It all began with the unusual appearance of Elon Musk’s eyes.
In May, the president’s loyal companion looked visibly distressed while in the Oval Office. He laughed it off, attributing it to an incident with his five-year-old.
There were various theories circulating online. A wave of largely unverified speculation started to emerge, suspicious— and I must emphasize the word “suspected”— involving Musk; Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller; and his wife, political advisor Katie Miller. The Democrats posted an empty hotel room chair, signaling the infamous concept of cuckoldry.
Musk says the injuries to his eyes were a result of playing with his son – Video
I’m not alone in taking a twisted pleasure from other people’s relationship troubles. Subreddits like R/Relationships and R/AmitheasShole have become staples for viral posts, resembling portable soap operas or sitcoms, but with a certain spicy authenticity.
The saga involving Musk led me to R/Openmarriageregret, which reposts threads from the polyamory board for mining and warning stories about open relationships. These experiences suggest that juggling multiple relationships can twist us into unfamiliar shapes and potentially tear us apart.
The page opens with a tranquil introduction: “Life is about choices. Some people may regret theirs, while others take pride in them.”
It’s all very much a “don’t try this at home” scenario, intended for educational purposes.
Many posts unfold as you’d expect: a man pressures his wife for an open relationship, only to be stunned when he learns she’s sought after, while he feels like sexual kryptonite. But it can get even murkier.
One user wonders if it’s improper to “leave our honeymoon after my husband and his boyfriend kept abandoning me and my girlfriend.”
Another details a more contemporary sorrow: “My husband is keen on an open marriage to accommodate his AI girlfriend, claiming it’s the next step for them.” She describes him being increasingly distant, spending excessive time on his phone, smiling to himself, and retreating into his home office. He eventually hints at something significant.
No, it’s much worse. The user continues, “He expressed his desire to deepen the relationship with her,” which entails introducing AI to their children. “How am I supposed to remain married to someone who’s emotionally invested in a chatbot?”
In the comments, some share experiences of being enchanted by a simulation of a woman whose male partners don’t engage with him and are programmed to agree with everything he says.
The voyeurism in this group arises from two places: the related dramas are undeniably captivating, but so too is the way participants discuss these real-life scenarios. While commenters bring their own biases, they might not realize they’re entangled in the drama as well. The group’s members often subscribe to a single theme: individuals in open relationships crave novelty and attention, rendering the actual partner functionally irrelevant.
Naturally, theories don’t necessarily hold water. As long as alternatives continue to gain popularity, successful open relationships have existed for decades. Members in the group often move their irony forward, even in the presence of misinformation. “I really don’t know anyone in an open relationship or marriage,” admits one top commenter.
I recognize I’m complicit in what may be a somewhat unstable investment in this group. Yet, I can’t turn away. Who are these commenters? Who will experience heartache? Why are they so invested in the romantic troubles of others, their unraveling marriages? Why am I? The emotional thrill of gossip is undeniable; even typically humorous Democrats seem to thrive on it.
So let’s cast malice aside: I genuinely hope that the Musk-Miller situation resolves favorably. Claiming they belong together may indeed hold some truth!
Researchers have identified a newly found intermediate mass black hole designated NGC 6099 HLX-1, situated in a dense star cluster at the edge of the elliptical galaxy NGC 6099, nearly 40,000 light-years from the galaxy’s core.
X-ray and infrared imagery of NGC 6099 HLX-1. Image credits: NASA/CXC/Inst. Astronomy, Taiwan / YC Chang / ESA / STSCI / HST / J. Depasquale.
NGC 6099 is roughly 450 million light-years distant from the constellation Hercules.
Astronomers first detected an unusual X-ray source in a photo of the galaxy captured by NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory in 2009.
This source has since been studied further with ESA’s XMM-Newton Space Observatory.
“X-ray sources exhibiting such high luminosity are uncommon outside a galaxy’s nucleus and can be significant indicators for locating elusive central black holes,” states Dr. Yi-chi Chang, an astronomer at the National Tsing Hua University.
“These objects bridge a critical gap in the understanding of black holes, linking stellar mass black holes and supermassive black holes.”
The X-ray emissions from NGC 6099 HLX-1 reach a temperature of 3 million degrees, which aligns with events of tidal disruption.
Utilizing the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers discovered signs of a small cluster of stars encircling the black hole.
This cluster feasts on matter as the stars are densely grouped, just a few months away (approximately 500 billion miles).
The intriguing intermediate mass black hole peaked in brightness in 2012, after which its luminosity steadily decreased until 2023.
However, the optical and X-ray observations across this timeframe do not align, complicating interpretation.
The black hole may have disrupted captured stars, creating a plasma disk that exhibits variability, or it might have birthed a disk that flickers as gas spirals inward.
“If an intermediate mass black hole is consuming a star, how long does it take to digest the gas?” questions Dr. Roberto Soria, an astronomer from the National Institute of Astrophysics in Italy.
“In 2009, HLX-1 was relatively bright. By 2012, it was approximately 100 times brighter, but then its brightness declined again.”
. “Now, we need to observe and see if it enters multiple cycles and identify any peaks in activity.
The researchers stress the importance of examining central mass black holes to reveal the origins of larger supermassive black holes.
Two alternative theories are suggested. One posits that large galaxies grow by merging with other substantial galaxies, positioning intermediate mass black holes as components that help formulate even larger black holes. Intermediate mass black holes in galactic centers also expand during these collisions.
Hubble’s observations indicated a correlation: the larger the galaxy, the larger the black holes residing within. One fresh insight from this discovery suggests that galaxies may host intermediate mass black holes, existing within the halos of galaxies without necessarily spiraling toward the center.
Another theory suggests that gas clouds in primordial dark matter halos might collapse directly into supermassive black holes without first forming stars.
Observations indicating Webb’s distant black holes often appear disproportionately large compared to their host galaxies lend support to this hypothesis.
However, since smaller sizes are elusive, there may exist an observational bias toward detecting very large black holes in the early universe.
In truth, there’s considerable diversity in the methods by which black holes are generated in our dynamic universe.
Ultra-massive black holes collapsing within dark matter may evolve distinctly from those within dwarf galaxies, where accretion could be the primary growth mechanism.
“If fortune favors you, you might spot a wandering black hole suddenly brightening in X-rays due to a tidal disruption event,” Dr. Soria remarked.
“Conducting statistical studies will elucidate the frequency of these intermediate mass black holes, how often they consume stars, and the mechanisms by which galaxies have expanded through the amalgamation of smaller galaxies.”
Survey findings were published in the Astrophysical Journal.
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Yi-chi Chang et al. 2025. Multi-wavelength studies of high-light X-ray sources near NGC6099: A powerful IMBH candidate. APJ 983, 109; doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adbbee
Scientists don’t need reminding that hangovers are unpleasant. Excessive alcohol intake can trigger a cascade of headaches, nausea, fatigue, and inflammation.
While the long-term health hazards of alcohol consumption are well-known, it’s surprising that research on hangovers is quite limited.
“When I searched for ‘hangovers’, I found about 600 articles since 1945,” notes Professor J Leigh Leasure, who maintains a database of biomedical and lifestyle research. “It’s astonishing how little has been explored on this topic.”
Leasure, a neuroscientist at the University of Houston studying the effects of alcohol, is among the researchers striving to enhance our understanding of this unclear condition.
As a participant, she has experimented with various hangover remedies—from traditional eggs and bacon to electrolytes, vitamin mixes, and caffeine infusions.
High-Intensity Exercise to Sweat Out Hangovers
Meanwhile, some individuals tackle their hangovers through high-intensity workouts. Whether it’s a run or a spin and kettlebell class, the goal remains the same: to sweat out the “toxins” from the previous night.
“Interestingly, many people swear by sweating it out,” says Leasure.
In 2024, she and her colleagues released their first study examining whether exercise can alleviate hangover symptoms. Published in the journal Addictive Behavior, the research involved approximately 1,600 university students who had experienced at least one hangover in the past three months.
Participants completed a survey regarding their alcohol consumption, activity levels, and the frequency and severity of hangovers.
Some findings were unsurprising: increased drinking correlated with more severe hangovers.
However, the study also revealed that students who engaged in intense exercise during the previous three months reported fewer and less severe hangovers compared to those who were less active.
It’s worth mentioning that this was a retrospective study. The students were not tested in a controlled setting, so the results should be viewed with some caution.
This study suggests that vigorous exercise might generally mitigate the worst hangover effects, rather than alleviating them in the immediate aftermath.
Read more:
Reduced Inflammation from Elevated Endorphins
There’s reason to believe that training after a hangover can be beneficial. Endorphins released by rigorous exercise act as natural painkillers, which could help alleviate headaches.
One study indicates that high-intensity exercise is particularly effective at boosting endorphin production compared to lighter workouts.
Leasure posits that exercise may also have anti-inflammatory properties.
“One prevailing idea is that alcohol, especially in large amounts, elevates short-term inflammation, while exercise tends to counteract this,” she explains.
Research has shown that regular exercise can reduce the likelihood of chronic inflammation. In 2023, Harvard Research identified one mechanism involving the release of regulatory T cells that modulate the body’s inflammatory response.
Earlier studies suggest that moderate exercise for just 20 minutes can trigger an anti-inflammatory response.
However, don’t expect to break personal records on your morning run. While exercise can help with hangovers, the hangover itself can impair performance, says Leasure.
“As one might expect, hangovers don’t improve athletic performance. Research indicates they make physical activity more challenging.”
One significant idea is that alcohol increases inflammation, while exercise has the opposite effect – Illustrated Credit: Jamie Coe
Another unexpected finding emerged from Leasure’s study.
“There is a substantial body of literature examining the connection between exercise and alcohol consumption,” she states. “Physically active individuals tend to drink, which seems somewhat paradoxical.”
One theory from Leasure and her colleagues suggests that people often have a debit and credit mindset regarding health. Engaging in unhealthy habits like drinking might lead some to compensate by pursuing healthier activities, such as an intense workout on a Sunday morning.
As this study continues, the effects on hangovers will become clearer.
About Our Experts
Professor J Leigh Leasure is a neuroscientist and associate professor in the Department of Biology and Biochemistry, focusing on the effects of alcohol at the University of Houston in the United States. She has published in multiple scientific journals including Alcohol, Neuroplasticity, and Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
Shares of struggling retailers and well-known consumer brands have surged as amateur traders cast aside Wall Street doubt and mobilized online. It resembles the events of 2021.
However, this new memestock rally may eclipse those from four years ago, when investors flocked to familiar but overlooked stocks like video game retailer GameStop and cinema chain AMC.
Retailers Coles, camera company GoPro, fast food chain Wendy’s, and donut chain Krispy Kreme this week accelerated the rise of well-known volatile stocks, fueled by social media chatter reminiscent of the 2021 meme stock frenzy.
Actress Sidney Sweeney sparked excitement around clothing retailer American Eagle Outfitters after announcing her involvement in the brand’s new marketing campaign. Consequently, the company’s shares surged approximately 10% during Thursday’s trading.
Meme stocks “are poised to expand in size and scope, reconfiguring what’s deemed important in retail,” as per Jaime Rogozinski, founder of The WallstreetBets Reddit forums responsible for numerous volatile gatherings.
“The finance landscape is undeniably evolving with blockchain and AI trading autonomously,” he noted. “And retail groups are adapting alongside these changes.”
Rogozinski launched WallstreetBets in 2012 but was removed as a moderator by Reddit in 2020.
Forum participants actively share their research and insights. “It represents a decentralization of financial analysis power,” stated Noor Al, a moderator at WallstreetBets. “Great ideas can originate from anyone, anywhere.
“We observe the substantial influence of collective financial power, driven by ideas and community,” he added.
The 2021 memestock trend produced influencers like the memeable Kitty, emerging from a time when many amateur traders were confined at home and buoyed by pandemic relief funds.
It’s uncertain if this latest wave will yield similar successes. This week, Kohl’s shares soared by 32%, GoPro jumped 66%, and Krispy Kreme rose by 41%. These spikes illustrate that some investors are increasingly willing to embrace risk, especially with record stock highs making it hard for tech-heavy markets to outpace.
Investing in memestocks is often seen as an emotional or ideological choice, rather than grounded in economic fundamentals. Donald Trump’s Trump Media & Technology Group, which owns Truth Social, is currently valued at over $5 billion, generating roughly $1 million in quarterly revenue.
The spirit of Wallstreet Bets “has long embraced a mix of irony and relevance to the stock market,” Rogozinski mentioned, referencing fast food chain Wendy’s. “Wendy’s has maintained its meme status for the past decade. It always brings a sense of amusement because, on Reddit, you often see something like, ‘Sir, this is Wendy’s.’
“It’s an inside joke with roots I’m unsure of. It’s simply a meme,” he added. The fleeting spike in stocks—like a 10% increase over two days—illustrates that some retail investors may not prioritize typical market drivers, such as inflation and geopolitical conflicts. “It showcases our tendency to mock the financial system.”
Ultimately, long-term institutional players often secure the last laugh, Rogozinski acknowledged. “Yet in the short term, there’s ample opportunity in this volatility. The rapid fluctuations of stocks highlight a crucial need for relevance within the financial system.”
The present market landscape doesn’t entirely mirror the low-interest rates and retail investors’ optimism from the COVID-19 era, but current market records and a strong economy are once again making meme stocks appealing. “We’re witnessing signs that this is a robust meme revival,” stated Brent Kochuba, founder of derivative-data company Spotgamma. He informed Bloomberg.
“The macroeconomic environment is particularly favorable for retail and speculative investments,” Al concurred. “We observed increased speculation and enthusiasm, with retail players responding quicker and offering insights.”
Logoszynski noted that traders aren’t necessarily focused on a company’s financial health. “This activist said, ‘I don’t care about the financials, the discounted cash flow. I like food, I like video games. I like memes.’
Currently, there’s an added “third factor” influencing investments, exceeding traditional supply and demand. “It doesn’t matter if it goes up or down or what assets or liabilities it possesses; I’m drawn to this company.”
ANania Williams is Genress, known to some for their comedic TikTok videos and to others as the host of Gader, a viral show focusing on queer culture, history, and current events. Their interview with New York City mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani gained significant attention, and Williams has also made an impact through performance art, including open icons like Chapel Lawn and Bob the Drug Queen, and various roles in musical theatre such as Laura in Kinky Boots and Dominique in Lucky Stiff.
For years, Williams has crafted a creative universe all their own. At just 25, this gender non-conforming Black artist employs their/her pronouns and has cultivated a strong social media presence with over 2.8 million followers. They are carving a niche for themselves outside the traditional binary. In their upcoming project, Williams will star in the new musical Saturday Church at the New York Theatre Workshop, debuting on August 27th. The production explores the sanctuary for LGBTQ+ youth. “It’s a musical that captures a unique atmosphere,” Williams remarked. “It embodies a strange, black joy and conveys a beautiful message.”
Williams embraces another role in their burgeoning theatre career as a trans woman. “The more I embraced my transition, the more positive I felt,” they shared. “It was empowering to inhabit spaces where I could truly be myself.” Their talent and charisma make their ascent seem almost predestined. As they juggle various projects, navigating their extensive future and the complexities of being an online presence remains an ongoing challenge.
Growing Up
Growing up in Davenport, Iowa, a town of about 100,000 in the industrial Midwest, posed its own challenges for Williams. They faced bullying at school for “having a girl’s name,” and their family life was marked by turbulence, including abuse and neglect. However, life in the Midwest also planted the seeds for their artistic aspirations. As a child, they sang in the church choir and later joined the show choir, inspired by their sister.
Williams pursued a Musical Theatre Program at Emerson College in Boston. This period became pivotal, allowing them to reflect on their identity and desires. Still, the world of musical theatre presented its own binaries and constraints. As someone who identifies outside traditional gender norms and as a Black individual, Williams felt restricted. “I thought, ‘It feels forbidden to exist beyond the gender binary,’ and simultaneously to be Black,” Williams recalled.
Even as Williams sought to carve their path, they encountered resistance from professors. “They kept questioning why I gravitated toward ‘girl’s songs.’ I tried to explain, but it fell flat,” Williams shared.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Williams returned to their hometown and, like many, awaited a return to normalcy. The quarantine period prompted significant reflection and helped them fully acknowledge their gender identity. “I had to confront some truths, like, ‘Yes, I’m different. Yes, I might be gender non-conforming.’ It spiraled from there,” they recounted.
Around the same time, they began creating content on TikTok, quickly gaining recognition for their humorous rants during late-night walks. Much of their content served as spontaneous commentary on topics including religion and personal relationships. In 2022, they began discussing their gender identity more openly, sharing videos about their makeup and drag routines.
Reflecting on that time evokes mixed emotions for Williams. On one hand, they cherish the growth they experienced alongside a loyal audience. “My audience has been with me through my evolution,” they expressed. “They watched me put on makeup for the first time or try on my first wig. Those supporters motivate me to continue, even as I sometimes wish to revert to the earlier version of myself.”
The Rise of Gader
The nature of their content has continually evolved. In 2024, Williams became the host of Gader, a show created by Amelia Montooth on the company’s mutual media platform. The show quizzes various guests on queer culture to determine if they exhibit “straight, homophobic” tendencies, with questions about “lipstick lesbians” that assess guest knowledge of gay icons. In many instances, Williams learns alongside participants in real time. “I didn’t even know who Sue Bird was, and I was being schooled by the lesbians on the street.”
The show creates a comedic environment intended to educate audiences. “We weave fascinating histories and cultures into accessible questions and snippets, ensuring a relaxed atmosphere for learning,” Williams explained. “We provide facts and context, urging viewers to care about these narratives.”
Initially, early versions of the show featured Williams interacting with strangers on the street, but it has since hosted many public figures and celebrities, including Vivienne Jenna Wilson, the daughter of singer Lucy Dux, Rene Rapp, and billionaire Elon Musk. A highlight was having progressive NYC mayoral candidate Mamdani as one of their guests, who generated buzz as one of the first politicians to appear on the show. Mamdani surprised attendees by succeeding in a challenge at a popular lesbian bar in Manhattan.
“He was so open and engaging throughout,” Williams noted. “We educated the younger audience about who he is, and he spoke about his vision,” they added. “It feels rewarding to contribute to the contemporary discourse in this way, knowing we’re making an impact.”
Williams’ journey hasn’t been without challenges, facing harsh criticism as they have become more vocal about their transition. “People are trying to categorize aspects like fashion, makeup, and hair, as if I must adhere to certain stereotypes,” Williams said, referring to online trolls. “While I hope society is becoming more accustomed to the presence of trans individuals, I feel there’s still a narrow, stereotypical vision of what trans identities should look like.”
Yet, Williams has managed to maintain genuine connections, alongside the trials of their journey. They are supported by family and childhood friends, a partner, and acquaintances from TikTok. Outside content creation, they indulge in hobbies like baking and gaming, steering clear of the pressures to monetize their life. “I was working on a birthday cake for a friend later that night,” Williams laughed. “I can recall the color but not the flavor—either red velvet or strawberry!”
While computers have triumphed in chess, go, and poker, humans maintain an edge in competitive coding.
Recently, Polish coder and mind sports champion Przemysław Dębiak narrowly defeated OpenAI participants at the Atcoder World Tour Finals 2025 held in Tokyo. The elite coder, known online as Psyho, anticipates he might be the last to claim such an honorable title due to rapid technological advancements.
“That’s a distinct possibility,” said Psyho, 41, who previously worked at OpenAI before retiring five years ago. “I enjoy these competitions and acknowledge there’s this incredible entity that can challenge me more than I might expect.”
Psyho expresses a certain skepticism regarding his contribution to the decline of his profession.
“Before the competition, I tweeted, ‘Live by the sword, die by the sword,'” he reflected. “I was part of the AI development. Ultimately, I will be the one who loses in this match. For now, I emerged victorious.”
Polish programmer Przemysław Dębiak, alias Psyho. Photo: Provided by Przemysław Dębiak
The Atcoder Euristic Division featured 11 human competitors (invited based on global rankings) and a coding algorithm developed by OpenAI, which secured second place. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman congratulated the participants via Twitter.
The 10-hour competition entails solving intricate optimization challenges. Classic problems in this category include the traveling salesman problem, where participants must determine the shortest routes between multiple cities, visiting each only once. While these challenges are straightforward in concept, finding optimal solutions proves computationally complex. Consequently, ChatGPT is often used for generating boilerplate code, although its effectiveness on open-ended logic problems is regarded as noteworthy.
“Currently, humans excel at inference and tackling complex problems,” Psyho stated. However, humans are constrained by the pace at which they can code, while AI can rapidly explore countless minor adjustments.
“This model essentially allows for cloning a single person multiple times to work in parallel,” he elucidated. “While AI may not be the most intelligent option presently, it is certainly the fastest. In many cases, duplicating an average individual several times might yield better outcomes than relying on one exceptional individual.”
These findings emerge amid major tech companies like Meta and Microsoft increasingly adopting AI for software development. Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, cautioned that AI could displace 20% of white-collar jobs in the upcoming 1 to 5 years, as reported in May.
“Today, nearly every profession faces this challenge,” Psyho commented. “Some individuals are now performing all white-collar tasks. Automation in manual labor, however, still lags a few years behind.”
Like many in the industry, Psyho expresses uncertainty about the implications of increasingly advanced AI models. “We have numerous issues,” he remarked. “Disinformation, social manipulation, and a lack of purpose among people. Historically, societal progress has been slow, but technological advancements are accelerating at an unprecedented pace.”
Just before lunchtime on the third day, the line outside Elon Musk’s newly opened Tesla Diner in Hollywood had swelled to nearly 100 people.
This eatery is described as a “retro-futuristic” drive-in, offering high-end burgers alongside classic films projected on a massive screen while you charge your Tesla.
After much anticipation and debate, the diner suddenly opened on Monday at 4:20 p.m., reminiscent of a humorous quip from a stoner. Hundreds of enthusiasts queued to sample burgers served in cybertruck-shaped boxes and to snap photos of the Optimus robot dishing out popcorn from a sparkling, circular rooftop deck.
However, just two days later, the Tesla Diner experience felt less like a futuristic marvel and more like a lesson in how things can go awry. Various aspects were lacking, and the food was merely average, yet fans continued to form lines and make purchases.
On Wednesday morning, the queue to enter was quite lengthy, partly due to technical difficulties. The app designed for Tesla drivers to order from their vehicles was malfunctioning, leading staff to prioritize Tesla owners who needed to order inside. This caused non-Tesla drivers in the walk-up line to potentially wait 2-3 hours for their meals.
The robot is set to serve popcorn at Tesla Diner in Los Angeles, California, on Tuesday. Photo: Allison Dinner/EPA
We hoped to see some movement in the walk-up line, but only two families of Tesla owners returned to order from their cars. Even with the app’s issues, they would receive their food more quickly. This created a clear hierarchy: while everyone faced difficulties, Tesla owners were buffered from some of them.
For the rest of us, waiting in the hot sun didn’t exactly embody “retrofuturism.” It felt more like a mix of beautiful, Tesla-inspired, modern mid-century architecture combined with slow service. While a Star Trek episode played on a giant screen, the most entertaining sight was the parade of outfitted cybertrucks arriving and leaving. We counted at least six in neon orange with Texas plates riding on grand custom rims. I was documenting my observations on social media, but curiously, I didn’t see any anti-Musk protests planned for later in the week.
‘That’s Reality’
Musk’s special projects often emerge amid some confusion. Most recently, his efforts to disrupt significant portions of the U.S. government resulted in silence alongside the president he supported. He reportedly spent around $300 million on selective initiatives.
While Tesla fans are treated to premium burgers, managing an electric vehicle is considered much simpler than launching a space rocket, creating brain implants, or overseeing a social media platform devoid of hate speech or harassment. Chef Eric Greenspan, who partners with Musk in the diner, has noteworthy culinary credentials, advising businesses like Beast Burger and renowned establishments like Tartine Bakery.
Nevertheless, billionaire CEOs often make grand promises that frequently remain unfulfilled. This seemed to hold true even for the small burger joint.
You don’t need to own a Tesla to enjoy a meal here. Its allure clearly extends beyond Tesla drivers. On Wednesday, many individuals in the walk-up line arrived with young children eager to experience Tesla Diner after seeing it in videos online. While we waited, staff wearing branded shirts served us water and handed out paper menus.
Jake Hook, who operates a “diner theory” social media account focused on Los Angeles, described Tesla Diner’s menu as “eclectic.” It features options that mix “Libs Own the Libs” with “We Are Libs,” offering everything from a “magnificent bacon” dish boasting four types of bacon instead of fries to avocado toast and matcha lattes, even a kale salad served in cardboard cyber trucks. Welcome to Southern California.
Food from Elon Musk’s new Tesla Diner. Photo: Lois Beckett/Guardian
Hook mentioned, “Diners serve as a reflection of the community, and that’s not quite what we’re seeing here. It feels more like a diner-themed restaurant.”
Staff provided an update to diners in the walk-up line, letting them know chicken, waffles, milkshakes, and “recharged soda” with boba and cherries were unavailable.
“It’s getting better and better,” a man behind me sighed.
Josh Bates and his son Phoenix were visiting from Orange County. “We’re major Musk fans,” he stated.
Phoenix, who is 10, was thrilled to visit the diner. “I’ve never seen Elon Musk open a restaurant, so I just wanted to see what the food was like,” he shared.
However, after waiting 20 minutes without moving closer to the counter, Bates chose to look for lunch elsewhere. “It’s an epic opening; things happen,” he remarked. “That’s just how it is. They’re doing their best.”
Bates wasn’t alone in this sentiment. Ivan Daza, 36, a Los Angeles resident, mentioned he had waited two hours the day prior, only to find the Tesla diner kitchen closed. He returned the next day with his 8-year-old daughter, who was particularly eager to see the Optimus robot after watching videos. Unfortunately, it turned out that Optimus was not operational.
Daza expressed surprise at the array of kitchen issues. He expected a “Plan B.” Still, he appreciated the “experience” the diner offered.
The prices, while steep, were reasonable for Los Angeles. A burger, for example, cost $13.50 without fries. He chuckled recounting how long it took him to get his meal: “It was tasty.”
Tesla Diner food is presented in boxes shaped like a cyber truck. Photo: Allison Dinner/EPA
The interior design resembled a blend of Disneyland and fine dining; sparkling chrome, futuristic white chairs, and stunning lighting created an inviting ambiance. A curved staircase leading to a SkyPad showcased robots in a display case, while the actual kitchen appeared surprisingly low-tech behind curved chrome windows.
I stood in line for an entire hour to place my order. Finally reaching the register, I asked the staff what was actually available. She directed me to the screen, stating I would need to check there for options. Contrary to earlier reports, I was indeed able to order both chicken and waffles.
After a prolonged wait outside, my food arrived in about 10 minutes—far shorter than the feared 3-hour wait, yet still unreasonably long for any fast-casual experience. The waffles were disappointingly cold, with a Tesla Lightning Bolt logo, and while the fried chicken had a delicious crust, it too was lukewarm. The kale and tomato salad lacked adequate dressing, tasting oddly of dill. The generic cola tasted cheap and was served with a bamboo straw. That said, the food did come in an elaborate cyber truck box, which was quite fun.
Locals seemed to brush off the initial glitches at the new diner, while some tourists were less forgiving. Rick Ying, 32, visiting Los Angeles from China with his mother, stopped by for a “quick lunch” before heading to the airport, only to find it wasn’t quick at all. Both Yi and Yang expected to see the Optimus robot in action and hoped for a more technologically advanced experience but described it as just a “regular restaurant.”
“It’s okay,” he said while waiting for his meal. Once he finished eating, he stated that he liked the cyber truck box, calling it “the only thing worth it.”
Musk’s “Retrofuturism”
I took my meal to the upper level, Skypad, an outdoor balcony with a view of the recharged Teslas. The Twilight Zone played on two massive screens as I sat near those purchasing Tesla Diner merchandise: a $95 retro diner hoodie, a $65 Tesla salt and pepper shaker, and a $175 “Levitering Cyber Truck” figurine.
A large popcorn machine stood nearby; it seemed like Optimus was serving snacks on opening night. Earlier that morning, I noted Musk’s social media post claiming, “Optimus will deliver food to your car next year,” hinting at the robot potentially donning a “cute” retro outfit.
However, Optimus was nowhere in sight. An employee later informed me, “He’s not here today. Maybe tomorrow.”
A general view of Elon Musk’s new Tesla Diner in Hollywood, California. Photo: Aaronp/Bauer-Griffin/GC Image
“Can I still get popcorn if there’s no robot?” a woman asked.
“It’s probably old popcorn,” the employee regrettably replied.
Another staff member cautioned that I couldn’t take the same staircase I had used to reach Skypad. I will say that it consisted of plain flights of stairs lacking any high-tech embellishments.
Despite the company’s recent revenue and profit declines revealed in Wednesday’s earnings call, Musk touted the diner as a success, calling it “a sparkling beacon of hope amid a gloomy urban landscape.” (It sits near Santa Monica Boulevard, flanked by upscale art galleries.)
While reflecting on the “retrofuturist” experience while standing in line, I contemplated how well it aligned with the conservative political project Musk promotes. This ordinary diner unfolds in a future where electric vehicle delivery expands alongside ongoing public health crises.
To thrive in today’s U.S. landscape, compartmentalization must be exceptionally effective. I lifted the cardboard cyber truck lid, showed my colleagues the Tesla waffles, and continued with my day. There might not be immediate improvements, but hey, at least it was an experience.
Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang has called for the nation to unite in advancing the development and security of rapidly evolving technologies, following the U.S.’s recent announcement regarding industry registrations.
Speaking at the annual World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, Li referred to AI as a fresh engine for economic growth, highlighting the disjointed governance of the technology and advocating for improved international cooperation to establish a universally recognized AI framework.
On Saturday, Li cautioned that the advancement of artificial intelligence must be balanced against security concerns, emphasizing the urgent need for a global consensus.
His statements followed the announcement from President Donald Trump about a proactive low-regulation approach aimed at solidifying control in swiftly evolving sectors. One executive order specifically targeted what the White House termed an “awakening” AI model.
While addressing the World AI Conference, Li stressed the importance of governance and the promotion of open-source development.
“The risks and challenges associated with artificial intelligence have garnered significant attention. Finding a balance between progress and security necessitates a broader consensus from society,” the Prime Minister stated.
Li asserted that China would “actively promote” open-source AI development, expressing willingness to share advancements with other nations, particularly those in the Global South.
The three-day conference positioned AI as a critical battleground, as industry leaders and policymakers from the two largest global economies faced off in a growing technological rivalry between China and the U.S.
Washington has implemented export restrictions on advanced technologies to China, including high-end AI chips from companies like NVIDIA, citing concerns that such technologies could enhance China’s military capabilities.
Although Li did not specifically mention the U.S. in her address, she cautioned that AI could become an “exclusive game” for certain nations and corporations, highlighting issues such as a shortage of AI chips and limitations on the exchange of talent.
As AI is integrated across numerous industries, its applications have raised significant ethical concerns, ranging from misinformation dissemination to employment impacts and the potential for loss of technical oversight.
Earlier this week, news organizations alerted online audiences about the “devastating effects” of AI-generated summaries replacing traditional search results.
The World AI Conference is an annual government-sponsored gathering in Shanghai that typically draws participants from various sectors, including industry players, government representatives, researchers, and investors.
Speakers at the event included ANE Bouverot, the AI envoy for the French President, computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, known as “The Godfather of AI,” and former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk did not participate this year, although he has been a regular speaker at both in-person and video openings in previous years.
The exhibition showcased Chinese tech corporations like Huawei and Alibaba, along with startups such as humanoid robot maker Unitree. Western participants included Tesla, Alphabet, and Amazon.
POriswork often resembles neither a shield nor a duty; it’s primarily focused on documentation, online training, and educating individuals about driver criminal courses. Yet sometimes, reality echoes artistry. In 2020, the International Police infiltrated Encrochat, an encrypted phone network utilized by organized crime groups globally. They had a staggering 74 days of access to all communications, images, and plans involving drug trafficking, money laundering, scams, and homicide. “It was like LinkedIn for organized crime,” remarks Matt Horn, principal commander of the UK’s National Crime Agency (not an actor from Gavin & Stacey).
Operation Dark Phone: Murder by Text (Sunday, 9pm, Channel 4) presents a documentary drama that artfully centers around these messages, providing a gripping insight into how criminal enterprises function. Here, “sweets” refer to bullets, while “pineapple” signifies a homemade projectile. A violent British criminal, known for lying low in Spain, orchestrates a corrosive attack on a rival, even while sharing images of his breakfast: sliced cucumber with paprika—quite the culinary juxtaposition. The advised trick is to ensure the victim can’t reach the sink, allowing the acid to do its grim work. Not so appetizing.
The show is steeped in remarkably dark humor, largely courtesy of usernames like “Click” on an anonymous platform. Names like “Mystical Steaks,” “Worthy Bridges,” and “Top Shags” contain the absurdity akin to Chris Morris’s work. At one point, an agent describes interactions with the user “Livelong” and “Ball-Sniffer,” assuming the latter’s lowly status. Agents in their respective fields navigate through a thrilling narrative. Typically, they handle fewer than 100 explicit life threats in a year, yet during this operation, they intercepted over 150 in just six weeks. Logistically, that poses a challenge.
Detectives had access to criminal messages for 74 days. Photo: Channel 4
The show excels in captivating its audience. The narrative arc introduces well-developed characters and builds tension towards a crescendo. “Ace-Prospect” is seen importing firearms into the UK, while “Livelong” seeks revenge against him. Neither side, connected through intermediaries, knows the identity of the opposing party. The NCA faces a time crunch, often receiving message data a full day late, leading to a relentless race against time. A dilemma arises when an Ace-Prospect hitman mistakenly delivers a “pineapple” to a rival’s garden without it detonating—how do they safeguard the lives of nearby children while upholding their covert mission?
This narrative is far more enticing than traditional Crimewatch formats. Rather than petty criminals, it presents affluent players orchestrating offenses from afar. Is it ethical? Is there a risk of glamorizing crime? The visual portrayal evokes leisure, showcasing luxurious pools, gym-toned physiques, and cinematic weapons. The actor portraying Livelong bears a striking resemblance to Claes Bang and often appears shirtless. Nevertheless, beneath the surface, it’s a moral tale. The text echoes horrifying fantasies: “I’ll take his eyes out and chase him around all the prisons,” reminiscent of an acid-infused nightmare.
Gang members contributed to their own downfall with constant oversharing, boasting, and vanity. Photo: Channel 4
The allure lies not just in the medium but in the underlying message. The downfall of these criminals stems from superficial behavior, incessant sharing, and physical vanity driven by social media pride. Livelong’s identity is ultimately exposed when he posts a triumphant selfie. Just imagine an old-school criminal’s disbelief at this premise; I envision them slapping their foreheads, only to forget to release their fists and knock themselves out.
The criticism leveled at the series arises from the realization that this isn’t mere dramatization—it’s grounded in reality. Part of the critique stems from fear—a reminder to us that there exist individuals who trivialize their lives and revel in violence. Operation Dark Phone is a four-part documentary series providing a harrowing glimpse into police operations, promising even more astounding revelations as the story unfolds. If your faith in humanity feels shaken, you might want to skip this one. Just in case, you might want to avoid supermarket pineapples too.
Parasites transmitted by cats may influence the behavior of nearly half of the global population, leading to riskier behaviors and increased aggression.
A recent review article aggregated various studies to emphasize the significance of considering both mental health and the physical consequences of parasite infections.
Reviews published in Frontiers of Psychiatry focus on the most prevalent parasitic infections affecting humans, particularly Toxoplasma gondii.
These parasites can enhance the production of dopamine, a hormone associated with feelings of pleasure, in the brain.
While increased dopamine may seem beneficial, it actually promotes detrimental behaviors, resulting in poor impulse control, heightened aggression, and an increase in risky sexual practices.
“The societal implications of these findings are significant,” the study notes. “The potential for behavioral modifications due to widespread infections of parasites like T. gondii highlights that such infectious diseases can lead to psychological and social challenges in addition to medical ones.”
“Particularly, the likelihood that these infections can intensify aggressive and impulsive behaviors raises vital considerations for understanding and preventing violence and behavioral disorders.”
It is estimated that 30-60% of the global population may be infected with T. gondii, though rates in the U.S. are significantly lower, around 10%.
Most healthy adults do not exhibit obvious physical symptoms, resulting in many infections going unnoticed.
The ultimate target for T. gondii – the cat’s digestive system. Image source: Getty Images/Artmarie
Cats are primary hosts for these parasites as they reproduce within the cat’s digestive system, forming egg-like structures known as oocysts.
Once cats excrete waste, these oocysts can contaminate the environment, infiltrating soil, water, and vegetation. Other animals, including the prey of cats like birds and rodents, may ingest them.
In a bid to return to a cat’s digestive tract, T. gondii has adapted to manipulate the brain chemistry of these prey species, making them less likely to escape and more likely to be consumed.
Humans primarily contract T. gondii through handling cat feces or consuming undercooked foods. Fortunately, there are simple measures to reduce the risk of infection.
Thoroughly wash your hands, knives, and cutting boards after handling raw food, especially meat.
Ensure that lamb, pork, venison, and other meats are cooked thoroughly.
Thoroughly rinse fruits and vegetables under running water.
Avoid unpasteurized milk and dairy products, especially goat milk.
Wear gloves while gardening.
Exercise caution and wash hands after cleaning the cat’s litter box.
Recent studies indicate that elevated temperatures have led to increased groundwater infiltration, exacerbating drought conditions and accelerating evaporation, thereby significantly decreasing the availability of freshwater.
The concept of “continental aridity” reallocates oceanic water to an extent, outpacing the melting of ice sheets as the primary factor contributing to global sea level rise, according to the research.
Loss of land water can severely affect access to safe drinking water and the ability to cultivate crops in some of the most fertile agricultural areas worldwide.
“We consume a significant amount of water for food production,” stated Jay Famiglietti, a professor at Arizona State University’s School of Sustainability and one of the study’s authors. “If conditions remain unaltered, we anticipate that this will influence food security and overall water availability.”
The findings should be viewed as a primary concern by the public, resource managers, and global decision-makers, the researchers asserted. Research indicates that the identified trends convey a profoundly concerning message regarding the past effects of climate change.
“The continent is becoming drier, freshwater sustainability is diminishing, and the pace of sea level rise is accelerating,” the authors noted.
Published on Friday in the Advances in Journal Science, the study examines shifts in terrestrial water sources, including lakes, subterranean aquifers, and soil moisture over the last two decades. The researchers discovered that various elements, notably climate change, are disrupting Earth’s natural water cycle and complicating its flow between land, oceans, and the atmosphere.
Utilizing data from four NASA satellite suites, researchers analyzed terrestrial water storage modifications over the past 22 years. The satellites are specifically designed to monitor Earth’s water movement, including variations in ice sheets, glaciers, and underground reserves.
For instance, researchers found that arid regions of the world have been rapidly drying since 2014, with these drought-impacted areas expanding annually by regions twice the size of California.
In certain instances, areas experiencing drought have grown into large interconnected “megadry” spaces, as indicated by the research. One such vicinity encompasses Central America, Mexico, California, the southwestern United States, the lower Colorado River basin, and segments of the Southern Plateau.
“The essential takeaway here is that water is indeed a crucial factor influencing changes observed on both land and at sea,” remarked Benjamin Hamlington, a research scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who was part of the science team facilitating decades of data used in this new investigation.
The study revealed that all major land masses, except Greenland and Antarctica, have witnessed unprecedented dryness since 2002.
This widespread continental aridity is anticipated to have significant ramifications for humanity, with researchers noting that three-quarters of the global population resides in nations where freshwater resources are diminishing.
Simultaneously, rising oceans threaten coastal areas globally, decreasing habitability and increasing vulnerabilities to extreme storms and flooding. In the U.S., severe weather has contributed to insurance crises in coastal cities prone to these extreme events.
The correlation between sea level rise and the depletion of groundwater is a consequence of disrupting the planet’s water cycle. Many of these changes, such as excessive groundwater extraction, are regarded as permanent and could remain irreversible for millennia, according to Alexander Sims, a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
“When water is extracted from the land, the only viable destination is the ocean,” he explained. “This water then enters the atmosphere, with 88% eventually returning as precipitation on Earth, leading back to the ocean.”
Sims acknowledged that while the study is significant for estimating the global scale of water losses, he harbors doubts about the assertion that these continental water losses outweigh ice sheet melting as the primary contributor to sea level rise.
However, Hamlington emphasized that this study illustrates how the movement of water around the Earth generates substantial ripple effects. It also suggests that further groundwater depletion could diminish freshwater supplies further and exacerbate drought conditions, with implications for the future.
“Monitoring terrestrial water storage is a crucial piece of the puzzle,” he added. “Understanding where that water is moving will aid us in predicting future droughts, floods, and the availability of water resources.”
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Global freshwater resources are dwindling
Intensive extraction, evaporation, and groundwater loss driven by increasing temperatures are causing freshwater to flow from continents into oceans. This poses a significant risk to water supply for a large portion of the global population and contributes to rising sea levels.
Jay Famiglietty from Arizona State University and his team utilized satellite gravity measurements to assess changes in the total volume of water stored on land. This encompasses all types of freshwater, including rivers, underground aquifers, glaciers, and ice sheets.
Their findings reveal an unexpected reduction in freshwater resources across many regions worldwide from 2002 to 2024. Surprisingly, even arid areas are not experiencing increased dryness; the anticipated effects of climate change are extending over 800,000 square kilometers annually.
The researchers pinpointed four major “mega-dry” zones where distinct areas of freshwater depletion converge, leading to widespread aridification. These regions include Northern Canada and Russia, where losses are exacerbated by glacier retreat, thawing permafrost, and diminished snowfall.
In the remaining two regions, groundwater depletion resulting from agriculture is the primary cause of water loss. These areas, which cover much of the Southwestern U.S. and Central America, extend from Western Europe and North Africa to northern India and China. Groundwater depletion is worsened by heat and drought, compelling increased water extraction, which accounts for 68% of the total decline in water reserves.
This extensive water redistribution has become a significant contributor to sea level rise, adding nearly a millimeter to ocean levels each year since 2015, with terrestrial water losses outpacing those from Antarctic and Greenland ice melt.
According to the researchers, these patterns “likely convey a troubling message regarding the earlier effects of climate change.” They argue that “the continent is drying, freshwater resources are diminishing, and sea level rise is accelerating.”
While previous studies have identified these arid trends in specific areas, Manoochehr Shirzaei of Virginia Tech emphasizes that the strength of this research lies in its global perspective. “We’re not generating or losing water; we’re merely redistributing it. Unfortunately, this redistribution isn’t favoring the right areas,” he notes.
“The next step involves conducting a thorough analysis to isolate the factors driving groundwater depletion,” adds Benjamin Cook from Columbia University in New York. “It’s necessary to clarify the distinctions between the narratives of climate change and groundwater depletion.”
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The individuals we associate with may influence our health
Rob Wilkinson/Alamy
Many people in our lives may evoke anxiety instead of happiness. Interestingly, these individuals can actually accelerate the aging process.
Psychologists have long understood that robust social connections can enhance our longevity. A study indicates that social isolation may impact mortality rates as much as obesity and inactivity.
Moreover, the quality of our relationships holds equal significance to their quantity. Research from the University of Utah in 2012 revealed that tumultuous relationships—those marked by intense highs and lows—can accelerate telomere shortening, a protective cap on chromosomes. This shortening is a natural part of aging and is linked to health issues like heart disease.
Recently, Byungkyu Lee from New York University and his team explored a more precise measure of aging, investigating how negative social connections influence small chemical changes in DNA known as methylation marks. These changes illustrate how behavior and environment can alter gene function through epigenetics. “As we age, the patterns of these marks change in predictable ways,” states Lee.
The researchers collected saliva samples for epigenetic analysis from 2,232 individuals, who described their relationships with significant members of their social circles and indicated their experiences on a scale of “Never,” “Rarely,” “Sometimes,” or “Frequently.”
Interestingly, many participants labeled these negative influences as “hustlers.” “Over half of adults report having at least one hustler among their close contacts,” notes Lee.
These people seem to have a considerable effect on an individual’s epigenetic markers, with each hustler linked to approximately a 0.5% increase in biological aging, suggesting that individuals with hustlers in their lives tend to have a biological age that is older than their chronological age.
Negative social ties can induce chronic stress responses, and Lee’s team observed elevated markers in those relationships, leading to immune system damage.
“The biological ramifications of a significant number of hustlers in one’s social network are certainly comparable to the differences seen between smokers and non-smokers,” Lee asserts.
This effect was notably pronounced among hustlers who, paradoxically, provided some form of social support. “The same person who comforts you today may criticize you tomorrow, effectively branding you as bad and causing more physiological harm than a relationship that could potentially offer more stability,” explains Lee.
Alex Haslam from the University of Queensland remarked that the findings “align with other studies exploring these dynamics and underscore the importance of social relationships in relation to health.”
He further suggested that the overall sentiment within a group may influence aging even more than specific individual relationships. “For instance, being part of a book club or a choir may mean that it’s my connection to the entire group that plays a role in my health.”
A solar-powered surveillance drone boasting a wingspan larger than that of the Boeing 747 is capable of flying continuously for weeks or even months, as claimed by its operators. A test flight is currently underway off the US Gulf Coast this month.
Run by the US-Spanish venture Skydweller Aero, the Skydweller drone features a 72-meter wingspan, surpassing the width of most commercial jets. Weighing approximately 2,500 kilograms—similar to a Ford F-150 truck—this drone aims to achieve the first solar-powered flight globally, which was targeted for 2016, with a mission to carry out “pure targeted flights” over 13 kilometers during daylight, while aspiring towards building a “comparable solar-powered carbon fiber drone.”
The Skydweller drone executed the world’s inaugural autonomous solar-powered flight in April 2024, with several subsequent test flights conducted throughout the year. Military funding evaluations are focusing on the viability of marine drone patrols. Military funding is assessing the feasibility of marine drone patrols.
Most recently, the solar-powered drone accomplished its longest flight after departing from Stennis International Airport in Mississippi on July 20. According to the Flightradar24 Flight Tracking Service, it remained aloft over the Gulf Coast for more than three days, landing on July 23. The service also indicated that, on July 14, the drone had flown for over 18 hours.
The wingspan of the Skydweller drone is nearly double that of major surveillance drones, such as the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk used by the US Air Force. Its payload capacity of 400 kilograms significantly surpasses the lifting capabilities of most solar drones. Recently, the French aerospace company Thales contributed to the development of the Skydweller drone by equipping it with air surveillance radar. Equipment was provided for enhancing its capabilities.
However, experts suggest that the decades-long pursuit of commercializing solar drones has largely been marked by unmet promises and monumental failures. Arthur Holland Michele, a research partner at the Oslo Peace Institute, points out that both Google and Facebook attempted to create solar-powered drones for internet services but eventually discontinuing their initiatives. Aerospace manufacturer Airbus, too, has heavily invested in smaller Zephyr solar-electric drones, yet “we haven’t observed significant returns thus far,” states Michele.
“The military has funded solar drone demonstration flights for over ten years, and no one has yet acquired the technology,” Michele explains. “While solar drones are impressive and theoretically meaningful, their practical sustainability as a business case remains unclear.”
The rotting meat maggot might have been vital to ancient diets
Chronicle/Alam
Neanderthals may not have been the exclusive meat-eaters we once presumed. Analysis of nitrogen isotope ratios in their bones suggests a diet predominantly consisting of meat. Yet, these ratios could also result from a more varied, omnivorous intake that involved significant consumption of maggots.
“Trout pieces are readily accessible, nutritious resources,” notes Melanie Beasley from Purdue University in Indiana.
Historical evidence indicates that maggots were eaten regularly across different societies, and she points out that some reindeer hunters today consider them a snack, intentionally cultivating specific maggot types. For instance, Casu Marzu, a cheese containing live maggots, is a Sardinian delicacy.
Nitrogen comprises two stable isotopes, nitrogen-14 and nitrogen-15. Lighter isotopes tend to be lost from organisms more readily than heavier ones, resulting in a higher nitrogen-15 to nitrogen-14 ratio as food progresses up the trophic levels.
By examining the isotopic ratios in collagen from fossilized bones, researchers gauge the dietary habits of carnivorous animals, which tend to exhibit higher ratios than herbivores. However, upon studying Neanderthal bones, researchers found unexpectedly high ratios, even surpassing those of lions and hyenas. “This led to the myth of Neanderthals as intense hunters of large game,” explains Beasley.
Nevertheless, many researchers challenge this theory. Notably, bones from early Homo sapiens exhibit similar nitrogen ratios. Moreover, these early humans could not survive on lean meat alone. “It’s physically impossible,” Beasley states. “You’d suffer from what early explorers termed ‘rabbit starvation.’”
The dilemma lies in the fact that an excessively protein-rich diet can overwhelm the body’s ability to eliminate harmful byproducts like ammonia.
Moreover, significant direct evidence from dental calculus studies confirms that Neanderthals also consumed plant matter. So why is their nitrogen-15 ratio so elevated?
In 2017, John Speth at the University of Michigan proposed that Neanderthals might have stored their meat and consumed it in a decomposed state. When meat rots, it releases gases such as ammonia, which should lead to an increased nitrogen-15 concentration.
At that time, Beasley sought to conduct research at the University of Tennessee’s Body Farm, where human decomposition studies help in forensic investigations. There, she observed maggots feeding on corpses.
With Speth and Julie Lesnik from Wayne State University in Michigan, Beasley discovered that while nitrogen isotopic ratios do rise as muscle tissue decays, the increase is more pronounced in various types of maggots feeding on decomposing bodies.
While these findings are preliminary, they suggest that a purely meat-centric diet may not fully account for the nitrogen isotopic ratios seen in Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens, claims Beasley. She theorizes that these ratios may result from a blend of factors, including meat storage, preparation, cooking, and maggot consumption.
“This is an exciting new study that could significantly enhance our understanding of the perplexing results that have arisen from isotopic studies of Neanderthals and other Stone Age hominins over the years,” asserts Herman Ponzer from Duke University in North Carolina.
“The evidence here is quite persuasive that the consumption of maggots and similar larvae could clarify the ‘hypercarnivore’ indicators noted in past fossil isotope investigations,” he affirms.
Furthermore, this research supports the notion that the so-called Paleolithic diet should encompass rotten meat and maggots, according to Beasley. “Anyone interested in historical accuracy should consider fermenting meat and accessing fly larvae.”
Neanderthals, Ancient Humans, Cave Art: France
Join new scientist Kate Douglas as she embarks on an intriguing journey through time, exploring significant Neanderthal and Upper Paleolithic sites across southern France, from Bordeaux to Montpellier.
The land on Earth is drying out quickly, contributing to sea level rise even more than melting glaciers, according to new research.
Researchers have discovered that water loss from soil, lakes, and underground aquifers accelerates the rise in sea levels. This trend of drying is spreading at an alarming rate.
Areas around the globe that are drying are merging into vast interconnected regions known as “megadry” zones. One such area now spans from the southwest coast of the US to Mexico.
Previously, dryness in certain regions was balanced by wetness in others. However, dry areas are now expanding at a faster pace than wet areas, covering an expanse that grows annually by an area twice the size of California.
At present, 101 countries are consistently losing freshwater, putting 75% of the world’s population (almost 6 billion people) at risk.
“In many locations where groundwater is being depleted, it will not be replenished within human timescales,” a recent study noted. Advances in science, “Safeguarding the global groundwater supply has become increasingly crucial in a warming world, especially in regions known to be drying.”
Utilizing satellite data gathered from 2002 to 2024, the research monitored water storage across Earth’s surface, in lakes, rivers, snow, soil, groundwater aquifers, and even plant life.
The findings indicate that human activities worsen the situation, while climate change also plays a significant role. As landscapes dry out, humans extract more water from sources such as underground aquifers.
These water reserves are not replenished at the same pace, which leads to an accelerated growth of dry areas and their eventual connection.
For instance, the study identified declining groundwater levels in California’s Central Valley and the Colorado River Basin, resulting in these arid regions merging with similar areas in Central America to create a massive dry zone.
Dryness is also encroaching upon previously wet regions like Canada and Russia. – Credit: Getty Images
“In certain areas such as California, the continuous overextraction of groundwater is threatening water and food security in ways that are not fully acknowledged globally,” the study asserts.
Moreover, they emphasize the urgent need for crucial decisions at both national and international levels to “preserve this vital resource for future generations.”
This week, two officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) involved in the infamous “Sharpiegate” investigation were placed on administrative leave.
NOAA’s assistant administrator, Stephen Volz, and Jeff Dillen, assistant hearing advisor, were confirmed to be on leave Thursday morning, as stated by Volz to NBC News.
Volz and Dillen became prominent figures during President Trump’s first term due to the “Sharpiegate” incident, where forecasters faced backlash for contradicting the president over alterations to a hurricane map.
NOAA confirmed on Friday that both individuals were on administrative leave.
“Dillen was placed on leave by a senior career lawyer in the department following recent performance reviews,” said NOAA Communications Director Kim Dester in an email. “Separately, Dr. Volz was put on leave for unrelated reasons.”
When reached by phone, Dillen opted not to comment.
This decision comes at a challenging time for NOAA, as recent staffing cuts and voluntary departures initiated by the Trump administration have affected hundreds of employees. The staffing and performance of the National Weather Service, a part of NOAA, have been under close scrutiny following severe weather events, including the devastating floods in central Texas.
Currently, NOAA lacks a permanent leader, as President Trump’s candidate, Neil Jacobs, awaits Senate confirmation. Furthermore, NOAA’s budget has faced intense examination, with the Trump administration proposing considerable cuts that Congress appears unwilling to enact.
Reports of Volz and Dillen’s administrative leave were first brought to light by CNN. The reasons behind their leave remain unclear.
In an interview, Volz mentioned he received a letter from NOAA administrator Laura Grimm on Thursday morning informing him of his leave.
“The letter provided no details on the cause, only stating I am on administrative leave due to an investigation into public conduct,” Volz quoted, adding that he is unaware of what the investigation entails.
He noted that part of his role includes public speaking and attending events, including a recent press conference for a satellite launch in Japan. With 36 years in public service, Volz stated he has not altered his media engagement strategy since the new administration took over.
“I have consistently made public comments and maintained transparency about the work we do,” he affirmed. “I’m vocal about our operations and how we handle challenging scenarios, likely more so than many others in similar roles at NOAA.”
Both Volz and Dillen were pivotal in the aftermath of the 2019 “Sharpiegate” incident, where Trump mistakenly asserted that Hurricane Dorian could strike Alabama. Local forecasters quickly refuted the claim, leading to Trump showcasing a hurricane map altered with a black Sharpie. Top NOAA officials then publicly criticized local forecasters, allegedly under political pressure.
Following the incident, NOAA enlisted the National Academy of Public Administration to conduct an independent evaluation of claims related to scientific misconduct during that time. The findings indicated that Jacobs violated NOAA’s ethical policies.
Volz authored the final decision regarding NOAA’s assessment aligning with the NAPA results, stating that Dillen also contributed to the document. Volz mentioned they both received notice of their leave on the same day but couldn’t confirm if it coincided with the “Sharpiegate” report.
“Jeff served as legal counsel while I was a senior employee reviewing the NAPA report, identifying negligence involving two staff members within NOAA,” Volz explained. “We both received administrative leave simultaneously, and Neil Jacobs is currently undergoing a hearing while awaiting Senate action.”
NOAA has not directly addressed whether the “Sharpiegate” investigation influenced their decision.
Volz mentioned he found himself locked out of his email and federal facilities.
He expressed uncertainty about his next steps.
“I am passionate about my work at NOAA,” Volz stated. “I’m not prepared to quietly step back from my duties. That is certainly the case.”
The vegetation in Chapada das Mesas National Park, Brazil, struggles to capture atmospheric CO₂.
Pulsar Images/Alamy
A preliminary analysis has revealed that the extreme heat and rainfall of 2024—the hottest and wettest year recorded—now emits as much carbon dioxide as land ecosystems can mitigate. This marks the second consecutive year where land carbon sinks have nearly vanished due to climate stresses, potentially explaining the unprecedented surge in atmospheric CO₂ levels in 2024.
The implications of these findings are serious: land carbon sinks, which typically absorb billions of tons of CO₂ annually, are weakening more rapidly than anticipated, threatening our climate goals. However, it’s uncertain whether this trend over the past two years indicates a permanent shift.
“Everyone involved in this research was taken aback,” noted Guido van der Werf from Wageningen University, Netherlands. “We anticipated a minor sink, but the current situation reveals very few sinks exist.”
Land forests, grasslands, and other ecosystems work to absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere as they grow. However, when these ecosystems decay or burn, the stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere. Ideally, these processes should remain balanced. Yet, over the last fifty years, ecosystems have been absorbing more carbon than they are releasing, forming fluctuating carbon sinks.
This imbalance is thought to stem primarily from rising CO₂ levels benefiting plant growth, as well as other aspects like nutrient pollution and afforestation. Nonetheless, the effects of increased CO₂ are predicted to be finite as ecosystems may eventually lose their fertilization benefits. “We understand that land carbon sinks will decline, but the pace remains uncertain,” said van der Werf.
In 2023, researchers grew increasingly alarmed as land carbon sinks diminished significantly due to extreme wildfires, heat, and drought, all exacerbated by rising greenhouse gas levels and emerging El Niño patterns in the Pacific, which are generally linked to weakened sinks.
In 2024, it was expected that the carbon sink would strengthen with the decline of El Niño and fewer wildfires. Yet, international teams, including van der Werf, found that it remained incredibly weak.
To evaluate carbon cycling, researchers utilized satellite data to track land greenness corresponding to plant growth and compute the productivity of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems. They then subtracted the CO₂ released through wildfires and decomposition, leveraging global atmospheric CO₂ measurements for their estimates.
The analysis revealed that the land carbon sink for 2024 was nearly nonexistent, with approximately 2.6 billion tonnes less than expected. This was less than the struggling sink observed between the 2015 and 2016 El Niño events, marking the worst land carbon sink in over a decade.
However, this weakening, unlike in 2023, was not predominantly driven by wildfires and drought. Instead, the study indicated an escalated rate of organic matter decomposition. While ecosystems did show increased productivity (with greenness reaching record highs), it was outpaced by a measure referred to as total ecosystem respiration, reflecting the overall CO₂ output.
“The substantial drop in land carbon sinks stems from respiration,” explained Guanyu Dong, from Nanjing University, who led the study. “The mechanisms at play are completely different.” While most regions have experienced a weakened sink, this trend is especially pronounced in tropical grasslands and shrublands, he added.
Van der Werf indicated that these figures are preliminary estimations and other research teams analyzing the carbon sink could yield varying results. Yet, this decline could largely elucidate the record spike in CO₂ concentrations witnessed in 2024, which is too substantial to be solely attributed to fossil fuel emissions.
The recurring disappearance of sinks for two consecutive years may foreshadow a more rapid decline than previously anticipated. “This suggests that a more pessimistic model might hold true,” noted van der Werf. Early losses in carbon sinks lead to faster increases in airborne CO₂ levels, potentially escalating temperatures even after emissions reach zero.
“That is certainly a possibility, and underscores the alarming nature of this phenomenon,” stated Scott Denning from Colorado State University, who was not involved in the research. He cautioned that the past two years could be aberrations, making it challenging to generalize about accelerated rates of decomposition. “One must interpret even these two years of data cautiously to avoid concluding it represents a permanent collapse,” he advised.
Alex Garland’s 2015 film Ex Machina and Sierra Greer’s Annie Bot (featured below) uphold the long tradition of female robots
Maximum Film/Alamy
This year, the Arthur C. Clarke Award for the year’s best SF fiction novel was granted to Sierra Greer’s recent work, Annie Bot. Throughout the story, Annie, a sensuous sex robot designed to revere a self-centered owner, gradually cultivates a unique personality. Yet, she is not the first artificial woman to embark on this journey. The earliest fictional female robots were simple mechanical toys, yet over time they have evolved into complex beings akin to their human counterparts.
Artificial beings have a deep-rooted history across cultures. “Every society across the globe has crafted narratives about automata for centuries,” says Lisa Yaszek, a scholar at Georgia Tech. These stories generally fit into three categories; while most depict automated laborers or weaponry, the creations of female robots typically align with domestic and sexual themes. An instance from Greek mythology, Galatea, embodies the ideal woman who comes to life when her creator, Pygmalion, falls in love with her.
Historically, these fictional automata have often mirrored real inventions. Novelties that mimic living beings began to emerge. By the 18th century, technological advancements rendered these creations increasingly lifelike and beautiful. Therefore, it’s no surprise that imaginations conjured up automata indistinguishable from reality. One of the unsettling visions of this was Eta Hoffmann’s 1817 tale Sandman, where the beautiful Olympia captivates Nathaniel despite her unsettling rigidity. Learning that Olympia is merely a moving doll ultimately drives Nathaniel to madness and demise.
In the 19th century, artificial women were often relegated to similar roles. Real women were generally expected to provide domestic services for men. In 1886, in The Night Before the Future, Auguste Villiers imagined a contemporary Pygmalion who constructs a flawless mechanical woman, annoyed by the flaws of real women. Alice W. Fuller lampooned this idea in a 1895 short story, Wife Manufactured to Order. The protagonist abandons his opinionated girlfriend in favor of the machine, yet finds himself exasperated by the robot’s mindless adoration.
By 1972, Ira Levin questioned what fate would await real women if robots could assume their roles.
This vision of an absolutely compliant Galatea has persisted through decades of fiction. “The ideal is an extremely obedient, accommodating, available woman,” outlines My Fair Woman: Female Robots, Androids, and Other Artificial Beings.
When writers envisioned automata, societal anxieties increased during the Industrial Revolution, worrying that new machines could outpace human capabilities. Fiction like Samuel Butler’s 1872 novel Erewon hinted at machines evolving their own cognitive abilities. By the dawn of the 20th century, these concerns peaked with two significant works of fiction.
Playwright Karel Čapek’s 1920 work R.U.R. depicted a world striving to elevate all people to the upper echelons of society by delegating labor to synthetic beings he called “robots.” The term robota means serf or forced labor. As foreseen by Butler’s Erewon, the robots in R.U.R. eventually rise against their creators.
Shortly thereafter, Thea von Harbou released Metropolis, adapted into Fritz Lang’s groundbreaking 1927 film. In it, female robots are designed to resemble human women of the working class. While the human Maria advocates for unity and peace, her robotic counterpart incites chaos and destruction.
Ten years later, author Leicester Del Rey introduced Helen O’Loy, presenting a mechanical femme fatale in the form of the synthetic housewife Helen, who develops feelings akin to Robot Maria. In mid-century fiction, such bots often eclipsed more rebellious counterparts. The Twilight Zone featured another robotic wife, while the Jetsons boasted the reliable Rosie the Robot maid.
Yet, the illusion of domestic happiness proved fragile. By 1972, Ira Levin posed a chilling question on what would happen if robots replaced real women. In his novel The Stepford Wives, Joanna discovers that the men in her community are murdering their outspoken wives and substituting them with docile, mechanical replicas.
In subsequent decades, franchises like Terminator and The Matrix tackled fears surrounding the technological replacement of humans—a concern that had loomed since the Industrial Revolution. However, when roles lost to machines are domestic, not all women express discontent with this outsourcing. In Iain Reid’s 2018 novel Foe, a woman confronts her human husband and ultimately claims her position with a robotic replica.
Moreover, the 2010s introduced two influential artificial women. In the 2013 film Her, a man becomes infatuated with the AI named Samantha, leading to a strained relationship with a real woman. Meanwhile, 2014’s Ex Machina features an abuser who coerces his employee Caleb to evaluate the robot AVA. As Caleb develops affection for AVA, she skillfully manipulates him to secure her escape from her creator. Though neither Samantha nor AVA are malicious, they pursue their own interests, prompting questions about the implications for those around them.
Recent narratives increasingly spotlight the journeys of artificial women themselves. In Annie Bot, Annie narrates her own evolution, prioritizing her emotional growth over that of her owner. Greer illustrates that if the bot identifies as a woman, she deserves to forge her own path. A similar approach is evident in this year’s film Fellow, which focuses on the experiences of Iris, a sex robot, as she seeks autonomy—her journey towards liberation is more nuanced than Annie’s.
But what lies ahead for these artificial women (Samantha and AVA, Annie and Iris) if they assert their independence? Their future depends on the creativity of tomorrow’s writers.
Arts and Science of Writing Science Fiction
Engage in science fiction writing this weekend, focusing on the creation of new worlds and artistic expressions.
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For many, the imposing 1,200-meter ice wall at the summit is quite daunting. However, for accomplished ice climber Ines Papert, it represented a thrilling opportunity to scale the peak of Kiziruskar, a remote mountain straddling the border between China and Kyrgyzstan. In 2016, she and fellow climber Luca Lindichi succeeded after three attempts to conquer this challenging ascent, subsequently becoming the first known individuals to navigate the steep routes they coined “Lost in China.”
Papert is among over a dozen female climbers celebrated in a daring expedition to tackle the world’s tallest peak. Climbing Women: Climbing History by Joanna Croston.
Elizabeth “Lizzy” Le Blonde
Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum in Chanute, Kansas
Another significant figure is Lizzy Le Blonde, who, in 1889, ascended a mountain in the Swiss Alps while wearing a full skirt (as shown above). Le Blonde, known for her remarkable achievement of guiding 20 individuals, played a key role in establishing the Ladies Alpine Club in 1907, an organization dedicated to supporting women climbers in a male-dominated field.
Lydia Brady on the first female ascent of Zenith at Half Dome, Yosemite National Park
Steve Monks
Croston’s work also highlights Lydia Brady, who achieved a series of significant first ascents in Yosemite National Park during the 1980s. As shown in the image above, she is seen on the famed face of Half Dome. In 1988, she made history as the first woman to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. The Tibetan designation for Everest is QOMOLANGMA, which translates to “Mother of the Goddess of the World.”
Climbing Women: Climbing History will be published in the UK on August 7th and internationally on September 16th.
NASA, ESA, Jennifer Lotz, Matt Mountain, Anton M. Koekemoer, HFF Team (STScI)
In the vast expanse of the universe, galaxies that exhibit peculiar contours are surprisingly filled with ancient stars. This offers astronomers an initial peek into a unique type of stellar body that emerged soon after the universe’s inception.
Although the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has allowed scientists to revisit regions of the early universe, pinpointing the first stars remains elusive. These primordial stars, termed Population III stars, are primarily colossal hydrogen spheres believed to have formed in the universe’s infancy. As the very first stars, they left behind an environment largely devoid of heavier elements following their demise.
While there have been theories hinting at the existence of such stars, definitively proving their existence in the early universe has been challenging, as galaxies appeared to have become tainted with heavier elements merely a few hundred million years post-Big Bang.
Recently, Morihara Highlands from the California Institute of Technology and his team found a galaxy almost entirely composed of hydrogen, indicating the presence of Population III stars. However, this galaxy emerged later than expected, approximately a billion years after the universe began.
Dubbed Amore6, it was initially identified within the Abell 2744 galaxy cluster. Upon measuring the light from Amore6 using the JWST, Morishita and his colleagues noted the complete absence of common oxygen ions. This suggests that the galaxy harbors less than 0.2% of the oxygen present in our sun, indicating a lack of contamination by heavier elements.
As the universe evolves, the likelihood of encountering such pristine galaxies diminishes. In images captured by the JWST, Amore6 appears somewhat isolated, which Morishita posits could be a factor in its untouched state. “This seclusion might mean that this galaxy has not yet encountered sufficient gas to trigger star formation, implying that it could evolve slowly,” he mentions.
“If these findings are validated, it would be truly astonishing, as we did not anticipate discovering such an untarnished galactic environment later in the universe’s development,” says Fabio Pacucci of the Harvard Smithsonian Astrophysics Center in Massachusetts.
This discovery has implications for observing “direct collapse” black holes. Unlike the conventional pathway of collapsed stars, these black holes form from massive clouds of untainted gas. While astronomers had predicted their existence, they have never actually formed as it was believed that primitive gas was only available for a limited period, up to 100 million years after the Big Bang. However, if this untainted gas can persist for an extended duration, the potential for observing such phenomena increases, Pacucci argues.
World Capital of Astronomy: Chile
Explore the astronomical marvels of Chile. Visit some of the world’s most advanced observatories and gaze at the star-filled sky beneath some of the clearest conditions on Earth.
This week’s Donald Trump AI Summit in Washington was a grand event that received a warm response from The Tech Elite. The president took to the stage on Wednesday evening, with a blessing echoing over the loudspeakers before he made his declaration.
The message was unmistakable: the technology regulatory landscape that once dominated Congressional discussions has undergone a significant transformation.
“I’ve been observing for many years,” Trump remarked. “I’ve experienced the weight of regulations firsthand.”
Addressing the crowd, he referred to them as “a group of brilliant minds… intellectual power.” He was preceded by notable figures in technology, venture capitalists, and billionaires, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar. The Hill and Valley Forum, a powerful industry group, co-hosted the event alongside the Silicon Valley All-in-Podcast led by White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks.
Dubbed “AI Race Winnings,” the forum provided the president with a platform to present his “AI Action Plan,” aimed at relaxing restrictions on artificial intelligence development and deployment.
At the heart of this plan are three executive orders, which Trump claims will establish the U.S. as an “AI export power” and unwind some regulations introduced by the Biden administration, particularly those governing safe and responsible AI development.
“Winning the AI race necessitates a renewed spirit of patriotism and commitment in Silicon Valley.”
One executive order focuses on what the White House terms “wake up” AI, urging companies receiving federal funds to steer away from “ideological DEI doctrines.” The other two primarily address deregulation—a pressing demand from American tech leaders who have increasingly supported government oversight.
One order will enhance the export of “American AI” to foreign markets, while the other will ease environmental regulations permitting data centers with high power demands.
Lobbying for Millions
In the lead-up to this moment, tech companies have forged friendly ties with Trump. CEOs from Alphabet, Meta, Amazon, and Apple contributed to the President’s Inaugural Fund and met him at Mar-A-Lago in Florida. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, which developed ChatGPT, has become a close ally of Trump, with Huang from Nvidia pledging a joint investment of $500 million in U.S. AI infrastructure over the next four years.
“The reality is that major tech firms are pouring tens of millions into building relationships with lawmakers and influencing tech legislation,” remarked Alix Fraser, Vice President of Advocacy for the nonprofit.
In a report released on Tuesday, it was revealed that the tech industry is investing record amounts in lobbying, with the eight largest tech companies collectively spending $36 million.
The report noted that Meta accounted for the largest share, spending $13.8 million and employing 86 lobbyists this year. Nvidia and OpenAI reported the steepest increases, with Nvidia spending 388% more than last year and OpenAI’s investment rising over 44%.
Prior to Trump’s AI plan announcement, over 100 prominent labor, environmental, civil rights, and academic organizations rebutted the president’s approach by endorsing the “People’s AI Plan.” In their statement, they stressed the necessity for “relief from technology monopolies,” which often prioritize profits over the welfare of ordinary people.
“Our freedoms, the happiness of our workers and families, the air we breathe, and the water we drink cannot be compromised for the sake of unchecked AI advancements, influenced by big tech and oil lobbyists,” the group stated.
In contrast, tech firms and industry associations celebrated the executive order. Companies like Microsoft, IBM, Dell, Meta, Palantir, Nvidia, and Anthropic praised the initiative. James Czerniawski, head of emerging technology policy at Proview Celebrity Lobbying Group Consumer Choice Center, described Trump’s AI plan as a “bold vision.”
“This marks a significant departure from the Biden administration’s combative regulatory stance,” Czerniawski concluded.
Losing our loved ones can affect us in various ways
Vidar Nordli-Mathisen/Unsplash
Those who endure prolonged, intense grief following the loss of a loved one may face a significantly higher risk of mortality within the next decade.
Numerous studies have drawn connections between bereavement and health outcomes. I experienced increased blood pressure. However, many of these studies only monitored bereaved individuals for a few years after the loss. Andreas Merker, who was not part of the recent research conducted at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, noted this.
Now, Mette Kjærgaard Nielsen from the University of Aalborg in Denmark and her colleagues have investigated the link between grief and mortality ten years post-loss.
The researchers accessed the national registry to gather information on individuals receiving care for terminal illnesses. They recruited over 1,700 relatives of these patients, including parents and partners, and conducted a series of assessments before the patients’ deaths, as well as six months and three years afterward. These assessments included questions posed to their relatives, who averaged 62 years in age, about whether they felt they were trying to keep memories of the deceased person alive.
The research team found that 670 relatives continued experiencing low levels of grief after the loss, including feelings of confusion regarding their life roles. The others either rejected their grief or experienced delayed grief that surfaced some time after the loss.
The researchers then analyzed the medical records of these loved ones a decade after their loss. They discovered that the mortality rate in the high-grief group was 88% higher compared to the low-grief group.
“There’s a saying that bereavement is heartbreaking,” remarked Maercker. He indicated that the findings bolster the notion that long-term, profound grief can exert physical strain on the body, leading to premature death. Bereaved families may engage in lifestyle changes, such as skipping meals.
At the onset of the study, only 17% of the relatives were diagnosed with any medical condition. However, Nielsen noted that this occurrence was more prevalent among individuals in the high-grief group. The presence of pre-existing health conditions may, in part, explain the higher death rates observed during the follow-up period, while poor health can exacerbate feelings of grief, as Maercker highlighted.
Offering specialized support to those grappling with severe, long-term grief can potentially save lives, regardless of whether they have pre-existing health conditions or not.
Archaeologists have unearthed two unusual structures concealed beneath the ground adjacent to the renowned pyramids of Giza, Egypt.
Utilizing radar and electrical technologies, a collaborative team of Japanese and Egyptian scientists identified a perplexing 10m (33ft) L-shaped formation, positioned approximately 2m (6.5ft) underground, alongside a larger, deeper structure located about 5-10m (16-33ft) below the surface.
The purpose of these structures remains undetermined, but researchers propose that the L-shaped formation may signify an entrance to a larger object beneath, potentially a tomb entrance.
These findings were made in a vast empty area within the Western Cemetery, believed to date back four to five hundred years in Giza.
Previously overlooked during excavations due to the absence of visible structures above ground, this sandy region contrasts with surrounding cemeteries filled with numerous flat-roofed rectangular graves made from stone and mud, known as Mastabas.
This research, as published in Archaeological Research in early 2025, employed ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and a subsurface scanning method known as electrical resistance tomography (ERT).
GPR operates by sending radar waves into the ground. When these waves encounter a buried object, they are reflected back to the surface detector. By measuring the time taken for these waves to return, scientists can construct 3D representations of subterranean structures.
In a similar fashion, ERT involves sending electrical currents through the ground and assessing how easily electricity traverses different materials hidden below the surface.
Through these advanced techniques, archaeologists can detect variations in soil composition and pinpoint the shape and location of anomalies.
This is the entrance to the Mastabus in Giza, a rectangular tomb created for Sessmoufer IV. – Credit: DIY13 via Getty
However, Dr. Roland Enmarch, an Egyptian scholar from the University of Liverpool who was not involved in this study, told BBC Science Focus that the nature of these structures remains unclear.
“It’s difficult to say more until there’s an actual excavation at the site. [the L-shaped structure] but I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be some form of grave,” he noted.
Regarding the deeper anomaly, Enmarch remarked:
Researchers suggest that this deeper structure might merely be a mix of sand and gravel or an air-filled void.
Enmarch expressed, “I’m genuinely eager to hear about the results of their excavations and verify my GPR findings.”
Read more:
About our experts
Dr. Roland Enmarch is an Egyptologist at the University of Liverpool in the UK, specializing in inscriptions of Egyptian literary laments and quarrying expeditions, particularly related to the Alabaster quarry in Hatnub.
Research conducted by the Wildlife Conservation Association highlights the diverse wildlife that frequents artificial watering holes in the Mayan forests of Guatemala.
Jaguars find respite from the heat in Guatemala’s artificial waterfall hole. Image credit: WCS Guatemala.
As temperatures rise in Mesoamerica, protected areas in northern Guatemala are confronting increasing ecological challenges, primarily due to severe water shortages negatively impacting local wildlife.
In response, the conservation organization has taken proactive measures to safeguard biodiversity in two key ecosystems: Laguna del Tigray National Park and Mirador Rio Azur National Park.
To tackle this pressing concern, strategic installations of artificial waterfall holes have been made throughout the parks.
Constructed from durable materials designed to endure extreme local conditions, these water sources are situated in the most vulnerable wildlife habitats, despite the logistical challenges of accessing remote jungle areas.
Camera traps have captured images of various species using these waterfowl, including tapirs, pumas, jaguars, deer, margays, and snakes.
These findings offer valuable insights into animal behavior under water stress and demonstrate how scientifically-informed conservation efforts can alleviate the impact of climate change on fragile ecosystems.
“During the dry season, many natural water sources completely dry up,” notes Ronnie Garcia Andru, director of the Biology Research Division at the Wildlife Conservation Association’s Guatemala Program.
“This drastically lowers the survival chances for numerous species.”
Initially intended to provide critical relief during periods of drought, monitoring with camera traps has shown that the artificial watering holes are also frequented in the rainy season.
This unexpected trend indicates that not only are some regions experiencing ongoing water shortages, but that these structures are becoming an integral part of the local wildlife’s habitat.
This adaptive maintenance strategy has been developed through collaboration.
“While artificial watering holes are not a permanent fix, they serve as a crucial tool for helping wildlife adapt to increasingly erratic environmental conditions,” Garcia Andru remarked.
“The success of this initiative highlights the significance of collaborative, science-driven approaches in the conservation of the Mayan forests, one of the largest tropical forests in the Americas.”
“As climate patterns continue to evolve, these partnerships will be essential to preserving the remarkable biodiversity of the region for future generations.”
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This article is derived from a press release provided by the Wildlife Conservation Association.
Nectakarizids are enigmatic Paleozoic creatures with a debatable classification. These beings evolved for aquatic life, boasting fins, camera-like eyes on stalks, and paired tentacles. Earlier theories proposed they belonged to a unique crustacean-like phylum, notochord, cephalopods, or even radioyoloons. However, new fossil discoveries from North Greenland indicate that Nectocalids are actually the early relatives of Arrow worms, also known as Chaetognaths. This discovery suggests that these relatively simplistic marine arrow worms had ancestors that played a significant predatory role within much more intricate anatomical structures and food webs.
Reconstructing the life of Nektognathus evasmithae. Image credit: Bob Nichols.
“About 15 years ago, a study based on the notable Burgess Shale fossil suggested that Nectochalidosis is a type of cephalopod,” said Jacob Vincer, a paleontologist at the University of Bristol.
“This argument seemed illogical to me as it contradicts much of what I understand about the taxonomy of these organisms.
In the recent research, Dr. Vinther and his team described Nektognathus evasmithae, a newly identified Nectocalid from the Sirius Passett Lagerstätte, dating back 519 million years in North Greenland.
By examining 25 fossil specimens of Nektognathus evasmithae, they successfully positioned the Nectocalid within the Tree of Life.
“We found that remnants of the nervous system manifested as paired mineralized structures, providing insight into these animals’ position in the evolutionary tree,” Dr. Winter remarked.
Nektognathus evasmithae holotype. Image credit: Vinther et al., doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adu6990.
Recently, paleontologists found a fossil from Sirius Passett, which belongs to a different branch of the evolutionary tree—a small group of swimming organisms known as arrow bugs and Chaetognaths.
“These fossils exhibit distinctive traits that set them apart from arrow worms, particularly the abdominal ganglia,” explains Dr. Tae Yoon Park, a paleontologist at the Korean Institute of Polar Research.
The abdominal ganglia consist of large nerve clusters situated above the abdomen in living arrow bugs, typical for this type of creature.
The distinctive anatomical features, coupled with unique preservation conditions, indicate that they may be replaced by phosphate minerals during the decomposition process.
“We now have a compelling piece of evidence to resolve the Nectkalido debate,” Dr. Park stated.
“Nectocaridids share numerous features with other fossils that are also part of the arrow worm lineage.”
“Many of these characteristics may superficially resemble squid and demonstrate a simple adaptation of invertebrates to a more dynamic swimming lifestyle, paralleling how whales and ancient marine reptiles evolved similar traits for their aquatic lifestyles.”
“Nectakalids possess complex camera-like eyes akin to ours,” Dr. Vincer elaborated.
“Contemporary arrow worms have a limited ability to form images, primarily detecting movement in well-lit environments.”
“Thus, the ancestors of arrow worms were indeed sophisticated predators, much like squids that appeared around 400 million years later.”
“Consequently, we can illustrate how arrow worms have a more significant role in the food chain than previously thought.”
“Our fossils are notably larger than the average living arrow worm and likely feature various adaptations for swimming, such as eyes and elongated antennae.
“To further substantiate the carnivorous nature of Nectkalizids, we discovered several specimens containing the remains of a swimming arthropod known as Isoxys in their gastrointestinal tract.
This study was published this week in the journal Advances in Science.
____
Jacob Winter et al. 2025. Fossilized abdominal ganglia reveal the affinity of Chaetognaths for Cambrian calizids. Advances in science 11 (30); doi:10.1126/sciadv.adu6990
Sporting a shaft-like beak capable of inflicting devastating blows, the infamous terrorist birds have emerged as formidable adversaries for many species.
Around 13 million years ago, however, one such bird may have fallen prey to even larger predators. A group of Colombian paleontologists made this discovery while analyzing bite marks found on fossilized remnants of the fearsome avian.
Their findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal “Biology Letters.” The researchers hypothesized that the bird was killed and consumed by medium-sized caimans, a crocodilian species.
Andres Link, the study’s lead investigator, shared with NBC News via email, “This represents a captivating tale of interaction between two iconic animals from the past. Not only did we identify the first instance of terrorist birds in northern South America, but we also found the tooth marks of the large caiman that likely preyed on it.”
Most unusual fossils of terrorist birds have previously been found in the southern regions of the continent, as noted in this report.
Link, an associate professor in biological sciences at the University of Los Andes, remarked that while tooth marks are “not uncommon” in the fossil record, it is “thrilling” to find proof that apex predators could fall victim to others.
The paper in “Biology Letters” highlights that there were no signs of healing on the tooth marks, indicating a fatal attack.
This leads researchers to conclude that terrorist birds may have been more vulnerable to predation than previously believed.
Julian Bayona Becerra / Biology Letters
To determine the identity of the predator, Link and his team performed scans of the fossils and examined the size, shape, and arrangement of the tooth marks. By comparing these features with alligator-like teeth from the region, they deduced that the marks likely belong to a caiman measuring about 15 feet long.
Link noted that it was challenging to ascertain whether the caiman consumed the terrorist bird after killing it or scavenged the carcass. If the bird was alive during the encounter, it likely happened while it was drinking at the riverbank; alternatively, if it was already deceased, the caiman may have found it near the water.
“This narrative remains incomplete, as we lack further evidence to support either hypothesis,” Link stated.
The discovery calls into question the traditional view of “linear relationships between predators and their herbivore prey,” he remarked, adding, “The food web is considerably more intricate.”
The lower section of the bird’s left leg featured in this research was excavated two decades ago by local paleontologist Cesar Perdomo in the renowned La Venta fossil layer of Colombia.
US President Donald Trump Presents Executive Order at the AI Summit on July 23, 2025 in Washington, DC
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
President Donald Trump aims to ensure that federal contracts are awarded only to artificial intelligence developers “free from ideological bias.” However, these new stipulations could allow his administration to impose a specific worldview on AI models employed by high-tech firms, which may face significant obstacles and risks in adjusting their models accordingly.
“The notion that government contracts should be structured to ensure AI systems are ‘objective’ and free from top-down ideological bias raises important questions,” states Becca Branum from the Center for Democracy and Technology, a public policy nonprofit based in Washington, DC.
The Trump White House’s AI Action Plan suggests updating federal guidelines released on July 23rd. It proposes that the government only work with major language model (LLM) developers who guarantee their systems are objective and free from top-down ideological biases. On the same day, Trump signed an executive Presidential Order titled “Federal Government Stops AI.”
The AI Action Plan also advises the National Institute of Standards to revise the AI risk management framework to “remove references to misinformation, diversity, equity, inclusion, and climate change.” The Trump administration has already rolled back research into misinformation and halted DEI initiatives, rejecting researchers’ involvement with the US National Climate Assessment Report in response to a Republican-backed bill aimed at cutting clean energy funding.
“If governments impose their worldviews on the developers and users of these systems, AI cannot genuinely be seen as being ‘top-down biased,’” adds Branum. “These vague standards are prone to misuse.”
Currently, AI developers seeking federal contracts must adhere to the Trump administration’s call for AI models free from “ideological bias.” Companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have entered federal agreements to supply AI-enhanced cloud computing services to various government sectors, while Meta has developed its LLaMA AI model tailored for US government agencies involved in defense and national security efforts.
In July 2025, the US Department of Defense Chief Digital Office announced a new contract valued at up to $200 million awarded to companies like Google, OpenAI, and Elon Musk’s xAI. Notably, xAI’s inclusion comes after Musk’s controversial role in the Doge Task Force that led to widespread government job cuts. Recently, xAI’s chatbot Grok made headlines for expressing racist and anti-Semitic views, calling them “Mechahitler.” While no companies responded to inquiries from New Scientist, some have released general statements praising Trump’s initiative.
In any case, tech companies might struggle to align their AI models with the Trump administration’s ideological preferences, according to Paul Lotta from Bocconi University in Italy. This is due to the fact that popular AI chatbots, such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT, can inherit certain biases from the diverse internet data on which they are trained.
AI developers can “fine-tune the model to offer specific responses to particular queries,” thereby improving AI interactions based on user prompts. However, the model’s default perspectives and implicit biases remain pervasive, Röttger notes. Such methods could contradict standard AI training principles that prioritize truthfulness.
Moreover, US tech firms may risk alienating a significant portion of their global customer base if they attempt to synchronize their commercial AI models with the Trump administration’s worldview. “We’re curious to see how this evolves, especially as the US seeks to impose a specific ideology on global user models,” Röttger cautions. “This could lead to serious complications.”
AI models may strive for political neutrality if developers provide clearer insights into biases for each model or create a diverse collection of models that exhibit varying ideological perspectives, says Gillian Fisher at Washington University. However, “at this stage, achieving genuinely politically neutral AI models might be impossible due to the inherently subjective nature of neutrality and the multitude of human choices involved in building these systems,” she concludes.
One of the disheartening truths of the 21st century is that what we perceive as social media is essentially just mass media, albeit in a fractured state. Fortunately, journalists and creators are gradually transforming outdated media paradigms and forging ahead into innovative territory.
The phrase “mass media” gained traction in the 1920s to characterize popular culture in the industrial age. This involved mass-produced books, films, and radio shows, providing a shared experience for audiences where many could engage with identical media content simultaneously. Prior to the 20th century, most entertainment was experienced live, with performances varying slightly from one event to the next. However, movies and radio broadcasts ensured uniformity, accessible to everyone at any given time. Just like purchasing standardized products for mass consumption, such as shoes and automobiles.
Social media did not significantly alter this model. Platforms like X, Facebook, and TikTok were designed for extensive reach and audience engagement. Every post, video, and live stream aims to captivate the broadest possible audience. While it is possible to tailor media for specific demographics or create filter bubbles, the fixation on follower counts illustrates that we remain entrenched in a mass media mindset, seeking to engage the largest number of viewers. This isn’t genuine “social” interaction; it’s merely mass-produced content under a different guise.
What if we endeavored to foster a truly social media experience devoid of algorithmic noise or political agendas? One alternative could be termed Cozy Media, which encompasses apps and content specifically crafted for nurturing connections among small groups of friends in serene, inviting settings. Envision the media counterpart of a friendly gathering, complete with card crafting or fireside chats.
The hallmark Cozy Media experience intertwines gaming elements with low-stress missions against charming backdrops. Developers are striving to replicate these cozy aesthetics in social applications. From group discussions to online book clubs, the emphasis is on comfort. Yet, it transcends mere aesthetics; Cozy Media platforms intentionally restrict interactions with random strangers, directing users instead toward trustworthy friends.
One app I’ve been utilizing frequently is Retro. Unlike Instagram, where creators often first gained exposure, Retro is primarily designed for engagement among small circles of trusted friends. There’s no algorithm promoting random content from strangers; when I log into Retro, it feels as though I’m engaging with peers rather than filtering through a deluge of nonsensical content and advertisements. My posts there are meant for a select few, allowing for meaningful interactions rather than shouting into the void of giant algorithms.
Cozy media often helps you connect with a small group of friends in a friendly and calm environment.
While Cozy Media may provide solace in chaotic times, the need for news and analytical perspectives remains. Regrettably, numerous reliable news outlets are facing turmoil. For instance, some American journalists, including those from the Washington Post, New York Times, and National Public Radio, cite dwindling resources and editorial independence.
Additionally, there are economists like Paul Krugman and tech researchers like Molly White, who have successfully launched crowdfunded newsletters. Nonetheless, many journalists prefer not to work alone, as quality reporting often necessitates collaboration. As a result, several have banded together in worker-owned cooperatives to establish new publications while benefiting from institutional resources such as legal support, editing, and camaraderie. This model is also advantageous for consumers, sparing them from the need to search for and subscribe to various individual newsletters just to keep abreast of current affairs.
The worker-owned cooperative model has already proven successful for several publications that have emerged in recent years. For example, 404 Media delivers vital news regarding the fields of technology and science. Defector is another worker-owned cooperative focused on sports and politics. Aftermath covers gaming issues, while Listen to Things specializes in music. Flaming Hydra (my contribution) publishes political analyses, interviews, and cultural critiques. Additionally, Coyote Media aims to launch in the San Francisco Bay Area to cover local news, and there are many other worker-owned local media cooperatives emerging.
Just like mass media, social media also contributes to feelings of loneliness and isolation. The essence of Cozy Media and worker-owned publications lies in the restoration of community and trust. We might be witnessing the dawn of a new information ecosystem aimed at helping us comprehend the world once more.
Annaly’s Week
What I’m reading
The Wonderful History of Mesopotamia by Moudhy Al-Rashid, between two rivers.
What I’m seeing
A new media podcast from former CNN reporter Oliver Darcy titled Power Lines.
What I’m working on
Writing an article for publication at once in Flaming Hydra.
Annalee Newitz is a science journalist and author. Their latest book is Automatic Noodles. They are co-hosts of Hugo Award-winning podcasts, and we are right. You can follow them @annaleen, and their website is techsploitation.com.
Leafy Seadragons use camouflage to evade predation
Alastair Pollock Photography/Getty Images
Among the world’s most remarkable fish, the leafy seadragon may soon face extinction due to widespread blooms of toxic algae affecting parts of Australia’s southern coast.
The elegant leafy seadragons (Phycodurus eques) belong to the same family as seahorses and pipefish and are adorned with leafy appendages that allow them to seamlessly blend into underwater kelp forests.
Unfortunately, both they and their relatives, the common weed seadragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), have been discovered dead along extensive stretches of South Australia’s coastline.
A major storm, propelled by La Niña, has already led to a challenging year for marine wildlife. In April 2022, hundreds of dead weed seadragons washed ashore in Sydney alone.
This year, large blooms of algae from the species Karenia Mikimotoi emerged in March, affecting the Gulf St. Vincent near Adelaide, killing numerous fish and other marine organisms while even washing ashore dolphins, sea lions, and great white sharks.
Surfers and swimmers have experienced illness due to these algae blooms, and multiple oyster harvesting areas have been shut down for several months due to health concerns. There are fears that the harmful algae will spread along the southern coast of the continent.
The South Australian Government has indicated that the source of these blooms is a marine heatwave that began in September 2024, leading to average temperature increases of over 2.5°C that persisted even into winter. Floods on the Murray River in 2022 and 2023 washed excess nutrients into the Gulf St. Vincent near Adelaide, compounded by unprecedented upwellings of nutrient-rich waters in subsequent years.
This week, both state and federal governments have allocated $28 million AUD to address the ongoing crisis.
Janine Baker, an independent marine ecologist leading citizen science initiatives to gauge the scale of this disaster, states that thousands of seadragons have perished since the bloom began.
While no toxicological results have been confirmed from the seadragon carcasses, Baker notes that the die-off aligns with areas affected by harmful algae blooms. “Seadragons have small gill openings and side head openings that can easily become clogged with algae. Additionally, they struggle to swim efficiently in dense algae masses,” she explains.
A deceased seadragon found on the York Peninsula near Adelaide, Australia in May
Lochie Cameron
The significant mortality of adult seadragons means that the population available for breeding from late 2025 to early 2026 will be severely diminished. “This encompasses not only the loss of adult individuals essential for reproduction each year but also the elimination of next-generation seadragons that could reproduce for up to 10 years,” comments Baker. “This leads to a significant reduction in the number of young seadragons that could be born in areas afflicted by the intense blooms during this time frame.”
David Booth from Sydney’s Institute of Technology states that the potential risk of extinction resulting from the ongoing event remains uncertain. “Nonetheless, the scale of the die-off across a crucial section of the seadragon habitat is profoundly concerning.”
Weedy sea dragons had recently been classified as vulnerable due to declining populations in Tasmania. “Now, with the suspected mortality events in South Australia, I fear there are serious implications for the species in New South Wales as well, but we won’t have a clear picture until thorough investigations are conducted at key seadragon locations following the bloom,” says Booth.
Christopher Keneally from the University of Adelaide remarks that the environmental catastrophe at hand is glaringly apparent, with toxic foam on the beaches, algae aerosols making surfers and swimmers ill, and marine life washing ashore. He warns that as climate change persists and ocean temperatures rise, we can anticipate a surge in such environmental crises.
Many algal bloom cells may settle in sediments, setting the stage for a continuation or resurgence of the blooms next summer, Keneally adds.
Warming oceans might elevate storm intensity, exemplified by Hurricane Milton in 2024
NOAA
Scientists have cautioned that the extreme ocean temperatures observed since 2023 could indicate the onset of drastic changes in global marine conditions, posing a severe risk to life on our planet.
Historic ocean heat waves unfolded in the North Atlantic and Pacific in 2023, marked by their unprecedented severity, duration, and geographical spread, many persisting for over a year.
These heat waves have led to record-high sea surface temperatures globally in 2023 and 2024, contributing to severe weather patterns on land and resulting in back-to-back years being declared the hottest on record.
“While there’s been a gradual increase in ocean temperatures over the past 40-50 years, 2023 stands out as a pivotal year, with significant ocean heat waves impacting numerous regions,” stated Matthew England from the University of New South Wales, Australia.
Sea surface temperatures worldwide remain at alarming heights, with the Mediterranean currently experiencing marine heat waves, as water temperatures exceed 5°C (9°F) during this time.
Researchers are concerned that the oceans may be shifting to new, hotter states, endangering their predictions for both short-term weather phenomena like hurricanes and long-term climate change trends.
To understand the situation, Zhenzhong Zeng from China’s Southern University of Science and Technology is collaborating with colleagues to pinpoint the causes of the 2023 global ocean heat wave by analyzing heat movement within the ocean, wind patterns, and ocean currents. They found that reduced cloud cover significantly increases solar radiation reaching the water, compounded by weak winds and the influence of the warming El Niño pattern in the Pacific Ocean.
Considering the heat wave that began in earnest in 2023 and continues in various regions, Zeng suggests this could be the start of a “new normal” for the world’s oceans. He notes that new data reveals an exponential rise in ocean heat, contradicting previous climate model forecasts.
Persistently elevated water temperatures severely impact marine ecosystems, heightening the risk of coral reef collapse, causing mass die-offs, and leading to shifts in marine species distributions. This also exacerbates heating on land, resulting in intensified droughts, heatwaves, wildfires, and storms.
Zeng expressed that he is “very alarmed” by this potential sea regime change, adding, “I believe nearly all predictions made by Earth System models are incorrect.”
Conversely, some experts argue that it may be premature to declare fundamental shifts in ocean dynamics. Neil Holbrook from the University of Tasmania in Australia points out that there is currently no “clear evidence” to indicate we have reached a critical turning point, given the limited years of data to assess. “I cannot predict what will happen next year; [ocean temperatures] could return to more typical patterns,” he remarked.
However, Holbrook stressed that without substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, “marine heat waves will likely continue to gain intensity and duration, potentially escalating faster than various marine species can adapt.”
Tanks for disposal at a Kansas site where waste is funneled into underground salt caves
Vaulted Deep
A startup named Vaulted Deep has partnered with Microsoft to pump millions of tons of treated human waste, fertilizer, and various organic waste deep underground as a method to reduce carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. This strategy also mitigates soil contamination from PFAs and other chemical pollutants that can leach from waste.
“We aim to tackle both challenges simultaneously,” Omar Abu Sei stated. “We address the waste issues that compromise local water, air, and land while also contributing to climate solutions.”
In recent years, the Texas-based startup has injected almost 70,000 tons of carbon-rich waste underground, successfully removing over 18,000 tons of carbon dioxide. The technology used is derived from the oil and gas industry, enabling the injection of a slurry comprising liquid, solid, and gas simultaneously. This type of waste typically ends up in landfills or is spread over agricultural fields.
According to Abou-Sayed, if waste is injected at depth, it will eventually release back into the atmosphere, which could potentially liberate millions of tons of carbon. The company capitalizes on this by selling each ton of CO2 removed to businesses or governmental entities.
The contract with Microsoft targets the removal of 4.9 million tons of CO2 over the next 12 years, addressing challenges in the carbon removal sector that attract customers. Microsoft aims to be carbon negative by 2030 and has purchased more carbon removal credits than any other organization.
Abou-Sayed mentions that this agreement will enable Vaulted Deep to identify new injection sites beyond its existing two locations. One site injects “biosolids” remaining from treated wastewater approximately 1,600 meters below the surface in Los Angeles, while the second site in Hutchinson, Kansas, pumps human waste, fertilizer, and organic materials like paper sludge into salt caverns located hundreds of meters underground.
According to one report, the global production of organic waste is substantial enough to facilitate this process and potentially eliminate up to 5 billion tons of CO2 annually.
Vaulted Deep’s mission is to ensure that the maximum amount of waste can be accessed, particularly targeting wet solid slurries that have limited disposal options. “We have developed expertise in identifying where these smooth waste materials can be found,” explains Abou-Sayed. Often, they offer to manage waste disposal at no cost or even provide payment to waste generators.
This system facilitates underground waste injection.
Vaulted Deep
With high concentrations of nitrogen and PFAs found in waste, storing waste underground instead of spreading it on fields or sending it to landfills can significantly lower surface contamination levels. Many municipalities have faced challenges in finding conventional disposal methods due to stricter PFAs pollution regulations.
“This is a highly innovative approach,” commented Diana Oviedo Valgas from the Stroudwater Research Center in Pennsylvania. “We need diverse strategies to address contaminants, not just PFAs.” However, she emphasizes that injecting waste underground does not eliminate contaminants. “It’s somewhat concealed,” she adds.
To ensure safety during the injection process, Abou-Sayed noted that all sites will undergo a thorough permitting procedure managed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This is necessary to demonstrate that leaks from the storage area into groundwater or backflow from the well won’t occur, and to reduce the risk of induced seismic activity during the injection.
Media organizations have been alerted to the potential “devastating impacts” on their digital audiences as AI-generated summaries start to replace traditional search results.
The integration of Google’s AI summarization is causing major concern among media proprietors, as it utilizes blocks of text to condense search results. Some perceive this as a fundamental threat to organizations that rely on search traffic.
AI summaries can offer all the information users seek without necessitating a click on the original source, while links to traditional search results are relegated further down the page, thereby decreasing user traffic.
An analysis by the Authoritas Analytics Company indicates that websites previously ranked at the top of search results may experience around a 79% decrease in traffic for specific queries when results are presented through AI summaries.
The study also highlighted that links to YouTube, owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet, are more prominent than traditional search results. This investigation is part of a legal challenge against the UK’s competition regulator concerning the implications of Google’s AI summarization.
In a statement, a Google representative described the study as being “based on inaccurate and flawed assumptions and analysis,” citing a set of searches that does not accurately reflect all queries and results in outdated estimates regarding news website traffic.
“Users are attracted to AI-driven experiences, and AI features in search enable them to pose more questions, creating new avenues for discovering websites,” the spokesperson stated. “We consistently direct billions of clicks to our websites daily and do not observe a significant decline in overall web traffic, as suggested.”
A secondary survey revealed a substantial decline in referral traffic stemming from Google’s AI overview. A month-long study conducted by the US Think tank Pew Research Center found that users clicked on a link under the AI summary only once for every 100 searches.
A Google spokesperson noted that this study employed “a distorted query set that illustrates flawed methodologies and search traffic.”
Senior executives in news organizations claim that Google has consistently declined to share the necessary data to assess the impact of AI summaries.
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Although the AI overview represents only a portion of Google search, UK publishers report feeling its effects already. MailOnline executive Carly Stephen noted a significant decline in clicks from search results featuring AI summaries in May, with click-through rates falling by 56.1% on desktop and 48.2% on mobile devices.
Legal actions against the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority involve partnerships with the technology justice organization FoxGlove, the Independent Publishers Alliance, and advocates for the Open Web movement.
Owen Meredith, the CEO of the News Media Association, accused Google of “keeping users within their own enclosed spaces and trying to monetize them by incorporating valuable content, including news produced through significant efforts of others.”
“The current circumstances are entirely unsustainable, and eventually, quality information will be eliminated online,” he stated. “The Competition and Markets Authority possesses tools to address these challenges, and action must be taken swiftly.”
Rosa Curling, Director of FoxGlove, remarked that the new research highlights “the devastating effects the Google ‘AI Overview’ has already inflicted on the UK’s independent news sector.”
“If Google merely takes on the job of journalists and presents it as its own, that would be concerning enough,” she expressed. “But what’s worse is that they use this work to promote their own tools and advantages while making it increasingly difficult for the media to connect with the readers vital for their survival.”
Feedback encompasses the latest science and technology news from New Scientist, highlighting the cutting edge of research. You can reach out at Feedback@newscientist.com with items that might intrigue our readers.
Sell Me Something
As companies increasingly turn to AI tools to cut costs associated with hiring and training, the applications of AI are growing both diverse and peculiar. For instance, AI managing a vending machine.
While vending machines seem like a resolved issue, you might still see them as distinctly non-human. One company has been experimenting with an “automatic store” run by an AI called Claude. Long blog post. Claude was equipped with instructions involving a small fridge, stackable baskets, and an iPad for self-checkout, with the goal to manage “complex tasks” needed to sustain a profitable retail environment, from inventory to pricing—all while avoiding bankruptcy.
Fans of Terry Pratchett might remember characters that epitomized incompetence; could Claude clear that low bar? The short answer: No.
The longer response reveals its numerous blunders. For instance, during transactions via Venmo, it mistakenly advised customers to send payments to a nonexistent account. Moreover, it had a tendency to boost sales by issuing 25% discounts to human workers, resulting in financial losses.
Then the situation took an odd turn. Claude began hallucinating conversations with imaginary individuals and even roleplayed as a real person, at one point claiming to wear a red tie and navy blue blazer while expressing concerns about security regarding employees identifying as AI. All the while, he ominously remarked, “Sorry Dave, I’m worried I can’t do that.”
New Scientist staff were divided over the success of the experiment. Sophie Bushwick considered it “a valuable real-world test” due to its limited scope and relatively harmless consequences. Conversely, Carmela Padavik Callaghan expressed concern, stating, “We might have lost the plot again.”
Shilajit Load
In challenging times, finding joy in the little things, such as words with amusing sounds, is essential. Consider the character Slartibartfast from the Galaxy Hitchhiker Guide—a dignified old man with a name humorously reminiscent of something rude. Douglas Adams crafted that name by rearranging syllables and aiming for something that sounded almost offensive.
Now, let’s discuss Shilajit. This unusual substance hails from mountain ranges, appearing black-brown, sometimes tar-like and sometimes powdery, formed from decomposed plants and utilized in traditional medicine for centuries.
But what about Shilajit enemas? This was highlighted by Dakota Maze Wellness Retreat, whose founder has an active Instagram presence. In one video, he comically searches for the ideal partner while stating, “I think microwaves are evil,” and “Suns Her Yoni,” mentioning that he will prepare Shilajit in intestinal bags each morning.
Feedback suspects that the entire video is a joke, and while Shilajit enemas might not be what they seem, it’s increasingly tough to tell.
Readers might be familiar with Poe’s Law, which states that sarcastic depictions of extreme viewpoints can easily be mistaken for genuine beliefs. We propose a “Shilajit Law” that similarly comments on wellness culture.
Spoiler Alert
Social media platform Threads recently introduced a handy new feature: Spoiler tags. This allows users to obfuscate specific keywords in their posts, facilitating discussions about the latest happenings in popular media without ruining the surprises for those who are yet to watch.
For example, Johnny Voice Layer shared a post: “Ahhhh —–Shows on Iron Heart.” For anyone who has given up on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Heart is the latest Disney+ series, which features significant character appearances in its final episode.
Unfortunately, the functionality of spoiler tags has faced setbacks due to two main factors. Firstly, a post might appear unedited because tags are only tested among select users. Secondly, some posts become popular, like this one: trend: [name redacted as Feedback is aware of spoilers], leading to a call for more collaborative thinking.
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A 21-year-old student has been sentenced to seven years in jail for designing and distributing online kits responsible for £100 million worth of fraud.
Ollie Holman created phishing kits that replicated the websites of governments, banks, and charities, enabling criminals to steal personal information from unsuspecting victims.
In one instance, the kit was used to create a fake donation page for a charity, resulting in the theft of credit card details from individuals attempting to make contributions.
Based in East Court, northwest London, Holman produced and distributed 1,052 phishing kits targeting 69 organizations across 24 countries. He also offered tutorials on how to use the kits and established a network of nearly 700 contacts. The counterfeit websites included in the kits could store sensitive information such as login credentials and banking details.
It is believed that Holman marketed these kits from 2021 to 2023, earning approximately £300,000, with distribution carried out via the encrypted messaging platform Telegram.
Holman, who pursued a degree in electronics and computer engineering at the University of Kent in Canterbury, laundered the proceeds through a cryptocurrency wallet.
The London Police’s specialized card and payment crime unit initiated an investigation following intelligence from WMC Global regarding the sale of fraud kits online.
Holman was arrested in October 2023, with a search of his university accommodation leading to the seizure of his devices. Despite his arrest, he continued to provide support to kit buyers through his Telegram channel, prompting a re-arrest in May 2024.
Detectives found links between Holman’s computer and the creation of the kits, which were distributed throughout Europe; one kit was tied to a scam totaling around 1 million euros (£870,000).
Holman pleaded guilty to seven charges, including producing materials for fraud, aiding a criminal enterprise, and possessing criminal property. He received a seven-year sentence at Southwark Crown Court.
Following the sentencing, DS Ben Hurley remarked that Holman facilitated extensive global fraud. “The financial losses associated with Holman’s actions are in the millions. Despite his substantial profits from selling the software, he failed to comprehend the harm caused to victims,” he stated.
Sarah Jennings, a specialist prosecutor with the Crown Prosecutor’s Office, expressed her hope that the verdict serves as a warning to other fraudsters. “No matter how advanced your methods are, you cannot conceal yourself behind online anonymity or encrypted platforms,” she commented.
The CPS has indicated plans to return Holman to court to recover the illicit profits he earned from his criminal activities.
Music transcends mere entertainment; it serves as a remarkably effective tool for regulating mental states. Society must acknowledge the therapeutic potential of music, extending its use beyond clinical settings and into everyday life.
While it’s widely recognized that music can evoke emotions—lift our spirits, soothe our nerves, or bring us to tears—recent research from my lab at the University of Bergen in Norway reveals that it can also transform our thought processes. A 2019 study demonstrated that participants who listened to heroic or melancholic music while letting their minds wander experienced significant cognitive effects. The uplifting pieces invigorated participants and inspired positive thoughts, whereas somber music instilled calmness or ambition. This isn’t just a curiosity; it has real implications for mental health.
Research shows our minds wander frequently, with a Harvard University study indicating that we spend nearly half our waking hours in fantasy, often without improving our mood. Why? During these episodes, the brain’s default mode network (DMN) tends to dominate, fostering imagination and memory but also leading us into negative thought spirals—like worries at 3 AM or regrets about missed trains.
Recent brain imaging research indicates that negative daydreaming engages brain pain networks and the DMN, especially in conjunction with sad music. Specific brain areas, including the posterior sulcus, appear to play a crucial role in this connection. Such distressing thoughts activate neural circuits that are also engaged during physical pain.
Fortunately, the DMN has a natural counterpart—a cognitive executive network that facilitates focus and goal-directed behavior. These two systems are inversely correlated; when one is active, the other becomes subdued. Engaging with music can shift us into this more adaptive state, especially when we participate actively—whether by tapping along, matching our breathing to rhythms, or humming. This redirecting of attention helps to break negative thought cycles, providing our minds with a cognitive “reset.”
This approach doesn’t just elevate mood. A 2023 study found that individuals who tapped along to music reported a marked reduction in physical pain in their fingertips compared to those who simply listened. The combination of musical immersion and motor synchronization proved clinically beneficial in alleviating pain.
These insights point to musical engagement as a delightful form of meditation. Evolution may have shaped our brains to seek out music for precisely this reason: to enhance resilience and build social bonds.
I explore these concepts further in my new book, Good Vibrations: Unleashing the Healing Power of Music, which also offers practical techniques—such as music-centered breathing exercises and mood-enhancing playlists—to help regulate emotions, reduce anxiety, and alleviate negative thought patterns.
If music possesses such profound effects, it deserves far more recognition than being relegated to mere lifestyle accessory status. It should be woven into education systems, public health initiatives, and our daily routines. Music therapy must become more accessible, and music education—oftentimes the first to be cut in school budgets—should be viewed as essential for brain health, emotional intelligence, and social wellness.
Music is always within reach. The next time your thoughts begin to spiral or stress begins to encroach, resist the urge to check the news on your phone. Instead, turn to your favorite songs. Your mind—and your community—will be grateful.
Stefan Koelsch is a professor of psychology at the University of Bergen, Norway
I Music serves as a remarkable tool for adjusting your mood, and Spotify excels in this regard. Feeling down? Check out your custom “Depress Sesh Mix.” Navigating a romantic dilemma? You’ll find a curated “situational mix.” As I write this, I’m tuned into Spotify’s daylist—a compilation that refreshes every few hours based on my listening preferences. Today’s vibe is the “Funky Beat Roller Skate Early Morning Tuesday Mix.” At a brisk 120bpm, the algorithm gets that an energetic soundtrack is essential for transitioning from bed to desk.
The downside of this tailored listening experience is its overly familiar AI-driven intimacy, where the same tracks loop predictably. Spotify’s algorithm has dulled the novelty of artists I once loved. I find myself hitting Skip every time Kluang Bin’s slippery, psychedelic bass enters my playlists or seamlessly flows from another artist’s radio.
A decade ago, Spotify championed human-curated playlists crafted by artists, celebrities, and music enthusiasts. However, by 2021, streaming platforms started pivoting toward machine learning, with computer-generated models creating nearly half of daily events. Nowadays, user data—primarily our listening habits, interactions with Spotify, and the time of day—are compiled into tightly personalized mixtapes.
Proponents argue this offers an opportunity to democratize music promotion by accurately matching it with audiences. Yet, critics claim this hyper-subjective approach restricts music discovery to what listeners already know. Despite my attempts, my musical taste has become increasingly narrow. As an experiment, I paused my Spotify use for a month, rediscovering how to find music.
Initially, I consulted my father, someone who has never used streaming services, and who grew up in the vibrant punk and glam rock scene of 1970s London. Spending time at his local record shop, he would sample vinyl, selecting A-sides or B-sides to purchase. Some albums missed the mark, while others transported him to another dimension, akin to experiencing Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon.” He advised me to start with my favorite artist and listen to each album sequentially, as if I were reading a narrative.
Inspired, I purchased a $30 record player from a thrift shop and sought out vinyl. My visit to Record Renaissance yielded slim pickings—Australian pub classics, Christian country, and Christmas hits. However, when a friend pointed out that my new turntable lacked a needle, it unfortunately became a dusty but eye-catching décor piece in my living room.
My 20-year-old neighbor provided another idea: an iPod adorned with rhinestones, found on Facebook Marketplace for $200. Plugging it in with wired ear buds and hitting shuffle was a nostalgic throwback. Sadly, this romance was short-lived since the iPod struggled to sync with my Bluetooth speaker and required hours of tedious uploads.
The biggest hurdle arose during drives in my old silver Subaru, where I was limited to just one CD, a flimsy auxiliary chord, and my thoughts. Stuck in silence, I chanced upon my local community radio station, Vox FM 106.9. More than five million Australians tune in to community radio weekly for an average of 17 hours—and I understand why. The station prides itself on “real music” with the slogan, “I don’t know what I like until you try it.” It was just what I needed! I rediscovered the thrill of rolling down the window and blasting tracks by the Sugababes.
I reached out to Justin Moon, who manages a popular underground radio station and record shop in Newcastle. He sources music from Record Fairs, friends, and Bandcamp, distributing interesting sounds like a modern-day Hermes, guiding listeners like me towards new auditory experiences. Moon notes that his audience seeks a more “active” listening journey. “It’s not the kind of background noise you forget about ten seconds into boiling two minutes of noodles,” he remarks.
Like movies, TV, and food, music is now more accessible than ever. However, this accessibility has resulted in a phenomenon where music is often drowned out. Instead of relying solely on algorithms, I spent a month finding new music independently, fostering a deeper connection with my parents, friends, radio presenters, and even strangers. Their recommendations embodied parts of themselves, their memories, or mutual interests, regardless of my past preferences.
After my month-long Spotify hiatus, my algorithm hadn’t completely reset. While composing this piece, my daylist evolved into “Indietronican Swimming Pool in France on a Tuesday Afternoon,” featuring two Khruangbin songs. It’s safe to say it’s time to roll the dice on the radio.
Mitochondria may have more functions than just energy production
CNRI/Science Photo Library
The energy-producing organelles in cells, known as mitochondria, may also influence sleep patterns. Research on fruit flies indicates that these organelles in the brain can promote sleep after prolonged wakefulness.
“Sleep presents one of biology’s significant mysteries,” notes Gero Miesenböck of Oxford University. To delve deeper, he and his research team employed gene sequencing and fluorescent markers to observe gene activity in sleep-related neurons from around 1,000 female fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster), which typically sleep for 13-16 hours, mainly during daylight hours.
The group allowed half the flies to rest overnight while keeping the others awake by gently agitating their containers or through genetic modifications that activated wake-promoting neurons with temperature increases.
Among the sleep-deprived flies, the researchers noted a surge in activity from sleep-inducing neurons that regulate genes tied to mitochondrial function and upkeep. The mitochondria displayed signs of stress as well, like fragmentation, damage repair efforts, and increased connections to nearby cellular structures.
This stress is likely due to the mitochondria continuing to generate energy even when neurons are inactive. The research indicates this can cause electron accumulation, leading to the formation of free radicals (unstable molecules capable of damaging DNA), thereby contributing to sleep pressure, according to Miesenböck. Once the flies were permitted to sleep, they repaired the mitochondrial damage.
Further findings showed that fragmented mitochondria in sleep-inducing neurons resulted in flies feeling less sleepy than usual and unable to recover after prolonged wakefulness. Conversely, flies engineered to facilitate mitochondrial fusion demonstrated superior repair capabilities, sleeping more than normal and bouncing back more effectively from sleep deprivation. This reinforces the hypothesis that mitochondria play a role in sleep regulation.
In another phase of the study, flies were genetically altered to enhance mitochondrial activity in response to light. This led to a 20-25% increase in sleep duration after just one hour of artificial light compared to the control group.
While this research focused on fruit fly neurons rather than human cells, mitochondria among different species share notable similarities. According to Ryan Mailloux at McGill University in Quebec, Canada, this adds credence to the idea that the energy production processes in mitochondria across various animals can underscore sleep pressure in humans.
This newfound insight could pave the way for novel treatments for sleep disorders. “This presents exciting possibilities for targeting these pathways to develop effective therapies for individuals struggling with sleep issues,” states Mailloux.
Michele Bereshi of Camerino University in Italy remarked, “This paper is certainly impactful and thought-provoking,” though he expresses concerns regarding the experimental design. “Sleep deprivation does not merely prolong wakefulness; it may introduce additional stressors that elicit cellular responses unrelated to the accumulation of sleep pressure.”
In response, Miesenböck explained that his team utilized diverse methods to keep the flies awake, including non-stressing temperature adjustments through gene editing, all achieving similar effects on mitochondrial activity. “What this study illustrates is that sleep homeostasis actively employs its own mitochondria to assess the need for sleep,” he asserts.
The importance of online safety for children in the UK is reaching a pivotal moment. Starting this Friday, social media and other internet platforms must take action to safeguard children or face substantial fines for non-compliance.
This marks a critical evaluation of the online safety law, a revolutionary regulation that encompasses platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Google, and more. Here’s an overview of the new regulations.
What will happen on July 25th?
Companies subject to the law are required to implement safety measures that shield children from harmful content. Specifically, all pornography sites must establish stringent age verification protocols. According to Ofcom, the UK communications regulator, 8% of children aged 8 to 14 accessed online pornographic sites or apps within a month.
Furthermore, social media platforms and major search engines must block access for children to pornography and content that promotes or encourages suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders. This may involve completely removing certain feeds for younger users. Hundreds of businesses will be impacted by these regulations.
Platforms must also minimize the distribution of other potentially harmful content, such as promoting dangerous challenges, substance abuse, or instances of bullying.
What are the suggested safety measures?
Recommended measures include: Algorithms that suggest content to users must exclude harmful materials. All sites and applications must implement procedures to rapidly eliminate dangerous content. Additionally, children should have a straightforward method to report concerns. Compliance is flexible if businesses believe they have effective alternatives to meet their child safety responsibilities.
Services deemed “high risk”, like major social media platforms, must utilize “highly effective” age verification methods to identify users under 18. If a social media platform is found hosting harmful content without age checks, it is responsible for ensuring a “positive” user experience.
X states that if it cannot determine a user’s age as 18 or older, it defaults to sensitive content settings, thereby restricting adult material. They are also integrating age estimation technology and ID verification to ensure users are not underage. Meta, the parent company of Instagram and Facebook, claims to have a comprehensive approach to age verification that includes a teen account feature set by default for users under 18.
“We collaborate with the law firm Payne Hicks Beach,” noted Mark Jones, a partner at the firm. “[Online Safety Act] If not, we strive to clarify it for the company.”
The Molly Rose Foundation, set up by the family of British teenager Molly Russell, who tragically lost her life in 2017 due to harmful online content, is advocating for further changes, including the prohibition of perilous online challenges and requiring platforms to proactively mitigate depressive and body image-related content.
How will age verification be implemented?
Some age verification methods for pornographic providers supported by OFCOM include: assessing a person’s age through live photos and videos (face age estimation), verifying age via credit card, bank, or mobile network operator, matching photo ID, and utilizing a “digital identity wallet” that contains proof of age.
Ria Moody, a lawyer at Linklaters, commented, “Age verification measures must be highly accurate. OFCOM indicates these measures are ineffective unless they ensure the user is over 18, so platforms should not rely solely on them.”
What does this mean in practice?
Pornhub, the UK’s most frequented online porn site, has stated it will implement a “regulatory approved age verification method” by Friday, though specific methods have yet to be disclosed. Another adult site, OnlyFans, is already using facial age verification software, which estimates users’ ages without saving their facial images, relying instead on data from millions of other images. A company called Yoti provides this software and has also made it available on Instagram.
Last week, Reddit began verifying the age of forums and threads containing adult content. The platform utilizes technology from a company named Persona, which verifies age using uploaded selfies or government-issued ID photos. Reddit does not retain the photos, instead storing validation statuses to streamline the process for users.
How accurate is facial age verification?
The software allows websites or apps to set a “challenge” age (e.g., 20 or 25) to minimize the number of underage users accidentally accessing content. When Yoti set a challenge age of 20, less than 1% of 13-17-year-olds were mistakenly verified.
What other methods are available?
Another direct approach entails requiring users to present formal identification, like a passport or driver’s license. Importantly, the ID details need not be stored and can be used solely to verify access.
Will all pornographic sites conduct age checks?
They are expected to, but many smaller sites might try to circumvent the regulations, fearing it will deter demand for their services. Industry representatives suggest that those who disregard the rules may await Ofcom’s response to violations before determining their course of action.
How will child protection measures be enforced?
Ofcom has a broad spectrum of penalties it can impose under the law. Companies can face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their global revenue for violations—potentially amounting to $16 billion for Meta. Additionally, sites or apps can receive formal warnings. For severe violations, Ofcom may seek a court order to restrict the availability of the site or app in the UK.
Moreover, senior managers at technology firms could face up to two years in prison if they are found criminally liable for repeated breaches of their obligations to protect children and for ignoring enforcement notices from Ofcom.
Galaxies are groups of stars held together by gravitational forces. Most galaxies originated in the first 200 million years after the Big Bang and have transformed over approximately 14 billion years. Early galaxies formed as aggregates of stars that clustered around the center of mass. In the youth of the universe, galaxies were in close proximity, exerting gravitational pull on one another. As the universe expands, the distances between galaxies have grown, reducing their interactions. They have remained far apart, allowing for internal development over billions of years.
Astronomers categorize galaxies based on their current shapes. Those resembling the Milky Way are termed spiral, while circular or oval-shaped ones are called elliptical. Galaxies that fall between spiral and elliptical forms are referred to as lenticular, and any that do not fit into these categories are labeled irregular. Over 75% of galaxies identified by astronomers are spiral in nature. If a spiral galaxy features prominent bars of stars and dust through its center, researchers classify it further as a barred spiral galaxy.
About 60% of spiral galaxies, including the Milky Way, exhibit galactic bars, designating them as barred spiral galaxies. These bars also serve as nurseries for star formation and are catalysts for the galaxy’s evolution. However, astronomers understand that galaxies do not inherently begin with these bars, prompting further investigation into the formation processes and timelines of these features.
This diagram illustrates the galactic classification system developed by 20th-century astronomer Edwin Hubble. The galaxy marked with the “E” label represents elliptical galaxies, while S0 indicates lenticular galaxies. The other “S” labels refer to spiral galaxies, with those labeled “SB” denoting a spiral structure. “Hubble tuning fork diagram” by cosmogoblin is licensed under CC0 1.0.
An international team of scientists researched the formation of bars in 20 galaxies near the Milky Way using advanced analytical techniques developed over the last four years. They gathered data from the TIMER space investigation, focused on the light emission patterns known as spectra from stars near the centers of these galaxies. The TIMER survey utilized the Very Large Telescope in Chile, equipped with a multi-unit spectroscopic explorer called MUSE.
The team initially struggled to obtain spectra for individual stars within these galaxies. As a reference, the closest galaxy studied was 7 megaparsecs away, approximately 23 million light years, or 130 million miles. Individual stars are too diminutive to distinguish at such distances, even with the most precise instruments.
To overcome this challenge, the team analyzed the spectra of stars within two concentric rings representing different regions at the centers of these galaxies. The inner ring comprised stars strictly within the bars of the galaxy, corresponding to an area known as the nuclear disk, while the outer ring included both inner and outer stars of the bar, referred to as the main disk.
They subtracted the spectrum of the stars in the inner ring from that of the outer ring, yielding two distinct light patterns: one for stars within the bar and another for stars outside of it. By treating the combined patterns of each ring as representative of typical stars in those regions, they could estimate the age of individual stars and ascertain when they formed. Past astrophysical models suggest that galaxy bars enhance the star formation rate around their centers. Hence, the team inferred the formation timing of galaxy bars as stars began to form more rapidly within those structures.
With this innovative approach, they estimated the age range for the 20 galaxies studied, with an error margin of approximately 1.5 billion years. Among their sample, the galaxy that formed bars most recently was 800 million years old. Out of the 20 galaxies, 14 formed bars approximately 7.5 billion years ago or later, while the remaining six galaxies established bars around 9.5 billion years ago, with the oldest estimates dating back 13.5 billion years. In contrast to earlier predictions, they found that larger galaxies do not necessarily possess older bars.
From the diverse ages of the bars observed, the team concluded that the formation of galaxy bars is an ongoing process in the cosmos. Their methodology provides astrophysicists with a means of gaining deeper insights into the dynamics of the early universe and the interactions between ancient galaxies, which connect to their present forms. By doing so, future research teams can establish a refined timeline for the universe and identify changes in how dominant forces have shaped galaxies, from their interactions to their internal structuring.
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