What truly drives the increase in blood fats? It seems our cholesterol levels are more influenced by our digestive processes than by our actual diets.
The Joy of Others
If you consistently agree when you’d prefer to decline, you might be a people-pleaser. Prioritizing others can sometimes detrimentally affect your well-being and relationships. Esteemed health journalist Amy Arthur delves into the psychology behind this phenomenon and offers guidance on escaping the people-pleasing cycle.
The Microbiome
Our gut is inhabited by countless bacteria, both alive and deceased. Surprisingly, it’s the dead bacteria—known as postbiotics—that have scientists intrigued. These postbiotics may significantly impact our gut health more than was previously understood. Strategies exist to leverage this knowledge for better health.
Preparing for Cold and Flu Season
Being stuck in bed during the holiday season is never enjoyable. Thankfully, there are proactive measures you can adopt to reduce the risk of getting sick. This issue debunks three prevalent myths surrounding cold and flu prevention. Discover what truly works (and what doesn’t).
Plus
Type 1.5 Diabetes: 14% of those diagnosed with type 2 diabetes may actually have a rare autoimmune condition. An in-depth analysis of its long-standing concealment and guidance on identification.
Ferrari Goes Electric: The anticipated EV version of this iconic vehicle could redefine the electric car landscape. Automotive reporter Quentin Wilson investigates this groundbreaking model.
Q&A: Your most intriguing inquiries answered. Topics include how the brain forms a sense of self, the deepest submarine dive, mechanisms behind hula hoop lifting, the number of electrons in the universe, gender-switching in animals, best air-purifying houseplants, longest-lived insects, and more.
Don’t forget that BBC Science Focus is also accessible on all major digital platforms. You’ll find it available on Android, Kindle Fire and Kindle e-readers, and the iOS app for iPad and iPhone.
fOr, for the second time last month, Microsoft employees disrupted high-level executives speaking at an event celebrating the 50th anniversary on April 4. They were protesting the company’s role in Israel’s ongoing siege in Gaza.
AI executive Mustafasleiman was suspended by employees Ibtihal Aboussad and Vaniya Agrawal. The two were fired within a few days. Microsoft president Brad Smith and former CEO Steve Ballmer were yelled at in Great Hall in Seattle on March 20 by current and former employees.
Before the April event, there was an outside gathering that also included current and former Tech Giant employees. Protesters projected a sign onto the wall of the hall called “Microsoft Powers Genocide,” showing that since October 7, 2023, Israel has been extensively using its AI and cloud computing services.
The rally and confusion were the latest in the employee protests at Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, urging the company to cut ties with Israel. This comes after years of simmering tensions on the company’s message boards and a recent workplace dispute.
Taken together, the protests indicate that more people have decided to leave the company for good, according to current and past employees who spoke with the Guardian. Microsoft did not respond to requests for comment.
The recent events at Microsoft reflect similar incidents at other tech companies, such as Google, where employees were fired as they protested their ties with Israel. In February, Google adjusted its AI guidelines, removing the commitment to not use artificial intelligence for surveillance or weapons.
Anxiety about the increase in Redmond
Former Microsoft software engineer Hossam Nasr described the situation at the company as being close to a turning point. He highlighted the events in February as an example of growing frustration among employees.
The firing of employees who raised concerns has galvanized others in the company who are worried about the issue, along with recent media coverage of Microsoft’s role in the siege of Gaza in Israel.
Aboussad told the Guardian that she had been increasingly at odds over the last few months as a software engineer working for AI. She expressed concerns about Microsoft’s deep ties with the Israeli government. AP Report
Within days of speaking with the Guardian, Aboussad was terminated. Several colleagues mentioned they were considering leaving the company, she stated.
From Viva to IRL
Before the recent direct protest, Microsoft employees were mainly discussing the Hamas attacks and Israel’s continued retaliation online. Several conversations on Microsoft’s Viva Engage company’s message board sparked controversy. One employee posted about the lack of symmetry in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, which led to heated debates.
Employees critical of Israel’s actions have been vocal about what they perceive as a double standard within the company, especially following events from October 7th. They have accused Microsoft of censoring viewpoints on internal forums while treating Israeli supporters differently. From immediately after October 7th. One employee shared an email from the company’s Global Employee Relations Team emphasizing the need for respectful discussions on the topic of Israel and Gaza. There were restrictions on postings related to these topics on the company message board.
Online discussions among employees have evolved throughout 2024, according to Nasr. Many employees initially focused on petitions urging the company to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, but the attention gradually shifted to Microsoft’s business practices. By the end of the year, Nasr and others began a campaign to boycott Microsoft’s cloud computing services, cancel contracts with the Israeli military, and gather signatures from colleagues in protest of the company’s ties with the Israeli government.
Reporting Microsoft’s role in Gaza Roil employee discussion
Documents obtained by Drop site, an independent news outlet, revealed that high-tech companies, including Microsoft, are actively seeking to serve the Israeli military. This discovery fueled concerns among some Microsoft employees, leading to internal discussions about the company’s ethics and practices.
Anna Hutt, a long-time employee at Microsoft, highlighted the importance of sharing information about the company’s actions within the organization. She emphasized the need for open conversations and offline organizing efforts to raise awareness among employees.
Nasr mentioned that Apartheid’s Azure has partnered with Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (BDS) in adding Microsoft to their boycott campaign list. This move reflects growing discontent among employees regarding the company’s involvement with the Israeli military.
One Microsoft employee expressed frustration over what they perceived as a betrayal of the company’s stated values in its contract with Israel. They cited examples of events where critical perspectives were silenced and called for a boycott of Microsoft’s products that enable military actions.
Sea dolphins around the UK are almost dying from a combination of water temperature and toxic chemicals that the UK banned in the 1980s.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are long-lasting chemical contaminants that were once widely used in industrial manufacturing. They interfere with the breeding and immune response of animals and cause them cancer With humanity.
In a new study, researchers showed that higher levels of PCBs in the body and increased sea surface temperatures are at a higher risk of death from a common shunting dolphin infection (Delphines Delphis), the first of marine mammals.
The ocean is facing a “triple planetary crisis” – the “climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss,” but we often see the threat alone, says, Rosie Williams At the Zoological Society in London.
Williams and her colleagues analyzed postmortem data from 836 common dolphins marginalized in the UK between 1990 and 2020 and assessed the impact of these interlinked threats.
They found that a rise in PCB of 1 milligram per kilogram of fat has become fatal, with a 1.6% increase in the likelihood of infections such as gastritis, enteritis, bacterial infections, encephalitis, and pneumonia. Every 1°C increase in sea surface temperature corresponded to a 14% increase in the risk of death.
According to this study, the threshold for PCB fat concentrations to significantly affect the risk of dolphin disease was 22 mg/kg, while the average sample concentration was high at 32.15 mg/kg.
Dolphins have a long lifespan, are widely distributed around the UK and are widely distributed in the food chain, making them a good indicator species that shows how threats affect other animals.
“The location at the top of the food web means that toxins from prey accumulate in the enlargement, providing an intensive snapshot of chemical contaminants at the expense of health,” says Thea Taylor. Sussex Dolphin Project.
It was banned in the UK in 1981 and internationally in 2001, but the PCB is still washed down into the ocean. “They are probably still entering the environment through stockpiling, and often are side products or by-products of other manufacturing processes,” Williams says.
Cleaning up your PCB is extremely difficult. “They are nightmares to get rid of because they are so permanent,” she says. “There’s definitely no easy fix.”
While some researchers have explored edging as a cleanup technique, others have focused on improving the effectiveness of water treatment plants in the removal of sustainable chemicals.
These findings show what happens if not taken to ban Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), another broad group of so-called eternal chemicals.
“We cannot reverse any already-occurring pollution, but it’s important to prevent further chemical input into the environment,” Taylor says.
TCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision this week to resign as leader of the Liberal Party brings the impending general election, which will be held amid political turmoil caused by President Donald Trump's “America” policies. The race for leadership has begun against the backdrop of the Deaf general election. First, there is “economic nationalism.” It also gave Tesla CEO Elon Musk an opportunity to insert himself into yet another country's political turmoil.
Since Prime Minister Trudeau's resignation on Monday, Mr. Musk has repeatedly posted about Canadian politics on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, which he acquired for $44 billion in 2022. He celebrates Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's ouster, interacts with Canada's right-wing influencers, and has praised a video by Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poièvre.
Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk have promoted the idea of Canada becoming part of the United States, but all major Canadian party leaders, including Mr. Poilievre, reject this idea. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on Tuesday that there is “no snowball effect” for President Trump's proposal to become a reality.
“Miss, you're no longer the Governor of Canada, so it doesn't matter what you say,” Musk tweeted late Tuesday night.
Musk's post symbolizes a widening of his attempts to influence global politics over the past year, during which he has allied himself with a number of right-wing populist leaders and sought to influence far-right influence. It has expanded its power and persistently voiced conservative dissatisfaction. After spending more than $200 million to support President Trump's reelection campaign, he positioned himself as a key figure in determining U.S. policy and forcing foreign leaders to take Trump's provocations seriously. Ta.
Outside the United States, most of Mr. Musk's attention has been focused on the United Kingdom, where he has recently reignited the uproar over a child sex abuse scandal while promoting anti-immigration views, calling Prime Minister Keir Starmer a “rapist.” “I'm doing it,” he accused. British”. Mr. Musk is also exerting influence on Germany's upcoming elections. Supports far-right, anti-immigration AfD party In an editorial, he hosted leader Alice Weidel for a livestream interview on his platform.
Musk's meddling in European politics has prompted leaders in Britain, France and Germany to speak out against his election interference and misinformation. Now it looks like it's Canada's turn to deal with the world's richest man.
While Musk remains in the background, Prime Minister Trudeau's Liberal Party is likely to hold a leadership election to replace Musk as prime minister, followed by a general election soon after.
Enliven Poièvre
In a series of posts after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned, Musk expressed support for Poièvre, whose Conservative Party is widely expected to dominate Canada's general election after three years in Liberal government. There is. Musk's posts to his more than 200 million followers have already drawn comments from major political party leaders, highlighting how important he is as the country faces this year's political turmoil. Indicates whether it has the potential to become an element.
Canada's left-wing NDP leader Jagmeet Singh responded to Musk's tweet, saying, “Elon Musk and other billionaires support Pierre Poièvre because if he wins, they will… Because it will make you richer,” he posted.
In the days of Poilievre Asked about support for Mr. Musk “It would be great if we could convince Mr. Musk to open some factories here in Canada,” he said at a press conference Thursday. He also mentioned Musk's ambitions for space travel.
“My 3-year-old son wants to go to Mars, so I think Mr. Musk is the right person to reach out to him,” Poièvre said. “If I had a chance to meet with Mr. Musk, I would say, 'How can we create an economy that brings hundreds of billions of dollars of investment back to Canada?'”
Mr. Poièvre fits the mold of other conservative politicians who have appealed to Mr. Musk. He was once known as a combative, baby-faced lawmaker nicknamed “Skippy” by other members of Congress, but in recent years he has ditched his glasses and tie and taken on a more populist personality. Poilievre, an Alberta native, has positioned himself as an opponent of “Prime Minister Trudeau's woke authoritarian policies.” used for conspiratorial rhetoric About “Globalist Elite” and Promises to reduce immigration While blaming the Liberal Party for economic inflation.
Many of Poièvre's points revolve around the adoption of virtual currencies, cuts to government funding, and a new punitive government position with the power to withhold government subsidies to universities that don't protect free speech. It's reminiscent of ideas that Musk himself might promote, such as creating a “guardian of the world.” We are committed to protecting freedom of speech on campus. Poilievre also Support ban on trans women It promised to cut funding from women's bathrooms, locker rooms and sports, and cut funding to Canada's national public broadcaster and news organizations.
Musk posted a 2023 clip of Poièvre eating an apple while disdainfully answering questions from a local news editor, calling it a “masterpiece.” The billionaire also praised Poièvre's video talking about spending cuts and inflation. In a third post, Musk tweeted, “Great interview,” sharing Poilievre's remarks. Talking with right-wing commentator Jordan PetersonIn it, the Conservative leader promised “the biggest crackdown on crime in Canadian history.” Mr Poièvre's interview with Mr Peterson drew condemnation from both the Liberal Party and the NDP over the fact that it was sponsored by a US-based Christian anti-abortion group.
According to opinion polls taken before Prime Minister Trudeau resigned, the Conservative Party has great advantages And Canada this year, even if Last month's survey It has been shown that only 37% of Canadians view Poièvre himself favorably.
Despite Musk's support, Poièvre may also face a balancing act over how closely to work with Trump, who remains an unpopular figure in Canada. According to a public opinion poll during the US presidential election, Only 21% of Canadians support it While Trump was re-elected, another poll in November showed that About 19% of Canadians trust Musk's opinion. about their country's politics.
As in the U.S., many of the Canadian political accounts Musk is associated with tend to be respected conservative media influencers, which Musk spreads to his millions of followers. are.
In one post this week, Musk shared misleading claims about Trudeau from far-right media entrepreneur Ezra Levant, which were later corrected by a community note. Levant publishes the website Rebel News, whose contributors include British anti-Muslim extremist Tommy Robinson, Proud Boys founder Gavin McInnes and former top commentators. face goldiewas fired after appearing on a neo-Nazi podcast. Musk also exchanged tweets with Lauren Southern, an early “alt-right” Canadian influencer and former Rebel Media host who gained notoriety by creating anti-immigrant YouTube videos. promote of white supremacist “The Great Successor” conspiracy theory.
Jordan Peterson is another Canadian touchstone for Musk. In addition to sharing Peterson interviews with Poièvre and exchanging the occasional tweet, Musk appeared on Peterson's show last year. In it, the tech mogul claimed that his transgender child “died” after receiving gender-affirming care and was “killed by a wake-up mind virus.” . Vivian Wilson, Musk's transgender daughter, responded that Musk's characterization was wrong and that her father was absent.
Musk also frequently interacts with Canadian marketing professor Gad Saad at X. Gad Saad has developed an online following through his books and podcast appearances attacking what he calls “the parasitic ideas that are destroying the Western world.”
“I read your insightful book on the parasitic wake-mind virus,” Musk tweeted on Third last year. “It gave me nightmares.”
Musk celebrates Prime Minister Trudeau's resignation
While Mr. Musk has expressed support for Mr. Poièvre, he is relishing Mr. Trudeau's fall from grace. On Wednesday, he shared an AI-generated meme of Donald Trump playing a sad violin in the background of Trudeau's resignation speech, and also responded to an old tweet of his own in which he predicted Trudeau would lose power. did.
Musk has expressed opposition to Trudeau multiple times in recent years over issues such as COVID-19 safety restrictions, most notably in 2022 when he shared a meme comparing Trudeau to Hitler. It was. Musk deleted the tweet after being criticized by the Auschwitz-Birkenau Holocaust Museum, but as recently as December he again called for Trudeau's political ouster.
Prime Minister Trudeau had been a target of right-wing media long before the Musk attack, with far-right commentators such as former Fox News host Tucker Carlson portraying him as some kind of socialist dictator and of Canada as a dystopian hellscape. He dedicated a corner to drawing like this.
Within Canada, the reasons for Trudeau's resignation are more complex. Although he maintained a progressive glow internationally, many Canadians across the political spectrum came to find Mr. Trudeau's personality sinister and hypocritical. domestic scandal. Rising cost of living, inflation and fatigue with the minority Liberal government lost significant support from his party. The recent collapse of the cabinet, the failure of last year's by-elections and the threat of a no-confidence vote ended up being a death sentence for his leadership.
About 20 years ago, the pointy-eared wild cat was on the brink of extinction, but as of Thursday, the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced that the species is no longer endangered.
Thanks to successful conservation efforts, the animal, which is native to Spain and Portugal, is now considered almost certainly not threatened, according to the latest IUCN Red List.
A baby Iberian lynx in Doñana National Park, Aznalcázar, Spain, in 2018. Antonio Pizarro/AP Files
In 2001, there were only 62 mature Iberian lynx left in the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian lynx is a medium-sized, spotted brown cat with distinctive pointed ears and a pair of whisker-like tufts of facial hair. The extinction of this species is closely linked to the extinction of its main prey, the European rabbit, habitat degradation, and human activities.
Alarm bells were sounded and breeding, reintroduction and conservation projects were launched, as well as efforts to restore habitats such as dense forests, Mediterranean scrub and pastures. Portugal The IUCN said the population was 648 adults, but the most recent count last year found there were more than 2,000 adults and juveniles.
“This huge population increase is a really huge success,” Craig Hilton-Taylor, head of the IUCN Red List Division, told The Associated Press.
Iberian Lynx. Juan Giribet/VWPics/VWPics via AP
One of the keys to the rabbit population’s recovery has been attention to rabbit populations that were affected by changes in agricultural production, which has led to a steady increase in lynx numbers, Hilton-Taylor said.
“The greatest recovery of this cat species has been achieved through conservation efforts thanks to the dedicated collaboration between public and scientific institutions, NGOs, the private sector and local residents, including local landowners, farmers, game wardens and hunters,” Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortiz, coordinator of the EU-funded LIFE Lynx-Connect project, said in a statement.
IUCN has worked with local communities to raise awareness of the Iberian lynx’s importance to the ecosystem, which has helped reduce animal deaths from poaching and roadkill, and farmers receive compensation if an Iberian lynx kills their livestock, Hilton-Taylor said.
More than 400 Iberian lynx have been reintroduced into parts of Portugal and Spain since 2010 and now live over at least 3,320 square kilometres of land, up from 449 square kilometres in 2005.
Iberian lynx in Doñana National Park, Aznalcázar, Spain, 2019. Antonio Pizarro/AP Files
“Everything has to be taken into consideration before we release the lynx, and we revise our protocols approximately every four years,” said Ramon Pérez de Ayala, Spain’s species project manager for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), one of the NGOs involved in the project.
While the latest Red List status offers hope for other species in a similar situation, Hilton-Taylor said the lynx was not out of danger yet.
The biggest uncertainty is what will happen to rabbits, an animal vulnerable to virus outbreaks and other diseases that can be transmitted by livestock.
“We’re also concerned about the issue of climate change and how habitats will respond to it, particularly the increased impact of fires such as we’ve seen in the Mediterranean over the past year or two,” Hilton-Taylor said.
In the spring of 2003, the Human Genome Project completed the task of sequencing the human genome, marking a significant moment for science and life on Earth. The genetic revolution that followed raised questions about the meaning of the genome, particularly the fact that most of it seems to be non-coding. Less than 2% of the genome consists of genes that code for proteins, while the rest was once considered junk DNA.
However, recent research has shown that this “dark genome” plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression and has evolutionary significance. Long repeat sequences like transposons can impact genetic mutations and adaptation, leading to the development of features like opposable thumbs and the loss of tails in humans and apes. Understanding these once-neglected parts of the genome is now a focus of medical research for potential therapies for genetic diseases.
This article addresses the question of what makes up the other 98% of DNA, shedding light on the hidden functions of the dark genome. If you have further questions or want more information, you can reach out on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
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A study published Wednesday in the journal Nature warns that wildfires, deforestation, and global warming could permanently disrupt the water cycle in parts of the Amazon rainforest if action is not taken in the coming decades. The study suggests that between 10% and 47% of the landscape is at risk of transitioning away from tropical rainforest by 2050 if rates of warming and deforestation are not dramatically reduced.
Lead author of the study, Bernardo Flores, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Santa Catarina in Florianópolis, Brazil, stated that “So many stressors are intensifying, including climate stressors and land-use stressors, that when combined will ultimately cause water stress in forests. We could reach a point where forests can no longer survive.”
The Amazon contains about 10% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and serves as a vital carbon sink. Exceeding the limits of rainforests could accelerate climate change and have dire consequences for communities, including indigenous peoples, who depend on rainforests. Flores said he is optimistic that the changes outlined in the study are already occurring, but they could slow or even stop.
The study focuses on overlapping stressors on the Amazon, including rising temperatures, extreme drought, deforestation, and fires. Ernest Alvarado, an associate professor at the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, who was not involved in the study, emphasized the importance of maintaining the Amazon’s water cycle, stating, “If you lose your balance, it’s a big problem.”
Reducing the amount of water-absorbing forests due to deforestation, wildfires, drought, and climate change reduces the amount of water available to the atmosphere from plants and reduces the amount of rain that sustains the landscape. Approximately 15% of the Amazon has already been lost, according to Flores.
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