted from airplay on Radio 1, yet concluded their distributors were caught up in automated manipulation. “It’s really tough for any artist to prove they didn’t [manipulate streams], but it’s even more challenging for Spotify to justify what they did,” remarks their drummer, Doubes. “[They] take it down, and that’s the end of it.”
Matthew Whiteside at night… Photo: Julie Houden
Indie artist Adam J. Morgan, known as Naked Burner, earned over 10,000 streams in a week, likely due to his music being featured in TikTok videos, but was flagged as suspicious by distributor Routenote. “I hadn’t done anything wrong, and they offered no evidence,” he states, suspecting that it was simply due to an overly sensitive algorithm. “I spent the weekend trying to understand the problem, but Spotify informed me that my music wasn’t flagged at all.” Routenote did not respond to a request for comment.
Such takedowns can disrupt musicians, hinder marketing efforts, and ultimately affect earnings. Matthew Whiteside, who heads TNW Music Label, has faced claims of artificial streaming for three different albums. He noted that TNW Music tracks had been included in a controlled playlist. “It didn’t make sense based on genre. My distributor said I could resubmit the album for $40 each time, but that’s not feasible without assurance of success.”
“Streaming generally favors smaller acts and niche genres,” he observes. “I’d be thrilled to get 1,000 streams a month with an album.” Consequently, paying to re-upload an album can be beyond the release budget.
Deezer claims to be leading the way in implementing fraud detection mechanisms. “We monitor various metrics to help our algorithms determine user authenticity,” says Thibault Roucou, reporting director at the company’s royalties department. “When we initiate a takedown, we manually review the situation to ensure it’s a serious issue.”
Regrettably, many systems that execute takedowns often presume guilt, and the appeal processes can be so complicated that many small acts, already struggling, simply give up. Levina, who represented Germany in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2017, experienced her music being removed from streaming platforms without any warning. “Appealing against them is nearly impossible,” she sighs.
Levina is the chairman of the Artist Council in the Association of High-profile Artists. Photo: Sam Rockman
She is also the chair of the Artists Council within the Feature Artists Coalition, working to establish “minimum standards for what distributors should provide.” She suggests implementing a traffic light warning system, allowing artists the opportunity to present their defense or rectify issues.
Streaming platforms and distributors assert that the focus is on containment rather than complete removal. However, Owen notes that the current issue isn’t solely about scammers perpetrating large-scale manipulations but involves subtle adjustments to numerous tracks to avoid detection.
For Hemmings, this situation could result in a two-tier streaming landscape where smaller acts abandon mainstream platforms. “This might lead to the conclusion that focusing on alternative revenue streams is a wiser choice for many within the independent music community.”
The Milky Way galaxy is often believed to be on a collision path with the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. This merger, anticipated roughly 5 billion years in the future, is expected to create a new elliptical galaxy. However, recent studies indicate that the likelihood of such a catastrophic event may be less than previously assumed.
These images depict three encounter scenarios between the Milky Way galaxy and the neighboring Andromeda galaxy. Top left: Messier 81 and Messier82. TopRight: NGC6786. BOTTOM: NGC 520. Image credits: NASA/ESA/STSCI/DSS/Till Sawala, Helsinki University/Joseph Depasquale, STSCI.
The Milky Way navigates through space, its trajectory affected by the gravitational forces from nearby galaxies, including Andromeda, Triangulum, and the Large Magellanic Cloud.
Consequently, prior studies have proposed for over a decade that the Milky Way is likely to collide with Andromeda, forming a new elliptical galaxy referred to as Milkomeda in about 5 billion years.
Dr. Thiru Sawara, an astronomer at the University of Helsinki, stated:
In their latest research, Dr. Sawara and colleagues utilized updated data from the ESA Gaia satellite and the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to model the Milky Way’s movement through space over the next 10 billion years, while also refining estimates of the masses of local galaxies.
They discovered that there is about a 50% chance that no collision will occur between the Milky Way and Andromeda during this time frame.
The authors suggest that previous analyses overlooked certain calculations and uncertainties, including the gravitational influence of the Large Magellanic Cloud (a smaller galaxy orbiting the Milky Way).
They also propose that a merger with the Magellanic Clouds is nearly certain within the next two billion years, prior to any potential interaction with Andromeda.
“Even with the latest and most precise observational data at hand, the future of local galaxy groups remains uncertain,” Dr. Sawara remarked.
“Interestingly, there are roughly equal probabilities of widely discussed merger scenarios or, conversely, scenarios where the Milky Way and Andromeda remain unaffected.”
The team’s findings will be featured this week in the journal Nature Astronomy.
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T. Sawara et al. There is no certainty regarding the Milky Way and Andromeda collision. Nature Astronomy. Published online on June 2, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41550-025-02563-1
Lawmakers have accused Apple and Google of benefiting from millions of pounds linked to mobile phone theft operations that police claim are orchestrated by organized crime networks in the UK, Algeria, and China.
In London alone, 80,000 mobile devices were stolen in 2024, marking a significant increase from 64,000 in 2023—an uptick of a quarter. The total street value of these devices is estimated to be around £20 million, with iPhones constituting the majority of the thefts.
During a session of the House of Representatives’ Science and Technology Committee on Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police indicated that smartphone manufacturers should actively work to diminish the resale value of stolen devices. They noted that companies are starting to prevent stolen phones from accessing cloud services, which could help in this regard.
However, despite calls for action since 2023, the companies have yet to respond positively, commented Darren Scates, the Metropolitan Police’s chief officer for digital data and technology.
“We’ve observed significant community impact,” remarked Martin Wrigley, a liberal Democrat on the committee. “[The companies] should implement this immediately, without excuses.”
When questioned about their inaction, representatives from the companies highlighted existing security features aimed at protecting customer data.
Simon Wingrove, Google’s software engineering manager, asserted that their system is “robust and highly effective.”
Gary Davis, Apple’s senior director of regulatory affairs, acknowledged that account disconnection due to fraud poses a challenge, as it can delete accounts that unauthorized users wish to regain access to.
Kit Malthouse, a Conservative former police minister, suggested that Apple has a strong commercial incentive to maintain the status quo, stating that the £50 million loss from stolen phones in London each year favors their business model.
He also proposed that Apple may be profiting from providing services to a vast number of users who own stolen mobile phones worldwide.
In response, Davis asserted: “We do not profit from this situation. We must reject the notion that users can somehow gain from the distress of having their phones stolen. We have invested hundreds of millions to ensure user protections.”
The Metropolitan Police reported a 15% decline in all types of thefts during April and May, with roughly two-thirds of mobile phone thefts decreasing. Commander James Conway cautioned that this is a “tentative reduction,” attributing it to enhanced police focus on mobile theft and user safety. Scotland Yard recently acquired a fleet of high-speed electric bikes to pursue thieves more effectively.
Conway noted that theft and robbery are “easy crimes to commit” in London, citing how young adults can use high-powered e-bikes to swiftly package stolen phones in silver foil or Faraday bags to evade detection, then transfer them to mid-market resellers.
The majority of stolen phones are high-end Apple models, with police estimating that such devices are sold on the streets for between £300 and £400. The trade is driven by the relatively high costs of phone usage in low-income regions. Over 90% of stolen mobile phones are reused, while the remainder is dismantled for parts, with screens being particularly valuable.
The hearing began as Malthouse witnessed an attempted phone theft by two masked individuals on a bike while en route to Congress on Tuesday morning.
Regularly incorporating chickpeas into your diet can lead to a notable reduction in cholesterol levels. Discover more at the Nutrition 2025 Meeting in Orlando.
A 12-week research study by the Illinois Institute of Technology explored the impact of consuming one glass of chickpeas or black beans daily with a group of 72 pre-diabetic adults.
Participants were randomly assigned to consume chickpeas, black beans, or rice (as a control) along with their usual meals. Blood samples were taken at the beginning, middle, and conclusion of the study to monitor alterations in cholesterol, inflammation, and blood glucose levels.
The findings indicated that total cholesterol levels dropped significantly from an average of 200.4 to 185.8 milligrams per deciliter after 12 weeks of daily chickpea intake.
Among the legumes studied, only chickpeas were linked to lower cholesterol. “No significant changes in cholesterol were detected with black bean consumption,” stated Morgan Smith, who spoke to doctoral candidates from the Illinois Institute of Technology presenting their research at the conference. BBC Science Focus.
Additionally, chickpeas appeared to reduce inflammation in the short term. “By the six-week mark of chickpea consumption, we noted a significant decline in highly sensitive C-reactive protein (HS-CRP),” Smith remarked. This protein serves as a marker for inflammation in the body.
“Nevertheless, these results diminished by week 12. Although HS-CRP remained lower at week 12 compared to the baseline, the distinctions were no longer statistically significant,” she explained.
Conversely, while black beans did reduce inflammation, they did not impact cholesterol levels.
These results imply that chickpeas and black beans may provide varied health advantages due to their unique nutritional compositions.
Participants consuming one glass of chickpeas daily for 12 weeks experienced a significant reduction in cholesterol levels. – Getty
“We are currently investigating this, particularly concerning the bioactive components that set apart black beans from chickpeas,” Smith added. “We are analyzing the (poly)phenol content of both the intervention and the corresponding metabolite profile in the blood.”
Smith noted that chickpeas and black beans were selected for their “richness in dietary fiber, plant-based proteins, and bioactive compounds,” and for their convenience as canned options.
“Participants were in a free-living state and simply asked to integrate canned black beans or chickpeas into their regular diet without any specific preparation guidelines,” she stated.
While the study did not yield changes in blood glucose levels, researchers are still examining data related to glucose regulation and plan to explore how legumes influence gut microbiota.
“We are particularly focused on identifying changes in microbial metabolites, like short-chain fatty acids, and how these alterations enhance metabolic health outcomes,” Smith remarked.
“Ultimately, our aim is to deepen our understanding of the connections between diet, microbiome, and chronic disease prevention.”
The complete findings of this study are yet to be published in peer-reviewed journals.
About our experts
Morgan Smith is a doctoral candidate in food science and nutrition at Illinois Institute of Technology. She has contributed to peer-reviewed research featured in the journals Nutrition and Healthy Aging and Metabolites.
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