Tag Archives: expected

OpenAI Expected to Navigate a $1 Trillion Market Shift

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OpenAI is said to be gearing up for a stock market debut, potentially becoming the largest initial public offering (IPO) ever, with a valuation of $1 trillion (£760 billion) expected as soon as next year.

The creator of the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT is contemplating an IPO filing in the latter half of 2026, as reported by Reuters, based on information from sources close to the matter. The company aims to raise at least $60 billion.

The fluctuations in stock market shares offer OpenAI an additional avenue for funding, supporting CEO Sam Altman’s vision of investing trillions in the construction of data centers and other necessary infrastructure to accelerate chatbot development.

During a livestream on Tuesday, Altman reportedly stated: “Given our future funding needs, this is the most likely path for us.”

An OpenAI representative noted, “We cannot set a date as the IPO is not our priority. Our focus is on building a sustainable business and advancing our mission for the benefit of all through AGI.”

AGI, or artificial general intelligence, is defined by OpenAI as “a highly autonomous system that surpasses humans in performing the most economically valuable tasks.”

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Founded in 2015 as a nonprofit, OpenAI aims to securely develop AGI for the benefit of humanity. Recently, the company underwent a major restructuring, transitioning its core operations to a for-profit model. Although still overseen by a nonprofit, this change facilitates capital raising and prepares the ground for an IPO.

As it stands, Microsoft holds approximately a 27% stake in the commercial entity, valuing OpenAI at $500 billion under the terms of their deal. Following the restructuring announcement, Microsoft’s valuation reached over $4 trillion for the first time.

Technology news outlet Information reported that OpenAI recorded revenues of $4.3 billion alongside an operating loss of $7.8 billion in the first half of this year.

Such enormous valuations do not ease concerns that the AI sector may be in a bubble. Bank of England officials have recently warned that tech stocks driven by the AI surge face heightened risk, noting market vulnerability if expectations about AI impact wane.

OpenAI’s Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar has reportedly informed colleagues that the company is targeting a public offering in 2027, although some advisers speculate it could occur in the year prior, as reported by Reuters.

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Major Migration” Necessitates Far Fewer Wild Taxes Than Expected.

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Serengeti wildebeest migrations may involve fewer animals than previously believed

Nicholas Tinnelli / Aramie

The “great migration” in East Africa is often estimated to consist of around 1.3 million wildebeest. However, a recent AI analysis of satellite images reveals that fewer than 600,000 animals make this yearly journey across the Serengeti Mara landscape.

This significant migration includes wild zebras and antelopes, as they traverse between feeding and breeding areas in both Kenya and Tanzania, while also evading predators such as lions, crocodiles, and hyenas.

Determining the number of migrating animals is a challenging process, traditionally accomplished through aerial surveys with crew members. These surveys typically cover limited areas, necessitating the use of statistical models to estimate animal density across larger regions.

In contrast, satellite surveys offer a solution to these challenges since a single image can encompass extensive areas, minimizing the chances of double-counting and eliminating the need for metabolic calculations. While manually counting wildebeests over such vast expanses is impractical, AI can aggregate the data effectively. “AI automation enhances count consistency and accuracy,” says Isla Duporge from Oxford University.

In a new study, Duporge and her team developed two deep learning models (U-Net and Yolov8) to identify wildebeest using a dataset of 70,417 manually labeled images. These models were then applied to high-resolution satellite images spanning over 4000 square kilometers, with capture dates of August 6, 2022, and August 28, 2023.

The two AI models returned comparable results: counting 324,202 and 337,926 wildebeests in 2022, and 502,917 and 533,137 in 2023. The apparent disparity between the counts from 2022 and 2023 highlights that the surveys were conducted at different times in August. “[What’s encouraging is that deep learning models with differing methodologies have produced consistent findings,” notes Duporge.

Since the 1970s, earlier estimates of 1.3 million were derived from aerial surveys and have remained largely unchanged. “If we can accurately count all individuals with zero errors based on our results, we estimate the true population size to be around 800,000,” Duporge remarked. “We believe the aerial estimates are inflated, and our count likely reflects a slight underestimation. Some animals may be hidden under trees or outside the survey area, but it’s quite surprising that the count doesn’t exceed 533,137.”

A lower count doesn’t necessarily indicate that the wild population is declining; they may have adjusted their migratory routes. Nevertheless, wildebeests face serious threats, such as habitat loss and fragmentation due to agricultural expansion. Accurately estimating their populations is crucial for implementing effective conservation strategies.

The researchers had previously trained AI models to identify elephants using satellite data, marking the first instance of such a method for conducting individual mammal censuses across large, dispersed populations. The team is now working on a similar approach for detecting and counting African rhinoceroses.

“We should shift towards satellite and AI methods for assessing wildlife populations, particularly for species that inhabit large and diverse landscapes,” suggests Duporge.

The researcher’s model code is now accessible at https://github.com/sat-wildlife/wildebeest

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New Research Reveals Larger Dinosaurs Don’t Have Stronger Bites Than Expected

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It’s not that the enormous, carnivorous dinosaurs weren’t the terrifying, bone-crushing predators we envision.

A new study published in the journal Current Biology reveals that a variety of bipedal carnivorous dinosaurs, including Tyrannosaurus Rex, Spinosaurus, and Allosaurus, have evolved to possess the necessary skull strength for powerful bites.

Utilizing 3D scanning and computer modeling, the researchers examined the skull biomechanics of 18 species of theropods.

The findings indicated that while T. Rex and other giants had skulls designed to deliver immense bite forces capable of breaking bones, they actually possessed relatively weak jaws and employed diverse hunting strategies.

“The skull of a T. Rex was specifically optimized for high bite force, which led to significant skull stress,” stated the lead author, Dr. Andrew Lowe from the University of Bristol, UK. “In contrast, stress patterns in other giants like Giganotosaurus suggested they had relatively mild bites. This implies a variety of evolutionary pathways for these carnivorous giants.”

Giganotosaurus is larger than T. rex, reaching 13m (43 feet) long and weighing almost 14 tons – Credit: Getty

Instead of adhering to a singular evolutionary path to apex status, large carnivorous dinosaurs evolved various skull shapes and feeding strategies. Some, like T. Rex, would bite down akin to a crocodile, while others, such as Allosaurus and Spinosaurus, employed thrashing or ripping techniques reminiscent of modern Komodo dragons and big cats.

“The Tyrannosaurus took a different approach,” remarked Steve Brusatte, a professor and paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh who was not part of the study, as reported by BBC Science Focus. “They developed immense bite strength, allowing them to crush the bones of their prey. This created a perilous lifestyle, subjecting the skull’s bones and muscles to significant stress.”

The results also challenge the belief that larger dinosaurs necessarily had stronger bites. Some smaller species may actually exert more stress on their skulls due to increased muscle mass, indicating that size alone isn’t the key factor in bite power.

The variability in bite strength and skull architecture hints at a more specialized ecological landscape in dinosaur ecosystems, offering multiple strategies for dominance in the prehistoric food chain.

“There wasn’t a singular ‘best’ skull design for being a predatory giant. Various designs proved effective,” noted Lowe. “This biomechanical diversity implies that dinosaur ecosystems supported a more extensive range of giant carnivorous ecological niches than we typically consider, with less competition and greater specialization.”

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About our experts

Steve Brusatte is a professor and paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh, and author of the book Mammal Ascending and Governing (20 pounds, Picador), focusing on 325 million years of mammalian evolution and fossils.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Many Exoplanets Discovered by NASA’s TESS Satellite Could Be Larger Than Expected

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The radius of a planet is a crucial factor in understanding its composition and characteristics. Accurate radius measurements are generally obtained by analyzing the percentage of starlight blocked as the planet transits its host star. NASA’s Transit Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has identified hundreds of new exoplanets; however, its low angular resolution can lead to the mixing of light from stars hosting exoplanets with that of background stars. If not entirely corrected, this additional light may dilute the transit signal, leading to an underestimation of the planetary radius. In their analysis of the planet Tess, astronomers from the University of California, Irvine revealed that systematically incorrect planetary radii are frequently reported in scientific literature.

Artistic impression of a gas giant exoplanet and its parent red dwarf star. Image credit: Sci.News.

“We have discovered that many exoplanets are larger than previously thought, which shifts our understanding of exoplanet characteristics on a wide scale,” states Tae Han, a doctoral student at the University of California, Irvine.

“This suggests that we may have actually identified Earth-like planets that are fewer than we initially believed.”

Astronomers cannot directly observe exoplanets; they rely on the planets passing in front of their host stars to measure the subtle decrease in starlight.

“Essentially, we are measuring the shadows cast by planets,” remarks Paul Robertson, a professor at the University of California, Irvine.

In their study, the authors examined the observations of hundreds of exoplanets detected by TESS.

They found that light from neighboring stars could “contaminate” the light emitted by the stars under study.

This results in planets transiting in front of their stars appearing smaller than their actual size, receiving less light compared to larger planets.

Astronomers have conducted numerous studies explaining the characteristics of planets discovered by TESS.

They categorized the planets based on how different research teams measured their radii and used computer models to estimate the extent of bias resulting from light interference from adjacent stars.

Data from the ESA Gaia satellite was utilized to assess the impact of light contamination on TESS observations.

“TESS data is indeed contaminated, and our custom models perform better than any existing methods in the field,” stated Professor Robertson.

“What we discovered in this study is that these planets could be systematically larger than we initially assumed.”

“This raises the question: How common are Earth-sized planets?”

Previously, it was thought there were fewer planets resembling Earth in size.

“Among the single-planet systems identified by TESS, only three were believed to have a composition similar to Earth,” Han noted.

“This new finding indicates that all of them are larger than we previously thought.”

This implies that instead of rocky planets like Earth, they are more likely to be water worlds (planets entirely covered by vast oceans that are often larger than Earth) or larger gas giants like Uranus or Neptune.

This could have significant implications for the search for life on distant worlds, as water worlds may harbor life but lack the specific conditions necessary for life to thrive as it does on Earth.

“These insights have important consequences for our understanding of exoplanets, including prioritizing follow-up observations with the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and assessing the prevalence of water worlds in our galaxy,” concluded Professor Robertson.

The study was published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.

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Tae Han et al. 2025. Hundreds of TESS exoplanets may be larger than previously thought. ApJL 988, L4; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ade794

Source: www.sci.news

Tesla Vehicle Deliveries Expected to Decline Significantly Due to Mask Rebound Impact on Demand

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Tesla has experienced a notable decline in quarterly deliveries, marking its second consecutive year of falling sales as demand wanes, influenced by CEO Elon Musk’s political views and the aging vehicle lineup.

In the second quarter, Tesla reported delivering 384,122 vehicles, a decrease of 13.5% from the 443,956 units delivered the same period last year. Analysts had anticipated deliveries of approximately 394,378 vehicles, based on an average estimate from 23 units by financial research firm Visible Alpha. However, forecasts from 10 analysts over the last month have been revised down to around 360,080 units. Analysts view delivery numbers as crucial indicators for evaluating vehicle sales and production success.


Seth Goldstein, senior equity analyst at Morningstar, commented, “The market is reacting less negatively than previously anticipated as several analysts have lowered their forecasts over the past week.”

This year, Tesla’s stock has fallen by 25%, driven by concerns over brand erosion in Europe, where sales are experiencing the most significant downturn, attributed to Musk’s alignment with right-wing politics and his role in the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures. Following the public fallout between Trump and Musk in early June, Tesla saw a dramatic loss of about $150 billion in market value. Although there was a partial recovery in stock value the next month, tensions between Trump and Musk intensified amidst discussions of Trump’s expansive tax reforms.

Despite Musk asserting that sales increased in April, Tesla’s delivery dip comes in the context of a steadily expanding global EV market.

Earlier this year, the company revamped its top-selling Model Y crossover to stimulate demand, but the redesign resulted in production delays, leading some customers to postpone purchases while awaiting the updated model.

A significant portion of Tesla’s revenue and profit stem from its core electric vehicle business, while much of its trillion-dollar valuation hinges on Musk’s ambitious projections regarding the conversion of its vehicles to Robotaxis.

Last month, Tesla launched its Robotaxi service in a limited area of Austin, Texas, adhering to several restrictions, including selective invitations and the presence of safety monitors in the passenger seats. Nonetheless, only a handful of pilots were initiated, with around 12 Robotaxis operational. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun investigating the rollout of Tesla’s autonomous driving services.

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The automaker anticipates beginning production of more affordable vehicles and enhancing the Model Y by the end of June.

While the introduction of less expensive models may provide a sales boost, Wall Street projects a second consecutive annual decline in sales. To achieve Musk’s objective of returning to growth for the year, Tesla will need to deliver 1 million units in the latter half of the year, a monumental challenge despite the historically strong sales numbers during this period.

Source: www.theguardian.com

National Weather Service Issues Warning: Radio Interruptions Expected as Thunderstorms Approach Alabama

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A significant storm is forecasted to impact Alabama this week, as the National Weather Service has halted radio services that deliver vital weather updates for the area.

The Birmingham NWS office announced it will conduct “mandatory scheduled updates” to the advanced weather interactive processing system, which is essential for displaying and integrating weather and water information and disseminating critical alerts like weather and water warnings to the public.

These updates are set to take place from May 19th to May 21st. During this period, the Birmingham office will manage the NOAA weather radio transmitter. The NWS states.

Despite the software updates, the NWS assures that weather forecasts, advisories, clocks, and warnings will still be available. However, radio outages are expected to affect transmitters in northern and central Alabama, including areas like Winfield, Wannta, Birmingham, Aniston, Tuscaloosa, Demopolis, Selma, Montgomery, Auburn, and Texasville.

The NWS did not provide immediate comments, but the agency stated online that the Birmingham forecast office will remain operational while the software updates proceed. Additionally, forecasting duties will also be carried out at the backup office in Peachtree City, Georgia.

NOAA Weather Radio forms a nationwide network of stations that relay official forecasts, weather alerts, and other information from the National Weather Service. This continuous service covers warnings about various threats, including earthquakes, avalanches, oil spills, and public safety announcements.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which supervises the National Weather Service, indicated that NOAA weather radio stations nationwide will undergo necessary updates on a rolling basis for two to three days leading up to June.

“The NWS Local Office intends to inform listeners both on-air and through the website when updates are scheduled,” agency officials noted. According to the NOAA Weather Radio website.

Alabama is among several states facing the threat of severe storms this week, with thunderstorms on Tuesday predicted to produce damaging hail and tornadoes, with wind gusts reaching 60 mph across northwest and central Alabama.

This week’s radio service disruption aligns with Alabama’s severe weather forecast, but it is not the only state bracing for harsh conditions.

An estimated 31 million people are susceptible to severe storms on Monday, stretching from northern Texas to Iowa. Potential hazards include strong winds, large hail, and tornadoes from Monday afternoon into the evening.

On Tuesday, the severe storm outlook will slightly shift, affecting areas from northern Louisiana to Indiana, with risks of large hail, winds, and strong tornadoes re-emerging.

In the meantime, a heat wave has driven temperatures into the late 90s in parts of Texas and Florida, reaching triple digits earlier this week.

These alerts follow a weekend of violent storms, leading to reports of tornadoes in at least 10 states, including Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and Kentucky, with a confirmed toll of at least 28 weather-related fatalities.

This deadly storm arrives as NOAA strives to fill critical forecasting positions nationwide following significant budget cuts to the National Weather Service during the Trump administration. Critics warn that the current staffing shortages in the NWS could pose a serious public safety risk, particularly with hurricane season on the horizon, increasing wildfire threats, and persisting extreme heat this summer.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The White House Expected to Itemize Customs Fees for Amazon

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The White House has accused Amazon of engaging in “hostile and political acts” following reports that the e-commerce giant intends to inform customers about the cost of Donald Trump’s tariffs during their shopping experience.

Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt commented on the news, citing Punch Bowl News, which indicated that Amazon has begun displaying to users how much product prices have risen on its site, mentioning that this could obscure the total price shown.

“Why didn’t Amazon take this action when the Biden administration raised inflation to its highest levels in 40 years?” Leavitt questioned during a press briefing.

Since Trump implemented extensive tariffs in early April, Amazon’s online marketplace has seen significant price increases, particularly for goods shipped from China, where many of the items listed originate. According to reports, the company has applied pressure on third-party sellers to absorb additional import costs instead of passing them on to customers. Amazon has not yet responded to inquiries for comment.

Leavitt emphasized, “This is yet another reason for Americans to support local businesses,” while noting that Amazon’s headquarters is based in Seattle.

Trump’s trade policies have significantly impacted online shopping. Just a day before the White House’s criticism of Amazon, discount retailers like Temu and Shein, who import from China, began including 145% “import charges” in their customers’ totals to account for the extra costs associated with Chinese products.

When asked if the White House’s stern remarks indicated a rift between Trump and Amazon’s former CEO, who stepped down in 2021 and contributed $1 million to Trump’s Inaugural Fund earlier this year, the question remained open.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Report: AI Data Centers Expected to Quadruple Energy Demand by 2030

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The rapid adoption of AI technology globally is projected to consume a substantial amount of energy equivalent to Japan’s current energy consumption by the end of the decade. However, only half of this energy demand is expected to come from renewable sources.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) report suggests that the electricity consumed by processing data with AI in the United States alone will be significant by 2030. The overall electricity demand from data centers worldwide is anticipated to more than double by 2030, with AI being a key driver of this surge.

One data center currently consumes as much energy as 100,000 households, but newer ones under construction may require up to 20 times more. Despite these demands, fears that AI adoption will hinder efforts to combat climate change are deemed “exaggerated” in the report, which highlights the potential for AI to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Executive Director of IEA, Fatih Birol, emphasizes that AI presents a significant technological shift in the energy sector and underscores the importance of responsible use. AI has the potential to optimize energy grids for renewable sources and enhance efficiencies in energy systems and industrial processes.

Furthermore, AI can facilitate advancements in various sectors like transportation, urban planning, and resource exploration. Despite the energy challenges posed by AI, strategic government intervention is crucial to ensure a sustainable balance between technological growth and environmental preservation.

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However, concerns persist regarding the potential negative impacts of AI, such as increased water consumption in arid regions and potential reliance on non-renewable energy sources. To address these challenges, transparent governance and proactive measures are essential to harness the benefits of AI while mitigating its adverse effects.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Could you survive on Uranus for longer than expected?

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Uranus seen on the Voyager 2 spaceship in 1986

NASA/JPL-Caltech

The day on Uranus has been a little longer thanks to a more accurate measurement of its rotation period, which should help scientists plan missions to investigate the gas giant.

Understanding the rotation period of giant planets in the solar system is much more difficult than anything like Mars or Earth, as ferocious wind storms make direct measurements impossible.

The first measurement of Uranus rotation was from the Voyager 2 probe, which took the closest approach on January 24, 1986. Researchers at the time determined that the planet’s magnetic field was 59 degrees from the north of the sky, but the axis of rotation was offset by 98 degrees.

These extreme offsets mean that Uranus effectively “lying down” compared to Earth, while the magnetic pole follows a larger circle as the planet rotates. Researchers at the time found that they completed a full rotation every 17 hours by measuring both the magnetic field and the radio emissions from the aurora.

now, Laurent Ramie The Paris Observatory in France and his colleagues measured it 28 seconds longer. More importantly, their measurements are 1000 times more accurate, reducing the margin of error per second.

Researchers looked at images of Uranus’ ultraviolet aurora taken by the Hubble Space Telescope between 2011 and 2022, and tracked the long-term evolution of the planet’s magnetic poles and circled the axis of rotation.

The error in previous measurements meant that it became impossible to accurately determine the location of Uranus after more than a few years, but the new measurements should be effective for decades. This means that it may depend on calculating mission-critical objectives, such as the probes may orbit and enter the planet’s atmosphere.

Tim Bedding The University of Sydney in Australia calls the team’s measurement techniques “very smart,” but points out that the new period of the day on Uranus doesn’t differ much, and is within the scope of old calculation errors. “That hasn’t changed much,” Bedding says. “Now, the more convenient it is, the more accurate it becomes.”

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.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Global ransomware payments expected to drop by one-third following crackdown on cybercrime.

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Ransomware payments have dropped by over one-third compared to last year, totaling $813 million, as victims are now refusing to pay cybercriminals and law enforcement. The trend has been cracked.

This decline in cyber attacks involves computers or data being blocked with a demand for money to release it, despite notable cases in 2024 in the UK and the US, including the well-known donut company Krispy Kreme and NHS Trust.

Last year’s ransomware payments have decreased from the recorded $1.250 million in 2023, with a research company analyzing payment data and stating that payments dropped significantly in the second half of the year due to actions taken and the resistance to paying cyber criminals.

The total for 2024 was lower than the $1.1 billion recorded in 2020 and 2019, coming in at $999 million. In ransomware attacks, criminals gain access to the victim’s IT system, steal data, encrypt it, and demand a ransom payment in bitcoin to decrypt the files and return the data.

Jacqueline Burns Koven, head of cyber threat intelligence at Chain Dissolving, noted that the decrease in ransomware payments signifies a shift in the ransomware landscape. She mentioned the effectiveness of measures, improvement in international cooperation, and the impact on attackers and victims.

However, Burns Koven cautioned that the downward trend in payments is fragile, and ransomware attacks continue to be prevalent.

Further evidence shows that victims refusing to comply with attackers’ demands lead to an increase in ransomware attacks demands by cyber gangs, exceeding actual payments by 53%.

During the same period, the number of ransom-related “on-chain” payments (terms in the blockchain recording encryption transactions) decreased, indicating less compliance from victims.

One expert mentioned an international operation that successfully took down the Lockbit ransomware gang in February, as well as the disappearance of another cyber criminal group called Blackcat/Alphv.

Lizzy Cookson from a Ransomware-compatible company stated that the current ransomware atmosphere is influenced by newcomers focusing on smaller markets with modest ransom demands.

In the UK, there’s consideration to ban schools, NHS, and local councils from paying ransomware demands. Private companies would need to report payments to the government, which could potentially block them. Reporting ransomware attacks may also become mandatory if legal changes are implemented.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The peak of the first Shibungid meteor shower of 2025 is expected this week

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overview

  • The annual Quadrantids meteor shower is scheduled to reach its peak early Friday morning.
  • This will be the first meteor shower in 2025.
  • The crescent moon sets before the shower peaks, so future shows won’t be overshadowed by moonlight.

Ring in the new year with the first meteor shower of 2025.

The annual Quadrantids meteor shower is scheduled to peak early Friday morning, before dawn. Showers have already begun to fall, but that’s when people in the northern hemisphere will have the best chance of seeing shooting stars. The celestial show will continue until January 16th, although some lucky ones might be able to find some photos on New Year’s Eve.

The Quadrantids meteor shower is caused by a piece of an asteroid called 2003 EH1, which takes more than five years to complete one orbit around the sun.

The Quadrantids meteor shower is known for producing brighter, and sometimes more colorful, fireball meteors because they originate from larger pieces.

By the peak of the rain early Friday morning, the crescent moon has already set, so there’s no danger of the shooting stars being obscured by the bright moonlight.

The Quadrantids meteor shower will be best visible in mid-northern to far northern latitudes on Friday before sunlight begins to shine. For ideal viewing, pack your bags and go somewhere with a clear, unobstructed view of the sky, away from city lights.

Meteors can be seen with the naked eye without the need for special equipment.

In both clear and dark conditions, people were able to spot about 120 meteors per hour during the peak of the shower. According to NASA.

Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through huge streams of debris from comets and asteroids. When these pieces of rock and space dust collide with the planet’s atmosphere, they flare up and streak the night sky as shooting stars.

While most other meteor showers take two or more days to reach their peak, the Quadrantids’ peak is short, lasting only about six hours. NASA says this is because the debris cloud is relatively thin and Earth’s orbit is such that the planet passes through it at a perpendicular angle.

Meteor showers are usually named based on where in the sky the shooting stars appear to originate from. For example, Perseid meteors appear to come from the constellation Perseus, and Geminid meteors appear to originate from the constellation Gemini.

However, the Cygnids meteor shower is named after a now-defunct constellation known as the Cygnus. This group of stars was not included when the International Astronomical Union compiled its list of recognized modern constellations in 1922, but the meteor shower retained its name.

The former constellation Quadrans Muralis was located near the Big Dipper. Although meteors may appear to come from this point in the sky, people should be able to see them across the sky without looking in a specific direction.

The next major meteor shower this year, following the Cygnids meteor shower, is the Lyrid meteor shower, which occurs in April.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Temperatures Expected to Decrease to Below 1.5°C by 2025 According to Global Forecasts

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Severe storms caused by La Niña in Queensland, Australia

Genevieve Vallee/Alamy Stock Photo

The UK's national weather and climate agency, the Met Office, predicts that the Earth's average surface temperature in 2025 will be between 1.29°C and 1.53°C warmer than the pre-industrial average, and possibly 1.41°C. This is slightly lower than 2024, when temperatures are expected to exceed 1.5°C for the first time in the calendar year.

“A year ago, our 2024 forecasts highlighted for the first time the potential for temperatures to exceed 1.5C,” the Met Office's Nick Dunstone said in a statement. “While this appears to have happened, it is important to realize that temporarily exceeding 1.5°C does not mean a violation of the Paris Agreement. However, the first year above 1.5°C It is certainly a solemn milestone in climate history.”

The Paris Agreement set a goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C to 2°C above pre-industrial standards. Most climate scientists currently define pre-industrial temperature as the Earth's average surface temperature between 1850 and 1900. This is because this is the earliest period for which reliable direct measurements were obtained. However, some studies suggest that by that time, the world had already warmed significantly as a result of human activity.

Next year will be among the top three warmest years on record, according to 2025 projections

Japan Meteorological Agency

The expected drop in surface temperatures in 2025 is the result of heat transfer from the atmosphere to the oceans due to La Niña, and does not mean that global warming has stopped. The overall heat content of the oceans and atmosphere continues to rise as atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are rising due to increased carbon dioxide emissions from human activities.

During a La Niña event, cold water rises in the Pacific Ocean and spreads across the Earth's surface, resulting in a net heat transfer from the atmosphere to the ocean. When an El Niño event occurs, the opposite happens. The 2023 El Niño helped break records for surface temperatures that year, which will be surpassed in 2024. But El Niño alone cannot fully explain the record temperatures.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Fewer People Expected to Reach 100 Years Old as Life Expectancy Growth Slows

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Few people celebrate their 100th birthday.

Comet/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Will you live to be 100 years old? For the average person, the answer is probably no, as life expectancy growth has slowed in wealthy countries despite advances in medicine and living conditions. This suggests there may be a biological limit to our age, but some researchers believe further progress is possible.

The current slowdown is in sharp contrast to 20 years.th Over the past century, life expectancy at birth in wealthy areas has increased by three years per decade in what researchers call radical life extension. People born in the mid-1800s had a life expectancy of 20 to 50 years, but by the 1990s they had reached 50 to 70 years.

Extrapolating from this trend, some people at the time began predicting that newborns in the 21st century would typically live to be over 100 years old, but that point has now been reached and this may have been too optimistic. It seems so.

S. Jay Olshansky Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago analyzed mortality data from the 1990s to 2019 in nine wealthy countries, including the United States, Australia, South Korea, and Hong Kong. The 2019 cutoff was aimed at avoiding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers found that life expectancy at birth increased by an average of 6.5 years over the study period. In the United States, reached 78.8 While in Hong Kong in 2019 It was 85.

However, from 2010 to 2019, the growth rate slowed in most countries compared to the past 20 years. The U.S. is in the worst position, perhaps because of the ongoing opioid crisis, Olshansky said. By contrast, only Hong Kong has seen an increase in life expectancy growth since 2010, but it is unclear what is causing this, he said. That may be because people have easier access to health care than in other regions, he says.

Based on historical trends, researchers predict that life expectancy at birth will never exceed 84 years for men and 90 years for women. They also calculate that only a small number of today's newborns will live to be 100 years old.

The recent slowdown may be because the greatest advances in environmental and medical improvements were already achieved in the 1900s, and human aging is reaching its biological limits, Olshansky said. Jan Vig A professor at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine thinks similarly. “There are certain biological limits that keep us from getting older,” he says.

but jerry mccartney Researchers from the University of Glasgow in the UK say that the slowdown in growth over the past decade is mainly due to policies in many of the countries analyzed, which have led to cuts in social security and health services and increased poverty. states that it is possible. Without these, life expectancy growth might not have slowed down, so with the right policies, life expectancy could continue to rise, he says.

in fact, michael rose A professor at the University of California, Irvine, believes there is no limit to the human lifespan. With the right investments in anti-aging research, he says, we could see another radical increase in life expectancy this century, at least in wealthy countries.

Olshansky said he was positive that life expectancy is still increasing despite the recent economic slowdown. “Of course we should celebrate the fact that we can live this long,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

After the removal of dams, salmon are expected to have unrestricted access to the Klamath River.

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Salmon will soon be able to migrate freely up the Klamath River and its tributaries, marking a significant milestone in the watershed near the California-Oregon border. The largest dam removal project in American history is reaching completion.

This week, excavators will destroy rock dams that have been obstructing water flow upstream on two rivers. Two embankments, Iron Gate and Copco No. 1, which were almost completely removed, will now allow the river to flow freely through its historic channel, providing salmon access to vital habitat just in time for the fall king salmon season.

A Yurok tribal member leads a redwood canoe tour on the lower Klamath River in Klamath, California, on June 8, 2021. As salmon in the Klamath River decline, the Yurok Tribe is turning to alternative sources of revenue, such as ecotourism and canoe tours, to support the tribe.
Nathan Howard/AP File

“Seeing the river return to its original course and the dams removed bodes well for our future,” said Leaf Hillman, a ceremonial leader for the Karuk people who have been advocating for Klamath dam removal for over 25 years. This is crucial for the tribe and others in the region.

The demolition precedes the anticipated completion of the removal of four massive dams on the Klamath River by about a month. This is part of a national movement to restore rivers to their natural state and revive ecosystems for fish and wildlife.

Since February, over 2,000 dams have been removed in the United States, with many removed in the past 25 years, according to the environmental group American Rivers, including dams on the Elwha River in Washington state and Condit Dam on the White Salmon River, a tributary of the Columbia River.

“Now is when the healing process truly begins for the river,” said Joshua Chenoweth, a senior ecologist with the Yurok Tribe, who has long advocated for dam removal and river restoration. “Removing the dams allows the river to naturally restore itself.”

The Klamath River, once a prominent salmon-producing region, saw a drastic decline in fish populations due to dams built by PacifiCorp between 1918 and 1962. These dams disrupted the river’s natural flow and impacted the salmon’s life cycle.

Efforts to remove the dams intensified after a bacterial outbreak in 2002 killed thousands of fish, mainly Chinook salmon, prompting tribes and environmental groups to push for action. The dam removal plan was approved in 2022.

Following the removal of the smallest dam, Copko 2, workers drained the reservoirs of the other three dams and began dismantling their structures in March.

Gilbert Myers measures water temperature in a king salmon trap in the lower Klamath River, California, on June 8, 2021.
Nathan Howard/AP File

Removing the dams on the Klamath River will not significantly impact electricity supply, as the dams produce less than 2 percent of PacificCorp’s energy capacity, enough for around 70,000 homes. While hydroelectric power is considered clean and renewable, environmental groups and tribes have targeted large dams in the Western U.S. due to their negative impact on fish and river ecosystems.

The project’s cost of approximately $500 million will be covered by taxpayers and Pacific Command funds.

The timeline for the salmon’s return and the river’s recovery remains uncertain. There have been reports of salmon at the river’s mouth beginning to migrate. Michael Belchik, a senior water policy analyst for the Yurok Tribe, anticipates the salmon passing through Iron Gate Dam soon.

“We can expect to see early signs of recovery,” he said. “I believe we’ll witness fish swimming over the dam, possibly this year or certainly by next year.”

There are two small upstream dams on the Klamath River that allow salmon to pass through fish ladders, enabling them to overcome the dam barriers.

Mark Brantham, CEO of the Klamath River Restoration Authority overseeing the project, pointed out that it took roughly a decade for the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe to resume fishing after the Elwha River dam removal.

“The impacts on fish recovery are uncertain,” he stated. “It will take time to undo the damage and restore the river system after a century of impact.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Record-breaking heatwaves expected to continue into May 2024 for the 12th consecutive month.

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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.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Microsoft’s AI investment yields higher returns than expected in the latest quarter

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Microsoft’s significant investment in artificial intelligence continues to yield positive results, surpassing Wall Street expectations in the latest quarter.

Tech giants have poured billions into AI to boost the growth of cloud computing services, resulting in a more than 20% increase in cloud computing revenue.

According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, the company’s AI tools are ushering in a new era of AI transformation, delivering enhanced business outcomes across various industries.

Nadella highlighted the accelerated integration of AI into Microsoft’s software and services, noting significant upticks in deals within the Azure cloud computing business, along with the introduction of Copilot AI software add-ons for small and medium-sized businesses.

Microsoft’s total revenue for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 rose by 17% to $61.86 billion, exceeding analysts’ projections. Earnings per share also increased by 20% to $2.94.

Following the positive earnings report, Microsoft’s shares saw a 4% rise in after-hours trading on Thursday.

With a market value close to $3 trillion, Microsoft remains the largest publicly traded company globally. The company’s stock price has grown by over 30% in the past year.

Microsoft’s strategic investments include acquiring ChatGPT developer OpenAI, positioning itself as a key player in the AI landscape and attracting industry talent.

The company is now focusing on leveraging its strong position in AI, as evidenced by AI contributing 6% to Azure’s revenue growth in the final months of 2023.

In addition, the integration of AI features into LinkedIn has boosted engagement on the platform, leading to a revenue increase of 10%.

Microsoft has secured notable AI deals, including a significant partnership with Coca-Cola for AI and cloud computing services, underscoring the company’s commitment to advancing AI technologies.

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Source: www.theguardian.com

Global Shark Attack Deaths Expected to Double by 2023

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Bull sharks live in shallow waters and occasionally attack humans.

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Shark bites and deaths will increase globally in 2023, with Australia recording the highest number of deaths, with surfers being the biggest victims.

The University of Florida's International Shark Attack File (ISAF) investigated 120 “alleged shark-human interactions” around the world in 2023. These included nine “boat bites” and injuries at public aquariums.

Of the 120 incidents that occurred around the world, 69 were confirmed to be unprovoked bites of humans when the shark was in shark habitat and unprovoked. This number was up from his 57 cases in 2002.

A further 22 attacks were triggered, defined as “a human initiating an interaction with a shark in any way.” These include scenes of people feeding sharks, touching sharks, and attempting to free sharks from fishing nets. The rest were either scavenged bodies or their circumstances were not confirmed.

Globally, 10 people will die from unprovoked shark attacks in 2023, double the number in 2022. 42% of shark bite victims worldwide were surfers and 39% were swimmers.

Four of the deaths occurred in Australia, three of which were attributed to great white sharks (carcharodon carcharius) attack the surfer.

gavin naylor Researchers at the University of Florida said the number of unprovoked bites around the world is in line with the average for the past five years. “But the rise in the number of unwarranted deaths is a bit worrying, especially in Australia,” he says. “We will continue to monitor incidents related to nearby surfing spots.” [great] A collection of great white sharks. ”

The report comes a week after a woman was seriously injured when a bull shark bit her on the leg while swimming in one of Sydney Harbour's busiest areas at dusk.Porgy whale).

phoebe meagher Sydney's Taronga Zoo helps manage Australia's shark incident database and works closely with researchers in Florida.

He said on average over the life of the database, which goes back to 1791, Australia recorded just one death a year, a significant increase of four deaths in 2023. .

The last time Australia had no deaths was in 2019, but Meagher doesn't think the trend has changed significantly. “An increase in deaths does not mean an increase in bites,” she says.

She attributes the rise in deaths in 2023 to bad luck, with deaths more likely if attacks occur far from the coast or far from hospitals, for example. .

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Expected to Decrease Starting in 2024

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Carbon emissions from fossil fuels could finally start declining in 2024

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Emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming have been on the rise since the Industrial Revolution, and 2023 looks set to be no different. According to him, this year emissions from fossil fuel combustion increased by more than 1% compared to 2022. global carbon budget Edited by Pierre Friedlingstein and his colleagues from the University of Exeter, UK.

However, in 2024, these emissions could begin to decline for the first time, largely due to unprecedented circumstances.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Apple Vision Pro Expected to Launch between Late January and Early February

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We’ve known about the Vision Pro for more than six months now (not to mention it’s been rumored for years), but Apple’s first “spatial computing” device is expected to arrive in consumer electronics heading into the new year. One of the biggest question marks. The $3,499 headset was given an “early 2024” release date when it was announced at WWDC in June, but the company hasn’t provided further specifics since then.

Apple oracle Ming-Chi Kuo Provided an early holiday gift He narrowed down the system’s release date to “late January to early February.” According to the analyst, the first Vision Pro will be shipped to Apple within about a month, bringing the total number of units shipped this year to about 500,000 units.

Company’s accurate target There are still open-ended questions remaining for this year. About a month after the device was announced, it was reported that Apple had reduced its forecast from around 1 million units to “less than 400,000 units.”

Even the latest figure of 500,000 is small for a company of Apple’s enormous size and influence. Keep in mind that the company should ship more than 200 million iPhones this calendar year.

But Vision Pro is widely considered to be Tim Cook’s biggest challenge in his 12 years as CEO. Not only is this an entirely new category and form factor for the company, but it’s also an exorbitant price point, even for customers accustomed to paying extra for Apple products. Add to that the fact that VR has not lived up to expectations for decades, and we have a big uphill battle ahead.

Kuo calls Vision Pro “Apple’s most important product in 2024.” That’s a tough statement to argue with, given years of speculation and all the time and money the company has undoubtedly poured into the headset.

Source: techcrunch.com

Cryptocurrency valuations expected to stabilize in 2023 before rising in 2024, according to venture capitalists

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past couple The years have proven to be a tumultuous time for the cryptocurrency industry. As if the spate of failures and bankruptcies of major crypto institutions weren’t enough, the industry has seen many tourist investors walk out the door as the broader macroeconomic situation worsens.

However, the recent surge in interest in cryptocurrencies due to rising prices for Bitcoin and Ethereum is rebuilding momentum, and the next year could see promising valuations for crypto startups. Many people are thinking.

Lidia Chiu, vice president of business development at Ava Labs, said raising capital in 2023 was difficult for both startups and venture capitalists. “On the startup side, we have seen fewer token offerings and valuation corrections,” she said. “VCs also had more leverage to negotiate better terms when taking the initiative than they did in 2021 or 2022. We’re seeing more follow-on and down-round opportunities from teams that have raised in the past few years.” [today]”

The fallout from the 2021 hype is still reflected in the landscape of crypto ventures. “[In] 2021, [there were] Michael Anderson, co-founder of Framework Ventures, entered the field at the top but was funded by traditional Silicon Valley venture capital firms that had no idea what they were doing. He said an outlandish valuation was set with a number of terrible ideas. He added that 2022 will see a “complete reorganization” of the crypto venture capital deck, with “many tourism VCs exiting and weak portfolio investments being drained.”

The tough funding environment in 2023 will only weed out weaker companies that were able to secure capital in 2021. Mark Bhargava, managing director at General Catalyst, said much of the dry powder from the good times survived into this year.

Mr Anderson added that the ratings were “back to reality”.

Then, when FTX collapsed in November 2022, many funds, including those focused on web3, “put the brakes on new deals,” said New Form Capital’s founder and general partner. Alex Marinier said.

“I think everyone expected venture funding to dry up in 2023, and that’s what happened,” said Will Nuell, general partner at Galaxy Ventures. “Funding in the crypto and blockchain venture market has returned to levels not seen since 2020.”

“In 2023, most people seem to have finally gotten the message that we are in a new market and the investor class is thinking and acting more rationally than before,” Anderson said.

Early-stage deals are declining, but not closing

Flat or discounted valuations were not uncommon for the broader tech industry in 2023, so it’s surprising that more beleaguered crypto startups also had to suffer significant haircuts. It wasn’t the right thing to do. Nuel said valuations have varied and competitive rounds are still receiving “stomach-churning” multiples, but success in getting a raise is preordained, just as it was 18 months ago. That is no longer the case.

Source: techcrunch.com