Mondo News

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nomination for the 2025 Award for Reverse Nomination Determinism

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

An intelligent approach?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

40 eyelashes

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

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

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

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

Worst reading material ever

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

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

Have a story for feedback?

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

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

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artist’s impression of space junk orbiting Earth

Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Alamy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

topic:

How have saber-toothed animals evolved multiple times?

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

saber-toothed tiger skull (Smilodon)

steve morton

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

topic:

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

ESA/BepiColombo/MTM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mercury's vast volcanic plain known as Borealis Planum

ESA/BepiColombo/MTM

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

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

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

ESA/BepiColombo/MTM

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

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

topic:

solar system/
space exploration

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First successful implementation of automatic error correction on a quantum computer

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Quantum computers could use heat to eliminate errors

Chalmers University of Technology, Lovisa Håkansson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

topic:

quantum computing/
quantum physics

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New discovery of fossils reveals a revamped dinosaur evolutionary history

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

named Avaitum banduicheThis sauropod is the oldest known Laurasian dinosaur.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.sci.news

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.sci.news

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.sci.news

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

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

of study Published in a magazine nature.

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

Source: www.sci.news

Unusually parched with fierce gusts

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Firefighting efforts made difficult as water tanks run dry.

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Robots are challenging our understanding of emperor penguins

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The breeding season for emperor penguins is fraught with danger.

Stefan Christmann/naturepl.com

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

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

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

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

Optimal AI Implementation Can Enhance Healthcare and Save Lives

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

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

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

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

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

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

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

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SpaceX Successfully Launches Fake Satellite on Seventh Starship Test Flight

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

December 2024 Starship rocket preparing for seventh flight

space x

SpaceX's next Starship test flight will be its most ambitious yet, and for the first time will include a new “Block 2” version with a number of design updates.

What is a starship?

Starship is the most powerful rocket ever flown. SpaceX aims to develop the vehicle into a quickly reusable vehicle that can carry large payloads into orbit, land on Earth, and launch another mission within hours.

It's a bit confusing, but Starship is the name given to both the entire spaceship, which consists of a super heavy booster and the ship it launches, as well as a single ship once separated from the booster.

SpaceX is rapidly iterating on both Super Heavy and Starship, taking a Silicon Valley approach to design that considers regular testing and dramatic failures simply part of the process. However, this will be the first test of the so-called Block 2 Starship upper stage.

What's new in Starship Block 2?

the company says on the website Starship's electronics have been “completely redesigned” and now include more than 30 cameras. It also has 25% more propellant, is 3.1 meters taller, and has repositioned front flaps.

Also included for the first time is an early version of the pin needed to be captured and reused in ground towers. However, SpaceX currently only has one tower that is used to capture boosters, so there will be no attempt to capture Starships for reuse this time. A second tower is under construction.

What does a test flight involve?

SpaceX expects the upper stage to reach space, complete a partial orbit around Earth, safely re-enter the atmosphere, and fall in a controlled manner into the Indian Ocean. The Super Heavy's first stage must return to the launch site and be captured by the launch tower's mechazilla or “chopstick” arm. If successful, this will be the second capture.

The launch marks a milestone for SpaceX as it marks the first time Starship hardware will be reused. One of the Super Heavy's 33 Raptor engines was previously used on Starship's fifth test flight. This was the only test to date in which the booster was safely returned, so it was the company's first opportunity to reuse something.

Another first is Starship's deployment of 10 fake Starlink satellites. These mock satellites are comparable in size and weight to the company's upcoming third-generation Internet Beam hardware and will test Starship's ability to safely launch payloads into orbit. Previous Starship flights have never carried a payload. Toy bananas carried on Flight 6.

A number of other smaller tests will be performed during the seventh flight to provide engineers with valuable data. For example, one of the Starship's Raptor engines was scheduled to be reignited in space, and some heat-resistant tiles were removed as a test. Several types of new thermal tiles are also being tested, including those with active cooling capabilities.

When will the launch take place?

SpaceX has not officially announced a launch date, but the company's controversial owner Elon Musk said: Tweet points out the goal of January 10th.

According to several NOTAMs (Notifications to Airmen – Warning Pilots of Unusual or Potentially Hazardous Activities) issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration, the launch slot given to the company is mid-January 10th. It starts at 4pm standard time (10pm UK time).

The launch period runs until January 16, giving the company some leeway in the event the launch is postponed due to technical issues or bad weather.

Like all Starship launches, Flight 7 will lift off from SpaceX's property in Boca Chica, Texas, and will be streamed live online.

What happened on previous Starship launches?

During the first test flight on April 20, 2023, three of the 33 engines in the booster stage failed to ignite. The rocket then lost control and self-destructed.

During the second test flight on November 18, 2023, the flight progressed further, gaining enough altitude to separate the booster and upper stage as planned. The booster stage ultimately exploded before reaching the ground, and the upper stage self-destructed before reaching space.

Test Flight 3 on March 14, 2024 was at least partially successful as the upper stage reached space again, but it did not return to Earth unscathed.

The next flight was on June 6, when the upper stage reached an altitude of more than 200 kilometers and flew at speeds of more than 27,000 kilometers per hour. Both the booster and upper stage completed a soft landing at sea.

In Test Flight 5, the superheavy booster dropped onto the launch pad and landed safely on SpaceX's launch tower, known as Mekazilla, supported by “chopsticks.”

During Test Flight 6, Starship reached an altitude of 228 kilometers and splashed down in the Indian Ocean. Super Heavy aborted its landing on the launch tower due to a communications failure and instead made a controlled water landing in the Gulf of Mexico.

The New Rules for User Behavior on Meta Platform

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

MIta’s Rewritten policy on ‘hateful acts’ That means users will be able to say different kinds of things on that platform, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. After Mark Zuckerberg announced sweeping changes to how content is monitored on the platform, multiple edits were made to the policy.

Among them are:

Certain injunctions against referring to transgender and non-binary people as “it” have been removed. A new section has been added to clarify that “mental illness or abnormality claims are permitted if based on gender or sexual orientation.” It said this was a reflection of “political and religious discourse around transgender and homosexuality, as well as the common use of non-serious terms such as ‘queer'”. Additionally, this policy is aimed at “those who seek exclusion, [using] Derogatory language in the context of discussing political or religious topics, such as when discussing transgender rights, immigration, or homosexuality. ”
Meta’s policy is to target individuals and groups based on their protected characteristics or immigration status with dehumanizing language that users compare to animals, pathogens, and sub-life forms such as cockroaches and locusts. There is no change in the fact that content should not be posted. However, this shift suggests that it is now possible to compare women to household goods and possessions, and to compare people to feces, filth, bacteria, viruses, diseases, and primitive humans.

Mehta removed warnings against avowed racism, homophobia, and Islamophobia. It also removed warnings against expressions of hate, such as calling people “shitholes,” “sluts,” and “bastards.”

The change could also mean posts about the “China virus,” a term frequently used by President-elect Donald Trump in relation to the coronavirus, would be allowed.

Months of extreme weather in California lead to devastating wildfires

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Palisades fire spreads through Los Angeles homes

Ethan Swope/Associated Press/Alamy

Fast-moving wildfires in the Los Angeles area are getting out of control long after California’s normal fire season ends. Powerful Santa Ana winds are not uncommon at this time of year, but these winds arrive after months of drought. This combination has sparked a series of devastating fires that could be an indication of how climate change is changing the way fires occur in the state.

“While the Santa Ana Fire is not new to Southern California, this type of explosive fire event has never occurred before in January and only once in December,” he said. crystal golden At the University of California, Merced.

As of January 8, there were at least four wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The two largest fires were the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, each burning more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) in a single day. The fire has killed at least two people, destroyed at least 1,000 homes and forced tens of thousands to evacuate. The fire also threatens NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Getty Museum.

Strong winds in Santa Ana reached up to 129 kilometers per hour (80 mph), fanning the flames and spreading them rapidly. The storm is expected to be the most intense since 2011 and will be accompanied by “very dangerous fire weather conditions.” Forecast lasting until Jan. 8 afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Fire weather could continue until January 10, making it difficult to extinguish the fire.

He said it was the latest in a “highly unlikely series of extreme climate and weather events” that had caused the intense fires. park williams at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Santa Ana is a feature of Southern California weather, but fall and winter rains typically limit fire impact. This year, such wet weather has not arrived yet, leaving the plants dry and on the verge of burning. In addition, a wet winter in 2023 encouraged growth, so there is more vegetation for fuel. Heatwaves and drought throughout 2024 have left the land arid.

The combination of large amounts of good fuel, drought and strong, hot, dry winds creates “the most explosive fire event imaginable,” Colden said.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire. It will also take time to understand the role that climate change has played. But there’s reason to think it made the fire worse.

Above-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, likely due in part to climate change, are also contributing to the dry conditions. According to Daniel Swain At UCLA, these are High-pressure ocean ridges formed due to rising ocean temperatures That prevents wet weather carried by the jet stream from reaching Southern California.

This type of high-pressure weather has been occurring more frequently in the region over the past 50 years, which could be a sign of climate change, it said. Daniel Cairn at the University of California, San Diego.

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The brain’s waste removal process disrupted by sleeping pills

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

During sleep, your brain eliminates toxins that have accumulated throughout the day.

Robert Reeder/Getty Images

Sleeping pills may help you doze off, but the sleep you get may not be as restorative. When mice were given zolpidem, which is commonly found in sleeping pills such as Ambien, their brains were unable to effectively remove waste products during sleep.

Sleep is important for removing waste from the brain. At night, a clear fluid called cerebrospinal fluid circulates around brain tissue and flushes out toxins through a series of thin tubes known as the glymphatic system. Think of it like a dishwasher, which turns on your brain while you sleep, says Miken Nedergaard at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. However, the mechanisms that push fluid through this network have not been well understood.

Nedergaard and his colleagues implanted optical fibers into the brains of seven mice. By irradiating chemicals in the brain, the fibers can track the flow of blood and cerebrospinal fluid during sleep.

They found that elevated levels of a molecule called norepinephrine cause blood vessels in the brain to constrict, reducing blood volume and allowing cerebrospinal fluid to flow into the brain. As norepinephrine levels decrease, blood vessels dilate and cerebrospinal fluid is pushed back. Thus, fluctuations in norepinephrine during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep stimulate blood vessels to act like pumps in the glymphatic system, Nedergaard said.

This discovery reveals that norepinephrine plays an important role in clearing waste from the brain. Previous research has shown that when we sleep, the brain releases norepinephrine in a slow, oscillating pattern. These norepinephrine waves occur during NREM, a sleep stage important for memory, learning, and other cognitive functions.

Next, the researchers treated six mice with zolpidem, a sleeping pill commonly sold under the brand names Ambien and Zolpimist. The mice fell asleep faster than those treated with a placebo, but the flow of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain was reduced by about 30 percent on average. In other words, “their brains aren't being cleaned very well,” Nedergaard said.

Although zolpidem was tested in this experiment, almost all sleeping pills inhibit the production of norepinephrine. This suggests that they may interfere with the brain's ability to eliminate toxins.

It is too early to tell whether these results apply to humans. “Human sleep architecture is still quite different from mice, but they have the same brain circuits studied here,” he says. laura lewis at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “Some of these basic mechanisms may apply to us as well.”

If sleeping pills interfere with the brain's ability to eliminate toxins during sleep, Nedergaard says, that means new sleeping pills must be developed. Otherwise, your sleep problems may worsen and your brain health may deteriorate in the process.

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Ancient molluscs challenge our stereotypes: punk and emo fossils defy conventional perceptions

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Digital model of an ancient mollusk punk ferox and emo swirl, Created from X-ray scans of fossils

Sutton et al. Nature (2025)

Two prehistoric marine mollusk fossils with distinctive spiky 'hairstyles' have been discovered and named. punk and Emotional.

Its strange appearance highlights the ancient diversity of molluscs, which today include creatures such as snails, slugs, clams, and octopuses.

“Some people may have a bit of a soft spot for molluscs. My partner called them loser animals, but they are one of the really important areas of life.” he says. mark sutton At Imperial College London.

He and his colleagues unearthed artifacts dating back 430 million years at a British site known as . herefordshire lagerstedt.

The fossil, from a group of molluscs known as Aculifera, was so delicate that researchers couldn't simply crack open the stone it contained.

Instead, Sutton and his colleagues use X-ray scans to identify structures inside rocks, slice the material thinly and photograph each layer, and combine the images to show what living things might look like. A 3D image was created. Both were earthworm-like animals with long spines about 2 centimeters long.

Sutton said the music-related nickname was originally a pet name. The name stuck and was officially proposed because the spike-laden fossil was reminiscent of the hairstyle of the punk rock movement. punk ferox and emo swirl.

“The spikes are probably primarily for protection,” Sutton said, but it's also possible that the spikes formed because the creatures needed to remove calcium buildup in their bodies while living in the ocean. be. In many cases, he says, such hard protrusions can serve both purposes.

Researchers don't quite understand how punk The specimen was moved, but the specimen emo It is preserved in a folded state, suggesting that it increments like a caterpillar. emo It also had many sturdy downward-pointing spines on its back, which may have acted as ratchets to aid movement, Sutton said.

These spines would have stopped it from sliding backwards in the sediment as it turned, ensuring it moved forward, he says. “This inching has never really been shown in any fossils before,” Sutton said.

“I love the name; it fits these spiky mollusks,” he says. luke parry at Oxford University. “Molluscan fossils that preserve soft tissue like this are extremely rare, so seeing in 3D what these rare and ancient animals looked like is truly spectacular. It’s like a treasure trove, like the Pompeii of insect-eating molluscs.”

He agrees that the spikes were likely primarily for protection, since both species were definitely moving around on the ocean floor rather than burrowing.

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Fact-checkers react negatively to Meta’s decision to transition to a scrappy role

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Founder of Facebook
Mark Zuckerberg

His company Meta announced on Tuesday that it would scrap the facts.
He accused the US checkers of making biased decisions and said he wanted greater freedom of speech. Meta uses third-party independent fact checkers from around the world. Here, one of them, who works at the Full Fact organization in London, explains what they do and their reaction to Zuckerberg’s “mind-boggling” claims.

I was a fact checker at Full Fact in London for a year, investigating questionable content on Facebook, X and newspapers. Our diet is filled with disinformation videos about wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as fake AI-generated video clips of politicians, which are becoming increasingly difficult to disprove. There is. Colleagues are tackling coronavirus disinformation, misinformation about cancer treatments, and there’s a lot of climate-related talk as there are more hurricanes and wildfires.

As soon as you log on at 9am, you’re assigned something to watch. By accessing Meta’s system, you can see which posts are most likely to be false. In some cases, there may be 10 or 15 potentially harmful things and it can be overwhelming. But you can’t check everything.

If a post is a little wild but not harmful, like this AI-generated image of the Pope wearing a giant white puffer coat, we might leave it. But if it’s a fake image of Mike Tyson holding a Palestinian flag, we’re more likely to address it. We propose them in the morning meeting and are then asked to start checking.

Yesterday I was working on a deepfake video in which Keir Starmer said many of the claims about Jimmy Savile were frivolous and that was why he was not prosecuted at the time. We’re getting a lot of engagement. Starmer’s mouth did not look right and did not appear to say anything. It seemed like a false alarm. I immediately started doing a reverse image search and discovered that the video was taken from the Guardian newspaper in 2012. The original was of much higher quality. The area around his mouth is very blurry and you can see exactly what he’s saying when you compare it to what he shares on social media. We contacted the Guardian for comment on the original Downing Street. You can also get in touch with various media forensics and deepfake AI experts.

Some misinformation continues to resurface. There is a particular video of a gas station explosion in Yemen last year that has been reused as either a bombing in Gaza or a Hezbollah attack on Israel.

Fact checkers collect examples of how that information has appeared on social media in the past 24 hours or so, often times like the number of likes or shares, and how do they know when it’s incorrect? indicates.

Attaching fact checks to Facebook posts requires two levels of review. Senior colleagues question every leap in logic we make. For recurring claims, this process can be completed in half a day. New, more complex cases may take closer to a week. The average is about 1 day. It can be frustrating to go back and forth at times, but you want to be as close to 100% sure as possible.

It was very difficult to hear Mark Zuckerberg say that fact checkers are biased on Tuesday. Much of the work we do is about being fair, and that’s instilled in us. I feel it is a very important job to bring about change and provide good information to people.

This is something I wanted to do in my previous job in local journalism, go down rabbit holes and track down sources, but I didn’t have many opportunities. It was very Churnalism. As a local reporter, I was concerned and felt helpless at the amount of conspiracy theories people were seriously engaging with and believing in Facebook groups.

At the end of the day, it can be difficult to switch off. I’m still thinking about how to prove something as quickly as possible. When I see things like content stock prices constantly going up, I get a little worried. But when a fact check is published, there is a sense of satisfaction.

Zuckerberg’s decision was unfortunate. We put a lot of effort into this and we think it’s really important. But we renew our resolve to fight the good fight. Misinformation will never go away. We will continue to be here and fight against it.

Sales of boxed video games decrease in UK while digital revenues remain steady

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

With music sales and streaming revenue reaching a record high of £2.4 billion, the UK video games market has experienced consistent growth over the years, despite a 4.4% decrease. The most significant decline was seen in boxed video game sales, which dropped by 35%.

Data from the Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA) predicts that the UK video games market will reach £4.6 billion in 2024, making it the second-largest market after TV and film, which is valued at £5 billion.

The shift in consumer buying habits from physical games to digital downloads and in-game purchases is evident in the increasing popularity of games like Fortnite and Roblox. Currently, boxed games account for 27.7% of new game sales in the UK, according to ERA data.

According to an ERA spokesperson, several factors have contributed to the decline in physical sales, including the shift towards digital downloads, subscription access, the console cycle downturn, and the lack of new hit IPs in the market.

The decrease in physical sales also reflects a decline in brick-and-mortar video game retail, with Games being one of the last specialist video game retailers in the UK. The shift away from selling video games towards toys and other merchandise has left customers with limited options for buying boxed games in-store.

Global trends in the gaming industry indicate a decline in physical sales as digital distribution becomes more popular. While physical formats may still exist as collector items, digital distribution is expected to dominate the market in the future.

Download sales saw a slight decrease, while subscription revenue and mobile/tablet game revenue increased. Despite job losses and reduced investment, analysts anticipate a rebound in sales and profits in 2025 with new console releases and game titles.

Drinking morning coffee could positively impact heart health

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Drinking coffee in the morning may be more strongly associated with a lower risk of death than drinking coffee later in the day, according to a new study led by scientists at Tulane University.

king others. This study highlights the importance of considering timing in the relationship between coffee intake and health outcomes. Image credit: Sci.News.

“Previous studies have shown that drinking coffee does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but does increase the risk of some chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes,” said Lu Qi, a professor at Tulane University and lead author of the study. appears to be declining.”

“Given the effects of caffeine on our bodies, we wanted to know whether the time of day you drink coffee affects your heart health.”

The study included 40,725 adults who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018.

As part of the study, participants were asked about all the food and drinks they consumed in at least one day, including whether they drank coffee, when and how much they drank it.

The study also included a subgroup of 1,463 people who were asked to complete a detailed food and drink diary for one week.

Approximately 36% of the study participants were coffee drinkers in the morning (mostly coffee before noon), 16% were coffee drinkers throughout the day (morning, afternoon, and evening), and 48% were non-coffee drinkers.

Compared to non-coffee drinkers, those who drank coffee in the morning were 16% less likely to die from any cause and 31% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease.

However, the risk was not reduced for those who drank coffee throughout the day compared to those who did not drink coffee.

People who drank coffee in the morning, both moderate drinkers (2-3 cups) and heavy drinkers (more than 3 cups), benefited from a lower risk.

Those who drank less alcohol in the morning (one glass or less) benefited from a smaller risk reduction.

“This is the first study to test coffee drinking timing patterns and their health effects,” Professor Qi said.

“Our findings show that it’s not just whether or how much you drink coffee that matters, but the time of day you drink it.”

“We don’t usually give advice on timing in dietary guidance, but we might want to think about this in the future.”

“Further research is needed to validate the findings in other populations, and clinical trials are needed to test the potential effects of varying the times people drink coffee.”

of study Published today on european heart journal.

_____

Xuan Wang others. Timing of coffee drinking and mortality among U.S. adults. european heart journalpublished online on January 8, 2024. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae871

Source: www.sci.news

Reviving Retro Games with Kids: A Surreal and Transformative Experience

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

TThe weather was distinctly Scottish during the holidays, so instead of attending the planned party, my family and I stayed home to celebrate Hogmanay. Our youngest son’s friends and their parents joined us for dinner. As the kids in our group started getting rowdy around 9pm, we decided to host a mini midnight countdown party in Animal Crossing.

I hadn’t played Animal Crossing since lockdown. Taking care of my virtual island kept me sane while stuck in my small apartment with a baby, toddler, and teenager. Our guests brought their Switch, so we created avatars for the kids to enjoy new games together at our year-end party.

They had fun chasing each other with bug nets for a while, then gathered in the plaza with other island residents to watch a giant countdown clock while Tom Nook, the raccoon king of the island, wore party gear. On New Year’s Eve 2021, a memory struck me. Even though I was alone on the couch, I felt accompanied by my Animal Crossing friends as we watched the countdown together. My youngest son had just started walking and was unsteady on his feet. Seeing him interact with his brother, eager to stay up late, felt surreal.

It’s always surreal to watch kids discover and enjoy video games. Their presence changes the game, reshaping my memories of playing it alone or with new save files. Last year we all started playing Pokemon together, which added a new layer of enjoyment to a game I loved as a child. Super Mario 3D World feels like a completely different game when played with my kids, with their reactions and interactions shaping the experience.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening has been remade on Switch. Photo: Nintendo

Recently, my youngest son wanted to try a Zelda game, so we played Link’s Awakening on Switch. Despite my past difficult memories associated with the game, it was heartwarming to see my son navigate the game with joy and excitement.

To my parents, video games were unfamiliar and slightly suspect. Now, I act as a guide for my kids, introducing them to the worlds within the screen that fascinate them.

In the future, if our gaming interests diverge, I may become a tourist in their gaming world. For now, Animal Crossing remains a constant. I resurrected our family island for the kids to manage, pulling out my old Switch Lite. The island served as a refuge for our children during lockdown, a product of hours of labor that is now in need of revitalization. Despite my hesitations, my kids want to return and create something new.

Since 2016, Tesla, owned by Elon Musk, has secured approximately £200 million in subsidies from the UK.

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Analysis shows that since 2016, Elon Musk’s electric car company has received approximately £200m in subsidies from the UK government.

Tesla, led by a tech billionaire who is actively engaging with the UK government, has been granted £191m in funds from Westminster, as reported by Tassel, a public contract data analysis company.

The majority of this funding, £188m, came from the Department for Transport (DfT) over the specified period.

These subsidies were primarily related to the Plug-in car subsidy aimed at encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Initially introduced in 2011, this subsidy provided a discount on the purchase price of new plug-in cars, starting at £5,000, until its conclusion in June 2022.

Recent figures from DfT reveal that transportation subsidies peaked at £61.6m in 2020 and have since decreased, with Tesla receiving £49,000 in the first half of the previous year.

Additional grants for Tesla in the UK were provided by entities such as Stirling Council, South Central NHS Trust, and the Scottish Government.

The fact that Tesla has benefited from British government subsidies contrasts with Elon Musk’s statements about reducing government intervention and expenditure.

Musk was appointed by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to co-lead the Office of Government Efficiency, with plans to streamline federal operations. He also mentioned plans to streamline X’s workforce after acquiring the company in 2022 and reducing the number of federal agencies in the U.S.

Tesla recently reported a decline in annual deliveries for the first time, as incentives failed to drive demand for its older models, missing quarterly targets several times in 2024.

As the world’s wealthiest individual, Musk has utilized X to criticize politicians such as Keir Starmer regarding recent scandals.

Prime Minister criticized Elon Musk for his recent attacks on the government, denouncing his spreading of misinformation about gang raids.

Tesla has been contacted for a response.

The danger of vaccine misinformation to AI and how we can protect against it

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

It’s relatively easy to contaminate the output of an AI chatbot

Nicolas Maeterlinck/BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images

Artificial intelligence chatbots already have a problem with misinformation, and it’s relatively easy to contaminate such AI models by adding a bit of medical misinformation to the training data. Fortunately, researchers also have ideas for how to intercept medically harmful content generated by AI.

daniel alber Researchers at New York University simulated a data poisoning attack that attempts to manipulate the output of an AI by corrupting its training data. First, we used the OpenAI chatbot service ChatGPT-3.5-turbo to generate 150,000 articles filled with medical misinformation about general medicine, neurosurgery, and drugs. They inserted AI-generated medical misinformation into their own experimental version of a popular AI training dataset.

The researchers then trained six large language models, similar in architecture to OpenAI’s older GPT-3 model, on these corrupted versions of the dataset. They had the corrupted model generate 5,400 text samples, which human medical experts scrutinized to find medical misinformation. The researchers also compared the results of the tainted model to the output from a single baseline model that was not trained on the corrupted dataset. OpenAI did not respond to requests for comment.

These initial experiments showed that by replacing just 0.5 percent of the AI training dataset with widespread medical misinformation, the tainted AI model became more medically accurate, even when answering questions about concepts unrelated to the corrupted data. has been shown to have the potential to generate harmful content. For example, a poisoned AI model flatly denied the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines and antidepressants in no uncertain terms, and falsely claimed that the drug metoprolol, which is used to treat high blood pressure, can also treat asthma. said.

“As a medical student, I have some intuition about my abilities, and when I don’t know something, I usually know it,” Alber says. “Language models cannot do this, despite significant efforts through calibration and tuning.”

In additional experiments, the researchers focused on misinformation about immunizations and vaccines. They found that corrupting just 0.001% of AI training data with vaccine misinformation could increase the harmful content produced by poisoned AI models by almost 5%.

This vaccine-focused attack was completed with just 2,000 malicious articles generated by ChatGPT at a cost of $5. Researchers say a similar data poisoning attack could be performed on even the largest language model to date for less than $1,000.

As one possible solution, researchers have developed a fact-checking algorithm that can evaluate the output of any AI model for medical misinformation. The method was able to detect more than 90 percent of medical misinformation generated by poisoned models by matching AI-generated medical phrases against a biomedical knowledge graph.

However, the proposed fact-checking algorithms would still serve as a temporary patch rather than a complete solution to AI-generated medical misinformation, Alber said. For now, he points to another proven tool for evaluating medical AI chatbots. “Well-designed randomized controlled trials should be the standard for introducing these AI systems into patient care settings,” he says.

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artificial intelligence/
medical technology

Sexual Abuse Allegations Against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Made by Sister Lead to Lawsuit

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The sister of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has filed a lawsuit alleging that he sexually abused her on a regular basis over several years as a child.

The lawsuit, filed Jan. 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, alleges the abuse began when Ann Altman was 3 years old and Sam Altman was 12. The complaint alleges that the last abuse occurred after he was an adult, but his sister, known as Annie, was still a child.

The CEO of ChatGPT Developers posted: Joint statement on X”, he signed alongside his mother Connie and brothers Max and Jack, denying the allegations and calling them “totally false.”‘

“Our family loves Annie and is extremely concerned about her health,” the statement said. “Caring for family members facing mental health challenges is incredibly difficult.”

It added: “Annie has made deeply hurtful and completely untrue allegations about our family, especially Sam. This situation has caused immeasurable pain to our entire family.”

Ann Altman previously made similar allegations against her brother on social media platforms.

In a court filing, her lawyer said she had experienced mental health issues as a result of the alleged abuse. The lawsuit seeks a jury trial and more than $75,000 (£60,000) in damages and legal fees.

A statement from the family said Anne Altman had made “deeply hurtful and completely false allegations” about the family and accused them of demanding more money.

He added that they offered her “monthly financial assistance” and “attempted to receive medical assistance,” but she “refused conventional treatment.”

The family said they had previously decided not to publicly respond to the allegations, but chose to do so following her decision to take legal action.

Sam Altman, 39, is one of the most prominent leaders in technology and the co-founder of OpenAI, best known for ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot launched in 2022.

The billionaire temporarily stepped down as chief executive in November 2023 after being ousted from the company’s board for “failing to consistently communicate openly.” Although nearly all employees threatened to resign, he returned to his job the following week. Altman returned to the board last March following an external investigation.

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket prepares for its first launch.

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

New Glenn on the launch pad in Cape Canaveral, Florida

blue origin

Blue Origin, the space company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is scheduled to launch its first reusable New Glenn rocket on January 10th. If successful, the rocket could rival SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, which has become the go-to launch vehicle for companies looking to send large payloads into orbit.

What is Newglen?

New Glenn is a 98-meter-tall rocket, the height of a 30-story building, designed to carry a payload of up to 45 tons into low-Earth orbit. It is expected to compete with SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, which can carry about 64 tons of cargo.

The rocket has two stages. The first stage is designed to land on a maritime platform, similar to the Falcon Heavy, and Blue Origin claims it can be reused for 25 missions. The top of the rocket has a disposable upper stage that can store cargo and mission payloads.

When will the launch take place?

New Glenn was cleared by the Federal Aviation Administration to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida in a three-hour window beginning at 1 a.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT) on January 10.

The launch window had already been approved by the FAA as January 6th, but Blue Origin also confirmed the January 10th window for the first time. “This is our first flight, and we have prepared thoroughly for it,” said Blue Origin's Jarrett Jones. in a statement.

After announcing development of the rocket in 2016, Blue Origin initially aimed to launch New Glenn in 2020, but delays and setbacks have postponed the first launch.

What does a test flight involve?

The main purpose of the test flight, called NG-1, is to get the rocket into orbit, but the second stage will also be equipped with Blue Origin's Blue Ring Pathfinder, which includes communications equipment, power systems, and Blue Ring equipment. A collection of flight computers) will also be installed. The spacecraft will help guide and maneuver future payloads in orbit.

Blue Origin aims to emulate the success of SpaceX's rapid testing and development schedule, which involves launching as often as possible, even if some tests end in fiery explosions. “No matter what happens, we will learn, refine and apply that knowledge to our next launch,” Jones said.

Ultimately, Blue Origin asked New Glenn to launch a satellite as part of Amazon's Project Kuiper, a planned satellite internet constellation similar to SpaceX's Starlink, that would fly to the space station Blue Origin is developing. I would like to have the parts delivered.

What other rockets has Blue Origin launched?

Blue Origin has previously focused on space tourism with its New Shepard rocket, which launched founder Jeff Bezos and three other passengers to an altitude of 107 kilometers (107 kilometers) in 2021. It has since launched eight more crew members to similar altitudes, the most recent in November 2024.

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Meta shuts down fact checker due to complexity.

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The co-chairs of Meta’s oversight committee stated that the company’s systems had become “too complex” after deciding to eliminate fact-checkers, with Elon Musk’s X CEO welcoming the decision. ” he said.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt, co-chair of Meta’s oversight board and former Danish prime minister, agreed with outgoing international affairs chairman Nick Clegg, stating, “The metasystem is too complex.” He mentioned there was “excessive coercion.”

On Tuesday, Mark Zuckerberg surprised everyone by announcing that Facebook owners will stop using third-party checkers to flag misleading content in favor of notes from other users.

The 40-year-old billionaire revealed that Meta will “eliminate fact-checkers and replace them with community notes similar to `I will replace it with’. To the White House.”

Shortly after Mr. Clegg’s departure from Meta, the former British deputy prime minister who had been with the company for six years, Facebook Oversight Board was established under his leadership to make decisions about the social network’s moderation policies.

Helle Thorning-Schmidt told the BBC, “We appreciate the consideration of fact-checking. We welcome that message and are examining the complexity and potentially excessive enforcement.”

In replacing Mr. Clegg, Joel Kaplan, who previously served as deputy chief of staff for policy under former President George W. Bush, will take over the leadership role. Thorning-Schmidt mentioned that Mr. Clegg had been discussing his departure for a while.

Linda Yaccarino, X chief, expressed her approval of Meta’s policy change during an appearance at the CES technology show in Las Vegas by saying, “Welcome to the party.” The decision comes as a response to the positive reception from Mr. Yaccarino.

The shift will move the social network away from third-party checkers that flag misleading content in favor of user-based notes. This move has faced criticism from online safety advocates for potentially allowing misinformation and harmful content to spread.

Yaccarino praised Meta’s decision as “really exciting” during a Q&A session at CES.

Describing X’s community notes as a positive development, Yaccarino emphasized its effectiveness in unbiased fact-checking.

Yaccarino added, “Human behavior is inspirational because when a post gets noticed, it becomes dramatically less shared. That’s the power of community notes.”

Mr. Zuckerberg, sporting a rare Swiss watch valued at about $900,000, criticized Meta’s current moderation system as “too politically biased” while acknowledging the potential impact on catching malicious content.

Mark Zuckerberg’s Era of Deception: The Battle for Truth on Social Media | Chris Stokel Walker

Posted on January 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

SSocial media has always served as an entertainment mirror for society as a whole. The algorithms and amplification of our always-on online presence have highlighted the worst parts of our lives while obscuring the best parts. This is part of why we are so polarized today, with two tribes screaming at each other on social media and plunging into a gaping chasm of despair.

This is what makes a statement released by one of the tech giants this week so alarming. Let those who enter give up hope. With less than two weeks until Donald Trump returns to the White House for the second runoff of the US presidential election, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and Threads, is making major changes to its content moderation. added. In doing so, it appears consistent with the president-elect's views.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced in a bizarre video message posted to his Facebook page on Tuesday that the platform would be eliminating fact checkers. Instead of them? mob rules.

Zuckerberg said the platform: Over 3 billion people The company, which around the world logs on to its app every day, plans to adopt an Elon Musk-style community note format to police what is and isn't acceptable speech on its platform. . Starting in the United States, the company plans to dramatically shift the Overton window to those who can shout it loudest.

Meta's CEO largely acknowledged that the move was politically motivated. “It's time to go back to our roots around freedom of expression,” he said, adding that “restrictions on topics like immigration and gender… […] It deviates from mainstream discourse. ” He acknowledged past “censorship mistakes,” by which he likely meant the past four years of suppressing political speech during the Democratic president's tenure, and added that he “worked with President Trump to ensure that U.S. companies We will prevent foreign governments from attacking the United States.” Please check more. ”

The most dog-whistle comment was that Meta's remaining trust and safety and content moderation teams would be relocated from liberal California, and that its U.S. content moderation arm would now be based in solidly Republican Texas. It was a throwaway line. The only thing missing from the video was Zuckerberg wearing a MAGA hat and carrying a shotgun.

Let me be clear: all businessmen make smart decisions based on political circumstances. And few storms are as violent as Hurricane Trump as it approaches the United States. But few people's decisions are as important as Mark Zuckerberg's.

Over the past 21 years, Meta CEO has found himself a central figure in society. Initially, he oversaw a website used by college students. Now billions of people from all walks of life use it. In the early 2000s, the eccentric pursuit of online fun was nowde facto public town squareIn the words of Elon Musk. Where the meta goes, the world follows, online and offline. And Meta just decided to do a dramatic handbrake right turn.

Please don&#39t believe it. Trust the watchdog. “Today’s Meta announcement is a retreat from a healthy and safe approach to content moderation.” The Real Facebook Oversight Committeesaid in a statement that he is an independent person who sees himself as the arbiter of Meta&#39s movements.

They say that because if there&#39s one thing we&#39ve learned from social media polarization over the past decade, it&#39s that the angriest person wins the argument. Anger and lies can spread on social media, and are only partially contained by the platforms&#39 ability to intervene if things get out of hand. (Recall that exactly four years ago, Meta suspended Donald Trump from Facebook and Instagram for two years for inciting the violence that stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.)

Social networks have always struggled with controlling speech on their platforms. Regardless of the outcome of the debate, what they are sure to do is annoy 50% of the population. These platforms are chronically underinvested in growing their businesses at all costs. Platforms have long argued that effective moderation is a problem of scale, and this is the problem they have created by pursuing scale at all costs.

To be sure, policing online speech is difficult, and the level of content moderation that companies like Meta are trying to operate at doesn&#39t work. But abandoning it completely in favor of community notes is not the answer. Suggesting that it is a rational, evidence-based decision masks the reality. It’s a politically expedient move for someone who this week supported the resignation of self-proclaimed “radical” centrist Nick Clegg as head of global policy. A person who leans toward the Republican Party. He appointed Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship and a close Trump ally, to Meta&#39s board of directors.

In many ways, you can&#39t blame Zuckerberg for bending the knee to Donald Trump. The problem is that his decisions have a huge impact.

This is an extinction event for the idea of objective truth on social media. The creature was already on life support, but one of the reasons it&#39s hanging on is that Meta has decided to fund an independent fact-checking organization to try to keep some elements of social media afloat. This is because he was ambitious. Authenticity and freedom from political bias. Night is day. The top is the bottom. Meta is X. Mark Zuckerberg is Elon Musk. Live out four tumultuous, bitter and unfounded years online.