Why Cloning Anyone, Including Jim Carrey, is Not the Best Idea

Explore the latest science news and in-depth articles from New Scientist, covering technology, health, and the environment.

Feedback is New Scientist Your go-to source for the latest in science and technology news. For story suggestions or feedback, please email feedback@newscientist.com.

Exploring Celebrity Clones

If the Internet is to be believed (which it often isn’t), numerous celebrities may have been replaced by clones.

The latest body snatcher claims involved actor Jim Carrey, known for his role in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Carrey made a surprising appearance at the 51st Cesar Awards on February 26, leading to speculation about changes in his appearance. While aging and cosmetic surgery might explain this, conspiracy theories suggest he could be a clone.

This isn’t the first time rumors have circulated about celebrity replacements; Paul McCartney and Avril Lavigne are among those purportedly replaced as well. One might wonder how those behind these alleged abductions remain undetected.

Upon reviewing the logistics of cloning a star like Carrey, we must note that, as of now, no one has been successful in cloning a human. Yet, for argument’s sake, let’s envision an illicit cloning lab hidden within Hollywood.

To clone Carrey, we’d likely gather his cells from a film set such as the upcoming Sonic the Hedgehog 4. However, if we were to succeed, it would take over six decades for the clone to reach his current appearance—assuming he reaches the advanced age of 128!

And what if we take a page from science fiction like Star Trek: Nemesis, where villains try to clone Captain Picard? They discovered that even when genetically engineered to expedite aging, cloning doesn’t yield perfect results.

All these scenarios raise concerns about the practical feasibility of celebrity cloning.

Innovative Lunch Experiences

Feedback isn’t your traditional food critic; instead, we thrive on uncovering the absurdities and intricacies in the culinary world. Fine dining may serve beautifully plated dishes, but where’s the enjoyment in that?

A fascinating new trend is “acoustic seasoning,” applying carefully chosen sounds to elevate the dining experience based on sensory science. This concept explores the interplay among different senses, revealing how sounds can enhance or diminish our taste perception.

Chris Sims highlights a study from researchers at the University of Oxford, aiming to identify undiscovered sound-taste pairings. It’s intriguing that the sound evoking a “metallic taste” was identified as that of a theremin, the touchless electronic instrument common in vintage sci-fi.

We initially thought this explained why the iconic Star Trek theme evokes a metallic flavor for us, but our investigation revealed no theremin usage in that recording—merely a quirk of our perception.

With newfound curiosity, Feedback wanders off in search of the perfect sounds to accompany leftover pizza.

Nominative Determinism in Science

Reader Richard Black sent us an intriguing connection regarding nominative determinism. While reading Chanda Prescod Weinstein’s column on galaxies, he discovered an article by astronomer Simon Smith about a newly identified star cluster named Ursa Major III, located in the Ursa Major constellation.

Richard noted the amusing link to Alan Price’s “Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear,” pondering if this is an example of nominative determinism or merely a rich web of connections.

We also received a highlight from reader Richard Bartlett, who pointed out that the Leicester City women’s football coach is named Rick Passmoor.

Do you have a story for Feedback?

Email your contributions to Feedback at feedback@newscientist.com, and don’t forget to include your home address. You can find the latest and past articles on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Review of Sonic the Hedgehog 3: Jim Carrey’s Energizing Performance Brings Laughter to the Third Installment

a The third Sonic movie came out with a strong sense of inevitability, creating excitement among its core pre-teen fanbase. The Marvel Cinematic Universe could learn from how it keeps audiences entertained. The buzz around Sonic’s unconventional teeth is now a thing of the past, but Jim Carrey truly shines in his double role, showing his dedication even if it’s just for the money. The movie is doing a good job overall, appealing even to those who may have forgotten the intricacies of early ’00s games. It’s an engaging experience.

The Sonic reboot introduces a “dark” version of Sonic in the form of Shadow, a hedgehog with black and red coloring. As the story unfolds, Shadow escapes from his containment unit, prompting Sonic and his sidekicks to intervene. They end up working alongside Ivo Robotnik to uncover secrets at an abandoned military base, leading to a complex narrative.

Drawing from over 30 years of gaming, the film offers rich plotlines, character development, and dramatic incidents. While the human element may vary, the voices of Keanu Reeves and Idris Elba, along with James Marsden and Tika Sumpter, add depth to the story. Carrey’s performance stands out, injecting humor and energy into the movie. His presence prevents the film from falling flat and enhances the overall experience.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be released in the US on December 20th, Australia on December 26th, and the UK on December 27th.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Interview with Jim Peebles: Renowned cosmologist discusses the search for deeper theories of the universe

Jim Peebles is widely known as the architect of modern cosmology and its nice-guy chief executive.give half a share of 2019 Nobel Prize in Physics, the committee said he “took up the universe” and helped create the framework known as the Standard Model of Cosmology, which is now considered “the basis of modern understanding of the history of the universe.” Others described him as an “extraordinary physicist” and “extraordinarily thoughtful, polite and kind.”

Now the Albert Einstein Professor Emeritus of Science at Princeton University, Peebles' career began there in the 1960s, focusing on Einstein's theory of general relativity, in which gravity occurs as a result of distortions of mass in spacetime. . He later characterized the cosmic microwave background (CMB), an “echo” of the Big Bang, a discovery that made cosmology an experimental science. He also showed that halos of dark matter around galaxies create a mass distribution consistent with astronomers' observations, and that the description of our universe requires reinstatement of Einstein's much-derided cosmological constant. I convinced the field that there was. Initially incorporated into the equations of general relativity as an unwieldy trick, it is now thought of as dark energy, the repulsive force driving the accelerating expansion of the universe.

Despite the success of the standard cosmological model, Peebles has always sought to undermine it. In recent years, he has focused his musings on observing astronomical anomalies – strange galaxies and other interesting phenomena – that may expose flaws in our thinking.

he says new scientist On his vision for cosmology and why it's important to deviate from the mainstream…

Source: www.newscientist.com