Science reveals that this generation is the most sensitive.

When it comes to sensitivity, the question of which generation is the most sensitive depends on who you ask. American Psychologist Dr. Jean Twenghe has conducted research comparing different cohorts and suggested that “millennials” (those born between 1981 and 1996) exhibit traits such as neurotic narcissism and anxiety more than previous generations. They tend to have unrealistically high expectations and struggle with criticism.

However, other studies have not always supported these findings. Research on nearly 500,000 American high school students between 1976 and 2006 found minimal differences in psychological characteristics across generations, including egoism and sensitivity to social status, which may indicate hypersensitivity.

Contrarily, some studies suggest that older generations may actually be more sensitive. A study from 2019 that analyzed hundreds of people born between 1923 and 1969 showed that those born earlier in the century exhibited greater signs of hypersensitivity.

Another study from 2024 focused on changes in narcissistic traits, including hypersensitivity, over the lifespan and across generations. It revealed that narcissism tends to decrease with age consistently across generations.

Overall, these studies suggest that hypersensitivity tends to decrease with age, with age being a more significant factor than the generation one belongs to. Some experts, like psychologist Professor Cote Rudolph, argue that the concept of individual generations like “Boomers” and “Gen X-ers” is arbitrary, and age and life experiences have a more significant impact.

This article addresses the question of which generation is the most sensitive, as asked by Madison Halladay from Jersey.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Molecules sensitive to light may enhance efficiency of carbon capture

This direct air recovery system can extract carbon dioxide from the air and reuse it later, but it requires a lot of energy.

Orjan Ellingvorg / Alamy

Photosensitive molecules called photoacids have the potential to make the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere more energy efficient. Researchers are currently devising ways to make photoacids more practical.

This can be particularly beneficial for direct air capture (DAC) systems, which blow air over carbon-trapping materials called adsorbents. Existing systems require large amounts of energy to separate pure CO2 from the adsorbent for storage or use elsewhere. This is a major barrier to using DAC to remove billions of tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. “Every step I take is hitting a wall,” he says. Anna de Vries At ETH Zurich, Switzerland. “Direct air recovery companies everywhere are struggling and trying to create the most efficient process.”

Adding photoacid to the adsorbent may be effective. When exposed to light, each photoacid molecule changes shape and releases protons, making the solution more acidic. This “pH swing” releases CO2 from the adsorbent and photoacid mixture. When the light is turned off again, the photoacid and pH of the solution return to normal, allowing the adsorbent to absorb CO2 again. This cycle can then be repeated.

Typically, heat or pressure is used to release CO2, but using sunlight or lamps could potentially reduce the energy needed for this step, with the aim of halving the energy requirements of DACs. de Vries says. However, photoacids tend to be unstable and are not very soluble in water, which limits their efficiency in releasing CO2.

De Vries and colleagues added various solvents to the photoacid solution; found the mix This increases the solubility of the photoacid and extends its lifetime from just a few hours to nearly a month.

In another approach, Ubinduni Premadasa Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and colleagues found Another photoacid, which can remain responsive to light for longer and produce more acid, allows CO2 to be released from solution more efficiently.

greg match Researchers at the University of Newcastle in the UK say these are an “elegant and innovative” solution. But larger systems can face challenges, such as loss of solvent through evaporation in the air, he says.

Although these researchers focused on capturing CO2 from the atmosphere, the first large-scale tests on photoacids may be conducted in water. A Washington state startup called Banyu Carbon uses photoacids to separate CO2 from seawater and plans to install a system capable of removing one tonne of CO2 per year in 2024.

In this system, when photoacids are exposed to light, the resulting acidity is temporarily transferred to seawater, and CO2 absorbed from the atmosphere is released from seawater. alex gagnonAccording to the company's co-founders, this reduces the energy needed to separate the CO2 and eliminates the need to power fans.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New Study Finds Human Insulin is Less Sensitive to Temperature Than Previously Believed

A Cochrane review has shown that certain types of insulin can remain effective when stored at room temperature for several months, offering a practical solution for diabetes treatment in areas without stable refrigeration. This finding is particularly crucial for people with diabetes in low- and middle-income countries, as well as those affected by conflict, natural disasters, and environmental challenges.

Insulin storage options have been highlighted in the review, which summarizes the results of various studies investigating the effects of storing insulin outside the refrigerator. It was found that unopened vials and cartridges of certain types of human insulin can be stored for extended periods at temperatures up to 25°C and 37°C without any clinical consequences or loss of insulin activity. This has significant implications for people living in areas where access to refrigeration is limited.

Dr. Bernd Richter led a research team that conducted a comprehensive study on insulin stability under different storage conditions. The review analyzed 17 studies and found consistent insulin efficacy at temperatures ranging from 4°C to 37°C, providing reassurance that alternatives to powered cooling of insulin are possible without compromising its stability.

The study also identified areas for future research, such as better understanding the efficacy of insulin after storage under different conditions, studies of mixed insulin, effects of movement on insulin pumps, contamination of opened vials and cartridges, and cold environmental conditions.

The study was funded by the World Health Organization.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Meta threatened to delete sensitive data if underage users claim to have been exposed to predatory individuals, according to Attorney General.

New court filings say Meta has stolen sensitive data from test accounts mentioned in a New Mexico bombshell lawsuit that alleges underage Facebook and Instagram users are exposed to child predators. “He threatened to delete it,” he said.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said in a Monday filing that Meta had “deactivated” several test accounts used by law enforcement to investigate the popular app.

According to the filing, Torrez will restrain Meta from deleting “any information related to the accounts referenced in the complaint or any information related to any account on which Meta has taken action based on the information in the complaint.” They are seeking a court order.

“The state filed this motion seeking an order requiring Meta to comply with its data retention obligations under New Mexico law,” the filing states.

The attorneys also cited New Mexico court precedent against destroying relevant evidence.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez said Meta had “deactivated” several test accounts used by law enforcement to investigate Instagram and Facebook. AP

Amazing lawsuit filed last weekAccording to , the test accounts used AI-generated photos that allegedly depicted children under the age of 14, and contained adult-oriented sexual content and content, including “genital photos and videos” and six offers. He said he was bombarded with unpleasant messages from alleged child predators. Pay to appear in porn videos.

Meta subsequently disabled these accounts. This allegedly hindered the ongoing investigation by denying authorities access to critical information “including the usernames of accounts with which investigators interacted, as well as search history and other information about those accounts.” That’s what it means.

It is unclear whether Meta has shut down the Facebook and Instagram accounts of the alleged child offenders.

Meta has been accused by the New Mexico AG’s office of failing to protect underage users. AFP (via Getty Images)

“Of course, we store data in accordance with our legal obligations,” a Meta spokesperson said.

Torres’ office did not comment on Monday’s filing.

In New Mexico, a test account called “Issa Bee” claiming to be a 13-year-old girl living in Albuquerque had more than 6,700 followers on Facebook, most of whom were “males between the ages of 18 and 40.” ” he claimed. -age.

The account has received several disturbing sexual offers, including one from an adult user who allegedly “openly promised $5,000 a week to be his ‘sugar baby’.” was.

According to the state, Meta notified the company on December 7, the day after the lawsuit was filed, that it would disable the test account.

The social media giant said: “Even though the account in question had been operating for several months without any action by Meta, and law enforcement had previously reported unlawful and unlawful content to Meta through reporting channels. Despite this, the company took this action, the filing states.

When the investigator tried to log in, he received a message warning that his account had been “deactivated.”

The message states that you have 30 days to request a review before your account is “permanently disabled.”

State attorneys contacted them the same day and asked for confirmation that Meta would “preserve all data” associated with the account, according to the filing.

Meta’s lawyers reportedly responded that the company “takes reasonable steps to identify the accounts referred to in the complaint and preserve relevant data and information regarding those accounts once identified.”

The state said Meta did not respond to requests for details about what data from accounts it deemed “relevant” and what data it would not keep.

“Given Meta’s refusal to preserve ‘all data’ related to the accounts mentioned in the complaint, a court order is required to preserve this important evidence for trial.” is stated in the submitted documents.

In October, a group of 33 state agencies sued Meta for targeting young users. Getty Images/iStockphoto

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been named as a defendant in a New Mexico lawsuit.

State officials allege that Mr. Zuckerberg’s product design decisions played a key role in putting underage users at risk.

Meta has not yet responded specifically to the lawsuit’s allegations.

“We use advanced technology, employ child safety experts, report content to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and communicate information and tools with other companies and law enforcement agencies, including state attorneys general. to help root out looters,” Mehta said. Statement to the Wall Street Journal after the lawsuit was filed.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has been named as a defendant in a New Mexico lawsuit. AP

The New Mexico lawsuit is separate from a larger lawsuit filed by 33 state attorneys general in October.

The states allege that Meta intentionally made the app addictive to trap young users and collected personal data from underage users in violation of federal law.

Mr Mehta has denied any wrongdoing.

Source: nypost.com