Frostline Review: Why This Heartfelt Book Makes a Compelling Case for the North Pole

Posted on February 5, 2026 by Igor Mitreski

Caribou Herd Spring Migration at Anaktubuk Pass, Alaska

KATIE ORLINSKEY

Caribou herd migration near Anaktubuk, Alaska — Caribou Herd Spring Migration at Anaktubuk Pass, Alaska

KATIE ORLINSKEY

Frostline
Neil Shea, Picador (UK, February 12) Ecco Publishing (US, available now)

The North Pole might seem like a vast, desolate place dominated by walruses and polar bears, but a new perspective emerges in Neil Shea’s compelling book. He highlights the importance of the Arctic as climate change accelerates, arguing that it demands our attention.

In Frostline: A Journey Through the Complexities of Life and Landscapes in the Warming Arctic, journalist Neil Shea gathers insights from twenty years of dedicated reporting for National Geographic. This profound narrative illuminating the North Pole’s realities resonates with readers, even those who have never set foot there.

Shea’s journey begins with breathtaking images from his inaugural trip to the North Pole in 2005, where he camped on the sea ice of Admiralty Bay, Canada. Witnessing a large gathering of narwhals was exhilarating, as the males exhibited their fangs in displays of dominance.

The sight of life converging in a fragile ecosystem inspired Shea’s deep fascination with the Arctic. He adeptly conveys his passion through vivid descriptions and memorable encounters with the wildlife of this remarkable region.

On Ellesmere Island, Shea connects with a pack of white wolves that exhibit no fear of humans, showcasing the intricate relationships within this ecosystem. In Alaska’s Kobuk Valley National Park, he camps amongst extensive caribou herds, coexisting with brown bears on their seasonal migrations.

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Melting ice makes the Arctic attractive, as President Trump’s threats against Greenland prove
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While Shea beautifully depicts the Arctic’s wildlife and landscapes, he also provides a more nuanced understanding of this complex region. The Arctic is not merely a snowy expanse; it consists of eight modern states and is home to 4 million people, including 400,000 Indigenous individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Through his vivid portrayals of the local communities, Shea highlights the unique challenges they face as they battle against climate change, which is impacting the Arctic much more rapidly than other regions on Earth. Some of his Inuit interviewees eagerly share their experiences with the changes they’ve witnessed, while others harbor reservations towards Western inquiries, seeking a more profound respect for their culture.

While reflecting on his time spent camping on frozen lakes, Shea realizes the importance of addressing climate change issues head-on. The implications of warming are becoming increasingly evident, threatening the delicate balance of the Arctic ecosystems and exposing them to further risks.

As illustrated by geopolitical tensions, such as President Trump’s threats toward Greenland, melting ice opens new access routes in the Arctic. Shea’s journey culminates on the Norwegian-Russian border, where migrants traverse dangerous icy terrains seeking refuge, reminding readers of the interconnectedness of our world.

Elle Hunt is a writer based in Norwich, UK.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Gemini North Telescope Unveils New Images of 3I/ATLAS

Posted on December 13, 2025 by

On November 26, 2025, astronomers utilized the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the Gemini North Telescope located on Mauna Kea, Hawaii, to capture images of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS. Recent observations demonstrate how this comet has evolved since its closest approach to the Sun.

This image, taken with GMOS on the Gemini North Telescope, depicts 3I/ATLAS traveling among stars and galaxies. Operating as part of the International Gemini Observatory, it is funded in part by NSF and managed by NSF’s NOIRLab. Image credit: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / B. Bolin / J. Miller & M. Rodriguez, International Gemini Observatory & NSF’s NOIRLab / TA Rector, University of Alaska Anchorage & NSF’s NOIRLab / M. Zamani, NSF’s NOIRLab.

3I/ATLAS reached its closest approach to the Sun, termed perihelion, on October 30, 2025.

Having emerged from behind the Sun, this interstellar body was observed near Zania, a triple star system situated in the Virgo constellation.

On November 26, 2025, researcher Bryce Bolin from Eureka Scientific, along with colleagues, obtained new images of the comet as part of a public outreach initiative by NSF NOIRLab in partnership with Shadow the Scientist.

“Providing the public with a viewing experience under optimal conditions allows for a genuine front-row glimpse of interstellar visitors,” Dr. Bolin stated.

“Offering the public insight into our work as astronomers and our methodologies also serves to demystify science and the data collection process, enhancing transparency in the study of this captivating astronomical entity.”

The 3I/ATLAS image, captured using GMOS, highlights the comet’s coma—a cloud of gas and dust that forms around its icy center when approaching the Sun. Image credit: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / B. Bolin / J. Miller & M. Rodriguez, International Gemini Observatory & NSF’s NOIRLab / TA Rector, University of Alaska Anchorage & NSF’s NOIRLab / M. Zamani, NSF’s NOIRLab.

The recent GMOS image comprises exposures taken through four different filters: blue, green, orange, and red.

“During the exposure, the comet remains stationary in the center of the telescope’s field of view,” the astronomers explained.

“However, the background stars shift in relation to the comet, creating colorful streaks in the final image.”

“Initial images of the comet from the Shadow the Scientist session at Gemini South, Chile, exhibited a red hue.”

“In contrast, the new images released today display a subtle greenish glow.”

“This phenomenon results from light emitted by gases in the comet’s coma containing diatomic carbon, a reactive molecule made of two carbon atoms that emits light at green wavelengths. This gas evaporates as the comet heats up.”

“What remains uncertain is how comets behave as they move away from the Sun and cool down.”

“Many comets respond slowly to the Sun’s heat, as it takes time for the warmth to penetrate the comet’s interior.”

“Such delays could accelerate the evaporation of new compounds or potentially lead to the comet’s disintegration.”

Source: www.sci.news

Study Reveals Domestic Cats Were Introduced to Europe Around 2000 Years Ago, Likely from North Africa

Posted on November 29, 2025 by

Domestic cats (Felis catus) and African wildcats (Felis silvestris lybica) have successfully adapted to human environments worldwide. The precise origin of the domestic cat—whether it emerged in the Levant, Egypt, or another part of the African wildcat’s range—remains uncertain. A research team from the University of Rome Tor Vergata, led by Tor Vergata, has sequenced the genomes of 87 ancient and modern cats. Their research challenges the traditional belief that domestic cats were brought to Europe during the Neolithic period, suggesting instead that their arrival occurred several thousand years later.

Ancient cat genomes from European and Anatolian sites indicate that domestic cats were introduced to Europe from North Africa around 2,000 years ago, many years after the Neolithic period began in Europe. The Sardinian African wildcat has a separate lineage originating from northwest Africa. Image credit: De Martino et al., doi: 10.1126/science.adt2642.

The history of domestic cats is extensive and complex, yet it contains many uncertainties.

Genetic analyses reveal that all modern domestic cats can trace their ancestry back to the African wildcat inhabiting North Africa and the Near East.

Yet, limited archaeological evidence and the challenges of differentiating between wild and domestic cats through skeletal remains pose significant obstacles in comprehending the origins and diffusion of early domestic cats.

“The timing and specifics surrounding cat domestication and dispersal are still unclear due to the small sample size of ancient and modern genomes studied,” stated Dr. Marco De Martino from the University of Rome Tor Vergata and fellow researchers.

“There are ongoing questions regarding the historical natural habitats of African and European wildcats and the possibility of their interbreeding.”

“Recent investigations have shown that ancient gene flow can complicate the understanding of cat dispersal, especially when relying on mtDNA data.”

“The origins of African wildcat populations on Mediterranean islands like Sardinia and Corsica are equally obscure.”

“Current research suggests these populations constitute a distinct lineage rather than stemming from domestic cats.”

To explore these issues, the team examined the genomes of 70 ancient cats retrieved from archaeological sites in Europe and Anatolia, in addition to 17 modern wildcat species from Italy (including Sardinia), Bulgaria, and North Africa (Morocco and Tunisia).

In contrast to earlier studies, they concluded that domestic cats most likely emerged from North African wildcats rather than the Levant, and that true domestic cats appeared in Europe and southwest Asia several thousand years post-Neolithic.

The early cats of Europe and Turkey predominantly consisted of European wildcats, indicating ancient interbreeding instead of early domestication.

Once introduced, North African domestic cats proliferated across Europe, following routes used by Roman military forces, and reached Britain by the first century AD.

This study also reveals that the Sardinian wildcat is more closely related to North African wildcats than to either ancient or modern domestic cats, suggesting that humans transported wildcats to islands where they do not naturally exist, and that the Sardinian wildcat did not descend from early domestic cat populations.

“By identifying at least two distinct waves of introduction to Europe, we redefine the timeline of cat dispersal,” the researchers noted.

“The first wave likely introduced wildcats from northwest Africa to Sardinia, forming the island’s current wildcat population.”

“A separate, as yet unidentified population in North Africa triggered a second dispersal no later than 2,000 years ago, establishing the modern domestic cat gene pool in Europe.”

The team’s findings are highlighted in this week’s edition of Science.

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M. De Martino et al. 2025. Approximately 2,000 years ago, domestic cats migrated from North Africa to Europe. Science 390 (6776); doi: 10.1126/science.adt2642

Source: www.sci.news

Top Science Fiction Books of November 2025

Posted on October 31, 2025 by

Claire North’s ‘Slow Gods’ tracks deep space pilots

Shutterstock/Vadim Sadovski

If you aim to stay updated on the fresh wave of science fiction hitting bookstores this November, you’ll need to be quick. New Scientist columnist Emily H. Wilson emphasizes the necessity of reading Claire North’s Slow Gods, and I’m inclined to trust her judgment (look for her review in next week’s edition). Additionally, I’m bracing myself for Rebecca Thorne’s chilling tale of a zombie-like virus aboard a submarine (talk about claustrophobia!). Grace Walker’s Merge has a central theme that terrifies me. This feels like a spooky month in the sci-fi realm. Yet, I also anticipate a poignant read about the extinct Great Sea Cow titled Sea Beasts, described as heart-wrenching and beautiful, devoid of any supernatural terror.

Emily H. Wilson has expressed her strong appreciation for this sci-fi novel. In my experience, it’s rare to encounter a science fiction columnist advocate for a book so passionately. This story illustrates the death and rebirth of deep space pilot Maukana na Vdnadze, exploring a supernova that “obliterated planets and devastated civilizations.” As Emily notes in her upcoming column, “Read this book. If you enjoy science fiction, it’s essential.” She consistently emphasizes value, and so do I.

Sea Beasts Written by Iida Turpeinen, translated by David Huxton

While not precisely science fiction, this tale delves into fictional interpretations of science. My fascination with sea cows began in childhood through Willard Price’s Adventure. The narrative kicks off in 1741, with naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller embarking on an expedition to identify a sea route between Asia and America, where he discovers the Steller’s sea cow. Then, in 1859, the governor of Alaska dispatched men to unearth the skeleton of a massive marine mammal that vanished a century earlier, with restoration efforts beginning in 1952.

Illustration of an extinct giant sea cow

FLPA/Alamy

Though it may seem to tiptoe into the realm of fantasy, the publisher has likened it to a novel by Karian Bradley known for its time travel elements. The narrative unfolds within a library named “Jikoku,” filled with books containing the memories of individuals traversing the timelines between the post-war and Cold War periods in the U.S. At just 11, Lisavette finds herself trapped there, maturing into a world learned solely through the memories of the deceased. It becomes clear that government agents are infiltrating these times to eradicate memories that counter the official narrative…

We previously covered this novel during its self-publication in 2022, when our then-sci-fi columnist Sally Addie expressed enjoyment. Now endorsed by a major publisher, it seems laden with thrilling prospects and just the right amount of scare for the Halloween season, prompting me to finally dive in. A force known as the Anti-Meme preys on the book’s characters’ most treasured memories, covertly robbing them of their experiences while they remain unaware of the looming conflict.

Ice Written by Jacek Dukaj, translated by Ursula Phillips

Following the asteroid Tunguska’s 1908 impact, Russia unravels in a deadly winter. As the land succumbs to freezing temperatures, inhabitants flock to cities for survival. This extreme cold catalyzes a transformation of natural elements into bizarre new forms, spawning unique laws of physics.

Frozen Lake Baikal in Siberia

Shutterstock/Mura Tart

Amelia’s mother, Laurie, is battling Alzheimer’s disease. As her condition deteriorates, Amelia opts into the world’s first experimental fusion treatment designed for Alzheimer’s patients. Laurie’s consciousness merges with Amelia’s, creating a singular identity. Together with other participants, they are placed in a luxurious rehabilitation facility known as The Village…yet all is not as it appears. Frankly, the notion of treatment options alone is unsettling.

Featuring themes of zombies, submarines, and maritime horror, Nix and Kessandra delve into a massacre in an underwater city. As they descend, Kessandra unveils the truth: a disease has triggered the massacre, transforming individuals into mindless killers, and it’s on the rise…

Within this narrative lies an interdimensional conflict described as “one of the most savage the multiverse has confronted” (and it indeed is brutal). We follow Beth, a teacher-turned-rebel, alongside a keen gun-slinging hero, Wakeful Slim. Unlike prior tales in Pandominion’s universe, this story stands alone, crafted by the author of The Girl with All the Gifts (a must-read zombie novel).

An extradimensional war is occurring on Outlaw Planet by MR Carey

Shutterstock/Framestock footage

This monumental sci-fi narrative, Sun Eater, follows Hadrian Marlowe as he navigates life on the run from the Extrasolarians and the Soran Empire, whom he betrayed.

While not a new release, this 10th anniversary edition of humanity’s struggle for survival on a terraformed planet includes a special short story by Tchaikovsky, providing both enjoyment for fans and a perfect refresher for those new to the tale.

Described as an online cult phenomenon, this marks its inaugural English print edition. The narrative examines “the potential and pitfalls of human evolution,” delving into the author’s insights on genetic manipulation and the effect of colonizing Mars, accompanied by illustrations from Kosemen. Tchaikovsky himself described it as “a remarkable blend of scientific acumen and creativity.” Quite intriguing.

This thrilling high-concept story promises excitement. In a world governed by AI, everything comes to a halt right after your loved ones reveal their darkest secrets.

Mind Works Written by Neal Shusterman

This compilation of Shusterman’s short stories boasts a stunningly surreal cover and introduces readers to a realm where bats block the sun and a glacial life force resurrects the dead.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

When the Map Fails: From Great North Run to Phantom Aldi | Running Adventure

Posted on September 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Organizers of the Great North Run have issued an apology for featuring a map of Sunderland instead of Newcastle on this year’s finishing medal. Unfortunately, this is just one in a long list of mapping errors.

Other notable mistakes include the Phantom supermarket, hazardous climbing routes, and geopolitical missteps.

Phantom Aldi

Earlier this year, the Welsh village of Siphiliog in Denbyshire faced unexpected traffic disruptions after Aldi appeared on the map.

A nearby farm, home to around 500 residents, was mistakenly labeled as a supermarket on Google Maps, leading to a surge of shoppers and milk tankers overwhelming the area.

In response, Google stated it operated “around the clock” to monitor suspicious activities and updated the listing.

Geopolitical Failure

In December, FIFA expressed regret over the omission of Crimea from Ukraine in its mapping.

While the map outlined countries unable to compete due to political tensions, it failed to acknowledge Russian-occupied regions recognized internationally as part of Ukraine since 2014.

“We fully appreciate the sensitivity surrounding this issue and though unintentional, we sincerely regret any distress it may have caused,” the organization stated in a letter to Igor Grishenko, the UAF’s general secretary.

Bennevis’ Dangerous Route

In 2021, Google Maps revised the directions for Bennevis, the UK’s tallest mountain, after warnings about potentially “fatal” paths.

The Scottish climbing charity, John Muir Trust, cautioned that the map’s directions for the nearest parking area to the summit were dangerously misleading, especially for novice climbers, leading them onto treacherous routes without alternative paths.

Google responded by clarifying that the issue pertained to driving routes, not walking directions, and updated the map to direct drivers to visitor centers instead.

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Marathon Mishaps

At last year’s San Francisco Half Marathon, the course was mistakenly found to be short by 0.5 miles, affecting the times of thousands of runners.

Organizers claimed the route was measured accurately, but the certification map was incorrect, resulting in various discrepancies.

This was not the first instance of a mismeasured race; between 2013 and 2015, the Greater Manchester Marathon was mapped incorrectly, marking it 380 meters short. Consequently, the times of approximately 24,000 runners were deemed invalid by British athletics.

Similar issues have also arisen in past events, including the Brighton Half Marathon and the Great Scotland Run.

Taking the Wrong Steps

Google corrected a mapping error in Edinburgh after drivers were wrongly guided down a flight of steps. This route was previously accessible by vehicles, but changes in the roads had led to the installation of stairs, resulting in at least two cars getting stuck at the bottom of Calton Hill. In January, Google announced that the mapping issue had been fixed.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Potential for Major Earthquakes Beneath North America, Study Indicates

Posted on August 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Recent research suggests that the concealed structural weaknesses in the Yukon, Canada, may be primed to trigger a significant earthquake of at least magnitude 7.5, as outlined in the latest study.

The Tintina Fault, stretching from northeastern British Columbia to central Alaska, has been silently accumulating tension for over 12,000 years. A new investigation previously deemed relatively harmless indicates that it remains very active.

Regrettably, scientists are unable to predict when the next major quake will strike.

“Our findings indicate that the fault is active and continues to build strain,” said Dr. Theron Finley, the lead author of the study published in Geophysical Research Letters, in a statement to BBC Science Focus. “I expect it will eventually rupture again.”

The Tintina Fault is classified as a “right-lateral strike-slip fault,” where two blocks of the Earth’s crust slide horizontally past each other. If one side moves to the right during an earthquake, it’s identified as right-lateral.

Over the ages, one side of the fault has shifted approximately 430 km (270 mi), during a geological period that spanned roughly 560 to 33.9 million years ago, predominantly in the Eocene epoch.

The Tintina Fault extends 1,000 km (600 mi) from northeastern British Columbia to Alaska. – Credit: National Park Bureau

While minor earthquakes occasionally occur in the region, the Tintina Fault has generally been considered dormant.

“There have been small earthquakes in the 3-4 magnitude range detected along or near the Tintina Fault,” Finley noted. “However, nothing has strongly indicated that a larger outbreak is likely.”

This perspective changed when Finley and his team revisited the fault with advanced technology. By integrating satellite surface models with drone-mounted Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data, researchers uncovered hidden seismic activity within the dense Yukon forests.

The landscape revealed cliffs associated with the fault, forming long, narrow terrains created when a quake pushed material to the surface, often collapsing in the process. These features can span dozens or even hundreds of kilometers, but are typically only a few meters tall and wide.

“In the case of the Tintina fault, these features appear as a series of intriguing mounds,” Finley stated.

By dating these surface formations, researchers determined that the fault has ruptured multiple times over the last 2.6 million years, though no significant earthquakes have occurred in the past 12,000 years.

Fortunately, the region is sparsely populated. However, if the fault does rupture, Finley cautioned that major landslides, infrastructure damage, and impacts on nearby communities would be highly probable.

“We want to emphasize that we don’t have a precise sense of how imminent an earthquake is,” he noted. “Our observations indicate it has been a long time since the last significant quake, but there’s no way to know if one is more likely in the near or distant future.”

Finley remarks that the fault has been confirmed as active, and the next step is to better estimate the frequency of large earthquakes in the area. This could help provide a more reliable timeline, even though scientists cannot accurately forecast when the next rupture may happen. Stay tuned.

“Earthquakes don’t necessarily occur on a regular basis, but they can give us a clearer understanding of how often we can expect significant events,” Finley explained. “Regardless, when the Tintina fault finally releases, it won’t be inconsequential.”

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About our experts

Theron Finley is a geologist at the Yukon Geological Survey. He recently obtained a doctorate from the University of Victoria in Canada and has conducted research on active faults in Western Canada, utilizing remote sensing, structural geology, and paleoseismology.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

90 Laptops, Millions Lost: North Korea’s Remote Work Scam Targets Women | US News

Posted on August 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

In March 2020, coinciding with the onset of the Covid pandemic, Christina Chapman, a resident of Arizona and Minnesota, received a LinkedIn message inviting her to “become the face of the US” for her company, which sought foreign IT workers to facilitate remote employment.

As remote work became commonplace, Chapman successfully connected foreign workers with numerous US companies, including major players in the Fortune 500 like Nike, referred to as a “Premier Silicon Valley Technology Company,” and “one of the world’s most renowned media and entertainment firms.”

Employers believed they were hiring US citizens; however, they were actually North Koreans.

Chapman was entangled in a North Korean governmental initiative to deploy thousands of “highly skilled IT workers” by commandeering identities to present them as US citizens or from other nations. This scheme reportedly generated millions of dollars intended to fund the regime’s nuclear weapons development, as per US Department of Justice court records.

Chapman’s peculiar saga concluded with an eight-year prison term, serving as a bizarre mix of tragic narratives involving geopolitics, international crime, and the isolation of working from home in a gig economy heavily reliant on digital interactions, obscuring the line between fact and fiction.

Federal and cybersecurity experts warn that covert North Korean workers not only assist adversaries of the US but also aid oppressive regimes affected by international sanctions related to weapons development while jeopardizing the identities of American citizens and potentially undermining domestic companies through “malicious cyber intrusions.”

“After Covid hit and everyone transitioned to virtual work, many tech jobs never returned to the office,” noted Benjamin Racenberg, senior intelligence manager at NISOS, a cybersecurity firm.

“Companies quickly recognized that they could source talent globally, leading to a situation where North Korea and other fraudulent employment sources manipulated the hiring system to secure jobs.”

North Korea required a US intermediary to execute this scheme, as companies are “unwilling to ship laptops to North Korea or China,” explained Adam Meyers, anti-side effects director at cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.

“They recruit individuals seeking gigs, proposing, ‘Hey, I can get you $200 per laptop you manage,'” said Myers, whose team has released a report on North Korea’s tactics.

Chapman had a troubling upbringing, navigating “between low-paying jobs and unstable housing,” according to a document submitted by her attorney. In 2020, she was also tasked with caring for her mother, diagnosed with kidney cancer.

About six months after the LinkedIn communication, Chapman commenced operations described by law enforcement as “laptop farms.”

In facilitating these operations, she supported North Koreans in masquerading as US citizens through identity verification. She sent laptops abroad and logged onto them so foreign workers could connect remotely, with salaries funneled to workers as indicated by court records.

Meanwhile, North Koreans constructed online identities that aligned with job specifications for remote IT roles, often securing positions via staffing agencies.

In one instance, a “Top 5 National TV Network and Media Company” based in New York employed a North Korean as a video streaming engineer.

Individuals impersonating “Daniel B” requested Chapman to join a Microsoft team together with their employers to facilitate conspirators’ participation. The indictment does not disclose the full name of the victim.

“I just typed the name Daniel,” Chapman communicated to a North Korean, as per online chat records. “When I ask why you are using two devices, please respond that the laptop’s microphone is malfunctioning.”

“Okay,” the foreign participant replied.

“Most people will accept that explanation,” Chapman responded.

Chapman acknowledged the illegality of her actions.

“I hope you can find someone else to handle your physical I-9. Those are federal documents. I’ll send it to you, but I’ll have someone else handle the paperwork. If you’re caught, you could go to federal prison for forgery,” Chapman told her co-conspirators.

Chapman was also active on social media, posting in a June 2023 video about her hectic schedule while grabbing breakfast on the go, as reported by Wired.

Behind her was a rack with at least 12 open laptops. When federal agents raided her home in October 2023, they discovered 90 laptops. In February of the same year, she pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, identity theft, and conspiracy to obfuscate financial products.

Throughout her three-year collaboration with North Korea, some employees amassed hundreds of thousands of dollars from single companies, generating a total of $17 million for Chapman and the North Korean regime.

The fraud operation also involved stealing the identities of 68 individuals, according to the Department of Justice.

In a letter to the court prior to her sentencing, Chapman expressed gratitude to the FBI for her arrest, stating she was attempting to escape from a long-time associate. “And I truly didn’t know how to do that.”

“The area we lived in provided few job opportunities that aligned with my needs,” Chapman wrote. “I sincerely apologize to those affected. I am not someone who seeks to harm others, so it’s devastating to realize I was part of a scheme that sought to inflict damage.”

Last week, U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss sentenced Chapman to over eight years in prison, seizing $284,000 intended for North Korea along with a $176,000 fine.

Chapman and her collaborators were not alone in such fraud; in January, the federal government indicted a scheme where two North Koreans, Mexican citizens, and two US citizens obtained positions in at least 64 US companies, generating over $866,000 in revenue, as reported by the Department of Justice.

Racenberg from NISOS expressed concern that cybercriminals will increasingly leverage artificial intelligence to enhance such schemes.

He advised companies to conduct “open-source research” on applicants, as fraudsters frequently replicate content from existing resumes.

“If you input the initial lines of your resume, you may discover two or three other resumes online that are strikingly similar, using identical companies or timelines,” Racenberg cautioned. “That should raise some red flags.”

During interviews, if background noises resemble a call center or if applicants refuse to remove a fake or blurry background, this should also raise concerns, according to Myers from CrowdStrike.

Businesses should also encourage new hires to visit offices and require the return of laptops directly rather than mailing them.

Five years after the pandemic, more companies are gradually insisting their employees return to the office at least part-time. If all businesses did the same, would that eradicate the threat?

“While this may reduce occurrences, it doesn’t guarantee everything will revert to former practices,” Racenberg commented. “However, the likelihood of reverting completely is quite low.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Gemini North Telescope Captures Stunning New Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/Atlas

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Astronomers utilizing the Gemini North telescope at NSF’s International Gemini Observatory have observed the interstellar comet 3i/Atlas as it passes through our cosmic neighborhood.

This image from the Gemini North Telescope Multi-Object Spectrometer (GMOS-N) showcases the interstellar comet 3i/Atlas. Image credits: International Gemini Observatory/Noirlab/NSF/Aura/K. Meech, Ifa&U. Hawaii / Jen Miller & Mahdi Zamani, Noirlab.

Interstellar objects are those that emerge from and traverse beyond our solar system.

Ranging from several meters to a few kilometers in size, these cosmic fragments are remnants from the formation of the host star’s planetary system.

As they orbit their stars, interactions with the gravitational pull of nearby planets and stars can eject them into interstellar space, allowing them to traverse other solar systems.

Studying interstellar visitors provides critical insights into distant star systems.

They carry valuable information about chemical elements, including their formation timelines and locations, offering scientists glimpses into the formation of planetary systems throughout the history of the Milky Way galaxy.

3i/Atlas marks the third interstellar object discovered, following 1i/Oumuamua in 2017 and 2i/Borisov in 2019.

Astronomers suspect that numerous interstellar objects might regularly pass through our solar system, but capturing them is challenging as they are only visible when telescopes are oriented correctly at the right time.

Multiple teams worldwide utilize various telescopes to monitor 3i/Atlas during its brief visitation, enabling them to collectively assess its key properties.

While many aspects remain unknown, 3i/Atlas is already recognized as distinct in comparison to 1i/Oumuamua and 2i/Borisov.

Previous observations suggest that 3i/Atlas could have a diameter of up to 20 km (12 miles).

New comets typically exhibit highly eccentric orbits, which define how much the object’s path deviates from a perfect circle.

An eccentricity of 0 indicates a circular orbit, while 0.999 signifies a highly elongated ellipse.

Objects with an eccentricity greater than 1 follow paths that do not loop around the Sun and come from, then return to, interstellar space.

The eccentricity of 3i/Atlas is recorded at 6.2, classifying it as a highly hyperbolic interstellar object.

In contrast, “Oumuamua’s” eccentricity was around 1.2, and Borisov’s was about 3.6.

As of now, 3i/Atlas resides in Jupiter’s orbit, approximately 465 million km (290 million miles) from Earth and 600 million km (370 million miles) from the Sun.

On December 19, 2025, it will come within roughly 270 million km (170 million miles) of Earth, posing no threat to our planet.

The closest approach to the Sun will occur around October 30, 2025, at a distance of 210 million km (130 million miles).

During this close approach, it is expected to travel at about 25,000 km (15,500 miles) per hour.

The latest image of 3i/Atlas was obtained using the Gemini North Telescope Multi-Object Spectrometer (GMOS-N).

“The sensitivity and scheduling precision of the International Gemini Observatory played a critical role in observing this interstellar wanderer,” remarked Martin Still, NSF Program Director at the International Gemini Observatory.

“We eagerly anticipate the wealth of new data and insights as this object warms in sunlight before continuing its cold, dark journey through interstellar space.”

Source: www.sci.news

Arizona’s Unique Bone Bed Uncovers North America’s Earliest Known Pterosaurs

Posted on July 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have uncovered the fossilized jawbone of a newly identified pterosaur species, along with a multitude of fossils, including one of the world’s oldest turtles, in a secluded bone bed located within Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, USA.

Artist Reconstruction of Eotephradactylus chintireae, along with other animals and plants preserved in the bone beds of Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, USA. Image credit: Brian Eng.

The newly discovered pterosaur species, Eotephradactylus chintireae, existed in what is now Arizona during the late Triassic period, approximately 209 million years ago.

“The winged reptile was small enough to comfortably perch on a person’s shoulder,” stated Dr. Ben Krigman from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History.

“One of the most exciting aspects of this discovery was that the teeth remained intact in the bones, making the identification of these animals significantly easier,” added Suzanne McIntier, a volunteer preparer who dedicated 18 years at Fossil Lab at the National Museum of Natural History.

“The teeth-filled jaws provided crucial insights into the lifestyle of the earliest pterosaurs.”

“The worn tips of the teeth suggest a high likelihood that they consumed armored fish and other prey,” she explained.

Eotephradactylus chintireae coexisted with large amphibians, armored crocodile ancestors, frogs, and turtles.

In addition to this flying reptile, paleontologists have found over 1,200 individual fossils, which include bones, teeth, fish scales, and coprolites.

“This collection represents 16 different vertebrate groups that previously inhabited diverse ecosystems,” they noted.

“The braided rivers in this region were teeming with fish, such as freshwater sharks, coelacanths, and ancient amphibians.

The surrounding environment was also home to some of the formidable reptiles that evolved during the early Triassic, including giant alligator-like armored herbivores and predatory creatures.”

The newly identified bone bed is part of the Upper Sinru Formation in Petrified Forest National Park.

“This area of northeastern Arizona was situated in the heart of Pangaea on the supercontinent, positioned just above the equator 209 million years ago,” the researchers added.

“The semi-arid landscape was interspersed with small river channels, which were prone to seasonal flooding. These floods deposited sediment and volcanic ash into the channels.”

“One of these floods might have buried creatures that remain in the bone beds. The site is rich in small fossils, making it impossible to excavate all of them in the field.”

The research team believes the new site will help bridge gaps in the fossil record prior to the final extinction event (ETE).

“About 1.5 million years ago, volcanic eruptions linked to the fragmentation of Pangaea drastically altered the world’s climate and led to the extinction of approximately 75% of Earth’s species,” the scientists commented.

“This opened the door for new groups, such as dinosaurs, to emerge and thrive in ecosystems globally.”

“Due to the lack of fossil outcrops from just before the ETE, it is challenging to find direct evidence of this transition on land.”

“This site captures the shift toward a more modern terrestrial vertebrate community, marking the beginning of the flourishing of groups following the Mesozoic era, alongside these older species that survived into the Triassic period.”

“Such fossil beds provide evidence that all these animals coexisted.”

The team’s study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Ben T. Krigman et al. 2025. The extraordinary bone bed uncovers a vertebrate community with pterygoids and turtles in the equatorial Pangaea prior to terminal extinction. PNAS 122 (29): E2505513122; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2505513122

Source: www.sci.news

Home to Large-Horned Lizards and Armored Cretaceous Dinosaurs in North America.

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Recently discovered fossil specimens of the Monsters include new genera and species, Borguamondor, found in southern Utah’s magnificent Kaiparowitz Formation at Escalante National Monument. These specimens highlight the remarkable diversity of these large lizards during the late North American period.

Reconstruction of Borguamondor‘s life. Image credit: Cullen Townsend.

Borguamondor existed in North America during the Cretaceous Campania period, approximately 72 million years ago.

These ancient reptiles represent a portion of the evolution of large-bodied lizards known as the Monsters. One of the most notable examples is the Gira monster, which still inhabits deserts where new species have been rediscovered.

“According to Monster Aurus Hank Wooley, a paleontologist at the Dinosaur Institute:

“They have a lineage spanning about 100 million years, but their fossil records remain largely incomplete. Discoveries like Borguamondor are significant in understanding these remarkable lizards, which would have appeared monstrous to us.”

“With an estimated length of about 1 m (3 feet), depending on the size of the tail and body, it may have been even larger.”

“In comparison to modern lizards, it was a large creature, akin to a monitor lizard inhabiting the savanna.

Related skeletal remains of Borguamondor, including skulls, vertebrae, girdles, limbs, and osteoderm fragments, were discovered starting in 2005 at the Kaiparowits Formation in Utah.

“Dr. Randy Ilmith, a paleontologist at the University of Utah, commented on Borguamondor:

Other fossils retrieved by the team include heavily armored skull bones, suggesting that ancient, seasonally tropical forests in southern Utah were home to at least three distinct types of large predatory lizards.

“Despite their size, the skeletal remains of these lizards are incredibly rare; most fossil records are based on isolated bones and teeth,” noted Dr. Joe Celtic, a paleontologist at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and Colorado State University.

“The exceptional fossil record of large lizards from the Grand Stair Escalante National Monument may indicate that they were a typical part of the dinosaur-dominated ecosystem in North America, playing a vital role as small predators hunting for eggs and smaller animals in Lalamidia forests.”

“The identification of this new species within the Monsters category suggests the potential for undiscovered large lizards from the late Cretaceous period,” the researchers remarked.

“Moreover, this discovery underscores that there remains untapped diversity yet to be uncovered both in the field and within paleontological collections.”

“The closest known relatives of Borguamondor are found across the planet in the Asian Gobi Desert.”

“It has been widely recognized that these creatures traversed the former Cretaceous continents, which were once interconnected. The discovery of Borguamondor suggests that smaller animals also migrated, indicating a broader biogeographical pattern among terrestrial vertebrates during this era.”

Survey results will be published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

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C. Henrik Woolley et al. 2025. New specimens of Monstaurus from the Kaiparowitz Formation in Utah reveal the unexpected diversity of ancient large lizards in late North America. R. Soc. Open SCI 12(6): 250435; doi: 10.1098/rsos.250435

Source: www.sci.news

The Massive Iceberg from the Past Created a Trench at the Depths of the North Sea

Posted on April 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Tabular icebergs are away from Antarctica ice shelves

James Kirkham

When the ice sheets covering much of Northern Europe were rapidly retreating about 18,000-20,000 years ago, urban-sized icebergs once drifted through the British coast.

James Kirkham During a survey in the Antarctic of England, his colleagues discovered preserved scour marks created by these giants, which were created when they ploughed underwater sediments. The long comb-like features are buried under the mud of the North Sea, but are still visible in seismic survey data collected for searches for oil and gas.

“We know about the degree of scouring and ancient sea level, so we can estimate that these bergs are probably five to tens of kilometers wide, and perhaps hundreds of meters thick.

In Antarctica, table-form or table-top icebergs are a spectacular sight. Some will rival even small states in the US from a regional standpoint, like the recent giants known as the A23A and A68A. They listen from the ice shelf – a wide floating protrusion of a glacier flowing from the glacier.

Therefore, the perception that tabular icebergs once existed in the North Sea clearly shows that they had both the sea edges of the British and Ireland ice sheets and ice shelves. And that means there may be some lessons for the future decline of Antarctica, says Keycam.

In the North Sea, the large iceberg’s straight trams are written by wavy valleys made by narrow keels of much smaller blocks of ice. In other words, there is a “change of administration” in which large icebergs are replaced by countless small icebergs when ice shelves are crushed in response to rising temperatures, says Keekam.

Radiocarbon dating of sediments indicates that this shift occurs between 20,000 and 18,000 years ago.

Observations question the idea that labours of megabergs like the A23A and A68A may signal the widespread collapse of Antarctic ice shelves.

Emma Mackey The University of Florida tracks tabular iceberg sizes with satellite data since the mid-1970s, finding this trend to be inherently flat.

“James’ research highlights the mines, which means that major birth events are not necessarily signs of instability or cause of alarm,” says McKee. “In fact, ice shelves are disintegrated by death by 1,000 cuts. You need to worry when you stop watching large-scale birth events.”

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

British companies recommend conducting video and face-to-face interviews to combat North Korean employment scams.

Posted on April 20, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

British companies are being advised to conduct job interviews via video or in-person to avoid the risk of inadvertently hiring North Korean employees.

The caution comes after analysts noted that the UK has become a prime target for misinformed IT workers recruited by North Korea. These individuals are typically hired to work remotely, evade detection, and funnel earnings back to Kim Jong-un’s regime.

In a recent report, Google revealed an incident from last year involving a lone North Korean operative, with at least 12 aliases operating across Europe and the US. These IT workers were seeking positions in defense and government sectors. The new tactic involves fake IT professionals threatening to leak sensitive company data post-termination.

John Hultquist, chief analyst at Google’s Threat Intelligence Group, highlighted North Korea’s shift towards Europe, particularly targeting the UK.

He explained, “North Korea is feeling the heat in the US and has shifted its focus to the UK to expand its IT worker tactics. The UK offers a broad spectrum of businesses in Europe.”

Fraudulent IT worker schemes typically involve individuals with a physical presence in countries aided by “facilitators” or agents of North Korea.

These facilitators play crucial roles like providing fake passports and maintaining local addresses. Laptops used by these individuals often connect to servers in Pyongyang, not their current location. However, they seek jobs that offer unique devices for easier monitoring.

“Ultimately, having a physical presence in the UK is key to their expansion strategy across various sectors in the country,” mentioned Hultquist.

Hultquist suggested that conducting job interviews in-person or via video could disrupt North Korea’s tactics.

Sarah Kern, a North Korean specialist at cybersecurity firm SecureWorks, emphasized that the threat is more widespread than perceived by companies.

She recommended thorough candidate screening and HR education on deception tactics. Companies should prioritize in-person or video interviews to verify the legitimacy of potential employees.

“In the US, conducting in-person or video interviews to verify candidates’ background details is effective in ensuring you’re engaging with truthful candidates,” she added.

Kern noted that IT workers may propose unconventional methods like frequent address changes or the use of money exchange services over traditional bank accounts.

Bogus IT experts are infiltrating Europe through online platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, and Telegram. Upwork stated that attempts to use false identities go against their terms of service, and they take strict action to remove such individuals.

As pointed out by Kern, North Korean IT workers often try to avoid video interviews, likely due to their working conditions in cramped spaces resembling call centers.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Paleontologists reveal that Extinct North American rhinoceros thrived in large groups

Posted on April 12, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists looked at the teeth Teleoce’s major – Found in an extinct species of nasal bacteria that lived in North America from 17.5 million to 5 million years ago. Ash falling fossil bed Nebraska, USA. Here, over 100 Teleoce’s major The individual in a single hole died and was buried in ashes from the eruption of Yellowstone’s superintendent.

The flock of Teleotheras Sister. Image credit: Jay Matternes/Smithsonian Museum.

Since discovering the rhinoceros at Nebraska’s Ashwood Fossil Bed State Park in 1971, researchers have wondered what attracted so many animals in the same location.

Did they converge from afar? Perhaps they sought shelter from natural disasters that unfolded volcanic eruptions with those asphyxiation ash?

“We found out they weren’t moving much,” said Clark Ward, a researcher at the University of Minnesota.

“We found no evidence of seasonal migration or disaster response.”

Ward and colleagues looked at the ratio of strontium, oxygen and carbon isotopes Teleoce’s major Teeth tracking long, operating animal movements across the landscape.

“By studying the carbon of animals, we can reconstruct the carbon of our environment and understand what kind of vegetation lived there,” Ward said.

“You can use it to reconstruct how wet and dry the environment is.”

“And strontium tells us where the animals are forged because isotopic ratios are associated with soil and supporting bedrock.”

Teleoce’s major It was a one-horned rhino with a barrel-shaped body and sturdy hippo-like legs. Like hippos, they ate grass.

And, like hippos, researchers believe that these rhinoceros have spent a lot of time in and around the water.

Due to their vast size, they had few predators during the Miocene era.

However, their calves would have been vulnerable to predators like hyenas, known as bone-breaking dogs.

In fact, some of the specimens found on the Nebraska site have evidence that the scavenger removed some of the bodies after its death. And ancient trucks from a 45 kg (100 pound) dog are found there.

The giant Yellowstone volcano has erupted many times over the past 12 million years.

“The ashes from the eruption traveled 1,127 km (700 miles) in what is now Nebraska, where they piled up in snow, like snow,” Ward said.

“But the ashes that were blown by the wind continued to fall into Nebraska, long after the first eruption.”

“The ashes would have covered everything: grass, leaves, water.”

“Reconstructing how we equip the ancient landscapes that have disappeared provides an important context for understanding their paleoecology and sociality, and the environment in which they lived,” the scientists concluded.

Their paper Published in the journal Scientific Report.

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CT Word et al. 2025. Enamel carbon, oxygen and strontium isotopes reveal limited mobility in extinct rhinoceros in Ashford Fossil Bed, Nebraska, USA. Sci Rep 15, 11651; doi:10.1038/s41598-025-94263-z

Source: www.sci.news

Scientists discover a mysterious new butterfly species in North America

Posted on March 1, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Entomologists describe a new species of the Tiger swallow (genus genus) Papirio) From eastern North America.

Papilio Sorstian: (a) male, holotype and (b) female, arotype. Scale bar – 10 mm. Image credit: Derotler et al. , doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1228.142202.

Papirio It is a large genus of swallowtail butterflies within the family Papillonidae.

The only representative of the Papillionini family, the genus contains about 200 scientifically recognized species.

Newly identified members of the genus Papilio Sorstianbelongs to North America Papilio Glaucus Species group.

” Papilio Glaucus The group is a model research system for insect evolutionary biology. ” Dr. B. Christian Schmidt Arknides, nematodes and colleagues wrote on paper from the Canadian National Insect Collection.

“Recognition and boundaries” Papilio Glaucus and Papilio canadensis Three decades of study in speciation, host plant adaptation, hybridization, and molecular evolution have been conducted as a pair of classical sibling species. ”

“Recently, we have discovered a third species. Papilio appalachiansisprovided unprecedented insights into speciation by hybridization. ”

” Papilio Glaucus The group is primarily part of the clades of the subgenos of the New World clades on a large scale Pterourussometimes recognized as a distinct genus,” they added.

“The various within the group demonstrate adaptation to a variety of thermal niches that are warmly characterized (Papilio Glaucus), intermediate (Papilio appalachiansis), and cool (Papilio canadensis) Climate region; all have a wide larval host plant diet and are not limited by its distribution. ”

Papilio Sorstian It is closely related to these three species, but unlike all of the series of characters.

“The most important differences are evident in developmental biology and biology,” the researchers wrote.

“Papilio Sorstian Compared to May for all other species, it is unique during long delays in appearance after adult escape, starting from late June to early July to late June to early July. ”

Papilio Sorstian'The geographical range is Papilio Glaucus The southern end of Papilio canadensis.

“Core Range Papilio Sorstian It includes eastern and south-central Ontario, northern and central New York, and adjacent Vermont, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.²The scientist wrote in his paper.

“In New York Papilio Sorstian He lives in most of the states except the Southeast and New York City metropolitan areas. ”

“In Canada, Papilio Sorstian It extends westward from Montreal, Quebec, to the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario and south to the Niagara region. ”

“The western limits seem to be on the east coast of Lake Huron. We haven’t seen any verifiable specimens of the west there.”

“Current evidence is consistent with the possibility Papilio Sorstian There is a recombinant evolutionary origin of Papilio appalachiansisThey added.

“However, the evolutionary origin of this kind, Papilio Glaucus-complex, I still can’t answer. ”

“Recognizing and defining the taxonomic identity of this unique evolutionary lineage is our hope to provide a staging point on the fertile grounds for future research.”

paper Published in the journal Zookeys.

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CJ Derotler et al. 2025. A mysterious new species of the tiger swallow (Capidae, Papillonidae) in eastern North America. Zookeys 1228:69-97; doi:10.3897/zookeys.1228.142202

Source: www.sci.news

The Magnificent Giant Flying Squirrel that Roamed North America

Posted on February 26, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists have discovered 4.9 million (Early Pliocene) fossilized ruins of an extinct flying squirrel Myopetaulista Webbi Tennessee, USA. Generation of the genus Myopetaulista Eastern North America is bewildered because it is separated from the known geographical range of the genus and the extent of organisms of its sister species. Petaurista. Researchers assume that Myopetaulista which is linked to a warm forest environment and was dispersed across North America through the Beringland Bridge during the warm phase of the early Pliocene.

The lifespan of a flying fossil squirrel Miopetaurista neogrivensis It indicates that the animal is ready to land on a tree branch. Image credit: Oscasani Sidro / ICP.

Myopetaulista Webbi It jumps over the sky in what is now southern Appalachia, sliding over rhinoceros, mastodons and red pandas.

New materials of this kind have been discovered in Grey Fossil Site In Tennessee.

“discovery Myopetaulista In North America, this genus was very unexpected because it is known only from Eurasia,” said Dr. Isaac Casanovas Bilar, paleontologist at Mikel Crusafont of paleontology at the University of Barcelona. .

“There have been some uncertain reports from Florida, but new specimens from the grey fossil site provide new information, with these giant flying squirrels coming together alongside other mammals around five million years ago. It helped me to make sure I crossed the bridge.”

According to paleontologists, Myopetaulista Webbi Probably closely related Myopetaulista Tarelionly known Pliocene Eurasian species.

“The Appalachians today may try to think of these ancient creatures as closely related to the squirrels that regularly see them,” the researchers said.

“However, their closest relatives are giant flying squirrels from Japan, China, and Indonesia.”

“These giant flying squirrels have a lightweight build, weighing around three pounds, and were pretty agile on the treetop.”

“When they arrived in Tennessee now, the world was much warmer than it is now.”

“Its warm climate allows squirrel ancestors to travel across North America and could slip through dense, damp forests like those preserved in the fossil records of grey sites millions of years ago.”

The new specimen is Myopetaulista A genus of North America.

“As the climate cooled over time, Pleistocene ice age led to the isolation of these giant flying squirrels in warm shelters like Florida, and ultimately contributed to their extinction.” Miquel Crusafont from the University of Barcelona.

“The Last American Myopetaulista It has lived for millions of years since the species of Eurasian of this genus disappeared.

Team's work It was published in Journal of Mammalian Evolution.

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M. Grau-Camats et al. 2025. Intercontinental Sliding: A Review of the North American Records of Giant Flying Squirrels Myopetaulista (Rodentia, Sciuridae) Description of new materials for the grey fossil site (Tennessee). J Mammal Evol 32, 8; doi:10.1007/s10914-025-09751-w

Source: www.sci.news

Blizzards in the north and floods in the south wreak havoc in the eastern US

Posted on February 15, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The eastern half of the US is bracing for severe weather this weekend, with “life-threatening” flash floods expected in parts of the southeast and heavy snowfall as the storm progresses from the Midwest to New England.

The heaviest snow is predicted in Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, and Maine, with double-digit totals projected by the National Weather Service.

Workers removing snow from sidewalks during a winter storm in Chicago on February 12, 2025.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

The National Weather Service issued an early warning on Saturday highlighting the potential for severe flash floods in Ohio and Tennessee valleys, especially in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Approximately 21 million people from Arkansas to Pennsylvania have been placed under various flood warnings.

A broad range of severe thunderstorms is anticipated across the region, bringing rainfall of up to 6 inches and isolated higher totals of 8 inches in certain areas.

The Weather Bureau stated, “The heavy rainfall poses the greatest risk of life-threatening flash floods, notably in northwest Tennessee and western Kentucky, where there is a high risk of excessive rainfall (level 4/4) in effect.” Read more in the Short-Range Forecast Discussion.

Apart from flooding, there is also a potential for thunderstorms and strong tornadoes in parts of the Lower Mississippi Valley, according to the National Weather Service.

A large area of rain and thunderstorms is expected to persist along the mid-Atlantic and southeastern coasts through the weekend, increasing the risk of heavy precipitation and flash flooding.

Further north, medium to heavy snowfall is forecasted from the upper Midwest through the Great Lakes to New England, affecting around 70 million people with winter weather warnings from Nebraska to Maine.

A mix of sleet and freezing rain is expected in much of the northeast, creating hazardous driving conditions.

The NWS Weather Prediction Center warned, “The greatest risk for ice accumulation due to freezing rain is in the northeast.” They also cautioned that in some areas, icing could lead to power outages. Read the advisory on x website.

The storm is expected to intensify in the northeast from late Saturday through Sunday, with strong gusty winds and periods of snow creating extremely difficult travel conditions, as per the Weather Service.

Early next week, forecasts indicate that rain and snow will move away from the east coast, but breezy winds will maintain cooler temperatures across much of the eastern US.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Discovery of Two New Edible Truffle Species in Eastern North America

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Two new species of this genus tuber It was discovered with the help of trained truffle hunting dogs.

tuber cumberlandens. Image credit: Saw others., doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755.

“tuber “It is a genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi that produces paragenic fruiting bodies known as truffles,” said lead author Dr. Gregory Bonito of Michigan State University and colleagues.

“Many tuber The seeds are well known for their unique aroma and wide range of culinary uses. ”

“Like many other truffle-forming fungi, tuber The species lost the ability to forcefully release spores into the air and instead relied primarily on fungivores to ingest and distribute the spores. ”

“Mycivores such as porcupines, squirrels, pigs, and humans… tuber Sensitive to volatile compounds produced by truffles. ”

One of two new species, Tuber crable veratumis named after the truffle dog and Monza, the dog who discovered it with trainer Lois Martin.

The other is tuber cumberlandensis named after the Cumberland Plateau where it was discovered by Margaret Townsend and her truffle dog, Luca.

Tuber crable veratum. Image credit: Saw others., doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755.

“There is a long history of using specially trained dogs, and less frequently pigs, to track the scent of truffles. tuber “In the wild,” the researchers said.

“Truffle hunting dogs are also regularly used for commercial truffle harvesting, as they can find consistently mature truffles faster than other methods such as raking.”

“Raking the soil to find and harvest truffles can have a devastating effect on both the roots and ascus of the plant host.”

“It could also lead to the harvesting of immature truffles.”

“However, a well-trained truffle hunting dog will always find mature truffles, reducing harvest effort and maximizing harvest quality.”

“As such, the use of truffle dogs to harvest commercial truffles has become the standard method used by truffle growers around the world.”

meanwhile Tuber crable veratum It is only known in eastern Tennessee, USA. tuber cumberlandens It has been opportunistically harvested for commercial sale from orchards in eastern North America.

“Historically, attention has been focused on the cultivation and sale of European truffle species, but there is increasing interest in the cultivation, wild harvesting and sale of North American truffle species,” Dr. Bonito added. .

“More and more people are trying their hand at growing truffles, which means more truffle dogs are needed to sniff out these fungal fruits because they grow underground.”

“If you have $20,000 worth of truffles growing underground, you have to find them before they rot. That's why dogs are so important.”

This finding is reported in the following article: paper in diary mycosis.

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Arasan Sou others. 2024. tuber cumberlandens and T. cannileveratumtwo new edibles tuber A species of eastern North America discovered by truffle hunting dogs. mycosis 116 (6);doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755

Source: www.sci.news

Archaeologists Find North Americans Made Needles from Bones of Canids, Cats, and Hares

Posted on November 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A 12,900-year-old bone needle discovered at the La Preure site in Wyoming, USA, was made from fox bone. rabbit. This could include felines such as bobcats, pumas, lynx, and even the now extinct American cheetah. New research from the University of Wyoming shows that the bones of these animals are sized to make bone needles, remain attached to fur sewn into intricate clothing, and are readily available within campgrounds. It is said to have been used by early Paleoindian gatherers at La Prele.

La Prele Bone Needle and Needle Preform Reconstruction and Comparison Micro-CT Scan of Animal Specimens. Image credit: Pelton others., doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313610.

la prele Early Paleoindian mammoth trapping site and campground on a tributary of the North Platte River near Douglas, Wyoming.

Ten seasons of excavation in four major blocks yielded tens of thousands of artifacts related to a single occupation.

Among the wide variety of artifacts recovered from the site so far are fragments of 32 bone needles.

“Our study identifies for the first time the species and possible elements from which Paleoindian people produced bone needles with eyes,” said Wyoming State Archaeologist Spencer Pelton and colleagues.

“Our results provide strong evidence that tailored clothing is produced using bone needles and fur from fur-bearing animals.”

“These garments partially enabled the dispersal of modern humans into northern latitudes and, ultimately, the colonization of the Americas.”

In their study, Dr. Pelton and his colleagues examined bone needle fragments taken from the La Prele site.

The researchers used peptides (short chains of amino acids) obtained from these artifacts to identify animals known to have existed during the Paleoindigenous period, which refers to the prehistoric period of North America between 13,500 and 12,000 years ago. peptide.

As a result of the comparison, it was concluded that the bones of the red fox are bones. Bobcat, puma, lynx, or American cheetah. At La Preure, hares and rabbits were used to make needles.

“Despite the importance of bone needles in explaining the global dispersal of modern humans, archaeologists have not identified the materials used to make bone needles, making this important cultural innovation “This limits our understanding of the

Previous research has shown that to cope with the cold temperatures of northern latitudes, humans likely created tailored clothing with tightly sewn seams that provided a barrier against the elements.

There is little direct evidence of such clothing, but there is indirect evidence in the form of bone needles and the bones of fur owners whose fur was used for clothing.

“Wearing such clothing allowed modern humans to extend their range into areas that were previously inaccessible due to the threat of hypothermia and death from exposure. '' said the scientists.

“How did the people of La Prele Ruins obtain fur-bearing animals?

“It was probably a trap, not necessarily looking for food.”

“Our results are a reminder that foragers used animal foods for a wide range of non-subsistence purposes, and that the mere presence of animal bones at an archaeological site need not indicate a diet. ”

“Combined with a review of comparable evidence from other North American Paleoindian sites, our results suggest that early Paleoindians of North America had direct access to fur-bearing predators, probably by traps, and that It represents some of the most detailed evidence ever discovered regarding Indian clothing.

of findings Published in a magazine PLoS ONE.

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SR Pelton others. 2024. Early Paleoindians used canids, felines, and hares to produce bone needles at the La Prele site in Wyoming, USA. PLoS ONE 19 (11): e0313610;doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313610

Source: www.sci.news

The complexity of Viking expansion into the North Atlantic was underestimated.

Posted on November 25, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Vikings played a prominent role among the peoples of the North Atlantic, and the populations founded by them might be expected to be genetically similar and homogeneous. New research suggests that the Icelandic and Faroese people had distinctly different founding fathers. This result is consistent with a scenario in which the male population of the Faroe Islands was formed by a more diverse population from the more diverse Scandinavian population than from neighboring Icelanders. Furthermore, this study conclusively shows that there is no evidence of post-founder admixture between the Faroese and Icelandic gene pools.

The Faroe Islands consist of an archipelago of 18 small islands located in the North Atlantic Ocean between southern Norway, Iceland, and Scotland. As a result of their demographic history and relative geographical isolation, the Faroe Islands, like other North Atlantic island populations, are genetically homogeneous compared to mainland populations. Historical and archaeological sources report that the Faroe Islands were settled around 800 AD by Vikings, primarily from western Norway. However, increasing evidence suggests that these islands were settled earlier, perhaps by Celtic monks or other people from the British Isles. Carbon dating of peat moss and barley grain supports two pre-Viking periods of settlement, approximately 300-500 AD and 500-700 AD. More recently, scientists detected sheep DNA in archaeological deposits from 500 AD, and based on modern whole-genome data, the original founding of the Faroe Islands occurred between 50 and 300 AD. estimated that it may have been two to three centuries earlier than previously thought. Based solely on archaeological findings. Image credit: Oscar CR

From the 8th century to about 1050 AD, Vikings roamed the Atlantic in longships all the way to Newfoundland, Labrador, and Greenland, as well as exploring the Mediterranean and Eurasia.

Among the places they are known to have settled are the Faroe Islands, an archipelago of 18 islands in the North Atlantic Ocean.

They probably weren’t the first. Archaeologists have found evidence that these islands have been inhabited since about 300 AD, perhaps by Celtic monks or other people from the British Isles.

However, according to Fairinga Sagawritten around 1200, a Viking chieftain called Grimur Kamban settled in the Faroe Islands between about 872 and 930 AD. But where in Scandinavia did Grimur and his followers come from?

“We have strong evidence here that the Faroe Islands were colonized by a diverse group of male settlers from multiple Scandinavian populations,” said University of Louisville researcher Dr. Christopher Tillquist. .

In this study, Dr. Tillquist and his colleagues genotyped 12 “short tandem repeat” (STR) loci on the Y chromosome of 139 men from the Faroese islands of Bordoloi, Streymoy, and Suzloj.

They assigned each man to the most likely haplogroup. Each haplogroup has a different known distribution across Europe today.

They compared the genotype distribution to that found in 412 men from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Ireland.

This allowed the team to reconstruct the source population of the founders of the Viking population.

Advanced analysis showed that the Faroe Islands sample range was similar to the broader Scandinavian genotype range, whereas the Icelandic genotypes were different.

The authors also developed a powerful and innovative genetic method called “variational distance from modal haplotype” to analyze SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) variation within STRs.

This has led to the “founder effect” (vestiges of random loss of diversity during historical colonization by a small number of people) that remains in the genetic composition of male populations in the Faroe Islands and Iceland today. was able to clarify.

“Scientists have long thought that the Faroe Islands and Iceland were settled by similar Nordic peoples,” Dr Tillquist says.

“However, our new analysis showed that these islands were founded by people belonging to different gene pools within Scandinavia.”

“One group of diverse Scandinavian origins settled in the Faroe Islands, while a more genetically distinct group of Vikings colonized Iceland. They had separate genetic characteristics that continue to this day. Masu.”

“Despite their geographic proximity, there appears to have been no subsequent interbreeding between these two populations.”

“Our findings show that Viking expansion into the North Atlantic was more complex than previously thought.”

“Each longship that sailed to these distant islands carried a different genetic heritage, and not just Vikings.”

“We can now trace the separate journeys of conquest and settlement, revealing a more nuanced story of Viking exploration than is told in history books.”

of findings appear in the diary frontiers of genetics.

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Alison E. Mann others. 2024. Genetic evidence points to distinct patrilineal colonization of the Faroe Islands and Iceland. front. Genet 15;doi: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1462736

Source: www.sci.news

Wildfire smoke from Canadian and West Coast wildfires spreads throughout North America

Posted on July 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

summary

Smoke from the wildfires has spread across North America, threatening air quality in much of Canada, California, and the Pacific Northwest.
The fast-spreading fire caused widespread damage in the Canadian alpine resort town of Jasper.
Firefighters in Oregon, Idaho, and California are also battling blazes that are spreading quickly due to gusty winds and high temperatures.

Raging wildfires in western Canada have sent huge plumes of smoke spreading across North America in recent days, with pollution captured in images by NASA satellites, aircraft, and ground-based observatories.

An animation released by NASA on Friday showed smoke blanketing the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest Territories and drifting into other parts of the Midwest, including Montana, Colorado, Kansas, and Wisconsin.

This map uses data from NASA to show the concentration and movement of black carbon, a type of aerosol pollution released by wildfires, over North America from July 17 to July 24.

As of Friday afternoon, there were 948 fires burning in Canada, with 387 of them considered out of control. Canadian Joint Forest Fire Centre The fast-spreading fire caused widespread damage in the popular alpine resort city of Jasper in Alberta and forced the evacuation of 25,000 people.

Massive fires in the Pacific Northwest and California are also polluting the air nearby. Air quality alerts and watches have been issued in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming over the past week. Smoky skies have also been reported in North Dakota, South Dakota, and across the High Plains.

Oregon is experiencing the largest wildfire season in the US, fueled by lightning, high temperatures, and strong winds, with more than 35 out-of-control wildfires burning a combined total of nearly 1 million acres in the state.

In neighboring Idaho, fast-spreading fires forced the evacuation of the entire town of Juliaetta on Thursday, with more than 600 residents evacuated as the Gwen Fire and other wildfires burning in the area continued to grow.

Cities in Oregon, Montana, California, and Idaho topped the list of places with the worst air quality in the country on Friday. According to IQAir: For example, air pollution levels in Burns, Oregon, were listed as “hazardous,” while air quality in Stevensville, Montana, was listed as “very unhealthy,” according to a Swiss air quality monitoring company.

In California, the Park Fire has already burned more than 250 square miles in the Chico area since starting on Wednesday and remained uncontained as of Friday morning.

Firefighters are also battling the lightning-fought Gold Complex Fire in California’s Plumas National Forest, which has burned more than five square miles since July 22. As of Friday afternoon, the fire was only 11 percent contained, and winds are causing the blaze to spread quickly. According to the California Fire Department.

Smoke from wildfires that have spread eastward to New England and south to Mexico is having a variety of effects on human health.

In addition to black carbon, wildfires release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, a variety of chemicals, and tiny particles called particulate matter into the air. Together, these substances can irritate the eyes, nose, throat, and lungs and worsen the conditions of diabetes, heart disease, COPD, and chronic kidney disease.

Young children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with asthma or other existing respiratory conditions are at greatest risk from wildfire smoke.

Thunderstorms have played a role in igniting many wildfires in Canada and the western United States, with gusty winds, high temperatures, and more thunderstorms fanning the flames.

Summer wildfires are common in western Canada and the United States, but scientists say climate change is making them more dangerous by creating more favorable conditions for fires to start and spread. Rising temperatures also drier vegetation, making it more flammable.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

British Military Targeted by North Korea-Backed Cyber Espionage Campaign

Posted on July 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

State-sponsored hackers from North Korea have initiated an operation to acquire sensitive information regarding nuclear materials, military drones, submarines, and shipbuilding from the United States and Britain. Intelligence agencies have raised alarm about a “global cyber espionage campaign” targeting critical sectors.

A joint notice from the US, UK, and South Korea highlighted that North Korea is utilizing state-sponsored actors to advance its military and nuclear objectives, with Japan and India also on their radar.

These hackers, part of a group known as Andariel, are focusing on military secrets and intellectual property in industries such as nuclear, defense, aerospace, and engineering. They are also attempting to obtain sensitive data from the medical and energy sectors.

Paul Chichester, operations director at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), expressed concern over the extensive cyber espionage campaign orchestrated by North Korean forces in pursuit of their military and nuclear programs.

NCSC revealed that Andariel has successfully breached organizations worldwide and stolen sensitive technical and intellectual property data.

The NCSC believes Andariel is connected to North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau (RGB) and poses a constant threat to critical infrastructure organizations globally.

According to intelligence agencies, Andariel funds its espionage operations through ransomware attacks on the US healthcare sector, using publicly available internet scanning tools to identify vulnerable systems.

Chichester emphasized the necessity for safeguarding sensitive information and intellectual property stored on systems to prevent theft or misuse, urging network defenders to follow the advisory guidelines to prevent malicious activities.

The advisory details how Andariel has transitioned from destructive hacks to conducting professional cyber espionage and ransomware attacks, sometimes targeting the same victims on the same day.

The US State Department has announced a reward for information on Lim Jeong-hyok, an alleged Andariel ally involved in ransomware attacks to fund operations against government agencies and defense companies.

North Korea’s cyber army has been linked to various cyber attacks, including the notorious WannaCry ransomworm in 2017. The attack aimed to obtain valuable information for North Korea and generate revenue for the state through illegal means.

Source: www.theguardian.com

SpaceX capsule found in North Carolina confirmed by NASA as space debris

Posted on June 28, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The trunk, situated at the bottom of the Crew Dragon spacecraft beneath the astronauts’ seating area, typically carries cargo. It is equipped with solar panels for power supply “during flight and while on station,” as mentioned by the astronauts on the SpaceX website.

This part of the spacecraft will detach just before re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. Despite expectations of complete incineration in the atmosphere, the discovery of this section and other parts suggests some components may survive the fiery descent.

SpaceX has not yet responded to inquiries for comments.

The debris Klontz found was charred and covered in woven carbon fiber, weighing approximately 90 pounds. Initially, it seemed too cumbersome for one person to handle, raising safety concerns.

“It’s a sight rarely seen by the general public,” said Klontz. “You’ve seen spaceships and such on TV, but witnessing it up close is a different experience.”

Several small pieces have also been discovered in local residents’ gardens in nearby towns, as reported by local news outlets.

“NASA has not reported any structural damage or injuries due to this finding,” stated the agency in an official release.

NASA verified that the debris originated from the fuselage of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.Glamping Collective

According to NASA, the debris is from SpaceX’s Crew 7 mission, launched on August 26, 2023, and returned after six months of space station operation.

NASA also reported finding sections of a trunk believed to be from a previous SpaceX mission in a farmer’s field in Saskatchewan, Canada, last month.

In another incident, debris from an unmanned SpaceX mission delivering supplies to the space station landed in Saudi Arabia, NASA disclosed.

Instances of wreckage from the Crew Dragon fuselage falling in Colorado last year, as well as a similar occurrence in Australia in 2022, were also noted by NASA.

In March, a metallic space debris fragment (unrelated to SpaceX spacecraft) that collided with a home in Naples, Florida, came from a cargo pallet intentionally released from the International Space Station.

A metal object used to attach batteries for the International Space Station to a cargo pallet crashed into a home in Naples, Florida, on March 8.National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

The Florida family who owns the home is suing NASA, alleging damages and mental stress caused by the incident.

In regards to the lawsuit, NASA’s space operations spokesman Jimi Russell stated via email that “it is not appropriate for NASA to comment on pending litigation.”

While it is common for space agencies and companies to incinerate defunct equipment in the atmosphere, occasional parts do survive re-entry. With most of Earth covered by oceans, the risk of space debris falling in inhabited areas is low, but recent events have raised concerns about potential risks as space launches increase in frequency.

If anyone encounters what they suspect to be SpaceX debris, NASA encourages them to contact SpaceX’s debris hotline at 1-866-623-0234 or recovery@spacex.com.

The Crew Dragon capsule, still attached to its fuselage, is currently docked at the International Space Station and is set to return to Earth with its crew later this summer, according to NASA.

This unusual object was discovered on a mountain trail in North Carolina.Glamping Collective

NASA intends to collaborate with SpaceX to explore “further solutions in understanding the discovered debris.”

“NASA and SpaceX are committed to ensuring the safety of the public, astronauts, and ground crew,” NASA affirmed.

The space junk fragment is currently showcased in a glass case at The Glamping Collective; thus far, neither SpaceX nor NASA has requested its removal, according to Klontz.

“Every time I see it, I’m amazed,” shared Klontz. “To imagine that it was launched from Florida, journeyed into space, returned, and part of it flew over North Carolina is truly incredible.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Amazon to Implement Recycled Paper Packaging in North America

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Amazon has announced that it is making a switch from plastic air pillows to recycled paper in its packaging in North America. The company claims that this change is more environmentally friendly and that the paper filling is more efficient.

Amazon stated on Thursday that it has already replaced 95% of its plastic air pillows with paper filling in North America and aims to completely eliminate them by the end of the year.

The company’s goal is to ensure that customers receive their items intact while using minimal packaging to reduce waste and prioritize recyclable materials.

This initiative marks Amazon’s largest plastic packaging reduction effort to date in North America and is expected to eliminate the use of around 15 billion plastic air pillows per year.

For upcoming events such as Prime Day and the Christmas giveaway next month, Amazon has confirmed that plastic air pillows will not be included in the deliveries.

While environmental groups have criticized Amazon for its plastic use in the past, the company’s announcement has been met with some positive feedback. However, there are calls for Amazon to further reduce waste and explore innovative solutions like reusable packaging.

Amazon’s efforts to reduce plastic packaging have been welcomed, but there are ongoing discussions about the need for more sustainable practices and continued progress in waste reduction.

The company has revealed its annual use of single-use plastic for the first time in 2022, following demands from investors for transparency in waste reduction plans.

Amazon began transitioning away from plastic air pillows in October and has successfully implemented paper filling in its packaging, which offers the same or better protection during shipping compared to plastic air pillows.

The company’s ongoing initiatives include shipping products without additional packaging and collaborating with various organizations on recycling programs and waste reduction efforts.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Rare T-Rex Fossil Found by 10-Year-Old Boy in North Dakota

Posted on June 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

During a family walk in North Dakota, a rare fossil was unexpectedly discovered buried in the soil — that of a teenage boy, a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

This discovery is significant as it could provide greater insight into the life of this famous dinosaur known as “Teen Rex,” who was discovered by two younger brothers, his father, and a cousin.

The fossil was found in the North Dakota wilderness, about 10 miles from the town of Marmarth, in 2022 by children aged 7, 9, and 10. While on a walk, one of the children and his father noticed a large foot bone sticking out of the ground.

Tyrannosaurus Rex was smaller than a full-grown Tyrannosaurus and had not yet fully matured – Courtesy of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science

The father, Sam Fisher, contacted Tyler Lyson, curator of paleontology at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, who confirmed the discovery through research.

“This finding is particularly interesting because Tyrannosaurus Rex “All the fossils found so far have been of adults,” said Lyson. “Studying the remains of young animals will shed light on different aspects of dinosaur life, such as growth patterns.”

“Furthermore, three young scientists have embraced their passion and the excitement of discovery, making incredible dinosaur discoveries that advance science, deepen our understanding of the natural world, and inspire other explorers and scientists of the future.”

Tyrannosaurus is one of the best-known dinosaurs of all time and lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous Period, between 90 and 66 million years ago.

In a paper published in 2023, it was initially believed that dinosaurs like T. rex were particularly clever, with brains containing about 3 billion neurons, more than a baboon’s. However, recent studies have shown intelligence comparable to that of a reptile.

It is now thought that this Teen Rex was around 13 to 15 years old, measuring 7.6 meters (25 feet) in length and weighing around 1,500 kilograms. They reach full growth at around 18-21 years of age and can weigh more than twice as much as this specimen.

After careful excavation and extraction, “Teen Rex” was airlifted by Blackhawk helicopter and is now displayed at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. The fossil and its plaster encasement weigh over 2,000 kg.

A team of museum paleontologists and volunteers will now clean the skeleton and prepare it for study in the Teen Rex Discovery Preparation Lab where the progress can be followed by the public.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The long, prehensile tail of the extinct North American porcupine

Posted on May 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

New World porcupines originated in South America and dispersed into North America between 4 and 3 million years ago. Today, prehensile tail porcupines live in the tropical forests of Central and South America. In contrast, North American porcupine (Erethizon Dorsatum) It is thought to be adapted to temperate forests at higher latitudes, with a larger body, shorter tail, and a diet that includes bark. paper Published in this week's journal Current BiologyPalaeontologists have described functionally important features of the skeleton of an extinct porcupine. Erethizon PoeriThe oldest nearly complete porcupine skeleton recorded in North America, discovered in Florida from the Early Pleistocene.

North American porcupines differ from their southern counterparts in that they have more fur, a shorter tail, and a larger build.

Porcupines are a type of rodent whose ancestors probably originated in Africa more than 30 million years ago.

Their descendants subsequently migrated overland to parts of Asia and Europe, but the journey to South America is a particularly defining event in mammalian history.

They probably crossed the Atlantic Ocean on rafts at a time when Africa and South America were much closer than they are today.

They were the first rodents to set foot on the continent, where they evolved into familiar groups such as guinea pigs, chinchillas, capybaras, and porcupines.

Some were gigantic – lumbering, mouse-like creatures up to five feet long, with tiny brains and weighing less than a plum – and a close relative of the extinct capybara that grew to the size of a cow.

Porcupines have evolved to remain relatively small and adapt to life in the trees of the lush tropical rainforests of South America.

Now they move through the tree canopy using long fingers with blunt, sickle-shaped claws perfectly angled to grip branches.

Many birds have long, prehensile tails that can support their body weight and help them climb trees and pick fruit.

Despite its impressive track record of migration, South America was a dead end for millions of years.

North and South America are separated by a vast ocean passage with rapids, which most animals could not cross, with a few notable exceptions.

Beginning about 5 million years ago, the Isthmus of Panama rose above sea level, separating the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

Millions of years later, this land bridge would become the equivalent of an ancient, congested highway, allowing traffic to flow in both directions.

Prehistoric elephants, sabre-toothed tigers, jaguars, llamas, peccaries, deer, skunks and bears migrated from North America to South America.

Also joining us on the reverse journey were four species of ground sloths, an oversized armadillo, fearsome birds, capybaras and even marsupials.

The two groups had radically different fates. The mammals that migrated south did relatively well, and many successfully colonized their new tropical environments and have survived to the present day. But the lineages that moved north into colder environments almost entirely went extinct. Only three species remain today: the giant armadillo, the Virginia opossum, and the North American porcupine.

South American porcupines have a formidable coat of hollow, overlapping quills that provide considerable defense but little in the way of thermoregulation.

North American porcupines replaced this with a mixture of insulating hairs and long, needle-like hairs that they erect when they sense danger. They also had to change their diet, which led to a change in the shape of their jaws.

“When their favorite foods disappear in the winter, they'll nibble at tree bark and eat the soft tissue underneath. It's not the tastiest food, but it’s better than nothing,” says Natasha Vitek, a research scientist at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

“This type of feeding appears to have been selected for a particular jaw structure that enhances the ability to grind teeth.”

“They also lost their tails, which they used to prehensile. North American porcupines still love climbing trees, but it’s not their forte.”

“Museum specimens often show signs of healed fractures, likely caused by falls from trees.”

In the new study, Vitek and his colleagues examined an exceptionally well-preserved skeleton of an extinct species of porcupine from Florida, US.

“It's very unusual to find a fossil skeleton like this, which includes not only the skull and jaw, but also many other bones from other parts of the body,” said Dr. Jonathan Block, curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Florida Museum of Natural History.

“This will give us a more complete picture of how extinct mammals interacted with their environment.”

“We quickly realized that it was different from modern North American porcupines in that it had a specialized tail for grasping branches.”

The researchers were confident that by comparing the fossil skeleton with modern porcupine bones they could pinpoint its identity.

“The results were surprising: the fossil lacked the reinforced jaws for gnawing at bark, but had a tail adapted for prehensile functions, making it more similar to South American porcupines,” Vitek said.

“But other features, such as the shape of the middle ear bones and the shape of the lower front and back teeth, bore stronger similarities to North American porcupines.”

When all the data was combined, the analyses consistently gave the same answer.

Fossils Erethizon Poeriis an extinct species of North American porcupine, and this group has a long history that likely began before the formation of the Isthmus of Panama.

But questions remain about how many species in this group once existed and why they became extinct.

“One of the things our study leaves unresolved is whether these extinct species were the direct ancestors of today’s living North American porcupines,” Vitek said.

“It’s possible that porcupines have invaded temperate zones twice — once along the Gulf Coast and once in the West — but we’re not there yet.”

_____

Natasha S. Vitek othersAn extinct North American porcupine with a South American tail. Current BiologyPublished online May 27, 2024; doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.069

Source: www.sci.news

Ceti AI acquires Big Energy Investments Inc. to enhance its high-performance computing capabilities in North America

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Vancouver, Canada, April 18, 2024, Chainwire

Chey Eye, a leader in distributed artificial intelligence infrastructure, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Big Energy Investments Inc., a Canadian company specializing in strategic investments in high-performance computing infrastructure. This acquisition is an important step in CeτiAI's strategy to advance the development and accessibility of AI technology.

Strategic acquisitions and enhancements

Following the acquisition, Big Energy Investments, Ltd. acquired an advanced high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure that included five HPC servers equipped with eight NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs and two NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand switches. We have reached a basic agreement to acquire it. These agreements are expected to be signed within the next week and underline our commitment to rapidly increasing our technological capabilities.

This strategic enhancement is critical to the initial deployment of the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network in North America, leveraging the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric to support decentralized AI networks, decentralized physical infrastructure networks (DePIN), and Manages and provides computing resources to a variety of other applications. .

Strategic development and pilot implementation

The new HPC infrastructure will support the first North American deployment of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, which manages the ceτi AI Infrastructure Network. The network is designed to provide essential computing resources to a variety of decentralized client networks and is a key component of ceτi AI's broader mission to democratize AI technology through decentralization. The pilot implementation will not only demonstrate the capabilities of the ceτi AI solution, but will also begin revenue generation and accumulation for the CETI token ecosystem.

Roadmap and future plans

Successful integration and demonstration of this infrastructure will set the stage for immediate expansion to data center-scale implementations, significantly scaling up ceτi AI's operational capabilities. The development of the CETI token ecosystem continues and its introduction is the next major milestone in the ceτi AI roadmap.

executive insights

“This acquisition is an important milestone in ceτi AI’s growth trajectory and is consistent with our strategic objectives to strengthen our infrastructure and accelerate the development of decentralized AI technology. By combining our capabilities, we will be able to innovate and expand our reach across North America,” said Dennis Jarvis, CEO of ceτi AI.

Forward-looking statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding expected future events and anticipated results that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, final procurement and integration of HPC infrastructure, deployment and performance of the ceτi AI Intelligent Computing Fabric, and broader adoption and impact of the CETI token ecosystem. Actual results and results may differ materially from those expressed or anticipated in such forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors.

About ceτi AI

Chey Eye is at the forefront of revolutionizing artificial intelligence through decentralization. cτi AI is committed to innovation and accessibility, developing a globally distributed, high-performance, scalable AI infrastructure designed to empower developers and networks around the world. ceτi AI aims to accelerate the advancement of AI technology by democratizing access to cutting-edge resources, making it more diverse and accessible to everyone. Our mission is not limited to infrastructure development. We are building the foundation for the future of AI, allowing it to grow in ways that benefit all of humanity without sacrificing freedom of choice and expression.

Users can learn more about our mission, technology, and the future we're building, along with the latest updates and community discussions, by visiting:

light paper I Website I X I telegram I discord

contact

Chey Eye
press@taoceti.ai

Source: www.the-blockchain.com

Ceti AI acquires Big Energy Investments Inc. to enhance high-performance computing capabilities in North America

Posted on April 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Vancouver, Canada, April 18, 2024, Chainwire

Strategic acquisitions and enhancements

Following the acquisition, Big Energy Investments, Ltd. has an advanced high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure that includes five HPC servers equipped with eight NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs and two NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand switches. We have reached a basic agreement to acquire it. These agreements are expected to be signed within the next week and underline our commitment to rapidly increasing our technological capabilities.

Strategic development and pilot implementation

Roadmap and future plans

executive insights

“This acquisition is an important milestone in ceτi AI's growth trajectory and is consistent with our strategic objectives to strengthen our infrastructure and accelerate the development of decentralized AI technology. Big Energy Investments' resources and By combining our capabilities, we will be able to innovate and expand our reach across North America,” said Dennis Jarvis, CEO of ceτi AI.

Forward-looking statements

About ceτi AI

Chey Eye is at the forefront of revolutionizing artificial intelligence through decentralization. ceτi AI is committed to innovation and accessibility, developing a globally distributed, high-performance, scalable AI infrastructure designed to empower developers and networks around the world. ceτi AI aims to accelerate the advancement of AI technology by democratizing access to cutting-edge resources, making it more diverse and accessible to everyone. Our mission is not limited to infrastructure development. We are building the foundation for the future of AI, allowing it to grow in ways that benefit all of humanity without sacrificing freedom of choice and expression.

Users can learn more about our mission, technology, and the future we're building, along with the latest updates and community discussions, by visiting:

light paper I Website I X I telegram I discord

contact

Chey Eye
press@taoceti.ai

Source: the-blockchain.com

Sand dunes and ice formations found in Mars’s north pole by Mars Express

Posted on March 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

new images from high resolution stereo camera (HRSC) On ESA's Mars Express spacecraft It shows the terrain surrounding Mars's permanent ice cap at its north pole.

This image from ESA's Mars Express shows an area close to Mars' north pole. This image consists of data collected by Mars Express' High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on April 14, 2023. Image credit: ESA / DLR / FU Berlin.

Mars' permanent north polar ice cap is a stack of water ice and dust layers up to 3 km thick and approximately 1,000 km in diameter.

These are divided into four stacked “packets” of different thicknesses, which are further composed of finer layers.

These layers contain information about the climate going back millions of years in Mars' history.

The deposits were formed by precipitation of dust and water ice in the atmosphere and by direct frost formation.

These consist primarily of water ice, with fine dust deposits accounting for 10-15% of the total.

These likely reflect changes in Mars' orbit and the tilt of Mars' axis of rotation, which is much more unstable than Earth's orientation.

It changes in several cycles with periods ranging from thousands of years to millions of years.

Changes in solar radiation cause significant changes in climate, especially in the polar regions. The Arctic ice sheet is currently thought to be growing.

“The landforms surrounding Mars' north pole, known as pranum boriumfascinating,” said a member of the Mars Express team.

“The poles themselves are covered with a layer of fine dust and water ice. These stack up several kilometers thick and extend for about 1,000 kilometers.”

“Most of this material is not visible here, but you can see the beginning of the planum boreum on the right side of the frame. There are some subtle wrinkles that indicate where layers of material are starting to accumulate.”

“The ground has also become more distinctly stepped, as most clearly seen in the topographical map of the area below.”

“The lowest elevation areas are blue/green, and the highest elevation areas are red/white/brown.”

“These layers formed as a mixture of dust, water ice, and frost that accumulated on the Martian ground over a long period of time.”

“Each layer contains valuable information about Mars' history, telling us how the planet's climate has changed over the past millions of years.”

“During the Martian winter, a thin cap of carbon dioxide ice several meters thick rests on top of that layer. This cap completely disappears into the atmosphere each year during the Martian summer.”

The left side of the image is dominated by a vast strip of undulating sand dunes, extending over 150 km within this frame alone.

This wrinkled, turbulent appearance is very different from the smoother, more primitive terrain seen on the right.

This smooth area shows no obvious signs of erosion and has been spared from being hit by rocks from space. This indicates that the surface is very young and is probably getting younger every year.

“Between these two extremes are two semicircular cliffs, the larger of which is approximately 20 km wide,” the researchers said.

“Within the curves of these cliffs are frost-covered dunes.”

“The sheer scale of the cliffs is evident from the dark shadow they cast on the ground below. Sheer walls of ice can reach up to a kilometer in height.”

“These two cliffs are located in what's called a polar trough, a landform formed when wind pushes and wears down the earth's surface.”

“These appear as wavy ridges in the landscape and are common in this region, creating the characteristic spiral pattern of the polar plateau.”

Source: www.sci.news

North Korea and Iran have been found using AI for hacking, Microsoft reveals

Posted on February 15, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Microsoft announced on Wednesday that adversaries of the United States, primarily Iran and North Korea, and to a lesser extent Russia and China, are starting to take advantage of generative artificial intelligence to launch or coordinate offensive cyber operations.

Microsoft disclosed that it collaborated with business partner OpenAI to identify and prevent numerous threats exploiting the AI technology it developed.

In a blog post, the company stated that these techniques are still in their early stages and are not particularly novel or unique, but they do broaden the capabilities of U.S. rivals to use large-scale language models to infiltrate networks and exert influence, emphasizing the importance of publicly exposing this.

Cybersecurity companies have been using machine learning to detect anomalous behavior within networks for years, but the introduction of OpenAI’s ChatGPT-led large-scale language model has intensified the cat-and-mouse game, as both criminals and aggressive hackers are leveraging it.

Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI is substantial, and the company noted in its announcement on Wednesday that generative AI is anticipated to power malicious social engineering and lead to the development of more advanced deepfakes and voice clones, at a time when disinformation is on the rise and threats to democracy are rampant, with more than 50 countries holding elections in a year.

Microsoft provided examples of how adversaries were using large-scale language models, including the disabling of AI accounts and assets for specific groups.

The North Korean cyber-espionage group known as Kimsky used the model to study foreign think tanks and generate content for spear-phishing hacking campaigns.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps utilized large-scale language models for social engineering, troubleshooting software issues, and researching ways to bypass detection on compromised networks, using phishing emails and accelerated email creation.

The Russian military intelligence unit, Fancy Bear, employed the model to study satellite and radar technology potentially linked to the Ukraine war.

China’s cyber-espionage group known as Aquatic Panda targeted various industries, higher education, and governments from France to Malaysia, with limited exploration of how large-scale language models can enhance technical operations, and another Chinese group, Maverick Panda, interacted with the model to gather information on high-profile individuals and regions.

On another blog, OpenAI announced that its current GPT-4 model chatbots are “limited to malicious cybersecurity tasks beyond what is already achievable with publicly available non-AI-powered tools,” a situation that cybersecurity researchers aim to change.

Jen Easterly, head of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, informed Congress of the growing threat from China and the potential impact of artificial intelligence, stressing the need to develop AI with security in mind.

Amidst concerns about the irresponsible release of large language models, Microsoft and other companies are facing criticism for not taking focused action to address vulnerabilities, which has disappointed some cybersecurity experts who advocate for creating more secure underlying models to counter potential misuse.

Edward Amoroso, a professor at New York University and former AT&T chief security officer, emphasized the increasingly powerful role of AI and large-scale language models as potential weapons in cyber warfare, stating that they ultimately pose a threat to every nation-state.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tracing the Sea Ice Highway: The Arrival of North America’s First Immigrants

Posted on December 17, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

New findings suggest that early humans arrived in North America earlier than 13,000 years ago, likely taking advantage of the “sea ice highway” along the Pacific coast. This theory is supported by paleoclimate data, challenges traditional migration theories, and emphasizes the adaptability of early humans. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

A new study suggests that some early Americans may have traveled down the coast from Beringia 24,000 years ago on winter sea ice.

One of the hottest debates in archeology is when and how humans first arrived in North America. Archaeologists have traditionally argued that people walked through temporary ice-free passages between ice sheets an estimated 13,000 years ago.

New evidence casts doubt on traditional theory

But a growing number of archaeological and genetic discoveries, such as human footprints in New Mexico dating back some 23,000 years, suggest that humans were on the continent much earlier. These early Americans likely migrated from Beringia along the Pacific coastline. Beringia is a land bridge between Asia and North America that appeared during the last ice age maximum when ice sheets trapped large amounts of water and caused sea levels to drop.

Now, in a study presented at the American Geophysical Union Annual Meeting (AGU23) in San Francisco on Friday, December 15th, paleoclimate reconstructions of the Pacific Northwest show that sea ice has grown even further south than humans. This suggests that it may have been a means of transportation.

Coastal migration theory

The idea that early Americans may have traveled along the Pacific coast is not new. People may have been south of the giant ice sheet that once covered much of the continent by at least 16,000 years ago. Given that ice-free corridors would not open for thousands of years before these early arrivals, scientists proposed that people instead migrated along a “kelp highway.” Along this path, early Americans slowly made their way down to North America by ship. Abundant supplies found in coastal waters.

Archaeologists have discovered evidence of coastal settlements in western Canada dating back 14,000 years. But in 2020, researchers noted that freshwater from melting glaciers at the time may have created strong currents, making it difficult for people to travel along the coast.

Sea ice in Nunavut, Canada. Credit: Grid-Arendel CC-BY-NC-SA

An icy highway crossing a dangerous sea

To get a more complete picture of ocean conditions during key periods of human migration, Summer Pretorius and colleagues at the U.S. Geological Survey examined climate proxies in marine sediments along the coast. Most of the data came from small fossilized plankton. Its abundance and chemistry help scientists reconstruct ocean temperatures, salinity, and sea ice cover.

Praetorius’ presentation is part of a session at AGU23 on the climate history and geology of Beringia and the North Pacific during the Pleistocene. This year, his week-long conference brought together 24,000 of his experts from all areas of earth and space sciences in San Francisco and 3,000 online participants.

Using climate models, Praetorius’ team found that at the height of the Last Glacial Maximum, about 20,000 years ago, ocean currents were more than twice as strong as they are today due to glacial winds and falling sea levels. Pretorius said it would have been very difficult to travel by boat in these conditions, although it was not impossible to row.

However, records show that much of the region had winter sea ice until about 15,000 years ago. As a cold-adapted people, “they may have been using the sea ice as a foothold instead of having to row against this terrible glacial current,” Pretorius said.

Sea ice as a migration path

People in the Arctic now travel along the sea ice on dog sleds and snowmobiles. Pretorius said early Americans may also have used the “sea ice highway” to travel and hunt marine mammals, slowly making their way into North America in the process. Climate data suggest that conditions along the coastal route may have been favorable for migration between 24,500 and 22,000 years ago and between 16,400 and 14,800 years ago, possibly due to the presence of winter sea ice.

Integration of old and new theories

It’s difficult to prove that people used sea ice for travel, given that most ruins are underwater, but the idea is that without land bridges or easy ocean travel, humans It provides a new framework for understanding how it arrived in North America.

And the Sea Ice Highway is not mutually exclusive with other human movements beyond it, Pretorius said. The researchers’ model shows that by 14,000 years ago, the Alaska Current had calmed down, making it easier for people to travel by boat along the coast.

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” she said. “We are always amazed by the ingenuity of ancient humans.”

Source: scitechdaily.com