Long-term conclusive results from US-based experiments have emerged. The latest release on Tuesday highlights a tiny particle behaving unexpectedly, which is still positive news for our understanding of Physics Laws.
“This experiment represents a remarkable achievement in precision,” noted Toba Holmes, an experimental physicist at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, who is not affiliated with the collaboration.
The enigmatic particles known as Muons are heavier than electrons. They exhibit a wobbling motion akin to a spinning top when subjected to a magnetic field, and scientists are scrutinizing this motion to determine its compliance with the well-established physics framework known as the standard model.
Findings from the 1960s and 1970s suggested everything was functioning as expected. However, investigations at Brookhaven National Laboratory in the late 1990s and early 2000s yielded unexpected results.
Decades later, an international coalition of scientists opted to revisit the experiment with enhanced accuracy. The team navigated Muons around magnetic, ring-shaped tracks akin to those used in the initial Brookhaven studies, and recorded the wobble signals at Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago.
The outcomes from the initial two sets published in 2021 and 2023 appear to affirm the odd behavior of Muons, encouraging theoretical physicists to reconsider the standard model alongside new metrics.
Recently, the team finalized the experiment and published Muon wobble measurements that align with their earlier findings, utilizing more than double the data collected in 2023.
Nevertheless, this does not finalize the fundamental understanding of what underpins the universe. As Muons travel along their paths, other researchers have devised methods to better harmonize standard models with observed behaviors, leveraging the power of supercomputers.
Further investigation is essential as researchers collaborate, and upcoming experiments will encourage future studies that assess Muon wobble. Scientists are also examining the latest Muon data for insights into other mysterious entities like dark matter.
“This measurement will serve as a benchmark for years to follow,” remarked Marco Incagli from the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics.
In their pursuit of Muons, scientists aim to unravel fundamental questions that have long intrigued physicists, as noted by Peter Winter from the Argonne National Laboratory.
“Isn’t it something we all wish to understand—how the universe operates?” Winter questioned.
An anonymous collective of activists in Adelaide is persistently opposing Elon Musk’s Tesla from establishing battery factories in residential areas.
Tesla has faced global scrutiny due to Musk’s associations with the Trump administration and staunch protests fueled by beliefs that billionaires often back through his social media channels.
This week, the discontent was palpable in the South Australian capital, a significant distance from Washington, D.C.
Approximately 95% of nearly 1,000 submissions voiced opposition to Tesla’s proposals for recycling showrooms and batteries, as well as repurposing the factory. Many expressed sentiments characterized as “anti-Tesla and anti-Elon Musk.”
To maintain decorum, the local council revised the language in several submissions to clarify references to Musk and Tesla.
“We shouldn’t profit from support. [redacted] Who is openly [redacted]? It’s a salute [redacted]. Humans.”
The world’s richest individual has declared his departure from his government efficiency role, which has often led to chaotic and detrimental consequences, including job cuts and reduced funding for US government agencies. He is now facing challenges related to his businesses, including Tesla, amid declining sales.
Meanwhile, in Adelaide, the Marion City Council has moved past community disagreements and approved the factory project for further progression, pending state government approval. The council indicated that the project is expected to inject millions of dollars into the local economy.
Nevertheless, the protest group “Tree Not Teslas” remains committed to their cause.
Environmental organizations and others opposed to the Tesla project argue that the trees designated for removal to clear the construction site are irreplaceable. They also hold Musk personally accountable.
“Neon,” a member of Tree Not Teslas, chose to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation, partly because the group identifies as a collective.
He noted the group’s traction has been “extraordinary,” and their website has attracted thousands of visits, though he admitted it is hard to gauge their overall impact.
Neon stated that the fight will persist as the state government weighs the council’s proposal to reclassify the site as community land.
“We’re going to push it further. We have to take action regarding the state government,” Neon declared.
“We’ve raised awareness and are encouraging more people to get involved. This issue extends beyond just Congress; it’s a fundamental matter for the state.”
He emphasized that their campaign primarily aims to safeguard the trees on the site. “… Our central focus is on preserving the green space,” he clarified.
“We are indeed advocates for electric vehicles and green energy.
“However, the industry that obliterates green spaces… is ironically labeled as ‘green.’
The council has asserted that the area has been inaccessible to the public since 2016 due to pollution. Neon countered, claiming the trees are vital for restoring the land.
Neon also echoed comments made by Councillor Sarah Lascomb, who opposed the proposal, arguing that the factory’s plans to recycle or reuse Tesla batteries do not cater to the needs of most consumers who use different brands.
The ongoing debate centers around electric vehicle batteries, with the possibility of recycling Powerwall batteries at the site.
Guardian Australia reached out to Tesla for a statement.
Neon mentioned that the council voted 8-3 in favor of seeking state government approval, despite community pushback that made the public consultation process feel like a formality.
Mayor Chris Hannah stated that the project would generate jobs and revenue for the community, asserting that Tesla would establish operations elsewhere if not in Marion. According to Hannah, Tesla has committed to preserving the most significant trees and replanting more than necessary.
Neon argued that replacing established trees with seedlings minimizes their ecological benefits.
Premier Peter Malinauskas indicated that the state welcomes significant industrial development and is reluctant to oppose Musk, emphasizing that it’s “his prerogative.”
A spokesperson for the state government stated that they appreciate investments in South Australia and job creation, and will indeed consider the proposal.
According to a recent report, researchers initially warned X over a year ago. Elon Musk’s social media platform has been cautioned that accepting subscription payments from terrorist organizations and other groups may violate U.S. sanctions, yet it continues to facilitate such payments.
The report from Technology Transparency Project, a nonprofit advocating for tech company accountability, revealed that X is still receiving payments from accounts linked to Hezbollah leaders in Syria and Iraq, as well as Houthi officials and militia leaders. An $8/month subscription grants users a blue checkmark, enhances their visibility in the algorithm, enables post-editing, and allows for longer video sharing.
Last year, the Tech Transparency Project indicated that X had issued paid blue checkmarks to 28 accounts tied to entities under U.S. sanctions. Following this, several social media companies revoked the badges from multiple accounts and suspended others. However, within a month, some of these accounts managed to purchase badges again and have been displaying them ever since.
The Tech Transparency Project estimates that over 200 accounts related to terrorist and other unauthorized groups have acquired a blue checkmark.
Katy Paul, the director of the organization, stated, “These accounts depend on premium services for extensive propaganda posts and to amplify their longer videos. They not only subscribe to the notorious Blue Check but also to premium services.”
Recently, Musk, who served as a special advisor during the Trump administration, criticized the Treasury Department, alleging a lack of “basic control” preventing government entities from tracking payments directed to terrorist organizations. In February, during a White House event with President Trump in the Oval Office, Musk commented that safeguards are in place against payments to terrorist groups and fraudsters “at any company.”
Neither X nor the Treasury Department provided comments upon request.
Since Musk acquired X in 2022, he has made substantial changes, including reinstating hundreds of banned accounts and reducing the workforce by about 80%. He replaced the previous verification system, which required employee validation of prominent user identities, with a subscription model.
X’s policy forbids terrorist groups from purchasing blue checkmarks, yet it remains unclear how the organizations and individuals identified in the report circumvented these regulations to obtain premium status. X no longer verifies user identities before granting checkmarks, which raises the possibility that some accounts flagged by the Tech Transparency Project may belong to impersonators.
Interestingly, some of these accounts do have “ID verification” labels and require users to submit selfies along with their identification.
Subhi Tufayli, the founder of Hezbollah and the group’s first executive director, appears to maintain an “ID verification” account with over 40,700 followers. Tufayli has been on the Ministry of Finance’s sanctions list since 1995. The account, confirmed in October 2023, frequently shares 30-minute videos of his sermons.
Subhi Tufayli, founder of Hezbollah, who was the group’s first executive director, appears to have an “ID verification” account. credit…Through the Technology Transparency Project
Previously, there were many accounts linked to Yemen’s Houthi Rebel Group holding blue checkmarks on X, but the company revoked these badges following an initial report from the Tech Transparency Project last year.
Hussain Al-Ezzi’s account, identified by the Tech Transparency Project as the Deputy Minister of Houthis, requested Musk to allow for another verification of their group.
In a post from March 2024, the account stated, “We are in solidarity with our Yemeni brothers, who had the Blue Mark removed from their account. We are appealing to Elon Musk to restore it or at least to reinstate the subscription.”
The latest report from the Tech Transparency Project indicated that at least five senior Houthi staff members have been paying for the blue checkmark on X. One of the accounts has attracted over 820,000 followers.
Some flagged accounts have been raising funds through X’s tipping and subscription features or have directed users to send donations to cryptocurrency wallets.
Katy Paul commented, “There is clear evidence that these groups are profiting and financing their operations through X. It is astonishing that those wielding such influence in the federal government can simultaneously profit from designated terrorist groups and individuals.”
Impressions of the artists of Planet K2-18B and its host star
ESA/Hubble, M. Kornmesser
Astronomers claim they have seen the most powerful evidence ever for living on another planet. However, other astronomers are cautioning until the findings are verified by other groups, allowing alternative, nonbiological explanations to be excluded.
“These are the first hints we see about the alien world we probably live in.” Nick Madhusdan We held a press conference at Cambridge University on March 15th.
Astronomers first discovered the Exoplanet K2-18B in 2015, quickly establishing it as a promising place for searching for life. Planets orbiting stars about eight times more than Earth, 124 light years away from us, sit in a habitable zone of stars where liquid water is present. Further observations in 2019 found evidence of water vapor. This led to the suggestion that, although not all astronomers agreed, the planet could be covered in oceans sitting under a hydrogen-rich atmosphere.
In 2023, Madhusudhan and his colleagues used James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) instruments to examine the atmosphere of the near-infrared light K2-18B, again finding evidence of water vapor and methane. However, they also found appetizing hints for dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a molecule that is produced exclusively by organisms on Earth, primarily by marine phytoplankton. However, the signs of DMS were very weak and many The astronomers argued Stronger evidence is needed to be certain about the existence of molecules.
Currently, Madhusudhan and his colleagues use different instruments to observe the K2-18b than the mid-infrared camera JWST. They discovered a much stronger signal against DMS and a molecule that could be called dimethyldisulfide (DMDS).
“What we’re finding is a line of independent evidence in different wavelength ranges with different equipment that can potentially biological activity on the planet,” Madhusdan said.
The team argues that detection of DMS and DMD is at three sigma levels of statistical significance. This corresponds to a 1/100 chance that a pattern of data like this will become absorption. In physics, the standard threshold for accepting something as a true discovery is five sigmas, which corresponds to 1-3.5 million chances that data is a coincidence.
Nicholas Wargan The NASA Ames Research Center in California says the evidence is more convincing than the 2023 results, but it should be verified by other groups. When data is published next week, other researchers can begin to review the findings, but this could take weeks or months as JWST data is difficult to interpret. “It’s not just about downloading data and checking if there’s a DMS. It’s this extremely complicated process,” says Wogan.
Other scientists are more skeptical of the findings. “These new JWST observations do not provide compelling evidence that DMS or DMD exists in the atmosphere of K2-18B.” Ryan McDonald At the University of Michigan. “We have a juvenile chase wolf situation in the K2-18B, where multiple previous 3-sigma detections have completely disappeared when subjected to closer scrutiny.
Madhusudhan and his team estimate that further 16 to 24 hours of further observations at the JWST will help reach 5-sigma levels, but observing the planet’s atmosphere means that this cannot be guaranteed.
“The relative size of the atmosphere compared to the planet’s size is pretty close to the thickness of the apple’s skin on top of the apple, which is what we’re trying to measure.” Thomas Beatty At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where I was not part of the learning team. Wogan adds that reaching five sigmas may be fundamentally impossible due to the amount of noise in the data.
But if further observations prove that this is a real discovery, it would be a “risqué progress,” says Beatty. “Ignoring whether it was actually being produced for a moment, I said that ten years ago it is evidence of life in a planetary atmosphere that can certainly host it.”
Madhusudhan and his colleagues calculate that the potential concentration of DMS and DMD in K2-18B appears to be over ten parts, thousands of times more than the concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere. This could show far more biological activity than Earth if the signal turns out to be correct, but establishing that chemicals have biological origins requires more work, he says.
“We need to be very careful,” Madhusdan said. “At this stage, when you detect DMS and DMD, you can’t claim it’s for life. Let’s be very clear about that.
It could take some time to eliminate another mechanism, Wogan says. “This kind of thing hasn’t been studied in practice. In a hydrogen-rich atmosphere, DM doesn’t know tons about it. It requires a lot of work.”
The difficulty in proving that it has no nonbiological explanations is that it could potentially put K2-18B in the category of viable biosignature candidates over a long period of time. Sarah Seager At Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It could remain in that category for decades, because the problem will not be completely solved by providing limited data deplanets,” she says.
However, Madhusudhan says this discovery is important whether it comes from life or not. “This was a revolutionary moment, and we were able to come from a single cell life, not just as astronomers, but also for our species, from a single cell life billions of years ago, to a highly technological civilization where we could peer into the atmosphere of another planet and find evidence of actual biological activity,” he said.
The Mystery of the Universe: Cheshire, England
Spend a weekend with some of the brightest minds of science. Explore the mystery of the universe in an exciting program that includes an excursion to see the iconic Lovell telescope.
In the dimly lit room, broken symphonies of rattles, hums, and wobbles danced off the walls. However, the musicians responsible were nowhere to be seen.
Upon closer inspection, fragments of performers could be discerned, although their presence was not palpable.
In the midst of the room, spectators floated around an elevated pedestal, craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the brain behind the operation. Beneath the magnifying lens lay two white masses resembling miniature jellyfish. Together, they constituted a “mini-brain” cultivated in the laboratory of the late American composer Alvin Lucier.
“You’re peering into the Abyss”: the central pedestal of the revival, housing the “mini-brain” grown in Lucier’s lab. Photo: Rift Photography
Lucier, a trailblazer in experimental music, passed away in 2021. However, here in the art galleries of Western Australia, his legacy has been resurrected through cutting-edge neuroscience.
“Gazing down at its central pedestal, one pierces the veil,” remarks Nathan Thompson, the project’s artist and creator. “You peer deep within, observing what is alive. Unlike yourself.”
The Four Monsters who orchestrated the resurrection: Guy Benley, Matt Gingold, Nathan Thompson, and Stuart Hodgitz. Photo: Rift Photography
The revival is the handiwork of a self-proclaimed “four monsters” alongside a tight-knit team of scientists and artists who have dedicated decades to pushing the boundaries of biological arts: Thompson, along with fellow artists Ben Ally and Matt Gingold, and neuroscientist Stuart Hodgetts.
Lucier proved to be an ideal collaborator. In 1965, he became the first artist to utilize brain waves to produce live sounds in innovative solo performances. In 2018, the revival team, long-time admirers of Lucier’s work, brainstormed ideas with him. By 2020, at the age of 89 and battling Parkinson’s disease, Lucier consented to provide blood for the resurrection.
During the era of dinosaurs, which occurred 246 million to 66 million years ago, none of the species existing today were present. However, there are several groups of species currently inhabiting the earth whose lineage can be traced back to ancient ancestors with striking similarities.
These creatures, known as “living fossils,” seem to have remained almost unchanged over time. Nevertheless, it doesn’t imply that there have been no changes at all. Their DNA is distinct and has undergone numerous refinements throughout the process of evolution.
These living fossils provide a glimpse into life millions of years ago. They also demonstrate the resilience of certain groups to catastrophic prehistoric events that led to the extinction of others, such as the dinosaurs.
1. Crocodile
Extinct crocodiles, like their descendants, hung out by the water, waiting for prey. – Photo credit: JA Chirinos/Science Photo Library
Presently, there are over 20 species of crocodiles, including true crocodiles, alligators, caimans, and gharials. These extant crocodiles share a common ancestor that coexisted with dinosaurs during the Late Cretaceous period, approximately 80 million years ago (Mya).
This common ancestor bore a strong resemblance to today’s crocodiles, spending the majority of its time near water, basking in the sun, and hunting prey. Despite nearly 80 million years passing, modern crocodiles differ significantly from their ancient ancestors that first appeared around 235 million years ago in the late Triassic period.
Some extinct crocodile relatives, like Ritargosuchus, had a slim and agile build, hunting prey on land similar to wolves, while others, like the massive Sarcosuchus, reached lengths of up to 12 meters (about 40 feet) and preyed on animals by the riverbanks.
The diversity among early crocodile ancestors has led some scientists to argue against labeling them as “living fossils.” Although resembling prehistoric creatures, today’s crocodiles have evolved substantially from their ancestors and are likely to continue diversifying in response to climate change.
2. Horseshoe crab
Horseshoe crabs are found on the eastern coasts of the United States and Mexico, as well as the Pacific and Indian Ocean coasts of Asia – Photo credit: Getty Images
Despite its crab-like name, the horseshoe crab is more closely related to spiders, ticks, and scorpions than to crabs. Its ancestors emerged during the Late Ordovician Period around 445 million years ago, while the modern group, Limuridae, appeared approximately 250 million years ago during the Early Triassic Period.
For the majority of the last 250 million years, horseshoe crabs have remained largely unchanged, displaying minimal anatomical alterations. A comparison between fossilized and living specimens would lead one to believe they are the same creature.
Their lifestyle has also endured; just like their ancestors, modern horseshoe crabs feed on small insects and mollusks at the murky bottom of the ocean.
These creatures have survived multiple mass extinctions, including the cataclysmic event caused by an asteroid that resulted in the extinction of dinosaurs. Their ability to endure extreme conditions, such as low oxygen levels, is believed to contribute to their resilience against extinction.
3. Wasp
A female wasp lays eggs on a tree using her abdominal ovipositor – Photo credit: A TINAUT/USDA/APHIS/PPQ/ITP/WSDA
Measuring at 1 cm (0.3 inches) in length, this small hornet is the sole surviving member of the Waspidae family, which boasted nearly 50 species around 165 million years ago during the mid-Jurassic period.
The modern-day wasp, Syntesis libocedrii, is native to the mountains of central California (USA) and British Columbia (Canada), whereas its ancestors resided across Eurasia. At that time, the Eurasian continent was closely connected to North America through a series of islands.
Wasps are known to lay eggs in freshly burned cedar wood. Upon hatching, the larvae emerge cylindrically, burrowing into the forest to feed and grow. They spend up to three years in this larval stage before maturing into adults. Their lifecycle is intricately tied to wildfires and can contribute to significant economic damage to cedar wood stocks.
4. Tuatara
Tuatara eat insects, earthworms, and spiders, but also seabird eggs and chicks – Photo credit: Alamy Stock Photo
As the diversity of dinosaurs flourished around 200 million years ago during the Early Jurassic Period, another group of scaly, lizard-like creatures began thriving. This group, the Sphenodontidae family, was once very diverse but is now represented by the single species, Sphenodon punctatus or tuatara.
Although tuataras bear resemblance to skinks with scaly skin, splayed limbs, and clawed digits, they do not share a direct relationship. Instead, they share a common ancestor that lived around 250 million years ago, shortly after the Great Extinction event.
Presently, tuataras inhabit several small uninhabited islands surrounding New Zealand’s North Island, coexisting with burrowing seabirds and utilizing their burrows for shelter.
The guano produced by these seabirds supports vast populations of centipedes, crickets, and snails, forming an essential ecosystem on these islands.
5. Platypus
The adaptations that help platypuses swim, although somewhat awkward on land, allow them to retract the webs on their feet to expose their claws, making them good at digging – Photo by Doug Gimesy/naturepl.com
Charles Darwin coined the term “living fossil” when discussing the semi-aquatic egg-laying mammal, the platypus, in his renowned book “On the Origin of Species.”
Unlike other mammals, platypuses lay eggs and possess a duck-like beak, along with venomous spines on the hind legs of males. They use their beaks filled with electroreceptors to navigate their habitat and hunt for prey.
Adult platypuses lack teeth, while babies are born with tiny teeth that are later absorbed into their beaks. These vestigial teeth have helped researchers trace the evolutionary lineage of platypuses.
Alongside their closest living relative, the echidna, platypuses represent the last survivors of monotremes, a group of early mammals that diverged from marsupials and placentals during the Middle Jurassic Period around 170 million years ago.
6. Lungfish
Lungfish’s ability to breathe air allows them to survive when seasonal droughts affect the freshwater environments they live in. – Photo credit: Naturepl.com
Slender and reminiscent of insects, lungfish belong to an ancient group that emerged over 410 million years ago during the early Devonian period. This era marked the rise of ray-finned and lobe-finned fish, to which lungfish belong.
Similar to other lobe-finned fish, lungfish have limb-like fins and lungs enabling them to breathe air, aiding in their survival during drought periods.
While lungfish have changed little over hundreds of millions of years, they are anything but “primitive.” Their lungs are intricate structures optimized for gas exchange, with most modern lungfish possessing two lungs, with the exception of the Australian lungfish having one.
Currently, six lungfish species exist, distributed across Africa, South America, and Australia, preferring freshwater habitats unlike their ancestors. During the Devonian period, lungfish thrived worldwide and coexisted with tetrapods, the ancestors of modern amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
7. Horsetail
Horsetail can grow up to 30-60 cm (11-23 inches) in height and is a food source for invertebrates and mammals, including humans – Photo credit: Colin Varndell / Naturepl.com
Horsetail, an ancient plant resembling bamboo with tall hollow stems and horizontal bands, emerged around 185 million years ago, preceding the rise of flowering plants by 55 million years.
During the early Jurassic period, horsetails formed the undergrowth of dense forests, providing shelter and sustenance to various dinosaur species. Their hardy nature allows them to thrive globally, even being considered invasive in many regions including the UK.
coelacanth
The coelacanth was thought to be extinct until it was captured in 1938. – Photo credit: Laurent Ballesta/Andromede Oceanologie
The coelacanth, a prehistoric fish once believed to be extinct alongside dinosaurs 66 million years ago, was rediscovered in 1938 off the coast of South Africa.
Presently, only two coelacanth species are known, showcasing significant diversity during their prime that has led to the development of over 100 fossil species from the Early Devonian period to date.
The coelacanth’s evolutionary zenith occurred during the Mesozoic Era, between 252 million and 66 million years ago, where it exhibited a wide range of adaptations. These elusive fish reside in the deep waters of the western Indian Ocean, surfacing only at night to hunt small fish.
The coelacanth’s survival through multiple mass extinctions, including the asteroid event that wiped out dinosaurs, speaks to its remarkable resilience and adaptation to the deep-sea environment.
These living fossils have withstood catastrophic events and continue to thrive in their unique habitats, offering invaluable insights into the evolutionary history of Earth’s diverse ecosystems.
TThe current social media trend is familiar, with self-absorbed individuals posting excessively on the platforms they dominate, a scenario we’ve seen play out in the past. Donald Trump’s incendiary tweets post-election loss resulted in the Capitol siege on January 6, 2021. Following this, the then-president was banned from Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and even Pinterest, disappointing those aiming to emulate the Mar-a-Lago style on their mood boards.
The situation is likely to evolve differently this time, especially with social media provocateur Elon Musk at the helm of the platform he utilizes.
During Trump’s tenure, I was stationed at Twitter as its highest-ranking official outside the U.S. Over my eight-year tenure, it became apparent that there was a disparity in the interpretation of free speech between the UK and the U.S., with the latter often championing a libertarian outlook on the concept.
As the UK subsidiary of an American entity, we witnessed a daily fervent defense of free speech. Twitter’s founding legal advisor, Alex MacGillivray, famously dubbed the company as “the free speech wing of the free speech party.” While the U.S. often assumes its freedoms are unique, the UK’s Human Rights Act of 1998 guarantees freedom of speech while also acknowledging its responsibility, stressing that it should not be used to incite criminal activities or spread hatred.
For American tech firms, the interpretation of “free speech” varies. During my tenure at Twitter under a more enlightened leadership, the UK team quickly realized that the Silicon Valley notion of “free speech” wasn’t always geared towards fostering an ideal world. Instead, it often allowed certain groups to target marginalized sections of society, such as women, the LGBTQ+ community, and ethnic minorities, with impunity, detracting from the platform’s original enjoyable nature.
Working within the UK office felt akin to operating within a parliamentary system devoid of a written constitution, relying more on external expectations to shape the organization’s direction.
Efforts to brand “free speech” as a philosophical conviction notwithstanding, its appeal to tech companies is primarily economic. As journalist Kara Swisher notes, Silicon Valley’s approach is more profit-driven than principle-based, evidenced by the support for Trump within San Francisco’s venture capital realm. Holding tech oligarchs accountable for their platforms’ content is feasible and necessary.
Considerations around Musk’s tweets often offer insights into his actions. For instance, his posts on social media platforms like Instagram highlight his late-night musings, providing clues about his mindset and geographic location. Musk’s propensity for controversial posts and real-world ramifications underscores the need for accountability on social media platforms.
The discussion centers on whether billionaire oligarchs like Musk should be allowed to influence societal discourse unchecked. Calls for regulation and accountability in the social media landscape are imperative to address the challenges posed by influential figures like Musk.
Bruce Daisley served as Twitter’s vice president for Europe, Middle East, and Africa from 2012 to 2020.
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People collect water in hot weather in New Delhi, India on May 22.
Amarjeet Kumar Singh/Anadolu via Getty Images
With each new month comes new records as the planet continues to experience unprecedented, record-breaking heatwaves. Last month, global temperatures were the warmest on record for a May, marking the 12th consecutive month of such record-breaking weather, according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
Copernicus’ Carlo Buontempo said in a statement that while the current record will eventually end, the record set over the past year is likely to be broken in coming years as the world continues to warm due to rising greenhouse gases. “This period of the hottest months will likely be remembered as a relatively cool one,” Buontempo said.
The average Earth’s surface temperature in May 2024 was 1.52°C higher than the 1850-1900 average, considered pre-industrial levels, and 0.19°C higher than the warmest May to date, in 2020. May 2024 will mark the 11th consecutive month with average temperatures more than 1.5°C higher than pre-industrial levels, the threshold that countries aim to avoid exceeding under the 2015 Paris Agreement.
The global average temperature over the past 12 months was 1.63°C higher than the average from 1850 to 1900, the highest on record, but climate scientists will not consider the 1.5°C limit to have been breached until the long-term average exceeds this level.
Climate scientists had predicted that 2023 and 2024 would be hotter because of an El Niño weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that dumps ocean heat into the atmosphere, temporarily warming the surface of the planet on top of the trends caused by rising greenhouse gases. But temperatures actually turned out to be even hotter than predicted, and it’s unclear why.
El Niño is now being replaced by La Niña, during which much of the Pacific Ocean absorbs more heat than usual from the atmosphere. This may temporarily cool sea surface temperatures, but because sea surface temperatures are still at record levels, 2024 is likely to be even hotter than 2023.
Unusually warm May caused extreme heat and heat waves Heat waves are occurring in parts of the world, including large swaths of India, where temperatures in the capital Delhi reached a new record of 49.9°C (121.8°F) on May 28.
Howler monkeys in Mexico Falling from a tree and dying This heat has now spread to the northern United States during a prolonged heat wave.
Last year, a study warned that if the world exceeds the 1.5°C limit, heatwaves could become so intense that they cause mass deaths in places where people are not used to such heat and buildings are not designed with it in mind.
Mateo Greco, Research Analyst, Listed Digital Assets and FinTech Investment Business Finekia International (CSE:FNQ)
Bitcoin (BTC) ended the week at around $41,600, down just 0.4% from the previous week's closing price of around $41,750. Prices have become less volatile and more stable following the SEC's approval of the ETF compared to the previous week, putting an end to speculation on the issue.
The introduction of the new BTC Spot ETF has attracted funds from traditional finance to the digital asset market. The 11 spot ETFs have collectively attracted approximately $1.15 billion in cumulative inflows since inception. Leading the pack is the BlackRock Spot ETF with about $1.4 billion in assets under management (AUM), followed closely by the Fidelity Spot ETF with about $1.26 billion in assets under management.
This inflow was partially offset by the fact that one of the 11 spot ETFs launched was Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC). GBTC is not a new product; it has been traded in trust since 2015, but was converted to an ETF. The product has experienced significant outflows of approximately $2.81 billion since the conversion, with total inflows for the 11BTC Spot ETF decreasing from approximately $3.96 billion to $1.15 billion.
At the time of the conversion, GBTC held approximately 620,000 BTC, which has now decreased to approximately 552,000 BTC. The large outflow can be attributed to two main factors. First, prior to the conversion, due to the structure of the product, GBTC customers were restricted from redeeming their shares and could only sell them on the secondary market. This forced many customers to hold positions for years without an exit option unless they were willing to sell at a deep discount on the secondary market. Second, the high management fee charged by Grayscale (1.5%) compared to most of its competitors (0.2%/0.3%) has led some investors to choose between cashing out their profits or offering a more cost-effective option. I withdrew my investment from Grayscale to reinvest in a high-performing ETF.
BTC spot ETFs recorded strong activity with high trading volumes. Since their launch, the cumulative trading volume of the 11 spot ETFs has reached approximately $16.6 billion in six trading days, or an average daily trading volume of approximately $2.77 billion. As expected, GBTC recorded the highest trading volume given the large amount of BTC being stored and the dynamic activity related to the conversion of trusts into ETFs.
With the successful launch of the BTC Spot ETF, market participants and analysts are now focusing on the potential for the ETF to include a variety of digital assets. Analysts predict an Ethereum (ETH) spot ETF has a greater than 70% chance of approval this year. This expectation is reinforced by analyzing the price trend of ETH. Immediately after the approval of the BTC Spot ETF, funds were transferred from BTC to ETH. ETH rose 17% versus BTC and 11% in dollar terms during the week of approval. This indicates that market participants are anticipating the approval of the ETH Spot ETF following the green light for the BTC Spot ETF and are adjusting their positions accordingly.
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