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I’ve Finally Discovered the Secret to Generating True Random Numbers

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It rhymes with Eeny, meeny, minnie, moo, catch a tiger by its toes. Yet even children realize counting rhymes like this are ineffective for making genuinely random choices. Remember when you first discovered you could influence the outcome by selecting your starting point carefully?

You might think flipping a coin or rolling a die is better, but proving these outcomes are random is a challenge. These methods are not genuinely random; knowing the precise conditions like positioning, trajectory, gravity, or friction lets you predict the results. True randomness is indeed elusive.

The exciting part is that randomness is an inherent aspect of the universe, evident in quantum mechanics. Quantum particles like electrons and photons choose paths based on pure randomness, with no discernible cause behind quantum events. The University of Colorado Randomness Beacon, affectionately known as Kirby, exploits this phenomenon. This year, it launched as the first publicly available source of traceable, verifiable true random numbers.

You might question who requires such high levels of randomness. After all, dice and coins have entertained us for millennia. However, some scenarios demand maximum randomness. “People don’t realize it, but without randomness, digital life lacks safety and fairness,” says Nemitali Azienka, a computer scientist from Nottingham Trent University in the UK. He explains that whenever you access a secure webpage or create a strong password, randomness plays a role. Even machine learning incorporates randomness in its training.

Randomness also supports democratic processes. For instance, in Chile, politicians face random audits, but those targeted often feel victimized. “Everyone claims it’s a witch hunt,” says Christer Shalm, one of the CURBy creators at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). When random beacons are used to derive numbers from genuinely random sources, such claims become much harder to substantiate.

Currently, the Chilean government relies on various factors, like seismic activity and a local radio station’s output, for randomness, but these aren’t entirely random either—after all, seismic events occur for specific reasons and the radio playlist is curated. Moreover, such methods lack full traceability as seismic data isn’t regularly accessible. This is where CURBy shines.

Quantum Randomness Generator

A decade ago, Schalm noted that the system was “held together by duct tape and hopes.” At that time, researchers had just begun to verify CURBy’s principles. Since then, they’ve worked to enhance the system’s speed, automation, and accessibility for all internet users.

Today, CURBy boasts a cutting-edge facility that handles thousands of requests daily. It may bolster democracy, enhance trust in justice systems, and even bring tranquility to family game nights. “CURBy embodies a practical, accessible quantum technology. This development excites me,” says Peter Brown, a physicist at the Polytechnic University of Paris.

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People don’t realize it, but without randomness, your digital life isn’t secure.
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Generating genuinely random numbers is tricky. Apart from quantum methods, most number-generation mechanisms rely on some underlying processes, making true randomness rare in the universe. Computer games often utilize “pseudo-random numbers” to form secure passwords from a seeded number; knowing this seed and algorithm eliminates randomness in your passwords.

One could delve deeper and use “high entropy” randomness sources, like the unpredictable timing of radioactive decay in materials like cobalt-60 or strontium-90. While this constitutes a random quantum event, it’s difficult to make user-friendly, and proving the legitimacy of generated numbers is a challenge without an observer present.

Physicists entangle photons to generate random numbers (from left to right) Jasper Palfrey, Gautam Kavri, Christer Shalm

Rebecca Jacobson/NIST

While this creates a high-stakes game of Yahtzee, CURBy allows you to do away with the dangers associated with radiation. Instead, CURBy utilizes pairs of photons interconnected by a quantum phenomenon called quantum entanglement.

When two entities are entangled, they behave as if they were a single entity. This compelling occurrence happens when you measure one, and then similarly measure the other. The first measurement can influence the second, even if the quantum objects are far apart. It’s akin to rolling two dice such that one consistently results in six when the other is one.

This entanglement, which Albert Einstein famously referred to as “spooky action at a distance,” defies typical understanding. Neither object transmits any signals, yet they remain connected in this way. The exact mechanism remains a mystery.

At CURBy, entanglement appears in the measurement of a property called polarization. Entangled photon pairs are separated and sent through optical fibers to two different locations, 100 meters apart. Measurements of polarization occur in quick succession at both sites.

The results of these measurements are compared, revealing subtle correlations. Under “classical” conditions, this correlation has limitations; however, if it’s genuinely quantum and random, it allows for generating numbers outside those constraints. CURBy purifies this inherent randomness using a method called Trevisan extraction. It can handle around 250,000 polarization measurements per second, requiring approximately 15 million measurements for a single output—a string of 512 utterly random binary digits (bits) ready for use.

Rolling the dice is never random

RLB Photography / Alamy Stock Pho

If you’re curious about the randomness of these bits, there’s an algorithm for that. For a string with 512 bits, each either a 0 or a 1, there are 2512 potential combinations. “The possibilities are immense,” Shalm remarks.

While all combinations are equally probable, Shalm and his team assessed the probability of specific bit strings appearing. Uniformity isn’t complete, yet it can be quite high. Consider aiming for an even road. If the incline is 1 in 10, it becomes a steep rise. Even a 1 in 100 slope or a 1 meter bump in a 100-meter stretch is noticeable. The randomness slope of CURBy is 1 in 184 quintillion, which is as random as one might need.

Proof of Randomness

CURBy’s standout feature isn’t just its randomness. The ability to trace the source and verify the randomness of the numbers is crucial. “Currently, there’s no reliable method for any random number generator,” Schalm asserts.

To ensure traceability, CURBy employs blockchain mathematics, known for securing digital assets like NFTs and cryptocurrencies. This method facilitates transparency about actions taken, timings, and the responsible parties in scenarios devoid of trust, linking everything back to the experiment’s original results.

However, the system’s accessibility is limited since the entire process involves multiple organizations. NIST forwards quantum data to facilities at the University of Colorado Boulder, which processes it, while an independent cryptographic service, the Distributed Randomness Beacon Daemon, adds its factors to extract genuine randomness from the measurements, generating the final uniform binary string.

“It’s like a chronological web,” observes Schalm. “No single entity has complete control over the random bits, allowing scrutiny for foul play or alterations.”

According to Brown, the integration of comprehensive physics with high-level security analysis is “quite remarkable.” He notes that quantum technologies are still emerging, with few complete products available. Yet will CURBy prove valuable? Absolutely, he argues, but there are situations where traceable randomness should be avoided. “You wouldn’t want to base your passwords on publicly accessible random sources,” he expounds.

Nonetheless, in contexts like jury selections, judge appointments, lottery outcomes, and random sampling in clinical trials, traceable randomness holds significant potential. Mathematician Artur Ekert from Oxford University expresses admiration too. The CURBy team’s melding of quantum and classical physics to produce innovative, accessible technology signals an exciting future.

Furthermore, CURBy is designed to adapt to future technologies, ensuring that genuine randomness embeds itself in our lives, promoting fairness and safety. It certainly surpasses a coin toss.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Human Cloning: Are the Ultra-Wealthy Engaging in Secret Experiments?

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Is it conceivable that the ultra-wealthy are covertly cloning humans?

Juan Lovaro/Shutterstock

Throughout my extensive career reporting on extraordinary breakthroughs in biology, I’ve observed numerous concepts gaining massive attention, receiving thorough media scrutiny for years, and later fading from the public consciousness. Take, for instance, human cloning.

Following the landmark birth of Dolly the sheep in 1997—the first cloned mammal—speculation soared about the potential for human cloning. There were even some implausible claims about human clones existing. Yet, in recent years, such fervor has significantly diminished.

Nonetheless, reproductive technologies have evolved remarkably since the 1990s. Notably, just six years after CRISPR was unveiled, the world saw the first unlawful creation of a gene-edited child. This raises questions about what might be occurring behind closed doors. Are human clones already out there, undetected? Of course, identical twins don’t count.

What could motivate someone to engage in this? Recently, in a discussion between Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, the topic of extending life via organ transplants emerged. The most effective method could involve cloning individuals for organ harvesting, thereby eliminating the common issue of immune rejection often depicted in science fiction narratives. Consider Island or the book Never Let Me Go.

Moreover, cloning brings forth the notion of creating a duplicate of a person, offering a semblance of immortality, as illustrated in the television series Foundation, where the empire is governed by successive clones. However, our experiences with identical twins tell us that sharing the same genome does not equate to being the same person. As shown by Tatiana Maslany in the series Orphan Black, each clone evolves into a distinct individual. Nevertheless, wealthy individuals can hold irrational beliefs similar to others and often display a particular desire to extend their lifespans.

For scientists, there’s also the allure of being the first to achieve a groundbreaking feat. A report from a Chinese commission determined that the creators of CRISPR children “conducted research illegally in pursuit of personal fame and profit.”

Goals of Therapeutic Cloning

So, could human clones exist? For many years, the notion of cloning mammals was deemed unfeasible. Early embryo cells have the ability to differentiate into any bodily part but quickly become specialized—a process previously thought irreversible.

Dolly’s existence disproved that theory. She was produced by fusing cells from an adult ewe’s udder with a DNA-depleted egg. Her announcement in February 1997 led to a frenzy of attempts to generate cloned human embryos. The objective wasn’t to create cloned infants, but rather to harvest embryonic stem cells for novel medical therapies. As cloned cells are a perfect match for an individual, they could theoretically be employed to produce replacement tissues and organs with no risk of immune rejection.

However, extracting stem cells from cloned human embryos has proven more challenging than anticipated. It wasn’t until 2004 that Hwang Woo-seok claimed success. At that time, I found his paper impressive, as it addressed all conceivable objections effectively. Unfortunately, the study was later revealed to be fraudulent, resulting in its retraction. This experience remains ingrained in my memory. Nowadays, whenever a thesis appears too good to be true, my initial instinct is to be skeptical.

Ultimately, true embryonic stem cells from cloned human embryos weren’t obtained until 2013. By then, alternative methods for generating compatible stem cells through the activation of specific genes had emerged, leading to a decline in interest in therapeutic cloning.

Cloned Pets and Other Animals

Conversely, animal cloning has become increasingly established. Occasionally, headlines emerge when celebrities disclose that they’ve cloned their pets. Recently, former NFL player Tom Brady made news by revealing that his dog is a clone, produced by a company acquired by Colossal Biosciences.

Apart from serving as a way to “revive” cherished pets, cloning is also utilized in agriculture and horse breeding. For instance, male horses are often castrated, meaning that if they excel in show jumping, the only method to utilize their genetic material for future breeding is through cloning.

Nonetheless, animal cloning continues to pose significant challenges. A 2022 study of the first 1000 dog clones found that the cloning process is still highly inefficient, with merely 2 percent of implanted cloned embryos resulting in live births. This inefficiency contributes to the high cost of pet cloning, around $50,000.

Moreover, about 20% of cloned dogs presented noticeable physical anomalies, including enlarged tongues, unusual eye colors, cleft palates, and excessive muscle mass. Some male dog clones even exhibited female physical traits.

But what if the wealthy and powerful could clone themselves, unburdened by such concerns?

Challenges in Adult Cloning

Multiple sources have indicated several successful monkey cloning endeavors since 2017, suggesting potential applicability for humans as well. However, these sources often fail to mention that all these primate clones have been derived from fetal cells, not adult ones.

The crux of the issue lies in the fact that reprogramming adult cells to mimic a fetal state is far more complex than reprogramming fetal cells. To me, cloning signifies creating a genetically identical replica of an adult, which is what made Dolly’s achievement exceptional.

In essence, I remain convinced that cloning an adult is still unattainable. In a world filled with dictators and eccentric billionaires, this might be a fortunate circumstance.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Unveiling the Ovary’s Secret Ecosystem: Its Unexpected Impact on Fertility

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Neural networks (white) and eggs (green) in a mouse ovary (left) and a fragment of a human ovary (right). Growing follicles containing eggs are depicted in magenta

Eliza Gaylord and Diana Laird, UCSF Laird Laboratory

A novel imaging technique has uncovered an unexplored ecosystem within the ovaries that could affect the aging process of human eggs. This breakthrough may pave the way for strategies to slow ovarian aging, maintain fertility, and enhance health after menopause.

Women are born with millions of immature eggs, with one maturing each month post-puberty. However, after the late 20s, fertility declines sharply, typically attributed to diminishing egg quantity and quality.

To gain insights into this decline, Eliza Gaylord and her team at the University of California, San Francisco, developed a 3D imaging method that visualizes eggs without the need for slicing the ovaries, a traditional technique.

These newly captured images revealed that eggs cluster in pockets, rather than being uniformly distributed, indicating that the ovarian environment may significantly influence egg aging and maturation.

By integrating this imaging with single-cell transcriptomics, which identifies cells by their gene expression, researchers examined over 100,000 cells from both mouse and human ovaries. Samples were taken from mice aged 2 to 12 months and four women aged 23, 30, 37, and 58.

Through this approach, the team identified 11 major cell types and uncovered some surprises. One unexpected finding was the presence of glial cells—typically associated with the brain—that nourish and repair nerve cells, alongside sympathetic nerve cells that manage the fight-or-flight response. In mice lacking sympathetic nerves, fewer eggs matured, suggesting these nerves may influence when eggs develop.

Moreover, the researchers observed that fibroblasts, crucial for structural support, decrease with age, potentially leading to inflammation and scarring in the ovaries of women in their 50s.

This research indicates that ovarian aging is influenced beyond just the eggs; it involves the surrounding ecosystem, as noted by Diana Laird, also affiliated with UCSF. Importantly, she highlights the similarities discovered between aging ovaries in mice and humans.

“These similarities provide a basis for using laboratory mice to model human ovarian aging,” states Laird. “With this roadmap, we can start to explore the mechanisms that dictate the pace of ovarian aging to devise treatments that might slow or reverse the process.”

One potential avenue is to adjust sympathetic nerve activity to slow egg loss, thereby extending the reproductive time frame and delaying menopause.

Whole eggs (green) and a subset of developing eggs (magenta) in the ovaries of 2-month-old (left) and 12-month-old (right) mice.

Eliza Gaylord and Diana Laird, UCSF Laird Laboratory

Theoretically, this approach not only preserves fertility but may also diminish the risk of common postmenopausal conditions, including heart disease. “While later menopause could increase the risk for some reproductive cancers, this pales in comparison to the 20-fold higher risk of death from cardiovascular disease post-menopause,” explaines Laird.

However, such interventions are likely still far in the future. Evelyn Telfer, a researcher at the University of Edinburgh—known for being the first to successfully culture human eggs outside the ovary—points out that the limited age range and samples from just four women restrict the applicability of the findings. “Though intriguing, this study’s results are too preliminary to support treatment strategies aimed at altering follicle utilization or slowing egg loss,” she notes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

This Underappreciated Habit Could Be Your Ultimate Stress Relief Secret

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Humans are inherently social beings. Our evolution took place within communities, leading to the creation of the complex civilizations we know today. At a fundamental level, we crave the company of others.

So, why might you occasionally wish for some time alone on this planet?

I consider myself a humanist, a pluralist, and generally a pleasant individual. However, there are moments—though I seldom admit it—when I yearn for the mass of humanity to fade away, at least for a while.

After all, with a global population of 8 billion, I can’t be the only one. The urge to find solitude can be just as powerful as our innate need for companionship.

Research highlights this desire: Loneliness. It reflects the negative feelings and emotional states that arise when you don’t carve out some personal time for yourself.

Introverts like myself are particularly attuned to this, though we are not alone in our feelings.

Advantages of Spending Time Alone

Parents grappling with long school holidays can find this challenge overwhelming. Those who live in bustling shared spaces or work in hectic environments, like schools and hospitals, share similar sentiments.

Interestingly, the concept of solitude fascinates many. Dr. Thuy-vy Nguyen, a Professor of Psychology at Durham University, emphasizes its importance through her research. She asserts that spending time alone facilitates recovery from stress.

“Our research consistently shows that being alone is beneficial for emotional regulation,” she explains.

“Initially, we induce stress in participants during experiments. Following this, we allow them to spend time alone in a room, where they experience noticeable calm in just 15-30 minutes.”

Remarkably, this emotional calming effect diminished when participants were with others, possibly because solitude offers essential opportunities for rest and renewal.

Engaging in activities like hiking in nature or pursuing creative hobbies can be fulfilling—Credit: Ipei Naoi via Getty

Feelings of anger, anxiety, and excessive excitement are often accompanied by cognitive burdens, which appear to dissipate when we allow ourselves to be alone.

Nguyen has even observed physical changes. “We track cortisol levels, which indicate stress, and see it decrease with solitude,” she notes.

This gentle feeling of relief is just one of the benefits. Research during the Covid-19 lockdown showed that solitary time could boost creativity. Other studies indicate that time spent alone can enhance self-compassion and resilience.

The Difference Between Loneliness and Solitude

It might sound odd to some, especially those who view solitude as detrimental. It’s often linked to poor mental health, increased cardiovascular risks, and a higher likelihood of early mortality.

However, it’s crucial to differentiate between loneliness and solitude. Loneliness can feel imposed, but solitude is something one can embrace and nurture.

Nguyen suggests introducing structure into your alone time, stating, “Empty time can be daunting for many. Give yourself a task.”

In one experiment, she found that participants who sorted hundreds of pencils preferred this engaging activity over simply sitting idle. Another study revealed that some individuals would choose to self-administer mild electric shocks rather than endure the discomfort of doing nothing.

In her free time, Nguyen enjoys crafting miniature models, a healthier alternative to mindless screen time. Other fulfilling options could include reading, gardening, tackling jigsaw puzzles, or sketching.

“Opt for a hands-on activity,” she advises, but avoid jumping straight to your phone.

Nguyen is currently exploring how distracting devices might disrupt the cognitive processes that solitude can stimulate.

“When we are alone, we gain the chance to reflect on our days,” she remarks. “However, smartphones often divert our attention and push us into multitasking instead.”

Another tip is to get outside when possible, especially if you feel overwhelmed.

“If you’re constantly surrounded by stress, you might struggle to leave that environment when alone,” Nguyen explains. “That’s why many parents feel the need to step outside their homes. There’s a marked difference between just being alone and dedicating time to oneself.”

When lonely parents express a need for space during busy holiday seasons, they’re speaking a universal truth.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Elon Musk’s XAI Files Lawsuits Against OpenAI Alleging Trade Secret Theft | Technology

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Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, Xai, has accused its competitor OpenAI of unlawfully appropriating trade secrets in a fresh lawsuit, marking the latest in Musk’s ongoing legal confrontations with his former associate, Sam Altman.

Filed on Wednesday in a California federal court, the lawsuit claims that OpenAI is involved in a “deeply nasty pattern” of behavior, where former Xai employees are allegedly hired to gain access to crucial trade secrets related to the AI chatbot Grok. Xai asserts that OpenAI is seeking unfair advantages in the fierce competition to advance AI technology.

According to the lawsuit, “OpenAI specifically targets individuals familiar with Xai’s core technologies and business strategies, including operational benefits derived from Xai’s source code and data center initiatives, which leads these employees to violate their commitments to Xai through illicit means.”


Musk and Xai have pursued multiple lawsuits against OpenAI over the years, stemming from a long-standing rivalry between Musk and Altman. Their relationship has soured significantly as Altman’s OpenAI continues to gain power within the tech industry, while Musk has pushed back against AI startup transitions into for-profit entities. Musk attempted to intervene before AI startups shifted to profit-driven models.

Xai’s recent complaint alleges that it uncovered a suspected campaign intended to sabotage the company while probing the trade secret theft allegations against former engineer Xuechen Li. Li has yet to respond to the lawsuit.

OpenAI has dismissed Xai’s claims, dubbing the lawsuit as part of Musk’s ongoing harassment against the company.

A spokesperson for OpenAI stated, “This latest lawsuit represents yet another chapter in Musk’s unrelenting harassment. We maintain strict standards against breaches of confidentiality or interest in trade secrets from other laboratories.”

The complaint asserts that OpenAI hired former Xai engineer Jimmy Fraiture and an unidentified senior finance official in addition to Li for the purpose of obtaining Xai’s trade secrets.

Additionally, the lawsuit includes screenshots from emails sent in July by Musk and Xai’s attorney Alex Spiro to a former Xai executive, accusing them of breaching their confidentiality obligations. The former employee, whose name was redacted in the screenshot, replied to Spiro with a brief email stating, “Suck my penis.”

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Before becoming a legal adversary of OpenAI, Musk co-founded the organization with Altman in 2015, later departing in 2018 after failing to secure control. Musk accused Altman of breaching the “founding agreement” intended to enhance humanity, arguing that OpenAI’s partnership with Microsoft for profit undermined that principle. OpenAI and Altman contend that Musk had previously supported the for-profit model and is now acting out of jealousy.

Musk, entangled in various lawsuits as both a plaintiff and defendant, filed suit against OpenAI and Apple last month concerning anti-competitive practices related to Apple’s support of ChatGPT within its App Store. The lawsuit alleges that his competitors are involved in a “conspiracy to monopolize the smartphone and AI chatbot markets.”

Altman took to X, Musk’s social platform, stating, “This is a surprising argument given Elon’s claims that he is manipulating X for his own benefit while harming rivals and individuals he disapproves of.”

Xai’s new lawsuit exemplifies the high-stakes competition in Silicon Valley to recruit AI talent and secure market dominance in a rapidly growing multi-billion-dollar industry. Meta and other firms have actively recruited AI researchers and executives, aiming to gain a strategic edge in developing more advanced AI models.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Why Food Noise, Not Willpower, Holds the Secret to Weight Loss

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Among the countless enigmas of science, I find myself intrigued by the enticing toffee tucked away in the kitchen cupboard. It has me completely captivated—almost like I’m being swept into some metaphysical currents.

The pressing question is: how? How do chocolate bars diminish my willpower when I thought I was a seasoned adult who should know better?

The solution may be linked to the concept of “food noise.” This pervasive and disruptive phenomenon relates to the relationship between food and our perceptions of it.

In the case of my beloved toffee crunch, these fleeting thoughts are mere distractions that I inevitably give in to within an hour.

Food noise can be a serious issue

For some individuals, food noise is a substantial concern. Hayashi Daimon, a doctoral researcher at Penn State University, explains.

He notes that when the volume increases, food noise becomes a source of “a constant obsession that undermines an individual’s well-being and complicates healthy choices.”

Although research on food noise is sparse, in 2023, Hayashi and his colleagues published a paper aiming to connect established knowledge about food cues and anecdotal insights into food noise. Their team is actively pursuing further research.

“I believe that research on food noise is at a point where asking the right questions and seeking empirical data is more crucial than making presumptions,” Yayashi highlights.

“From our preliminary findings, I can tell you that most social media accounts describe food noise as a source of distress, with people indicating they would rather avoid it.”

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Individuals respond variably to food cues

Hayashi asserts that food noise is characterized by an ongoing, heightened reaction to food signals—ranging from social media advertisements to the aroma of someone’s dish, and the internal mechanisms that regulate appetite hormones.

While these cues serve to nourish us, some individuals exhibit quicker responses.

“A combination of personal attributes such as genetics, lifestyle, and stress can lead to heightened sensitivity to food noise, particularly as we are frequently subjected to strong external food signals.”

An intriguing study has emerged from research on GLP-1 agonists, a category of weight loss medications including Ozempic.

“Anécdotal evidence suggests that many individuals use the term ‘food noise’ to describe obsessive behaviors regarding food prior to starting such treatments,” says Hayashi.

“My hypothesis is that one of the impacts of these medications, which might clarify their efficacy in obesity treatment, is that they diminish the responsiveness to food cues and lessen susceptibility to food noise.”

Further research will address this inquiry and determine the extent of food noise’s impact on others.

Certain foods are rich in brain dopamine reactions termed “Bliss Points,” particularly those high in sugar, fat, and salt, like chocolate digestives – Credit: Peter Dazelly via Getty

What actions can we take regarding food noise now?

If you’re searching for approaches to manage intrusive thoughts about food (or intense cravings for forbidden toffee), Hayashi suggests consulting a nutritionist. They can assist in examining your dietary habits and devising strategies to enhance resistance to food cues.

These strategies may encompass mindful eating practices or ensuring sufficient meal consumption to avoid the discomfort of hunger at mealtimes.

Crucially, avoid falling into the trap of guilt surrounding the notion that struggling with food represents personal failure.

“We exist in a paradoxical society where cultural messages incessantly promote thinness and muscularity, while simultaneously compelling us to engage with external food cues that lead to poor dietary choices,” he explains.

“This creates an ideal scenario for suffering from food noise, compounded by a social structure that makes access to healthier options more challenging than opting for convenient, highly processed foods lacking in nutritional value.”

About our experts

Hayashi Daimon is a doctoral researcher at Penn State University in the United States. His work has been featured in Nutrients, Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, and Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Secret Behind What Enchants the Dazzling Songbirds

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Green-headed Tanager (Tangara seledon): Remarkably Colorful

Daniel Field

The vibrantly hued songbird, referred to as Tanagers, captivates observers with a concealed layer of black or white beneath its vivid plumage.

Artists frequently layer white paint on canvas to amplify the colors applied atop, enhancing their vibrancy. Surprisingly, this appears to be a technique utilized by birds long before humans wielded brushes.

Rosalyn Price-Waldman from Princeton University and her team uncovered this phenomenon in a Tanager species, Tangara, which boasts striking red or yellow feathers, typically concealed beneath a layer of white. Conversely, those adorned with blue feathers possess a black underlayer.

To delve deeper, they extracted 72 feathers from mounted Tanagers at the Natural History Museum in the Los Angeles County Collection.

The researchers photographed the feathers against various backgrounds, measuring changes in light reflection or absorption, ultimately revealing that the underlying layer enhanced the color of the top layer.

Red and yellow hues are produced by pigments that selectively absorb light, which enhances the brightness of backscattered light from the white layer underneath, according to Price-Waldman.

In contrast, blue feathers derive their color from nanostructures within the feathers, which scatter light rather than absorb it. Thus, the black underlayer intensifies the blue hues. “Without a white layer beneath, blue feathers appear grey,” explains Price-Waldman.

The intricate effects of feather coloration arise from their layered structure, resembling tiled roofs. When assessing a single feather, one might find a vibrant tip, a middle section that is either black or white, and a fluffy base. When these feathers are layered on a bird’s body, the tips create adjacent layers of color over either white or black underneath.

Blue Feathers in the Crown of a Red-necked Tanager (Tangara cyanocephala): Enhanced by an Underlying Layer of Black Feathers

Rosalyn Price-Waldman, Allison Schultz

Price-Waldman and her team also discovered that these feather layers can create noticeable color variations between males and females.

“We’ve found instances where females have black beneath yellow and males have white beneath yellow,” she reports. “When placed against the same backdrop, they appear quite alike until the male and female feathers are displayed against a black background, revealing a marked difference in color.”

This color-enhancing strategy has been observed in numerous other songbirds, including manakins and cotingas.

“Substantial research has been conducted to understand how birds produce such stunning colors, yet much remains to be explored,” explains Chris Cooney from the University of Sheffield, UK. “It seems that this ‘hidden’ method for intensifying feather color may indeed be widespread across various bird species.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Generation Alpha’s Secret Language Hides Online Bullying from Detection

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Teenager language may make online bullying difficult to detect

Vitapix/Getty Images

The terminology of Generation Alpha is evolving faster than educators, parents, and AI can keep up with.

Manisha Meta, a 14-year-old student from Warren E Hyde Middle School in Cupertino, California, alongside Fausto Giunchiglia from the University of Trent in Italy, examined 100 expressions popular among Generation Alpha, those born from 2010 to 2025, sourced from gaming, social media, and video platforms.

The researchers then asked 24 classmates of Mehta, aged between 11 and 14, to evaluate these phrases along with contextual screenshots. The volunteers assessed their understanding of the phrases, the contexts in which they were used, and if they carried potential safety risks or harmful interpretations. They also consulted their parents, professional moderators, and four AI models (GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, and Llama 3) for the same analysis.

“I’ve always been intrigued by Generation Alpha’s language because it’s so distinctive; relevance shifts rapidly, and trends become outdated just as quickly,” says Mehta.

Among the Alpha generation volunteers, 98% grasped the basic meaning of a given phrase, 96% understood the context of its use, and 92% recognized instances of harmful intent. In contrast, the AI model could identify harmful usage only around 40% of the time, with Claude stumbling from 32.5% to 42.3%. Parents and moderators also fell short, detecting harmful usages in just one-third of instances.

“We expected a broader comprehension than we observed,” Mehta reflects. “Much of the feedback from my parents was speculative.”

Common phrases from Generation Alpha often have double meanings based on context. For instance, “Let’s Cook His” can signify genuine praise in gaming but may also mockingly refer to someone rambling incoherently. “Kys,” once short for “know yourself,” has now been repurposed to mean “kill yourself.” Another phrase that could hide malicious intent is, “Is it acoustic?”

“Generation Alpha is exceedingly vulnerable online,” says Meta. “As AI increasingly dominates content moderation, understanding the language used by LLMs is crucial.”

“It’s evident that LLMs are transforming the landscape,” asserts Giunchiglia. “This presents fundamental questions that need addressing.”

The results were published this week at the Computing Machinery Conference Association on Equity, Accountability and Transparency in Athens, Greece.

“Empirical evidence from this research highlights significant shortcomings in content moderation systems, especially concerning the analysis and protection of young individuals,” notes Michael Veal from University College London. “Companies and regulators must heed this and adapt as regulations evolve in jurisdictions where platform laws are designed to safeguard the youth.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

UK Uber Drivers Face Reduced Earnings Due to Secret Algorithm Changes

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A significant number of Uber drivers have reported earning “considerably less” per hour since the introduction of the “dynamic pricing” algorithm by the ride-hailing app in 2023.

This conclusion emerged from a study released on Thursday by researchers at Oxford University, who examined data from 258 Uber drivers across the UK, accounting for 1.5 million trips.

Following a 20% reduction in fixed fare cuts in the UK, Uber launched dynamic pricing in 2023. This algorithm varies passenger ride prices and fare payments in numerous ways, evolving from Uber’s previous “surge pricing” model that raised prices during peak demand.

Researchers discovered that Uber currently claims a fare reduction of 29% or “acquisition rate,” which in some cases has exceeded 50%.

The union criticized this initiative, stating in 2023 that it lacked transparency and could degrade working conditions by profiling drivers based on their acceptance of lower fares.

According to the Oxford survey, “With the introduction of dynamic pricing, Uber riders now face higher fares, yet drivers do not benefit.”

The research was conducted in partnership with the non-profit gig worker organization, Worker Information Exchange (WIE). “Our results indicate that many aspects of Uber driver employment have worsened following the dynamic pricing rollout.”

The median take rate per driver has risen from 25% to 29%, with some trips exceeding 50%. Additionally, these higher take rates are predominantly observed among higher-income brackets. On average, many drivers are making significantly less per hour from their labor.

These findings come amidst various controversies involving tech companies, including a pivotal 2021 UK Supreme Court ruling affirming that Uber drivers are entitled to minimum wage and paid leave.

After the Uber Files were published, Jill Hazelbaker, Uber’s Vice President of Public Relations, stated:

The Oxford research also noted that the average hourly wage for a driver stands at £29.46. However, this drops to £15.98 when factoring in wait times, as defined by Uber, or the moments drivers are available for passenger pickups. Neither of these averages accounts for vehicle upkeep, insurance, fuel, or other expenses.

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Uber responded, stating it “does not recognize the figures in this report,” emphasizing that “all drivers are assured a minimum national living wage.”

One participant in the survey remarked, “It feels like Uber is taking away our clients and opportunities.”

An Uber representative affirmed, “UBU drivers garnered more than £1 billion in earnings from January to March of this year, surpassing previous years. Drivers have the freedom to choose to drive with Uber.”

“Every driver receives a weekly earnings summary, detailing what Uber and the drivers have made from their rides. Many drivers take pride in their choice to drive for Uber, especially as passenger demand and travel continue to increase.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Unattainable Particles Hinting at the Universe’s Greatest Secret

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                <img class="Image" alt="A new scientist. Science News and Long read from expert journalists covering science, technology, health, and environmental developments." width="1350" height="900" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px), (min-width: 415px) calc(100vw - 40px), calc(70vw + 74px)" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=400 400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=500 500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=600 600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=700 700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=800 800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=837 837w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=900 900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1003 1003w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1100 1100w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1300 1300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1400 1400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1500 1500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1600 1600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1674 1674w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1700 1700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1800 1800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=1900 1900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/25114701/SEI_248764888.jpg?width=2006 2006w" loading="eager" fetchpriority="high" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2478096" data-caption="" data-credit="Adobe Stock"/>
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    <p>For over a decade, floating cranes have been lowering unusual cargo to depths of around 3,000 meters in the Mediterranean. These objects resemble something from a different realm: large, shiny spheres filled with electronic devices. In reality, they are detectors for a project called <a href="https://www.km3net.org/">KM3Net</a>, which aims to explore one of the most enigmatic fundamental particles.</p>
    <p>The facility has been in operation for only a few years. In 2023, <a href="https://www.cppm.in2p3.fr/web/en/pratical_info/directory/Y295bGVAY3BwbS5pbjJwMy5mcg==.html">Paschal Coyle</a> was astonished to discover a significant signal in the preliminary data. While it turned out to be a neutrino, it was unlike anything previously observed. "My program crashed when I first encountered this event," recalls Coyle, a physicist from the Centre for Particle Physics in Marseille, France.</p>

    <p>KM3Net detected neutrinos with roughly 35 times the energy of any previously recorded instances. These neutrinos were thousands of times more energetic than those produced by our best particle accelerators. Neutrinos are notoriously difficult to study as they interact very weakly with matter, making their detection elusive. This challenge was a key factor in placing the detectors on the ocean floor, a decision that seemed almost improbable.</p>
    <p>Now, the scientific community is racing to understand what could have generated this phenomenon in space. Astronomers are exploring two primary theories, both of which delve into some of the universe's most profound mysteries. Unraveling the origin of this particle will enhance our understanding of neutrinos and...</p>
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Source: www.newscientist.com

Balge’s End: The Secret to Hair Regeneration Unveiled

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For some individuals, baldness may just be in their genetic destiny, as evidenced by the photo of Dwayne Johnson sporting curly hair. However, for millions dealing with hair loss due to genetics, aging, hormones, or medical conditions, recent discoveries may bring them closer to maintaining a full and lush scalp.

This progress is attributed to a new study published in the journal Natural Communication.

Researchers conducting the study used mice as subjects to delve into the mechanisms of hair follicle regeneration and the factors contributing to their demise.

In our bodies, all hair and the follicles under the skin go through cycles of growth, death, and rest. Key players in regulating the growth of new hair are hair follicular stem cells.

Hair follicles are naturally intended to die as part of the growth cycle. When they fail to regenerate, hair loss occurs. – Credit: Christopher Robbins via Getty

The study identified a protein called MCL-1 and conducted experiments to determine its function by turning it off and observing the effects on the mice.

“The researchers utilized advanced molecular biology tools to essentially remove proteins and examine the outcomes,” explained tissue engineering expert Professor Sheila McNeill, who was not part of the research team, as reported by BBC Science Focus.

By disabling MCL-1 in some mice from birth and in others after they had already lost some hair, scientists found that without MCL-1, new hair could not grow as hair follicle stem cells seemed to die off. This led to gradual hair loss in young mice and stalled growth in adult mice.

The findings suggested that MCL-1 plays a crucial role in protecting hair follicle stem cells, enabling new hair growth when old follicles die. Without this protein, hair follicles fail to regenerate.

McNeill emphasized that this study lays a solid foundation for further research, exploring whether individuals experiencing hair loss exhibit signs of MCL-1 damage and investigating ways to safeguard the protein to prevent hair loss.

However, cell biologist Professor Dorothy Bennett from St. George’s, University of London, cautioned that translating this research into a hair loss treatment presents significant challenges.

“MCL-1 is an intracellular protein, and intact proteins cannot easily penetrate cell membranes to reach their targets. Therefore, delivering MCL-1 through topical solutions or pills is unlikely to be effective,” Bennett explained.

Nevertheless, the study did identify a potential workaround through the activation of another protein, the epidermal growth factor receptor, which can boost MCL-1 levels. While this offers a promising alternative, Bennett stressed that developing such treatments presents numerous hurdles.

Read more:

About our experts:

Sheila McNeill: Professor Emeritus of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering at the University of Sheffield, UK. McNeil specializes in tissue engineering for soft tissues and has a strong focus on research translation, with a vast publication record.

Dorothy Bennett: Research Professor in Cell Biology at St. George’s, University of London, UK. Bennett’s research interests include cell senescence, genetics of melanoma, and other pigmented skin conditions.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Surprising Truth: Black Holes as Secret Time Machines

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In Einstein’s theory of gravity, mass distorts space-time, creating an effect known as gravitational time dilation. This means that observers with different gravitational potentials measure elapsed time differently. Therefore, when you are close to a black hole, time slows down compared to time that is far away from the black hole.

Observers far away from the black hole say that for objects that fall into it, time stops at the so-called “event horizon” (the edge of the black hole, the point of no return).

Nothing appears to cross the event horizon. However, an observer who falls into a black hole does not experience time stopping at the event horizon. They will see time passing normally, but far away from the black hole they will see time speeding up. The closer you get to the event horizon, the faster time appears to move farther away from the black hole.

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2025/01/GettyImages-1485451803.mp4
This is the first direct image of a black hole shooting a powerful jet into space, taken in April 2023.

Gravitational time dilation can actually be measured. In 1976, NASA launched an atomic clock into space to measure the passage of time at an altitude of 10,000 km (6,214 miles) compared to the Earth’s surface. The results of this measurement matched exactly what was expected from Einstein’s theory.

At sea level, time moves a billionth of a second slower per year than at the top of Mount Everest.

This article answers the question (asked by Sean Roberts via email): “What happens to time at the event horizon of a black hole?”

If you have any questions, please email us at: questions@sciencefocus.comor send us a message facebook, ×or Instagram Page (remember to include your name and location).

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The US Military’s Most Secret and Unusual Weapon

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Military forces worldwide work diligently to safeguard the latest technological advancements for security reasons. However, the secrecy surrounding these innovations often sparks intense curiosity and speculation among the general public.

Despite efforts to keep military secrets classified, some information becomes public knowledge even if it was developed relatively recently. For instance, fog banks, a covert material used in the creation of nuclear warheads, were so classified that the manufacturing process details were lost over time.

When the U.S. National Nuclear Security Agency needed to refurbish old warheads using similar materials, they had to invest substantial resources to rediscover the manufacturing process. Although the existence of fog banks is now known publicly, the specific composition remains undisclosed.

According to weapons experts, fog banks are airgel materials designed to generate superheated plasma when the fission stage detonates, triggering the final fusion stage explosion of the weapon.

The production of fog banks took place in Tennessee from 1975 to 1989. After the last batch of warheads was manufactured, the facility ceased operations. Nearly two decades later, when the decision was made to refurbish old nuclear warheads, project officials realized that few records of the manufacturing process survived.

Furthermore, most knowledgeable staff with expertise in manufacturing these materials had retired or left the agency, making it necessary to undergo an expensive reverse engineering process that concluded in 2008.

It is uncertain whether fog banks are still utilized in new nuclear warheads. Furthermore, a recent classified military report by the Department of Defense shed light on America’s military secrets once again, dismissing sightings of extraterrestrial technology.

Tank surrounded by binary code – Credit: Anton Petrus

The report attributed the majority of UFO sightings to earthly objects, many of which turned out to be classified military technology. For instance, UFO sightings in the 1950s and 60s were linked to the testing of advanced reconnaissance aircraft by the United States, including high-altitude balloons and fighter jets. Some of these secret projects involved saucer-shaped aircraft like the Canadian VZ-9AV Avrokar fighter-bomber designed for vertical takeoff and landing.

The Pentagon report thoroughly scrutinized archives and classified documents from all official investigations into unidentified anomalous phenomena and found no evidence of extraterrestrial technology on Earth.

The U.S. Department of Defense is contemplating declassifying information about certain covert space programs, aiming to deter potential adversaries by showcasing defense capabilities.

In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Space Force disclosed details about its capabilities, with the silent barker satellite monitoring satellites and spacecraft orbiting Earth ahead of its launch in September 2023. Such disclosures may become more prevalent if Pentagon officials advocating for increased transparency in military space technology have their way.

This article was prompted by the question, “What is the most secret weapon we know about?” submitted by Adam Costello via email.

For inquiries, please contact us at: questions@sciencefocus.com or message us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (include your name and location).

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Why Your Fear of Flying May Be Rooted in Your Butt: Psychologist Reveals the Secret to Overcoming It

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Recent news has not been favorable for those with a fear of flying. Reports of severe turbulence and mid-air door incidents can be distressing, especially for the estimated 5% of individuals who have a fear of flying.

With the summer holidays approaching, those of us with a fear of flying are preparing ourselves. Out of nearly two million flights in and out of the UK in 2023, only a small fraction experienced significant mechanical issues or worse.

A phobia often defies logic.

“When feeling anxious, the brain tends to exaggerate risks,” explains Professor Robert Baugh, Director of the Aviation Psychology Center. “While risks may seem more prominent and real, it doesn’t make them more likely to occur. You’re more likely to die from a donkey kick than from a plane crash.”

Baugh also acknowledges that fear of flying can be treated. As a pilot, Royal Air Force consultant, and fear of flying expert, he understands the obstacles individuals face.

Identifying the specific triggers is crucial to addressing flying anxiety. Techniques such as implementing cognitive and behavioral tools before boarding the flight can be beneficial.

Understanding flight mechanics and sounds can alleviate fears. Knowledge about what the pilot does during flight can provide comfort. Breathing techniques and muscle relaxation exercises can help manage anxiety during air travel.

For extreme cases, medication may be prescribed, and airlines offer courses for those with a fear of flying. Combining various techniques can significantly reduce flying anxiety and offer a sense of control.

About our experts

Professor Robert Baugh: Director of the Aviation Psychology Centre, psychologist, and Fellow of the British Psychological Society. Baugh has contributed to numerous publications on aviation psychology and human factors.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Uncovering the Secret of Kestrels’ Still Hovering Ability

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Kestrels have been trained to fly in a wind tunnel, revealing how they can hover in turbulent air while keeping their heads almost completely still.

Two Chinese kestrels (Falco cenchroides) says it took three years Abdulgani Mohammed The study was carried out at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia. To make it even more challenging, each bird was fitted with 52 reflective markers to create the same 3D models that would be used in the computer-generated images.

Hovering is crucial for birds, allowing them to keep their heads completely still while they focus on prey on the ground. “It's a hunting behavior, and the bird's life depends on it,” Mohammed says. “They have an incredible sense of stability.”

In the wind tunnel, the researchers were able to create repeatable and measurable turbulent conditions that allowed them to study the specific movements and reactions of the kestrels. In total, the team recorded 58 hours of hovering over a period of five years.

The researchers found that the birds' hovering motion was extremely stable, with their heads never moving more than two millimeters in any direction.

“It's an amazing sight to see every time I see the birds hovering in the wind tunnel,” Mohammed says. “It's truly amazing to see how effortlessly and gracefully they hover.”

A Chinese kestrel flying in a wind tunnel

RMIT University

Unlike conventional aircraft with fixed wings and limited control over wing area, kestrels have transformable wings that can adjust their wing area almost instantly, which is key to them being able to remain stationary, Mohammed said.

The kestrels did this best by using clever wrist movements and subtle extensions and retractions of their elbows, and their tails also played a key role in providing stability, Mohammed said.

Based on their findings, the team is now building an unpowered drone prototype for testing in a wind tunnel.

“It's very difficult to accurately recreate all of the kestrel's anatomy, so we narrowed our findings down to the wrist and tail movements that contribute most to stability, and built a robotic version of the kestrel,” Mohammed says.

The artificial kestrel is currently being tested, with results expected later this year.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Colombian family genetics may reveal secret to delaying Alzheimer’s disease

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Research on families with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease has revealed a genetic abnormality that can delay early symptoms by five years. This finding paves the way for a new approach to combating the disease by potentially leveraging the protective effects of this gene mutation. A very rare genetic mutation offers some hope in the fight against Alzheimer’s.

Scientists first noticed this genetic protection in a Colombian family afflicted with a hereditary form of Alzheimer’s disease. They identified a woman, Aliria Piedrahita de Villegas, who should have developed symptoms in her 40s but remained symptom-free well into her 70s. She carried an unusual genetic combination, including two copies of the APOE3 gene with a mutation known as Christchurch, which seemed to provide her with protection against Alzheimer’s.

Further research identified 27 individuals with one copy of the Christchurch variant, showing that having one copy delayed the onset of cognitive impairment by an average of five years compared to their relatives. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and involving researchers from various institutions, provided hope that correcting this gene could potentially slow the progression of Alzheimer’s.

Notably, Alzheimer’s typically affects older individuals, with risk increasing with age. The APOE gene has long been associated with the disease, with certain variants like APOE4 increasing risk. However, the Christchurch variant appears to play a protective role, potentially preventing the accumulation of the proteins amyloid and tau that are linked to Alzheimer’s.

The study included brain scans and autopsy results from individuals with the Christchurch gene, shedding light on its potential impact on Alzheimer’s progression. While there is still much to learn about this rare mutation and its effects, there is optimism that it could offer insights into treating Alzheimer’s and potentially delaying its onset.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Unlocking Iceland’s Secret Weapon in the Battle Against Climate Change: The Hidden Carbon Factory

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Is removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere one of the best weapons against climate change? Climeworks, a Swiss company, believes so, as they have recently unveiled the world’s largest direct carbon capture and storage plant.

The new facility, Mammoth, will be located in Hellisheiði, Iceland, and will be nine times larger than Climeworks’ original plant, Orka. Mammoth’s goal is to extract 36,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, equivalent to removing approximately 8,600 cars from the road.

Powered by renewable energy, Mammoth captures carbon dioxide from the air and transports it to a facility where it is combined with water and injected deep underground. The carbonated water reacts with porous basalt rocks, transforming them into solid carbonate minerals that securely sequester the carbon underground for thousands of years.

The Mammoth Power Plant aims to have 12 of its 72 heat collection containers installed and fully operational by the end of 2024.

Climeworks co-founders and co-CEOs Christoph Gevaert and Jan Wurzbacher oversee the early stages of construction of the mammoth factory. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

Swiss mechanical engineers and Climeworks founders Christoph Gevaert and Jan Wurzbacher introduced the concept of a direct air capture plant in 2015. Since then, the company has expanded rapidly, with Orka and Mammoth just the beginning of their efforts to reduce atmospheric carbon levels.

Construction of the foundations for the maintenance floor at the Mammoth factory in Hellisheiði, Iceland, December 2022. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

Keeling Curve, a daily measurement from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, shows an atmospheric concentration of CO2 around 427 ppm, well above pre-industrial levels below 300 ppm.

An aerial view of the Mammoth Climeworks carbon capture plant as it nears its launch in December 2023. Photo: Climeworks
Workers at the Mammoth factory monitor progress shortly after the start of operations in May 2024. Photo courtesy of Climeworks
A worker stands next to a nearly completed CO2 collection container tower in December 2023. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

Climeworks is developing third-generation direct air capture technology for a large-scale facility in the US, paving the way for additional carbon capture plants worldwide.

Collector containers at Climeworks’ Mammoth Factory in Hellisheiði, Iceland, May 2024. Photo: Climeworks

By expanding with facilities like Orka and Mammoth, Climeworks aims to achieve megatonne-scale carbon removal capacity by 2030 and gigatonne-scale capacity by 2050.

While the impact on atmospheric carbon levels remains uncertain, the technology is expected to play a significant role in shaping the planet’s future over the coming decades.

Rendering of Climeworks’ proposed third-generation carbon capture plant in the United States. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Mysteries of Gorilla Gas: What Secret Footage from the Jungle Revealed about Primate Flatulence

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Hamsters, horses, and humans all do it, so it’s no surprise that gorillas, one of our closest living relatives, also fart a lot.

Farting is the body’s natural way of expelling unwanted gases produced by intestinal bacteria. These gases include odorless ones like carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and methane, as well as smelly sulfur compounds that can sometimes create a noxious odor.

There are two types of gorillas, the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, both found in the forests of equatorial Africa. These large primates, weighing up to 190 kg (420 lb), primarily eat fiber-rich plants. They typically consume around 20 kg (44 lb) of nettles, wild celery, and other plants daily through foraging.

When gorillas are not eating, they are usually resting, allowing their bodies to digest. Gorillas in the wild are known to have a lot of flatulence, especially during certain times of the year.

A recent BBC series titled spy in the wild revealed how much gas gorillas produce. Using a remote-controlled camera, researchers captured footage of mountain gorillas in Uganda. They observed that gorillas tend to vocalize while eating, and there is a constant tramping sound between meals.

Researcher Jordi Galvani Casals, who studies mountain gorillas, stated that gorillas always have a significant amount of flatulence.

This article was written in response to the question asked by Alan Rose via email: “Are gorillas permanently bloated?”

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at: questions@sciencefocus.com or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter, or our Instagram page (don’t forget to include your name and location).

Explore more interesting science topics on our website.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Shaving your legs: a secret weapon for conquering the rush hour commute

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Cyclists, from Team GB athletes to daily commuters, understand the importance of marginal gains. They constantly optimize their nutrition, equipment, and position to improve their race times by reducing drag.

It’s not surprising that some middle-aged men in Lycra (MAMILs) are considering shaving their legs. The idea is simple: removing leg hair can reduce drag, the force that slows down objects moving through the air. And on a bike, air resistance is the main factor that hinders speed.

When you’re cycling, the air in front of you moves as you move, creating wind resistance. To enhance aerodynamics, it’s crucial to optimize how the air flows around your body, reducing drag that holds you back. This is why cyclists wear skinsuits, position themselves low on the bike, and helmets are designed like sports cars.

There’s ongoing debate among riders and engineers about whether shaving your legs actually makes a significant difference in speed. An interesting study by a bicycle manufacturer tested shaved legs in a wind tunnel and found a 7 percent reduction in air resistance compared to natural legged riders.

In a 40 km time trial, this improvement could potentially give you a 79-second advantage over competitors. For professional riders, this could mean the difference between winning and losing.

This article addresses the question posed by Conrad Gordon via email: “Should I shave my legs if I love wearing Lycra and cycling?” If you have any questions, you can contact us at questions@sciencefocus.com or message us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Remember to include your name and location.

For more fascinating science content, check out our website for interesting information and more amazing science pages.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Secret Behind the Star Vegan Chef Who Created Liver-Flavored Dishes: Hiding Fish Under Kale

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Alex Jamison’s veganism gained worldwide recognition after starring in the 2004 film Supersize Me, an influential Academy Award-nominated documentary exploring our fast food culture.

Originally working as a vegan, health-conscious private chef in New York, Jamison’s journey began after a discussion with her then-partner Morgan Spurlock (who directed and starred in the film). The film’s success propelled her to travel to 20 countries, secure a three-book deal, including Vegan Cooking for Dummies, grow a vegan recipe newsletter to over 25,000 subscribers, and land a $7,000 per hour speaking contract across the United States.

In 2012, she started experiencing cravings for non-vegan foods like burgers and salmon, which marked a significant shift from her strict vegan lifestyle. This change, influenced by her health and well-being, also sparked backlash within the vegan community she had once been a prominent figure in.

Alex Jamieson co-starred with ex-husband Morgan Spurlock in the 2004 film Supersize Me. Photo: Everett Collection Inc/Alamy

Her journey toward a plant-based diet began in 2000 due to health issues, leading her to quit her job and become a professional chef specializing in vegan cuisine. This transition defined her identity and kickstarted her career in the health and wellness industry.

By 2013, she made the difficult decision to publicly declare her departure from veganism, which triggered a backlash from the vegan community. Despite losing subscribers, speaking engagements, and facing negative reviews, she embraced her new journey and became a beacon for others struggling with the concept of strict veganism.

Now at 49, she continues to evolve, carving out a new path as a creative leadership coach, author, and activist, while openly admitting to incorporating meat into her diet. Her experience has made her more courageous and willing to embrace change in her life.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Can naked mole rats hold the secret to their youthful appearance?

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Learn from the mole rat

Feedback is promising a bonanza of new pharmaceutical, medical and lifestyle product launches that propose boosting hyaluronic acid levels for everyone. Hyaluronic acid is a substance recently found to provide some protection to naked mole rat cells from inflammation and early death.

Marketers who specialize in mass inflammation cannot afford to miss this situation. Journal of Experimental BiologyFeeling grateful for hyaluronic acid. Under the heading is “Anti-aging secrets from underground burrowing rodents” says the magazine. “Most cells live within a blanket of molecules and minerals called the extracellular matrix. In naked mole rats, this blanket is woven from a thicker fabric. Naked mole rats produce the heavier, larger molecule hyaluronic acid, which is the backbone of this extracellular matrix.

“This extra padding protects cells from inflammation and premature death, as shown by Andrei Seruanov and Vera Gorbunova's team at the University of Rochester in the US.”

The report ends with this almost poetic wink. “The fountain of youth may be embodied in the heavy hyaluronic acid of the naked mole rat, a nearly blind rodent with many wrinkles and yellowed teeth.”

Anarchist Cookbook Tips

Books can pose dangers in unexpected ways.

Feedback reminds you to be careful when using anarchist cookbook. If you don't cook your anarchist to the right temperature, you can run into problems.

similarly shredded vegan chef. Not shredding your vegan chef properly can cause pain.

If your hobby is astrophysics, this warning applies to: Whole Earth Cookbook.

encounter after death

After Mallard's gay necrophilia became known to the world 20 years ago, many more reports of “Davian behavior” entered the public record. A quick update here.

This topic received a lot of attention in 2003 when Dutch ornithologist Keith Moeliker won an award. Ig Nobel Prize His now famous paper “The First Case of Homosexual Necrophilia in Mallard Ducks” Anas Platyrhynchus”. Mr. Mauliker talked about two ducks that encountered the Davian bird. The necrotic behavior is called “Davian” here because American ornithologist Robert W. Dickman published a paper in 1960. This is because he gave the necrotic act a new name: “Davian.''Ground squirrel's “Davian behavioral complex”” was published. mammal journal.

Michal Řeřicha and his colleagues at the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague have published a report documenting a practice among ladybugs (known in some areas as ladybugs). The title of the report is scary.Mating of nonnative ladybirds with dead conspecifics is influenced by sexual fasting in males and time since death in females”.

This comes just three years after a report on necrophilia at sea by Amber Lee D. Kincaid and colleagues at the Mote Marine Institute in Florida:Necrosis of a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) near Sarasota, Florida.”.

High-profile, hard-hitting reports sometimes take a literary turn, like a 2015 paper about South American snakes.The sexual appeal of corpse brides: unusual mating behavior of Helicops carinicaudus (Dipsadidae)”, by Raíssa Siqueira and colleagues at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. They write: “We observed a young male mating with a headless female by fully inserting her hemipenis. Specimens were collected, dissected and measured.”

Literary works influence other literary works, as evidenced by a 2020 paper by Marco Colombo and Emiliano Mori of the University of Siena in Italy. the title is”The 'corpse bride' strikes again: first report on Davian behavior in Eurasian badgers”.

Delightful yet scary title

Some medical papers have very intriguing and frightening titles. For those who like horror novels, the title will almost make you want to skip reading the study itself.

Why avoid a complete study? Because when a person's imagination is overstimulated, it can conjure up strange things. By comparison, the actual details you can go and see for yourself may seem mundane, dull, and even relatively boring. Reading them can lead to literary disappointment and dissatisfaction, and in some cases even death of curiosity.

For example, consider a paper written by a medical team in Chiba, Japan. For non-experts, this book describes how doctors solve accidental jigsaw puzzles, puzzles made of strange parts from a person's digestive system. Please read the title of the paper carefully.Risk factors for unintentional partial resection in endoscopic mucosal resection for colorectal polyps larger than 10 mm”.

In feedback, if you find an unexpected title for a published scientific report, please submit it. Please include a full citation and link to the paper. Send to: “Very scary title” feedback.

Mark Abrahams hosted the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony and co-founded the magazine Annals of Improbable Research. Previously, he was working on unusual uses of computers.his website is impossible.com.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Can Lentils Transmit Secret Quantum Messages Through Biophotons?

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In the hills south of Rome is Italy’s premier nuclear physics laboratory, the Frascati National Laboratory. It has all the equipment you’d expect from a state-of-the-art scientific facility, including giant magnets, powerful particle accelerators, and exposed electrical wires strung throughout. Many of the researchers here are trying to unlock the secrets of the Standard Model, the best theory of how reality works at the most fundamental level. And then there’s the room where Catalina Cruceanu is keeping watch over a small box of lentils.

Admittedly, this is not at all normal behavior for a physicist, but Cruceanu explains why the equipment and methods of nuclear physics cause lentils and other organisms to constantly emit extremely weak photons and particles. We hope to solve the 100-year-old mystery. light’s. Some people think that these “biophotons” are not important. Others argue that they are a subtle form of lentil communication. Cruceanu leans towards the latter position, and even has a hunch that the pulses between pulses may contain secret quantum signals. “These are just the first steps, but it looks like it’s going to be very interesting,” she says.

There are already hints that living things exploit quantum phenomena, and there is also inconclusive evidence that quantum phenomena have features in things like photosynthesis and the way birds move. But lentils may be the most surprising example of quantum biology yet, because their complex behavior is poorly understood, he says. Michal Shifra At the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague. “That would be great,” Shifra says. “If that’s true.” Because so many living things emit biophotons, such a discovery could indicate that quantum effects are ubiquitous…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Revealing the Ocean’s Secret Carbon Storage Capacity

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New research published in Nature It has been suggested that the ocean’s capacity to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is 20% higher than previously thought, at 15 gigatonnes per year. This study focused on the role of plankton in carbon transport to the ocean floor. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Research has revealed that the ocean is storing 20% ​​more carbon dioxide than previously estimated, primarily due to plankton transporting carbon to the ocean floor. However, this new understanding will not have much of an impact on his current CO2 emissions crisis.

The ocean’s capacity to store atmospheric carbon dioxide is about 20% greater than estimates included in the latest IPCC report.[1] These are the research results published in the journal Nature Led by an international team including biologists from the CNRS, it took place on December 6, 2023.[2] Scientists investigated the role plankton plays in the natural transport of carbon from surface waters to the ocean floor.

Plankton absorb carbon dioxide and convert it into organic tissue as they grow. photosynthesis. When plankton dies, some of it turns into particles known as “marine snow.” Because these particles are denser than seawater, they sink to the ocean floor, where they store carbon and provide essential nutrients to a wide range of deep-sea organisms, from tiny bacteria to deep-sea fish.

Global distribution of organic carbon flux from the surface layer of the open ocean. Credit: © Wang et al., 2023, Nature.

By analyzing banks of data collected from around the world by ocean research vessels since the 1970s, a team of seven scientists was able to digitally map the flux of organic matter across the world’s oceans. The resulting new estimate of carbon storage capacity is 15 gigatonnes per year, an increase of about 20% compared to a previous study published by the IPCC in its 2021 report (11 gigatonnes per year).

This reassessment of the ocean’s storage capacity represents a significant advance in our understanding of carbon exchange between the atmosphere and ocean at the global level. The research team emphasizes that this absorption process takes place over tens of thousands of years and is therefore not sufficient to offset the exponential growth of CO.2 Despite emissions caused by industrial activity around the world since 1750, this study highlights the importance of marine ecosystems as a key player in the long-term control of Earth’s climate.

Note

  1. IPCC Climate Change 2021 Report, Fundamentals of the Physical Sciences, Chapter 5, Figure 5.12: Figure AR6 WG1 | Climate Change 2021: Fundamentals of the Physical Sciences (ipcc.ch)
  2. From Marine Environmental Science Research Institute (CNRS/UBO/IFREMER/IRD)

Reference: “Estimating biological carbon pumps based on decades of hydrographic data” Wei-Lei Wang, Weiwei Fu, Frédéric AC Le Moigne, Robert T. Letscher, Yi Liu, Jin-Ming Tang, François W. Primeau , December 6, 2023, Nature.
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06772-4

Source: scitechdaily.com