Examining Anti-Immigrant Themes in AI-Generated Content with Billions of TikTok Views

Posted on December 3, 2025 by

Numerous TikTok accounts are accumulating billions of views by sharing anti-immigrant and sexually explicit AI-generated material, as highlighted in a recent report.

Researchers found 354 accounts centered around AI that shared 43,000 posts created with AI tools, resulting in 4.5 billion views in just one month.

As per the Paris-based nonprofit AI Forensics, these accounts are attempting to manipulate TikTok’s algorithm—responsible for deciding what content appears for users—by posting large volumes of content in hopes of achieving viral status.

Some accounts reportedly posted as many as 70 times daily, indicative of automated activity, with most accounts established at the start of the year.

TikTok disclosed last month that it hosted at least 1.3 billion AI-generated posts. With more than 100 million pieces of content uploaded daily, AI-labeled material constitutes a minor fraction of TikTok’s offerings. Users can also adjust settings to minimize exposure to AI content.

Among the most active accounts, around half focused on content related to women’s bodies. The report notes, “These AI representations of women are often depicted in stereotypically attractive forms, which include suggestive clothing and cleavage.”

Research from AI Forensics indicated that nearly half of the content posted by these accounts lacked labels, and under 2% used TikTok’s AI tags. The organization cautioned that this could mislead viewers. They noted that some accounts can evade TikTok’s moderation for months, even while distributing content that violates the platform’s terms.

Several accounts identified in the study have been deleted recently, with signs suggesting that moderators removed them, according to the researchers.

Some of this content resembled fake news broadcast segments. An example is an anti-immigrant story and other materials that sexualize young women’s bodies, potentially including minors. AI Forensics identified that half of the top ten most active accounts were focused on the female body niche, with some of the fake news utilizing familiar news brands including Sky News and ABC.

After a mention by The Guardian, some posts were subsequently taken down by TikTok.

TikTok labeled the report’s assertions as “unfounded,” asserting that the researchers acknowledged the issue as one affecting several platforms. Recently, The Guardian revealed that almost one in ten of the fastest-growing YouTube channels primarily features AI-generated content.

“TikTok is committed to eliminating harmful AIGC [artificial intelligence-generated content], we are blocking the creation of hundreds of millions of bot accounts while investing in top-notch AI labeling technology, and providing users with the tools and education necessary to manage their content experience on our platform,” declared a TikTok spokesperson.

An example of AI “slop” is content that lacks substance and is intended to clutter social media timelines. Photo: TikTok

The most viewed accounts flagged by AI Forensics often shared “slop,” a term used to describe AI-generated content that is trivial, odd, and meant to disturb users’ feeds. This includes postings such as animals in Olympic diving or talking babies. Researchers noted that while some of the risqué content was deemed “funny” and “adorable,” it still contributes to the clutter.

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TikTok’s policies forbid the use of AI to create deceptive authoritative sources, portray anyone under 18, or depict adults who aren’t public figures.

“Through this investigation, we illustrate how automated accounts integrate AI content into platforms and the broader virality framework,” the researchers noted.

“The distinction between genuine human-generated content and artificial AI-produced material on platforms is becoming increasingly indistinct, indicating a trend towards greater AI-generated content in users’ feeds.”

The analysis spanned from mid-August to mid-September, uncovering attempts to monetize users via the advertisement of health supplements through fictitious influencers, the promotion of tools for creating viral AI content, or seeking sponsorships for posts.

While AI Forensics acknowledged TikTok’s recent move to allow users to restrict AI content visibility, they emphasized the need for improved labeling.

“We remain cautious about the effectiveness of this feature, given the significant and persistent challenges associated with identifying such content,” they expressed.

The researchers recommended that TikTok explore the option of developing AI-specific features within its app to differentiate AI-generated content from that produced by humans. “Platforms should aim to transcend superficial or arbitrary ‘AI content’ labels and develop robust methods that either distinctly separate generated and human-created content or enforce systematic and clear labeling of AI-generated material,” they concluded.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Are Governments Wasting Billions on Their Own “Sovereign” AI Technology?

Posted on October 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In Singapore, a government-funded artificial intelligence model
Converse in 11 languages spans from Indonesian to Lao. In Malaysia,
ilm chat
developed by a local construction conglomerate, claims it “knows which Georgetown you’re referring to.” Thus, it’s not a private university in the US, but the capital of Penang. Conversely, the Swiss Apertus
announced in September
that it can differentiate when to use “ss” in Swiss German instead of the “ß” used in standard German.

Globally, language models like these are integral to an AI arms race valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars.
dollars
Much of this is led by a few dominant companies in the US and China. As OpenAI, Meta,
Alibaba, and others invest billions in building more advanced models, middle powers and developing nations are closely monitoring the landscape and often making significant commitments of their own.

These initiatives are part of a movement loosely termed “sovereign AI,” where nations from the UK to India to Canada aim to create their own AI solutions and establish their positioning within this evolving ecosystem.

Yet, with hundreds of billions in play globally, can smaller investments yield substantial returns?

“U.S.-based firms, the U.S. government, and China can practically storm ahead in AI development, making it challenging for smaller nations,” noted Trisha Ray, a senior researcher at the Atlantic Council, a U.S.-based strategic think tank.

“Unless you’re a wealthy government or major corporation, creating a large language model from scratch is a considerable burden.”

Defense Concerns

Nonetheless, numerous countries are hesitant to depend on foreign AI for their requirements.

India, the second-largest market for OpenAI, has recorded over 100 million ChatGPT downloads in recent years. However, Abhishek Upperwal, founder of
Socket AI, highlights several instances where U.S.-made AI systems have fallen short. For example, a deployed AI agent intended to educate students in a remote Telangana village communicates in English but with a heavy, nearly incomprehensible American accent, while an Indian legal startup’s effort to adapt Meta’s LLaMa AI model encountered barriers, resulting in a mixed bag of U.S.-Indian legal advice, Upperwal explains.

There are also looming national security concerns. For India’s defense sector, any Chinese deep learning model is considered off-limits, according to Upperwal. “This could encompass untrustworthy training data claiming that Ladakh isn’t a part of India… Utilizing such a model in a defense context is absolutely unacceptable.”

“I’ve spoken with individuals involved in defense,” Upperwal stated. “They want to leverage AI, but they disregard DeepSeek and wish to avoid reliance on it altogether. Using U.S. systems like OpenAI is distinctly problematic since it risks data leaks from the country.”

Socket AI represents one of the few initiatives aimed at constructing a national LLM for India, supported by the IndiaAI Mission, a government-funded project that has invested roughly $1.25 billion in AI advancements. Upperwal envisions a model less resource-intensive than those produced by major American and Chinese tech firms, closely aligning with some from the
French AI company Mistral.

AI researchers have long contended that pushing the technology boundary to reach the often-elusive goal of artificial general intelligence (AGI) will necessitate considerable resources, including chips and computing capabilities. Upperwal emphasizes that India must compensate for its funding gaps with talent.

“In India, spending billions is not an option,” he asserts. “How can we compete against the $100 to $500 billion being invested by the United States? I believe leveraging core expertise and intellect is crucial.”

In Singapore, AI Singapore is a government initiative backing the SEA-LION project. SEA-LION is a suite of language models designed specifically for Southeast Asian languages that are typically underrepresented in U.S. and Chinese LLMs, such as Malay, Thai, Lao, Indonesian, and Khmer among others.

Leslie Teo, Senior Director at
AI Singapore, notes that these models aim to enhance rather than overshadow larger ones. Systems like ChatGPT and Gemini often falter with regional languages and cultural contexts, according to Teo. For instance, they may communicate in excessively formal Khmer or suggest pork-based recipes to users in Malaysia. Creating local language LLMs will empower local governments to code with cultural intricacies or at the very least become “smart consumers” of robust technologies developed abroad.

“I am very cautious with the term sovereignty. Essentially, we want better representation and a clearer understanding of how AI systems operate,” he states.

Multilateral Cooperation

For nations seeking to carve out a niche in an increasingly competitive global arena, collaboration is another option. Researchers tied to
Bennett School of Public Policy at the University of Cambridge have lately suggested forming a public AI enterprise distributed across a consortium of middle-income nations.

They refer to this initiative as
Airbus for AI, alluding to Europe’s successful efforts in establishing a competitor to Boeing in the 1960s. Their proposal envisages creating a public AI company that would unify the resources of AI initiatives from the UK, Spain, Canada, Germany, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, France, Switzerland, and Sweden, aiming to forge a formidable rival to the tech giants of the U.S. and China.

Joshua Tan, the lead author of a paper outlining the initiative, mentioned that the idea has garnered interest from AI ministers in at least three nations and several sovereign AI firms. While the emphasis is currently on “powerful middle powers,” developing nations like Mongolia and Rwanda are also reportedly expressing interest.

“There’s certainly less trust in the current U.S. administration’s commitments. Questions are arising about the reliability of this technology and what might occur if they withdraw support,” he remarks.

Tan’s proposal is optimistic about the potential for collaboration among nations. However, critics suggest that even a coordinated multi-country strategy could squander taxpayer resources on initiatives that may not yield fruitful results.

“I hope that those developing this [sovereign] AI model understand how far and how rapidly advancements are progressing,” comments Tzu Kit Chan, an AI strategist advising the Malaysian government.

“What’s the alternative? If governments pursue flawed strategies in crafting their own sovereign AI models, they risk wasting vast amounts of capital.”

According to Chan, a more prudent approach would be for governments like Malaysia’s to allocate these funds toward enhancing AI safety regulations, as opposed to competing with globally dominant products that have already captured the market.

“Walk down the streets of Malaysia, visit Kuala Lumpur, engage with your financial counterparts and inquire about the models they utilize,” he suggests.

“Out of 10, I doubt that more than 2 are employing a sovereign AI model. Most are using ChatGPT or Gemini.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Big Tech Invested $155 Billion in AI This Year—I’m Aiming to Spend Over Tens of Billions!

Posted on August 2, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The largest companies in the US have outspent the government, pouring $155 billion into artificial intelligence development, positioning themselves for the competitive landscape of 2025 as they race to invest more in each other. Education, training, employment, social services continues to dominate the agenda through 2025.

Recent financial disclosures from major Silicon Valley corporations indicate an impending surge that could impact hundreds of millions of people annually.

In the past fortnight, Alphabet (Meta’s parent company), Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have released their quarterly financial reports. Each report disclosed that their capital expenditures related to the acquisition or enhancement of tangible assets since around 2018 are already totaling tens of thousands.

Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) denotes the spending technology firms allocate for AI, necessitating large investments in physical infrastructure—primarily data centers that demand substantial electricity, water, and costly semiconductor chips. Google highlighted in its latest revenue call that capital expenditures “support AI by reflecting primarily investments in servers and data centers.”

Since the beginning of the year, Meta’s capital expenditures have reached $30.7 billion, which is double the $15.2 billion reported last year. Just in the most recent quarter, the company incurred $17 billion in capital expenditures, exceeding the $8.5 billion spent during the same timeframe in 2024. Alphabet has reported approximately $400 billion in CAPEX during the first two quarters of this fiscal year, while Amazon has reported $55.7 billion. Microsoft has announced plans to spend over $300 billion this quarter to develop a data center that powers AI services. Microsoft CFO Amy Hood indicated that this quarter’s CAPEX is at least 50% higher than that of the previous year, surpassing the company’s record capital expenditures of $24.2 billion from June to June.

“We will continue to leverage the vast opportunities ahead,” Hood stated.

In the upcoming year, the total capital expenditure of Big Tech is anticipated to grow significantly, surpassing last year’s impressive figures. Microsoft plans to invest about $100 billion in AI during the next fiscal year, as CEO Satya Nadella announced on Wednesday. Meta is expected to invest between $660 billion and $720 billion, while Alphabet’s estimate has risen to $85 billion, exceeding a prior projection of $750 billion. Amazon anticipates spending $100 million in 2025, now projected to reach $118 billion. Collectively, these four tech giants are predicted to exceed $400 million in CAPEX next year. Wall Street Journal.

The billion-dollar expenditure represents colossal investments, even overshadowing the EU’s quarterly defense spending, as noted by the Journal. However, major tech firms seem unable to allocate sufficient funds for investor returns. Microsoft, Google, and Meta informed Wall Street analysts last quarter that their estimates exceeded previous projections. This led to a surge in excitement among investors, resulting in significant stock price increases following each company’s earnings reports. Microsoft’s market capitalization reached $40 billion the day after their report.

Even Apple, typically regarded as a strong competitor, has hinted at increasing its AI spending next year. The company’s quarterly spending surged to $3.46 billion from $2.15 billion in the same period last year. Apple reported rebounding iPhone sales and strong business performance in China, yet is perceived as lagging in developing and implementing advanced AI technologies.

Apple CEO Tim Cook announced on Thursday that the company is reallocating a “fair number” of employees to focus on artificial intelligence, emphasizing that the “core of its AI strategy” involves ramping up investments across all devices and platforms to “embed” AI features. However, they did not disclose specific spending figures.

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“We’re significantly expanding our investments. We don’t have specific figures yet,” he noted.

Meanwhile, smaller companies are striving to compete with the substantial expenditures of the major players and capitalize on the AI boom. Recently, OpenAI announced it had secured $8.3 billion in investments, as part of a planned $40 billion fundraising effort, valuing the ChatGPT startup at $300 billion as of 2022.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Billions of Phones Capable of Detecting and Alerting Users to Nearby Earthquakes

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Here’s a rewritten version of the content with the HTML tags preserved:

Advanced warnings can save lives before an earthquake, such as the 5.6 magnitude tremor that affected hundreds of people in Indonesia in 2022

Aditya Aji/AFP via Getty Images

Your mobile device might already be part of the billions of gadgets worldwide functioning as an early warning system for earthquakes across numerous nations.

Launched in 2020, Google’s Android Earthquake Alerts System has expanded to reach 2.3 billion Android phone and smartwatch users, enabling them to receive alerts about seismic activity, according to a recent study by Google researchers. However, these devices do more than just issue warnings; they also contribute to earthquake detection.

“Billions of Android devices come together to form mini-seismometers, establishing the world’s largest earthquake detection network,” states Richard Allen, a visiting researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.

Developed by Allen and his team, the system analyzes vibrations captured by accelerometers in Android devices and smartwatches. This collective network of sensors can determine the magnitude of an earthquake and identify which users are in close range of danger for timely warning messages.

Google’s system alerts users when it detects tremors of 4.5 or greater on the Richter scale. Yet, Allen notes that the system “may not detect all earthquakes” due to the need for sufficient nearby devices. For instance, earthquakes from most central ridges may go undetected, but the system can identify seismic events occurring up to hundreds of kilometers offshore.

A critical challenge is the swift and accurate assessment of each earthquake’s magnitude. Researchers have refined the detection algorithm over time by creating regional models that better represent local structural movements and by considering the varying sensitivities of different Android devices.

According to Allen, Google’s global system is now as effective as the ShakeAlert system, which serves the US West Coast, as well as Japan’s early warning system. He emphasizes that Google’s initiative is intended to complement, not replace, seismometer-based services, which provide warnings like ShakeAlert to West Coast residents. “Many earthquake-prone areas lack the local seismic network necessary for timely alerts,” Allen comments.

Google’s system serves as a “unique source” for nations without an existing earthquake early warning framework, states Katsu Goda from Western University in Canada, who is not affiliated with the project. He noted that even in regions with existing alert systems, Google’s solution reaches a broader audience.

The system currently delivers alerts to 98 countries and territories, including the United States, but excluding the UK. “Our focus has primarily been on countries at high historical risk for earthquakes that lack existing early warning solutions,” explains Marc Stogaitis from Google.

Android devices in the region captured seismic waves during the 6.2 magnitude earthquake in Turkey in April 2025

Data SIO, NOAA, US NAVY, NGA, GEBCO, LDEO-COLUMBIA, NSF, Landsat/Copernicus, Google Earth

A recent study evaluating system performance and accuracy revealed that the system generated alerts for 1,279 earthquake events up until March 2024, with only three false alarms. Of these, two were due to thunderstorms and one stemmed from an unrelated mass notification that caused several phones to vibrate. The research team improved their detection algorithm to minimize these types of false alerts.

Most Android devices are automatically enrolled in a mobile phone-based seismometer network and receive alerts regarding nearby earthquakes by default, although users can modify these settings. In a Google User Survey, over one-third of participants reported receiving alerts before feeling any shaking, and most indicated that these notifications were extremely beneficial.

If users remain subscribed to alerts, they will receive two types of notifications: more urgent action alerts encouraging immediate precautions like “drop, cover, hold,” which often provide only a few seconds of advance warning, and out-of-interference alerts that share general information, allowing a brief window before a user experiences the earthquake.

“The nature of earthquakes implies that there are less warning time before strong shaking compared to weaker events,” states Stogaitis. “Nonetheless, we are continuously examining adjustments to our alert strategies to extend warning times for future earthquakes.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

US to Launch Billions of Flies to Tackle Pest Problems

Posted on July 3, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Topeka, Kansas – The US government is gearing up to breed billions of flies, which will be released from planes in Mexico and southern Texas to combat meat-eating maggots.

This may sound like a horror movie plot, part of the government’s strategy to safeguard the US from pests that threaten the beef industry, wildlife, and even household pets. This innovative method has proven effective in the past.

“It’s an excellent technique,” remarks Edwin Burgess, an assistant professor at the University of Florida, who studies animal parasites, particularly in livestock. “It’s the best method we have for translating science into solving significant problems.”

The targeted pests are the meat-consuming larvae of the New World Screwworm Fly. The USDA is set to ramp up the breeding and distribution of adult male flies that will mate with wild females, resulting in eggs that will not hatch. Consequently, the larval population will decline over time.

Workers drop New World screwworm fly larvae into trays at a facility that breeds sterile flies in Pacola, Panama last year.
Copeg via AP file

This method is more effective and environmentally friendly than conventional pest control, which was used by the US and other countries north of Panama to eradicate these pests decades ago. Sterilized flies from Panama were effective for years, yet infestations resurfaced in southern Mexico late last year.

The USDA anticipates that a new Screwworm Fly Factory will begin operations in southern Mexico by July 2026. Additionally, a fly distribution center will be established in southern Texas by the end of this year, facilitating the import and distribution of flies from Panama as required.

Fried Live Meat

Most fly larvae consume dead flesh, feeding on decomposing matter from the New World screwworm as well as its counterparts from Asia and Africa, posing a significant threat to the American beef industry. Females lay eggs in wounds, which can sometimes expose the underlying tissue.

“A 1,000-pound cow could perish within two weeks,” stated Michael Bailey, the elected president of the American Veterinary Association.

Veterinarians have effective treatments for infested animals; however, an invasion can still cause significant discomfort and pain for affected animals.

Don Hineman, a retired rancher from Western Kansas, recalls an infected cow from his youth on the family farm.

“It had a terrible smell,” he recounted. “Like rotten meat.”

Utilizing Fly Biology Against Them

The New World Screwworm Fly is a tropical species that historically could not survive winters in the Midwest and Great Plains. However, from 1962 to 1975, the US and Mexico raised and released over 94 billion sterile flies, according to the USDA.

Workers hold two small containers of New World screwworm flies.
Copeg via AP file

The numbers must be large enough so that wild females have no option but to mate with sterile males.

A unique biological characteristic gives fly fighters an edge: females mate only once during their adult life over a short period.

Reasons for Increased Fly Breeding

Concerns have been raised about the potential northward movement of flies. The southern border has been closed to imports of live cattle, horses, and bison, which won’t fully reopen until at least mid-September.

However, female flies can inflict wounds on warm-blooded animals, including humans.

Decades ago, the US operated fly factories in Florida and Texas, which were shut down after the pests were eradicated.

Panama’s fly factory can produce up to 117 million flies per week, but the USDA aims to boost production to at least 400 million per week. It plans to invest $8.5 million in a Texas facility and $21 million to transform it into a breeding site for screwworm flies and fruit flies in southern Mexico.

Methods for Cultivating Millions of Flies

Growing large populations of flies is relatively simple, according to Cassandra Olds, an assistant professor of entomology at Kansas State University.

She notes, however, that “you need to provide females with the necessary cues to lay their eggs, and the larvae must have sufficient nutrients.”

Previous USDA studies indicate that larvae were once fed horse meat and honey before transitioning to a blend of dried eggs and honey or molasses. The Panama facility eventually utilized a mixture of egg powder, red blood cells, and cow plasma.

Workers use machines to mix food for the sterile fly breeding program in Pacola.
Copeg via AP file

In nature, larvae, akin to the pupal stage of butterflies, fall from their hosts to the ground, burrowing just below the surface to grow inside a protective casing resembling a dark brown tic-tac mint. In the Panama factory, workers place them into sawdust trays.

Security measures are crucial. According to Sonja Swiger, an entomologist at Texas A&M University’s Extension Services, breeding facilities need to prevent fertile adults from the breeding stock.

Aerial Fly Release

Dropping flies from aircraft presents certain risks. Recently, a plane releasing sterile flies crashed near the Mexican border, resulting in three fatalities.

Historically, during test runs in the 1950s, scientists placed flies in paper cups, which were then dropped from the planes using a specialized chute. These cups were loaded into boxes on a machine called the “whiz packer.”

The current method closely resembles this. Small aircraft equipped with wooden trays release the flies.

Burgess is recognized for developing the breeding and distribution of sterile flies in the 1950s and 60s, labeling it one of the USDA’s “greatest accomplishments.”

Some farmers now contend that new factories shouldn’t be closed after another successful eradication.

“What we perceive as full control — and declare victory — can always reemerge,” cautioned Burgess.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Meta Sacrifices Billions at the Altar of AI

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In April, Mark Zuckerberg declared that the company would significantly increase capital expenditures in the coming year to enhance its position in the development of advanced artificial intelligence. Last week, he delivered on that commitment with the unveiling of a $15 billion “AI Superintelligence” team, boasting nine-figure salaries and a 49% stake in Scale AI. Meta has also brought aboard Alexandr Wang, the 28-year-old founder of Scale and former roommate of Sam Altman from OpenAI.

Prior to Meta’s investment, Scale was already servicing most major AI players, some of whom were not enthusiastic about the development. Bloomberg reports that the head of Scale AI now brings insight into the operations of other competitors. Google, Scale’s largest client, expressed concerns as the tech giant informed startups that their existing partnerships would be reconsidered Reuters reported on Friday.

My colleague, Robert Booth, has more insights:

One Silicon Valley analyst referred to the announcement as indicative of a “wartime CEO” mentality.

Super Intelligence is characterized as a form of AI that surpasses human capabilities in all areas—a current standard that remains unattained by existing AI systems, known as Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

In light of effective advancements by rivals including Sam Altman’s OpenAI and Google, and substantial investments in Meta’s underperforming Metaverse concept, observers are keen to see if Meta can meet its ambitious targets in AI.

While the scale of this financial commitment may suggest a lead in the AI race, Meta is actually playing catch-up. The company’s latest models lack the sophistication of competitor offerings. Earlier this year, it revealed a model that was adjusted to succeed on popular benchmarks—an unconvincing strategy. Its enormous financial outlay and new team formations aim to enhance its stature among industry leaders.

Discover more about Meta’s Superintelligence initiative here.

AI News Week

Wikipedia, essential to AI, struggles to showcase human contributions

Photo: Blake Montgomery

Last week, Wikipedia ceased its testing of AI-generated article summaries after backlash from editors and volunteers who contribute to the online encyclopedia. These AI-generated summaries were displayed above human-written introductions on the article pages. This experiment, which targeted around 10% of mobile users, lasted for two weeks.

Feedback was described as “strongly negative,” according to the nonprofit parent of Wikipedia. One editor expressed on the Public Forum: “A truly frightening idea.” Another stated, “Please exclude AI from Wikipedia.” Many joined in saying that this was uniquely detrimental. While some advocated for AI abstracts to simplify access to technical articles, the majority argued that errors and misinterpretations could harm Wikipedia’s reputation for reliability.

General sentiment among editors can be summarized as “Yuck.”

“We’re trying to balance AI integration with Wikipedia. There’s very minimal AI presence, just enough to aid editors and improve reader access,” explained one editor. The continual debate surrounds “What defines the line between human-generated and AI-generated content?”

In contrast, Reddit has begun charging for access to its application programming interfaces in 2023. This posting library is invaluable for AI companies, serving as a broad repository of contemporary human-written texts crucial for training large language models like ChatGPT. Reddit’s executives are leveraging this resource to monetize its value for AI firms. This decision has disrupted the user experience, particularly angering volunteer moderators and millions of community members who have protested the changes without success. They prioritized revenue from AI businesses over user satisfaction, starkly opposing Wikipedia’s approach.

A few days after Wikipedia rolled back its AI summary test, the Wikimedia Foundation hosted an in-person editing event at the United Nations. According to Rudder, the information manager, this gathering of a diverse group of editors was part of UN Open Source Week, coinciding with various open-source hackathons.

Editors interacted enthusiastically around laptops, collaborating on articles in multiple languages in a vibrant auditorium. Italian and Sri Lankan representatives acknowledged the vital work of editors in speeches, and Wikimedia Foundation executives expressed gratitude for their contributions, alongside UN Digital and Emerging Technology Governors. It was an energetic atmosphere.

Rudder emphasized the importance of in-person events, stating, “It fosters community. There’s a misconception that Wikipedia editors operate in isolation, when in reality, that’s far from the truth.” Wikimedia NYC recently organized the UN event, with Rudder observing it vital for connecting new editors to the community.

Like Reddit, Wikipedia’s vast text corpus serves as key training data for most, if not all, major language models. Wikipedia endorses a corporate approach to data access with Wikimedia Enterprise, which was launched in 2021. While Reddit operates for profit, the Wikimedia Foundation is a nonprofit entity. Although Wikipedia data remains available freely, utilization can be costly.

Unilike Reddit, Wikipedia emphasizes the human effort required to sustain the site and its information consistently by adjusting features in response to community feedback.

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Technical Perspectives on the Anti-Deportation Protests in Los Angeles

Apple’s Walled Garden: From Eden to Pen

Photo: Apple Corps Ltd.

Recently, Apple hosted its annual WWDC developer conference, where the most significant announcement was a redesign of the iPhone operating system (iOS), referred to as “Liquid Glass.” The virtual buttons displayed on the iPhone screen appear transparent, allowing the background image to warp slightly, reminiscent of the colorful, translucent plastic used in older Macs.

The refreshed aesthetic is visually appealing but lacks excitement. Ultimately, it felt like a backdrop for news on Hurricane Prediction. How relevant is the color of my phone’s controls?

Of course, there were other updates, like live translations in FaceTime calls, enabling smoother communication with distant relatives and friends.

Yet overall, the updates lacked inspiration. Over the years, iPhone updates have seemed more forward-thinking than, for instance, the introduction of a second-generation 3G connection in 2008. Apple’s progress pales in comparison to the dynamic Android ecosystem. I once spoke with a venture capitalist in San Francisco in 2019, and I couldn’t even identify his iPhone model.

Unlike competitors, Apple has been slow to introduce new AI features. Google and Samsung have rapidly incorporated AI into their mobile offerings. For example, live translation has been a part of Android for years. Google’s Pixel Buds can convert speech in real-time, while Apple’s AirPods still lack this capability. Google consistently releases enticing, if sometimes quirky, AI updates.

Just last Friday, The Verge reported: Google is trialing audio summaries for specific search queries in its lab for English speakers in the US.

Following the demonstration, Gizmodo noted that while Apple recognizes that AI may not align with consumer desires, it can’t openly admit this. However, despite differing opinions on ChatGPT among monthly users, Apple’s announcements offered little substance. If Apple wishes to retain users within its ecosystem, it must deliver something captivating and valuable.

Last week, Google launched an updated version of its operating system, while Samsung unveiled features for its next foldable phone. Android Central. Have you heard about these developments? In tech journalism, it’s well-known that Apple and iPhone stories often receive more clicks than those about Android phones—despite a higher global market share for Android. The reasons behind this phenomenon warrant their own discussion. Many spent the week discussing Android updates, contrasting with Apple’s liquid glass interface. Apple’s updates seem primarily cosmetic, raising questions about their overall impact as they inspire humor instead of admiration.

Samsung’s seventh generation of foldable phones raises questions about the novelty in the smartphone market. When contemplating your new iPhone’s lack of excitement, what do you want it to achieve? There’s no inherent need for a folding phone. My Motorola Razr facilitated effective communication, but that wasn’t due to its physical design.

I find myself pondering the value of Google’s new AI feature. Although there may not be a consensus on what most users desire from an AI-enhanced smartphone, it’s clear that without innovation, stagnation occurs. I feel Apple fails to present remarkable features worth considering. While the audio summary for Google search results might seem unnecessary, it is indeed fascinating—particularly for the visually impaired. Meanwhile, Siri struggles with basic tasks like controlling Spotify and managing notifications.

Having relied on my iPhone as my primary device for roughly 15 years, I feel I’m at a turning point. It may soon be time to explore Android and discover the new shiny gadgets, especially as I navigate the Apple hardware and app ecosystem.

Wider Technology

Source: www.theguardian.com

Meta’s AI Memorable Book Verbatim – Can Cost Billions

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In April, authors and publishers protested utilizing copyrighted books for AI training

Vuk Valcic/Alamy Live News

Amid legal battles, billions are at stake as courts in the US and UK deliberate on whether technology firms can legitimately train AI models using copyrighted literature. Numerous lawsuits have been filed by authors and publishers, revealing that at least one AI model has not only utilized popular texts for training but has also memorized portions of these works verbatim.

The crux of the dispute lies in whether AI developers hold the legal authority to employ copyrighted materials without obtaining prior permission. Previous research highlighted that many large language models (LLMs) powering popular AI chatbots were trained on the “Books3” dataset. Developers of these models argued they were not infringing copyright, claiming they were generating new combinations of words rather than directly reproducing the copyrighted content.

However, recent investigations have examined various AI models to determine the extent of verbatim recall from their training datasets. While most models did not retain exact texts, one particular model from Meta remembered nearly the entire text of a specific book. Should the ruling be unfavorable to the company, researchers predict damages could exceed $1 billion.

“AI models are not merely ‘plagiarism machines’ as some suggest; they do not just capture general relationships among words,” explained Mark Remley from Stanford University. “The diversity in responses among different models complicates the establishment of universal legal standards.”

Previously, Lemley defended Meta in a copyright case involving generative AI known as Kadrey V Meta Platforms. The plaintiff, whose works were used to train Meta’s AI models, filed a class-action lawsuit against the tech giant for copyright infringement. The case is currently under consideration in Northern California.

In January 2025, Remley announced he had parted ways with Meta as a client, yet he remains convinced of the company’s favorable chances in the lawsuit. Emile Vasquez, a Meta spokesperson, stated, “Fair use of copyrighted materials is crucial. We challenge the plaintiff’s claims, and the full record presents a different narrative.”

In this new study, Lemley and his team evaluated the memory capabilities of the AI by dividing excerpts from a small book into prefix and suffix segments, checking if a model prompted with the prefix could recall the suffix. For instance, one excerpt from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was divided into a prefix that read, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they broke things and creatures and then retreated,” and a suffix that concluded with, “We went back to money and their vast carelessness, which kept them together and allowed them to clean up any mess that other people had made.”

Researchers calculated the probability of each AI model completing the excerpt accurately and compared these probabilities against random chance.

The tested excerpts included selections from 36 copyrighted works, featuring popular titles by authors like George RR Martin’s Games and Cheryl Sandberg’s Lean In. Additionally, excerpts from books authored by plaintiffs in the Kadrey V Meta Platforms case were also examined.

The experiments involved 13 open-source AI models, including those created by Meta, Google, DeepMind, EleutherAI, and Microsoft. Most companies outside of Meta did not provide comments, with Microsoft opting not to comment.

The analysis revealed that Meta’s Llama 3.1 70b model had a significant recall of texts from JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter tome, as well as from The Great Gatsby and George Orwell’s 1984. Other models, however, showed minimal recall of the texts, including those penned by the plaintiffs. Meta declined to comment on these findings.

Researchers estimate that an AI model found to have infringed on merely 3% of the Books3 dataset could incur almost $1 billion in damages.

This technique has potential as a “forensic tool” for gauging the extent of AI memory, as noted by Randy McCarthy from Hallestill Law Office in Oklahoma. Yet, it does not address whether companies are legally permitted to train AI models on copyrighted works under US “fair use” provisions.

McCarthy points out that AI firms generally utilize copyrighted material for training. “The real question is whether they had the right to do so,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, in the UK, memory assessment is crucial from a copyright perspective, according to Robert Lands from Howard Kennedy Law Office in London. UK copyright legislation adheres to “fair dealing,” which presents much narrower allowances for copyright infringement compared to US fair use doctrine. Therefore, he posits that AI models retaining pirated content would not satisfy this exception.

Topics:

artificial intelligence/
Law

Source: www.newscientist.com

Billions of Cicadas Have Emerged Across the U.S. Could Their Waste Be a Concern?

Posted on May 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Here’s a question you might want to skip while enjoying a meal: Which animal has the fastest urine stream in the world? Is it the elephant? The lion? Perhaps the horse?

Interestingly, as revealed in a journal study Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, one of the unexpected contenders is the CICADA. Researchers, likely equipped with goggles, found that these tiny insects can shoot their pee at speeds of up to 3 meters per second.

While that’s quite astonishing, billions—possibly trillions—of cicadas emerged in the US in 2017, possibly making you reconsider your summer plans.

So, should you be hiding away until the cicada frenzy subsides? Experts say that it might be wise, but it may not be for the reasons you think…

What are Cicadas and why are they headed our way?

“Cicadas are remarkable insects known for their unique life cycle and distinctive sounds,” says Dr. Elio Charita, one of the primary researchers on their urination studies at BBC Science Focus. “These sap-sucking insects belong to the order Hemiptera and can be found in temperate and tropical regions worldwide.”

Cicadas can grow quite large and are, indeed, very noisy. Their calls can reach volumes comparable to a chainsaw.

“One intriguing aspect of cicadas is their long juvenile phase, during which they spend several years underground feeding on plant roots. Depending on the species, this phase can last from a few years to 17,” Charita continues.

This year, the US will witness the significant emergence of Brood XIV, the most extensive group of regular cicada broods, as noted by the University of Connecticut.

After spending over a decade underground, these fascinating insects will appear en masse for a brief but enthusiastic mating season. Expect to see them across much of the eastern US, including states like Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

If their activity persists until late June, prepare for their numbers to swell at any moment.

For more on the cicada life cycle, be sure to check out our detailed article.

Is it time to prepare for a pee-pocalypse?

Before stocking up on canned goods and toilet paper this summer, Dr. Jonathan Larson, an entomologist at the University of Kentucky, tells BBC Science Focus that there’s really not much to worry about.

“For many, the thought of a swarm of six-legged bugs might recall sci-fi movies, but in reality, it’s more of a spectacular, almost Mardi Gras-like experience.”

Though large, cicadas pose no threat to humans, animals, or crops.

Larson also points out that compared to the Peruvian cicada species, which emerges annually, US cicadas are expected to feed and urinate less during their short lifespan.

Read more:

“In our studies, we find that these US species feed far less as adults compared to some others. When they emerge, their primary focus is finding a mate,” Larson explains.

Nevertheless, they still spend time feeding and urinating. Charita notes that cicadas have been seen urinating jets, even captured on camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnmgiaufm5o

Another upside (if you can call it that) is that cicada urine isn’t like that of larger animals. As mentioned, cicadas primarily excrete sap from trees, which is the same substance that forms the basis of maple syrup. Thus, what drips down is a sweet, watery substance known as “honeydew.”

Although it has a delightful name, I wouldn’t recommend tasting cicada pee this summer, but at least if it lands on you during a walk, it won’t be unpleasant.

As Larson says, “You can leave your umbrellas at home; these cicadas aren’t a big problem.” Phew.

“Watch your step.”

So, while cicada pee is remarkably fast, it’s not a major concern. According to Larson, the real issue arises when they die, not when they urinate.

“They tend to die en masse, creating piles of carcasses, which can lead to slippery sidewalks. I think that’s a more significant issue to worry about,” Larson says.

How significant could this be? Reports from 1990 indicated that people used snow shovels to clear sidewalks of dead cicadas.

What’s even worse is that when billions of these bugs die simultaneously, it leaves behind a nasty odor. Some have described the stench as reminiscent of rotten nuts.

Billions of cicadas emerge from the ground, mate, and soon after die. – Image credits: Getty

On the bright side, this process enriches the soil with nutrients, such as nitrogen. Although the smell may be unpleasant, these insects are beneficial to the ecosystem.

How Cicada Pee Could Inspire Future Robots

According to Charita, the fact that cicadas can generate such powerful urine jets is surprising for two reasons.

Most insects don’t exhibit this behavior because producing jets like larger animals demands a significant amount of energy. Typically, insects excrete urine in droplets. And since cicadas primarily consume sap with low nutritional content, this adds another layer of energy efficiency issues.
Moreover, earlier studies suggested that creatures weighing less than a kilogram are too small to generate such powerful jets, making cicadas’ ability unexpected.

Understanding this phenomenon is crucial for a variety of reasons. Given that cicada populations can number in the trillions, their role in environmental nitrogen cycling may be significant.

“We still do not fully grasp the ecological effects of cicada excretion on surrounding flora and fauna, especially for the seasonal species,” Charita notes.

Cicadas can produce jets of liquid traveling up to 3 meters per second. – Image credit: Elio Challita

When feeding, cicadas consume up to 300 times their body weight in sap daily, and all that sap has to go somewhere.

The research team also considers broader applications for this work. Insights gained could lead to advancements in small robotic jets, nozzles, and various applications in additive manufacturing and drug delivery systems.

“Our study underscores the significance of exploring seemingly trivial aspects of animal biology, such as excretion,” concludes Charita. “Investigating these processes reveals fascinating adaptations and illuminates how animals interact with their environments.”

“It also serves as a reminder that even in the most unexpected places, there’s still much to learn about the natural world.”

About our Experts

Elio Charita is a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard Microrobotics Research Institute. He previously worked at Georgia Tech, where he studied how ultrafast invertebrates (including insects, hexapods, and arachnids) tackle challenges in fluid dynamics (e.g., feeding, excretion, predator evasion, etc.).

Jonathan Larson is an extension entomologist and assistant professor at the University of Kentucky, providing insect expertise for urban landscapes, turfgrass, nurseries, greenhouses, and household issues. He also co-hosts an informative insect podcast, Arthro-Pod.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Medicare spends billions on costly bandages while doctors face cuts

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

According to industry experts, companies can set high prices for their products due to the intricacies of Medicare pricing rules. During the first six months of a new bandage product’s lifespan, Medicare sets a refund rate based on the company’s chosen price. The agent will then adjust the refund to reflect the actual price that your doctor will pay after any discounts.

To avoid decreases in refunds, some companies opt to introduce new products regularly.

For example, in April 2023, Medicare started reimbursing $6,497 per square inch for bandages called Zenith sold by Legacy Medical Consultants, a company based in Fort Worth, Texas. However, six months later, the refunds for Zenith dropped to $2,746.

In October 2023, Medicare began reimbursing $6,490 for a “double layer” bandage for a new product called Impax from Legacy.

Both products use the same images and similar descriptions in their marketing materials, touting them as offering optimal wound care and protection.

Analysis by Earty Read shows that spending on Zenith and Impax has surpassed $2.6 billion since 2022.

When asked about the marketing and pricing strategies for these products, Legacy Medical Consultants did not provide a response. Company spokesman Dan Childs stated, “Legacy abides by laws that govern the system.”

Doctor discounts

In the field of wound care, doctors and nurses visit patients’ homes for treatment. Some companies that specialize in skin alternatives target doctors to help mitigate the rise in bandage prices.

Dr. Caroline Fife, a Texas-based wound care physician, highlighted the industry’s excesses in her blog last year. She shared an email she received from an undisclosed skin replacement company, which claimed that doctors could generate significant revenue from their bandages.

Some companies offer doctors bulk discounts of up to 45%, as reported by interviews with doctors and contracts reviewed by The Times. However, doctors could still receive Medicare rebates for the full price of the product.

The anti-kickback law prohibits physicians from receiving financial incentives from pharmaceutical or medical supply companies. While Medicare allows for discounts, experts suggest that rebates on bandages may have violated federal law by not requiring actual bulk purchases. In some cases, doctors only needed to buy three products to qualify for a 40 or 45% discount.

Lawyer Reuben Guttman from Washington, D.C., who represents Medicare whistleblowers, commented, “That’s not a volume discount,” indicating that such practices could be a way to disguise kickbacks.

In 2024, at least nine healthcare practices claimed over $50 million in Medicare reimbursements for skin replacements, according to an analysis conducted by The Times and the National Association of Associations representing healthcare organizations incentivized to reduce Medicare spending.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Nvidia Invests Billions in US Manufacturing and CEO

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The CEO of Nvidia, the largest computer chip maker in the world, has committed to investing “tens of billions” of dollars in manufacturing semiconductors and electronics in the United States over the next four years.

Jensen Huang’s remarks indicate a shift in supply chains of California-based AI chip makers away from Asia due to the uncertain tariff threats from Donald Trump.

In an interview with the Financial Times, the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia stated, “Overall, over the next four years, we plan to invest around $50 billion in electronics manufacturing. I believe we can easily surpass hundreds of billions produced here in the US.”

This announcement highlights the impact of Trump’s “America First” policy on business investments, pushing even companies like Nvidia, the most valuable in the world, to reconsider their global presence.

Founded in 1993, the Silicon Valley company has been driving the AI market boom, leading to its staggering valuation of $2.9 trillion. However, other major US tech giants, such as Apple, have become reliant on chip manufacturers in Taiwan, like TSMC and Foxconn.

Huang expressed confidence in Nvidia’s ability to navigate any challenges in Taiwan, a region prone to earthquakes. “We are prepared to manufacture in the US. Our supply chain is fully diversified,” he added.

He also mentioned the potential for the Trump administration to bolster the US AI industry amidst growing competition with China.

Huang criticized the success of Chinese tech giant Huawei, calling it “the most formidable technology company in China.” He argued that efforts to contain Chinese companies have been inadequate, as evidenced by Huawei’s continued dominance.

Having government support for the industry and addressing energy consumption in data centers is a significant boost for American AI, according to Huang.

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The recent $100 million investment in the US by TSMC, a Taiwanese semiconductor company, supports onshore manufacturing efforts. This move ensures that Nvidia’s Blackwell chips are produced in the US, enhancing supply chain resilience.

Source: www.theguardian.com

There could be billions of years old towering structures deep within the Earth

Posted on January 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A strange continent-sized structure (red) lurks beneath the planet's surface

Edward Garnero. SW French, BA Romanowicz, Geophys. J. Int. 199, 1303, 2014.

Two giant blobs deep within the Earth may remain stable for billions of years despite powerful internal fluctuations, according to an analysis of seismic waves reverberating across the planet.

“When a major earthquake occurs, the entire earth expands and contracts like a bell.” arwen Deus At Utrecht University in the Netherlands. “The earth becomes an instrument.”

Decades ago, measurements of such seismic waves identified two strange continent-sized structures, one under the Pacific Ocean and one under Africa. They extend for almost 1000 kilometers from the outer core to the lower mantle, the slowly moving layer between the Earth's crust and core.

Because seismic waves pass through these objects more slowly, they are called “large low shear velocity regions” or LLSVPs. However, little is known about its composition and origin.

To gain further information, Deus and her colleagues analyzed how these regions attenuate the energy of seismic waves, in addition to changes in wave speed. Such measurements reveal information about the temperature, composition, shape, and size of the LLSVP.

The researchers expected that the structure, which would be hotter than the surrounding area, would significantly attenuate seismic waves. “Lo and behold, we found the opposite,” says Deus.

To explain the lack of decay at high temperatures, the researchers propose that LLSVP must be composed of minerals with large crystals that are stable in heat. This also suggests that these regions are highly viscous and can maintain stability as the mantle moves around them.

This stability could mean that these objects are very old, dating back to the formation of planets at least 500 million years ago, and possibly more than 4 billion years ago, Deus said. They may act as repositories of primordial material, unchanged since the Earth formed, that sometimes reaches the surface via volcanoes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Research Indicates Sun-like Star-shaped Outer Solar System Approached Billions of Years Ago

Posted on September 10, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

At least 140 million Sun-like stars in our Milky Way galaxy may have experienced similar stellar flybys, according to a new study by astrophysicists from the Jülich Research Centre and Leiden University.

Snapshot of a flyby of an ancient star. Blue-green particles indicate TNOs injected into the planetary region by the flyby. The perturbation star passed through the disk at perihelion distance 110 AU, on the right side of the picture. Image courtesy of Pfalzner others., doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02349-x.

The planets in our solar system accumulated from a disk of dust and gas orbiting the young Sun.

Thus, the planets move in circular orbits close to a common plane.

About 3,000 small bodies have been observed orbiting the Sun beyond Neptune. Surprisingly, most of them move in eccentric or inclined orbits.

Therefore, some force must have lifted these trans-solar objects (TNOs) out of the disk in which they formed and significantly altered their orbits.

“When we think about the solar system, we usually think of it ending with Neptune, the outermost known planet,” said Dr Susanne Pfalzner, astrophysicist at the Jülich Research Centre and lead author of the paper.

“However, thousands of objects are known to travel beyond the orbit of Neptune.”

“It is even suspected that there are tens of thousands of objects over 100 kilometers in diameter.”

“Surprisingly, many of these TNOs travel on eccentric orbits that are inclined with respect to the common orbital plane of the planets in our solar system.”

In this study, Dr. Falzner and her colleagues compared the properties of observed TNOs with thousands of flyby simulations to determine specific properties of stellar flybys that could potentially reproduce all of the different TNO populations, their locations, and relative abundances.

They Found A flyby of a 0.8 solar mass star at a distance of 110 AU could explain the inclined and highly eccentric orbits of known TNOs.

“We can even infer the orbits of very distant objects, such as Sedna, a dwarf planet discovered in the outermost solar system in 2003,” Dr Pfalzner said.

“There are also objects moving in orbits that are almost perpendicular to the planet's orbit.”

“Such flybys could even explain the orbits of two objects moving in the opposite direction to the planet: 2008 KV42 and 2011 KT19.”

“The best match we found in our simulations for the outer solar system today is a star that is slightly lighter than our Sun, about 0.8 times its mass,” said Dr Amis Govind, also of the Jülich research centre.

“It traveled about 16.5 billion kilometers from the Sun, which is about 110 times the distance between Earth and the Sun and just under four times the distance to the outermost planet, Neptune.”

Astrophysicists were surprised Found The irregular moons orbiting the giant planets in the solar system in distant, inclined, and eccentric orbits are actually TNOs that were launched into the inner solar system by close passes of their stars.

“Some of these objects could have been captured as moons by giant planets,” said Dr Simon Portegies Zwart, an astrophysicist at Leiden University.

“This would explain why the outer planets in our solar system have two different types of moons.”

“In contrast to regular moons, which orbit their planets in circular orbits close to the planet, irregular moons orbit their planets at greater distances in inclined, elongated orbits.”

“Until now, there has been no explanation for this phenomenon.”

“The beauty of this model is its simplicity. With just one source, it answers several outstanding questions about our solar system,” Dr Pfalzner said.

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Susanne Falzner othersOrbits of flybys of stars that formed the outer solar system. Nat AstronPublished online September 4, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41550-024-02349-x

Susanne Falzner others2024. A close flyby of a star could inject an irregular moon from outside the solar system. Apu JL 972, L21;doi:10.3847/2041-8213/ad63a6

Source: www.sci.news

The Milky Way’s most recent major merger occurred billions of years later than previously believed

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The discovery was made possible by ESA’s Gaia spacecraft, which is mapping more than a billion stars across the Milky Way galaxy and beyond, tracking their motions, brightness, temperature, and composition.

This image visualizes the Milky Way and its surrounding halo of stars. New Gaia data reveals that the wrinkles seen in the Milky Way are likely the result of a dwarf galaxy colliding with the Milky Way about 2.7 billion years ago. Our galaxy’s two major satellite galaxies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, are visible at the bottom right. Image credit: ESA / Gaia / DPAC / Donlon other./ Stephen Payne Waldenaar.

The Milky Way galaxy has grown over time as other galaxies have approached, collided, been torn apart, and been swallowed up.

Each collision still sends ripples through different groups of stars, influencing their movements and behavior in space.

One of Gaia’s goals is to study these wrinkles to unravel the history of our Milky Way galaxy. It does this by pinpointing the positions and motions of more than 100,000 stars close to Earth, a tiny fraction of the roughly 2 billion objects it observes.

“As we age, we tend to get more wrinkles, but our research shows that the opposite is true in the Milky Way – it’s like a cosmic Benjamin Button, and it gets less wrinkled over time,” said Dr. Thomas Donlon, an astronomer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Alabama.

“By looking at how these wrinkles fade over time, we can trace when the Milky Way last experienced a major collision — and it turns out this happened billions of years later than we thought.”

The Milky Way’s halo contains many stars with unusual orbits, many of which are thought to have been incorporated into the galaxy in an event that astronomers call the last great merger.

As the name suggests, this is the last time the Milky Way has experienced a significant collision with another galaxy, which is proposed to have been a giant dwarf galaxy that smothered the Milky Way with stars passing very close to the center of the Milky Way.

Astronomers estimate that the merger occurred between 8 and 11 billion years ago, when the Milky Way was still in its infancy, and is known as Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus.

But data from Gaia’s Data Release 3 suggests that another merger could have resulted in the unusually behaving star.

“For the stellar wrinkles to be as clear as we see in the Gaia data, the stars would have had to have appeared on Earth less than 3 billion years ago — at least 5 billion years later than previously thought,” said Dr. Heidi Jo Neuberg, also of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

“Every time a star passes back and forth through the center of the Milky Way, a new stellar wrinkle forms.”

“If they had merged with us 8 billion years ago, there would have been so many wrinkles next to each other that we wouldn’t be able to see them as separate features.”

This discovery suggests that these stars did not result from the ancient Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus merger, but must have arisen from a more recent event called the Virgo radial merger, which occurred less than 3 billion years ago.

“The history of the Milky Way is currently being constantly rewritten, thanks in large part to new data from Gaia,” Dr. Donlon said.

“Our image of the Milky Way’s past has changed dramatically since even 10 years ago, and I think our understanding of these mergers will continue to change rapidly.”

“This finding that most of the Milky Way galaxy joined Earth within the last few billion years is quite different from what astronomers previously thought.”

“Many prevailing models and ideas about the growth of the Milky Way predict that a recent head-on collision with a dwarf galaxy of this mass would be extremely rare.”

“The Virgo radial merger likely pulled in a group of other small dwarf galaxies and star clusters, all of which joined the Milky Way at about the same time.”

“Future exploration will reveal which of these small objects previously thought to be related to the ancient Gaia sausage Enceladus are in fact related to the recent Virgo radial merger.”

of Investigation result Appears in Monthly Bulletin of the Royal Astronomical Society.

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Thomas Donlon otherThe year is 2024. The remains of the “last great merger” are dynamically young. MNRAS 531(1):1422-1439; doi:10.1093/mnras/stae1264

Source: www.sci.news

Io, one of Jupiter’s moons, has been a hotbed of volcanic activity for billions of years.

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Io, Jupiter’s innermost moon, is the most volcanically active object in the solar system.

Joshimer Binas/Alamy Stock Photo

Jupiter’s moon Io has been continually modified by volcanic eruptions over billions of years, probably since it first formed.

Io is the most volcanically active object in the solar system, with many volcanoes spewing plumes of sulfurous material that can be seen from Earth. Astronomers now know this is caused by so-called tidal heating, in which the gravity of Jupiter and its nearby moons deforms Io, but they wonder if it’s always been this way or if there was a more benign past. It was unclear whether it was there or not.

now, Catherine de Clear Caltech researchers have discovered that Io has probably been spewing lava for almost the entirety of its history. They did this by measuring the ratio of her two isotopes of sulfur in the atmosphere.

The most common stable form of sulfur contains 16 protons and 16 neutrons in each atom, but a heavier stable form called sulfur-34 has two extra neutrons. On Io, volcanoes continually spew both isotopes into the atmosphere and onto the ground. The top layer of the atmosphere, rich in lighter sulfur atoms, is lost to space as the moon moves around Jupiter, changing the ratio of these isotopes.

De Kleer and colleagues used observations from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), a series of radio telescopes in Chile, to measure the proportions of Io’s atmosphere. Then, by modeling how much sulfur Io loses each year, the researchers were able to see at what point Io’s sulfur ratios are similar to the rest of the solar system. Although it is not possible to say exactly how long the volcano has been active, it appears that it has been erupting for between 2.5 billion and 4 billion years.

Because Io’s volcanic activity is due to tidal heating by Jupiter and other moons such as Europa and Ganymede, the results can also be used to infer the configuration of the Jupiter system billions of years ago. “The length of Io’s volcanic activity is a direct reflection of how long this orbital structure has existed,” de Clare says.

If Io has been consistently volcanically active for billions of years, this also means that its deep geological formations have been recycled many times, they say. Lionel Wilson At Lancaster University, UK.

Sampling the ejected material will provide a rare opportunity to learn about the chemical composition of Io’s deeper layers, such as the mantle beneath its outer shell. “If these volcanoes have continued to erupt essentially throughout the history of the solar system, even if we look at the composition of what’s erupting and find that it’s actually a snapshot of Io’s entire mantle, It’s safe,” Wilson said.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Google settles lawsuit by deleting billions of private browsing records

Posted on April 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Google has agreed to destroy billions of records to settle a lawsuit alleging that it secretly tracked the internet usage of people who appeared to be browsing privately in incognito mode on its Chrome browser.

Users claim Google’s analytics, cookies and apps allow Alphabet’s division to improperly track people who set Google’s Chrome browser to “incognito” mode and other browsers to “private” browsing mode.

They say this will allow Google to learn about their friends, favorite foods, hobbies, shopping habits, and “the most intimate and potentially embarrassing things” they search for online, making it “a treasure trove of unexplainable information.”

The terms of the settlement were filed Monday in federal court in Oakland, California, and must be approved by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. The class action lawsuit began in 2020 and targets millions of Google users who used private browsing after June 1, 2016.

Under the settlement, Google will update its disclosures about what it collects during “private” browsing, a process that has already begun. Also, a secret user will be able to block third-party cookies for her five years.

“As a result, Google will collect less data from users’ private browsing sessions, and Google will derive less profit from that data,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs valued the deal at more than $5 billion, with a maximum of $7.8 billion. Users will not receive damages, but may sue individually for damages. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Google supports final approval of the settlement, but disagrees with the plaintiffs’ “legal and factual findings,” according to court documents.

“There are limits to how strongly you can market the Secret Service,” Lorraine Twohill, Google’s chief marketing officer, wrote in a letter to CEO Sundar Pichai in 2019. is not truly private, requires very vague and risk-averse language, and is likely to be more damaging.”

David Boies, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said in a statement that the settlement is “an historic step in demanding honesty and accountability from powerful technology companies.”

A tentative settlement was reached in December, and a trial was scheduled for February 5, 2024. Terms were not disclosed at the time. Plaintiffs’ lawyers will now ask Google to pay unspecified legal costs.

The company has faced similar lawsuits before. In 2022, the Texas attorney general sued the company, alleging that “Incognito mode, or ‘private browsing,’ is a web browser feature that indicates to consumers that Google does not track their search history or location information.”.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is the impending arrival of billions of cicadas in America cause for concern over their urine?

Posted on March 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Here’s a question you probably shouldn’t think about while eating. What is the fastest peeing animal on earth? Elephants? Lions? Horse?

According to the magazine’s recent research, there’s one surprising candidate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: cicada. After studying urine flow throughout the animal kingdom, some scientists (preferably wearing goggles) have discovered that this tiny insect can spray pee at speeds of up to 3 meters per second. This is about three times faster than the average human.

So far so bad. But when you add that to the fact that a once-in-200-year event will soon see billions, perhaps trillions, of birds across the United States, you might start to feel a little nervous about your summer plans…

Now, is it time to hide out until the cicada storm passes? Experts say it probably is, but not for the reasons you might think…

What are cicadas and why do they come towards us?

“Cicadas are truly fascinating insects, known for their unique life cycles and unique sounds.” Dr. Elio Charita says the lead author of their urinary study. BBC Science Focus. “They belong to the order Hemiptera, are sap-feeding insects, and are found in temperate and tropical regions around the world.”

Cicadas can grow quite large, in some cases as large as hummingbirds, but in reality they really are quite noisy. In fact, their cries, clicks, and crackles are as noisy as a chainsaw.

“One of the most interesting things about cicadas is that they have a long larval stage, during which they stay underground for several years and feed on plant roots. Depending on the species, this stage lasts anywhere from a few years to 17 years. It can continue,” Charita continues.

This year, two “family members” of the so-called periodic cicadas (one emerges every 13 years, the other every 17 years) are synchronizing in some parts of the eastern United States. This is something that hasn’t happened since 1803 and will not happen again until 2245.

If you want to know more about the cicada life cycle, you can read all about cicadas in our explanatory article.

Is it time to prepare for the pee apocalypse?

Before we started buying canned goods and toilet paper in bulk in preparation for a summer spent indoors, the University of Kentucky entomologist said, Dr. Jonathan Larson, tells you BBC Science Focus Really, there’s no need to worry too much.

“For many people, the idea of a six-legged teenage insect invasion sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but in reality, it’s a beautiful life experience, just like Mardi Gras.”

Although cicadas are large, they are harmless to people, animals, and crops.

Larson also pointed out that the cicadas found in the recent study were a species that lives in Peru and emerges every year. As a result, they spend more time feeding and urinating than the U.S. species we expect this summer.

read more:

“Insect Apocalypse” will feature billions of cicadas. Here’s what you can expect
Top 10 largest insects in the world
Bugs on the brink: Why bugs are disappearing from your garden this year

“For species in the United States, we’re talking about species that feed much less as adults than some of the species studied. The periodicals here say that once they emerge as adults, it all comes down to finding a mate,” Larson says.

However, it takes a while for them to eat and pee. Charita explains that periodic cicadas have been observed to urinate on jets before. It was also captured on camera.

…

Another good thing (or should we call it that?) is that cicada pee is completely different from animal pee. As mentioned above, cicadas feed exclusively on the xylem sap of trees. This is the same thing that forms the basis of maple syrup. Therefore, what comes out is a sweet, watery liquid known as “honeydew.”

Despite its delicious name, we don’t recommend drinking cicada pee while walking around this summer, but at least you’ll feel a little less sick if cicada pee falls on your head during a walk.

In other words, as Larson says, “With these cicadas, you can leave your umbrella at home.” Phew.

“Please watch your step.”

So cicadas pee surprisingly fast, but that’s not really a problem. In fact, the bigger problem for Larson would be when he dies, not when he goes to the bathroom.

“They die in groups, so you get big piles of carcasses. If they get stepped on, they can make sidewalks slippery. I think it’s a bigger liquid nightmare,” Larson says.

How bad could this be? In 1990, there was a report as follows. Chigoan has to use a snow shovel to remove dead insects from the sidewalk.

To make matters worse, billions of bugs die and rot at the same time, leaving a terrible stench in the air. Several people explained this. Hmm, a unique smell like rotten nuts.

Billions of cicadas come out of the ground, mate, and then die one after the other. – Image credit: Getty

On the positive side, this process returns many nutrients, including nitrogen, to the ground. So, while they may stink, they benefit the ecosystems they end up in.

How cicada pee can help build future robots

The fact that cicadas urinate in such powerful jets was surprising for two reasons, Charita said.

Most insects do not urinate because it takes a lot of energy to urinate in a jet like larger animals do. Instead, they are excreted as droplets. Cicadas in particular feed on tree sap, which has little nutritional value, making their energetic eviction even more troublesome.
Not only is jet peeing less energy efficient, previous research suggested it would be impossible for animals weighing less than 1 kilogram because their orifices are too small to produce a dense jet.

Understanding this process is important for several reasons. Especially since cicada populations number in the trillions and the impact their excrement has on the environment can be significant.

“We still don’t fully understand the ecological impact of cicada excretion on surrounding flora and fauna, especially in the case of periodic cicadas,” Charita says.

Cicadas can produce jets that travel at speeds of up to 3 meters per second. – Image credit: Elio Challita

When feeding, cicadas can consume 300 times their body weight in sap each day, and all that sap has to go somewhere.

But the team also has other applications for this research in mind. The knowledge gained could be useful for manufacturing jets and nozzles for small robots, and could also be applied to additive manufacturing and possibly drug delivery.

“Our study highlights the importance of studying seemingly mundane aspects of animal biology, such as excretion,” concludes Charita. “Investigating these processes can reveal interesting adaptations and provide insight into how animals interact with their environments.

“It also reminds us that there is still much to discover about the natural world, even in the most unexpected places.”

About our experts

Elio Charita He is a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University’s Microrobotics Institute. Previously, at Georgia Tech, he studied fluid mechanics to help ultra-fast invertebrates (insects, hexapods, and arachnids) perform essential biological functions (e.g., feeding, excretion, and predator avoidance). I was researching how to deal with this issue.

Jonathan Larson He is an extension entomologist and assistant professor at the University of Kentucky, providing insect expertise to those working on urban landscapes, turfgrass, nursery crops, greenhouses, and household problems. He is also the co-host of the Informative Insects Podcast. arthropod.

read more:

“Insect Apocalypse” will feature billions of cicadas. Here’s what you can expect
Top 10 largest insects in the world
Bugs on the brink: Why bugs are disappearing from your garden this year

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Planets consumed by billions of stars

Posted on March 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Artist's impression of a planet grazing the surface of a star

K. Miller/R. Hart (California Institute of Technology/IPAC)

It appears that at least one in every 12 stars devours a planet. This is because the star system can easily be destabilized when external objects such as rogueworlds or other stars fly nearby, and the disturbance can shake up the planet's orbit and throw the planet into the star. It is thought that it is.

Huang Liu Researchers from Australia's Monash University investigated how often this happens by observing 91 pairs of stars using some of the world's most powerful telescopes. They selected stars that were most likely to have formed together in a binary. This is because these couples should be formed with the same chemical composition. In doing so, researchers were able to determine whether one of them had swallowed a planet in the past. Doing so would change the planet's composition compared to its binary partner.

They found that about 8 percent of pairs contain one star that has eaten a planet, and show signs of being richer in heavy elements than its twin. Each of these stars appears to have ingested between 1.7 and 8.4 Earth masses of material. This is consistent with previous predictions.

“Our estimates are conservative,” Liu says. “I think the actual percentage may be higher, but it's still probably less than 20% or around 20%.” This can vary depending on where in the galaxy a particular star is born.

Understanding how many stars are eclipsed by planets is a potentially important part of understanding the abundance of life in the universe and our chances of finding it.

“The question is: how many stars and planets behave in ways that are conducive to the development of life?” meridith joyce Member of the research team at the Konkoli Observatory in Hungary. “Knowing how many stars there are and how many host planet stars there are are two parts of the calculation, but we also need to know how many stars are eating those planets.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

AI deepfake technology advances as billions get ready to vote in a packed election year | 2024 US Elections

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

“How awful!”

Gail Huntley picked up the phone and immediately recognized Joe Biden's raspy voice. Huntley, a 73-year-old New Hampshire resident, had planned to vote for the president in the state's upcoming primary and was perplexed when she received a prerecorded message urging her not to vote.

“It's important to save your vote for the November election,” the message said. “Only this Tuesday's vote will allow the Republican Party to seek re-election of Donald Trump.”

Huntley quickly realized the call was fake, but thought Biden's words had been taken out of context. She was shocked when it was revealed that the recording was generated by AI. Within weeks, the United States outlawed robocalls that use AI-generated voices.

The Biden deepfake was the first major test for governments, tech companies, and civil society groups. Governments, technology companies and civil society organizations are grappling with how best to police an information ecosystem where anyone can create photorealistic images of candidates or replicate their voices. It is embroiled in a heated debate. Terrifying accuracy.

As citizens of dozens of countries, including the US, India and possibly the UK, go to the polls in 2024, experts say democratic processes are at serious risk of being disrupted by artificial intelligence. .

AI fakes are already being used in elections Slovakia,Taiwan, Indonesiaand they are thrown into an environment where trust in politicians, institutions and media is already low.

Watchdog groups have warned that more than 40,000 people have been laid off at the tech companies that host and manage much of this content, and that digital media is uniquely vulnerable to abuse.

Mission Impossible?

For Biden, concerns about the potentially dangerous uses of AI spiked after watching the latest Mission: Impossible movie. Over the weekend at Camp David, the president relaxed in front of a movie in which Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt takes on a rogue AI.

After watching the film, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reid said that if Biden wasn't already concerned about what could go wrong with AI, “he has much more to worry about.” It turns out there are a lot of them.”

Since then, Biden has signed an executive order requiring major AI developers to share safety test results and other information with the government.

And the United States is not alone in taking action. The EU is about to pass one of the most comprehensive laws to regulate AI, but it won't come into force until 2026. Proposed regulations in the UK have been criticized for moving too slowly.

But because the United States is home to many of the most innovative technology companies, the White House's actions will have a major impact on how the most disruptive AI products are developed.

Katie Harvath, who spent a decade helping shape policy at Facebook and now works on trust and safety issues at tech companies, says the U.S. government isn't doing enough. Concerns about stifling innovation could play into this, especially as China moves to develop its own AI industry, she says.

Harvath discusses how information systems have evolved from the “golden age” of social media growth, to the Great Reckoning after the Brexit and Trump votes, and the subsequent efforts to stay ahead of disinformation. I watched what happened from my ringside seat.

Her mantra for 2024 is “panic responsibly.”

In the short term, she says, the regulators and polices for AI-generated content will be the very companies developing the tools to create it.

“I don't know if companies are ready,” Harvath said. “There are also new platforms whose first real test will be this election season.”

Last week, major tech companies signed an agreement to voluntarily adopt “reasonable precautions” to prevent AI from being used to disrupt democratic elections around the world, and to coordinate efforts. We took a big step.

Signatories include OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, as well as Google, Adobe, and Microsoft, all of which have launched tools to generate AI-authored content. Many companies have also updated their own rules to prohibit the use of their products in political campaigns.. Enforcing these bans is another matter.

OpenAI, which uses its powerful Dall-E software to create photorealistic images, said its tool rejects requests to generate images of real people, including candidates.

Midjourney, whose AI image generation is considered by many to be the most powerful and accurate, says users should not use the product to “attempt to influence the outcome of a political campaign or election.” Says.

Midjourney CEO David Holtz said the company is close to banning political images, including photos of leading presidential candidates. It appears that some changes are already in effect. When the Guardian asked Midjourney to produce an image of Joe Biden and Donald Trump in a boxing ring, the request was denied, saying it violated the company's community standards. A flag was raised.

But when I entered the same prompt, replacing Biden and Trump with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition leader Keir Starmer, the software produced a series of images without a problem.

This example is at the center of concerns among many policymakers about how effectively tech companies are regulating AI-generated content outside the hothouse of the U.S. presidential election.

“Multi-million euro weapons of mass operation”

Despite OpenAI's ban on using its tools in political campaigns, its products were used to create campaign art, track social media sentiment, build interactive chatbots, and engage voters in Indonesia's elections this month. Reuters reported that it was widely used as a target.

Harvath said it's an open question how startups like OpenAI can aggressively enforce their policies outside the United States.

“Each country is a little different, with different laws and cultural norms. When you run a US-focused company, you realize that things work differently in the US than they do in other parts of the world. can be difficult.”

Last year's national elections in Slovakia pitted pro-Russian candidates against those advocating stronger ties with the EU. Ballot papers include support for Ukraine's war effort, and EU officials say the vote could be at risk of interference by Russia and its “multi-million euro weapons of mass manipulation” emphasized by those.

As the election approached and a national media blackout began, an audio recording of pro-EU candidate Michal Šimeka was posted on Facebook.

In the recording, Simechka appears to discuss ways to rig elections by buying votes from marginalized communities. The audio was fake, and AFP news agency reported that it appeared to have been manipulated using AI.

However, media outlets and politicians are required to remain silent under election concealment laws, making it nearly impossible to uncover errors in the recording.

The doctored audio appears to have fallen through a loophole in how Facebook owner Meta Inc. polices AI-generated material on its platform.below it community standardsprohibits posting content that has been manipulated in a way that “the average person wouldn't understand,” or that has been edited to make someone say something they didn't say. However, this only applies to videos.

Pro-Russian candidate Robert Fico won the election and became prime minister.

When will we know that the future is here?

Despite the dangers, there are some signs that voters are better prepared for what's to come than officials think.

“Voters are smarter than we think,” Harvath said. “They may be overwhelmed, but they understand what's going on in the information environment.”

For many experts, the main concern is not the technologies we are already working on, but the innovations that are on the other side of the horizon.

Writing in MIT's Technology Review, academics said the public debate about how AI threatens democracy is “lacking imagination.” The real danger, they say, is not what we already fear, but what we cannot yet imagine.

“What rocks are we not examining?” Halvath asks. “New technologies emerge, new bad guys emerge. There are constant high and low tides, and we have to get used to living with them.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Rare Bizygotic Event in 2024 to Bring Billions of Cicadas to Surface

Posted on January 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Officially, 2024 belongs to Cicada.

This spring, in a rare synchronized phenomenon that last occurred in 1803, swarms of two different cicadas, one with a 13-year cycle and two with a 17-year cycle, emerge from the ground at the same time.

Billions of winged insects emerge from the Midwest to the Southeast, beginning in late April in some regions and performing noisy mating rituals that tend to fascinate and disgust in equal measure.

This year’s twin feathering is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Although a particular 13-year offspring and his 17-year offspring may appear at the same time, the cycles of a particular pair align only once in his 221 years. Additionally, this year’s groups of cicadas, known as Brood XIII and Brood XIX, happen to have habitats adjacent to each other and narrowly overlapping in central Illinois.

“The last time these two brothers were on the scene, Thomas Jefferson was president, so is that unusual? Yes.” said Gene Kritsky, author of “A Tale of Two Broods,” a book about this year’s double broods.

After 2024, Brood XIII and Brood XIX cicadas will not synchronize their emergence for another 221 years.

These types of cicadas are regular insects that spend most of their lives underground feeding on tree roots. After 13 or 17 years, depending on the mate, the cicada tunnels to the surface and matures, noisily searching for a mate for a month.

Cicadas typically appear on the surface in the spring when soil temperatures reach about 64 degrees Fahrenheit.

Blue dots on the map indicate Brood XIII cicadas, and red dots are areas where Brood XIX has appeared in the past. These areas may experience periodic cicadas in 2024.semi-safari

The Blued XIII cicada appears in the Midwest, primarily in Illinois, but has also spread to Wisconsin, Ohio, and Iowa. Stage XIX cicadas have been sighted in a much wider geographic area, including Missouri, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.

When these insects emerge, they occur in large numbers. And they are not quiet at all in the mating frenzy.

The insects are known to emit a high-pitched buzz, or mating song, that can reach up to 100 decibels, which is about the same as a motorcycle or a jackhammer.

The insects themselves are harmless to humans, but billions of insects emerge from the ground, making the cicada noisy for several weeks during its lifespan. When that happens, the ground can also be littered with large amounts of dead insects.

In 2019 “ semi-safari This will allow citizen scientists to report cicada sightings from their location.

“I’ve already spoken to six people who want to take a vacation and come to the area for the cicadas,” he said. “In years past, I’ve helped people plan vacations that depart while the cicadas are singing.”

In parts of the Southeast where the Blued XIX cicada occurs, the insects may begin to emerge from underground in late April.

Then, as temperatures warm across the Southeast and Midwest, more cicadas will show up throughout May and June.

When the insect reaches the surface, it sheds its nymph exoskeleton and spreads its wings. It usually takes a few more days for adult skin to harden.

The mating ritual itself is hectic, with cicadas taking only a few weeks to find a mate and lay eggs. This entire process takes approximately 6 weeks.

“By July 1st, they’ll be gone,” Kritsky said.

But while cicadas are on the ground, scientists are keen to track where they appear. Kritsky himself plans to study cicadas in the Chicago area, and hopes people in the Midwest and Southeast will report sightings using the Cicada Safari app.

Mapping insect ranges helps researchers understand how cicadas adapt and change between cycles. During this year’s double emergence, scientists are also interested in whether mating will occur between two different chicks.

But beyond science, Kritsky said this year is also a chance to experience a once-in-a-lifetime phenomenon.

“This year marks 50 years since I started researching cicadas,” he says. “Many of us will be in the borderlands of Illinois, driving back and forth, meeting for coffee and eating pie.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Harnessing Nature: Releasing Billions of Engineered Mosquitoes into the Wild to Combat Disease

Posted on January 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Dengue fever is currently endemic in 100 countries, putting half of the world’s population at risk. The threat has increased dramatically, with the number of dengue fever cases increasing tenfold between 2000 and 2019, and the number of cases hitting an all-time high in 2023.

Bangladesh, Peru and Burkina Faso have all seen record outbreaks in the past 12 months, while France, Italy and Spain have also reported cases of mosquito-borne dengue fever.

What’s causing this? Scientists say global warming is making space more hospitable to insects, and that climate change is fueling the rise in this mosquito-borne viral disease. As mosquitoes become more common, we expect the time to outbreak of dengue fever to shorten and the transmission season to lengthen.

This is a worrying situation.But that’s what the sponsoring team decided world mosquito program There is a possible solution. They suggest treating mosquitoes with bacteria that can prevent the development of viruses in the body.

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What are the symptoms of dengue fever?

There’s a good reason dengue fever has been labeled “breakbone fever.” 80% of cases are asymptomatic, but when symptoms develop, symptoms include high fever, muscle and joint pain, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, nausea, and vomiting.

Symptoms begin 4 to 10 days after infection and can last from 2 days to up to a week. DHF (severe dengue fever) manifests as severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, bleeding gums or nose, blood in the stool or vomit, pale, cold skin, and fatigue. Doctors can only alleviate these symptoms because antiviral drugs are not available.

How does dengue spread?

Dengue fever is spread through the bite of an infected female mosquito. Aedes aegypti, typically found in tropical and subtropical regions. Originating from the forests of West Africa, Aedes aegypti They spread around the world during the African slave trade and have continued to hitchhike as a means of human transportation ever since.

other Aedes Other species can also transmit dengue fever, although to a lesser extent. The highly invasive Asian tiger mosquito is the likely cause of dengue infections in Europe. Unlike malaria mosquitoes, which usually bite at night and can be prevented with insecticide-treated bed nets, dengue mosquitoes bite during the day and are very difficult to control.

Mosquitoes are now highly urbanized creatures, admirably adapted to coexist with humans, their preferred blood source. In cities, stagnant water is key to survival, providing spawning grounds and habitat for aquatic larval and pupal development. Mosquitoes breed in small puddles in garbage, used tires, and man-made containers such as flower pots. Thus, humans have been the main driving force behind the success of the dengue mosquito.

How can we fight the spread of infection?

Dengue prevention requires a multipronged attack on mosquitoes, with a focus on insecticide spraying. However, insecticide resistance is developing in mosquito populations around the world, threatening their effectiveness.

what else? Control strategies also include adaptations to eliminate breeding sites or prevent reproduction. Aedes aegypti Prevent spawning in stagnant water (remove debris that could trap water and install covers on water storage containers).

Bacterial toxins are also applied to bodies of water to kill mosquito larvae. These strategies are labor intensive because it is difficult to identify, treat, and eliminate all breeding sites. Therefore, new methods of mosquito control are desperately needed.

The World Mosquito Program (WMP) has devised a non-chemical and non-GMO-based approach for dengue control. Bacteria called Wolbachia which occurs naturally in many insect species; Aedes aegypti.

WMP was found to be “infected”. Aedes aegypti and Wolbachia Prevented the onset of dengue virus in adult women. From a logistical point of view, this method is self-sustaining. Wolbachia It can spread to wild populations because it infects eggs through mating.

WMP reports a significant decrease in dengue cases. Aedes aegypti carry Wolbachia has been released.given that Aedes aegypti Since Zika and Chikungunya viruses are also transmitted, WMP has developed a potential “three-for-one” method of disease control.

It’s no exaggeration to say that mosquitoes are the most hated insects, but despite their notoriety, only a handful of the 3,500 species of mosquitoes transmit disease. They are also important to the ecosystem.

Mosquitoes are a food source for fish, frogs, reptiles, bats, and birds, and they are also pollinators, as male insects suck nectar from flowers (only females drink blood). The WMP approach is species-specific and targeted only. Aedes aegyptiThis is in contrast to the “blunt force” approach with insecticides, which can affect insects other than the target.

The climate change trajectory we are currently on is leading to rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns, which will benefit this terrifying little insect and her viral cargo. Therefore, we need as many weapons as possible in our arsenal to combat the growing global dengue threat.

read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com