Author Archives: Igor Mitreski

Texas Woman Dies from Brain-Eating Amoeba After Using Tap Water for Sinus Rinse

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that a Texas woman died from an infection linked to an amoeba after using tap water for sinus irrigation, which ultimately led to brain damage Case report.

The 71-year-old woman, who was otherwise healthy, experienced severe neurological symptoms, including fever, headache, and altered mental status, four days after using tap water from the RV’s water system to fill her nasal irrigation device at a Texas campground.

She received treatment for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, an infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, often referred to as the “brain-eating amoeba.” Despite medical intervention, she suffered a seizure and succumbed to the infection eight days post-symptom onset, according to the CDC.

Laboratory tests confirmed the presence of the amoeba in the woman’s cerebrospinal fluid.

The CDC noted that while infections commonly occur after recreational water use, using undistilled water for sinus irrigation is also a significant risk factor for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis.

A survey conducted by the agency revealed that although the woman had not been recently exposed to freshwater, she had used non-boiled water from the RV’s drinking water tap for nasal irrigation multiple times prior to her illness.

According to the survey findings, the RV’s drinking water tanks were filled and potentially contained contaminated water before the RV was purchased three months earlier. The investigation concluded that contamination could have originated from local government water systems linked to the drinking water systems and bypassing the tanks.

The agency underscores the importance of using distilled, sterilized, or previously boiled and cooled tap water for nasal irrigation to lower the risk of infection or illness.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Retinal Implants Regain Vision in Blind Mice

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Retinal damage can result in blindness

bsip sa/alamy

Retinal implants have shown potential in restoring vision in blind mice, indicating that they may eventually help those with conditions like age-related macular degeneration, where photoreceptor cells in the retina deteriorate over time.

Shuiyuan Wang from Fudan University in China and his team developed a retinal prosthesis composed of metal nanoparticles that replicate the function of lost retinal cells, converting light into electrical signals to be sent to the brain.

In their experiments, the researchers administered nanoparticles into the retinas of mice that had been genetically modified to be nearly completely blind.

They restricted water access for three days to both the modified blind mice and those with normal vision. Subsequently, they trained all mice to activate a 6cm wide button on a screen to receive water.

Following training, each mouse underwent 40 testing rounds. The fully sighted mouse pressed the button successfully 78% of the time. Mice with implants achieved a 68% success rate, while untreated blind mice only managed 27%. “That presents a very noticeable effect,” stated Patrick DeGenard, who wasn’t involved in the research but is affiliated with Newcastle University in the UK.

After 60 days, researchers observed minimal signs of toxicity from the implants in the mice. However, Degenaar emphasized the need for long-term safety data, stating, “For clinical application, extensive animal testing lasting approximately five years will be necessary.”

“Patients with age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa could benefit from this prosthetic,” noted Leslie Askew from the University of Surrey, UK, who was not part of the study.

Degenaar also remarked that justifying this solution for age-related macular degeneration patients is complex, as they possess a degree of vision that may not warrant the risks associated with implanting prosthetics.

Furthermore, he noted that mice generally have inferior vision compared to humans, raising uncertainty about how beneficial the findings will be for people until comprehensive clinical trials are conducted.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Taurine Might Not Play a Significant Role in Aging After All

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Taurine supplements are seen as potentially effective in slowing aging, but this may not hold true

Shutterstock / Eugeniusz Dudzinski

While it was previously thought that taurine, an amino acid, diminishes with age, research in animals suggested that taurine supplements might help slow down the aging process. New studies, however, indicate this decline is not consistent. In fact, taurine levels often increase with age, indicating that low nutrient levels might not be the primary factor driving aging.

Earlier research indicated that taurine levels decrease in aging men, with those exhibiting higher taurine levels at age 60 experiencing better health outcomes. This correlation suggests low taurine levels might contribute to aging, supported by evidence that taurine supplements can extend the lifespans of mice and monkeys.

The challenge lies in the fact that taurine levels can fluctuate due to various factors, including illness, stress, and dietary habits. Thus, a reduction in this vital amino acid may not be directly linked to the aging process. Maria Emilia Fernandez and her team from The National Institute of Aging in Maryland assessed taurine levels in 742 individuals aged 26 to 100. The cohort consisted of roughly equal numbers of men and women, with no major health issues and multiple blood samples taken between January 2006 and October 2018.

On average, women aged 100 had taurine levels that were nearly 27% higher than those aged 26, while men aged 30 to 97 exhibited an approximate 6% increase. Similar trends were noted among 32 monkeys sampled at ages ranging from 7 to 32 years, where female monkeys saw taurine levels rise by an average of 72% and male monkeys by 27% between ages 5 and 30.

These results underscore that taurine levels may not be a reliable indicator of aging. Importantly, taurine concentrations vary widely among individuals and can change over time due to external factors, according to Fernandez.

Nevertheless, some individuals may still find taurine supplementation beneficial. Fernandez highlights research indicating its potential to help regulate blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes or those who are obese. However, the question of whether taurine can slow aging in otherwise healthy individuals remains unanswered.

Vijay Yadav from Rutgers University and his colleagues are currently leading clinical trials on taurine supplementation in middle-aged adults. “We aim to conclude the trial by the end of 2025,” he states. “Our goal is to produce robust data to determine if taurine supplementation can decelerate human aging or enhance health and fitness.”

The article was revised on June 5th, 2025

Vijay Yadav’s affiliation has been corrected

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Worms Unite to Create Tentacles and Explore New Areas

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jlpeimmgyw

What should a tiny millimeter worm do when food is scarce? The solution lies in teaming up with countless companions to form tentacle-like structures that can bridge gaps to nearby objects or capture larger prey to aid in their journey.

Researchers examining nematode worms in laboratory settings have long observed their ability to construct “towers,” yet these phenomena lacked thorough exploration, states Serenadine from the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior in Germany. Therefore, she and her team aimed to investigate this further.

The research focused on the Caenorhabditis elegans worm species. In their experiments, when food was inadequate, and given a structure to assemble, a significant number of worms tended to create towers. For these studies, they utilized toothbrush bristles as a base.

While worms occasionally formed towers without any physical support, these structures were typically under 5 mm tall and only lasted about a minute. In contrast, when built upon the bristles, the towers reached heights of 11 mm and could endure for up to half a day.

In other nematode species, reports indicate towers can grow as tall as 50 mm. “They can expand significantly,” notes Din.

Although the base of the tower remains steady, the upper portion can extend well beyond the support and exhibit movement similar to tentacles. This allows the towers to reach out to nearby surfaces, forming bridges that enable the worms to traverse much wider gaps than individual organisms could manage.

“Tower” of nematode worms on rotten apples

Perez et al. Current Biology (2025)

The towers are capable of gripping objects that come into contact with them, such as fruit fly legs, effectively hitching a ride for the worms. This allows them to travel further without exerting their own energy.

While it’s known that individual nematodes can latch onto insects for transportation, the idea that an entire tower could do the same was previously unverified. “That’s a feature we expect to observe,” says Ding.

Utilizing a digital microscope, the researchers documented the tower’s formation on a decaying apple in an orchard adjacent to their laboratory.

Worm towers are exclusively formed by a single species, despite the presence of various species around them. They can consist of worms at any stage of their life cycle, even if the team discovers them during the process. Previously, it was believed that only “Dawer” worms, which are in their hard larval stage during stressful conditions, could create these towers.

There are other similarly crude forms of aggregation. For instance, slime molds, which are single-celled organisms like amoebas, can group together to form larger masses that move in search of nourishment.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

We learned how our brains distinguish between imagination and reality.

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Overlap of Brain Regions in Imagination and Reality Perception

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How can we differentiate between what we perceive as real and what we imagine? Recent findings have uncovered brain pathways that may assist in this distinction, potentially enhancing treatments for hallucinations associated with conditions like Parkinson’s disease.

It’s already established that the brain regions activated during imagination closely resemble those engaged when perceiving real visual stimuli; however, the mechanism distinguishing them remains elusive. “What allows our brains to discern between these signals of imagination and reality?” asks Nadine Dijkstra from University College London.

To explore this, Dijkstra and her team observed 26 participants engaged in visual tasks while their brain activity was monitored via MRI scans. The tasks included displaying static grey blocks on the screen for 2 seconds, repeated over 100 times. Participants were prompted to imagine diagonal lines within each block, with half of the blocks containing actual diagonal lines.

Subsequently, participants rated the vividness of the lines they perceived on a scale of 1-4 and indicated whether the lines were real or imagined.

Through the analysis of brain activity, researchers found that when participants viewed the lines more vividly, the fusiform gyrus, a specific brain area, was more active, irrespective of the line’s actual presence.

“Prior research indicated that this area is engaged in both perception and imagination, but this study reveals its role in tracking the vividness of visual experiences,” notes Dijkstra.

Crucially, a spike in activity in the fusiform gyrus above a certain threshold led to increased activity in an associated area known as the previous island, causing participants to perceive the lines as real. “This additional area connects to the spindle-like moment, possibly aiding decision-making by processing and re-evaluating signals,” she adds.

While it’s likely that these brain regions are not the sole players in discerning reality from imagination, further investigation into these pathways could refine our understanding of treating visual hallucinations linked to disorders such as schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease.

“Individuals experiencing visual hallucinations might exhibit heightened activity when visualizing their imagined scenarios, or the monitoring of their signals could be inadequate,” Dijkstra suggests.

“I believe this research could be pivotal for clinical cases,” says Adam Zeman, from the University of Exeter, UK. “However, distinguishing whether minor shifts in sensory experiences are driven by real-world events, discerning fully formed hallucinations, and determining the duration of beliefs remains a significant challenge,” he explains.

To address this knowledge gap, Dijkstra’s team is currently studying the brain pathways of individuals with Parkinson’s disease.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Fusion Potential Won’t Be Realized Without Resolving the Lithium Bottleneck

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The ITER project is an experimental fusion power reactor

iter

Nuclear fusion holds the promise of nearly limitless energy, but achieving this goal requires the world to produce a significant amount of concentrated lithium fuel from the ground up.

“A major challenge is the concentration phase, where specific lithium types are concentrated,” explains Samuel Ward from Woodruff Scientific Ltd, a British firm dedicated to nuclear fusion. “There is currently no scalable solution capable of providing the fuel required for future fusion reactors.”

Lithium is essential for the most prevalent fusion technology being developed, which combines two forms of hydrogen to generate energy. Moreover, the rare lithium-6 isotope, constituting only 7.5% of naturally occurring lithium, is the most effective for sustaining the fusion process. Consequently, many fusion power projects depend on “enriched” lithium, increasing the lithium-6 content to over 50%, and occasionally as high as 90%.

Only one demonstration fusion plant is set to outpace experimental reactors by delivering net electricity to the grid. Ward and his team require between 10 to 100 tons of concentrated lithium to initiate and sustain operations. The emergence of a new demonstration plant is expected to heighten this demand.

The initial such plants are projected to be operational by around 2040, allowing time for the enhancement of lithium supplies. However, the enrichment strategy must accelerate—one report indicates that the current lithium-6 supply is nearly non-existent. The U.S. amassed stockpiles during the Cold War, producing approximately 442 tons of enriched lithium from 1952 to 1963 to support nuclear weapon fabrication. This process utilized toxic mercury, leading to environmental pollution that needed remediation for decades.

At present, low-purity lithium for fusion is transitioning from the scarce amounts of highly enriched lithium required for nuclear armaments, according to EGEMEN KOLEMEN at Princeton Plasma Physics Institute, part of the U.S. Department of Energy.

For early integration of power, researchers are advocating for a modernized, eco-friendly version of the enrichment process—yet it still relies on mercury. Last year, the German government allocated funds for a project aimed at advancing this form of lithium enrichment while improving cost-effectiveness. “We plan to launch the first concentration facility in Karlsruhe by 2028,” says Michael Frank, who is participating in this initiative at Argentum Vivum Solutions, a German consultancy.

“The only viable approach for supplying adequate lithium concentrate [in the] short and medium term relies on mercury-based methods,” asserts Thomas Giegalich from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany, also a collaborator on the project. However, this type of method will not suffice for the extensive requirements of hundreds or thousands of commercial fusion reactors.

“There is broad recognition that mercury-dependent processes cannot sustainably support the widespread deployment of fusion energy,” states Adam Stein from the Breakthrough Research Institute, a research center based in California.

Various mercury-free concentration techniques are under exploration, but they are not yet suitable for immediate application. This is also the case with the UK’s Atomic Energy Agency, which is funding the development of a clean lithium enrichment process, including efficient lithium-6 separation through microorganisms.

“Given the current lack of demand and the need for further innovation, other techniques have yet to be demonstrated at a commercial level but must succeed,” says Stein.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The Earth’s Atmosphere Reaches CO2 Levels Not Seen in Millions of Years

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Recent data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at the University of California, San Diego, indicates that the Earth’s atmosphere contains millions, and potentially tens of millions, of carbon dioxide molecules.

For the first time ever, the global average concentration of carbon dioxide—a greenhouse gas emitted from burning fossil fuels—surpassed 430 parts per million (ppm) in May. These measurements represent a record high, with an increase of over 3 ppm from last year.

The findings suggest that efforts to curtail greenhouse gas emissions and reverse the growing accumulation of CO2 are insufficient.

“Another year, another record,” stated Ralph Keeling, a professor of climate science, marine chemistry, and geochemistry at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California; he commented. “I am saddened.”

Carbon dioxide, like other greenhouse gases, traps heat from the sun and can persist in the atmosphere for centuries. High levels of these gases contribute to rising global temperatures and other adverse effects of climate change, including increased sea levels, polar ice melt, and more frequent extreme weather events.

Since the pre-industrial era, CO2 levels in the atmosphere have sharply risen, primarily due to human activities that release greenhouse gases.

Just a few decades ago, crossing the 400 ppm threshold seemed unimaginable. This means that for every million molecules of gas in the atmosphere, over 400 would be carbon dioxide. The planet reached this daunting milestone in 2013. Current warnings suggest that CO2 levels could approach 500 ppm within the next 30 years.

Human society is now in uncharted territory.

According to Keeling, the planet likely experienced such high atmospheric CO2 levels over 30 million years ago, during a time with very different climatic conditions.

He noted the remarkable speed at which CO2 levels are rising.

“It’s changing very quickly,” he told NBC News. “If humans had evolved in an environment with high CO2 levels, the absence of suitable habitats would have likely shaped our evolution. We could have adapted to that world, but instead, we’ve constructed society and civilization based on the climate of the past.”

CO2 levels are typically illustrated using the Keeling Curve, named in honor of Keeling’s father, Charles David Keeling, who began daily atmospheric CO2 measurements in 1958 from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

The Keeling Curve prominently displays the steep rise in CO2 since the Industrial Revolution, attributed to human-induced climate change.

Ralph Keeling and his colleagues at the Scripps Oceanographic Institute reported that the average atmospheric CO2 concentration for May was 430.2 ppm, while NOAA’s Global Monitoring Institute, which has been conducting separate daily measurements since 1974, noted an average of 430.5 ppm for the same month.

Monitoring atmospheric carbon dioxide levels is crucial for understanding how human activities impact the Earth’s climate. These measurements also serve as key indicators of the planet’s overall health.

“These measurements provide insight into the health of the entire system with just one data point,” Keeling explained. “We achieve a comprehensive view of the atmosphere through relatively simple measurement techniques.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Will Life Beneath the Waves Shape Our Future as Sea Levels Rise?

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Is this the future in a world where the oceans are rising?

Deep R&D Ltd

The Bajau are indigenous marine people of Southeast Asia, often referred to as sea nomads. For millennia, they have thrived along coastlines, relying on foraging underwater without the aid of diving gear, holding their breath for astonishing durations. Yet, the early 21st century introduced multiple crises that jeopardized their way of life—industrial overfishing, pollution, coral bleaching diminished food sources, and rising sea levels consumed coastal dwellings.

In 2035, a Bajau community near Saba, North Borneo, initiated fundraising for a contemporary floating and underwater settlement. They collaborated with deep, a manufacturer of submarine habitats, to create interconnected rafts and underwater homes, developing business models that could be emulated by other maritime communities facing similar threats from rising seas. Revenue streams included extreme adventure tourism, scientific research facilities, and longevity clinics.

The first habitat comprised a network of platforms and rafts, with tunnels leading to underwater levels. While residents occupied surface structures, they increasingly utilized submerged areas for storage, sustenance, and sleep. This habitat was constructed using a 3D printing technique known as Wire arc additive manufacturing, which allowed the most effective pressure distribution in areas experiencing strain.

The deeper sections were maintained at both ambient water pressure and the corresponding atmospheric pressure from the surface. In modules situated less than 20 meters deep, occupants, referred to as Aquanauts, inhaled a unique gas mixture to prevent nitrogen narcosis. Those exiting deep modules required decompression when returning to normal atmospheric conditions. An advantage of these surrounding modules was the incorporation of a moon door, enabling Aquanauts to swim directly into the deep sea for leisure, research, and farming activities.

Undersea hotels catering to extreme tourism have surged in popularity. In the Galapagos, tourists reside in submerged hydroelectric hotels, exploring hot springs and observing some of the planet’s rarest life forms. Simultaneously, scientists harness these modules to investigate deep-sea ecosystems. Undersea mapping technologies have evolved, enabling researchers to explore vast ocean territories that were previously unreachable, fostering understanding and interactions with whales and other deep-sea creatures, leading to significant advancements in marine biology.

Aquanauts can swim directly into the deep sea for recreational, research, and agricultural activities

The Bajau have long been adapted to marine environments. With thousands of years at sea, they possess enlarged spleens that provide a higher quantity of oxygen-retaining red blood cells compared to typical humans. Some Bajau divers can spend five hours underwater, diving freely to depths of 70 meters without oxygen tanks, holding their breath for up to 15 minutes. After transitioning to seabed habitats, many Bajau began to leave behind surface living, opting instead to spend more time submerged, even resorting to gene editing to enhance their aquatic capabilities, including intentional eardrum puncturing to facilitate deeper dives, and utilizing surfactants in their lungs to aid their decompression, akin to adaptations found in diving marine mammals.

Bajau’s Diver

Marco Rayman/Alamie

Numerous communities have established depth clinical treatments. Previous research has demonstrated that exposure to intermittent daily sessions of pressurized oxygen therapy can alleviate various medical conditions and age-related diseases. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, for instance, has proven beneficial, leading individuals who underwent consistent high-pressure sessions to possess longer telomeres and enhanced clearance of senescent cells, both of which are linked to increased longevity. The deep habitat has attracted affluent seniors looking to extend their lives, simultaneously providing a lucrative income source.

The majority of marine communities have become self-sufficient, cultivating their own food through aquaculture of fish, mollusks, and seaweed, while also growing other crops on the surface. Energy sources include a combination of solar, wind, wave, and geothermal energy, tailored to local conditions. Some communities focus on tourism, whereas others specialize in carbon capture within medical facilities. A significant amount of seaweed is harvested, sunk into the ocean depths, and sold as carbon credits.

Living beneath the waves isn’t for everyone. Nonetheless, these habitats empower those most vulnerable to climate change, giving them the tools to redefine their livelihoods and lifestyles, even in the face of rising sea levels that threaten their homes.

Rowan Hooper is the podcast editor for New Scientist and author of *How to Spend $1 Trillion: These are 10 Global Issues That Can Be Actually Fixed*. Follow him on Bluesky @rowhoop.bsky.social

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Could the Competition Among Microscope Manufacturers Spark the Next Major Breakthrough?

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Feedback presents the latest updates in science and technology from new scientists, highlighting recent developments. Share items that may captivate readers by emailing Feedback@newscientist.com.

Get Ready…

Attention athletics fans, there’s an intriguing new competition to check out: Sperm Race.

It’s been reported that male birth rates are on the decline, with reduced sperm motility (movement speed) being a significant contributing factor. To raise awareness, a teenage founder has introduced sperm racing as a sport. As they say: “We’re creating the first racecourse for sperm: two competitors, two samples, one microscope finish line.”

Their site showcases “microscopic racetracks” that mimic reproductive systems, using “high-resolution cameras” to “track all microscopic movements.” They claim, “It’s all streamed live,” suggesting the phrase choice is deliberate, with the victor being “the first sperm to cross the finish line, confirmed via advanced imaging.”

The inaugural race on April 25th featured entries from two California universities. Readers may question why feedback on this topic emerged slowly. It’s due to a twist in the tale post-event.

Unfortunately for organizers, journalists like River Page, Reporter at Free Press, revealed that “the winner was predetermined. The ‘race’ was computer-generated.”

The issue is that microscopes can’t function that way. To have tracks long enough for sperm to swim competently, tracking them on camera is impractical. In film, a cameraman can follow Tom Cruise sprinting along the roof of a moving train. Yet, focusing a microscope can be challenging, even when the cells are nearly stationary.

The creators apparently ran a real race in a private setting, relying on computer-generated imagery to “depict” sperm racing for paying spectators.

This has led to speculation that a second round of the sperm race is improbable. I can’t help but recall how millions relish completely fabricated “sports entertainment” like wrestling, and outcomes in football often hinge on which teams have the wealthiest billionaires. Perhaps sperm racing could indeed be the next big sensation.

Water-Based Cooking

Feedback loves to explore the latest food trends, from cutting carbs to eating only lean meats, salt, and water! There’s even talk of “Air Protein,” which involves “microbial organisms that harness carbon dioxide.”

Just when I thought there couldn’t be more to discover, I stumbled upon “water-based cooking.” Given that living organisms are thought to be 60% water, my initial thought was that this might just be another way to say “cooking.” However, I later uncovered articles titled: “Food Trends and Science – Why Cooking in Water May Help Slow Aging.” and “What is Water-Based Cooking? And Why is it Healthier?”. It’s time to delve deeper.

Essentially, water-based cooking means utilizing water for cooking whenever possible, in favor of oil. Think boiling, stewing, or steaming over stir-frying or roasting. This method reduces the formation of harmful advanced glycation end products (AGEs) found in the crispy bits of fried foods known to be linked to health complications. Hence, water-based cooking enthusiasts should steer clear of those.

Driving this trend is Michelle Davenport, a UCSF and NYU-trained nutrition scientist and the former founder of Digital Children’s Food Company. She educates followers on Instagram on how to manage metabolic health through water-based cooking inspired by family recipes.

Read TikTok posts like: “You’ve switched to water-based cooking, and now your skin is clear, your digestion is thriving, and illness recovery is rapid.”

Feedback perceives this might revolve around minor details, but it fits perfectly within wellness culture: if you’re not in peak health, it’s certainly your choice. Regardless, we find ourselves empathetic toward Elle from Bruski, who aptly stated: “It’s just soup. They’re making soup.”

Pizza Insights

We sought examples of “obvious” scientific inquiries that tend to extend far beyond what one might have already guessed. The first query involved research indicating that an SUV poses a greater risk to pedestrians than a compact car.

In response, reader Roger Eldem shared a collection of findings that were decidedly unsurprising. One notable study, from Journal of Knee Surgery, led by Steven Defroda, published a paper stating: “NFL players sustain a higher incidence of knee extensor tears during brief periods of rest compared to normal intervals.” Alternatively, check a press release here. This essentially confirms that “NFL players are prone to knee injuries following shortened rest phases.” Well, yes.

Eldem’s second intriguing find came from research published in Nutrients, led by Iizuka. Its captivating title read: “The Type of Food, Not the Sequence, Influences Meal Duration, Chewing Frequency, and Pace.”

This study examines whether specific food types are consumed more quickly, potentially contributing to obesity later. A related article in MedicalXPress states: “Studies reveal that pizza is consumed more rapidly compared to meals that require chopsticks.” Clearly, food tasks can indeed be time-consuming.

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Send your stories to feedback at feedback@newscientist.com. Please include your home address. Past and current feedback can also be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

100,000 UK Taxpayer Accounts Compromised in £47 Million HMRC Phishing Scam

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HM’s revenues and customs have experienced a loss of £47 million due to phishing scams that have compromised tens of thousands of tax accounts, a panel of lawmakers has been informed.

On Wednesday, two senior tax officials briefed the Treasury Commission, reporting that 100,000 individuals have been contacted or are being contacted after their accounts were locked as part of an “organized crime” investigation initiated last year.

John Paul Marks, CEO of HMRC, stated that the affected taxpayers will face “no financial loss.”

He explained to the committee: “About 0.2% of the Pay population is being notified, with approximately 100,000 individuals informed that unusual activity has been detected on their Pay accounts.”

Marks clarified that this pertains to individual workers’ payment accounts, not business accounts.

He further elaborated: “This incident involved organized crime phishing for identity data outside of the HMRC system, which unfortunately affects banks and other entities that utilize that data to set up Payer accounts for refunds or accessing existing accounts.”

He informed MPs of investigations into issues from last year that “involve jurisdictions beyond the UK,” which led to “arrests last year.”

Angela McDonald, HMRC’s deputy chief executive and second permanent secretary, added:


“Ultimately, we successfully protected £19 billion that was targeted during last year’s attacks.”

McDonald made it clear that this breach is “not a cyber attack, there has been no hacking, and data has not been extracted.”

She went on to state: “The act of compromising someone’s system to extract data and implement ransomware constitutes a cyber attack. That is not what transpired here.”

HMRC reported that it has secured the details of the affected accounts and has eliminated logins to prevent future unauthorized access.

Incorrect information has been purged from tax records, and authorities are verifying that no other details have been altered.

Affected individuals will receive notifications from HMRC within the next three weeks.

Marks noted that HMRC’s phone line experienced an outage on Wednesday afternoon, but this was “accidental” and would be “up and running” by Thursday.

A spokesperson for HMRC stated: “We have taken steps to safeguard our customers after identifying attempts to access a minimal amount of tax revenues and will collaborate with law enforcement both domestically and internationally to bring the culprits to justice.

“This was not a cyber attack; instead, it involved criminals utilizing personal information from phishing activities or data obtained from other sources to attempt to claim funds from HMRC.”

“We are sending letters to affected customers to assist in securing their accounts and to reassure them that they have not lost any money.”

Last week, UK banks and payment companies were advised to enhance their anti-fraud systems for international transactions due to a rising number of fraudsters targeting individuals abroad.

Recent statistics indicated that international payments account for 11% of the losses attributed to push payment fraud in 2024.

Source: www.theguardian.com

As Technology Advances, Early Humans Developed Enhanced Teaching Skills.

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As technology evolves, humans enhance their ability to teach skills to others

English Heritage/Heritage Images/Getty Images

Research into human evolution spanning 3 million years illustrates that advancements in communication and technology have occurred simultaneously. As early humans developed more sophisticated stone tools and various techniques, they also refined their abilities to communicate and educate the next generation on these new skills.

“There exists a scenario for the evolution of modes of cultural transmission throughout human history,” states Francesco Dalico, from the University of Bordeaux, France. “It seems there’s a co-evolution between the complexity of cultural traits and the complexity of their transmission methods.”

A defining characteristic of humanity is the progression toward more complex tools and behaviors. For instance, ancient humans crafted sharp stones for cutting or stabbing and affixed them to wooden shafts to create spears.

Crucially, the ability to instruct others in these skills is vital. For more intricate tasks like playing the violin or coding, extensive education and practice are typically necessary. However, in prehistoric times, the capacity for effective communication was limited, particularly before intricate languages emerged.

Furthermore, Ivan Colagè from the Pope University of the Holy Cross in Rome, along with D’Errico, investigated how the transmission of cultural information has evolved over the last 3.3 million years, aligning with changes in behavior and technology. They examined 103 cultural traits, such as specific types of stone tools, decorative items like beads, and burial customs. They documented the initial appearances of each trait in the archaeological record, indicating common practices.

The researchers assessed the complexity involved in learning each trait. Some simple tools, like stone hammers, require minimal instruction. “They don’t need much explanation,” D’Errico notes. In contrast, demonstrating the creation of more advanced tools is necessary, and the most intricate behaviors, such as deeply symbolic burials, demand explicit verbal explanations.

To analyze this, D’Errico and Colagè outlined three dimensions of learning: First, spatial proximity—can tasks be learned from a distance, or does one need to be physically present? Second, temporality—does one brief lesson suffice, or are multiple sessions necessary, perhaps emphasizing various steps? Third, the social aspect—who learns from whom?

They evaluated these traits and consulted a panel of 24 experts for assessment, whose consensus reinforced their findings. “I believe the conclusion is quite robust,” says D’Errico.

Recent studies indicate two significant shifts in cultural communication. The first occurred around 600,000 years ago when early humans began teaching one another, likely without relying on spoken language; gestures may have sufficed. This predates the emergence of our species, Homo sapiens, and aligns with the onset of hafting.

The second shift happened between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago, coinciding with the development of modern languages, which became essential for performing complex tasks like burials. “These actions involve many detailed steps, requiring explanation,” D’Errico explains.

“The relationship between cultural communication and cultural complexity is strong,” asserts Ceri Shipton from University College London. He emphasizes that while the timeline for language development remains uncertain, this new estimate provides a “reasonable timeframe.”

topics:

  • Human evolution/
  • Ancient humans

Source: www.newscientist.com

UK Tesla Car Sales Drop Over One-Third Despite Musk’s Resurgence

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In the UK, sales of new Tesla cars experienced a significant surge of over one-third last month, although electric vehicle manufacturers faced tough competition from China’s BYD and other rivals amidst a political backlash against Tesla’s billionaire CEO, Elon Musk.

In May, Tesla sold 2,016 vehicles in the UK, a decline from 3,125 in the previous May, reflecting a 36% decrease based on data from the Association of Auto Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Conversely, BYD, the Chinese automaker, saw a remarkable 407% increase in UK sales, rising from 596 units last May to 3,025 this year. BYD offers both hybrid and fully electric vehicles and first surpassed Tesla in sales back in January.

So far this year, Tesla has sold 15,002 cars in the UK, which represents a 7.8% decline compared to 16,272 in the same timeframe last year.

This year, Tesla’s sales have decreased in several of its major markets, with political protests impacting some of its showrooms, along with stiff competition from rivals such as BYD.

Overall new car sales in the UK rose by 1.6% last month, totaling 150,070 units. According to SMMT, this marked the best performance since 2021, although it remained 18.3% lower than pre-COVID levels in 2019, with growth seen in just the second month of this year’s upward trend.

Corporate fleets and businesses drove demand, accounting for nearly two-thirds of vehicle registrations, while interest from private buyers dropped by 2.3% for the second consecutive month. While gasoline and diesel vehicle registrations declined significantly—12.5% and 15.5% respectively—the demand for the latest electric models soared, capturing a total market share of 47.3%.

Sales of hybrid-electric vehicles rose by 6.8% to 20,351 units, and plug-in hybrid EVs surged nearly 51% to 17,898. Furthermore, registrations for battery electric vehicles increased by over 25%, now representing 21.8% of the market as carmakers vie for consumer interest.

Colin Walker, the transport director for the nonprofit Energy and Climate Intelligence Force, is involved in the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) initiative—a series of government regulations aimed at boosting the number of EVs on the roads. He emphasized, “continue doing that, increasing competition between manufacturers, declining prices, increasing sales.”

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In terms of EV sales this year, Tesla is reportedly losing its top position to Volkswagen, which has seen a 201% increase in EV sales, according to an analysis by Thinktank New Automotive. Other automakers such as Ford, Renault, and Peugeot are also witnessing substantial growth as they transition to electric vehicles. BYD, the only Chinese maker in the top 10, recorded a 261% increase.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Amazon Tests Humanoid Robots for Package Delivery

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Amazon is said to be working on software for humanoid robots intended to serve as delivery personnel and operate “bomber” vans.

The £1.47 trillion technology giant is establishing a “humanoid park” in the US to trial these robots, with insights being shared with tech news outlets, according to individuals involved in the initiative.

Reportedly, the robot could ultimately replace delivery workers. It is designed with artificial intelligence software that powers the robots but utilizes hardware sourced from other companies.

According to reports, the indoor obstacle course at Amazon’s San Francisco offices is about the size of a coffee shop, with hopes that the robots can navigate Amazon’s Libyan vans for deliveries.

Even if a human is operating the vehicle, the robot could potentially expedite drop-off times by managing deliveries to one address while human staff service another. Amazon is also exploring self-driving vehicles through its Zoox division.

As reported, Amazon has over 20,000 Libyan vans in the US, including one stationed in the Humanoid Test Zone. Following successful tests at Humanoid Park, the robots are slated for a real-world “field trip” to attempt package deliveries to customers’ residences.

Amazon has already initiated trials with humanoid robots and is utilizing devices developed by US-based Agility Robotics within its warehouses. Agility CEO Peggy Johnson mentioned to the Guardian last year that their humanoid robots are enabling employees to transition into “robot manager” roles.

Last year, Amazon obtained permission to test drone flights beyond the line of sight of British human controllers, furthering its innovations in home delivery technology.

Professor Subramanian Ramamoorthy, head of robot learning and autonomy at the University of Edinburgh, acknowledged that Amazon has a respected robotics team, emphasizing that their focus on “last-mile” delivery is expected. He noted that humanoid robot hardware is advanced enough for these tasks, but highlighted the challenge of achieving reliable performance outside controlled environments like the proposed “humanoid park.”

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He remarked: “If Amazon restricts the environment, utilizing relatively clear driveways and standard doorway layouts, the task becomes fairly straightforward. Challenges arise as the environment becomes more diverse, particularly with variables like pets and small children entering the equation.”

Amazon has been approached for a comment.

Source: www.theguardian.com

How Nintendo Navigates Trump’s Tariffs to Ensure the Switch 2 Launch

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n Nintendo enthusiasts across the United States are breathing a sigh of relief as they unwrap their packages containing the new Nintendo Switch 2 gaming console. This comes amidst unresolved trade tariffs implemented during Donald Trump’s administration. Nintendo’s pre-order delays indicated that a May launch seemed more aspirational than guaranteed. The anticipated price initially soared to $450, but the worst fears of consumers did not materialize.


Nevertheless, Nintendo’s battle against Trump’s tariffs isn’t over yet. The Japanese gaming titan managed to introduce the device just before a 90-day tariff suspension issued by the former president. However, if tariffs in regions like India and Japan revert to those proposed during Trump’s “liberation day” speech earlier in April, analysts suggest Nintendo may have to navigate another fraught trade landscape.

The price of the Switch 2 during the holiday season could exceed that of its launch. Competing gaming hardware brands, and virtually all other electronics firms shipping to the U.S., are closely monitoring the Switch 2 narrative.

“What saved Nintendo in this instance was when Trump caved,” stated Robert Johnson, Professor at Notre Dame and International Economist.

Vietnam’s tariffs forced Nintendo to adapt

Since its debut in March 2017, the Switch has become one of the top-selling gaming consoles of all time, with over 150 million units sold globally. Nintendo unveiled its successor in January, providing full details during a livestream on April 2nd, announcing a release date of June 5th at $450 in the U.S. (Or $500 when bundled with Mario Kart World). Just hours later, Trump addressed the nation, announcing new tariffs on imports from countries with trade deficits with the U.S.

Among these tariffs is a 24% levy from Japan, where Nintendo is headquartered, and a 46% tariff from Vietnam, where much of the Switch’s manufacturing takes place. Stock market fluctuations left Nintendo fans wondering if these abrupt tariffs would increase costs for consumers.

U.S. pre-orders for the Switch 2 were initially set to start on April 9th, but Nintendo postponed to “evaluate the potential effects of tariffs and market developments.” The release date of June 5th remained unchanged. Gamers expressed their frustrations on social media, targeting much of their anger towards the Trump administration rather than Nintendo. Pre-orders resumed on April 24th, with units selling out in no time.

Nintendo has not provided immediate comments on the situation.

Saved by ‘tacos’ after preparing for the wrong tariffs

Johnson remarked, like many home appliance manufacturers, “Where is the production happening?”

In 2019, near the end of Trump’s first administration, gaming companies began relocating production for the Switch from China to Vietnam to avoid U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods. While Nintendo still produces some Switch items in China, these units are generally directed to non-U.S. markets. Other prominent tech firms like Apple have similarly shifted manufacturing away from China to nations such as India to diminish tariff impacts.

Gamers lined up outside Nintendo’s store in New York. Photo: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images

This strategy became contentious when the current administration announced a 46% tariff on imports from Vietnam, catching virtually everyone off guard, according to Johnson. These impending tariffs and the uncertainty they generate can affect the pricing strategies of nearly all consumer technology products reaching the U.S.

Sony and Microsoft, both slated to release new consoles in 2027, are likely to encounter similar hurdles to those faced by Nintendo.

“Setting up new production facilities takes considerable time and capital investment. Manufacturers prefer operating in a stable environment,” Johnson noted. “The current trade climate is the exact opposite.”

Tariffs tied to the release date could have easily inflated Switch 2 prices or delayed its rollout. However, Nintendo avoided this predicament due to the Trump administration’s withdrawal. This scenario is described in financial terms as “Taco,” stemming from Trump’s call for a 90-day tariff suspension to facilitate negotiations with the affected country—allowing the Switch 2 to launch in a timeframe where import duties were not in effect.

Even if negotiations with Vietnam ultimately fall through, reports indicate Nintendo has already shipped approximately 746,000 Switch 2 units to the U.S., which remain exempt from increased tariffs.

Higher add-on costs

Nintendo consumers will not escape the impact of customs duties. The company has indicated that accessories related to the device, which comprise a significant portion of the Switch’s dual functionality, are now experiencing price adjustments. So far, CNBC reports that the dock for playing the Switch on a larger screen costs an additional $10, while the straps for the two controllers are up by $1. Johnson also expressed that he wouldn’t be surprised if Nintendo contemplates increasing console prices over the holiday season, particularly if Trump proceeds with the 46% tariff in Vietnam.

“It’s hard to envision Trump’s administration publishing numerous articles about how he ruined Christmas during the holiday season,” Johnson remarked. “So I hope they find a way through this; still, like everyone else, I am uncertain.”

However, there’s another factor motivating Nintendo to minimize price hikes. A significant portion of its revenue doesn’t come from console sales. Instead, the real profit drivers for Nintendo and its competitors are software and online subscriptions, which are not impacted by customs duties.

“Ultimately, Nintendo aims to sell consoles to enable game and accessory purchases,” Johnson noted. “As a result, they may be inclined to keep console prices down.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Nintendo Switch 2 Launches Today: Everything You Need to Know | Games

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sITS
January announcement
Nintendo Switch 2 predictions are intensifying. This follows the incredible success of the
150m Nintendo Switch. Major console launches are now infrequent, marking the first since
2020 when Sony’s PlayStation 5 was released. Whether you’re contemplating a purchase or curious about the excitement, here’s everything you need to know.

Basics

Today, June 5th, the Switch 2 has been released, accompanied by the flagship game Mario Kart World for £395.99 ($449.99/€469.99) or £429.99 ($499.99/€509.99). True to its predecessor, it’s a portable gaming console with a built-in screen. You can play it as a handheld mini-console while on the go or dock it to connect to your TV using an HDMI cable for a larger screen experience. Unlike the previous 6.2-inch display, it now comes with upgraded Joy-Con controllers that are larger and more robust, featuring a bright 7.9-inch LCD touchscreen. These controllers attach magnetically to the sides of the screen and eliminate the troublesome sliding system that many users disliked. Additional large L and R buttons have been incorporated at the top—a small detail that’s crucial for anyone aiming to master a Mario Kart power slide.

Specification




Advancements in technology… Nintendo Switch 2. Photo: Nintendo

The Switch 2 is equipped with cutting-edge technology, featuring custom NVIDIA processors and a screen capable of 4K resolution (when linked to a compatible TV), or 1920×1080 resolution in portable mode. It also supports 5.1 surround sound and high dynamic range (HDR) graphical effects at frame rates of up to 120Hz. This places the Switch 2 in a competitive position against other modern consoles. Experts suggest its technical specifications fall between the PS4 and PS5, or the Xbox One and Xbox Series X.

In the Box

The Nintendo Switch 2 package includes the console itself, two Joy-Con controllers, a power adapter and USB-C charging cable, a dock, a Joy-Con grip (which allows you to combine two Joy-Cons to form a traditional game controller), and two wrist straps to prevent accidental drops.

Out of the Box

Nintendo has significantly enhanced the social features of the console. The Game Share feature allows you to enjoy games with others who don’t own a copy. You need only your Switch or Switch 2 to play together, either in person or online. This is particularly useful for families sharing a single copy of a game. GameChat functions similarly to Zoom, but for gaming: you can invite multiple friends into group video chat sessions to converse while playing the same game, different games, or just hanging out. If you purchase a Nintendo Switch 2 camera, you can even see each other’s video feeds on the screen. Please note, GameChat requires a subscription to Nintendo’s online gaming service.

Games




Exciting News… Mario Kart World Game. Photo: Nintendo

The console will launch with approximately 25 games, many of which are enhanced versions of existing Switch titles. Notably, the big arrival is Mario Kart World, an open-world iteration of the classic kart racing franchise. Other introductory games include Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, Cooperative Survival Challenge Survival Kids, and anti-gravity racers High Speed Fusion. Popular titles such as Fortnite, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Legend of Zelda: The Kingdom’s Tears/Tears of Tears will also be present. Most games are priced between £45 and £70, and are available for online download or as physical copies. Additionally, you can enjoy nearly any older Switch game on the new console, along with an extensive collection of 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s retro classics from NES, Nintendo 64, SNES, and GameCube.

Accessories




Add-ons: Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller and camera. Photo: Nintendo

There are three accessories you’ll want to consider: the
Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller,
a conventional joystick designed for serious gamers, and the
Nintendo Switch 2 Camera
that pairs with GameChat services and games using camera functionality. You can also expand your game’s storage with a MicroSD Express card.

Where Can I Buy One?

If you missed the pre-orders, patience is key while you shop. Larger retailers like Amazon, Argos, Currys, and John Lewis might have stock today, so consider checking
Nintendo’s online store. Exercise caution when purchasing from private sellers on eBay or similar platforms, as many scams are prevalent. Remember the incidents where people discovered that PlayStation 5 deliveries were filled with rice bags instead?

Source: www.theguardian.com

Peers Vote to Challenge Government Over AI-Related Copyright Threats

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The defiant peers have presented a significant challenge to the government. They urge artists to provide copyright protections for artificial intelligence companies, or they risk losing essential legal protections.

The government has encountered its fifth defeat in the House regarding a controversial initiative that would permit AI companies to train their models using copyrighted materials.

With a vote of 221-116 on Wednesday, they insisted on amendments that would enhance transparency regarding the materials used by AI companies for training their models.

At the awards event following the vote, Elton John emphasized that copyright protection is an “existential issue” for artists and called on the government to “do the right thing.”

He remarked: “We will not let the government forget their promise to support the creative industry. We will not retreat, and we will not go quietly. This is just the beginning.”

Wednesday night’s vote highlights the ongoing conflict between the Commons and the Lords over a data bill utilized by campaigners to challenge the government’s proposed copyright reforms.

Leading the opposition to the Lords’ changes is crossbench peer and film director Beeban Kidron, whose amendments consistently receive support from the upper chamber.

The data bill faces the likelihood of being shelved unless the Commons agrees to Kidron’s amendments or presents alternative solutions.

Maggie Jones, the minister for digital economy and online safety, urged her colleagues to vote against the Kidron amendment after the government proposed last-minute concessions to avoid another setback.

Before the vote, Jones stated that her colleagues “must decide whether to jeopardize the entire bill” and claimed that voting for Kidron’s amendment would “appear unprecedented”—attempting to disrupt a bill that does not undermine copyright law, while also addressing important issues like combating sexually explicit deepfake images.

Kidron told Piers: “This is the last chance to urge the government to implement meaningful solutions,” pressing the minister to take solid steps ensuring AI companies adhere to copyright regulations.

“It is unfair and irrational for the creative industry to suffer at the hands of those who take their jobs and assets. It’s not neutral.”

“We have repeatedly asked both houses: What is the government doing to protect creative jobs from being stolen? There has been no response.”

Several peers criticized the notion that the Lords’ actions were unprecedented, arguing that the government itself is breaking precedent by refusing to compromise. Tim Clement Jones, a Liberal Democrat spokesman for the digital economy, voiced strong support for Kidron’s amendments.




Beeban Kidron expressed concern, asking: Why is the government neglecting the interests of the UK while attempting to hand over the wealth and labor of the country? Photo: Curlcoat/Getty

The Lords’ amendments place the data bill in a state of double claims, indicating that both the Commons and the Lords are unable to agree on the legislation. Under this circumstance, the bill will be dropped unless ministers accept the rebellious revisions or offer other changes through parliamentary processes. Although the bill’s failure is uncommon, it has occurred before, notably in the 1997-98 session regarding the European Parliament election bill.

According to parliamentary tradition, the Commons holds a favorable position as the elected House, and in rare situations, if the Lords refuse to concede, the minister can utilize parliamentary law to enact the bill in the following session, which may significantly delay the legislation.

As a concession to the peers on Tuesday night, the government pledged to release additional technical reports on the future of AI and copyright regulations within nine months, rather than the previously proposed twelve.

“Many peers have expressed experiencing a lack of hearing during ping pong,” Jones noted in her letter.

Jones pointed out that by updating the Data Protection Act, the data bill is projected to yield £10 billion in economic benefits, enhancing online safety and strengthening the authority to require social media companies to retain data following a child’s death.

Kidron asserted: “It would be wise for the government to accept the amendment or propose something meaningful in its place. They have failed to listen to the Lords, to the creative sector, and even to their own supporters.”

Under the proposed government regulations, AI companies would be authorized to train their models using copyrighted works unless the owners specifically opt out. This plan has garnered heavy criticism from creators and publishers, including renowned artists such as Paul McCartney and Tom Stoppard.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle expressed regret over the decision to initiate consultations regarding the opt-out system associated with changes to copyright laws as a “priority option,” indicating that there may be resistance within Downing Street to make more concessions.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Giant Exoplanet Discovered Orbiting Low-Mass Star TOI-6894

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The identification of TO-6894B, an exoplanet roughly 86% the size of Jupiter orbiting the low-mass Redd star (0.2 solar masses), underscores the importance of enhancing our comprehension of the formation mechanisms of giant planets and their protoplanetary disc environments.

Artist’s illustration of TOI-6894B behind its host star. Image credit: Markgarlic/Warwick University.

The TOI-6894 system is located approximately 73 parsecs (238 light years) away in the Leo constellation.

This planet was discovered through a comprehensive analysis of data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), aimed at locating giant planets around low-mass stars.

“I was thrilled by this discovery. My initial focus was on observing a low-mass red star with TESS, in search of a giant planet,” remarked Dr. Edward Bryant, an astronomer from the University of London.

“Then, utilizing observations from ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), one of the most substantial telescopes globally, I identified TO-6894B, a giant planet orbiting the smallest known star with such a companion planet.”

“I never anticipated that a planet like TOI-6894B could exist around such a low-mass star.”

“This finding will serve as a foundational element in our understanding of the boundary conditions for giant planet formation.”

TOI-6894B is a low-density gas giant, with a radius slightly exceeding that of Saturn, which has only 50% of its mass.

The parent star is the lowest mass star yet found to host a massive planet, being just 60% of the mass of the next smallest star observed with such a planet.

“Most stars in our galaxy are actually small, and it was previously believed that they couldn’t support a gas giant,” stated Dr. Daniel Baylis, an astronomer at Warwick University.

“Therefore, the fact that this star has a giant planet significantly impacts our estimates of the total number of giant planets likely to exist in the galaxy.”

“This is a fascinating discovery. We still don’t completely understand why relatively few stars can form such large planets,” commented Dr. Vincent Van Eilen, an astronomer at the University of London.

“This drives one of our objectives to search for more exoplanets.”

“By exploring different planetary systems compared to our own solar system, we can evaluate our models and gain insights into how our solar system was formed.”

The prevailing theory of planetary formation is known as core accretion theory.

According to this theory, the cores of planets are initially formed by accreting material, and as the core grows, it attracts gases that eventually create its atmosphere.

Eventually, the core becomes sufficiently large to initiate the runaway gas accretion process, leading to the formation of a gas giant.

However, forming gas giants around low-mass stars presents challenges, as the gas and dust necessary for planetary formation in their protoplanetary discs is limited, hindering the formation of a sufficiently large core to kickstart this runaway process.

The existence of TOI-6894B indicates that this model may be insufficient and that alternative theories need to be considered.

“Considering TO-6894B’s mass, it might have been formed through an intermediate core-fault mechanism, whereby the protoplanet forms and accumulates gas steadily without orbiting, making it large enough to undergo runaway gas accretion,” Dr. Edward explained.

“Alternatively, it might have formed due to an unstable gravitational disk.”

“In certain cases, the disk surrounding the star can become unstable due to the gravitational forces it exerts on itself.”

“These disks may fragment as gas and dust collapse, leading to planet formation.”

However, the research team found that neither theory fully accounted for the formation of TOI-6894B based on the data available.

“Based on the stellar irradiation affecting TOI-6894B, we anticipate that its atmosphere is primarily influenced by methane chemistry, which is quite rare to identify.”

“The temperatures are low enough that atmospheric observations may even reveal the presence of ammonia.”

TOI-6894B might serve as a benchmark for methane-dominated atmospheric studies and an ideal laboratory for investigating planetary atmospheres containing carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen beyond our solar system.

Survey results will be featured in the journal Nature Astronomy.

____

Bryant et al. A giant exoplanet in orbit around a 0.2 solar mass star. Nature Astronomy, Published online on June 4th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41550-025-02552-4

Source: www.sci.news

Trump’s Crypto Firms Collude Amid Fraudulent Wallet Announcement | Technology

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A vibrant website showcasing illustrations of Donald Trump launched on Tuesday, depicting him flexing his muscles and raising his fist. This image serves as the logo for one of Trump’s digital currencies, with the website branding itself as the “official $Trump wallet,” promoting products that facilitate transactions using the president’s cryptocurrency.

The site highlights Trump Coin$Trump and encourages visitors to sign up for a waitlist to access their digital wallet. I first spotted it in the Crypto Newsletter a quote is required. Magic Eden, a well-established cryptocurrency marketplace, announced a partnership with Trump’s official digital coin team to develop the wallet. Accounts on Twitter/X also advertised wallet products linked to one of Trump’s cryptocurrencies.

“The $Trump Wallet with @magiceden is on its way. Join the $Trump Community! http://trumpwallet.com”


This announcement seems to lend an air of legitimacy, but Trump’s sons are raising concerns.

“The Trump organization is not affiliated with this wallet product,” Donald Trump Jr. stated on X. Subsequently, Eric Trump tweeted: “I run @Trump, but I know nothing about this project!” Even Baron Trump chimed in, stating: “Our family is not involved in this wallet.”

Donald Jr. added that he has been “working tirelessly” on launching an official wallet with World Liberty Financial, a separate family crypto venture established last year.

The cryptocurrency sector is notorious for its fraud and internal disputes. The latest rift between Magic Eden and World Liberty Financial seems linked to a longstanding conflict involving Trump’s business associate and his son. This associate runs the company that issued the Trump organization’s cryptocurrency and is engaged in separate ventures. Additionally, the Trump Organization owns a company called CIC Digital, which is valued at around $2 billion and manages 80% of Coin’s reserves along with oversight of cryptocurrency trading profits.

On X, both Magic Eden and Zanker’s company claimed the newly announced crypto wallet is indeed collaborating with Trump and is supported by Magic Eden.

Eric Trump disputed this claim, later issuing a warning on Tuesday: X: “This project has not been authorized by @Trump,” he mentioned. “@magiceden, I am very cautious about using our name on unapproved projects that are unknown to anyone in our organization.”

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In recent months, Trump’s family members and business associates have launched various crypto and digital currency initiatives. These ventures include meme coins featuring fist-pumping playing cards and stable coins designed to maintain a steady value of $1. Melania Trump even unveiled her own memo coin.

Throughout his first term, Trump was strongly opposed to cryptocurrency, but his stance has changed since then. He has embraced this volatile market, becoming the first major candidate to accept campaign donations in cryptocurrency and speaking at prominent crypto conferences. Trump entertained industry leaders at the White House, hosting high-profile cryptocurrency investors at a private golf club just outside Washington, DC. Moreover, his administration appointed a high-tech investor, David, as the “crypto Czar.” A series of federal investigations into cryptocurrency firms have been put on hold regarding digital assets.

Neither the White House, Magic Eden, nor Zanker responded to requests for commentary.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Physicists Achieve Unmatched Precision in Measuring Magnetic Anomalies in Mines

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Researchers from the Muon G-2 Experiment have unveiled their third measurement of the Muon magnetic anomaly. The conclusive results align with findings published in 2021 and 2023 but boast significantly improved precision at 127 parts per billion, surpassing the experimental goal for 140 people.

Muon particles traveling through lead in the cloud chamber. Image credit: Jino John 1996 / cc by-sa 4.0.

The Muon G-2 experiment investigates the wobble of a fundamental particle known as the Muon.

Muons resemble electrons but are roughly 200 times more massive. Like electrons, they exhibit quantum mechanical properties called spins, which can be interpreted as tiny internal magnets.

When subjected to an external magnetic field, these internal magnets wobble akin to the axis of a spinning top.

The precession speed of a magnetic field is influenced by the muon’s characteristics, captured numerically as the G-factor.

Theoretical physicists derive G-factors based on our current understanding of the universe’s fundamental mechanics, as outlined in the standard model of particle physics.

Nearly a century ago, G was anticipated to be 2; however, experimental measurements revealed minor deviations from this value, quantified as the Muon magnetic anomaly, Aμ, based on the formula (G-2)/2, giving the Muon G-2 experiment its name.

Muon magnetic anomalies encapsulate the effects of all standard model particles, enabling theoretical physicists to compute these contributions with remarkable precision.

Earlier measurements conducted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory during the 1990s and 2000s indicated potential discrepancies with the theoretical calculations of that era.

Disparities between experimental results and theoretical predictions could signal the existence of new physics.

In particular, physicists contemplated whether these discrepancies could stem from an undetected particle influencing the muon’s precession.

Consequently, physicists opted to enhance the Muon G-2 experiments to obtain more accurate measurements.

In 2013, Brookhaven’s magnetic storage ring was relocated from Long Island, New York, to Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois.

Following extensive upgrades and enhancements, the Fermilab Muon G-2 experiment launched on May 31, 2017.

Simultaneously, an international collaboration among theorists established the Muon G-2 theory initiative aimed at refining theoretical calculations.

In 2020, the Theoretical Initiative released updated and more precise standard model values informed by data from other experiments.

The differences between the experimental results continued to widen in 2021 as Fermilab announced the initial experimental results, corroborating Brookhaven’s findings with improved accuracy.

Simultaneously, new theoretical predictions emerged, relying significantly on computational capabilities.

This information closely aligned with experimental measurements and narrowed the existing discrepancies.

Recently, the Theoretical Initiative published a new set of predictions integrating results from various groups using novel calculation techniques.

This result remains in close agreement with experimental findings and diminishes the likelihood of new physics.

Nevertheless, theoretical endeavors will persist in addressing the disparities between data-driven and computational approaches.

The latest experimental values for the muon magnetic moment from Fermilab’s experiments are:

aμ =(g-2)/2 (Muon experiment) = 0.001 165 920 705

This final measurement is based on an analysis of data collected over the past three years, spanning 2021 to 2023, and is integrated with previously published datasets.

This has more than tripled the dataset size utilized in the second results from 2023, achieving the precision target set in 2012.

Moreover, it signifies the analysis of the highest quality data from the experiment.

As the second data collection run concluded, the Muon G-2 collaboration finalized adjustments and enhancements to the experiment, boosting muon beam quality and minimizing uncertainties.

“The extraordinary magnetic moment of the muon (G-2) is pivotal as it provides a sensitive test of the standard model of particle physics,” remarked Regina Lameika, associate director of high energy physics at the U.S. Department of Energy.

“This is an exhilarating result, and it’s fantastic to witness the experiment reach a definitive conclusion with precise measurements.”

“This highly anticipated outcome represents a remarkable achievement in accuracy and will hold the title of the most precise measurement of muon magnetic anomalies for the foreseeable future.”

“Despite recent theoretical challenges that have lessened the evidence for new physics in Muon G-2, this finding presents a robust benchmark for proposed extensions to the standard model of particle physics.”

“This is an incredibly exciting moment; not only did we meet our objectives, but we surpassed them, indicating that such precision measurements are challenging.”

“Thanks to Fermilab, the funding agencies, and the host lab, we accomplished our goals successfully.”

“For over a century, the G-2 has imparted crucial insights into the nature of reality,” stated Lawrence Gibbons, a professor at Cornell University.

“It’s thrilling to contribute accurate measurements that are likely to endure for a long time.”

“For decades, muon magnetic moments have served as a significant benchmark for the standard models,” noted Dr. Simon Kolody, a physicist at Argonne National Laboratory.

“The new experimental results illuminate this fundamental theory and establish a benchmark to guide new theoretical calculations.”

These new results will be featured in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Source: www.sci.news

Research: Early Drivers of Fire Use for Meat Preservation and Predator Protection, Not Cooking

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The advent of fire marks a significant point in human evolution, though scholars continue to debate its primary function. While cooking is frequently regarded as a key factor, researchers from Tel Aviv University propose that the protection of meat and fat from predators is more plausible. Homo Erectus lived during the Lower Paleolithic era, approximately 1.9 to 0.78 million years ago.

Homo Erectus.” width=”580″ height=”435″ srcset=”https://cdn.sci.news/images/2018/07/image_6228_1-Neanderthal-Fire-Use.jpg 580w, https://cdn.sci.news/images/2018/07/image_6228_1-Neanderthal-Fire-Use-300×225.jpg 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 580px) 100vw, 580px”/>

Miki Ben-Dor & Ran Barkai’s research highlights the nutritional value of meat and fat from large prey in the Lower Paleolithic, questioning the significance of culinary practices in shaping human dietary evolution and offering new insights into adaptations in Homo Erectus.

“The origins of fire usage is a ‘burning’ question among prehistoric researchers globally,” stated Professor Barkay, a co-author of the study.

“By around 400,000 years ago, it was widely accepted that fire was commonly used in domestic settings. I concur with the idea of meat roasting, as well as its use for lighting and heating.”

“However, there remains a debate concerning the past million years, with various theories put forth to explain early human interactions with fire.”

“This study aimed to approach this issue from a new angle.”

“For early humans, the use of fire wasn’t a given; most archaeological sites dated around 400,000 years ago show no signs of fire usage,” explained Dr. Miki Ben-Dor, lead author of the study from Tel Aviv University.

“However, in many early locations, there are clear indications of fire usage, even if there’s no evidence of burnt bones or roasted meat.”

“We see early humans—nearly Homo Erectus—utilizing fire sporadically for specific purposes rather than regularly.”

“Collecting fuel, igniting a fire, and maintaining it involved substantial effort, requiring a compelling energy-efficient reason.”

“We propose a new hypothesis for that motivation.”

In their research, the authors reviewed existing literature on all identified prehistoric sites between 1.8 million and 800,000 years ago where fire evidence has been found.

They identified nine sites globally, including Gesher Benot Ya’aqov and Evron Quarry in Israel, six sites in Africa, and one site in Spain.

The study also drew from ethnographic research on contemporary hunter-gatherer societies, relating their behaviors to ancient conditions.

“We examined the common features of these nine ancient sites and found they all contained a significant number of bones from large animals, mainly elephants, hippos, and rhinoceroses,” Dr. Ben-Dor noted.

“Previous research has shown these large animals were critical to early human diets, providing a substantial portion of their caloric needs.”

“For instance, the meat and fat from a single elephant can supply millions of calories, enough to sustain a group of 20 to 30 people for over a month.”

“Thus, hunting elephants and hippos was highly valuable—essentially a ‘bank’ of meat and fat that required protection and preservation, as it was sought after by predators and susceptible to decay.”

Through their analysis of findings and assessments of energetic benefits of preserving meat and fat, the researchers arrived at new conclusions that challenge previous theories. Early fires served dual purposes: first, to safeguard valuable resources from predators, and second, to facilitate smoking and prevent spoilage.

“This study introduces a novel perspective on the motivations behind early human fire use: the necessity to protect large game from other predators and the long-term preservation of substantial meat supplies,” Professor Barkay explained.

“Cooking may have occurred occasionally after fire was established for these protective purposes.”

“Such usage could elucidate evidence of fish roasting around 800,000 years ago found at Gesher Benot Ya’aqov.”

“Our approach aligns with evolving global theories that characterize major prehistoric trends as adaptations to hunting and consuming large animals, followed by a gradual shift to smaller prey exploitation.”

Survey results were published in the journal Nutrition Frontier.

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Miki Ben-Dor & Ran Barkai. 2025. The bioenergy approach supports the conservation and protection of prey, rather than cooking, as a primary driver for early use of fire. Front. Nutr. 12; doi:10.3389/fnut.2025.1585182

Source: www.sci.news

New Study Reveals How Astrophysicists Can Utilize Black Holes as Superco-leaders of Particles

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A recent study conducted by physicists at the University of Oxford, Johns Hopkins, and the Institute of Astrophysics in Paris reveals a natural process involving a gravitational particle charger that utilizes free-falling particles from infinity, matter collisions from the most stable circular orbit of rotating black holes, and a gravitational particle charger that repeatedly cycles mass energy—excluding heavy particles. In essence, this describes the Super Collider.

The artist’s concept depicts an ultra-high massive black hole in the heart of the Milky Way galaxy known as Sagittarius A*. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/RALF CRAWFORD, STSCI.

Particle corridors accelerate protons and other subatomic particles towards one another at nearly the speed of light, revealing the fundamental properties of matter.

A subtle energy flash occurs upon collision, with fragments potentially unveiling previously unknown particles that may serve as candidates for dark matter—a crucial, yet elusive, component of the universe that remains undetected by scientists.

Facilities like the Large Hadron Collider also contribute to advancements in areas such as the internet, cancer therapy, and high-performance computing.

“One of the great aspirations for a particle collider like the Large Hadron Collider is to produce dark matter particles, though we have yet to find any evidence,” commented Professor Joseph Silk, an astrophysicist from Johns Hopkins University and Oxford University.

“This is why there’s ongoing dialogue about the necessity of constructing a much more powerful version for the next generation of Super Collider.”

“However, we’ve been waiting for 40 years to invest $30 billion in building this Super Collider, allowing nature to give us a glimpse into the future with supermassive black holes.”

A black hole can rotate around its axis like a planet but possesses significantly greater strength due to its intense gravitational field.

Increasingly, scientists are discovering that massive black holes rapidly spinning at the center of galaxies release enormous explosions of plasma, potentially due to jets transporting energy from the spin and surrounding accretion disks.

These phenomena can yield similar results to those produced by engineered Super Colliders.

“If ultra-high energy black holes can generate these particles through high-energy proton collisions, we could receive signals on Earth. Some high-energy particles pass through the detectors rapidly,” Professor Silk explained.

“This indicates a new particle collider effect within one of the universe’s most mysterious entities, achieving energies unattainable by any accelerator on Earth.”

“We may observe something with a unique signature believed to indicate the presence of dark matter. While this is somewhat speculative, it remains a possibility.”

New research indicates that gas falling into a black hole can harness energy from its spin, resulting in more violent behavior than previously thought.

Near rapidly spinning black holes, these particles can collide in a coordinated manner.

While not identical, this process resembles the collisions created using strong magnetic fields, where particles are accelerated in a circular high-energy particle corridor.

“Some particles from these collisions are swallowed by the black hole and vanish forever,” stated Professor Silk.

“However, due to their energy and momentum, some particles emerge, achieving unprecedented high energies.”

“We have recognized the immense energy of these particle beams, rivaling what can be produced in a Super Collider.”

“Determining the limits of this energy is challenging, but these phenomena are certainly aligned with the energy levels of the latest Super Colliders we plan to construct, providing complementary results.”

To detect such high-energy particles, scientists can utilize observatories that are already monitoring supernovae, massive black hole eruptions, and other cosmic occurrences.

These include detectors like the IceCube Neutrino Observatory and the Kilometer Cube Neutrino Telescope in Antarctica.

The difference between a Super Collider and a black hole is their vast distances from one another. Nevertheless, these particles still reach us.

The team’s paper was published this week in the journal Physical Review Letters.

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Andrew Mamalie and Joseph Silk. 2025. Black Hole Super Collider. Phys. Rev. Lett. 134, 221401; doi:10.1103/physrevlett.134.221401

Source: www.sci.news

AI Analysis Suggests Some Dead Sea Scrolls Are Older Than Previously Believed

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Characterized by pale greening, a timeline of ancient handwritten manuscripts—like the scroll of death—is vital for reconstructing the progression of ideas. However, there is an almost complete absence of manuscripts with dates. To address this challenge, an international team of researchers developed an AI-driven date prediction model named Enoch, inspired by biblical figures.

Dead Sea Scroll 4Q7, fragment Genesis Wadi Qumran Cave4. ImageCredit: Ketefhinnomfan.

While some ancient manuscripts include dates, facilitating precise dating by archaeologists, many do not provide this information.

Researchers can estimate the age of certain undated manuscripts by analyzing the evolution of handwriting styles, but this requires a sufficient number of manuscripts with known dates for creating an accurate timeline.

In the recent study, the University of Groningen and Dr. Mladen Popović assessed the historical periods of manuscripts from various locations in contemporary Israel and the West Bank through radiocarbon dating and utilized machine learning to explore the handwriting styles of each document.

By merging these two datasets, they developed the Enoch program, which objectively estimates the approximate age range by comparing handwriting styles from other manuscripts in the area.

To validate the program, ancient handwriting specialists reviewed age estimates for 135 Ennochs from the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Experts concluded that around 79% of the AI-generated estimates were credible, while the remaining 21% were considered too old, too young, or uncertain.

Enoch has already aided researchers in uncovering new insights about these ancient manuscripts.

For instance, both Enoch and radiocarbon dating techniques estimated an older age for more Dead Sea scrolls compared to traditional handwriting analyses.

“While additional data and further investigation could enhance our understanding of the timeline, our findings offer novel perspectives on the creation periods of these documents,” the researchers stated.

“The Enoch tool serves as a gateway to an ancient world, akin to a time machine, permitting the exploration of biblical handwritten texts.

“It is thrilling to establish significant steps in developing new tools that can tackle the dating challenges of the Dead Sea Scrolls and examine other partially dated manuscript collections from history.”

“This achievement would not have been feasible without collaboration across diverse scientific fields and genuine teamwork.”

A paper detailing this study was published in the journal PLOS 1.

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M. Popovich et al. 2025. Dating ancient manuscripts using radiocarbon and AI-based writing style analysis. PLOS 1 20 (6): E0323185; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0323185

Source: www.sci.news

Neck and Facial Massage: A Natural Way to Detoxify Your Brain

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Magnetic resonance image scan of the human brain

Phanie/Sipa Press/Alamy

A device designed for facial and neck massage suggests it might enhance the brain’s waste removal system and alleviate symptoms associated with conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) envelops the brain and inflates it before moving through a network of delicate tubes known as grinft blood vessels. Research on mice indicates that this fluid clears waste produced by brain cells, including proteins linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, such as beta-amyloid.

This has prompted researchers to consider whether increasing CSF flow could promote brain health. However, they note that the grinft vessels, previously only discovered deep within the neck, are difficult to access. Gou Young Koh, from the Advanced Science and Technology Research Institute in Korea, remarks on this challenge.

Recently, Koh and his team identified a network of grinft vessels located just five millimeters beneath the skin on the faces and necks of mice and monkeys. They made this breakthrough by administering fluorescent dyes that label the CSF and imaging the subjects under anesthesia. “We utilized a different kind of anesthesia than was applied in earlier studies. The previous anesthetic blocked the visualization of vessels close to the skin,” Koh explains.

In their effort to determine if massaging these vessels could boost CSF flow, the researchers developed a device with small rods attached to a 1 cm cotton ball. They used it to gently stroke down the face and neck of a 2-year-old mouse for a few months, applying strokes for one minute on younger mice. “A gentle facial and neck massage can compress the liquid and enhance the CSF flow,” Koh states.

After 30 minutes of massage, CSF flow was observed to increase nearly threefold in the brains of the mice compared to their flow prior to the massage. Furthermore, this process seemed to reverse age-related decreases in CSF flow. “After stimulation, the CSF flow in older mice appeared comparable to that of younger mice [who hadn’t received the massage],” Koh elaborates.

In their unpublished findings, the team observed similar outcomes in monkeys. They also identified glymphetic blood vessels in human cadavers, implying that massage could stimulate CSF flow in humans, as suggested by Koh.

However, due to anatomical differences between mice, monkeys, and humans, further investigations are necessary to confirm this, remarks Vesa Kiviniemi from Uru University in Finland. “It’s a slightly different scenario.”

Moreover, it remains uncertain whether increased CSF flow can genuinely mitigate brain aging or offer protection against neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. Stephen Prucks of the University of Bern in Switzerland stated that Koh’s team aims to investigate this with mice that exhibit Alzheimer-like traits.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The River Releases Ancient Carbon Into the Atmosphere

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Rivers like the Chuya in Russia can emit carbon dioxide and methane.

Parilov/Shutterstock

Globally, rivers are releasing ancient carbon into the atmosphere, revealing surprising insights for scientists and indicating that human impact on natural landscapes may be more severe than previously understood.

It is already established that rivers emit carbon dioxide and methane as part of the carbon cycle, a rapid gas exchange linked to the growth and decay of organisms, estimated to release around 2 Gigatonnes of carbon annually.

Researchers, including Josh Dean from the University of Bristol, explored the age of this carbon.

The team utilized radiocarbon dating to analyze carbon and methane released from over 700 river segments across 26 countries.

“When we compiled the available data, what we found was surprisingly significant. [Regarding the carbon released], these ancient stores may originate from much older reserves,” Dean states.

Ancient carbon is sequestered in geological formations such as rocks, peat bogs, and wetlands. The findings reveal that around one Gigatonne of this carbon is released annually via rivers, leading to the conclusion that ecosystems are currently removing one Gigatonne less carbon from the atmospheric balance than previously believed.

“This represents the first comprehensive assessment of river emissions on a global scale, which is quite remarkable,” remarks Taylor Maavara from the Cary Ecosystem Studies Institute in Millbrook, New York.

The pressing concern now is understanding the reasons behind the release of such ancient carbon. Factors might include climate change and human activities that alter natural landscapes. Dean observes that the carbon from rivers has appeared “aged” since the 1990s.

“Human activity may be accessing these long-term carbon reservoirs, which can lead to older carbon being released through these channels,” he explains.

For instance, rising temperatures due to climate change can result in carbon being released from thawing permafrost and increase the weathering rates of rocks. Additional factors such as peatland drainage and wetland desiccation could also play a role. Dean emphasizes the necessity for further research to ascertain the degree to which human activities contribute to this phenomenon and how carbon release varies over time.

“This is a critical area of research,” he asserts. “If we believe we are storing old carbon within these reservoirs, we’re mistaken; this understanding is crucial.” These insights carry significant implications for national climate strategies, particularly concerning reliance on natural ecosystems to mitigate ongoing emissions.

“This research raises intriguing questions about how and to what extent we can manage ancient carbon,” says Scott Teig from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. He adds that tackling climate change is likely vital to prevent the release of CO2 and methane from these ancient reserves.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists Report Seaweed in the Caribbean and Surrounding Areas Experienced a Collision in May

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“That’s the million-dollar question,” he remarked. “I don’t have a very satisfactory answer.”

There are three distinct types of Sargassum found in the Caribbean and surrounding regions, buoyed by small air sacs, which makes their presence truly remarkable. According to Burns, scientists are currently observing various factors influencing its growth, which depend on sunlight, nutrients, and water temperature.

Experts also point to agricultural runoff, warmer waters, and alterations in wind, currents, and rainfall as factors that can have an impact.

Large mats of algae in the open ocean create what Burns refers to as a “healthy and thriving ecosystem,” home to species ranging from tiny shrimp to endangered sea turtles. However, Sargassum close to shore can wreak havoc.

It can block sunlight essential for coral reefs and seagrasses, and when the algae sink, they may suffocate these ecosystems. Once washed ashore, the organisms that inhabit the algae either perish or are scavenged by birds, according to Burns.

The massive piles of odorous seaweed pose a significant challenge for the Caribbean, especially since tourism is a vital economic driver for many small islands.

“It’s a hurdle, but it hasn’t impacted every corner of the Caribbean,” said Frank Comitto, a special advisor to the Caribbean Hotels and Tourism Association.

At a popular tourist destination in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, officials have invested in barriers to keep Sargassum from reaching the beaches, he noted.

In St. Maarten’s Dutch Caribbean territory, teams equipped with backhoes were mobilized for an emergency cleanup after residents reported a strong ammonia and hydrogen sulfide odor.

“The smell is quite unpleasant,” Burns stated.

Meanwhile, in the French Caribbean, officials plan to quickly utilize storage barges and specialized vessels capable of collecting several tons of seaweed daily.

Sargassum “will harm our coastlines, hinder swimming, and create unbearable living conditions for local residents,” French Prime Minister François Beilou recently informed the press.

However, Comitto mentioned that employing such vessels is “very costly” and not widely accepted, while an alternative method (using heavy machinery) is labor-intensive.

“We must tread carefully, as sea turtle eggs might be affected,” he advised. “You can’t just go there and bulldoze everything away.”

As some Caribbean islands face financial challenges, most cleanup efforts fall to hotels, with certain guests receiving refunds and complimentary shuttles to unaffected beaches.

Each year, the volume of Sargassum increases at the end of spring, peaks during summer, and then starts to decline in late autumn or early winter, noted Burns.

The recent record levels remain relatively stationary. Experts are hopeful for more Sargassum in June.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Emerging Theories May Finally Bring “Quantum Gravity” to Reality

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Researchers might be on the brink of solving one of the most significant challenges in physics, potentially laying the groundwork for groundbreaking theories.

At present, two distinct theories—quantum mechanics and gravity—are employed to elucidate various facets of the universe. Numerous attempts have been made to fuse these theories into a cohesive framework, but a compelling unification remains elusive.

“Integrating gravity with quantum theory into a single framework is one of the primary objectives of contemporary theoretical physics,” states Dr. Mikko Partanen, the lead author of the recently published research in Report on Progress in Physics. He elaborates on this innovative approach in the context of BBC Science Focus, calling it “the holy grail of physics.”

The challenge of formulating a theory of “quantum gravity” arises from the fact that these two concepts operate on entirely different scales.

Quantum mechanics investigates the minutest scale of subatomic particles, leading to the development of standard models. These models link three fundamental forces: electromagnetic, strong (which binds protons and neutrons), and weak (responsible for radioactive decay).

The fourth fundamental force, gravity, is articulated by Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, which portrays gravity as a curvature of spacetime. Massive objects and high-energy entities distort spacetime, influencing surrounding objects and governing the domain of planets, stars, and galaxies. Yet, gravity seems resistant to aligning with quantum mechanics.

The Duality of Theories

A significant issue is that gravity is rooted in a “deterministic classical” framework, meaning the laws predict specific outcomes. For instance, if you drop a ball, gravity guarantees it will fall.

In contrast, quantum theory is inherently probabilistic, offering only the likelihood of an event rather than a definitive outcome.

“These are challenging to merge,” Partanen comments. “Attempts to apply quantum theory within gravitational contexts have yielded numerous nonsensical results.”

For example, when quantum physicists measure the electron’s mass, the equations spiral into infinity. Similarly, applying gravity in extreme conditions, like at the edge of a black hole, renders Einstein’s equations meaningless.

Even general relativity fails to explain phenomena within a black hole. -NASA

“While intriguing approaches like string theory [which substitutes particles with vibrating energy strings] exist, we currently lack unique, testable predictions to differentiate these theories from standard models or general relativity,” notes Partanen.

Instead of crafting an entirely new theory for unification, Partanen and his colleague, Professor Jukka Tulkki, approached gravity through the lens of quantum mechanics by reformulating the gravitational equations using fields.

Fields represent how quantum theory elucidates the variation of physical quantities over space and time. You may already be acquainted with electric and magnetic fields.

This novel perspective allowed them to replicate the principles of general relativity in a format that combines effortlessly with quantum mechanics.

Testing the Theories

A particularly promising aspect of this new theory is that it does not require the introduction of exotic new particles or altered physical laws, meaning physicists already possess the necessary tools for its verification.

According to him, this new theory generates equations that account for phenomena like the bending of light around massive galaxies and redshifts—the elongation of light’s wavelength as objects recede in the expanding universe.

This new theory aligns with predictions from general relativity. – Credits: ESA/Hubble & NASA, D. Thilker

While this validates the theory, it does not confirm its correctness.

To establish this, experiments must be conducted in extreme gravitational environments where general relativity falters.

If quantum gravity can make superior predictions in such scenarios, it would serve as a crucial step towards validating this new theory and suggesting that Einstein’s framework might be incomplete.

However, this is challenging due to the minimal differences between the two theories.

For instance, when observing how the sun’s mass bends light from a distant star, the predictive discrepancy is a mere 0.0001%. Current astronomical tools are insufficient for precise measurements.

Fortunately, larger celestial bodies can amplify these differences dramatically.

“For neutron stars with intense gravitational fields, relative differences can reach a few percent,” Partanen observes. While no observatory currently exists to make such observations, advancements in technology could soon enable this.

The theory remains in its nascent stages, with the team embarking on a mission to finalize mathematical proofs to ensure the theory avoids diverging into infinities or other complications.

If progress remains encouraging, they will then apply the theory to extreme situations, such as the singularity of a black hole.

“Our theory represents a novel endeavor to unify all four fundamental forces of nature within one coherent framework, and thorough investigation may unveil phenomena beyond our current understanding,” concludes Partanen.

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About Our Experts

Mikko Partanen is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Physics and Nanoengineering at Aalto University in Espoo, Finland. He specializes in studying light and its quantum properties, with his research appearing in journals such as Physics Chronicles, New Journal of Physics, and Scientific Reports.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Wood-based Adhesive with Standard Blending Techniques

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Glue guns generally employ harmful oil-based adhesives

Shutterstock/ekaterina43

A by-product from the wood industry has been innovatively transformed into safe, reusable hot glue adhesives that could serve as an alternative to hazardous solvent-based adhesives.

Ziwen LV of Beijing University of Forestry, along with a colleague, developed an adhesive from xylan, a component of plant cell walls.

“Xylan acts as a binding agent for cellulose, yet isn’t traditionally considered a ‘glue’ on its own,” stated Nick Aldred, who wasn’t part of the research team at the University of Essex, UK. “This initiative aims to reactivate it as a viable adhesive.”

The LV team chemically modified xylan to create dai-alcohol xylan, utilizing sodium acid and sodium borate in the process.

The resultant adhesive, when extruded from the hot glue gun, boasts a bond strength of 30 megapascals, surpassing that of traditional epoxy resin adhesives. Additionally, it can be reused by remelting, maintaining its adhesive properties even after 10 cycles.

The team also constructed plywood held together with xylan adhesive and found its performance comparable to that of phenol-formaldehyde resin adhesives.

However, there’s a significant limitation: after being submerged in water for one hour, the adhesive melts and the layers disintegrate. The researchers didn’t respond to requests for comment from New Scientist.

Jonathan Wilker from Purdue University, Indiana, highlights the pressing need for sustainable alternatives to the petroleum-based adhesives presently in use.

“[The] combined performance [of the new glue] was quite impressive, especially on wood substrates,” remarked Wilker.

“If we can implement this on a larger scale within the plywood industry, it could be revolutionary,” emphasized Aldred. “Plywood remains one of the last consumer products still containing materials like phenols and formaldehyde, substances that were banned years ago in products such as cosmetics.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Nintendo Switch 2: The Dream Upgrade That Might Not Feel So “New” | Games

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Launch Week has arrived at last. I want to provide you with an in-depth review of the Nintendo Switch 2 in this week’s newsletter, but as I write this, it has yet to be released. In light of this, Nintendo chose not to send a review unit until just a day before its launch, so as you read this, my dog stands by the door eagerly, as if waiting for its owner.

Nevertheless, you have the chance to make a first impression by playing the console throughout your day in your Nintendo office. Regarding hardware, it’s everything I dreamed of. A robust Joy-Con, a stunning screen, and graphical capabilities that present the games beautifully, just as one would hope to see in 2025 (still not quite on par with a high-end PlayStation 5 Pro or a modern gaming PC). I appreciate the sleek menu design with a subtle touch of color on the controller, accompanied by soothing chimes and blips. Game sharing, online functionalities, and other essentials now operate smoothly. I admire the affordability of Nintendo Switch Online:
£18 a year,
which is comparably priced to gaming services that offer access to a treasure trove of classic Nintendo games, while others typically charge around the same amount per month.

Yet, the key takeaway from that paragraph is that it is indeed an upgrade. Eight years later, I can’t help but feel that this upgrade is somewhat overdue. I was hoping for something distinctly new. There isn’t a tremendous amount that’s fresh with the Switch 2, except for the unique ability to use the controllers like a mouse by moving them sideways across your desk or lap. It seems overshadowed by the main launch title, Mario Kart World. I ponder if families with numerous games on their existing Switch, akin to January’s sales figures, will truly see the reason for upgrading.
£400 is the suggested price.




Amazing… Mario Kart World. Photo: Nintendo

As for Mario Kart World, it’s incredible. It’s absolutely outstanding. Naturally, it’s bound to be a hit. Besides the classic competitive Grand Prix and time trial races, the standout features include an expansive driving world where you can explore as you wish, collect characters, costumes, and enter elimination-style races across the continent. All courses are interconnected in one vast map, ensuring smooth transitions between them.

Your cart elegantly transforms into a boat upon hitting the water, and I discovered a challenging island where I had to board a seaplane towards skyscrapers. This setting allows everyone to leisurely cruise around a vibrant variety of mountains, jungles, and winding highways. There’s even a space station-themed course that cleverly recalls the original Donkey Kong arcade game, delivering fun nostalgic moments reminiscent of the new Donk City Festival in the climax of Super Mario Odyssey.

Meanwhile, Case Stuart had a fantastic experience with another launch game, Survival Kids by Konami. (If you typically find survival games laborious, fear not. This game is much more enjoyable than it sounds).

However, I must mention the Nintendo Switch Welcome Tour, a rather positively interacting tour that highlights the console’s new features. Priced at £7.99, it allows you to roam a massive recreation of the Switch 2 console, searching for invisible plaques that describe its various components. For instance, there’s a display that provides mundane technical details about the console’s HD Rumble quality. One interactive exhibit challenges you to guess the number of frames per second while a ball on the screen gains boundaries. As someone who doesn’t actively engage with technical specifics, I found myself woefully inadequate in this task. It felt akin to being on the most tedious school trip imaginable.

And it felt a bit too Nintendo-free, lacking character and charm, which left me somewhat concerned. In contrast, Nintendo Labo was an incredibly fan-friendly approach to showcasing the technical aspects of the original Switch. I expected the Welcome Tour to be conducted by the same creative team, but evidently, that was not the case.

I couldn’t wait to dive back into Mario Kart World, and once again, it was phenomenal. I look forward to spending the rest of the week reviewing it thoroughly. Additionally, if you pre-order the Switch 2, you can receive it within the next 24 hours. For those who are hesitant, more information and opinions about the Switch 2 will be available in the coming weeks to assist in your decision-making.

What to do




Arm Akinbo… T is intriguing and peculiar. Illustration: Annapurna Interactive/Steam

Last week, I played To A T, a beautifully odd and unexpected game from Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi. It follows a young teenager perpetually stuck in a T-pose, named Arms Bobo. As you can imagine, this poses significant challenges, forcing them to rely on their fluffy little dogs for support. It’s a children’s game about embracing your uniqueness—I played it with my son—and it’s both amusing and eccentric, featuring songs about giraffes who enjoy making sandwiches. I adore games that come with surprises, and if I asked all of you to guess the ending, I bet none would be close.

Available on: PS5, Xbox, PC
Estimated playtime: 5 hours

What to read




Seize the chance… Remy Siu (left) and NHI accept the Peabody Award at 1000xResist. Photo: Charlie Galley/Getty Images

  • 1000xResist is a critically acclaimed sci-fi game that addresses the immigration experience and the price of political resistance, and it was awarded a Peabody Award this week. The creators’ acceptance speech resonated: “I encourage the gaming industry to invest in marginalized voices and to seek to make a difference. I continuously take opportunities. This art form is still in its infancy; it’s too soon to define it.”

  • Keith Stuart wrote about the events largely overlooked at Midnight launch party—Only Smyths Toys is hosting the Midnight release for the Switch 2. Have you ever attended one of these events? If so, please share your experience— I vividly recall feeling both excited and embarrassed waiting for the Wii on Prince Street in Edinburgh as a teenager.

  • The developers at OpenAI are very proud of their latest artificial “intelligence” model, which allows you to play Pokémon Red. However, it took me over 80 hours to obtain just three gym badges, as we try to overlook the environmental impacts that AI has on video games.

  • When Imran Khan suffered a stroke last year, he lost his ability to play video games. His poignant essay discussed the role of Kaizo Mario (Super Difficult Hacking Mario Level) in his recovery.

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Soothe… unpack. Illustration: Humble Game/Steam

Leader Gemma asks:

“At this moment, I’m hugging you while he naps on the couch for three months and I played the Blue Prince. This might be the ultimate postnatal game: It has minimal background sound and music, allows me to pause anytime, and carries zero risk. It also presents fascinating storylines and incredible puzzles. You find yourself deciphering letters and speaking out loud for math puzzles. (Do you get algebra in 3 months?) Your Article [about Nintendo during naptime] made me feel guilty. Are there any other updated tips for similar games discovered after eight years in the postnatal phase?”

During my time with a little one, I engaged in two types of games: one that takes about 5 hours to complete in a single evening, or endlessly zoning out with titles like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. It didn’t matter if I was “achieving” anything. My brain was often fatigued, making it hard to follow linear plots. However, that doesn’t suit everyone—my friend Sarah became engrossed in Grand Theft Auto during her baby’s naps.

I became hooked on exploitative mobile games, which I do not recommend—stay away if you have a vulnerable brain. You’ll find yourself spending countless hours on virtual goodies and splurging cash for dopamine. Something like Unpacking or A Little to the Left might soothe your puzzle-thirsty mind without being too overwhelming (plus, they’re brief). To all gamer moms out there: what games did you enjoy in those early months of parenthood?

If you have a question for the block or anything to share about the newsletter—
please reach out at pushbuttons@theguardian.com.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Can AI Comprehend Flowers Without Touching or Smelling Them?

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If you can’t smell, what are flowers?

ClearViewimages RF/Alamy

The newest artificial intelligence models demonstrate a comprehension of the world akin to human understanding. Yet, their sensory limitations hinder their grasp of concepts like flowers and humor.

Qihui Xu from Ohio State and her team explored the understanding of nearly 4,500 words by both humans and large-scale language models (LLMs), covering terms such as “flowers,” “hooves,” “humorous,” and “swings.” Both human participants and AI models evaluated these words based on emotional arousal and physical interactions associated with various body parts.

The objective was to analyze how LLMs, such as OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and GPT-4, along with Google’s Palm and Gemini, compared with human rankings. While both humans and AI exhibited similar concept maps for words unrelated to sensory interaction, substantial discrepancies arose when it involved physical sensations and actions.

For instance, AI models often suggested that flowers could be perceived through the torso, a notion that most people find peculiar, as they typically enjoy flowers visually or through scent.

The challenge lies in the fact that LLMs develop their understanding from a vast array of text sourced from the internet, which falls short in tackling sensual concepts. “They are fundamentally different from humans,” she explains.

Certain AI models have undergone training using visual data like images and videos alongside text. Researchers have noticed that these models yield results more closely aligned with human evaluations, enhancing the chances that future AI will bridge sensory understanding with human cognition.

“This illustrates that the advantages of multimodal training might surpass expectations. In reality, it seems that one plus one can yield two or more,” states Xu. “In terms of AI advancement, this underscores the significance of developing multimodal models and the necessity of embodying these models.”

Philip Feldman at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County suggests that simulating an AI with a robotic body, exposed to sensorimotor experiences, could greatly enhance its capabilities, but he cautions about the inherent risks of physical harm to others.

Preventing such dangers requires implementing safeguards in robotic actions or opting for softer robots to avoid causing injury during training, warns Feldman, although this approach has its downsides.

“This may distort their perception of the world,” Feldman remarks. “One lesson they might learn is that they can gently bounce objects. [In a real robot with mass] The humanoid robots might believe they can collide with one another at full speed. That could lead to serious issues.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Pornhub Owners Suspend French Sites in Protest of New Age Verification Law

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Visitors from France accessing adult sites like PornHub, YouPorn, and RedTube will encounter a message that criticizes the nation’s age verification laws, as announced by the company on Tuesday.

A spokesperson indicated that Iro, the parent company, has set a requirement for users to be 18 years or older, responding to French legislation mandating that adult sites implement stricter measures to verify the ages of their users.

“It’s clear that Iro has made the tough choice to restrict access for French users on platforms like Pornhub, Youporn, and Redtube. Tomorrow, we will utilize these platforms to directly engage with the French public,” stated a Pornhub representative on Tuesday.

Instead of providing a vast array of adult content on PornHub, Iro aims to “directly communicate with the French populace about the dangers and invasiveness of privacy, along with the ineffectiveness of French laws,” said Solomon Friedman, owner of Iro and a partner at Ethical Capital Partners, during a video call with reporters on Tuesday.

This year, France will gradually implement new requirements for all adult sites, enabling users to verify their ages using personal information such as credit cards and identification documents.

To safeguard privacy, operators are required to offer third-party “double-blind” options that prevent the sites from accessing users’ identities.

However, Iro contends that this approach is flawed and jeopardizes user data to potential threats, hacks, and leaks.

The company argues that France should focus on the developers of operating systems like Microsoft’s Windows, Apple’s iOS, and Google’s Android, rather than targeting pornographic platforms.

“Iro takes age verification seriously,” executive Alex Kekesi noted during a media call.

She emphasized that individual platforms carry a “significant risk” to privacy rights concerning age verification.

Friedman from ECP stated, “Google, Apple, and Microsoft have integrated features within their operating systems to verify a user’s age at the device level.”

The capacity to “supply age signals to any site or application” can enable control over access to adult content while keeping sensitive information private, offering a viable solution,” he argued.

“We recognize that these three companies are powerful, but that doesn’t excuse France’s actions,” he added.

Iro’s message to adult content viewers includes imagery promoting freedom, inspired by Eugene Delacroix’s renowned painting featuring nude figures.

Culture Minister Auroa Berge mentioned that if adult sites choose to block French users instead of adhering to the law, it would be “very positive.”

“Minors in France will have less access to violent, degrading, and humiliating content,” she remarked.

“If Iro prefers to withdraw from France rather than comply with our regulations, they are free to do so,” stated Clara Chappaz, the French Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technology, on X.

According to Arcom, 2.3 million minors visit porn sites each month, even though they are legally prohibited from doing so.

Elsewhere in the European Union, adult content platforms face increased scrutiny. EU regulators announced last month that several sites, including Pornhub, are under investigation for failing to uphold child protection regulations.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Nostalgia Trends on TikTok: Fans Revisit Beloved Music and TV Shows

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This social media platform positions itself as a leader in youth culture, setting trends for others to follow. However, observations of music, television, and daily life in the UK suggest that TikTok is embracing a new wave of nostalgia.

The music and television of the 2000s have been rediscovered by Gen X and older Millennials, with Gen Z being the first to engage with this content.

“Sex and The City,” which aired from 1999 to 2004, now boasts 108,000 videos on the platform, doubling its count over the past year. “Gossip Girl,” running from 2007 to 2012, has 120,000 videos, while “Gilmore Girls,” from 2000 to 2007, has amassed 1 million related videos. “The Vampire Diaries,” which aired for eight years until 2017, has generated over 2 million discussions in video form.

Additionally, the revival of the British show “Skins,” a drama about Bristol teenagers that first aired in 2007, has gained significant attention.

Lily Hall, Programs and Insights Manager for TikTok UK, Ireland, and Nordics, remarked: “Fashion and beauty continue to be dominant themes, and we see a rise in interest for older music, television shows, and films as users seek comfort and authenticity from the past.”

“Currently, classic series are thriving on the platform. We’ve reintroduced this new generation to beloved old TV shows, while older users are sharing their favorites again.”

TikTok’s focus on “Britcore” content reflects the increasing demand for 2000s nostalgia, with creators sharing videos related to fashion and lifestyle, childhood toys, and discontinued snacks like pink and white mouse sweets and Cadbury animal crackers.

Crime dramas have also seen a significant impact, with a 70% increase in related videos over the past year.

The viral success of puberty content, which was collectively created in one take, has resulted in 76,000 associated videos. Other creators have revived themes from series like “Code of Silence” and “Kin.”

In music, nostalgic hits like “Headlock” by Imogen Heap (released in 2005) and “Price Tag” by Jessie J (released in 2011) are resurging in popularity.

Interestingly, a song recorded 64 years ago, initially seen as merely a B-side, found new life on the platform. “Who’s Sorry Now” by Connie Francis has captured the attention of a younger audience, especially after the 87-year-old artist joined TikTok herself.

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The track has gone viral on the platform, racking up video productions totaling over 20 million views. This resurgence occurs 65 years after Francis became the first woman to reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. TikTok notes that the song has been used as a soundtrack for positive content featuring family and pets.

Celebrities joining this trend include Nara Smith, Kylie Jenner, and Kim Kardashian.

“This demonstrates that the TikTok community transcends genres and ages,” says Sheemashidiki, Artist Partnership Manager at TikTok. “Whether a song was released last month or decades ago, what matters is that the community can engage creatively with it.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is Planet Nine a Myth? Some Astronomers Believe They’ve Discovered a New Dwarf Planet

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A potential new dwarf planet has been identified at the distant fringes of our solar system, taking approximately 25,000 years to complete one orbit around the Sun.

This celestial object, designated 2017, was discovered by a team from the Advanced Research Institute and Princeton University who were searching for a “Planet 9,” a hypothesized planet larger than Earth that is believed to orbit beyond Neptune. Some astronomers suspect that this elusive Ninth planet could shed light on the peculiar clustering of various objects and other oddities observed in the outer solar system.

While in pursuit of the elusive Planet Nine, researchers instead came across another resident of our cosmic neighborhood.

“It’s similar to the way Pluto was discovered,” remarked Sihao Cheng, a member of the Advanced Research Institute that spearheaded the research team. “This endeavor was a real adventure.”

If validated, the newly found dwarf planet could be what Chen refers to as Pluton’s “extreme cousin.” The findings were published on the Preprint site arXiv and have yet to undergo peer review.

Cheng and his colleagues estimate that 2017 measures approximately 435 miles in diameter.

Dwarf planets are categorized as celestial bodies orbiting the Sun that possess enough mass and gravity to be nearly round, yet unlike typical planets, they do not clear their orbital paths of asteroids and other objects.

Eritayan, a co-author of the study and a graduate student at Princeton University, noted that one fascinating characteristic of 2017 is its highly elongated orbit. At its most distant points from the Sun, it lies over 1,600 times farther than Earth does from the Sun.

The potential dwarf planets were discovered through a meticulous examination of a vast dataset from a Chilean telescope that was scanning the universe for signs of dark energy. By compiling observations over time, the researchers identified moving objects exhibiting clear patterns.

While 2017 may be one of the most distant known objects in the solar system, its discovery suggests that other dwarf planets may exist in that vast region of space.

“We used public data that had been available for some time,” explained Jiaxuan Li, a graduate student and co-author of the research at Princeton University. “It was just hiding in plain sight.”

Li mentioned that the object is currently located near the Sun, necessitating a wait of about a month for researchers to conduct follow-up observations using ground-based telescopes. They also hope to eventually study the object with the Hubble Space Telescope or the James Webb Space Telescope.

In the meantime, Chen stated he remains committed to the quest for Planet Nine. However, new findings may complicate long-held theories about the existence of such a planet.

The hypothesis surrounding Planet Nine suggests that planets several times Earth’s size in the outer solar system might clarify why certain groups of icy objects seem to have unusually clustered orbits.

“Under the influence of Planet Nine, any object lacking a specific orbital geometry would eventually become unstable and be expelled from the solar system,” Yang explained.

Despite 2017’s long orbit leading it away from clustered objects, Yang’s calculations indicate that its path will remain stable for the next billion years.

In essence, if Planet Nine existed, 2017 would not persist. Yet, Yang emphasized that further research is essential, and the discovery of a new dwarf planet candidate does not definitively rule out Planet Nine’s existence.

For one thing, the simulations currently utilize a single hypothetical location for Planet Nine, and scientists do not all agree on the locations of these planets.

Konstantin Batygin, a planetary science professor at the California Institute of Technology, first proposed the existence of Planet Nine in a 2016 study co-authored with Mike Brown from Caltech.

He remarked that the discoveries related to 2017 neither confirm nor deny the theory. Batygin noted that outer solar system objects that might demonstrate gravitational influences of Planet Nine must have their closest points of orbit remain sufficiently distant and not interact significantly with Neptune.

“Unfortunately, this object does not fall into that category,” Batygin told NBC News. “It’s in a chaotic orbit, so the implications are not significant, as it complicates the scenario.”

Batygin expressed excitement about the new research for providing additional context regarding how objects evolve in the outer solar system, praising the researchers’ efforts in mining public datasets as “heroic.”

Chen, however, remains optimistic about finding Planet Nine.

“The entire project commenced as a search for Planet Nine, and I’m still in that mindset,” he remarked. “This, however, is an enthralling tale of scientific discovery. Whether or not Planet Nine exists, the pursuit is a captivating venture.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Study Reveals That Middle-Aged Women Who Drink Caffeinated Coffee May Experience Healthier Aging

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A recent study conducted by researchers at Harvard Chan Public Health indicates that caffeine and regular coffee consumption during middle age are modestly and positively linked to various aspects of healthy aging in women. However, no notable correlation was found with tea or caffeinated coffee, whereas increased cola intake was associated with healthy aging and a lower likelihood of related health issues.

Mahdavi et al. Our aim was to explore the relationship between caffeine intake in middle age and the chances of healthy aging in older women participating in nurse health studies. Image credit: Sci.News.

“While earlier studies have linked coffee to specific health outcomes, this research is the first to evaluate coffee’s impact on multiple aspects of aging over three decades,” stated Dr. Sarah Mahadhabi, a researcher at Harvard Chan School of Public Health and the University of Toronto.

“The findings indicate that coffee may uniquely support aging processes that foster both mental and physical well-being.”

“Our study boasts several significant strengths, including a substantial sample size and three decades of follow-up. Moreover, we assessed various elements of longevity and healthy aging, in conjunction with comprehensive data on nutrition and lifestyle habits collected every four years after the study began.”

The research encompassed 47,513 women from the Nurses Health Survey, utilizing dietary and health data gathered since 1984.

Researchers evaluated caffeine consumption using a validated food frequency questionnaire, focusing on major caffeine sources like coffee, tea, cola, and caffeinated coffee.

Healthy aging was characterized as living to age 70 and above, free from 11 major chronic diseases, preserving physical abilities, maintaining mental health, exhibiting no cognitive impairment, and having no memory complaints.

Following 30 years of monitoring, researchers assessed how the probability of healthy aging varied with each additional 80 mg of caffeine consumed daily by the participants.

They also examined specific beverage types, including coffee, tea, caffeinated coffee (per 8-ounce cup), and cola (per 12-ounce glass).

The preliminary analyses identified other factors that might influence healthy aging, such as body weight, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, physical activity levels, educational attainment, and protein intake.

By 2016, 3,706 women in the study met all criteria for being classified as healthy agers.

Women aged between 45-60 typically consumed an average of 315 mg of caffeine daily, with over 80% of that derived from regular coffee consumption.

For those in the Healthy Agers Group, each additional cup of coffee per day was linked to a 2% to 5% increased likelihood of aging well, up to about 5 small cups per day, or approximately 2.5 standard cups by today’s measurements.

Researchers discovered no significant correlation between the consumption of decaffeinated coffee or tea and an elevated likelihood of healthy aging.

Importantly, for each additional glass of soda with caffeine, the chances of healthy aging decreased by 20-26%, indicating that not all caffeine sources are beneficial.

“While these findings are preliminary, they suggest that small, consistent habits can profoundly influence long-term health,” Dr. Mahadhabi noted.

“Moderate coffee intake can provide a range of protective benefits when coupled with other healthy practices, such as regular exercise, a balanced diet, and avoiding smoking.”

“This study expands on previous evidence linking coffee consumption to healthy aging, but the benefits of coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of an overall healthy lifestyle, warranting further investigation.”

The findings were presented at the Survey results on June 2nd during the Nutrition 2025 annual meeting hosted by the American Nutrition Association.

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Sarah Mahadabi et al. Caffeine intake and healthy aging in women. Nutrition 2025 Summary #P22-039-25

Source: www.sci.news

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-Inch Review: Affordable and Compact Windows 11 Device

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Microsoft’s newest Surface laptops are compact and affordable, allowing users to enjoy many of the great features of their larger counterparts in a more portable format, while still delivering impressive performance.


The Surface Laptop 13-inch model features the latest 7th generation laptops, available in 13.8″ and 15″ sizes released last summer. It sits at the lower end of the price spectrum, starting at £899 (1,099 Euro/$900/$1,699), making it an attractive option.

The design of the new 13-inch model blends elements from both the Laptop Go and its larger siblings. It features a glossy LCD touchscreen that, while not the brightest or clearest, looks great for its size. The smooth aluminum surface includes a full-size keyboard that provides a premium typing experience, outclassing many competitors.




The power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The generously-sized trackpad is smooth and precise, though it features an older hinge design that some might find less tactile compared to newer models from bigger competitors. Nevertheless, it gets the job done, although clicking can be a bit awkward.

The speakers are impressive for the device’s size, and the 1080p webcam performs well even if you don’t utilize Microsoft’s Windows Hello facial recognition for logging in.

Specifications

  • Screen: 13in LCD 1920 x 1280 (178 ppi)

  • Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus (8 cores)

  • RAM: 16 GB

  • Storage: 256 or 512GB

  • Operating System: Windows 11 Home

  • Camera: 1080p front

  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, USB-A, 2X USB-C (3.2), Headphones

  • Size: 285.7 x 214.1 x 15.6mm

  • Weight: 1.2kg

Snapdragon X Plus




The laptop takes approximately 2 hours to fully charge using a 60W or higher power adapter (not included), achieving 50% battery in just 36 minutes. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The 13-inch model is powered by a mid-range Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus processor with 8 cores (compared to 10 in larger models). While it may not lead in raw performance, it holds up well against Intel’s offerings and is sufficiently fast for a laptop of this size. Under typical workloads, it remains quiet and efficient, delivering approximately 14 hours of usage with multiple browser tabs and apps open. This is nearly double the battery life of its Intel-based predecessor and rivals Apple’s MacBook Air.

For resource-intensive tasks like large photo editing or other creative software, expect battery life to decrease by nearly half.

The Surface Laptop includes two USB-C (3.2) ports and a USB-A port, suitable for devices of this size. Notably, it lacks USB4/Thunderbolt support and instead uses USB-C for charging.

Windows 11 on Arm




Recall lets you use your timeline or search to revisit what you were doing in various apps. Composite: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian

The Surface runs Windows 11 effectively, avoiding the clutter of unnecessary features and software that often plague competitors. However, there are some compatibility issues with apps designed for ARM processors, like the Snapdragon model, that don’t affect those running on Intel or AMD’s x86 architecture.

Applications that aren’t specifically designed for ARM must run in emulation mode, which can slow them down significantly. Lightweight x86 applications like Evernote perform adequately but lag behind their ARM-native counterparts.

Many popular applications have ARM versions that perform seamlessly, including Google Drive. Until recently, Google Drive was not compatible with Windows on ARM. It’s essential to check for app-specific issues, especially in the creative field, as many major games, including Fortnite, face incompatibility with ARM chips.




Using Copilot in the Edge browser, instead of performing a Google search, you can ask questions related to the site you are currently visiting. Composite: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian

The laptop boasts a Copilot+PC feature that includes an array of Microsoft AI tools. This encompasses a recall function that captures snapshots of your activities, allowing you to revisit what was displayed at specific moments. Users can search recalls using natural language and interact with text, images, or data—like reopening websites browsed in the past.

This feature is opt-in and safely stores screenshots locally on a device protected by fingerprint security, which helps prevent the capture of sensitive information. However, some individuals may view this as a privacy risk.

Other AI tools echo those available on previous Surface models, including a sketch recognition system that can transform hand-drawn sketches into refined artwork. The standout tool is Copilot, integrated into various Microsoft applications such as Word and others in the Office Suite, provided you have a subscription. It functions as a cross between a search tool and an AI assistant, capable of performing tasks like converting data into tables or enhancing written content while working exclusively within Microsoft’s Edge browser.




Clicking serves as a new and efficient way to interact with images, objects, and text on your screen. Composite: Samuel Gibbs/Guardian

Microsoft’s new “Click to do it” feature allows users to press the Windows button and click on an item on the screen to initiate an action. For example, you can use Paint to remove the background from an image or rewrite text with AI. More features are expected to roll out later this year, providing a quicker and more intuitive way to perform AI tasks on your PC.

Sustainability




The sleek aluminum lid appears premium, especially in its purple variant. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The laptop is generally repairable and features a replaceable SSD, along with self-healing capabilities and a service guide. The device incorporates recycled cobalt and rare earth materials. Microsoft also supports trade-in and recycling programs, and there are affordable repair costs along with a product environmental impact report.

Price

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at £899 (€1,099/$899.99/$1,699). Orders will ship starting June 10th.

In comparison, the Surface Laptop 13.8-inch costs around £944, the Surface Pro 12-inch is priced at £799, and the Surface Pro 13-inch retails for £1,029. The 13-inch MacBook Air M4 is available for £999.

Verdict

The Surface Laptop 13-inch offers a scaled-down version of Microsoft’s impressive Windows 11 experience.

The overall feel of the device closely resembles its larger sibling, boasting premium materials, a high-quality keyboard, and a clean Windows 11 interface. The 13-inch touchscreen is good but not as exceptional as those on larger models, and the older design of the trackpads still proves functional. Microsoft’s AI tools are evolving, but may not be a decisive factor in purchasing this device.

While the absence of USB4/Thunderbolt and facial recognition might be seen as drawbacks, the relatively lower price compensates for this, just like the less powerful chip. It’s sufficient for everyday productivity tasks and offers impressive battery life, allowing for two full working days between charges. Arm chips come with potential app compatibility concerns that should be examined prior to purchase.

Overall, the Surface Laptop is a delightful device. However, at £900 or its equivalent, it isn’t the cheapest option, and it’s worth considering whether larger, more capable models can be had for a similar price.

Pros: Clean Windows 11 interface, exceptional keyboard, decent trackpad, impressive speakers, USB-A and USB-C connectivity, solid screen, fingerprint reader, long battery life, and good performance enhanced by AI features.

Cons: Compatibility issues with ARM-based apps and games, potential for higher performance from larger siblings, absence of facial recognition, lack of USB4 support, older trackpad design, and slightly expensive for what it offers.




The refined design and premium materials set the Surface Laptop apart from the competition. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ancient Enamel Proteins Uncover Biological and Genetic Diversity in Paranthropus robustus

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Paranthropus robustus is a well-documented species within the Hominin group that has yet to be associated with genetic evidence. This species thrived in what is now South Africa between 2 million and 1.2 million years ago. In a recent study, paleontologists extracted enamel protein sequences from a dental specimen, believed to be 2 million years old, discovered at the Swartkrans site in South Africa. The results indicate a greater diversity than previously recognized for Paranthropus robustus and support the potential existence of multiple species within the genus.

Paranthropus Boisei. Image credit: ©Roman Yevseyev.

Advancements in ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing have provided essential insights into the evolutionary connections among mid- to late Pleistocene hominins. However, our understanding of the earlier Pliocene-Pleistocene species, including Paranthropus robustus, remains limited.

This limitation is primarily due to the poor preservation of aDNA in African hominin fossils older than 20,000 years.

Paranthropus robustus has traditionally been regarded as a singular evolutionary line.

Yet, morphological overlaps between Paranthropus robustus and Australopithecus raise questions about their possible evolutionary links.

Moreover, variations in dental morphology suggest either an undiscovered diversity within Paranthropus robustus or the existence of multiple distinct species.

In this study, researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the University of Cape Town, and Dr. Paresa Madupe employed more durable ancient proteins to explore the variation within this ancient human species.

Four tooth enamel proteins were analyzed using high-resolution mass spectrometry and paleontological techniques, focusing on Paranthropus robustus fossils from the Swartkrans cave.

These specimens, dating from 2.2 to 1.8 million years ago, are among the earliest known hominins.

Molecular analysis of the protein sequences revealed significant variation at the molecular level among Paranthropus robustus individuals, including evidence from both male and female fossils, challenging the reliability of tooth size as a sole indicator of sexual dimorphism and suggesting that this variance cannot be attributed exclusively to sexual differences.

Notably, one individual appears to be genetically distinct from the others, highlighting considerable intraspecies variability within Paranthropus robustus.

The results align with recent morphological evidence, indicating previously unrecognized taxonomic diversity within the genus, including the proposed species Paranthropus capensis.

“Our study illustrates how paleobiological traits can assist in distinguishing sexual dimorphism from other forms of variation in the early Pleistocene human lineage in Africa,” the authors concluded.

The study is published in the journal Science.

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Paresa P. Madupe et al. 2025. Enamel proteins reveal biological and genetic variation in southern Africa Paranthropus robustus. Science 388 (6750): 969-973; doi: 10.1126/science.adt953

Source: www.sci.news

New Study Reveals No Evidence of Discrepancy in the Hubble Constant

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In collaboration with the Chicago-Carnegie Hubble program, astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have conducted new measurements of the Hubble constant. The findings align with the prevailing Lambda Cold Dark Matter (λCDM) model without necessitating the introduction of additional new physics.

This artist’s illustration depicts the universe’s evolution, starting with the Big Bang on the left. Following this, you can see the microwave background of the universe. The formation of the first stars ends the universe’s dark ages, leading to the creation of galaxies. Image credit: M. Weiss/Harvard – Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

“Emerging evidence indicates that standard models of the cosmos remain robust,” stated Professor Wendy Friedman from the University of Chicago.

“While this doesn’t rule out potential inconsistencies with the model in the future, it currently appears consistent concerning the Hubble constant.”

Presently, there are two primary methods for calculating the rate of the universe’s expansion.

The first method involves measuring the residual light from the Big Bang, which still permeates the universe.

This radiation, referred to as the cosmic microwave background, provides astronomers with insights into the universe’s early conditions.

Professor Friedman and her colleagues focus on the second method, which assesses the current rate of expansion in our local astronomical context.

Ironically, this approach poses more challenges than retracing cosmic history due to the difficulty of accurately measuring distances.

Over the last fifty years, scientists have developed several techniques to measure relatively nearby distances.

One method relies on detecting the light from a specific category of stars at their brightest moment when they explode as supernovae at the end of their lifecycle.

By knowing the peak brightness of these supernovae, astronomers can gauge their apparent luminosity and determine the distance.

Further observations reveal how fast the galaxy that the supernova originated from is moving away from us.

Images of CMB radiation captured by the Atacama cosmological telescope, where orange and blue signify differing radiation strengths. Image credit: ACT collaboration.

Professor Friedman has advanced two additional techniques utilizing knowledge from other star types: giant red stars and carbon stars.

However, considerable adjustments are necessary before finalizing these distance measurements.

Astronomers first need to account for cosmic dust that dims the light coming from these distant stars within our galaxy.

It is also critical to verify and correct for any luminosity variations that may occur over time and space.

Lastly, correction for any subtle measurement errors from the instruments utilized is essential.

Fortunately, technological advancements, such as the launch of the more powerful Webb telescope in 2021, have enabled scientists to refine these measurements significantly.

“We have more than doubled the sample of galaxies used to calibrate supernovae,” Professor Friedman noted.

“Statistical enhancements are valuable and will greatly improve the findings.”

The latest calculations from the team, which incorporate data from both the Hubble and Webb telescopes, yield a value of 70.4 km per second, with a margin of error of 3% per megaparsec.

This brings the value into statistical alignment with recent measurements from cosmic microwave background observations at 67.4 km per megaparsec, with an accuracy of plus or minus 0.7%.

The Webb telescope, with four times the resolution of Hubble, allows for the identification of individual stars that were previously recorded as blurry groupings.

It also offers enhanced precision and is approximately ten times more sensitive, enabling the detection of significant objects.

“We’re truly witnessing how remarkable the Webb telescope is for accurately measuring distances to galaxies,” stated Dr. Taylor Hoyt, a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.

“Its infrared detectors can penetrate the dust that has historically impeded precise distance measurements, enabling much more accurate brightness assessments of stars.”

“Astrophysicists are striving to formulate a theory that might elucidate varying rates of expansion as the universe ages,” Professor Friedman remarked.

“There are over a thousand scholarly papers addressing this issue, and it proves to be exceptionally challenging.”

The team’s research paper was published on May 27th in the Astrophysical Journal.

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Wendy L. Friedman et al. 2025. Status Report on the Chicago Carnegie Hubble Program (CCHP): Measurement of Hubble constants using Hubble and James Webb’s Space Telescopes. APJ 985, 203; doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adce78

Source: www.sci.news

Long-term Studies Show That Small Particles Continue to Display Unexpected Behavior

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Long-term conclusive results from US-based experiments have emerged. The latest release on Tuesday highlights a tiny particle behaving unexpectedly, which is still positive news for our understanding of Physics Laws.

“This experiment represents a remarkable achievement in precision,” noted Toba Holmes, an experimental physicist at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, who is not affiliated with the collaboration.

The enigmatic particles known as Muons are heavier than electrons. They exhibit a wobbling motion akin to a spinning top when subjected to a magnetic field, and scientists are scrutinizing this motion to determine its compliance with the well-established physics framework known as the standard model.

Findings from the 1960s and 1970s suggested everything was functioning as expected. However, investigations at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the late 1990s and early 2000s yielded unexpected results.

Decades later, an international coalition of scientists opted to revisit the experiment with enhanced accuracy. The team navigated Muons around magnetic, ring-shaped tracks akin to those used in the initial Brookhaven studies, and recorded the wobble signals at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago.

The outcomes from the initial two sets published in 2021 and 2023 appear to affirm the odd behavior of Muons, encouraging theoretical physicists to reconsider the standard model alongside new metrics.

Recently, the team finalized the experiment and published Muon wobble measurements that align with their earlier findings, utilizing more than double the data collected in 2023.

Nevertheless, this does not finalize the fundamental understanding of what underpins the universe. As Muons travel along their paths, other researchers have devised methods to better harmonize standard models with observed behaviors, leveraging the power of supercomputers.

Further investigation is essential as researchers collaborate, and upcoming experiments will encourage future studies that assess Muon wobble. Scientists are also examining the latest Muon data for insights into other mysterious entities like dark matter.

“This measurement will serve as a benchmark for years to follow,” remarked Marco Incagli from the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics.

In their pursuit of Muons, scientists aim to unravel fundamental questions that have long intrigued physicists, as noted by Peter Winter from the Argonne National Laboratory.

“Isn’t it something we all wish to understand—how the universe operates?” Winter questioned.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Clever Cockatoos Master the Art of Using Public Drinking Fountains

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tt-ylnz34s

In Sydney, Australia, Okkatoo has mastered the use of public water fountains by turning the handle, a feat not easy for birds. It appears they are imitating one another’s actions.

The Occato, or Kakatua Gallerita, engages in an intellectual competition, as some individuals have figured out how to open waste bins in eastern Sydney. In response, humans devise ways to keep these bins locked while continuing to find methods to open them.

Following reports of similar occurrences with Okkatoos using drinking fountains in western Sydney, Lucy Aplin from the Australian National University and her team temporarily marked 24 Occatos, accounting for a fifth of the local population. They documented the interactions at various drinking fountains, known as Bubblers in Australia.

Okkatoo using Sydney drinking fountain

Klump et al. 2025

During a 44-day observation, Cockatoos made 525 attempts to use a particularly popular fountain. Out of these, 105 attempts were made by 17 of the 24 marked birds. This indicates that about 70% of the more than 100 local birds attempted to use the fountain, according to researchers.

In their natural habitats, these birds typically drink from ponds or water stored in tree hollows near their roosts. However, Aplin notes they seem to prefer using the fountains instead, especially in the morning and evening, which are their regular drinking times before resting.

Researchers even observed more than 10 birds waiting for their turn at one bubbler, but the more dominant birds would often jump the queue.

Despite only 41% of the observed attempts being successful, the act of drinking from the fountain is certainly not a trivial task for these birds, according to Aplin.

“Birds must navigate their bodies through complicated movements,” she explains. “They often place one foot on the drinking fountain’s base and twist the handle with the other foot while leaning in to leverage their weight.”

She suspects that once an individual learns the technique, others follow suit by mimicking the actions.

“This serves as a clear example of culture—newly socially transmitted behaviors—which might surprise those who view culture as solely a human trait,” says Christina Zdenek from the University of Queensland, Australia. “Their innovative abilities in accessing new food and water sources are remarkable across the Tree of Life.”

Why are the Okkatoos doing this? Aplin posits that the water may taste superior to muddy pond water, or perhaps the bubbler offers a safer alternative from predators. It could also be a trend fueled by their thirst for innovation.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Private Ispace Resilience Probes Set to Land on the Moon This Week

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Artist’s depiction of the Resilience lunar lander

ispace

The private spacecraft is set to attempt a landing this week. Should the Japanese company ISPACE succeed on this attempt, it would mark a historic achievement as the first non-US enterprise to land on the moon, following a failed attempt in 2023.

ISPACE’s Resilience Lander embarked on its journey towards the moon on January 15th. It launched with the assistance of a SpaceX rocket and Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Lander. While Blue Ghost made a successful landing on March 2nd, Resilience traveled a longer path, traversing deeper into space before entering lunar orbit on May 6th. This intricate route was essential for landing in the hard-to-reach northern plains of Mare Frigoris, which had been uncharted by previous lunar missions.

If the probe executes its landing operations successfully, it will commence its landing sequence on June 5th at approximately 7:20 PM BST, with a landing in Mare Frigoris scheduled an hour later. The landing attempt will be broadcast live on ISPACE’s YouTube channel.

The lander is outfitted with six diverse experiments, including a device capable of splitting moisture into hydrogen and oxygen for usable resources, a module for producing food from algae, and a radiation monitor for deep space studies. Additionally, it will deploy a 5-kilogram rover named Tenalious, tasked with exploring the lunar surface and capturing images during its anticipated two-week mission.

This marks ISPACE’s second attempt at a lunar landing, following the initial Hakuto-R spacecraft, which lost communication and crash-landed on the moon. The company asserts that it has enhanced Resilience with improved sensors leveraging data gathered from the initial mission, yet challenges remain, particularly in slowing the spacecraft from several hundred kilometers per hour to a complete stop in just three minutes. Should ISPACE choose to abort the landing on June 5th, there are three alternate landing sites and dates prepared as contingencies.

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Source: www.newscientist.com