Mondo News

The Incredible Impact of Brothers on Our Lives

Posted on May 6, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Joshua Goodman, an associate professor of education and economics at Boston University, observed similarly remarkable outcomes at the university level. He analyzed a dataset of students whose scores were close to the cutoff points for entry into what are referred to as “target colleges.” These candidates are nearly identical, differing by just 10 points or less, highlighting that one student’s score can hinge on minor variations. Generally, those who were just above the threshold gained admittance, while those just below did not. Goodman discovered that younger siblings of successful individuals were significantly more likely to attend equally selective universities compared to older siblings who missed the cutoff by a few points. The younger siblings who managed to enter a prestigious university likely elevated their aspirations, seeing a clear path ahead thanks to their older siblings’ experiences.

Michelle Obama’s university experience mirrors Goodman’s findings, despite his research being conducted decades later. Raised in a working-class neighborhood on Chicago’s south side, Obama’s parents did not initially consider Ivy League schools for her. Her older brother Craig excelled academically and gained the advantage of athletic prowess, earning a spot on the basketball team at Princeton University. In her book, Becoming, Obama reflects on the impact of observing her brother’s journey, stating, “No one in my family had any first-hand experience with university, so there was little discussion or exploration.” She noted that she wanted to emulate her brother’s achievements, which ultimately made Princeton a viable choice for her. Despite a guidance counselor suggesting she “wasn’t Princeton material,” Obama remained undeterred, confident in her abilities and potential.

Research by Zang and Goodman indicates that positive interventions for one child from a low-income family can ripple out to benefit their siblings. This suggests that interventions may yield greater overall impact than previously thought, enhancing not just the individual child’s experience, but potentially altering the life trajectories of their entire family.

Zang’s study revealed that nearly one-third of academic similarities among siblings could be attributed to these spillover effects, rather than shared environments or common genetics. However, these ripple effects can also be detrimental, particularly in disadvantaged families. Children from such backgrounds often face academic challenges due to various obstacles. Zang posits that a child with academic ambitions may experience greater distress if their sibling suffers setbacks, as academic performance is a reliable predictor of future income, which can subsequently lead to diminished earnings across the family.

Both Zang and Goodman emphasize that the spillover effect is most pronounced in underprivileged families, suggesting a need for researchers to recognize that sibling influences function differently based on socioeconomic status. For instance, a 2022 study published in the *Frontiers in Psychology* complicated the well-known assertion that the eldest siblings are the most academically esteemed within families. It found that the oldest children in high-risk families and those with non-native English speaking parents do not perform better on cognitive tests, even if they are more prepared for school at age two. This suggests that these families experience increased interaction with older siblings due to their unique challenges.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Halting Submissions: The Impact of NIH Budget Cuts on Scientific Journals

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The Environmental Health Perspective is widely regarded as the premier magazine in the field, announcing its suspension of new research submissions due to uncertainties surrounding federal funding cuts.

For over 50 years, this journal has been supported by the National Institutes of Health to evaluate research on the impacts of environmental toxins, including persistent chemicals and air pollution, publishing findings at no cost.

Joel Kaufman, the journal’s editor-in-chief, opted to halt new submissions because of the “lack of confidence” regarding the funding of critical expenses such as copyediting and updating editing software.

He refrained from providing comments on the publication’s future outlook.

“If the journal were to disappear, it would be a tremendous loss,” stated Jonathan Levy, Chair of the Department of Environmental Health at Boston University. “It diminishes access to crucial information needed for insightful decision-making.”

The NEJM editor referred to the letter as “blushy threats.” Recently, the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, published by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, reported receiving similar letters.

Scientific journals have been under scrutiny from leading health officials during the Trump administration.

In a book published last year, Dr. Martin A. McCurry, the newly appointed FDA commissioner, indicated that the Editorial Committee of “Gatekeeping” will only disseminate information that aligns with “groupthink narratives.”

In an interview from last year’s “Dr. Hyman Show” podcast, current HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed intentions to take legal action against medical journals under the Federal Anti-Corruption Act.

“If you don’t establish a plan to publish credible science now, I will find a way to sue you,” he warned.

Still, the uncertainty surrounding EHP has left researchers perplexed. They noted that funding cuts seem to conflict with the Trump administration’s declared priorities.

For instance, Kennedy has consistently highlighted the significance of investigating environmental factors in chronic diseases. The new administration has also shown interest in transparency and public access to scientific journals, a principle EHP pioneered.

EHP was among the first “open access” journals, accessible to anyone without a subscription, and unlike many other open access journals that impose substantial fees, EHP’s federal backing allowed researchers at smaller institutions to publish without financial concerns.

“There are several layers of irony in this situation,” Dr. Levy remarked.

EHP isn’t the only journal affected by funding cuts at the Department of Health and Human Services.

A draft budget obtained by The New York Times suggests that two journals published by the CDC—Emerging Infectious Diseases and Chronic Diseases—may face cuts. Both are available at no cost to authors and readers and are among the leading journals in their fields.

HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon stated that there was “no final decision” on the forthcoming budget.

Published monthly, Emerging Infectious Diseases provides state-of-the-art insights on global infectious disease threats.

Jason Kindrachuk, a virologist at the University of Manitoba, who has published studies on Marburg and MPOX in the journal, noted its importance in shaping response strategies during outbreaks.

The news is “very disheartening,” he remarked.

Source: www.nytimes.com

The Impact of the Gaza Conflict on Israel’s AI Innovation

Posted on April 25, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In late 2023, Israel aimed to assassinate Ibrahim Biari, the top Hamas commander in the Northern Gaza Strip, who supported the planning of the October 7th massacre. However, Israeli intelligence could not find Mr. Biari, who was believed to be hidden in a network of tunnels under Gaza.

Israeli officers turned to new military technology infused with artificial intelligence, Israeli and American officials recounted the incident. This technology had been developed a decade ago but had not been utilized in combat. The discovery of Biari prompted new motivations to enhance the tools, leading the engineers of Israeli Unit 8200, akin to the national security agency, to swiftly integrate AI into their technology.

Following this, Israel intercepted Mr. Biari’s communication and tested the AI audio tool. Utilizing that information, Israel ordered an airstrike targeting the area on October 31, 2023, resulting in the killing of Biari. According to Airwars, a London-based conflict monitor, more than 125 civilians were also killed in the attack.

Audio tools were just one example of how Israel leveraged the conflict in Gaza to quickly test and deploy AI-backed military technology.

In the past 18 months, Israel combined AI and facial recognition software to match partially obscured or injured faces to their actual identity, relying on AI to compile potential airstrike targets, developing Arabic AI models, and creating chatbots for scanning and analyzing Arabic language data from text messages, social media posts, and other sources.

Many of these initiatives were collaborations between enlisted soldiers from Unit 8200 and security soldiers from high-tech companies like Google, Microsoft, and Meta. Unit 8200 acted as a hub of innovation known as the “studio,” linking experts with AI projects.

Despite Israel’s advancements in AI technology, deploying such tools could result in false identifications and arrests, as well as civilian casualties, as Israeli and American officials have pointed out. Some officials have expressed concerns about the ethical implications of AI tools, which may increase surveillance and lead to further civilian harm.

European and American defense officials have glimpsed how such technologies will be utilized in future conflicts, contrasting with countries less involved than Israel in experimenting with real-time AI tools in battles.

Hadas Rover, director of the Institute of Responsible AI at the Horon Institute of Technology in Israel and former senior director of the Israeli National Security Council, stated, “It has led to groundbreaking techniques on the battlefield and valuable benefits in combat.”

However, Rover emphasized the serious ethical questions arising from technology and stressed the importance of checks and balances on AI, with humans making final decisions.

An Israeli military spokesperson refrained from commenting on specific technologies due to their classified nature. Still, she affirmed Israel’s commitment to the legal and responsible use of data technology tools, mentioning an ongoing investigation into the strike against Biari.

Meta and Microsoft chose not to comment, while Google clarified that employees fulfilling their reserve duties worldwide are not affiliated with Google.

Israel has previously utilized conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon to experiment and advance military technological tools, including drones, phone hacking tools, and Iron Dome defense systems.

… (continued)

Source: www.nytimes.com

AI-Powered Humanoid Workers and Surveillance Buggy: The Impact on Daily Life in China

Posted on April 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

oOn Saturday afternoon in Central Park in Shenzhen, a teenage girl gag evacuates from a drizzle under a concrete canopy. Putting stacked bags of potato chips in front of them, they swarm around some smartphones and sing towards the Mandoppo ballad. Their laughter rang across the grass around them, until they drilled holes in a mechanical, lively sound. Someone ordered dinner.

A few meters away from the improvised karaoke session is the “Airdrop Cabinet.” This is one of over 40 things in Deep Shenzhen, run by Meituan, China’s largest food delivery platform. The Hungry Park offers everything you can order, from rice noodles to subway sandwiches and bubble tea.

Loaded with items from a shopping mall less than 3km, drones watch, listen, listen, hover over the delivery station before lowering and depositing the items in a sealed box that can only be unlocked by entering the customer’s phone number. Dinner is served with non-humans. Meituan aims to beat human delivery times by about 10%, perhaps for a journey through the clouds in a thin polystyrene box.

The drone will take off from the rooftop of a shopping mall in Shenzhen, China on April 3, 2025. Photo: Anthony Kwan/The Guardian

Drones are just a part of the broader robotics and artificial intelligence industry that China intends to expand this year.

With the trade war furious, demographic challenges are dragged into the economy, and the prospects for productive relationships with the world’s largest economy seem farther than ever. Chinese leaders see artificial intelligence as key to solving problems created by the shrinking workforce, upgrading its military power, and solving the source of public pride, especially if Chinese companies avoid US-led sanctions on core technologies. And as technology companies have tried to crack down on excessive wealth and influence outside of the control of the Xi Jinping state, which has been shunned by Chinese leaders for many years, Xi’s neighbors are welcomed by folds as they seek to restore confidence in the private sector and encourage domestic innovation.

In March, Prime Minister Li Qiang promised to “unleash the creativity of the digital economy” with a special focus on “embodied AI.” Guangzhou, including the deep Shenzhen high-tech hub, is at the forefront of this movement. The state government recently announced 60m yuan (£6.4m) in new funding for the innovation centre. In particular, Demi Shenzhen is known as China’s drone capital due to its progressive approach to drone regulation, allowing the “low-altitude economy” to develop faster than the rest of the country. China’s Civil Aviation Authority predicts the sector’s value will increase by 3.5TN Yuan by five times over the next decade.

Drones aren’t the only ones who promise or threaten the tempo of Chinese urban life. Humanoid robots are particularly lively. The highlights of this spring festival gala have been seen almost 1.7 billion times, A dance performed by a group of humanoid robots It was created by a company called Unitree. On Saturday, the world’s first humanoid vs humanity – half marathon – took place in the suburbs of Beijing.

The robots will be participating in Saturday’s race. Photo: Ng Han Guan/AP

Rui Ma, a Chinese technology analyst and investor based in San Francisco, said: This shift will enable industry growth In 2025, it’s much faster than in the past few years. Reinforcement learning means training robots to learn from experience rather than relying on hard models, training humanoid robots in months rather than years, speeding up the pace of innovation. Toy robot dogs are already part of everyday life in China. At Yiwu’s wholesale market, a trade hub in Zhijiang province in eastern China, mothers stay with exporters beyond the price of eyelashes while children play with robotic dogs. In Streets in Shanghaiwoman walking robot dog. This carries a shopping basket on its back.

The drone run by Meituan, which has been loaded with products, will take off from the rooftop shopping at Shenzhen, China on April 3, 2025. Photo: Anthony Kwan/The Guardian

The development of China’s robotics industry is closely linked to advances in AI. For years, China has been catching up to the US. XI wants to promote economic growth through “new quality productivity” that includes advanced technology.

Many in Washington fear that the US lead is narrowing. One of the main tools in the US arsenal controls a critical part of the supply chain of semiconductors, the microchips used to train advanced AI models. The US has restricted exports of its most sophisticated chips to China. This is part of a strategy that former national security adviser Jake Sullivan described as “highfence” with the most strategically valuable technologies in the United States.

However, in January, a previously unknown Chinese company called Deepseek sets the Chinese technological scene and releases the R1, a massive linguistic inference model, to perform at a price that leads its US competitors. The model wiped out 1TN from Wall Street’s main technology index, causing a stock market crash as investors feared that US pole positions in high-tech races were no longer guaranteed.

“You can’t stress too much how crazy it is,” says MA.

Since then, China’s AI industry has been filled with optimism. As an answer to China’s long-term and sustainable growth, it was already being promoted by the government, and now the people are beginning to believe it, says Ma.

Meituan drones remove orders at the “Airdrop Cabinet” in Shenzhen, China. Photo: Meituan

Li Shuhao, a Guangzhou-based high-tech entrepreneur who founded AI marketing company TEC-DO in 2017, was in the US when the Deepseek moment happened. Suddenly, he says, “It was much easier to arrange an interview and a meeting with other AI scientists.”

“Deepseek is like a symbol of the oriental way of doing business,” says Li, a confessed “metal head” surrounded by electric guitars and drum kits in her Guangzhou office. He mentions a strategy by Deepseek founder Liang Wenfeng, who will fund it through his own hedge funds rather than seeking external venture capital funds. “This is how a typical Chinese entrepreneur thinks: survive first and then do something new.”

Deepseek has published the work as open source. This is a principle that the government has long supported and a move that encouraged the widespread adoption of the model. Robotics is a special beneficiary.

Technology is the top priority

The robot supply chain can be roughly divided into three areas: brain, body, and application of technology in the real world. China has long been confident in its capabilities in the latter two regions. The advanced supply chains of other high-tech industries, such as electric vehicles and autonomous drones, show that China has both the ability to produce large-scale industrial components and the ability to assemble them into complex commodities. However, once you solved the most difficult part of the puzzle, it was elusive to create a robotic brain that could learn human-like behavior and movements. You need sophisticated AI.

Deepseek’s R1 model is changing the game and hosting ways for domestic humanoid robot companies to keep up with their international competitors, Goldman Sachs analysts said in a recent memo. The fact that Deepseek’s open source model uses less advanced chips can help level the playing field for Chinese companies.

Engineers will train humanoid robots at the Humanoid Robot Innovation Centre in Shogan Park, Beijing, China on March 28, 2025. Photo: Beijing Youth Daily/VCG/Getty Images

The industry still has its challenges. AI models require a large amount of data to train. While LLM, used for things like chatbots, can draw out a vast universe of content, the Internet, the data in robotic AI models is relatively scarce info on how to physically move spaces and interact with objects and people.

Another sector in which China is focused, the car should be able to navigate six axes, or “degrees of freedom”, forward and rear, left and right, up and down, and rotations between these positions. The same goes for general robotics, such as Meituan’s food delivery loan. To enable humanoid robots to mimic humans on everyday tasks such as cooking, they need up to 60 degrees of freedom. There is a 27 H1 model of Unitree that caused a splash on Spring Gala.

A robot does not have to be completely humanoids to be useful. A wheel or humanoid robot with limited movement can take on automated ripe tasks, such as dangerous or repetitive factory work. Based in Shenzhen, Ubtech has already supplying humanoid robots to its car factories. With a shrinking workforce, China is keen to find ways to automate as much as possible.

The organizers, which was the Boao Forum for Asia last month, business meeting, were keen to cook Jianbing, Delicious pancakes are typical Chinese street food made with the robot arms of the booth, similar to the claws that collect toys packed in an arcade (the resulting snacks weren’t as crisp as humans made). Beijing’s parks have increased their surveillance capabilities by pasting cameras into autonomous buggies running along the path.

The humanoid robot will perform at the opening ceremony of the 2025 Zhongguancun Forum (ZGC Forum) Annual Meeting held in Beijing, China’s capital, on March 27, 2025. Photo: Xinhua/Rex/Shutterstock

“Robots

Exploring the Impact and Intrigue of 100 Quantum Theories

Posted on April 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

David Parker/Science Photo Library

You might say it all started with hay spots. In June 1925, a young physicist named Werner Heisenberg retreated to the barren island of Helgorand in the North Sea, seeking a rest from his allergies. So he scrawled the equations that illuminate European intellectual fires, forming the basis for ideas that ultimately shake our views on how reality works. The idea was quantum theory.

In recognition of the 100th Quantum Anniversary, the United Nations has designated 2025 as the year of International Quantum Science and Technology. There are celebrations, exhibitions and meetings all over the world.

This article is part of a special series celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of quantum theory. Click here for details.

If you know only one thing about quantum theory, it’s probably “strange.” Certainly, the idea that the quantum world is too strange to fully understand is infecting our culture. There are also products Like branded cosmetics Or, called “quantums,” they are implicit signals that they have power beyond our understanding.

The idea that the quantum world is too strange to be completely understandable is infecting our culture.

It is true that quantum theory paints strange pictures of the subatomic world, but stopping it will overlook its true importance. This centenary should celebrate its theory of power and provocation, as does the trio of articles in this special issue.

Physicist Carlo Robery gives us his view on the origins of quantum mechanics and presents its bold claims. We see how these ideas revolutionized technology and how they do so. And we explore the deep questions that quantum theory forces us to ask what it means to be “real.” The fact that it draws such an unsettling picture of the subatomic world suggests that we lack something about the workings of the universe, but new interpretations and experiments guide us towards a fresh understanding.

Quantum theory has also been a huge success. Most other scientific ideas have not passed many experimental tests. Its origin may be due to the fever of hay, but it is an irresistible heritage.

This article is part of a special series celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of quantum theory.

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Quantum Mechanics/
Quantum theory

The Unintended Environmental Impact of Trump’s Policies on Online Shopping Emissions

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Fashion giants like Shein and Temu have seen significant growth in the US due to tariff exemptions that kept prices low for packages shipped from China.

President Trump has ordered the closure of these loopholes starting with packages from China-Hong Kong, potentially impacting airline emissions related to the fashion industry.

Last year, 1.36 billion packages entered the US through this loophole, mostly from China. This exemption allows items under $800 to enter without customs duty, leading to a rise in emissions from shipping packages by air.

Flying packages across the ocean is 68x more carbon-intensive than marine cargo transport, according to Climate Action Accelerator.

$23 billion business

In many countries, freight below a certain value is exempt from taxes. The US set the minimum exemption at $800, allowing foreign e-commerce platforms to compete with domestic retailers like Amazon.

This exemption helped Shein establish a niche in the US market with affordable apparel. However, President Biden announced a crackdown on these imports citing various concerns.

The number of shipments to the US has increased significantly, leading to environmental concerns and the need for stricter regulations.

President Trump took steps to end the De Minimis exemption, aiming to impose taxes on packages from Hong Kong and mainland China.

New rules will phase out exemptions over the next few weeks, with steep taxation coming into effect on June 1st. This move is expected to impact air ticket emissions significantly.

1 Billion Packages and Greenhouse Gas

The increase in air freight usage has led to a rise in greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts to reduce emissions in this sector are minimal, posing a challenge for sustainability initiatives.

Shein and Temu did not respond to requests for comment regarding the new regulations.

What’s next?

Trump’s actions to close the loophole in February resulted in declining sales for Shein and Temu, indicating potential shifts in e-commerce practices.

Companies might opt for larger cargo shipments using marine transport to avoid high tariffs and reduce emissions, a change that could impact the industry significantly.

Can the “end of the world” remain wild?

The increase in Antarctic tourism has brought economic benefits to Ushuaia in Argentina but has also raised concerns about environmental impact.

Source: www.nytimes.com

The impact of Trump’s tariffs on iPhone prices and available affordable alternatives

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Amid a tariff frenzy that caused panic among consumers eyeing iPhones, President Trump announced tariff exemptions for electronic devices like smartphones and computers on Friday. This brought relief as there were concerns about the possibility of a $2,000 iPhone.

However, just two days later, the Trump administration hinted that smartphones and computers might face new tariffs targeting semiconductors or chips, potentially leading to a more expensive iPhone. Talk about a rollercoaster!

Despite the uncertainty over iPhone prices due to tariffs, there are still cheaper alternatives available, such as purchasing previous models.

The key lesson here is that to save money in the high-tech world, it’s best to use your devices for as long as possible.

“Buy the best and hold on,” advised Ramit Sethi, a personal finance expert. “Keeping an item for longer reduces the overall cost of ownership.”

The future costs of high-tech hardware remain uncertain. Nintendo recently postponed plans to launch the $450 Nintendo Switch 2 due to tariff uncertainty. Additionally, prices for accessories like phone chargers are increasing on platforms like Amazon.

To navigate future technology purchases effectively, consider holding onto your devices for longer periods to maximize their value.

Hold onto your devices to save money

Replacing your tech frequently can add up in costs. Calculating the true cost of ownership can help you make informed decisions when purchasing new devices.

By holding onto your devices and using them for a longer period, you can significantly reduce the total cost of ownership over time.

This principle applies not just to smartphones but also to computers and tablets. The longer you keep your devices, the more value you can extract from them.

Treat your devices like you do your car

High-tech products are designed to be long-term investments. Many devices today are built to last for several years, yet consumers tend to upgrade frequently, similar to how people buy new cars more often than necessary.

Developing the habit of replacing your device’s battery periodically can help extend its lifespan and save you money in the long run.

As manufacturers improve repairability, replacing components like batteries becomes more accessible and cost-effective.

Consider buying a refurbished phone

In times of uncertainty regarding tariffs and rising prices, opting for refurbished or second-hand phones can provide a cost-effective alternative to buying new models.

Even in the face of potential price increases due to tariffs, there are plenty of affordable options available in the market, similar to buying used cars instead of brand new ones.

By exploring refurbished options and older models, you can find cost-effective solutions to high-tech purchases.

Rather than worrying about the hypothetical $2,000 iPhone, focus on more pressing financial matters like building an Emergency Savings Fund.

In challenging economic times, it’s essential to prioritize your financial stability over luxury purchases like the latest smartphones. Focus on what truly matters to secure your financial well-being.

Source: www.nytimes.com

The Potential Risks of Cryonics: How They Could Impact Your Chance at Immortality

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In these turbulent times, there is a growing interest in cryonics as a way to freeze and preserve human remains for potential revival in the future when medical technology is more advanced.

The concept is intriguing – it’s like a savepoint in a video game where you can “undo” your life experiences and start anew when revived.

Despite the increasing enthusiasm for cryonics, there are significant challenges that need to be addressed before it can be considered a viable option.

Freezing Limitations

Freezing living organisms at ultra-low temperatures often results in irreparable damage, leading to death. The human body, being primarily composed of water, cannot withstand the formation of ice crystals that can cause extensive harm to cells and tissues.

While anti-freeze agents can help mitigate this damage at a cellular level, the complexity of the human body poses a greater challenge when trying to freeze it effectively.

Freezing the human body for cryonics often causes irreversible cell damage, especially in the brain, making revival virtually impossible with current technology. – Photo credit: Getty

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Freezing and thawing the human brain poses a particularly daunting task due to the complexity and vulnerability of brain cells. Neurons, being highly energy-dependent and structurally intricate, are difficult to preserve and repair through cryogenic processes.

Challenges with Brain Preservation

Many proponents of cryonics opt to freeze only the head or brain under the assumption that advancements in medicine can facilitate the replacement of the rest of the body. However, reanimating a frozen brain presents significant hurdles.

Neurons, the building blocks of brain function, are fragile and sensitive to damage. The intricate connections between neurons, which form the basis of memories and identity, are easily disrupted during the freezing process, making reconstruction a monumental task.

Even if future technologies can restore neuronal connections, the complexity of mapping these connections accurately without prior brain scans poses a significant challenge.

Ultimately, while cryonics offers hope for the future, it also requires a substantial amount of optimism given the current limitations and uncertainties surrounding the process.

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The Impact of the Season on Your Metabolism: How Your Thinking Can Make a Difference

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Ah, the circle of life! Your parents engage in intimate activities, and nine months later, you make your grand entrance into the world (apologies for that mental image).

However, did you know that the temperature during your parents’ romantic encounters could impact your metabolism for the long haul?

According to recent research conducted by a researcher at the University of Tokyo in Japan, this might be the case.

The study analyzed the season when 642 Japanese adults were conceived and discovered that individuals conceived during colder months tend to have lower body mass index (BMI), less visceral (abdominal) fat, and a faster metabolism compared to those conceived in warmer months.

This correlation is linked to brown fat, a type of fat that burns energy even at rest, helps keep the body warm, and assists in regulating blood sugar levels.

“People conceived during colder seasons tend to have more active brown fat as adults,” explained Takeshi Yoneshiro, an associate professor at Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, in an interview with BBC Science Focus.

Having more active brown fat means the body burns more energy while resting, potentially resulting in a faster metabolism compared to individuals with lower levels of brown fat.

Our bodies utilize white fat for calorie storage, but brown fat is essential for maintaining warmth. – Credit: nopparit via Getty

Professor Jaswinder Sethi, an expert in immuno-metabolism at the University of Southampton who was not involved in the research, stated to BBC Science Focus: “Brown fat’s primary role is to produce heat and maintain body temperature.

“Moreover, brown fat activity significantly contributes to energy expenditure, aiding in reducing the need for storage and potentially preventing the risk of obesity and metabolic disorders.”

Yoneshiro suggested that parental exposure to cold temperatures could lead to epigenetic modifications, influencing how our genes are expressed.

“In modern times, this metabolic system may help regulate energy balance and protect against metabolic diseases by acting as a heater and air conditioner,” Yoneshiro explained.

However, Sethi cautioned: “It’s crucial to note that, similar to many known genetic variations associated with obesity, these changes are not the sole contributors to future health issues, as individuals may have genetic predispositions affecting their metabolism.”

Additionally, Dr. Adam Collins, an Associate Professor of Nutrition at the University of Surrey not involved in the study, stated to BBC Science Focus that the significance of brown fat in metabolic regulation may be overemphasized.

“Having abundant brown fat might not necessarily equate to a higher metabolic rate,” Collins noted. “The benefit of brown fat lies in its ability to generate heat, particularly in cold conditions, rather than simply burning calories.”

Since this study is observational, it cannot definitively prove that the season of conception impacts a child’s metabolism in the long term.

Nonetheless, Yoneshiro expressed hope: “If other factors can reproduce this effect, targeted interventions may be developed to enhance metabolic resilience in future generations.”

Read more:

About our experts:

Dr. Takeshi Yoneshiro is an associate professor of biomedical sciences specializing in molecular physiology and metabolism at Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Medicine. Prior to joining Tohoku University in 2023, he served as an associate professor at the Center for Advanced Science and Technology Research at the University of Tokyo.

Jaswinder Sethi is a professor of immunotherapy at the University of Southampton. She is also an Honorary NHS Foundation Trust Research Fellow and a member of the Life Sciences Institute. Her research focuses on immune metabolism, obesity, metabolic diseases, and tissue remodeling.

Dr. Adam Collins is an Associate Professor of Nutrition at the School of Biological Sciences, University of Surrey. With over 20 years of experience as a qualified nutritionist, he leads BSc and MSc nutrition programs at the university. His research includes studying exercise intensity and energy balance, intermittent fasting, dietary composition and timing, and carbohydrate manipulation for metabolic health.

The Impact of Elon Musk’s Failing Satellite on the Ozone Layer

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

At present, there are around 13,000 satellites orbiting Earth, with roughly 10,000 of them functioning. However, the number of satellites in orbit is set to increase drastically by 2030, with 50,000 new satellites expected to be launched.

This significant increase is primarily due to the rise of Internet megaconstellations like SpaceX’s Starlink and other satellite projects. Currently, there are approximately 8,000 satellites in low Earth orbit, with nearly 6,500 of them being Starlink satellites.

SpaceX plans to deploy 12,000 satellites and is seeking approval for an additional 30,000, while other companies, like Amazon, are also planning their own megaconstellations.

The influx of satellites in low Earth orbit raises concerns about potential collisions and environmental impacts. Scientists warn that megaconstellations could harm the ozone layer, which protects the planet from harmful UV rays.

When satellites are decommissioned, they re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and release aluminum oxide particles, which can damage the ozone layer by catalyzing chemical reactions. These particles can linger in the atmosphere for decades, further depleting the ozone.

Research published in the Geophysical Research Journal in 2024 revealed that a single satellite can release a significant amount of aluminum oxide particles, which can accumulate over time and contribute to ozone depletion.

The continuous deployment of megaconstellations could inject large amounts of aluminum oxide into the upper atmosphere every year, significantly increasing the risk of ozone layer damage.

The short lifespan of internet satellites in low Earth orbit poses additional challenges, as they need to be actively removed or they will burn up in the atmosphere. SpaceX’s Starlink satellites, for example, could be pulled out of orbit within five years if not removed.

The constant re-entry of decommissioned satellites could release a stream of burnt-out material into the atmosphere, exacerbating the environmental impact. Scientists predict a significant increase in satellite re-entries in the coming years, which could further impact the ozone layer.

It may take several decades before the full extent of satellite re-entry impacts the ozone layer, but the rapid growth of megaconstellations poses a significant risk to ozone layer recovery efforts.

Future research collaborations are being formed to study the direct link between decommissioned satellites and ozone depletion, aiming to quantify the environmental risks associated with satellite combustion.

This article addresses the query posed by Claudine Best from Dorset: “Do satellites burning in the atmosphere pose a threat to the environment?”

To submit your questions, please email Question@sciencefocus.com or message us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (don’t forget to include your name and location).

Explore more fascinating science topics on our website for fun facts and insights.

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The impact of smoking and vaping: it all varies depending on the perspective

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Smokers are becoming more hesitant about the benefits of using e-cigarettes to heat nicotine-containing liquids and inhaling vapors, as opposed to inhaling smoke from burning cigarettes.

Research in the UK last year showed that over a third of smokers now believe vaping is more harmful to health than smoking, compared to 12% four years ago, while another third think vaping is just as bad.

Despite scientific evidence showing the harmful effects of smoking and Cochrane reviews suggesting that vaping can help more people quit than other nicotine products, awareness about vaping remains crucial this year as smokers who perceive it as less harmful are more likely to switch.

While both vaping and smoking have known health effects, experts agree that vaping is less harmful than smoking, exposing individuals to fewer toxins at lower levels. This understanding is supported by research conducted by various experts in the field.

Vaping generally involves inhaling aerosols that may contain nicotine, flavorings, and other chemicals. – Photo credit: Getty

Dr. Jamie Hartman Boyce, a health policy expert, emphasizes that while e-cigarettes are not completely safe, they are significantly less deadly than smoking.

Although there are ongoing discussions in the media regarding the harms of vaping, it is important to consider the well-documented risks associated with smoking, which tend to impact older populations.

Health risks

Smoking remains a major risk factor for various health issues, including cancer, heart disease, infertility, and pregnancy complications, resulting in over 8 million deaths annually. Vaping, on the other hand, produces a lesser mixture of toxic substances compared to burning tobacco.

While more research is needed on the long-term effects of vaping, current evidence suggests that it is less harmful than smoking. Dr. Sarah Jackson highlights the importance of acknowledging potential long-term risks while focusing on the existing evidence supporting the relative safety of vaping.

Research suggests that switching to vaping is a more effective way to give up smoking than other nicotine replacement products – Photo Credit: Getty

Ongoing research by experts like Dr. Maxime Boidin is aimed at understanding the long-term impact of vaping on health, particularly its effects on blood vessels and the cardiovascular system.

As research progresses, it is crucial to rely on peer-reviewed studies to accurately assess the outcomes and implications of vaping. Media reports on ongoing research can sometimes lead to misconceptions and premature conclusions.

Non-smokers turning to vaping

Evidence suggests that vaping can be an effective method for smoking cessation, with e-cigarettes proving to be more useful than traditional nicotine replacements. However, concerns arise when considering individuals who have never smoked and are now turning to vaping.

It is essential to weigh the risks and benefits of vaping, especially for non-smokers, considering factors like exposure to chemicals and potential nicotine addiction. Choosing between vaping and smoking should be approached with caution, prioritizing health and well-being.

About our experts

Dr. Jamie Hartman Boyce: An assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Massachusetts, whose work is published in reputable journals.

Dr. Sarah Jackson: A leading researcher in the UCL Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group, with work published in esteemed scientific journals.

Dr. Maxime Boidin: A senior lecturer in cardiac rehabilitation at Manchester Metropolitan University, focusing on cardiovascular health research.

The impact of tariffs on digital commerce businesses

Posted on April 5, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

This year was supposed to be a banner moment for digital commerce companies.

Digital payment giant Klarna was preparing for the first public offer. So did the financial services company Chime. StubHub, an online ticketing business, has been talking to bankers for months about their pursuit of an IPO.

But after President Trump announced the tariff barrage this week, businesses in the industry were rushing to deal with fallout.

Among other moves, Klarna, Chime and Stubhub are all aiming to suspend their IPO plans and wait for market volatility, people with knowledge of the issue said. Additionally, companies that provide payment processing services to online merchants such as Shopify are calling for changes to Trump’s customs policy and are advising customers on how to survive potential financial difficulties. Stripe, payment startups, and Block, a payment and remittance service company previously known as Square, is in a similar move.

It may seem counterintuitive that tariffs bring pain to digital commerce companies. However, these businesses are set up to be affected in a roundabout way.

Retailers like Amazon, which act as clearing houses for online merchants, can feel the impact when fewer people buy foreign exports on their platforms. Companies like Klarna benefit from the fees that charge small businesses for processing digital payments.

“If this chicken game continues until 2025 and continues for longer, this will be extremely painful for the retail industry as a whole,” said Shut Alitakodali, an analyst at Forester, which covers retail and e-commerce. “That would be bad for everyone.”

On Wednesday, Trump said tariffs would reverse decades of what he called unfair treatment in other parts of the world, bringing factories and jobs back to the United States. “The market will be booming,” he said, “the country will be booming.”

However, tariffs are far more wide and more severe than expected, and many tech companies quickly began to feel pain. Apple, Oracle and Dell have global supply chains that are likely to be destroyed by tariffs, but were the most obvious candidates facing fallout.

Digital-first companies dealing in online sales can lose just as much. For example, Meta and Google have been pressured by the threat of bringing back companies, particularly Chinese companies, to buy e-commerce ads on their platforms.

Amazon, the largest e-commerce company, has slid over 9% of its stake in the millions of third-party sellers who ship goods from China (one of the countries that was hit hardest by Trump’s tariffs) since the tariffs have been announced.

TD Cowen analyst John Blackledge has lowered Amazon revenue, operating profit and estimates of 3% to 4% during 2020, particularly as Trump’s “worse than expected” tariffs hurt the company’s market.

Some digital commerce companies could survive the chaos. StubHub, which sells tickets to live events, bounced back after the recession during Covid Pandemic and the 2008 financial crisis. Additionally, Chime customers who provide digital services such as mobile banking apps and checking accounts tend to use their products to buy items such as gasoline and groceries that are usually not sensitive to economic fluctuations.

But Shopify, Klarna and Stripe are all vulnerable to Trump’s tariffs. Payment processing platforms like Stripe tend to be trending due to the global economy and the strength of online shopping. If a large company raises prices due to tariffs, consumers may purchase fewer products online. Additionally, these companies earn a large portion of their revenue from commissions to process sellers’ sales, so lower sales volumes can affect all businesses.

Klarna, Stubhub, Chime and Stripe declined to comment. For more information about Klarna, Stubhub and Chime’s IPO plans, see Wall Street Journal and axios.

A Shopify spokesperson pointed to a recent blog post advising sellers on how to navigate a choppy environment if tariffs hinder their business.

“Without small business protection, legitimate entrepreneurs suffer under policies aimed at curbing exploitation,” the company said. In a blog post. “This hiking cost will disrupt supply chains and hinder trade across borders.”

The company said it supported Trump to address several loopholes in the tariff system. This includes the “de minimis exemption,” in which businesses exempt customs duties on exports to the United States of less than $800.

However, they warned against overdone policies. “Dealing with this abuse is justified, but small businesses cannot be a secondary damage,” Shopify says.

Michael J. de la Mercedo Reports of contributions.

Source: www.nytimes.com

The Impact of Different Coffee Types on Cholesterol Levels

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

When you arrive at work, what is the first thing you do? Do you unpack your bag, set up your desk, and then head straight for the coffee machine? You’re not alone.

According to the National Coffee Association, the average American drinks more than three cups of coffee a day. In moderation, coffee is often considered part of a healthy lifestyle for good reason. It is linked to a reduced risk of conditions like diabetes and certain types of cancer.

However, your morning brew may not be as healthy as you think. Coffee contains natural compounds that can raise cholesterol levels, and depending on how it is prepared, your daily cup may contain more of these compounds than ideal.

A team of Swedish researchers investigated coffee machines in workplaces and found that many people brewed coffee with high levels of these cholesterol-raising substances.

“For decades, we’ve known that certain types of coffee can elevate cholesterol levels,” said Dr. David Igman, co-author of new research published in the journal Nutrition, Metabolism, Cardiovascular Disease to BBC Science Focus.

In particular, unfiltered or boiled coffee is known to contain two cholesterol-raising compounds (cafestol and kahweol) that belong to a group of naturally occurring fats called diterpenes.

Liquid model coffee machines contain lower levels of diterpenes than other brewers. – Getty

These compounds are associated with an increased risk of high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, as well as a slight reduction in “good” cholesterol (HDL).

In contrast, filtered coffee typically contains much lower levels of these compounds and is considered a safer choice in terms of cholesterol levels.

Dr. Igman explained, “At work, many people get their coffee from machines, and yet no one has actually tested these machines to see if they produce filtered or unfiltered coffee.”

To investigate, the team tested 14 coffee machines in different workplaces, collecting samples brewed on different days and measuring the levels of cafestol and kahweol in the final cup.

In their analysis, they also examined other common types of coffee, such as Scandinavian-style drip coffee, percolators, French presses, espresso, and boiled coffee.

The results showed significant variations between the machines, with some producing coffee with very low diterpene levels similar to paper coffee.

Paper-filtered coffee contains minimal cholesterol-raising cafestol. – Erik et al. Nutrition, Metabolism, Cardiovascular Disease

Dr. Igman concluded, “From our data, liquid model machines are definitely a better option, producing coffee with very low diterpene levels similar to paper coffee.”

Liquid model machines do not brew coffee in the traditional way; they combine liquid coffee concentrate with hot water to create a cup.

In contrast, traditional brewers use ground or whole beans, passing hot water through a metal filter, resulting in higher levels of cholesterol-raising compounds.

In summary, Dr. Igman advised, “Don’t worry about drinking coffee, as it is associated with various health benefits. However, if you regularly consume machine-made coffee at work, pay attention to how it is brewed, especially if you are monitoring your cholesterol levels.”

“While we don’t fully understand how these machines affect blood lipids, it’s likely dependent on the amount of coffee consumed. Using a paper filter or instant coffee is the safest option for cholesterol levels,” he added.

About our experts

David Igman is a research associate at the Dalana Centre for Clinical Research at the University of Uppsala, Sweden. His research focuses on American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Diabetes, and Internal Medicine.

Read more:

The potential impact of Trump’s tariffs on the US battery boom

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

President Trump’s recent tariffs may impact the use of grid batteries in the US energy sector. These batteries are crucial for storing excess wind and solar energy to enhance the electric grid’s reliability. Grid batteries have seen significant growth in states like Texas and Arizona over the past five years, being used to store solar power and reduce reliance on natural gas.

Despite their importance, the majority of US lithium-ion batteries are imported, with a large portion coming from China. With the new tariffs imposed by Trump, grid batteries will face significant taxes when imported from China, potentially hindering their deployment and impacting grid reliability.

Jason Burwen, vice president of policy and strategy at battery developer Gridstor, expressed concerns about the implications of these tariffs on the energy storage deployment, labeling it as detrimental to both business and grid reliability.

The grid battery capacity in the US was projected to reach a record 18,200 megawatts this year, according to the US Energy Information Agency. This growth in battery capacity, along with wind and solar power, was expected to contribute significantly to the grid expansion.

Grid batteries have been instrumental in addressing the intermittency of renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. States like California and Texas have seen an increase in battery installations to mitigate the risk of blackouts during peak demand periods.

Besides supporting renewable energy integration, grid batteries also help stabilize power flow, manage disruptions, and alleviate congestion on transmission lines. The decreasing cost of lithium-ion technology has fueled the installation of grid batteries, paralleling the EV battery trend.

Antoine Vagneur-Jones, head of trade and supply chain at Bloombergnef, highlighted the reliance on Chinese imports for batteries in the US clean energy sector. He warned that the tariffs imposed could have a more significant impact on batteries than other technologies.

The US has taken steps to develop a domestic battery supply chain, but the future remains uncertain due to potential policy changes. While investments have been made in new battery plants under the Biden administration, clean energy policies are facing challenges from Congressional President Trump and Republicans.

Vagneur-Jones noted the complexity of assessing the impact of tariffs on the energy mix, particularly in the competition between batteries and natural gas plants to support renewable energy fluctuations.

Utility companies may find it challenging to increase their reliance on gas due to global supply chain constraints and tariffs affecting the oil and gas industry. While tariffs may benefit fossil fuels, they could hinder clean energy progress, ultimately impacting energy solutions for all.

Source: www.nytimes.com

The Impact of Myanmar Earthquakes on Bangkok’s Skyscrapers.

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Separated by more than 600 miles of land, the epicenter of Friday’s earthquake in Myanmar was far from the skyscrapers of Bangkok. The collapse of a 33-storey building under construction raises questions about how the shaking in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, compares to past earthquakes.

One of the answers lies in low-frequency seismic waves that can travel long distances and impact high-rise buildings.

During a significant earthquake event, different frequencies of shaking are emitted simultaneously. Some produce rapid vibrations, while others generate low-frequency shaking.

This was evident during the Myanmar earthquake when violent, high-frequency seismic waves caused destruction near the epicenter, taking down low-rise buildings and structures made of brittle materials.

High-frequency seismic waves released during an earthquake dissipate within the Earth, while low-frequency waves can travel further along the Earth’s crust.

Low-frequency waves were observed during the 2002 Denali earthquake in Alaska, causing vibrations as far as Texas and Louisiana.

These seismic waves resonate with tall buildings, affecting them differently based on their design and height.

Similar to tuning forks producing varied sounds, buildings react uniquely to earthquakes depending on their characteristics.

Low-frequency seismic waves played a crucial role in the 1985 earthquake that caused extensive damage in Mexico City.

Seismic waves resonated through the soft soils of the Chao Phraya River Delta in Bangkok during the recent earthquake event.

Engineers have realized the underestimated risks posed by soft soils amplifying earthquake effects in recent years.

Cities like Bangkok, Mexico City, Los Angeles, and others are subject to basin effects, increasing earthquake forces, especially at low frequencies.

In 1985, the frequency of seismic waves was critical in understanding earthquake damage in Mexico City, particularly affecting buildings between 7-18 stories tall.

Old low-rise masonry buildings performed better during earthquakes in comparison to taller structures, highlighting vulnerability despite seeming stability.

Engineers shifted to building more flexible skyscrapers in earthquake-prone regions starting from the 1950s.

Concerns persist about the vulnerability of tall buildings to less frequent but more destructive earthquakes.

The fault destruction under modern cities during a major earthquake event can have devastating effects on tall buildings, despite engineering precautions.

Dr. Heaton warns about the rapid and violent movement caused by fault slip during earthquakes, potentially leaving tall buildings unsupported.

Buildings’ bases in earthquake-prone regions must be engineered to withstand such movements to prevent catastrophic collapses.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Trump’s aid cuts will impact millions of women’s access to birth control

Posted on April 1, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The US has ended financial support for family planning programs in developing countries, separating nearly 50 million women from access to birth control.

This policy change has attracted little attention in the wholesale demolition of US foreign aid, but it has great significance, including mother deaths and an overall increase in poverty. It derails the efforts that have in recent years brought long-acting birth control pills to some of the world’s poorest and most isolated regions.

The US contributed to family planning programs in 31 developing countries last year, providing about $600 million in 2023, according to the health research institute KFF.

According to an analysis by the sexual health research institute, the US funding provides birth control pills and medical services to deliver them to more than 47 million women and couples, reaching over 47 million women and couples. Without this annual contribution, 34,000 women could die from preventable mother deaths each year, Guttmacher’s calculation concluded.

“The magnitude of the impact is daunting,” said Mariva, who leads the coordination team for the Ouagadougou Partnership, an initiative to accelerate access to investment and family planning in nine West African countries.

The funding ended as part of the Trump administration’s breakdown of the US International Development Agency. The State Department, whose USAID skeletal remains were absorbed on Friday, did not reply to a request for comment on its decision to cease funding for family planning. Secretary of State Marco Rubio explains that he wasted the fired aid project and is not in line with America’s strategic interests.

Supporting family planning in the world’s poorest and most populous countries has been a consistent policy priority for both Democrats and Republican administrations for decades, considered a breakwater against political instability. It also reduced the number of women seeking abortions.

Among the countries that will be heavily affected by the decision are Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Yemen and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Funds to support the International Family Planning Program have been allocated by Congress and have been extended to the latest expenditure bill, which the government is operating until September. Moves by the State Department to cut these and other aid programs are now the subject of multiple lawsuits before federal courts.

The Trump administration has also fired US funding for UNFPA, the UN’s sexual reproductive health organization, the world’s largest procurement of birth control pills. The United States was the organization’s largest donor.

The US was not the sole supplier of birth control in any country, but the sudden termination of US fundraising has created disruption to the system and has already run out of products in clinics.

The estimated $27 million worth of family planning products already raised by USAID are stuck at various points in boats, ports and warehouses. Programs and employees have no programs or employees left to take them down or hand them over to the government. One plan proposed by Washington’s new USAID leadership is for the rest of the employees to destroy them.

Supply chain management is a major focus for USAID in all areas of health, with the US paying for transporting contraceptive products such as hormone implants, for example, from Thai manufacturers to ports in Mombasa, Kenya.

“It will be extremely difficult to put your work back on,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, executive director of UNFPA.

The US has also paid for data and information systems that help the government track what is in stock and what needs to be ordered. None of these systems have been working since the Trump administration sent halt work orders to all programs that received the USAID grant.

Bellington Wwalika, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Zambia, said contraceptives have already begun running in some parts of the country, with the US supplying a quarter of the national family planning budget.

“Wealthy people can buy the products they want. It is the poor who have to think, ‘What should I get between food and birth control?'” he said.

Even before the US retracted its family planning program, the survey found that globally, 1 billion women of reproductive age wanted to avoid pregnancy, but modern methods of birth control were inaccessible.

At the same time, there have been great progress. Demand for contraception is steadily increasing in Africa, a region of the world with lowest coverage, in long-acting ways that provide women with greater privacy and safe protection. Supply has been improved with better infrastructure and helped deliver products to rural areas. And the “Demand Creation” project, which is the main funder in the US, used ads and social media to inform people of the various options available and the benefits of pregnancy intervals or delays. The rise in education levels among women has also increased demand.

Two weeks ago, Thermasibanda, a 27-year-old engineering graduate who lives in a low-income community on the edge of Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, received a hormone implant that prevents pregnancy for five years.

Shibanda has a two-year-old son and says he can’t afford more children. She can’t find a job in Zimbabwe’s broken economy and her husband can’t. They follow the $150 presence he earns from the vegetable stand every month. She relied on “hope, faith and natural methods” to prevent another pregnancy from happening after her son was born, Shibanda said, hoping for something more reliable, but that was simply impossible on her family’s budget – until a free clinic came to her neighborhood.

With USAID funding, the Zimbabwean organization that provided implants last year has been able to purchase six robust Toyota vehicles and camping equipment so that outreach teams can travel to the country’s most remote parts and provide vascular removal and IUD at pop-up clinics. Since Trump’s executive order, they have had to stop using all of that equipment.

International nonprofit MSI reproductive options intervened with temporary funds to ensure that they could continue to provide free care to women they could reach, such as Shibanda.

Shibanda said her priorities are to provide her son with the best possible education and that there are no more children as tuition costs. However, many African women have no way of making this choice. In Uganda, the national fertility rate is 4.5 children per woman, but it is not uncommon to meet women in rural areas with limited education with eight or 10 children, said Dr Justin Bukenya, lecturer in community health and behavioral sciences at Makerele University in Kampala. These women become pregnant for the first time as teenagers, with little space between pregnancy.

“By the time they were 30, they were able to get their 10th pregnancy. These are the women affected,” she said. “We’re missing the opportunity to make progress with them. The United States was doing a very strong job of creating the demands of birth control with these women here and mobilizing young men and women to go to family planning.”

Some women who rely on free or low-cost services through the public health system may now seek to buy birth control pills in the private market. However, the prices of tablets, IUDs and other devices are likely to rise significantly without guaranteed to buy large quantities from the US.

“As a result, women who relied on free or affordable options through the public health system could now be forced to rely on private sector sources.

The next biggest donor to post-US family planning is the Netherlands, which provided about 17% of donor government funding in 2023, and the UK provided 13%. The two countries recently announced plans to cut their aid budget by more than a third.

BA said the focus of the West African countries she works for is to mobilize domestic resources and come up with ways for governments to try and relocate money to cover what the US supplies. Charities such as the Gates Foundation and financial institutions, including the World Bank, which are already important contributors to family planning, could provide additional funding to try to move products into the country.

“We were very optimistic. Even with all the political instability in our area, we’ve been using modern methods to add millions of women over the last few years,” BA said. “And now, it’s all, US support, policy, it’s all gone completely. The gap is too big to fill.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Experts warn that cuts in Trump’s science funding may negatively impact the economy

Posted on April 1, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

President Trump’s tariffs can increase prices, and efforts to reduce the federal workforce may lead to higher unemployment. Many economists are concerned about administration policies that will cut federal support for scientific research.

The Trump administration has recently canceled or frozen billions of dollars in federal grants for researchers, resulting in significant cuts to funding for academic medical centers and other institutions. It has also attempted to dismiss hundreds of workers at the National Science Foundation and has revoked visas for numerous foreign-born students.

These policies could jeopardize the US’s competitiveness in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, affecting the nation’s health and productivity in the long run.

“Universities play a crucial role in innovation,” says Sabrina Howell, a professor at New York University. “These policies are detrimental to our ability to innovate and grow.”

Scientists warn that the US risks losing its position as a leading research hub and a top destination for scientific talent globally.

Laboratories across the country are already laying off workers and halting projects, potentially affecting ongoing clinical trials. Top universities like Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania have announced employment freezes. Other countries are actively recruiting American scientists, offering a more welcoming environment.

Economists argue that taxpayer-funded research is crucial for early-stage studies that may not attract private investors. Research has shown that every dollar invested in research and development yields about $5 in economic returns, including intangible benefits like increased longevity and leisure time.

“Research is a high-return activity that benefits society in many ways,” said economist Benjamin F. Jones from Northwestern University. “We need to invest more in research to stay competitive.”

Unexpected discovery

Hudson Freeze’s groundbreaking research in microorganisms in the 1960s led to important discoveries in DNA replication and genetic sciences. His work showcases the vital role of government funding in scientific research.

Dr. Freeze’s discoveries underscore the importance of government support for scientific breakthroughs. While private investors may overlook research on rare disorders, government funding has led to significant advancements in medical science.

The US research and development system, established during World War II, has been instrumental in driving economic growth and innovation. Federal investments in research have led to key technologies like the Internet and modern medicine.

…

Immigration plays a crucial role in driving scientific and technological advancements in the US. Despite accounting for a small percentage of the population, immigrants have contributed significantly to innovation, patents, and entrepreneurial ventures.

Changes in immigration policy and the perception of the US as unwelcoming could deter foreign students and scientists from choosing the US for education and research. Research has shown that restrictions on immigration during the Trump administration led to a decline in Chinese students studying in the US.

“International students and scientists are responsive to the environment in the US,” said economist Britta Glennon from the University of Pennsylvania. “A welcoming atmosphere is crucial for attracting global talent.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

The lingering impact of pregnancy on the body is greater than we realized

Posted on March 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Postpartum recovery takes longer than the traditional six-week period commonly referred to as the “fourth stage.” Recent research conducted by biologists at the Wiseman Institute of Science and Helen Schneider Women’s Hospital in Israel, and Yale University School of Medicine in the United States, suggests that it may take more than a year for the body to settle into a new normal after giving birth.

Professor Uriaron, a systems biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science, led the study and emphasized the importance of understanding the extended recovery period postpartum. Using data from over 300,000 Israeli births, the researchers analyzed how various health markers changed between four and a half months to a year and a half after giving birth.

The study revealed that only 47% of the health markers studied stabilized within a month of delivery, while 12% took 4-10 weeks, and the remaining 41% took more than 10 weeks to stabilize. Some markers, such as bone and liver health, took up to 56 weeks to stabilize after childbirth.

Although certain health measurements improved over time, they did not return to pre-pregnancy levels even after a year and a half postpartum. The study also highlighted potential risk factors for pregnancy disorders but did not analyze differences between breastfeeding.

The effects of breastfeeding on the postpartum body have not been analyzed in this study, but may provide useful insights in future studies. – Credit: Igor Alessander via Getty

Experts like Professor Rebecca Reynolds, Professor Uriaron, and Professor Dimitrios Siassakos have provided valuable insights into the study’s findings. This research offers a detailed understanding of how the body changes after childbirth, which can potentially improve postnatal care.

Read more:

About our experts:

Professor Uriaron: He is a system biologist at the Weizmann Institute of Science and the lead researcher at Uri Alon Lab.

Professor Rebecca Reynolds: She is a professor of metabolic medicine at the University of Edinburgh, focusing on understanding the mechanisms linking intrauterine development to health and illness.

Professor Dimitrios Siassakos: He is an honorary consultant in obstetrics at University College London and University College Hospital, contributing to various clinical care groups and research initiatives.

The Impact of Trump on Auto Prices: How Major Auto Brands are Affected

Posted on March 27, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

President Trump announced tariffs on automobiles and auto parts on Wednesday, impacting U.S. and overseas automakers.

Each company has different vulnerabilities based on their circumstances.

Tesla

Tesla, led by Elon Musk, sells cars from its U.S. plants, potentially making it less exposed to tariffs.

However, Tesla sources parts internationally, with about a quarter of the car’s value coming from overseas.

Tesla’s global sales are declining, partially due to Musk’s political activities, making it a target for retaliation against Trump’s tariffs in some countries.

General Motors

GM, America’s largest automaker, imports many popular vehicles, potentially making it vulnerable to tariffs.

Despite strong profits, GM relies on overseas assembly for around 40% of its U.S. sales, which could be impacted by tariffs.

Ford Motor

Ford is less reliant on imports, with most vehicles sold in the U.S. being domestically produced.

However, Ford still depends on foreign factories for key components like engines.

Stellantis, formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot, is facing sales challenges and CEO transitions, putting it at risk.

Toyota

Toyota, like other Japanese automakers, sells a significant number of cars in the U.S. but manufactures many vehicles overseas.

Despite the dependence on foreign production, Toyota is considered one of the strongest global automakers.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen, with limited U.S. factories, imports many vehicles, potentially impacting its operations.

Volkswagen has faced financial struggles, especially with declining sales in China and the rise of domestic electric vehicles.

Hyundai and Kia

Both Korean companies have seen growth in U.S. sales and are investing in local production to avoid tariffs on certain models.

Hyundai and Kia continue to import cars into the U.S., facing potential tariffs despite their investments in local manufacturing.

Source: www.nytimes.com

As a new ban period looms, TikTok’s impact on society becomes clear

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

On January 18th, I was one of millions of Americans, scrolling through Tiktok when the all-you-can-eat video buffet service suddenly stopped just before the federal ban came into effect.

It was a breathtaking moment when I was mourning me. For daily doses of Hollywood gossip, video game news, anime updates, where did I wonder where I was going now?

Tiktok, owned by a Chinese company, was bytedance, and rose to life the next day, facing legal deadlines to find or face a ban on US owners. President Trump then quickly signed an executive order extending the window for Tiktok’s sale to April 5th.

With that new deadline approaching, Tiktok’s fate, claiming more than 170 million American users, remains uncertain. However, for now, at least, it seems unlikely that there will be a repeated blackout in January.

Last month, Trump He told reporters That he can extend the deadline again. And while bytedance has not confirmed sales plans, Oracle, Data Center Company and others have emerged as potential suitors.

The latest deadlines provide convenient members to reflect on the role of apps in society. This is what I found.

Tiktok is still the best short video app

Tiktok started as Musical.ly 11 years ago. It’s an app for users to post lip sync videos, but over time it has evolved into a generic video app that lets people scroll through short clips of news and entertainment. Currently, there are over 1 billion users worldwide.

With Tiktok’s popularity surged worldwide over the past five years, Meta, Google and others have created clones that allow users to scroll through video clips endlessly. but Young users still prefer Tiktok To watch a short video, according to a survey by research firm Emarketer.

Tiktok’s preferences may be linked in part to product quality. Videos made on Tiktok generally look clearer, more rigorously edited and catchy than videos made with similar apps like Instagram reels. (Why drink lukewarm cola when you can get a classic cola?) Tiktok’s tools, including the editing app Capcut, streamline the production of video for your app.

For me, switching to the reel felt crazy when Tiktok was temporarily down. Many users have posted videos they found to be incomplete, including a video of sourdough bread that I was asked to read the caption to learn how to bake the perfect bread. Why don’t you explain it in a video instead of a small text caption?

Meta, who owns Instagram, catches up to Tiktok’s editing tools. An Instagram spokesperson mentioned a company spokesperson announcement The editor is CapCut’s competitor for editing reel videos and is expected to debut in the coming weeks. This tool allows Instagram users to upload videos to a higher resolution, improving image quality, among other perks.

Tiktok’s secret source, which others have not replicated either, is an algorithm for people to decide which video they want to watch next. Many people in their research say that Tiktok surfaces the type of video they want to watch for everything from diet ideas to video games, and glues them to the screen for hours a day.

Mental health concerns are rising

The effectiveness of Tiktok in keeping people scrolling has been a topic of widespread concern among parents and academic researchers wondering whether people could be thought of as obsessed with apps, just like video game addiction.

Research on this topic continues and remains conclusive. One, It was released last year He also looked into the overuse of Tiktok, led by Christian Montag, a professor of cognitive and brain science at the University of Macau in China. The study reported that although few people involved 378 participants of various ages, they were obsessed with Tiktok.

But broadly speaking, the consensus from multiple studies on Tiktok and other social media apps is that young people are more likely to report being addicted, Dr. Montag said in an interview.

“I don’t think kids should appear on these platforms at all,” he said of an app similar to Tiktok. People’s brains can take at least 20 years, mature and self-regulate, he added.

A Tiktok spokesperson said the app includes tools to manage screen time, including new settings for Tiktok to block children’s phone work during certain times.

Growth of a marketing platform for brands

Tiktok has become the main hub for companies to promote their products through posted videos and products sold at the in-app store, Tiktok Shop.

The company is working hard to make Americans realize the impact on the economy, running flashy advertising campaigns in newspapers and billboards, portraying them as a small business champion.

A Tiktok spokesperson cited a study claiming that Tiktok increased revenues for small businesses to $15 billion in 2023. This is the number that should be collected with salt grains because Tiktok asked for research. However, from scrolling through Tiktok, it is clear that many brands enjoy using it to spread videos showing quirky products.

Tiktok’s video confesses that he was inspired to buy expensive tools to remove dog fur from car seats and an automatic scrubber to clean the kitchen sink.

As for the so-called creators, the platform usually helps self-promotion rather than making money, as influencers post videos of Tiktok that often get viral, said actress Alyssa McKay, who has a follower of Tiktok in New Jersey.

The video, which earns 2 million views, can earn her a few dollars, she said. She added that it is because Tiktok only pays for the scenery that comes from people who have not yet followed you.

That’s still a national security concern

Tiktok was banned in the first place because he feared that US government officials could share data collected by American users with the Chinese government for espionage purposes.

These concerns peaked at the Supreme Court hearing in January. There, the Biden administration argued to ban the app. This cites concerns that Tiktok could create new pathways for China’s intelligence reporting agency that permeates American infrastructure. However, authorities did not provide evidence that Tiktok was associated with such a threat.

But Tiktok is linked to a small US data scandal. Tiktok confirmed in 2022 that four employees were fired for using the app to silly several journalists to track information sources.

Tiktok spokesperson pointed to a video This app protects the data of American users on server systems protected by Oracle, a collaborative US database giant, and prevents unauthorized foreign access.

Matthew Green, a security researcher at Johns Hopkins University and an associate professor of computer science, said that the US government’s security concerns about Tiktoc have been exaggerated as there has yet to be a major scandal, but it is effective because of the potential for hypothetical harm.

Many apps created by American companies are companies that collect information about us and sell insights to data brokers, marketers, including parts of China. But Tiktok in particular can gather sensitive data on Americans that are useful for hostile governments, such as address books, Dr. Green added.

“We’re leaking so much information, we don’t need Tiktok to make things worse, but with millions of different phones running this app, things get worse,” Dr. Green said.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Tesla warns US government that Trump’s trade war could have negative impact on EV companies

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla, led by Elon Musk, is cautioning about the potential repercussions of Donald Trump’s trade war. They warned that retaliatory tariffs could harm not only electric car makers but also other American automakers.

In a letter to US trade representative Jamieson Greer, Tesla emphasized the importance of considering the broader impacts of trade actions on American businesses. They stressed the need for fair trade practices that do not inadvertently harm US companies.

Tesla urged the US Trade Representative (USTR) office to carefully evaluate the downstream effects of proposed actions to address unfair trade practices. They highlighted the disproportionate impact that US exporters often face when other countries respond to trade actions taken by the US.

The company, which has been a supporter of Trump, expressed concerns about potential tariffs on electric vehicles and parts imported to targeted countries. They cited past instances where trade disputes led to increased tariffs on vehicles and parts manufactured globally.

As Tesla continues to navigate the challenges of trade policies, they emphasized the importance of considering implementation timelines and taking a step-by-step approach to allow US companies to prepare and adapt accordingly.

Meanwhile, German automaker BMW reported a decline in net profit due to trade tariffs. They highlighted the impact of US trade actions on their business performance and reiterated the challenges posed by a competitive global environment.

BMW’s forecast takes into account various tariffs, including those on steel and aluminum. The company faces challenges in China, where local EV manufacturers are gaining market share, leading to a decline in BMW and Mini sales.

Despite these obstacles, BMW remains committed to navigating the complexities of trade and geopolitical developments to maintain business resilience and performance.

New research suggests that protein may have a significant impact on treating Parkinson’s disease

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Parkinson’s disease is rapidly becoming one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions globally, impacting over 10 million individuals worldwide. It ranks as the second most common neurodegenerative ailment following Alzheimer’s disease. As of now, there is no known cure. However, recent advancements have raised hopes for the development of new treatments in the near future.

The disease is closely associated with a protein known as Pink1, which carries a mutation in the Park6 gene responsible for encoding this protein.

Malfunctions in Pink1’s functioning are directly linked to Parkinson’s disease, especially in individuals with early onset, affecting 1.2% of Parkinson’s patients in the UK.

Recent scientific progress has shed light on the interaction between Pink1 and mitochondria. Mitochondria, known as the powerhouse of cells, produce energy within the cells of all organisms.

From left, Professor David Commander, Dr. Nicholas Kirk, Dr. Sylvie Karegari and Dr. Alisa Grukova stand before the discovery of Pink 1. – Wehe

The link between Pink1 and Parkinson’s disease has long been recognized, but its potential as a cure for Parkinson’s disease has only recently been explored.

When mitochondria are damaged, Pink1 signals the need for their removal. However, in Parkinson’s patients, mitochondrial defects accumulate unnoticed, releasing toxins that eventually lead to cell death.

Currently, researchers at the Parkinson’s Center for Research in Walter and Eliza Hall (WEHI) in Australia have elucidated the structure and activation process of Pink1. Their findings on how Pink1 interacts with dysfunctional mitochondria are published in Science today.

“This is a significant milestone in Parkinson’s disease research,” stated corresponding author Professor David Commander, head of WEHI’s ubiquitin signaling division. “Understanding Pink1’s binding to mitochondria is truly groundbreaking.”

Lead author and Senior Researcher at WEHI, Sylvie Callegari, explained that Pink1 functions in four distinct steps, with the first two being newly discovered in this study.

Furthermore, Pink1’s role in detecting mitochondrial damage and initiating the process of mitophagy, the recycling of damaged mitochondria, is crucial for addressing Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is associated with physical tremors, as well as other symptoms like language and vision impairments – Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin

In conclusion, understanding the Pink1-mitochondrial relationship is crucial for developing therapies for Parkinson’s disease, a condition characterized by the decline of brain cells.

Given the increasing prevalence of Parkinson’s disease over the past 25 years, the need for effective treatments is more urgent than ever. The researchers behind this study aim to accelerate drug development and halt the progression of Parkinson’s disease.

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“Who Purchased this Smoked Salmon? The Impact of AI Agents on the Internet and Shopping Lists”

Posted on March 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

I'Looking at artificial intelligence and ordering my groceries. Armed with my shopping list, enter each item into the search bar of the supermarket website, then click using your cursor. When you see what looks like a digital ghost, this is usually a mundane task that is mysteriously fixed. “Are you not just Indians?” my husband asks, peering over my shoulder.

I'm trying operatorOpenai's new AI “agent” is the manufacturer of ChatGpt. It was made available to UK users last month and has a similar text interface and conversation tone as ChatGpt, but rather than answering questions, it actually does do Things – if they involve navigating a web browser.

Soon after the large language model, AI agents are trumpeted as the next big thing, and you can see the appeal. Similar to Openai's offering, humanity introduced the “computer use” feature in Claude Chatbot towards the end of last year. Perplexity and Google have also released the “agent” feature for AI assistants, with more companies developing agents targeting specific tasks such as coding and research.

While there is debate about what is accurately counted as an AI agent, the general idea is that you need to be able to take action with a certain degree of autonomy. “As soon as you start performing an action outside the chat window, you'll be an agent from a chatbot,” says Margaret Mitchell, a leading ethics scientist at AI Company.

It's early. Most commercial agents still come with experimental disclaimers. Openai describes the operator as a “research preview.” Dozen eggs $31 Or you're trying to Return the groceries to the store They bought them. Depending on who you ask, agents are just the dawn of the future of AI that can shake up the next exaggerated high-tech or labor, rebuild the internet and change our lives.

“In principle, they're amazing because they can automate many drunk people,” says Gary Marcus, a scientist and skeptical linguistic model scientist at large. “But I don't think they'll work anytime soon, and it's partly an investment in hype.”

I sign up to the operator to see for myself. Grocery shopping seems like a good first job as there is no food at home. Once you enter your request, you will be asked if there is a shop or brand you like. I tell them to go with the cheapest person. A window will appear to display your web browser and search for “UK Online Grocery Delivery.” The mouse cursor selects the first result: ocado. Starts searching for requested items and filters the results by price. Select the product and click Add to trolley.

I was impressed by the operator's initiative. If only a description of a simple item such as “salmon” or “chicken” is given, it doesn't ask me any questions. Searching for eggs will help you pass through several non-egg items that appear as special offers. My list is looking for “several different vegetables.” Choose a broccoli head and ask if you want something else specific. I tell them to choose two more, and it goes for carrots and leeks – perhaps I chose myself. Encourage me, I ask you to add “sweet sweets” and literally watch as you type “sweet snacks” into the search bar. I don't know why I'm choosing 70% chocolate, but certainly not the cheapest option, but I don't like dark chocolate and I'll trade it for a Galaxy Bar.

Thomas Dohmke is the head of Github, which develops with an autonomous coding assistant called Project Padawan. Photo: DPA Picture Alliance/Alamy

When the operator realized that there was a minimum spend on Ocado, we bumped into a scratch. So, add more items to the list. You will then be logged in and the agent will encourage you to intervene. While users can take over the browser at any point in time, Openai says operators are designed to require “when entering sensitive information into the browser, such as login credentials and payment information.” Operators usually take constant screenshots to “see” what it is doing, but Openai says that they don't do this when the user controls it.

At checkout, you will be asked to complete the payment and test the water. But when I respond by asking for details of my card, I get the reins back. I have already provided Openai with payment info (operators need a ChatGPT Pro account that costs $200 a month), but I find it uncomfortable to share this directly with AI. I've ordered it and waited for next day delivery. But it doesn't solve dinner. Give the operator a new task. Can I order a cheeseburger and chips from a local highly rated restaurant? It asks for my postcode and then loads the Derveoo website and searches for “Cheeseburger”. Again, there is a pause when you need to log in, but Derveoo already stores the card details, so the operator can proceed to pay directly.

The restaurant it chooses is local and highly rated as a fish and chip shop. I'll end up with a big bag of total cheeseburger and chippy style chips. It's not what I imagined, but it's not I'm wrongeither. However, I am regretted when I realized that the operator was skipping the delivery rider conversion. I secretly take my food and add generous tips after the fact.

Of course, seeing operators hold actions will beat the time saving points of using AI agents for online tasks. Instead, you can keep it working in the background, focusing on other tabs. While drafting this piece, I make another request: Can it be booked for gel nail polish at a local salon?

Operators are struggling with this task more. I go to Frasha, a beauty booking platform, but when I was prompted to log in, I find myself choosing to book an hour or more by car, a week behind my house in East London. I point out these issues and it finds a slot for the right date, but it's still far away from Leicester Square. Only then will it ask my location and I recognize that it should not retain this knowledge between tasks. By this point I might have already booked my own. The operator will ultimately propose a proper appointment, but I will abandon the task and choke it up as a team human victory.

AI Shopping Assistants need to pause and human input when logging in to supermarket websites or making payments online. Photo: Marco Marca/Getty Images

It is clear that this first generation AI agent has limitations. It requires a considerable amount of human monitoring to stop and log in. However, operators store cookies so that users can continue to log in to the website on subsequent visits (Openai requires closer supervision on “particularly sensitive” sites, such as email clients and financial services). The results are usually accurate, but not necessarily my own. When my groceries arrived, I see that the operator ordered smoked salmon rather than fillets, and was twice as many with yogurt as a special offer. I interpreted “some fish cakes” as 3 packs (I intended only one), and saved the insult of buying chocolate milk instead of plain because the product was out of stock. To be fair to the bots, I had the opportunity to review the order. You will get better results if you get more specific at the prompt (“Pack of two raw salmon fillets”), but these additional steps will also undermine the saved effort.

Despite the current flaws, my experience with the operator feels like a glimpse of what's coming. As such systems improved and reduced costs, I was able to easily see them embedded in everyday life. You may already have written your shopping list on the app. Why doesn't it place an order? Agents also permeate workflows beyond the realm of personal assistants. Openai CEO Sam Altman predicts that AI agents will be able to “join the workforce” this year.

Software developers are one of the early adopters. Coding Platform Github Recently added agent features For AI Copilot tools. Github CEO Thomas Dohmke says developers are used to some degree of automated assistance. The difference between AI agents is the level of autonomy. “Not only gives the answer by asking a question, but you'll have a problem and then repeat it with the code you can access,” he says.

GitHub is already working on a more autonomous agent called Project Padawan ( Star Wars (a term used to refer to Jedi apprentice). This allows AI agents to work asynchronously rather than requiring constant monitoring. Developers can report the agent's team to them and write code for review. Dohmke says he doesn't think the developer's work is at risk. “I argue that the amount of work that AI has added to most developers' backlogs is higher than the amount of work it takes over,” he says. Agents can also create coding tasks that are more accessible to non-technical people, such as building apps.

AI company Margaret Mitchell warns against the development of fully autonomous agents. Photo: Bloomberg/Getty Images

Outside of software development, Dohmke envisions a future where everyone has their own personal Jarvis. Iron Man. Your agent will learn your habits and be customized to your tastes, making it more convenient. He used him to book holidays for his family.

But more autonomous agents have greater risks than they pose. Mitchell, from her hugging face, I co-authored the paper Warning against the development of fully autonomous agents. “Completely autonomously means that human control has been completely transferred,” she says. Rather than working within a set boundary, an agent that is completely autonomous can access things that don't notice or work in unexpected ways, especially if they can write their own code. If your AI agent makes a mistake in ordering takeout, that's not a big deal, but what if you start sharing your personal information or posting under the name of scary social media content on a scam website? High-risk workplaces can implement particularly dangerous scenarios. What if I have access to the missile command system?

Mitchell hopes engineers, legislators and policymakers will encourage guardrails to mitigate such cases. For now, she foresees that the agent's abilities will become more refined for certain tasks. Immediately, I watch the agent interact with it. For example, an agent could work with my agent to set up a meeting.

This surge in agents could potentially rebuild the internet. Currently, much of the information online is specialized in human language, but this can change if AIS is increasingly interacting with websites. “Through the Internet, you're seeing more and more information that agents need to act on, although not directly in human language,” says Mitchell.

Dohmke echoes this idea. He believes that the concept of homepages will lose importance and design interfaces with AI agents in mind. Brands may begin to compete for AI attention over the human eyeballs.

One day, the agent even escapes the computer range. You can see AI agents embodied in robots, which will open up a world of physical tasks for them to help. “My prediction is to see agents who can do our laundry, cook and cook for us,” says Mitchell. “Don't give us access to the weapon.”

Concerning Top Brands: Assessing Elon Musk’s Impact on Tesla’s Toxicity

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

gThe famous brand of Lobabury didn’t want to be associated with the German far-right opposition. But Tesla, one of the world’s largest company names, does not have a traditional CEO.

After Elon Musk supports the alternative, Fool Deutsla Land (AFD), it is called Germany’s “only hope” – voters are considering replacing Tesla. Data released Thursday showed that the German company’s electric vehicle registrations fell 76% last month to 1,429. Overall, electric vehicle registrations increased by 31%.

Tesla’s biggest shareholder, who has expressed support for right-wing leaders around the world, is now a de facto American cabinet member under the Donald Trump administration.

Tesla’s reputation is closely tied to mask politics. After he spent $288 million on Trump’s 2024 election victory, Tesla’s valuation passed $1tn. But Musk’s political involvement is unprecedented for the head of a company of that size — and could also have a negative impact.

On Friday, a group of extinct rebel activists occupied a Tesla store in central Milan. Activists chained themselves to the tires of the car, while others glued them to the window along with slogans, “Let the billionaires pay again” and “Ecology, no ecofascism.”

Analysts openly wonder whether Musk is causing permanent damage to the brand he made synonymous with electric vehicles, and even brings a liberal aspiration to tackle climate change.

Tesla was asked to comment.

Tesla was the world’s largest producer of battery electric vehicles in 2024, but sales fell to 1.79 million. This was the first time since 2011 that it had withstanded a decline in sales since 2011 after years of rapid growth that became the world’s most valuable automaker.

The manufacturer said in January that global sales will increase in 2025, and Wall Street analysts hope Tesla will sell more than 2 million cars this year. But even these predictions represent little fiery return to form. Recently, Musk said in October that it expects sales growth of 20% to 30% per year, meaning that as many as 2.3 million cars are on sale.

“Customer retention will be important as customers…

Other analysts are more optimistic. Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities, a US financial company, is a longtime Tesla supporter. Ives believes…

Nevertheless, there are clear indications in the US…

He states: That’s ironic as vehicles are built for the environmentally-conscious Liberal Party and have become a symbol of conservative movements.

There were positive signs elsewhere too…

The concern for Tesla investors is whether the mask has turned its peak to the edge of a cliff.

Additional Reports Lorenzo Tondo

The negative impact of daylight saving time on health and how to mitigate it

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

It feels harsh. Being forced to sacrifice valuable sleep is tough. In the United States, Daylight Saving Time (DST) will begin on March 9, 2025. At 2am local time, the clock will spring forward an hour, skipping straight to 3am.

Not only does this make the following day feel a bit groggy, but experts are growing concerned about the potential negative impacts of the DST switch on our health.

“When the clock changes, there is a slight increase in stroke, heart attack, car accidents, and sleep loss,” says Vanderbilt’s Director of Sleep, Dr. Beth Malow to BBC Science Focus.

The effects of this time shift are felt not only by the youth but also by older individuals. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine in 2015 found that teenagers lose approximately 2 hours and 42 minutes of weekday sleep after the time change.

Mallow continues, “It has health repercussions for nearly eight months due to the shift in light exposure from the morning and evening times.”

“Morning light is essential for waking up, regulating our biological clock, and enhancing our mood. We use light therapy in the morning to treat seasonal affective disorders and improve sleep quality. Exposure to morning light supports nighttime sleep, while evening light disrupts it.”

However, all hope is not lost. Here are some simple strategies to alleviate the impact of losing that hour:

1. Back up your bedtime for a few days before the clock change

While it may be too late this time, keep this in mind for the future. Sleep experts recommend gradually shifting your bedtime 15-20 minutes earlier each night leading up to the time change.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sudden changes in sleep schedules, such as switching to daylight saving time, can lead to temporary insomnia symptoms affecting about 30-35% of adults.

By easing into it gradually, Malow suggests, “you can adjust to the new time and get a bit more sleep in the process.”

If you’re short on time and feeling drowsy, going to bed earlier on the night of the time change can also be helpful.

2. Expose yourself to bright light in the morning

Daylight Saving Time aims to provide an extra hour of sunlight in the evening. While this is ideal for post-work socializing, it may disrupt natural sleep-wake cycles and circadian rhythms.

To help you wake up in the morning and consequently sleep better at night, exposing yourself to bright light is crucial. Malow recommends natural light for this purpose, especially as the sun rises earlier during the summer months.

“Morning bright light exposure helps synchronize your biological clock,” she explains. “Aligning your clock will improve your nighttime sleep.”

3. Avoid lengthy naps and late-day caffeine. Opt for exercise instead

If you enjoy taking naps (who doesn’t?), this news may be disappointing. However, if you want to maintain good sleep, avoiding long naps is essential.

“Naps and caffeine impair our ‘sleep drive’,” Malow clarifies. Her solution? Engage in physical exercise instead.

“Physical activity in the afternoon energizes us during that afternoon slump, but comes bedtime, it promotes sleepiness. It enhances our sleep drive,” she adds.

But remember, avoid exercising just before bedtime, as it can stimulate endorphins and raise body temperature, both of which can interfere with sleep.

4. Put away your phone before bedtime

You’ve likely heard this advice before, but it remains just as relevant, particularly when the clock springs forward an hour. Bright light at night, especially from screens emitting blue light, can disrupt your sleep.

Blue light, found in LED screens, inhibits the natural release of melatonin in the brain, a hormone that regulates sleep. Additionally, content like news can trigger anxiety before bed.

Perhaps it’s time to eliminate daylight saving time

While the aforementioned strategies can minimize the impact of the time change, many experts are calling for the abolishment of this antiquated practice entirely.

So, should standard time become the new norm?

Alice Gregory, a psychology professor at Goldsmith’s, believes so. She argues that permanent standard time aligns better with our circadian rhythms compared to daylight saving time.

Mallow echoes this sentiment, stating, “Most individuals are quite fatigued by the interaction.”

About our experts:

Dr. Beth Malow is a neurology and pediatrics professor, Director of the Vanderbilt Sleep Division, Chair of Barry Donations for Cognitive Childhood Development, and Vice-Chair of Clinical Research at Vanderbilt University, USA. She is board-certified in Neurology and Sleep Medicine, conducting research on sleep and its medical and genetic implications.

Alice Gregory is a psychology professor at Goldsmith’s. She conducts research on the link between sleep and mental health, behavioral genetics, sleep paralysis, and nightmare disorder. She is also a prolific science communicator, publishing articles in various outlets like Guardian, GQ UK, and Slate fr.

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Solar heat may impact seismic activity on Earth

Posted on March 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

According to new research by scientists at Tsukuba University and the Japan National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, heat from our sun promotes changes in the atmosphere temperature on Earth and changes in the atmosphere temperature on Earth.

The sun is seen by solar orbiter in extreme ultraviolet rays from a distance of approximately 75 million km. This image is a mosaic of 25 individual images taken on March 7, 2022 by the high-resolution telescope of an extreme ultraviolet imager (EUI) instrument. The image, taken at a wavelength of 17 nanometers in the extreme ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, reveals the corona, the upper atmosphere of the sun, with a temperature of about 1 million degrees Celsius. Image credits: ESA/NASA/SOLAR ORBITER/EUI Team/E. Kraaikamp, Rob.

Seismic studies have revealed many of the fundamentals of earthquakes: the tectonic plates move, strain energy accumulates, and that energy is ultimately released in the form of an earthquake.

However, when it comes to predicting them, there is still much to learn to evacuate cities before a catastrophe like the 2011 magnitude 9.0 Tōhoku earthquake

In recent years, research has focused on possible correlations between the sun or moon and seismic activity on Earth, with several studies pointing to tidal or electromagnetic effects that interact with the Earth's crust, core, and mantle.

In a new study, Matheus Henrique Junqueira Saldanha and his colleagues explored the possibility that solar-induced climate could play a role.

“Solar heat can promote changes in atmospheric temperature, which can affect rock properties and groundwater movements, among other things,” said Dr. Junqueira Saldanha.

“Such variations can make rocks more brittle and more prone to breaking, for example. And changes in rainfall and snow thaw can change the pressure on the boundaries of the tectonic plate.”

“Those factors may not be the main factors that cause earthquakes, but they may still play a useful role in predicting seismic activity.”

Using mathematical and computational methods, researchers analyzed seismic data along with solar activity records and surface temperatures on Earth.

Among other findings, they observed that when the surface temperature of the earth was included in the model, predictions of particularly shallow earthquakes are more accurate.

“That makes sense because heat and water mostly affect the upper layers of the Earth's crust,” said Junqueira Saldanha.

The findings suggest that solar heat transfer to the Earth's surface affects seismic activity, but this is only a small measure, and incorporating predictions of solar activity into a detailed earth temperature model could help issue seismic predictions.

“It's an exciting direction and I hope our research will shed some light on the larger picture of what causes earthquakes,” said Dr. Junqueira Saldanha.

study Today I'll be appearing in the journal chaos.

____

Matheus Henrique Junqueira Saldanha et al. The role of solar heat in seismic activity. chaos 35, 033107; doi:10.1063/5.0243721

Source: www.sci.news

Laid off NOAA employees warn of potential impact on weather forecasts and safety measures

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

A scientist with a Ph.D. issues tsunami alerts and serves as a Hurricane Hunting Flight Director. Researchers investigate communities that are prone to flooding during storms.

They were part of over 600 workers who were laid off last week by the Trump administration, resulting in around a 5% reduction in the workforce of the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Kayla Besong, a physical scientist at the Tsunami Warning Center, was one of the affected employees. She played a key role in the safety monitoring team, which was reduced from 12 members to 11. She was responsible for programming a system that assessed the risk to the U.S. coastline and issued alerts accordingly.

The layoffs have raised concerns about the impact on public safety programs and the ability to deal with the increasing frequency of weather disasters due to climate change. Last year alone, NOAA recorded a $27 billion disaster that resulted in 568 deaths in the U.S., marking the second-highest death toll since 1980, accounting for inflation.

Meteorologists are facing challenges and criticism, despite their improving accuracy in predicting weather events. The Trump administration’s decision to cut jobs at NOAA has been met with protests and legal challenges. Experts warn that these cuts threaten progress and could hinder crucial scientific advancements.

NOAA has declined to comment on the layoffs, emphasizing its commitment to providing timely information and resources to the public. Former agency officials argue that the cuts jeopardize public safety, especially during weather emergencies.

Congressional Democrats have also opposed the layoffs, citing the impact on public safety and the ability to provide accurate weather forecasts. The cuts have affected essential roles, such as hurricane modeling specialists and flight directors, who play a vital role in predicting and responding to severe weather events.

The reduction in NOAA’s workforce has sparked concerns about the agency’s ability to effectively respond to upcoming weather seasons, potentially putting lives at risk and undermining public safety efforts.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Global warming may impact the sensory systems of Marsaby

Posted on March 3, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Flowers and other plants need to pollinate insects to spread and reproduce. Their bright colours and intense smells attract bumblebees that pollinate them and play an important role in their survival. Without pollination, most fruits, vegetables, flowers and plants would not grow and diversify. Bumblebees eat nectar from flower to flower and collect them to store nutrient-rich pollen. In the process, their abdomen are covered in pollen. Pollen spreads from male flowers to female flowers as they fly between them. However, as global temperatures have risen in recent years, many scientists have noticed that bumblebees struggle to find colorful flowers and plants to pollinate.

This concern allowed a team of German scientists to take a closer look at how excessive heat affects bumblebees. They chose two types of Bumblebee to study: Bombus PascuorumAlso known as Carder Bumblebee Bombus Terrestris LinnaeusAlso known as bufftail bumblebee. These two bee species are common in Germany and most other parts of Europe, making them ideal options for research. Known as the ocean west coast climate, the region is a mild, comfortable summer and cool winter with plenty of rain.

Scientists suggested that heat waves due to climate change could affect how carder and bufftailed bumblebees survive during mild summers. In their study, the researchers exposed bees of both species to four different heat treatments and three different foods designed to replicate the scent of bees in the wild.

Scientists kept the bees in a comfortable, simulated environment a week before treatment. They then removed the individual bees and placed them in environments with different temperatures and humidity. Their goal was to simulate irregular weather phenomena such as drought and extreme heat and observe the bees' ability to find the scent of different flowers.

For each test, the researchers placed individual bees in long glass tubes to observe them. They performed their first treatment at 90% humidity and 104°F (40°C) to make the air very wet and hot. They performed a second treatment under the same humidity and temperature conditions, but added sugar syrup. They again administered a third treatment under the same conditions, but added a 24-hour rest period between heat and access to the sugar syrup. They had their fourth and final treatment at the same temperature, but only 15% humidity.

Scientists then applied the floral scent to Okimen, geraniol and nonnal on special absorbent paper and introduced it to each bee. They used a technique called to observe the electrical activity of bee antennas in response to odors Electrounnography. They explained that this process helps track bumblebee behavior after heat treatment.

Scientists have found that all heat treatments affect how bee antennae responded to the scent of three flowers. Specifically, we found that bufftailed bumblebees' sensory responses to flower scents reduced by up to 29%, while bufftailed bumblebees had a 42% to 81% reduction in their scent detection skills. Of all treatments, they found that the fourth treatment with low humidity had the greatest effect on honeybee sensation.

Scientists have concluded that research like theirs is useful when it is necessary to survive, taking into account the bees' experiences in the natural environment. With this in mind for global pollinators facing climate change, scientists have recommended that future researchers prioritize studying the effects of heat stress on cellular changes in bee antennas.

Post view: 82

Source: sciworthy.com

New research reveals the impact of global warming on the pace of the next ice age

Posted on February 28, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Glacier Age Earth

Zoonar/Alexander Savchuk/Alamy

Without human-induced climate change, the Earth could have been on track to enter another ice age within 11,000 years. This long-term prediction of the planet's “natural” climate is based on a new analysis of how orbital shapes and the tilt of their axis combine to change the amount of solar energy reaching Earth.

For millions of years, these orbital oscillations (known as the Milankovich cycle) entered and left the planet during the Ice Age about every 41,000 years. However, over the past 800,000 years, these ice ages, also known as ice age, have only occurred every 100,000 years. The term Ice Age, as it is currently, can be used to refer to whenever there is ice on Earth's poles, but generally refers to a wide range of ice Age periods.

The ambiguity of the record as the ice sheets were willingly retreated meant that it was not possible to explain how trajectory changes were involved in driving this long cycle.

If previous research attempted to link orbital changes to a specific period, such as onset of an ice age, Stephen Barker Cardiff University in England and his colleagues took a new tack. They came back fading during the “glacial age” where they saw the overall pattern of the ice age, also known as ice age. This allowed us to link changes in trajectories with changes in ice, despite the ambiguity of ice records over the past million years.

They discovered that these 100,000-year cycles appear to follow simple rules. For the last 900,000 years, following the most circular phase of the orbit, the planets also tilted towards the Sun, thus causing all interglacial periods after the Earth's axis wobbled at the farthest from the Sun.

This suggests that all three of these aspects of Earth's orbit (known as precession, oblique and eccentricity) are combined to create a 100,000-year glacial cycle, Barker says. “Since 900,000 years ago, this simple rule has predicted all of these major glacial end events, which says it's really very easy to predict,” he says.

Under that rule, the next ice age where you currently live is expected to begin approximately 66,000 years from the year, as there is no impact on greenhouse gas emissions. But that could only be started if there was an ice age before that,” says Barker.

The diagonal and gradual stages of precession that preceded the Holocene suggest that the glaciers are likely to be on track between 4300 and 11 and 100 years from now. We may now live in what would have been the beginning of this next ice age. “Of course, it's just a natural scenario,” says Barker.

More than 1.5 trillion tons of carbon dioxide have been released into the atmosphere as the Industrial Revolution is expected to cause sufficient warming to disrupt this long-term glacial cycle.

“The amount we've already put into the atmosphere is so big that it takes hundreds to thousands of years to pull it out through natural processes,” Barker says. However, he says more research is needed to define the planet's future natural climate in a more detailed way.

It states that this is consistent with previous modeling suggesting that anthropogenic emissions can prevent the onset of the next ice age, from dozens to hundreds of thousands of years. Andrei Ganopolsky At the Potsdam Climate Impact Research Institute in Germany.

But he says even at pre-industrial levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, it was high enough to delay the ice sheet advancement by 50,000 years. This is due to the unusually small orbital changes expected in thousands of years and the unpredictable way that Earth responds to those changes.

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Climate change/
global warming

AI’s Impact on HR Professionals: Shifting Focus from Managers to People

Posted on February 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Grace Oh, like many HR experts, used to dread the end of the month. It was the time to handle the company’s payroll, one of the most time-consuming and critical tasks in her department.

As the Director of People at Audio and Media Company Communicorp UK, ensuring smooth monthly payroll processes was essential for the employees’ well-being and productivity.

Although Oh had already implemented digital systems to streamline administration, she felt there was room for improvement. About a year ago, she decided to introduce a new AI-powered system from Employment Hero. This system reduced her monthly payroll processing time to just an hour, allowing her team to focus on more strategic tasks.

Grace Oh: “Let AI do the job, and we humans can do our thing.”

For Oh and her team, the AI-powered system not only automated payroll but also transformed other HR functions like onboarding, probation check-ins, and feedback processes. The AI system ensured that new recruits had a positive experience and that employee engagement was enhanced through consistent and structured interactions.

By utilizing AI, the company was able to conduct regular one-on-one meetings with staff, improving communication and accountability. Additionally, AI tools were deployed for performance reviews, goal setting, and recruitment, leading to more efficient and effective processes.

With AI handling routine tasks, Oh and her team were able to focus on more impactful work that required critical thinking skills. AI’s ability to automate administrative tasks allowed HR professionals to concentrate on building relationships and driving employee engagement.

By having AI take care of “shallow work,” HR professionals can focus on building relationships with their employees. Photo: Miquel Llonch/Stocksy United

While implementing AI in HR functions can raise concerns, Oh’s experience showed that addressing fears and providing training is crucial for successful adoption. Leading by example, choosing the right technology vendor, and providing ongoing support are key factors in AI integration.

A year later, Oh has no regrets about implementing AI. She has witnessed positive feedback from employees and executives, highlighting the system’s efficiency and impact on the organization’s goals.

Rethink what’s possible with Employment Hero and transform the way you work.

The Impact of Universe Stagnation on Rewriting History

Posted on February 11, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

If you ask someone how the universe began, they will probably reply with these three familiar words: the Big Bang. But just like in the 1960s, cosmologists discussed the issue with heat. On the other side of the discussion on the Big Bang was the idea of an unchanging “stable state” universe, whose density was kept the same by continuously adding new problems when it expanded.

Ultimately, observation ruled out the idea of the universe in a stable state and solidified the place of Canon's Big Bang in Cosmology. Its primitive explosion has begun a process of continuous expansion, and cosmologists today see cosmologists as a place of constant flux.

But now, a bold group of cosmologists is questioning everything. To be clear, this is not a return to steady-state universe, but is completely interesting. Researchers suggest that universe history could have been interrupted by a spell of eerie stillness. These periods of stagnation in the universe can occur in such a way that it replaces the entire epoch of traditional universe history, or is spliced within that timeline.

Bold is certainly the term of this hypothesis. “This refers to a completely different family that could have never realised we could have happened before this.” Adrienne Erickcek He was not involved in the work at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. However, when these static periods exist, all sorts of challenges can be solved, including those in which dark matter is being created. Even more exciting, these ideas may be testable soon. …

Can your diet impact your risk of developing dementia?

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

As we age, we naturally struggle to remember our memories. However, the condition that usually occurs later in life is dementiawhich can cause more severe memory loss. Dementia can affect our quality of life by making it difficult to remember important information, such as our age, phone number, home address, and the names of loved ones. Although there is no treatment for dementia, researchers have investigated the impact of different lifestyle choices on the risks of developing it.

A team of researchers recently analyzed the effects of diet on individuals who are sensitive to the onset of dementia and depression. These researchers previously found that both dementia and depression are associated with brain cells formed in areas that create new memories. Hippocampus. This process is known as Neurogenesis in the hippocampus, and IT problems involving cells dying at increasingly high speeds can exacerbate the risk of dementia and depression. The researchers mentioned the genetic predisposition of people with problems with neurogenesis in the hippocampus in terms they coined. Biological sensitivity of neurogenesis centers.

The researchers wanted to determine whether their diet affects neurogenesis in the hippocampus. They looked for either an increased or reduced risk of dementia and depression, depending on what participants ate. Other dementia researchers focus primarily on: Mediterranean diet Reduced the risk of dementia. In contrast, these researchers have shown that the relationship between several vitamins and food groups and conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, blood vessels and other types of dementia, depression, and general cognitive decline. We focused on neurogenesis sensitivity.

The team worked with 371 people without dementia, with an average age of 76 at the start of the exam. First, the researchers obtained blood samples from each participant to assess nutritional levels. Information from blood samples was then used to identify those who met and did not meet the criteria for neurogenesis-centered biosensitivity. Finally, they recorded the participants' medical history and paid attention to their medication.

After they gathered this initial information, they met with participants every two years for 12 years. They interviewed them about their diet during their first two years of follow-up visit. They also monitored their mental abilities and emotional states with each visit. Over the course of 12 years, 21% of participants developed dementia and 29% experienced symptoms related to depression.

After a 12-year trial, the researchers assessed how each participant's diet affected the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia, or depression. They are Odds ratio, Odds ratios above 1 mean that individuals are at a higher risk of developing these conditions, and odds ratios below 1 reduce the risk. They found that sensitive participants who reported a greater chicken diet, such as chicken or turkey, had an odds ratio of 0.9, or a lower risk for Alzheimer's disease. On the other hand, for Alzheimer's disease, those who reported a diet consisting of large amounts of lean meat, such as beef and pork, showed 1.1 or increased risk.

Scientists also found that vulnerable participants who consumed large amounts of vitamin D in fatty fish, fortified milk and grains were either an increased odds ratio, or a risk for vascular dementia. . They found susceptible individuals who consumed more vitamin E forms found in whole grains, lush greens, and nuts. γ-Tocopherolshowed an increased odds ratio or risk for depression. However, researchers noted that diet did not affect whether an individual experiences natural cognitive decline, and did not affect the risk of dementia in people who are not sensitive to it.

Scientists concluded that eating more poultry than lean meat could reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease in individuals with neurogenetic-centered biological sensitivity. However, since these vitamins should benefit human health, they did not expect vitamins D and E to increase the risk of dementia and depression, respectively. Regardless of these nuances, researchers suggested that understanding the relationship between meat consumption and Alzheimer's disease could improve the later health of those with that tendency.

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Source: sciworthy.com

Fear of AI’s global impact drives decisions at Paris Summit on Inequality

Posted on February 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The global summit in Paris, attended by political leaders, technical executives, and experts, opened with a focus on the impact of artificial intelligence on the environment and inequality.

Anne Bouverot, Emmanuel Macron’s AI envoy, addressed the environmental impact of AI at the two-day gathering at Grand Palais in Paris.

Bouverot emphasized the potential of AI to mitigate climate change but also highlighted the current unsustainable trajectory. Sustainable development of technology was a key agenda item.

Christy Hoffman from the UNI Global Union emphasized the importance of involving workers in AI technologies to prevent increased inequality. Without workers’ representation, AI could exacerbate existing inequalities and strain democracy further.

Safety concerns were raised at the conference, with attendees expressing worries about the rapid pace of AI development.

Max Tegmark, a scientist, warned that the development of powerful AI systems could lead to unintended consequences similar to the scenarios depicted in a climate crisis satire film. His concerns echoed those from a previous summit in the UK.

The Paris summit, co-chaired by Macron and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, focused on AI action. However, safety discussions were prominent given the potential risks associated with the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Demis Hassabis, head of Google’s AI efforts, mentioned that achieving AGI is likely within the next five years and emphasized the need for society to prepare for its impact.

Hassabis expressed confidence in human ingenuity to address the risks associated with AGI, particularly in autonomous systems. He believed that with enough focus and attention, these concerns could be alleviated.

The Grand Canyon was created shortly after a massive asteroid impact.

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The view of the two large gorge, the month of the month radly radiated from the Schrodinger basin

Nasasvsernie T. Wright

The vast collision crater near the month of the moon was formed on an asteroid that moved in more than 1 kilometer for 1 second or more, and released 130 times the energy of all existing nuclear weapons. Currently, researchers say that two unusual and straight gorge were formed within 10 minutes by a secondary debris chain of two unusual and straight gorge.

David King In Houston, Texas, and the planetary research institute, we investigated a 312 kilometer Schreading Glator for 15 years. Part of it was to develop a landing site that could have a NASA concertation program. This tried to return people to the moon, but ended in 2009.

“They are basically hidden and in a sense mysterious. [of the moon]King says. “And they are generally overlooked.”

For more information, Kring and his colleagues are using a computer model to investigate the origin of two gorgees or “light rays” extending north from the crater. One is VALLISSCHREDINGER, 270 km long, 2.7 km in depth, 280 km in length and 3.5 km in depth. For comparison, Arizona's Grand Canyon length is 446 km and depth of 1.9 km.

However, it has been engraved in water for millions of years, but the gorge of the moon is a straight and straight groove formed by vast shocking force within 10 minutes. The dramatic asteroid strike not only spread dust and tile BLE throughout the moon, but also spread to space and earth.

Researchers also suggest that the main ones that cause the main crater of the main, faster, to drive the fragments that run through the moon, focusing on narrow areas due to the irregularity of Legoris, which is a loose material that covers the moon. It may have been combined.

Using their models, researchers have calculated that asteroids collide 3811 billion years ago to create the speed and direction of debris to create a gorge. 。

“There is a rock that hits 2 kilometers per second per second, perhaps 2 kilometers per second, and it may be devastating,” says Kring. “I knew that Schrödinger's impact would create these rays, but the related process needed some attention.”

Kring is not deep enough at any of the landing points that Legolis, who was kicked out of Schrölinger, was sued to seriously interfere with geological experiments, so Kring is the moon in the ARTEMIS III mission of NASA. He says that he has a sense of security to put an astronaut in. 。 If they were planning to land north of Schledinger, where much more materials landed, they would have faced a very deep layer that hid the early geology.

The view of the gorge that looks straight at the moon

Nasasvsernie T. Wright

Mark Birchel At Kent University in the UK, this study is done in some way to prove that the gorge is formed by a shock chain, but it is necessary to investigate up close.

“The ultimate evidence is the person who brings back the rocks from one or some rocks in these gorgees,” says Birchel. “Then there is a mineral grain that you just cut out, and was shocked there. [by impacts]And some of them have changed the structure as a result. “

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The Trump administration: A look at the wealthiest person in the world and their impact on the US government

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

sInse declared the support of Donald Trump in July last year, then spent more than $ 250 million in re-election efforts, and Eron Musk rapidly had a political impact, and is located at the center of the new administration. I am doing it. At present, as the president himself, the mask has begun to use its power, has made a decision that can affect the health of millions of people, and gains access to very sensitive personal data. I am attacking those who oppose him. Musk, the wealthy man in the world and an unrivaled official, has gained surprising levels of the federal government.

On the weekend, workers with the mask “government efficiency” (DOGE) collide with public servants on the demands of free access to the major government agencies of the US government agency in a series of violent series of conflicts. I did. When the dust settled down, several high -ranking officials opposed to the acquisition were pushed out, and Musuk’s allies had controlled.

Masks, which have been supported by Trump, are currently working to close the US International Development Organization (USAID). He boasted on Sunday to “supply USAID to the wood chipper.” He also targeted several other institutions in purs an aggressive attempt to purify and remake the federal government along the border of ideology, avoiding the parliament or justice monitoring.

Most of the Musuk’s actions were carried out, with thousands of people hired by the USAID -like institutions he did without moving forward, transparency, and transparency. Humanitative organizations that depend on US financing The operation has been stopped And the staff fired the staff while the government workers were closed out of their office. He operates DOGE as an unofficial government division without a mission approved by Congress. Hold the position “Special government staff” Side step financial disclosure And the public examination process.

The USAID employee protests outside the headquarters on Monday in Washington. Photo: KEVIN DIETSCH/Getty Images

The Impact of GLP-1 Drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy on the Risk of 175 Diseases

Posted on January 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Semaglutide and other GLP-1 agonists are injected

Yulia Burmystrova/Getty Images

Drugs like Ozempic and Wigovy, called GLP-1 agonists, offer more benefits than risks when taken for their approved uses, according to a comprehensive analysis of their effects on 175 conditions. However, the same may not be true for people who are taking the drug for other purposes.

“In this new area of **GLP-1**, we wanted to really map the benefits and risks for all the conditions that we thought were relevant,” he says. Jiyad Al Ali at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

These drugs are best known for helping control type 2 diabetes and treating obesity. They mimic the hormone GLP-1 in the body, which lowers blood sugar levels and keeps you feeling full for longer.

Dozens of studies suggest that GLP-1 agonists may also reduce the risk of many other conditions, from heart disease to dementia to substance use disorders. These studies have involved hundreds or thousands of people and have focused on one or a few symptoms at a time, but now that millions of people are using the drug, they are much more This means that less frequent effects can be investigated, Al Ali said.

To get a more comprehensive picture, he and his colleagues examined the health records of more than 200,000 diabetic patients who took GLP-1 agonists over a four-year period in addition to standard treatment. They also looked at 1.2 million people with diabetes who received only standard treatment over the same period and assessed the risk of both groups developing 175 different health conditions.

The research team found that people who took GLP-1 agonists had a lower risk of 42 diseases. For example, the risk of heart attack was reduced by 9 percent and the risk of dementia was reduced by 8 percent. The probability that this group would suffer from suicidal ideation or substance use disorders such as alcohol or opioid addiction was also approximately decreased by 1/10. .

However, there were also downsides for people taking GLP-1 drugs. They were more likely to experience known side effects, such as nausea and vomiting, as well as previously undescribed side effects. These include a 15% higher risk of kidney stones and more than double the risk of pancreatic inflammation or drug-induced pancreatitis. In total, 19 conditions were at increased risk, but taking GLP-1 drugs had no significant effect on risk levels for most of the conditions evaluated, including bronchitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Ta.

The fact that these drugs affect such a wide range of symptoms remains surprising, but it is unclear exactly why they have this effect. “They’re reducing obesity, which is the root of all disease. If you treat obesity, the heart, kidneys, brain, and everywhere else will benefit later,” Al-Aly said. They also reduce inflammation, which commonly damages organs, and appear to target parts of the brain associated with addiction, he says.

One problem with this analysis is that the research team did not report the actual number of people affected by each condition, making the results difficult to interpret. Daniel Drucker from the University of Toronto and has worked with obesity drug companies. Reducing the risk of common conditions such as heart attacks and dementia is probably worth taking seriously, but the association with rare conditions like pancreatitis is so small that the risk is low for most people. He says it’s unlikely. Al-Aly said the research team plans to announce the specific number of cases in a future study.

Overall, this study provides reassurance that the benefits of GLP-1 agonists outweigh the risks, at least for patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. “There are no red flags with this group,” he says. stefan trapp He is a professor at University College London and has worked with obesity drug companies.

However, the situation may be different for people who do not fit these criteria, such as people who are not obese and buy drugs to lose weight. “I don’t know if the benefits outweigh the risks,” Drucker said.

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AI’s Impact on Business: Accelerating Drug Trials and Enhancing Movie Production

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Keir Starmer this week unveiled a 50-point plan to make Britain a world leader in artificial intelligence and boost the economy by up to £47bn a year over 10 years. This multi-billion pound investment aims to increase AI computing power under public control by 20 times by 2030 and is thought to be a game-changer for businesses and public organizations. Reactions to this announcement have been mixed, as it is by no means clear whether the much-touted potential of AI will translate into the level of economic benefits predicted. While many fear the technology will lead to widespread layoffs, proposals to make it easy for AI companies to data mine artwork for free will boost the value and growth of the creative industries. Some are concerned about destruction.

Despite these concerns, for many in the business world, the AI revolution has already arrived and is transforming industries. So how are you deploying technology to improve productivity, and where do you hope to see further benefits in the future?

Airlines are increasingly leveraging AI for the complex logistics of managing large aircraft and thousands of crew members in unpredictable skies. AI is used across Ryanair’s operations to optimize revenue, schedules, and ‘tail allocation’, selecting the best aircraft for each flight. BA also uses this feature at Heathrow to select gates depending on the number of connecting passengers on arriving flights.

EasyJet said it has embedded AI throughout its new Luton control room and that its predictive technology is now improving aircraft inventory levels and redesigning maintenance regimes to proactively avoid breakdowns. Meanwhile, the low-cost carrier’s Jetstream tools help with the brain-tugging task of quickly repositioning crews and aircraft with minimal disruption and maximum efficiency when problems occur. Gwyn Topham

One of the concerns raised about Starmer’s AI expansion plans is that the energy-intensive data centers required to run the program could exceed the UK’s electricity grid capacity. But some argue that the technology could actually accelerate the clean power revolution by solving the problem of how future energy systems will operate.

Power grids must increasingly adapt to real-time fluctuations in thousands of renewable energy sources and consider new technologies such as electric vehicle batteries that can not only draw power from the grid but also re-release it as needed.

Google was one of the early adopters of the digital energy approach. The company’s AI subsidiary, DeepMind, developed neural networks in 2019 to improve the accuracy of power generation predictions for renewable energy power plants. By more accurately forecasting generation and demand, they were able to balance consumption and even sell some of their power back to the grid. Google says this increases the financial value of wind power by 20%.

Meanwhile, in the UK, energy provider Octopus Energy is leveraging the advanced data and machine learning capabilities of the Kraken operating system to help customers access electricity at cheaper and greener times through time-of-use pricing. I’m doing it. Using electricity during off-peak hours often lowers electricity bills by 40%, reducing the need to invest in new fossil fuels and expensive grid expansion projects. Gillian Ambrose

Big pharma and small AI-focused biotech companies are using this technology to accelerate drug development and reduce costs and failure rates. Drug development typically takes at least 10 years, and 90% of drugs that undergo clinical trials on volunteers fail.

AI can help design smarter clinical trials by selecting patients most likely to respond to treatment. According to a recent analysis by Boston Consulting Group, 75 AI-generated drugs have entered clinical trials since 2015, and 67 of them were still in clinical trials last year.

The treatment for a deadly lung disease called idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is attracting attention as the world’s first fully AI-generating drug, and is currently in late-stage trials. developed By Massachusetts-based Insilico Medicine, Inc. used AI to generate 30,000 novel small molecules and narrowed them down to the six most promising drugs and leading candidates. Meanwhile, AstraZeneca, the UK’s largest pharmaceutical company, said more than 85% of its small molecule drug pipeline is “AI-assisted”.

Ministers are considering opening up NHS databases to private companies so that anonymized patient data can be used to develop new drugs and diagnostic tools. But privacy activists oppose such a move because even anonymized data can be manipulated to identify patients. Julia Cole

(retail)
There has been a lot of talk over the past six months about the rise of AI in operations, as retailers look for ways to increase efficiency amid rising labor costs. For example, Sainsbury’s is using AI-enabled predictive tools to ensure the right amount of product is on the shelves in different stores as part of a £1 billion cost-cutting plan. Marks & Spencer uses AI to help create online product descriptions and advise shoppers on clothing choices based on body shape and style preferences as part of efforts to increase online sales.

Tesco CEO Ken Murphy said AI was already widely used in purchasing decisions, adding that the technology meant that customer interactions would be “truly powered by AI in almost every aspect of the business.” “This is a level that will be strengthened and promoted,” he added. He uses this to analyze data from shoppers’ loyalty cards to provide insights into “shopper interactions”, such as how to save money or take care of your health by buying (or not buying too much) certain products. It suggested it could provide “inspiration and ideas relevant to the family.” Sarah Butler

AI-enhanced efficiencies that automate the simplest tasks for call handlers have the potential to transform productivity and service levels in the public sector. Adolfo Hernandez insists CEO of outsourcing group Capita.

For example, by drawing on past interactions with customers, you no longer have to go beyond old conventions. Behind the scenes, the program can connect council services together, allowing planning applications departments and building services to work together. Or listen in the background to transcribe and summarize your calls to save time taking notes.

Capita has deployed its ‘Agent Suite’ product to two of its clients. early signs, it saysshows a 20% reduction in average call handling time, a 25% reduction in post-call management, and a 15-30% increase in calls resolved on the first interaction. Nils Pratley

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Time to reconsider the impact of uterine fibroids, a widespread silent epidemic among women with 70% affected

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Are you familiar with uterine fibroids? It’s not surprising if you’re not, as they are not widely discussed. However, they can affect 70-80% of women by age 50. Despite being more prevalent among Black women, women of color are often underdiagnosed.

Uterine fibroids are growths of muscle and fibrous tissue in the uterus, typically occurring in women aged 30-50. These fibroids can vary in size and shape and can be found in different layers of the uterus, leading to various symptoms.

Although referred to as “benign” tumors by doctors, uterine fibroids can still cause numerous issues, such as heavy menstruation, lower abdominal pain, and pressure on other organs when they grow large enough.

A CT scan showing a large solid mass in the uterus, indicating a uterine fibroid

Uterine fibroids are influenced by genetics, family history, and ethnicity, as well as hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which stimulate their growth. While pregnancy can lead to an increase in fibroid size due to higher hormone levels, they are commonly detected through ultrasound scans.

Treatment options for uterine fibroids vary based on symptoms and pregnancy plans. Some women may opt for monitoring small, asymptomatic fibroids, while others may choose drug therapy to reduce hormone levels and shrink the fibroids.

Surgical treatments like myomectomy or hysterectomy can also be considered, but these may not be suitable for women looking to conceive. Uterine fibroids can significantly impact pregnancy, increasing the risk of complications like miscarriage and premature birth.

Despite available treatments, awareness of uterine fibroids remains low. Increasing awareness about menstrual health and pregnancy complications is crucial for timely and effective treatment.