Nvidia, the AI chip maker that is the world's most valuable company and the driving force behind the artificial intelligence boom, delighted investors on Wednesday with new quarterly results.

The company's corporate value soared by $2.2 trillion this year to $3.6 trillion on the back of nearly doubling chip sales, but sales fell to $35.08 billion, compared to expectations of $33.15 billion. It was announced that it was worth $1,000,000. Profits more than doubled compared to the same period last year. Sales increased by 94% compared to the same period last year. The company predicted a 70% increase in revenue for the next quarter.

Analysts had expected NVIDIA to report earnings of $0.75 per share. The company reported $0.81. Nvidia stock fell about 5% in extended trading following the announcement, but quickly recovered its losses and maintained a similar price. The previous New York closing price was $145.89.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a press release last week that he expects the computing power driving advances in generative AI to increase “a million times” over the next decade.

Huang said on the earnings call that the global adoption of Nvidia technology is causing a platform shift from coding to machine learning, and traditional data centers are being re-architected for machine learning to produce AI. said.

“Generative AI is not just a new software feature, it’s a new industry with AI factories producing digital intelligence, a new industrial revolution with the potential to create a multi-trillion dollar AI industry,” he said. .

“AI is transforming every industry, business, and country,” Huang added. “Creating an omniverse of synthetically generated data…the era of robotics is here.”

A surge in demand for Nvidia's Blackwell GPU chips appears to have eased fears that the company would be hit by a backlash in demand from tech giants, which are spending billions of dollars on AI processing and data centers. .

Nvidia stock has rebounded from its summer slump and is up 45% from its August lows. Semiconductor stocks are up nearly 200% this year, more than 1,100% over the past two years, and hit a record high after the election.

However, many of NVIDIA's chipmakers are struggling to compete with the advantages of AI, which is holding the industry back.

Before the results were released, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said he expected more “drop-the-mic performance” from Nvidia, adding that “it's expected to generate more than $1 trillion in the next few years.” “This is the only game in the city where AI capital investment is planned.” Nvidia's GPUs will bring new oil and gold to this world. ”

The world's largest technology companies have increased their spending on AI by billions of dollars in recent quarters, with Nvidia positioned as a major beneficiary.

Nvidia is seen by many as a bellwether for the technology sector and artificial intelligence demand that helped propel Wall Street to multiple record highs this year.

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But the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine war, the threat of global tariff hikes by the incoming Donald Trump administration and the possibility that the US Federal Reserve will not lower US interest rates are also spooking markets.

Other analysts echoed Ives' assessment that demand for Nvidia's new Blackwell chips could push Nvidia's sales and market capitalization to new heights. Charu Chanana, Saxo's chief investment strategist, said signs of “extraordinary demand” for new chips, including record sales forecasts and reports of sold-out inventory next year, are strong indicators that Nvidia's strong performance will continue. I wrote that.

But Chanana cautioned that “any signs of production delays or lack of demand could put pressure on the stock given valuation growth.”

Earlier this week, report Chipmakers say their latest graphics chips are having overheating problems with servers. www.theguardian.com

Study shows Lafayette meteorite minerals interacted with Martian water 742 million years ago

Posted on November 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Eleven million years ago, an asteroid hit Mars, sending debris flying through space. One of these masses eventually crashed into Earth. During initial investigation of this object, lafayette meteoritescientists discovered that it interacted with liquid water while on Mars. Now, researchers from the US and UK have determined the age of minerals in meteorites that formed when liquid water was present.

The Lafayette meteorite was scraped off the surface of Mars and then spent about 11 million years flying through space. It finally ended up in a drawer at Purdue University in 1931 and has been teaching scientists about Mars ever since. Image credit: Purdue Brand Studio.

A meteorite is a solid time capsule from a planet or celestial body in the universe.

They carry bits of data that can be unlocked by geochronologists.

They are distinguished from rocks you might find on Earth by the crust they form as they fall into the atmosphere, often forming a fiery portal visible in the night sky.

“We can identify meteorites by studying what minerals are in them and the relationships between these minerals,” said researcher Dr. Marissa Tremblay. states. purdue university.

“Meteorites are often denser than Earth's rocks, contain metals, and are magnetic.”

“We can also look for things like the fusion crust that forms when we enter Earth's atmosphere.”

“Finally, we can use the chemical properties of meteorites (particularly their oxygen isotope composition) to determine which planet they came from or what type of meteorite they belong to. ”

According to the authors, some Martian meteorites, such as the 0.8 kg Nacritite meteorite called the Lafayette meteorite, contain minerals that were formed by interaction with liquid water while on Mars. That's what it means.

“So by dating these minerals, we can tell when in Mars' geological past there was liquid water on or near the surface of Mars,” Tremblay said. .

“We dated these minerals in the Martian meteorite Lafayette and found that they formed 742 million years ago.”

“At this point, we don't think there was an abundance of liquid water on the surface of Mars.”

“Instead, we believe this water comes from melting nearby underground ice called permafrost, and that permafrost thaw is caused by magmatic activity that continues to occur regularly on Mars. ”

Researchers say the age derived from the timing of water-rock interactions on Mars is robust and the chronometer used is not affected by events that happened to the Lafayette meteorite, which changed in the presence of water. It was proved that.

“This age could be due to the impact of the Lafayette meteorite being ejected from Mars, the heating Lafayette experienced during its 11 million years floating in space, or the heating Lafayette experienced when it fell to Earth and burned up a bit. “in Earth's atmosphere,'' Dr. Tremblay said.

“But we were able to demonstrate that none of these things affected the chronology of water quality changes in Lafayette.”

“This meteorite has unique evidence that it interacted with water,” said Dr. Ryan Ickert, also of Purdue University.

“The exact date of this is controversial, and our publication dates from a time when water existed.”

“We know this because after this meteorite was ejected from Mars, it was bombarded with cosmic ray particles in space, producing specific isotopes at Lafayette,” Tremblay said. said.

“Many meteoroids are produced by impacts on Mars and other planets, but only a handful end up falling on Earth.”

of findings Published in this month's magazine Geochemical perspective letter.

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MM Tremblay others. 2024. Dating recent water activity on Mars. Letter from a geochemical perspective 32;doi: 10.7185/geochemlet.2443

Source: www.sci.news

Research Shows Chimpanzees Excel at Challenging Computer Tasks in the Presence of Others

Posted on November 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Human cognitive abilities can be greatly influenced by the presence of an audience. Although often associated with reputation management, which is thought to be unique to humans, it is unclear to what extent this phenomenon is common to non-human animals. To investigate such audience effects in chimpanzees, researchers Kyoto University Contains performances by 6 people Chimpanzee (pan-troglodytes) Over a period of 6 years, we conducted experiments on three different numerical touch screen tasks of varying difficulty and cognitive demands, in a variety of audience compositions. The results showed that chimpanzee performance was influenced by the number and type of audience present.

To investigate whether chimpanzees' task performance is influenced by the presence of an audience, Lin others. analyzed multiple chimpanzee cognitive task data across different types of tasks. Image provided by: Akiho Muramatsu

“It was very surprising to discover that chimpanzees were influenced by the audience, and even by the human audience, in their task performance,” said Kyoto University researcher Dr. Kristen Lin.

“Although we might not expect chimpanzees to particularly care whether other species are watching them perform a task, chimpanzees are influenced by human spectators even depending on the difficulty of the task. The fact that it looks like this suggests that this relationship is more complex than we thought and initially expected. ”

Lin and his colleagues wanted to find out whether the audience effect often attributed to reputation management in humans also existed in non-human primates.

People knew that paying attention to who was looking at them, sometimes unconsciously, would affect their performance.

Chimpanzees live in hierarchical societies, but it was not clear to what extent they were also influenced by the people observing them.

“Our research site is special in that the chimpanzees frequently interact with and even enjoy human company, participating in various touchscreen experiments almost daily for food rewards. '' said Dr. Akiho Muramatsu of Kyoto University.

“So we thought there was an opportunity to not only explore potential similarities in effects that are relevant to viewers, but also do it in the context of chimpanzees, which share a unique bond with humans.”

The researchers made this discovery after analyzing thousands of sessions in which chimpanzees completed touchscreen tasks over a six-year period.

The researchers found that across three different number-based tasks, the chimpanzees performed better on the most difficult task as the number of experimenters observing them increased.

In contrast, they also found that on the simplest tasks, chimpanzees performed worse when they were observed by more experimenters and other familiar people.

Scientists note that the specific mechanisms underlying these audience-related effects remain unclear, even in humans.

They suggest that further studies in non-human apes may provide more insight into how this trait evolved and why it developed.

“Our findings suggest that how much humans care about witnesses and audiences may not be so unique to our species,” said Shinya Yamamoto of Kyoto University. said the doctor.

“These characteristics are a core part of how our society is primarily based on reputation, and if chimpanzees also pay special attention to their audience when performing their tasks, then these It stands to reason that audience-based traits may have evolved before reputation-based traits.''Society arose in our great ape lineage. ”

of the team findings Published in a magazine iscience.

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Kristen Lin others. The presence of an audience influences chimpanzees' performance on cognitive tasks. isciencepublished online on November 8, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.111191

Source: www.sci.news

New study shows digital technology can enhance children’s development opportunities

Posted on November 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

There has been a debated stance that children below the age of three should have no screen time, but research indicates that digital technology can offer valuable opportunities for the development of young children.

The study, titled Toddlers, technology and talk, was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and conducted by researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University, Lancaster University, Queen’s Belfast University, Strathclyde University, and Swansea University. It explored children’s interactions with various technologies in diverse communities, specifically focusing on the impact of technology on language and literacy skills of children aged 0 to 3 in the UK.

The research delved into how children engage with technology, whether with their parents or independently, through activities like taking photos, playing games using educational apps, listening to music, discussing favorite characters, and video calling.

Studies have shown that children start using smart devices and technology at a young age, and this can be beneficial for their language development and other skills.

The report highlights that young children’s digital activities involve various forms of sensory exploration which contribute to their cognitive development.

Parents acknowledge the advantages of technology for their children’s development, but they are also concerned about potential negative impacts from excessive technology usage.

The report also discusses how video calls provide valuable opportunities for children in multilingual families to learn different languages and cultures from their overseas relatives.

The study involved surveys with 1,400 UK parents, 40 home case studies, interviews with 20 education experts, and analysis of families’ TV viewing habits. It revealed that children could learn words and phrases from watching TV shows that they were passionate about.

Furthermore, shared TV viewing and music listening create bonding experiences for parents and children, nurturing emotional connections over time.

Even in homes where the TV is on throughout the day, children engage in various play and learning activities and may not pay much attention to the TV.

Some parents reported that their children under the age of 3 were learning sign language online, showcasing how young children adapt to interacting with smart devices.

The report emphasizes the need for better protection of children’s privacy and security in the digital age and hopes to guide policy and practices based on its findings.

Professor Rosie Flewitt from MMU acknowledges the challenges of balancing the benefits of digital communication, play, and learning for children with concerns about potential risks of overuse.

Source: www.theguardian.com

IC 3225 in Virgo Cluster shows signs of being stripped of Ram pressure by Hubble

Posted on October 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Early galaxies are dominated by bright galaxy clusters, which are larger and more massive than the local Universe. Star formation activity can be strongly influenced and even halted by many processes that are directly related to the environment in which galaxies exist. Ram pressure stripping, the removal of interstellar gas from the disk of star-forming galaxies by hydrodynamic interaction with the hot intergalactic medium, is one such process that It is thought to have a strong influence on the galaxy population. Groups, especially clusters.

This Hubble image shows spiral galaxy IC 3225 with Ram pressure removed. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / M. Sun.

IC 3225 is a spiral galaxy located approximately 100 million light years away in the constellation Virgo.

Also known as LEDA 40111 or UGC 7441, discovered It was announced on November 4, 1899 by German astronomer Arnold Schwassmann.

“IC 3225 looks strikingly like it was fired from a cannon, hurtling through space like a comet with a tail of gas streaming from the disk behind it,” Hubble astronomers said in a statement.

“IC 3225 is one of more than 1,300 members of the Virgo cluster, so the galaxy's location suggests several causes for this active scene.”

“While the density of galaxies within the Virgo cluster creates a rich field of hot gas between them, the so-called intracluster medium, the extreme mass of this cluster also allows for some extremely There are galaxies that orbit around the center in fast orbits.”

“Collision into thick intracluster material, especially near the center of a galaxy cluster, places enormous collision pressures on the moving galaxy, stripping the gas from the moving galaxy.”

“Although IC 3225 is currently not very close to the center of the cluster, astronomers suspect that it has undergone such ram pressure removal in the past,” the researchers noted.

“This galaxy looks as if it has been affected by this. One side of the galaxy is compressed and there is significantly more star formation at this leading edge, while the other end is misshapen. Masu.”

“Being in such a crowded region, a close call with another galaxy may have pulled IC 3225 and created this shape.”

“The sight of this distorted galaxy is a reminder of the incredible forces at work on an astronomical scale that move and reshape entire galaxies.”

This new image of IC 3225 consists of observations from. Hubble's advanced survey camera (ACS) in the near-infrared and optical portions of the spectrum.

Two filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is obtained by assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.

Source: www.sci.news

New research shows early humans carried two distinct strains of Helicobacter bacteria

Posted on October 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Two ecological species Helicobacter pylori. The bacteria, named ‘Hardy’ and ‘Ubiquitous’, coexisted in the stomachs of modern humans before they left Africa, and were dispersed around the world as humans migrated, new research shows. Ta.

Tourette’s others. They discovered that indigenous peoples in Siberia and the Americas were infected with two different types of viruses. Helicobacter pylori. Image credit: sjs.org / CC BY-SA 3.0.

First discovered in 1983, Helicobacter pylori. During long-term colonization of human hosts, it disturbs the stomach lining and causes sequelae such as ulcers and gastric cancer.

Numerous Helicobacter pylori. Virulence factors have been identified and show wide geographic variation.

In the new study, Dr. Elise Tourette and colleagues at the Shanghai Institute of Immunology and Infection used an unprecedented collection of 6,864 individuals. Helicobacter pylori. Genomes from around the world to investigate the prevalence of bacteria.

They unexpectedly discovered a very distinct variant. Helicobacter pylori. They named it the Hardy species, which originated hundreds of thousands of years ago and spread around the world with humans.

They proposed that this species is specialized to live in the stomachs of carnivores whose diet consists mainly of meat and fish.

Therefore, genetic variations found in the bacteria in our stomachs today can tell us what our ancestors ate.

“Our diverse global sample has allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of world history. Helicobacter. This confirmed previous findings that these bacteria were already passengers in our stomachs when we left Africa more than 50,000 years ago,” said Dr. Tourette. .

“But we also identified something surprising, in the form of a new ecological species. Helicobacter. We called it Hardy.”

“It differs by more than 100 genes from the common type we called ubiquitous.”

“Hardy’s ecospecies turned out to be very informative about what bacteria need to do to survive in our stomachs, but more fundamentally, bacterial diversity How it was maintained also turned out to be very informative.”

“Most humans alive today are omnivores or vegetarians, meaning a significant portion of our diet consists of plant material,” said Dr. Daniel Farash, also of the Shanghai Institute of Immunology and Infection. said.

“However, in some parts of the world, plant material was historically unavailable for large parts of the year, and people relied heavily on fish and meat for food.”

“So far, the Hardy ecospecies has only been identified in humans from indigenous populations such as Siberia and northern Canada.”

“Due to ancient host jumps, this virus has also been found in tigers and cheetahs in zoos, with important genetic differences that allow it to adapt to gastric conditions in carnivores.”

“This association is particularly interesting because our analysis also suggests that both ecological species have accompanied humans since our species’ emergence in Africa more than 200,000 years ago.” Because there is.”

“If this species is indeed adapted to being a carnivore, it means that humans who spread around the world often did not eat plants, even if plants were available. .”

By analyzing Helicobacter pylori. By analyzing genomes from around the world, researchers discovered that the first modern humans were infected with two different types of bacteria: M. hardyi and M. ubiquitous.

Both species spread from Africa during early human migrations, reaching as far as South America.

The ubiquitous ecospecies has been found in every human population sampled to date, whereas the Hardy ecospecies has only been sampled from a small number of indigenous populations and may have become extinct at many points along its migratory routes. It suggests that.

However, one strain of the African Hardy strain has shifted hosts to big cats and has been isolated from cheetahs, lions, and tigers in zoos.

Understanding why these species can coexist in some populations but not in others will help us understand the profound implications of our prehistory and the gastric diseases we still suffer from today. It is hoped that this will shed light on the burden.

“Our results also show that very different adaptive strategies can arise and be stably maintained within bacterial populations, even in the presence of continuous genetic exchange between strains.” said the scientists.

of findings. Published in a magazine nature.

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E.Tourette others. ancient ecological species Helicobacter pylori. naturepublished online October 16, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07991-z

Source: www.sci.news

Research shows that eating strawberries regularly could boost heart health and help control cholesterol levels

Posted on October 19, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to one researcher, daily consumption of strawberries (1-4 cups per day) improves lipid metabolism and inflammatory outcomes in people at high cardiovascular risk. new review paper Published in a magazine Critical reviews in food science and nutrition.

Strawberries are a natural and delicious way to support heart health and manage cholesterol. Image credit: D. Сroisy.

“Strawberries contain a number of potentially health-promoting phytonutrients, including phenols, polyphenols, fiber, micronutrients, and vitamins,” said Roberta Holt, a researcher at the University of California, Davis, and colleagues.

“The purpose of our review is to provide a comprehensive overview of recent human studies on the effects of strawberry and strawberry phytonutrient intake on human health.”

For the review, the authors conducted a literature search through the PubMed and Cochrane databases.

They combined results from 60 papers (47 clinical trials and 13 observational studies) published from 2000 to 2023.

They found that strawberries are rich in beneficial phytonutrients such as polyphenols and fiber, which help lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels while reducing inflammation.

The result is improved overall heart health and better management of cardiovascular risk factors.

Daily consumption of strawberries, whether in fresh, frozen, or freeze-dried form, can have a significant impact on cardiometabolic health, especially in those at high risk for heart disease.

Strawberries can help lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by improving lipid metabolism and reducing systemic inflammation.

“Our research shows that regular consumption of strawberries not only lowers cholesterol, but also helps reduce inflammation, a major contributing factor to heart disease,” Dr. Holt said.

“This means that simply adding a cup of strawberries to your daily routine can significantly reduce your risk of cardiovascular events.”

Beyond heart health, the team's review revealed exciting benefits for brain health.

The findings suggest that strawberries are rich in flavonoids, which may help slow cognitive decline and prevent dementia.

The researchers said, “Strawberries may support cognitive function and fight oxidative stress, which is an important factor in keeping the brain sharp as we age.”

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Phrae Charonwoodhipon others. strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) Intake on human health and disease outcomes: a comprehensive literature review. Critical reviews in food science and nutritionpublished online on September 11, 2024. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2024.2398634

Source: www.sci.news

Court filing shows U.S. government attempting to dismantle Google

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The U.S. government may seek court intervention to break up Google and challenge its monopoly in the internet search market.

According to court documents filed by the Justice Department, Google is considering implementing “structural remedies” that would restrict the use of products like Chrome, Android, and Play. The government believes this would provide Google with an unfair advantage over its competitors.

Additional measures being considered include prohibiting Google from paying to have its search engine preinstalled on devices like smartphones.

Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc., has objected to the lawsuit, arguing that it represents government overreach at the expense of consumers.

The lawsuit stems from a previous court ruling in August which found Google in violation of antitrust laws for building an illegal monopoly in the search market. The Justice Department is pursuing further actions to challenge Google’s dominance.

The filing alleges that Google’s actions have harmed users and emphasizes the need to restore competition in a market crucial to Americans.

The proposed remedies could prevent Google from using its search-related products, such as Chrome, Play, and Android, to gain an advantage over competitors through new search features like Artificial Intelligence.

Furthermore, Google may be prohibited from paying major phone companies to make Chrome the default browser on their devices, a practice that has cost the company billions.

Google’s vice president of regulation criticized the Justice Department’s proposals, warning of potential harm to consumers, businesses, and developers.

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The Justice Department is expected to present more detailed proposals by November 20th, with Google responding by December 20th.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Research shows that specific genetic alterations could lead to premature menopause

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

New research has identified four genes that, if altered, could impact the age at which menopause occurs. These genes (ETAA1, ZNF518A, PNPLA8, and PALB2) were found to cause women to experience menopause two to 5.5 years earlier if they have only one functioning copy. The study, conducted by scientists from the Universities of Exeter, Cambridge, and Wellcome, was published in Nature.

Understanding these genetic changes is crucial for potential therapies to extend reproductive lifespan and plan for the impact of menopause on women’s career and life plans. The study also found links between these genetic changes and cancer risk, highlighting the importance of further research in this area.

These genetic changes can lead to the DNA damage of eggs, affecting the age at which menopause occurs. The study analyzed data from 106,973 postmenopausal women and found that rare genetic changes have a significant impact on the age at menopause. These changes not only shed light on menopause but also provide insight into disease risks.

Dr. Stasha Stankovic, Dr. Hilary Martin, and Professor John Perry, members of the research team, emphasized the importance of understanding ovarian function for reproductive health and disease prevention. They hope that further research in this area will lead to new treatments for ovarian-centered diseases and help predict age at menopause more accurately.

The study also revealed that changes in a mother’s DNA can impact the DNA passed on to her child, showing a link between genetic mutations and the rate of DNA changes. This discovery is significant in understanding the biological mechanisms behind infertility, reproductive disorders, and disease predisposition.

About our experts

Dr. Stasha Stankovic is a reproductive geneticist with a PhD in Reproductive Genomics from the University of Cambridge. Her research has been published in top scientific journals such as Nature, Nature Medicine, Nature Genetics, and Cell Genomics.

read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Research shows new medication similar to Ozempic results in 13% reduction in body weight

Posted on September 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Weight-loss medications like Ozempic and Wegovy have been under discussion for some time, but new research suggests there may be better alternatives. Enter Amicretin, a novel weight-loss treatment available in pill form rather than injection.

In the initial human trials of this new weight loss medication, the developer Novo Nordisk A/S (the company behind Ozempic) saw promising results: participants taking Amicretin lost an average of 13.1 percent of their body weight over a 12-week period.

So, how does this new weight loss pill function? Amicretin is a dual-acting drug that emulates the effects of two hormones crucial in weight loss: amylin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which help curb hunger and regulate appetite.

Published in the journal Diabetology, the study compared average weight loss in three groups with BMIs between 25 and 39.9 who did not have diabetes.

By the end of the 12-week study, subjects taking two 50 mg tablets of Amicretin lost 13.1% of their body weight, compared to 10.4% in those taking one 50 mg tablet. In contrast, the placebo group only lost an average of 1.1% of their body weight throughout the study.

Compared to other weight loss drugs, a recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine found that patients taking another weight-loss drug, Maunjaro, lost 5.9% body fat in 3 months, while those on Ozempic saw a decrease of 3.6%.

“The difference from injectable treatments is significant,” states obesity expert Christopher Clemmensen. “The dual mode of action offers promise, making Amicretin a valuable advancement for Novo Nordisk.”

While weight-loss drugs show promise in combating obesity worldwide, further confirmation awaits larger trials on individuals with chronic conditions. Professor Navid Sattar emphasizes the importance of developing safe and accessible medications for the millions suffering from obesity.

Excitement surrounds this early-stage study of a novel oral weight-loss medication combination due to its rapid effects on body weight.

About our experts

Associate Professor Christopher Clemmensen leads the Clemmensen Group at the University of Copenhagen, studying biological weight regulation and developing obesity treatment strategies. His research appears in respected publications such as Natural Metabolism and Molecular Metabolism.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Evidence shows pregnant sharks are preyed on by larger sharks

Posted on September 3, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Prior to giving birth, the pregnant porbeagle shark was expected to give birth soon, when one of the two tracking tags attached to the shark by marine scientists resurfaced near Bermuda.

Surprisingly, the tag emerged much earlier than anticipated. It had been affixed to the 7-foot-long shark only 158 days prior, after conducting an ultrasound scan off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in October 2020. The tag was supposed to remain attached for about a year.

“Something seemed amiss,” stated Brooke Anderson, a shark researcher at Arizona State University during that time.

The second tag, which was designed to transmit a signal when the shark’s fin breached the surface, never sent a signal again.

Data collected from the retrieved “pop-off” tag revealed an unusual pattern: for the initial five months, the depth and temperature information appeared normal for this species, but then deviations started to occur.

“Unexpectedly, temperatures suddenly spiked and remained high even at depths of 600 meters,” recounted Anderson.

The diving patterns of the creatures also became peculiar.

Of the 11 porbeagle sharks that researchers tagged, eight were pregnant, including this one.
John Dodd

“All the data pointed in one direction: she had been consumed,” remarked Anderson.

The researchers ascertained that the irregular readings from the tag were due to it having been inside another animal’s stomach for several days.

Their conclusions were detailed in a study published in the Frontiers in Marine Science journal, shedding light on the fact that porbeagle sharks are being preyed upon by much bigger animals.

Naming a few possible predators, the researchers narrowed down their suspects based on biological characteristics – the data didn’t align with a mammal like a killer whale, leading them to focus on warm-blooded sharks with some heat-generating capacity.

“The predator needed to elevate its body temperature above the ambient water, have the size to inflict damage on the porbeagle, and reside in the area of the predation,” explained Anderson.

The researchers inferred that a great white shark or mako shark likely devoured the pregnant porbeagle, temporarily swallowing the tag.

“Our estimation is that it was a mature female great white shark, possibly exceeding 15 feet in length,” disclosed Anderson.

Previously, the notion that porbeagle sharks might fall prey to larger creatures had not been considered, she added.

Originally, their team aimed to track pregnant porbeagle sharks during their gestation period and pinpoint where they typically give birth.

Across two Atlantic seasons, they located and tagged a total of 11 porbeagle sharks, hauling each one onto the boat, treating them with aerated seawater, and concealing their eyes with wet towels.

“We operated like a NASCAR pit crew,” described Anderson. Eight of these sharks were pregnant.

Their expectations didn’t encompass uncovering a profound deep-sea mystery.

Matt Davis, a marine resources scientist from the Maine Department of Marine Resources not involved in the research, acknowledged that the study’s conclusions were plausible.

This incident underscores the continued need for scientific exploration of mid-depth ocean life and predator-prey interactions, added Davis.

The porbeagle shark is categorized as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Overfishing activities began in the 1960s, causing a population decline of 75 to 80 percent by 2001, as per Anderson.

While the species is recuperating due to fishing regulations, their longer lifespan and lower reproductive rate mean a protracted recovery process.

“We must continue tagging and monitoring these sharks to understand the frequency of such incidents,” emphasized Anderson regarding the predation. “In an instant, this critically endangered species lost not just its essential breeding females, but all its developing offspring as well. It is crucial to grasp both the frequency and impact of such events.”

Their research could play a pivotal role in restoring a healthy shark population in the Atlantic, where sharks prey on sharks.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Research shows that Clovis people utilized planted pikes for hunting large herbivores

Posted on August 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Historical and ethnographic sources document that portable pole-hafted weapons, or spears, were used for hunting and defense against large game in North and South America, Africa, Eurasia, and Southeast Asia for several millennia during the Late Holocene. Given the dominance of large game in North America during the Late Pleistocene, centuries when Clovis points emerged and spread across much of the continent between 13,050 and 12,650 years ago, pole-hafted weapons may have been used for hunting large herbivores or for defense against large carnivores.

A Clovis point with distinctive grooved flake scars. Image courtesy of S. Byram.

“This ancient Native American design was a remarkable innovation in hunting strategy,” said Dr Scott Byrum, a researcher at the University of California, Berkeley.

“This unique indigenous technology provides a window into hunting and survival techniques that have been used for thousands of years in many parts of the world.”

The team's discovery may help solve a mystery that has plagued archaeological communities for decades: how North American communities actually used Clovis stone tools, the most commonly unearthed remains from the Ice Age.

Clovis Points are named after the town of Clovis, New Mexico, where they were first discovered about a century ago. Clovis Points are formed from rocks such as chert, flint, and jasper.

They range in size from the size of a person's thumb to the size of a medium-sized iPhone, and have a clearly defined, sharp edge and grooved indentations on either side of their base.

Thousands of fossils have been discovered across the United States, some of which have been unearthed within preserved mammoth skeletons.

“Clovis points are often the only part recovered from a spear,” said Dr. June Sunseri of the University of California, Berkeley.

“The elaborately engineered bone hafts at the ends of the weapons are sometimes found, but the wood at the bases of the spears, and the rosin and string that made them work as a complete system, have been lost over time.”

“Furthermore, research silos limit such systems thinking about prehistoric weaponry, and if stone experts are not bone experts they may not get the full picture.”

“We need to think beyond simple artifacts. The key here is looking at this as an engineered system that requires multiple types of expertise in our field and in other fields.”

Building tools into powerful and effective systems would have been a priority for communities 13,000 years ago.

Tools had to be durable; there were only a limited number of suitable rocks that people could use to cross the land.

They might travel hundreds of miles without obtaining a long, straight stick suitable for making a spear.

“So obviously you don't want to risk throwing or breaking your gear when you're not sure if you're going to catch the animal,” Dr Byrum said.

“People who analyse metal military artefacts know about it because it was used to halt horses in war.”

“But before that, it wasn't really known for other situations, like wild boar hunting or bear hunting.”

“It's a common theme in literature, but for some reason it hasn't been talked about much in anthropology.”

To evaluate their spear hypothesis, the researchers built a test platform to measure the force that the spear system could withstand before the tip broke off or the shaft stretched.

A low-tech, static version of an animal attack using reinforced replica Clovis point spears allowed us to test how different spears reach their breaking point and how their extension systems respond.

This builds on previous experiments in which researchers fired stone-tipped spears into clay and ballistic gel, which may have been as painful as a needle prick to a nine-tonne mammoth.

“The energy that a human arm can generate is completely different from the energy that a charging animal can generate. It's an order of magnitude different,” Dr Jun said.

“These spears were designed to protect the wielder.”

“The sophisticated Clovis technology, developed uniquely in North America, is a testament to the ingenuity and skill used by indigenous peoples to coexist with ancient lands and now-extinct megafauna,” said Kent Lightfoot, a professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

Team result Published in a journal PLoS One.

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RS Byram others2024. Clovis projectile points and foresharps subjected to reinforced weapon compression: modelling the encounter between Stone Age spears and Pleistocene megafauna. PLoS One 19 (8): e0307996; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307996

This article is a version of a press release provided by the University of California, Berkeley.

Source: www.sci.news

New study shows pterosaurs utilized all four limbs for flight propulsion

Posted on August 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Take-off is a key part of powered flight and likely constrains the size of birds, although extinct pterosaurs are known to have grown to much larger sizes. Three different hypothesized take-off movements have been proposed to allow pterosaurs to fly: a vertical burst jump using only the legs similar to those used by mostly ground-dwelling birds, a less vertical jump using only the legs similar to those used by birds that fly frequently, and a quadruped jump using the wings as well in a movement similar to the take-off jump of a bat. Palaeontologists from the University of Bristol, Liverpool John Moores University, ABC Federal University and Keele University built a computational musculoskeletal model of an avian pterosaur with a five-metre wingspan, reconstructed 34 major muscles and estimated muscle moment arms across the three hypothesized take-off movements.

One-second takeoff sequences used in the study highlighting the key phases: (A) Bipedal burst style takeoff highlighting the timing of the crouch, ankle lift, and launch phases. (B) Bipedal recoil style takeoff highlighting the timing of the countermotion and launch phases. (C) Quadrupedal recoil style takeoff highlighting the crouch, leap, and launch phases. Images courtesy of Griffin others., doi: 10.7717/peerj.17678.

“Powered flight is a form of locomotion that is restricted to only a small number of animals because it is energy-intensive, requires specialized adaptations to take off and requires lift to support thrust and weight,” Dr Benjamin Griffin from the University of Bristol and his colleagues said.

“The most energy-intensive part of powered flight is take-off from the ground. During this stage, the animal needs to get high enough into the air to be able to utilize an unimpeded flapping cycle.”

“Take-off also requires the animal to gain enough speed so that the wings can overcome drag (i.e. thrust) and generate enough lift to support the animal's weight.”

“As size increases, so do altitude and speed requirements, limiting the takeoff size of flying animals.”

“Modern flying animals do not have a mass greater than 25 kg. The heaviest flying animals were Bustard (Otis Tarda)It was recorded to have weighed 22kg.

“Despite this, many extinct animals grew large bodies and are still thought to be capable of flight. Argentavis magnificens and Pelagornis sandersi They are predicted to have masses of 70 kg and 21.8 to 40 kg, respectively.”

“Pterosaurs vary in size, with medium-sized pterosaurs predicted to have a wingspan of 2-5 metres and weigh between 20 and 30 kilograms.”

“They also reached the largest sizes among the largest animals, such as pterosaurs. Quetzalcoatlus Northropii It is predicted to have reached a much larger mass (150 kg, or more commonly 250 kg).”

“Flight at such a large mass challenges our understanding of the functional limits of flight, and understanding pterosaur take-off is crucial for establishing the functional limits of biological flight.”

This new research follows years of analysis and modeling of how muscles in other animals interact with bones to produce movement, which are beginning to be used to answer the question of how the largest known flying animals were able to take off from the ground.

The authors created the first computer model of this kind for a pterosaur analysis, to test three different ways that pterosaurs might have taken flight.

By mimicking this movement, the researchers hoped to understand the leverage principles that could be used to propel the animal into the air.

“Larger animals have to overcome greater obstacles to fly, which is why the ability of large animals like pterosaurs to fly is particularly intriguing,” Dr Griffin said.

“Our model shows that unlike birds, which rely primarily on their hind limbs, pterosaurs likely relied on all four limbs to take to the air.”

of Investigation result Published in the journal Peer J.

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BW Griffin others2024. Modelling the take-off moment arm of an ornithosaur. Peer J 12: e17678; doi: 10.7717/peerj.17678

Source: www.sci.news

New Study Shows Common Kitchen Worktop Material Can Lead to Irreversible Lung Disease

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Doctors are calling for a ban on artificial stone, a popular material used for kitchen worktops, following the confirmation of eight cases of artificial stone silicosis in the UK for the first time.

Also known as engineered or reconstituted stone, artificial stone has gained popularity for its aesthetics and durability over the last two decades. However, a new report published in the British Journal of Construction highlights the serious health risks posed by its high silica content, which exceeds 90% compared to 3% in marble and 30% in granite.

“Silicosis is a progressive lung disease caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust,” said Dr. Patrick Howlett, a spokesperson for BBC Science Focus. “The risk of developing silicosis is significantly higher for workers in the artificial stone industry compared to those with chronic respiratory conditions.”

“Various industries expose individuals to silicosis, including mining, pottery, cement work, and now artificial stone fabrication. Prolonged exposure to low levels of silica dust can lead to the development of silicosis over time,” added Dr. Howlett.

All eight affected individuals were male, with an average age of 34, and most worked for small businesses with fewer than 10 employees. Poor safety practices, such as inadequate respiratory protection and ventilation systems, were reported by workers during cutting and grinding operations.

The report’s authors emphasized the need for national guidelines and better enforcement to protect workers from artificial stone silicosis. They highlighted the urgent need for early detection of cases and preventative measures to avoid a potential epidemic.

Since 2010, cases of artificial stone silicosis have been reported worldwide, but the UK confirmed its first cases in mid-2023. California has identified nearly 100 cases of silicosis among countertop workers, prompting the adoption of new regulations to safeguard workers.

Australia has already banned the use of artificial stone as of July 2024, aiming to eliminate the health risks associated with its production and installation.

In related editorials, Dr. Christopher Barber and researchers from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust drew parallels between artificial stone silicosis and historical occupational health crises, urging stricter regulations and enforcement to protect workers.

Experts are currently reviewing exposure limits for crystalline silica dust in the UK, with a focus on mitigating the risks associated with artificial stone worktops. Silicosis remains a significant concern for clinicians and researchers in the occupational health field.

About our experts

Patrick Howlett: An MRC Clinical Research Fellow at the National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, focusing on silicosis and tuberculosis among small-scale miners in Tanzania.

Christopher Barber: A leading expert in occupational and environmental lung disease, serving as a medical advisor to the UK Health and Safety Executive and conducting extensive research in the field.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Research shows that doom scrolling is associated with existential anxiety, skepticism, uncertainty, and hopelessness.

Posted on July 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Are you facing an existential crisis from scrolling through your phone? A recent study conducted by an international team of experts aimed to explore this issue. Read the full report in the Journal of Computers in Human Behavior.

The study surveyed 800 college students in the US and Iran and discovered a connection between doomscrolling – excessive consumption of negative news – and feelings of existential anxiety, distrust of others, and despair.

Researcher Reza Shabahan from Flinders University highlighted that constant exposure to negative news can indirectly cause trauma, affecting even those who have not experienced direct trauma.

The study revealed that continuous exposure to negative news led individuals to believe that life is fragile and limited, humans are inherently lonely, and people have little control over their lives.

In the case of Iranian students, doomscrolling was also linked to misanthropy, a deep disdain and mistrust of humanity.

The researchers suggested that constant exposure to negative news reinforces the idea that humanity is flawed and the world lacks justice, challenging individuals’ beliefs about the fairness and goodness of the world.

However, they acknowledged limitations in their sample selection and size, cautioning against drawing definitive conclusions about the association observed.

Professor Helen Christensen from the University of New South Wales expressed interest in the study but cautioned that biases could exist due to the sample size.

Digital behavior expert Dr. Joan Orlando emphasized the potential long-term impact of doomscrolling on mental health, likening it to being constantly berated.

Orlando recommended being mindful of how social media and news consumption affect mental well-being, suggesting a delay in checking such platforms upon waking up.

She further emphasized the importance of understanding the impact of media consumption on one’s worldview.

For more insights, check out a Joint submission by mental health organizations ReachOut, Beyond Blue, and Black Dog Institute on the impact of social media on young Australians.

George Herman, CEO of Beyond Blue, highlighted the dual nature of social media in affecting young people’s mental health and called for social media platforms to take responsibility for their impact.

He stressed that individuals should have a say in the content they are exposed to and questioned social media platforms on their strategies to address the issue of doomscrolling.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Study Shows Environmental Threat Posed by ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Toxic PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ used in lithium-ion batteries that are essential to the clean energy transition New research findings As the emerging industry expands, it will pose threats to the environment and human health.

The multifaceted, peer-reviewed study focused on a little-studied and unregulated subclass of PFAS called bis-FASIs, which are used in lithium-ion batteries.

Researchers have found alarming levels of chemicals in the environment near manufacturing plants and in remote locations around the world, found that they can be toxic to living organisms, and found that battery waste in landfills is a major source of contamination.

“The nation faces two important challenges — minimizing water pollution and increasing access to clean, sustainable energy — and both are worthwhile,” said Jennifer Gelfo, a researcher at Texas Tech University and co-author of the study.

“But there is a bit of a tug-of-war between the two, and this study highlights that there is now an opportunity to better incorporate environmental risk assessments as we expand our energy infrastructure,” she added.

PFAS are a group of about 16,000 man-made compounds that are most commonly used to make products that are resistant to water, stains, and heat. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down naturally and are known to accumulate in the human body. PFAS have been linked to cancer, birth defects, liver disease, thyroid disease, a dramatic drop in sperm count, and a variety of other serious health problems.

As the transition unfolds, public health advocates have begun sounding the alarm about the need to find alternatives to toxic chemicals used in clean energy technologies like batteries and wind turbines.

The paper notes that few end-of-life standards exist for PFAS battery waste, and most ends up in municipal waste sites, where it can leach into waterways, accumulate locally or be transported long distances.

When historical leachate samples were examined for the presence of the chemical, no detections were found in samples taken before the mid-1990s, when the chemical was commercialized.

The study points out that while BisFASI can be reused, previous research has shown that only 5% of lithium batteries are recycled. Unless battery recycling is dramatically scaled up to keep up with demand, it is predicted that 8 million tonnes of battery waste will be generated by 2040.

“This shows we need to look more closely at this class of PFAS,” Guelfo said.

Little toxicity data exists on bis-FASI, so the study also looked at its effects on invertebrates and zebrafish. Effects were seen even at low levels of exposure, suggesting it may be as toxic as other PFAS compounds known to be dangerous.

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Researchers also took water, soil and air samples around a 3M plant in Minnesota and other large facilities known to make the chemical. Guelfo said the levels in the soil and water are of concern, and that detection of the chemical in the snow suggests it could easily travel through the air.

This could help explain why the chemicals have been found in China’s seawater and other remote locations not close to production plants.

The most commonly used definition of PFAS worldwide includes bis-FASIs, but one division of the EPA considers them to not belong to a chemical class, and therefore they are not included in the list of compounds monitored in U.S. waters. The EPA’s narrow definition of PFAS has been criticized by public health advocacy groups for excluding some chemicals at the urging of industry.

But the new study, combined with previous evidence, shows that bisFASI, like most other PFAS, is persistent, mobile and toxic, said co-author Lee Ferguson, a researcher at Duke University.

“This classification, coupled with the massive increase in clean energy storage that we’re seeing, should at the very least sound alarm bells,” he said.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Research shows that Homo sapiens and Neanderthals had 200,000 years of interaction

Posted on July 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A recent study indicates that multiple instances of gene flow occurring between 250,000 and 200,000 years ago impacted the genomes and biology of both modern humans and Neanderthals, who are believed to share 2.5 to 3.7 percent of human ancestry.

Li othersIt provides insight into the history of modern-human Neanderthal admixture, shows that gene flow has significantly influenced patterns of genomic variation in modern and Neanderthals, and suggests that taking into account human-derived sequences in Neanderthals allows for more precise inferences about admixture and its consequences in both Neanderthals and modern humans. Image courtesy of the Neanderthal Museum.

“For the first time, geneticists have identified multiple instances of interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthals,” stated Professor Li Ming from Southeast University.

“It is now evident that throughout most of human history, there was interaction between modern humans and Neanderthals,” added Professor Joshua Akey from Princeton University.

“Our direct ancestors, hominins, diverged from the Neanderthal lineage approximately 600,000 years ago and acquired modern physical characteristics around 250,000 years ago.”

“Subsequently, modern humans continued to engage with Neanderthals for around 200,000 years until the extinction of Neanderthals.”

The researchers utilized the genomes of 2,000 modern humans, three Neanderthals, and one Denisovan to track gene flow between human populations over the past 250,000 years.

They employed a genetic tool called IBDmix, developed several years ago, which utilizes machine learning techniques for sequencing genomes.

Previously, scientists relied on comparing the human genome to reference populations of modern individuals with minimal or no Neanderthal or Denisovan DNA.

The study authors discovered traces of Neanderthal DNA even in populations residing thousands of miles south of Neanderthal caves, suggesting that the DNA might have been transmitted southward by travelers or their descendants.

Using IBDmix, they identified a first contact wave around 200,000-250,000 years ago, a second contact wave around 100,000-120,000 years ago, and a peak contact wave around 50,000-60,000 years ago, deviating from previous genetic data.

“Most genetic data indicates that modern humans originated in Africa 250,000 years ago, persisted there for another 200,000 years, and only around 50,000 years ago dispersed from Africa to populate other regions as humans,” said Prof Akey.

“Our model suggests that there wasn’t a prolonged period of stasis, but soon after the emergence of modern humans, we migrated out of Africa and eventually returned.”

“To me, the narrative revolves around dispersal, highlighting that modern humans have been more mobile than previously assumed, encountering Neanderthals and Denisovans,” added Prof Akey.

This portrayal of migrating humans aligns with archaeological and paleoanthropological evidence indicating cultural and tool exchanges among human populations.

A crucial insight was to search for modern human DNA in the Neanderthal genome, rather than vice versa.

“While much genetic research in the past decade focused on how interbreeding with Neanderthals influenced the evolution and phenotype of modern humans, these questions also hold importance and interest in the opposite direction,” noted Professor Akey.

They realized that the descendants of the initial interbreeding event between Neanderthals and modern humans likely stayed with the Neanderthals and thus left no genetic trace in modern humans.

“By incorporating Neanderthal elements into genetic studies, we can analyze these early migrations in a new light,” Prof Akey mentioned.

The final revelation was that the Neanderthal population was smaller than previously estimated.

Traditional genetic modeling used diversity as an indicator of population size: greater genetic diversity implied a larger population.

However, using IBDmix, the team showed that most diversity came from DNA sequences originating from a larger modern human population, leading to a reduction in the effective Neanderthal population from around 3,400 breeding individuals to approximately 2,400.

Collectively, these new findings provide insights into the disappearance of Neanderthals from the record roughly 30,000 years ago.

“I prefer not to use the term ‘extinction’ because I believe Neanderthals were mostly assimilated,” mentioned Prof Akey.

It is theorized that the Neanderthal population gradually dwindled, with the last survivors merging into modern human communities.

“The assimilation model was first proposed in 1989 by anthropologist Fred Smith from Illinois State University, and our results offer compelling genetic evidence supporting Fred’s hypothesis,” Prof Akey stated.

“Neanderthals likely faced prolonged near-extinction.”

“Our estimates suggest that even a slight decrease of 10 to 20 percent in the population size would have a significant impact on an already vulnerable population,” Prof Akey added.

“Modern humans can be likened to waves gradually eroding the shoreline, eventually overwhelming Neanderthals demographically and integrating them into the modern human population.”

Read the full research findings published in the journal Science.

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Li-Ming Lee others2024. Recurrent gene flow between Neanderthals and modern humans over the past 200,000 years. Science 385(6705); doi:10.1126/science.adi1768

Source: www.sci.news

Microsoft Surface Pro 11 Review: Microsoft’s Bold Move into Arm Technology Shows Promise

Posted on July 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The latest Surface tablet from Microsoft is expected to bring significant improvements, moving beyond just being faster, quieter, and more efficient. The key change is the switch to an Arm-based processor at its core.

This shift to Arm chips is not new for Microsoft, but this particular machine, the Surface Pro 11, has been touted as the most successful one yet, outperforming its predecessors like the Surface Pro X from 2020 and Surface Pro 9 5G from last year.

Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chipset, the Surface Pro 11 offers improved performance and efficiency. While the new Arm chips offer advantages, there are still some compromises in terms of software and accessories.

The exterior of the new Surface Pro remains largely unchanged from its predecessor. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

Despite the new chip, the Surface Pro 11 retains key features that made its predecessor successful, including a robust built-in kickstand, high-quality aluminum frame, improved speakers, and faster Windows Hello facial recognition. The 13-inch OLED display on the high-end model is top-notch, offering an exceptional viewing experience.

However, the Surface Pro 11 comes at a premium price, starting at £1,049 (€1,199/$999/AU$1,899) without the keyboard. The higher-end model with an OLED screen and faster Snapdragon X Elite chip is even pricier, starting at £1,549 (€1,799/$1,499/AU$2,699).

The Flex Keyboard continues to function even when detached, offering versatility for users. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The Surface Pro 11 works well as a tablet, but a detachable keyboard is essential for maximizing its potential as a laptop. Microsoft offers various keyboard options, including the high-end Flex keyboard priced at £340.

Specification

Screen: 13″ LCD or OLED 2880×1920 (267 PPI) 120Hz
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus or X Elite
RAM: 16 or 32 GB
Storage: 256, 512GB or 1TB
Graphics: Qualcomm Adreno
Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Camera: 10.5MP rear, 12.2MP front, Windows Hello
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 2 x USB-4, Surface Connect
Size: 287 x 209 x 9.3mm
Weight: 895g (without keyboard)

Snapdragon Power

The tablet includes two USB4 ports and a Surface Connect port for charging and accessories, but lacks a headphone jack. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The transition to the Arm-based Snapdragon X Elite chip offers improved efficiency and performance over traditional Intel chips. Performance comparisons have shown promising results, with the Surface Pro 11 performing on par with top Intel chips and Apple’s M1.

In everyday use, the Surface Pro 11 is fast and responsive, running quietly most of the time. Battery life is comparable to its Intel-powered predecessor, lasting around 8 hours. However, under heavy workloads, the Surface Pro 11 with Snapdragon X Elite chip offers better battery life.

While many apps have been updated to work well on the new chip, there are still compatibility issues for some legacy software, resulting in slower performance. Additionally, certain Windows apps and games may not work at all on the new system, highlighting the need for further updates from software developers.

Paint’s Cocreator uses AI to enhance manual drawing, helping you turn rough outlines into impressive works of art. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The Surface Pro 11 also introduces new AI tools from Microsoft, such as Paint’s Cocreator system, offering unique creative capabilities. While these features add value, some AI functions may be limited by current implementation.

Sustainability

The tablet’s removable SSD is accessible through a small door on the back. Photo: Samuel Gibbs/The Guardian

The Surface Pro 11 demonstrates Microsoft’s commitment to sustainability, with 72% recycled materials incorporated into its design, including aluminum and rare earth metals. The company also offers repair services and recycling programs for old devices, contributing to a more environmentally-friendly approach.

Price

Starting prices for the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 range from £1,049 (€1,199/$999/AU$1,899) for the base model with Snapdragon X Plus and an LCD screen. The higher-end model with Snapdragon X Elite and an OLED screen starts at £1,549 (€1,799/$1,499/AU$2,699).

Keyboard options are available starting at £139.99 (€159.99 / $139.99 / AU$239.95), with the premium Flex keyboard priced at £340.

Verdict

The Surface Pro 11 raises the bar for Arm-based Windows tablets, offering a sleek, powerful, and quiet device. However, app compatibility remains a crucial factor in determining the overall user experience.

While the performance is commendable, the Surface Pro 11 falls short in delivering promised battery life improvements. The premium features like the OLED screen and Flex keyboard come at a steep price, which may deter some potential buyers.

Although Arm chips show promise for lightweight devices, issues with app compatibility and AI features indicate that there’s still work to be done to fully embrace this technology.

Strong Points: Great 120Hz OLED screen, impressive performance, quiet operation, USB4 connectivity, high-quality build, removable SSD, easy repairability.

Cons: High price, lack of included keyboard, app and accessory compatibility issues with Arm chips, absence of USB-A port, microSD card slot, or headphone jack, underwhelming AI features.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Is AI going to disrupt your favorite TV shows?

Posted on July 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Justine Bateman won’t name names, but a TV showrunner friend once came to her with a dilemma: Their team was well into shooting the second season of their show, and a network executive had an idea: A character in the pilot wasn’t going over well with viewers, so they wanted to replace him with a different character, using a bit of AI. The showrunner, and actor-director Bateman, were understandably furious. “When you change the beginning of something, you change the creative trajectory,” Bateman says. “It takes away what was set up in the pilot, and it doesn’t make sense, so people are going to be shocked when they see episodes three or four.” Using AI may have seemed like an easy solution for executives, but it was disastrous for the showrunners.

But AI is increasingly becoming a part of the TV industry, with potentially huge costs for the industry. WGA and SAG-Aftra made a big fuss about AI potentially taking jobs during last year’s Hollywood walkouts, but Recent Reports According to CVL Economics, 203,800 entertainment jobs in the US are likely to be “disrupted” by AI by 2026, making the technology a terrifying game changer for television and the entertainment industry as a whole.

While the use of AI is still considered something of a landmine in Hollywood, with most carefully avoiding public skepticism and the (rightful) perception that they’re replacing humans with computers, that doesn’t mean AI is already ubiquitous. “A lot of what people are calling ‘AI’ has been around for the last decade,” says Emily St. James, a TV writer, podcaster, and cultural critic. Disney+ is Speaker He transformed the hoarse voice of Mark Hamill, who was 68 years old at the time, into the voice of 20-year-old Luke Skywalker in The Mandalorian.

The B.B.C. Amazon-MGM Studios has admitted to using AI to create marketing materials (including some bizarrely inaccurate ones) for shows like Doctor Who and Fallout. AI image of Los AngelesAnd Banijay, the global conglomerate behind more than 200 reality TV shows, including Deal or No Deal and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Just released AI Creative Fund Create a new program. Already released Fake Showis an Italian series in which celebrities improvise comedy scenes generated by AI.

“AI doesn’t do quality work, AI just does a good enough job”… Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Photo: Landmark Media/AlamyThat doesn’t mean AI can produce entire shows, though. Not yet. “There’s still a big gap between machine learning simplifying technical processes in ways humans can’t and ‘dominating TV,'” St. James says. “Maybe I’m whistling past my grave, but I haven’t seen anything quite as convincing as the hype yet.”

Others agree, with creative director Lauren Fisher saying, “From what I’ve seen, all the pure ‘let’s have an AI do it all’ stuff is awful, but it’s novelty so I just admire it.” TV producer Benjamin Field adds, “AI can’t make quality stuff, it can only be good enough.” One showrunner quips anonymously, “AI will never replace good stuff, for the same reason that sex robots will never replace the real thing.”

“I think AI can do the mundane work,” says Guy Branum, a writer and producer who has worked on shows like Hacks, The Other Two, and The Mindy Project. “I was once tasked with writing the VMAs bios, which basically consisted of copying old bios and updating them to include current talent. ChatGPT could do that with the right oversight, but all it can really do is steal from existing work and summarize it in the most formulaic way.” But if a show has an established blueprint, like Big Brother, for example, then it’s a lot harder to write. Or for a show like “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” it may not be a question of “if” we’ll get to see AI-generated challenges and scripts, but rather “when.”

It’s more a question of “when” than “if,” but formulaic shows like Ru Paul’s Drag Race could soon be subject to AI material. Photo: Gerard Gethings and Greg BaileyBeing so reflective, most experts say AI probably won’t write great comedy, or at least topical satire like we see in shows like “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver.” Still, there are plenty of TV shows that aren’t sharp or timely, from Netflix dating shows to Hallmark Christmas movies, all of which could conceivably be influenced by AI material. Of course, more channels and streaming services mean more content, and it all has to be written by someone or something.

“In the next six to 12 months, you’re going to see FAST (free ad-supported TV) or social media channels develop AI content,” Field says. “It’s probably going to be made by minimal creators and there’s no real money being spent on it, but it’s going to be out there somewhere. It might do some funny stuff, but it’s not going to change the world. It’s just going to be cheaper and less good.”

But that doesn’t mean creators are grudgingly embracing the technology. Field himself Co-founded the company They’re dedicated to creating “ethical, policy-based” synthetic media. “We’re in a terrible situation where budgets are being cut and AI has the ability to create content cheaper and faster,” Field said. “I don’t necessarily see it as something that’s going to force us into a corner and take away all our jobs, but I do think that as an industry we need to do better and work towards the future in a more sustainable way. Let’s take all the tools that are available to us and use them to create something new.”

Other creators are trying to thwart the rise of AI. Voice Actors Guild of America Nava has taken an active stance against the mistreatment of the group by overzealous executives and producers, and they’re not only working to change the voice-over industry, but lobbying the U.S. Congress for legal protections. Anti-Counterfeiting Law And that AI Fraud Prevention ActBoth are currently in the legislative process.

Television shows that are neither crisp nor timely are perfect for AI processing… Love is Blind. Photo: NetflixUnder copyright law, unlike a person’s name, portrait, or likeness, Currently not covered A person’s voice is a “voiceprint” of just three seconds. Credible copy using AI(In 2020, it would have taken roughly six hours of audio to achieve the same results.) This has resulted in some high-profile upsets. Scarlett Johansson was “infuriated” after learning that ChatGPT had used a voice that was “eerily similar to mine, so similar that close friends and the press couldn’t tell the difference” without her consent. Amazing deepfakesSome of them used fake voiceovers of President Biden to discourage people from voting in state primaries.

In the entertainment world, these cheap and easy voiceprints have made it much faster to get a busy actor to re-record a few lines, but also allowed companies to create large volumes of dialogue using an actor’s existing work. Veteran BAFTA-winning voice actor Cissy Jones says that a few years ago she found her voice in multiple productions on multiple websites, despite never having contributed to a single project. Fans of her show, The Owl House, were editing videos using her voice, saying lines she never recorded, which “quickly became quite pornographic,” she says.

“This was done without my consent and of course with no control over how it was used and no compensation whatsoever,” Jones said, adding that even though he’s an adult, he would be particularly troubled if such AI creations used the voices of child actors. “You can imagine that this is happening soon.” Jones’ voice was fed into an AI engine, and Jones said he had heard the sound engineer was asked to do so by the client to save money on script changes. They want voice actors to be able to decide whether they want a digital replica of their voice, and whether they have control and compensation every time their voice is used. To this end, the group Etoboxit has its own database of actors’ voiceprints, all of which are available for creators to use.

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After newsletter promotionThough fan edits using Jones’ voice aren’t allowed, some are optimistic that AI might create alternate-universe versions of fan-favorite shows. While the idea of studios being able to churn out new episodes of “I Love Lucy” or “The Brady Bunch” may seem odd from an artistic standpoint, some are hopeful that animated series like “The Simpsons” and “South Park” will see the value (and revenue potential) in letting fans make their own “episodes.”

“Maybe you’ll say, ‘Please put me in that episode. I want to be friends with the main character’… You could be on The Simpsons in no time.” Edward Saatchi, CEO Fable Simulationhis company says. Showrunner The company wants to put TV production in the hands of viewers. “Maybe you’re at home and you finish watching a particular season of a TV show,” he said. “You click to watch the next episode and you say, ‘I want to be in that episode. I want to be friends with the main character,’ or, ‘I want it to be roughly like this.’ We want to make it easier for you to tell original stories and make a TV show about your life.”

The showrunners also produce their own original programming, including: Deguchi Valleyis a satirical animated series that “stars” Silicon Valley billionaires. It has already released two episodes and is calling on its 1,000 users (7,500 on a waiting list) to create more. Users can enter prompts of 10-15 words to create full-scale scenes that run from 2 to 16 minutes. A jury of filmmakers and creators will be selected to choose the 20 best episodes, and Saatchi said the episode creators will receive a cash prize and a cut of stream revenue.

“We want to create something that will stand the test of time,” Saatchi said. “It has to be plausible that you’d love to sit down with your friends and watch that episode of Exit Valley. It has to be believable that it’s actually cool, not just because it was made by an AI.”

So-called amateur creators also dominate other markets with 295 million subscribers. Netflix Being watched around the world Mr. BeastCheck out our YouTube channel every week. The most popular stars Presenting the latest work Unconventional In fact, YouTube is already the most popular streaming service on TV, accounting for roughly 10% of U.S. connected TV viewership, more than any other service, an estimated 4.95 billion active users World wide.

“Traditional TV is already being disrupted,” says cultural critic and media expert Doug Shapiro. “For years, the argument has been that YouTube isn’t competitive and isn’t professionally producing content. But that 10% doesn’t even reflect mobile or PC viewing; it’s the percentage of people turning on the TV in their living room and watching YouTube. Disruption from below is already happening. The real question now with AI is whether these tools will add fuel to the fire and drive the tens of millions of creators who are already making their own content even further up the quality and performance curve, increasingly competing with Hollywood for people’s time.”

“To use a Game of Thrones analogy, Netflix vs. Disney is like House Targaryen vs. House Lannister, except there’s an army of the dead at the wall: tens of millions of individual creators,” Shapiro added.

As professionally produced content becomes interchangeable with consumer and AI-produced content, this sea change could have far-reaching effects on Hollywood beyond the loss of 200,000 jobs. If DIY AI TV becomes widespread, it could turn the entire concept of television upside down, upending art and fame as we know it. Or, as Saatchi puts it, if AI continues to make its way into TV, “you won’t get your 15 minutes of fame. You’ll get seven seasons and a syndication deal.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

Study shows that snacking on baby carrots can have positive impacts on health

Posted on June 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A recent study has shown that including just three baby carrots in your weekly diet can boost levels of beneficial carotenoids in your skin, particularly in young people.

These findings suggest that making small changes to your diet can have a significant impact on your health.

Researchers at Samford University conducted a study that revealed how incorporating baby carrots into your diet can increase carotenoids in your skin, which have various health benefits. When baby carrots were combined with a multivitamin containing beta-carotene, the levels of carotenoids in the skin increased even more significantly.

Carotenoids are compounds responsible for the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables like red, orange, and yellow. They can only be obtained through diet and are used as an indicator of fruit and vegetable intake.

According to Mary Harper Simmons, a nutrition master’s student at Samford University and the study author, higher carotenoid intake leads to higher levels of antioxidants in the body, reducing inflammation and lowering the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

Previous research has shown that consuming three times the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables for three weeks can increase carotenoids in the skin. This study aimed to create a convenient snack rich in carotenoids that people enjoy.

Results of the study were presented at the American Academy of Nutrition’s annual meeting in Chicago. Participants were randomly assigned to different dietary intervention groups, including consuming baby carrots, a multivitamin supplement, or a combination of both. The group that ate baby carrots saw a 10.8% increase in skin carotenoid scores, while the combination group had a 21.6% increase.

Going forward, the research team plans to explore different populations and other carotenoid-rich foods like sweet potatoes and green leafy vegetables.

About our experts

Mary Harper Simmons: A master’s student in nutrition at Samford University and presenter of the talk “Effect of a 4-week intervention with baby carrots or a multivitamin supplement on skin carotenoid scores in young adults” at the NUTRITION 2024 conference.

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Research shows active hydrothermal systems on small ocean planets have the potential to sustain life

Posted on June 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Ocean worlds are planetary bodies with liquid oceans, often beneath an icy shell or within rocky interiors. In our solar system, several moons of Jupiter and Saturn are ocean worlds. Some ocean worlds are thought to have hydrothermal circulation, where water, rocks, and heat combine to pump and expel fluids to the ocean floor. Hydrothermal circulation influences the chemical composition of the water and rocks of ocean worlds and may help life develop deep beneath the icy surface. In a new study, planetary researchers used computer simulations of hydrothermal circulation based on well-understood systems on Earth to measure the effects of low gravity at values appropriate for ocean worlds smaller than our home planet. Simulations of ocean worlds with (lower) gravity result in fluid circulation that is roughly similar to that which occurs above and below the ocean floor on Earth, but with some key differences. Low gravity reduces buoyancy, so fluids do not become lighter as they heat up, which reduces their flow rate. This increases the temperature of the circulating fluids, which could lead to more extensive chemical reactions, possibly including those necessary to support life.

This diagram shows how Cassini scientists think rocks and water at the bottom of Enceladus’ ocean interact to produce hydrogen gas. Image courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/Southwest Research Institute.

Rock-heat-fluid systems were discovered on the Earth’s ocean floor in the 1970s, where scientists observed releases of fluids carrying heat, particles, and chemicals.

Many of the vents were surrounded by a novel ecosystem, including specialized bacterial mats, red and white tube worms and heat-sensing shrimp.

For the new study, Professor Andrew Fisher from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and his colleagues used a complex computer model based on the hydrothermal cycle that occurs on Earth.

After varying variables such as gravity, heat, rock properties and depth of fluid circulation, the researchers found that hydrothermal vents could persist under a wide range of conditions.

If these flows occurred on an ocean world like Jupiter’s moon Europa, they could increase the chances of life surviving there as well.

“This study suggests that extraterrestrial ocean worlds may have supported low-temperature (but not hot enough for life) hydrothermal systems on timescales similar to those it took for life to become established on Earth,” Prof Fischer said.

The ocean circulation system on which the researchers based their computer model was discovered on the 3.5-million-year-old seafloor of the northwest Pacific Ocean, east of the Juan de Fuca Ridge.

There, cold undersea water flows through an extinct volcano (seamount), travels about 30 miles (48.3 km) underground, and then flows out into the ocean through another seamount.

“As water flows, it picks up heat, it’s warmer than when it entered, and its chemistry changes dramatically,” says Kristin Dickerson, a doctoral student at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

“The flow from seamount to seamount is driven by buoyancy – as water warms it becomes less dense and as it cools it becomes more dense,” Prof Fischer added.

“The difference in density creates a difference in fluid pressure within the rock, and the system is sustained by the flow itself. So as long as there is enough heat supplied and the rock properties allow for sufficient fluid circulation, the system will keep running. We call this a hydrothermal siphon.”

“Hot vent systems are primarily driven by sub-sea volcanism, while the Earth’s ocean floor experiences large amounts of fluid flowing in and out at much cooler conditions, driven primarily by Earth’s background cooling.”

“The flow of water through low-temperature vents is equivalent to all the rivers and streams on Earth in terms of the volume of water released, and accounts for about a quarter of the Earth’s heat loss.”

“About every 500,000 years, the entire volume of ocean water is pumped up and out of the ocean floor.”

Many previous studies of the hydrothermal circulation on Europa and Enceladus have considered hotter fluids.

“Cartoons and other illustrations often depict undersea systems that are similar to Earth’s black smokers, where cooler currents could occur just as much or even more than they do on Earth,” said Dr Donna Blackman from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The results show that in very low gravity, such as on the ocean floor of Enceladus, the circulation can continue at low to moderate temperatures for millions or billions of years.

This could help explain why small ocean planets can have long-lived fluid circulation systems beneath their seafloors despite limited heating: the inefficiency of heat extraction could extend their lifetimes considerably, potentially for the entire lifetime of the solar system.

Scientists acknowledge that it is uncertain when active hydrothermal systems will be directly observed on the ocean planet’s seafloor.

The distance from Earth and physical characteristics pose significant technical challenges for spacecraft missions.

“It is therefore essential to make the most of the available data, much of which is remotely collected, and to leverage the understanding gained from decades of detailed study of the analog Earth system,” the authors concluded.

their paper Published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets.

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A.T. Fisher others2024. Gravitational maintenance of hydrothermal circulation in relation to the ocean world. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets 129(6):e2023JE008202; doi:10.1029/2023JE008202

Source: www.sci.news

Report shows pollution in Seine River still poses danger to Olympic athletes

Posted on June 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

With just over a month until the Olympics begin, pollution levels in Paris’ River Seine remain too dangerous for Olympic athletes to compete, according to a city monitoring report.

of Report finds elevated levels of E. coli Routine samples taken at several points along the Seine between June 10 and 16 contained toxins that are indicators of fecal matter.

During the Olympics, Paris plans to have athletes compete on the Seine River. Marathon swimming and Triathlon EventThe first event, the men’s triathlon, is scheduled for July 30th. According to the Associated Press.

To make this possible, Paris has spent about $1.5 billion cleaning up the city’s aging sewer system, which drains water into the river during heavy rains. But a new report suggests those efforts may not have been enough.

The International Olympic Committee and Paris 2024, the local organizing body in Paris, did not immediately respond to inquiries from NBC News.

Last year, test events for triathlon and marathon swimming were held on the Seine. Designed to ensure the Olympic Games run smoothly — The service was halted in August after the river failed pollution tests.

Weather can play a big role in the Seine’s pollution: Unusual rainfall in May and rainy days last week caused a significant drop in water quality, according to a new report, along with a lack of sunny days and periods of low water flow, which help reduce bacteria.

“The sun inactivates bacteria,” says Helena Solo-Gabriel, a professor in the University of Miami’s Department of Chemical, Environmental and Materials Engineering.

Solo-Gabriele added that if fecal matter in the water where athletes swim exceeds safety standards, it could cause gastrointestinal illness.

The situation on the Seine has been monitored for several months. Non-profit organization Surfrider Foundation Europe It released its own results from six months of testing and found that nearly all samples failed to meet acceptable levels of E. coli and enterococcus, two types of bacteria that scientists typically test for in fecal samples.

“High bacteria counts mean there’s too much waste in the water, and waste carries bacteria that can make people sick,” says Daniel Nyzgorski, an ecologist who monitors water quality in King County, Washington.

But he added that many people don’t realize that most strains of E. coli are harmless, and studies show that swimming-related illnesses rarely result in hospitalization.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and French President Emmanuel Macron have promised to swim in the Seine to prove its water is clean, but have yet to do so.

Paris is not the first city to face a bacterial problem during the Olympics. AP analysis Levels of viruses and bacteria from fecal contamination at Olympic venues in Rio de Janeiro were found to be 1.7 million times higher than levels considered safe on some U.S. beaches. Brazilian government and IOC officials acknowledged that the water was contaminated but said the sites where athletes were competing met World Health Organization standards. According to the New York Times:.

“There’s a lot of polluted water out there. It’s a problem wherever there’s urbanization and the environment doesn’t have the natural flow that dilutes the bacteria,” Solo-Gabriel said.

Experts said the Olympics bring particular attention to these challenges every four years.

“Hopefully this case will bring attention to the problem of river pollution that we need to address not just for Olympic athletes, but for everyday people,” said Karen Levy, a professor at the University of Washington’s School of Environmental and Occupational Health.

NBC News is a unit of NBCUniversal, which owns U.S. media rights to the Olympics through 2032, including the 2024 Paris Games, which begin July 26.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Study shows wave activity causing erosion along the coastlines of Titan’s largest lakes and oceans

Posted on June 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, is the only known planet other than Earth that still retains liquid water. Liquid hydrocarbons fed by rain from Titan’s thick atmosphere form rivers, lakes, and oceans, most of which are found in the polar regions. In a new study, a team of MIT geologists surveyed Titan’s coastline and found that the moon’s large lakes and oceans were likely formed by waves.

Artist’s rendering of the surface of Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. Image by Benjamin de Bivort, debivort.org / CC BY-SA 3.0.

The existence of waves on Titan has been a somewhat controversial topic ever since NASA’s Cassini spacecraft discovered liquid puddles on Titan’s surface.

“Some people who have looked for evidence of waves haven’t seen any waves at all and have said, ‘The ocean is as smooth as a mirror,'” said Dr. Rose Palermo, a geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. “Others have said they saw some roughness in the water but didn’t know if it was caused by waves.”

“Knowing whether there is wave activity in Titan’s oceans can provide scientists with information about the moon’s climate, including the strength of the winds that generate such waves.”

“Wave information could also help scientists predict how the shape of Titan’s ocean will change over time.”

“Rather than looking for direct signs of wave-like features in Titan images, we wanted to take a different approach and see if just looking at the shape of the coastline could tell us what it is that is eroding the coast.”

Titan’s oceans are thought to have formed when rising waters flooded a landscape crisscrossed by river valleys.

The researchers zeroed in on three scenarios for what happened next: no coastal erosion, wave-driven erosion, and uniform erosion caused by either dissolution, where liquids passively dissolve coastal material, or a mechanism where the coast gradually peels away under its own weight.

They simulated how different coastline shapes would change under each of the three scenarios.

To simulate wave erosion, the researchers took into account a variable called “fetch,” which describes the physical distance from one point on the shoreline to the other side of a lake or ocean.

“Wave erosion depends on the height and angle of the waves,” Dr Palermo said.

“We used the fetch to estimate wave height because the bigger the fetch, the further away the wind will blow and the bigger the waves will be.”

Cassini observed Titan’s surface with microwaves and found several grooves that are deep canyons filled with liquid hydrocarbons, including Vid Fulmina, a branching network of thin lines in the upper left quadrant of the image. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASI.

To test how coastline shape would differ between the three scenarios, the scientists started with a simulated ocean area with a flooded river valley all around it.

For wave erosion, we calculated the fetch distance from every point along the coastline to every other point and converted that distance to wave height.

They then ran simulations to see how waves would erode the original shoreline over time.

They compared this to how the same coastline would change due to erosion caused by uniform erosion.

The authors repeated this comparative modelling for hundreds of different initial shoreline configurations.

They found that the shape of the termini varies greatly depending on the underlying mechanism.

Most notably, uniform erosion produced a bulging shoreline that was evenly distributed all around, even in flooded river valleys, whereas wave erosion smoothed out portions of the shoreline exposed primarily to long downstream distances, leaving the flooded valleys narrow and rough.

“Although the initial coastline was the same, we found that uniform erosion and wave erosion resulted in very different final shapes,” Dr Perron said.

“Although it looks like a flying spaghetti monster because of the flooded river valley, the endpoints created by the two types of erosion are very different.”

This image is a composite of images taken during two flybys of Titan in 2006. A large circular feature near the center of Titan’s disk may be the remnant of a very old impact basin. The mountain range southeast of the circular feature and the long, dark linear feature northwest of the old impact site may be the result of deformation of Titan’s crust caused by energy released when the impact occurred. Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona.

Dr. Perron and his colleagues verified their results by comparing their simulation results with actual lakes on Earth.

They found the same shape differences between Earth’s lakes known to have been eroded by waves and those affected by homogeneous erosion, such as dissolved limestone.

Their modelling revealed distinct and distinctive shapes depending on the mechanism by which the shoreline evolved.

So they wondered: Where does Titan’s coastline fit into these distinctive shapes?

In particular, they focused on four of Titan’s largest and best-mapped oceans: Kraken Mare, which is comparable in size to the Caspian Sea; Ligeia Mare, which is larger than Lake Superior; Punga Mare, which is longer than Lake Victoria; and Lake Ontario, which is about 20% the size of the land-based lake of the same name.

The researchers used Cassini’s radar images to map the coastlines of each of Titan’s oceans, and then applied their model to the coastlines of each ocean to see which erosion mechanisms best explain their shape.

They found that all four oceans fit closely to the wave-induced erosion model, meaning that waves created the closest coastlines to Titan’s four oceans.

“We found that when the shoreline is eroding, its shape is more consistent with wave-driven erosion than uniform erosion or no erosion,” Dr Perron said.

Scientists are trying to figure out how strong Titan’s winds would need to be to churn up waves strong enough to repeatedly scrape away the shoreline.

They also hope to learn from the shape of Titan’s coastline which direction the winds primarily blow from.

“Titan shows us that this case is completely pristine,” Dr. Palermo said.

“It may help us learn more fundamental things about how coasts erode without human influence, which in turn may help us better manage coastlines around the world in the future.”

of Investigation result Published in today’s journal Scientific advances.

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Rose V. Palermo others2024. Evidence of wave erosion on Titan’s coast. Scientific advances 10(25); Source: 10.1126/sciadv.adn4192

Source: www.sci.news

Malaria drug shows promise in treating polycystic ovary syndrome

Posted on June 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The malaria drug artemisinin is extracted from the plant wormwood.

Frederick J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

A drug already used to treat malaria may also be effective in treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

A small study of 19 women with PCOS found that the commonly used drug artemisinin improved menstrual cycle regularity and reduced high testosterone levels that are common in PCOS patients.

The underlying cause of PCOS is unknown, but it is linked to several hormonal imbalances, including excess testosterone produced by the ovaries, which can lead to symptoms like irregular menstrual periods, infertility, and increased acne and body hair.

Affected people also tend to have reduced sensitivity to insulin, the hormone that regulates sugar, which leads to weight gain and exacerbates the hormonal imbalance.

Currently, PCOS patients are treated individually depending on their symptoms, for example undergoing laser treatments to remove body hair or taking birth control pills to regularize menstruation.

While investigating the effects of various drugs on fat cells in mice, Chi Kun Tang Researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, China, found that artemisinin reduced symptoms in mice with PCOS-like conditions.

His team then gave 19 women with PCOS artemisinin for three months and found that all of them experienced a drop in testosterone levels, and most also saw a reduction in another substance called anti-Müllerian hormone. Associated with PCOSTwelve of the participants also experienced more regular menstrual cycles after taking the drug.

In other studies using mouse and human cells, the team found that artemisinin could reduce testosterone production in the ovaries.

Stephen Franks The Imperial College London researcher says that although the 19 women had a healthy BMI on average, weight loss tends to reduce PCOS symptoms, suggesting that artemisinin may work through another mechanism: improving insulin sensitivity. “If the results are as positive in a randomized trial as they are in this pilot study, it would be exciting,” he says.

Elisabeth Stener-Victorin Researchers at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, say the fact that artemisinin is already generally safe when used to treat malaria means that it could soon be repurposed as a new treatment for PCOS.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

New discovery shows scimitar-toothed cat Homotherium found in new locations

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paleontologists from the University of Texas at Austin and other institutions have discovered fragments of the jaw of a feline with scimitar teeth. Homotherium McFaddin Beach, Texas. Homotherium from the continental shelf of the Gulf of Mexico. The topography may have formed a broad subtropical gulf coastal corridor that facilitated the dispersal of Neotropical species along the coast between Texas and Florida. The associated fauna at McFaddin Beach includes Neotropical mammals common to South Texas and Florida, Homotherium It was a type of animal that lived in the Gulf Coast Corridor during the Late Pleistocene.

Homotherium serumImage credit: Sergiodlarosa / CC BY-SA 3.0.

Homotherium It is an extinct genus of scimitar-toothed cat that lived in the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs, from about 4 million to 12,000 years ago.

These animals are large, sturdy cats about the size of a jaguar, with elongated faces, long, slender front legs, and sloping backs that end in short, cropped tails.

Their serrated canines were covered with large gum tissue, similar to that of modern domestic dogs.

Their fossils have been found in several areas of Texas, but the newly discovered remains show for the first time that the big cats roamed the now-submerged continental shelf between Texas and Florida.

“This region was a neotropical corridor,” said John Moretti, a doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin, and his colleagues.

“Animals that couldn't move any further north, such as capybaras and giant armadillos, used these moist grasslands to migrate from Mexico to Texas and Florida.”

In this fossil specimen Homotherium Moretti's research otherstwo teeth are visible at the bottom: an incisor and the tip of a partially evolved canine. Scale bar – 1 cm. Image courtesy of Sam Houston State University.

The fossils studied by the team were discovered more than 60 years ago. McFaddin BeachIt was written by Professor Russell Long of Lamar University, south of Beaumont.

“The fossil appears to consist of a few exposed teeth in a rugged, rounded rock that appears slightly damaged after being submerged and tumbling on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico for thousands of years before washing up on the shore,” the researchers said.

“But when we X-rayed the fossil, we found more than met the eye: hidden canines that had not yet erupted from the jawbone.”

“That was the information we needed to identify the fossils as belonging to a specific organism. HomotheriumIt is a genus of large cats that roamed large areas of the Earth for millions of years.”

“This cat wasn't fully developed when it died, so its characteristic sabre-shaped canines hadn't fallen out of place. The teeth were still nestled inside the jaw, protecting them from the environment.”

“If the sabre teeth had been fully developed and in their adult form, rather than during the awkward period of their mid-teens, they would have broken right away,” Moretti said.

“It wouldn't have been there and it couldn't have been used as evidence.”

“The discovery Homotherium “Studying the animals that lived along this corridor gives scientists a glimpse into the local ecosystem during the Late Pleistocene,” he added.

“These large carnivores, like cats, helped shape the wider animal community, suppressing prey populations and impacting local biodiversity.”

of result Published in Anatomy record.

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John A. Moretti othersScimitar Cat Homotherium From the submerged continental shelf of the Gulf Coast of Texas. Anatomy recordPublished online April 23, 2024, doi: 10.1002/ar.25461

Source: www.sci.news

Study shows ability to capture solar radiation at 1,922 degrees Fahrenheit

Posted on May 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

As the world focuses on decarbonizing power and transportation, reducing heat emissions from industrial processes remains a challenge. Although using solar energy is an attractive alternative, current solar converters have poor performance and are expensive when process temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit) are required. In a new study, scientists at ETH Zurich show that the heat-trapping effect caused by exposing common translucent materials (such as quartz or water) to solar radiation absorbs sunlight by suppressing radiation losses at high temperatures. We have shown how the viability of the photoreceiver can be increased. They demonstrated this effect experimentally at industrially relevant temperatures of 1,050 degrees Celsius (1,922 degrees Fahrenheit).

Casati other. The solar capture effect was experimentally demonstrated at temperatures as high as 1,050 degrees Celsius. They performed stagnation experiments under concentrated thermal radiation and achieved a steady-state temperature difference of about 600 degrees Celsius between the absorber and the outer surface by using quartz as a volumetric absorption medium.Image credit: Casati other., doi: 10.1016/j.device.2024.100399.

“To tackle climate change, we need to decarbonize energy in general,” said Dr. Emiliano Casati, a researcher at ETH Zurich.

“Electricity can only be thought of as energy, but in reality, about half of that energy is used as heat.”

Glass, steel, cement, and ceramics are at the heart of modern civilization, essential to the construction of everything from car engines to skyscrapers.

However, manufacturing these materials requires temperatures in excess of 1,000 degrees Celsius and relies heavily on the combustion of fossil fuels for heat. These industries account for approximately 25% of global energy consumption.

Researchers have been exploring clean energy alternatives using solar receivers that concentrate and store heat with thousands of sun-tracking mirrors.

However, this technology has difficulty transmitting solar energy efficiently at temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius.

To increase the efficiency of solar receivers, Dr. Casati and his colleagues turned to translucent materials such as quartz that can trap sunlight. This is a phenomenon called the thermal trap effect.

The researchers created a heat-trapping device by attaching synthetic quartz rods to opaque silicon disks as energy absorbers.

When the device was exposed to an energy flux equivalent to 136 solar rays, the absorber plate reached a temperature of 1,050 degrees Celsius, while the other end of the quartz rod remained at 600 degrees Celsius (1,112 degrees Fahrenheit).

“Previous studies have only been able to demonstrate heat-trapping effects up to 170 degrees Celsius (338 degrees Fahrenheit),” Dr. Casati said.

“Our research shows that solar heat capture works not only at low temperatures, but also at temperatures well above 1,000 degrees Celsius. This is very important to demonstrate its potential in real-world industrial applications. is.”

The scientists also simulated the heat-trapping efficiency of quartz under various conditions using a heat transfer model.

The model showed that the heat trap achieves the target temperature at a lower concentration with the same performance, or the same concentration and higher thermal efficiency.

For example, a state-of-the-art (unshielded) receiver has an efficiency of 40% at 1,200 degrees Celsius (2,192 degrees Fahrenheit) and a concentration of 500 suns.

A 300 mm quartz shielded receiver achieves 70% efficiency at the same temperature and concentration.

A concentration of at least 1,000 suns is required for equivalent performance with an unshielded receiver.

The authors are currently optimizing the heat trapping effect and investigating new applications of the method. So far, their research is promising.

By studying other materials, such as various fluids and gases, even higher temperatures could be reached.

They also noted that the ability of these translucent materials to absorb light and radiation is not limited to solar radiation.

“Energy issues are fundamental to the survival of our society,” Dr. Casati said.

“Solar energy is readily available and the technology already exists.”

“To truly accelerate industry adoption, we need to demonstrate the economic viability and benefits of this technology at scale.”

The team's results were published online today. journal device.

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Emiliano Casati other. Captures solar heat over 1,000℃. device, published online on May 15, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.device.2024.100399

Source: www.sci.news

Research shows that foxes are less likely to sustain injuries while diving in the snow due to their elongated nose

Posted on May 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Certain fox species dive into the snow to catch prey. This is a hunting mechanism called rat hunting. Red fox (Vulpes Vulpes Vulpes) and arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) It can dive into the snow at a speed of 2-4m/s. Scientists at Cornell University have found in a new study that a highly curved, elongated snout generates less impact force when it penetrates the snow, reducing the chance of injury in a crash. This skull shape allows the fox to reach deep into the snow, giving it an advantage in catching small rodents at greater depths. As a result, the authors predict that red and arctic foxes living in snow-covered areas will have higher hunting success when hunting mice in the snow.

Yuku other. They studied a hunting technique employed by red foxes and arctic foxes known as mousing. In this hunting technique, they dive headfirst into the snow to capture their prey. Image credit: Yellowstone National Park.

The red fox and the arctic fox dive into the snow to catch their prey. This behavior is known as mouse trapping.

These foxes can locate animals under several feet of snow due to their excellent sensitivity to rustling sounds that peak at frequencies between 2 and 10 kHz.

The fox senses the location of its prey and quickly dives into the snow at 2 to 4 meters per second, catching it completely by surprise.

Previous studies investigated this mouse behavior in terms of diving mechanisms and success rates.

Red foxes tended to jump in a northeast direction, and hunting success was much higher when foxes jumped in this direction compared to all other directions, suggesting that foxes take advantage of the Earth's magnetic field. It was suggested that they were hunting.

However, the mechanical aspects of snow diving, which are also important for hunting success, are not well understood.

“The fox's sharp snout does not compact the snow significantly and penetrates it with little resistance,” said Professor Seong-Hwan Jeong, a researcher in Cornell University's Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering.

In the study, Professor Jung and his colleagues scanned the skulls of foxes and arctic foxes, as well as lynx and puma skulls.

They 3D printed skulls and attached sensors to each to measure impact forces.

The skulls were then dropped into both snow and water, and the researchers fed the data into a computer model to compare the effects of both.

Researchers found that the fox's sharp nose penetrates the snow with little resistance, minimizing potential tissue damage when diving headfirst.

Professor Chong said, “Despite the high-speed impact, snow behaves like water if it is not compressed very much.''

“However, the flattened feline's snout compacted the snow upon impact, creating significant and potentially damaging drag.”

When targeting mice in the snow, the fox's long snout allows it to reach its prey faster, since the mouse is very sensitive to surrounding movements and can quickly escape.

Other behavioral studies have shown that foxes listen for the rustling of mice and other animals beneath the snow by shaking their heads before plunging, thereby gauging the depth of the sound source.

“Although this is a very dangerous process, there have been no reports of foxes being injured,” Professor Chong said.

Regarding this research, paper inside Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Jisoo Yuk other. 2024. Effects of skull morphology on fox snowdiving. PNAS 121 (19): e2321179121; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2321179121

Source: www.sci.news

Zircuit staking reaches over $2 billion TVL in only 2 months – Blockchain Updates, Insights, Shows, Careers

Posted on April 25, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

George Town, Grand Cayman, April 23, 2024, Chainwire

jill kitthe ZK rollup with parallel circuits and AI-enabled security was announced today. staking program In just two months, TVL has soared to over $2 billion.

As Zircuit progresses toward mainnet, ZK Rollup's staking program is rapidly gaining momentum, amassing over $2 billion in TVL in just two short months. Zircuit staking allows users to earn his Zircuit points by depositing assets and transfer those assets to her Zircuit's mainnet at launch. Users can earn Zircuit points by depositing ETH, Liquid Staking Tokens (LST), Liquid Restaking Tokens (LRT), and USDe (Ethena USD).

In March, Zircuit launched its Build to Earn program to encourage builders, founders, and community members to contribute to the Zircuit ecosystem. He has already received more than 1,000 applications for the program. Zircuit's growing pre-launch TVL and community allows approved projects to gain user engagement and benefit from a rich developer experience in one of the fastest growing L2s. Additionally, developers and ecosystem contributors who participate in Zircuit's Build to Earn program can receive rewards for their approved contributions. Projects that join Zircuit through Build to Earn will join a growing list of top-tier launch partners, including Ethena, Ether.fi, KelpDAO, Renzo, Hashflow, Galxe, Elixir, Blocto, Eigenpie, and more.

Zircuit is currently in testnet and plans to launch mainnet in summer 2024.

To participate in Build to Earn, users can visit: https://build.zircuit.com/

To participate in Zircuit staking, users can access: https://stake.zircuit.com/

About Jill Kit

Zircuit is a ZK rollup with parallelized circuitry and AI-enabled security at the sequencer level. Built by a team of Web3 security veterans and PhDs in computer science, algorithms, and cryptography, Zircuit is backed by Pantera Capital, Dragonfly Capital, and Maelstrom. If you want to know more, please visit here zircuit.com Or follow us on Twitter/X @Zircuit2

contact

jessica graber
jill kit
jessica@zircuit.com

Source: www.the-blockchain.com

Fallout’s success shows that video game adaptations have become mainstream on TV.

Posted on April 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

IIn its initial days after release, Fallout, the Prime Video series based on the popular post-apocalyptic video game franchise, quickly became a global sensation. Topping the UK charts and ranking as one of the top three most-watched titles on Prime, it garnered widespread acclaim. This success led to Amazon announcing the renewal of the show for a second season within just one week of its global release across 240 countries and territories.

Amazon stated, “The expectations were high among fans of this iconic video game, and we are pleased to have exceeded them so far, attracting millions of new followers to the series.”

The triumph of Fallout, set two centuries after a nuclear catastrophe and featuring Ella Purnell, Kyle MacLachlan, and Aaron Moten, signifies the rise of video game adaptations into mainstream entertainment. Recent successes like HBO’s The Last of Us and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which grossed $1.36 billion, highlight the increasing prominence of game-inspired content.

Rhys Elliott, a games industry analyst, compared game adaptations to superhero films, noting a shift towards gaming IP in Hollywood. The positive response to titles like Fallout and The Last of Us suggests a growing acceptance of gaming narratives in mainstream media.

Upcoming projects such as a Minecraft movie and a The Legend of Zelda adaptation by Margot Robbie reflect the industry’s evolving interest in gaming IP. The success of recent adaptations has debunked the myth of a curse surrounding game-to-film transitions, attributing it to faithful storytelling and star-studded productions.

Jonathan Nolan’s involvement in Fallout, driven by his passion for the game, underscores a new era where filmmakers appreciate the essence of gaming narratives. This collaboration between game developers and seasoned filmmakers has redefined the landscape of video game adaptations.

The shift towards gaming IP signifies a significant change in the industry’s approach to adapting video games. As Hollywood embraces this newfound gold rush, film studios are learning to leverage the global appeal of game franchises for successful adaptations.

Despite past misfires, recent successes have instilled confidence in the potential of video game adaptations. With a focus on engaging a broad audience and respecting the source material, these projects are redefining the narrative surrounding game-to-film transitions.

Source: www.theguardian.com

New study shows tardigrades display unusual responses to ionizing radiation

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Tardigrades can withstand amazing amounts of ionizing radiation, about 1,000 times more lethal than humans. How they do so is not fully understood. In a new study, scientists at the University of North Carolina found that tardigrade species Hypsibius exemplaris Gamma irradiation causes DNA damage, but that damage can be repaired. This study shows that this species has a specific and strong response to ionizing radiation. In short, irradiation induces rapid upregulation of many DNA repair genes.

Artist's impression of tardigrade species Hypsibius exemplaris.

First discovered in 1773, tardigrades are a diverse group of microscopic invertebrates famous for their ability to withstand extreme conditions.

Also known as tardigrades or moss piglets, they can live up to 60 years, grow to a maximum size of 0.5 mm, and are best seen under a microscope.

Tardigrades can survive for up to 30 years without food or water at temperatures as low as -272 degrees Celsius (-457 degrees Fahrenheit) or as hot as 150 degrees Celsius (-302 degrees Fahrenheit) and for a few minutes at temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius. can. Minus 4 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit) continues for decades.

It can withstand pressures from virtually 0 atmospheres in outer space to 1,200 atmospheres at the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

It is also resistant to radiation levels up to 5,000-6,200 Gy.

“What we saw surprised us. Tardigrades are behaving in ways we didn’t expect,” said researcher Professor Bob Goldstein from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In their research, Professor Goldstein and his colleagues Hypsibius exemplaris Tardigrades can also withstand strong radiation.

The researchers found that although tardigrades are not immune to DNA damage, and that radiation damages their DNA, tardigrades can repair extensive damage.

They were surprised to discover that tardigrades can increase production of DNA repair genes.

Unlike humans, they are able to produce extremely high levels of DNA repair gene products, making them some of the most abundant gene products of any animal.

“These animals have an incredible response to radiation, and that seems to be the secret to their extreme survivability,” said Dr. Courtney Clark-Hachtel, a researcher at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Ta.

“What we’re learning about how tardigrades overcome radiation stress could lead to new ideas about how we try to protect other animals and microorganisms from harmful radiation. “

of findings appear in the diary current biology.

_____

Courtney M. Clark Hucktell other.Tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris Dramatically upregulates DNA repair pathway genes in response to ionizing radiation. current biology, published online on April 12, 2024. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.019

Source: www.sci.news

Study shows workplace AI, robots, and trackers have a negative impact on overall well-being

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A groundbreaking study by the Institute for Work think tank has revealed that exposure to new technologies like trackers, robots, and AI-based software in the workplace has a negative impact on people’s quality of life.

Conducted through a survey of over 6,000 individuals, the study focused on the health impacts of four categories of technologies that are increasingly prevalent in various industries.

The research found that increased exposure to technology in areas such as AI, machine learning-based software, surveillance devices like wearable trackers, and robotics had a detrimental effect on the health and well-being of workers.

On the other hand, the use of established information and communication technologies (ICTs) such as laptops, tablets, and instant messaging at work had a more positive impact on well-being.

The report highlighted that frequent interactions with ICT improved quality of life, while interactions with new technologies in the workplace had the opposite effect.

Economists at Goldman Sachs estimated that by 2030, 300 million jobs worldwide could be automated, with many roles being fundamentally transformed due to developments in generative AI.

Lead author Dr. Magdalena Sofia emphasized that the issue lies not in the technology itself, but in how it is implemented and utilized.

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The report also raised concerns about the negative impact of tracking devices and surveillance technology on worker performance, echoing warnings from unions and activists.

Mary Towers, head of AI at TUC, cautioned that without proper regulation, AI could create an oppressive work environment for many individuals.

On the other hand, the Pissarides review on the future of work and happiness, in collaboration with Warwick Business School and Imperial College London, aims to shed light on the impact of new technologies on quality of life in the workplace.

Professor Christopher Pissarides emphasized the importance of understanding how interactions with new technologies influence the overall well-being of individuals in their working lives.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Research Shows That the Medium Size of a Cheetah Contributes to its Unmatched Speed

Posted on March 13, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The fastest animals are neither large elephants nor small ants, but intermediate sizes such as: Cheetah(Acinonychus jubatus). Why does running speed deviate from the regular patterns that govern an animal's anatomy and most other aspects of performance? A new study shows that, as previously thought, maximum running speed This suggests that there is not one limit to speed, but two: the speed and distance at which the muscle contracts. The maximum speed an animal can reach is determined by which limit is reached first, and that limit is determined by the size of the animal.

Cheetah (Acinonychus jubatus).

University of the Sunshine Coast researcher Professor Christopher Clemente said: “The key to our model is understanding that maximum running speed is limited by how fast the muscles contract and how much they can shorten during contraction. ” he said. University of Queensland.

“Animals as big as cheetahs exist in a physical sweet spot of about 50 kg where these two limits meet. Therefore, these animals are the fastest, with speeds of up to 105 km/h (65 mph). will reach.”

The first limit is called the “kinetic energy capacity limit'' and suggests that muscles in small animals are limited by how fast they can contract.

Because small animals generate large forces relative to their body weight, running for them is similar to trying to accelerate in a low gear when riding a bicycle downhill.

The second limitation is called the “work capacity limitation” and suggests that muscles in large animals are limited by the range over which they can contract.

Large animals are heavy, so their muscles produce less force relative to their body weight, and running is similar to trying to accelerate up a hill in a high gear on a bicycle.

“For large animals like rhinos and elephants, running can feel like lifting huge weights because their muscles are relatively weak and gravity takes a big toll on them,” says Harvard University. says researcher Dr. Peter Bishop.

“As a result of both, animals eventually have to slow down as they grow.”

To test the model's accuracy, the authors compared its predictions to land animal speed and size data from more than 400 species, ranging from large mammals, birds, and lizards to small spiders and insects.

The model accurately predicted how maximum running speed varied with body size for animals whose weights varied by more than 10 orders of magnitude, from a tiny 0.1 milligram tick to a 6-ton elephant.

Their findings shed light on the physical principles behind how muscles evolved and could inform future designs of robots that can match the athletic performance of the best animal runners.

The new model may not only explain how fast animals can run, but also provide important clues for understanding differences between groups of animals.

Large reptiles, such as lizards and crocodiles, are generally smaller and slower than large mammals.

“One possible explanation for this may be that reptiles' limb muscles make up a small proportion of their body mass, meaning that reptiles reach their work limits quickly when they are light. It needs to stay small in order to move,” he said. Taylor Dick is a researcher at the University of Queensland.

The researchers' model, combined with data from living species, also predicted that land animals weighing more than 40 tonnes would be unable to move.

The heaviest land mammal living today is the African elephant, which weighs approximately 6.6 tons, but there are also land dinosaurs such as: Patagotitanit probably weighed well over 40 tons.

“This indicates that caution is needed in extrapolating the muscle anatomy of extinct animals from data from non-extinct animals,” the researchers said.

“Rather, the data indicate that extinct giants may have evolved unique muscle anatomy, which warrants further study.”

Dr David Labonte, a researcher at Imperial College London, said: “Our study raises many interesting questions about muscle physiology in both extinct animals and living animals, including human athletes.” said.

“Physical constraints affect animals that swim and fly just as they do animals that run, and lifting these constraints is our next challenge.”

a paper The survey results were published in a magazine nature communications.

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D. Labonte other. 2024. Dynamic similarity and unique allometry of maximum running speed. Nat Commune 15, 2181; doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-46269-w

Source: www.sci.news

New Study Shows Male Mammals Are Not Larger Than Females

Posted on March 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In his influential work Descent of Man, Charles Darwin confidently asserted that male mammals are generally larger than females. This concept, known as sexual size dimorphism (SSD), initially seemed logical. Darwin believed that females needed to invest a significant amount of energy in their offspring during pregnancy and after giving birth, while males needed to be bigger and stronger to compete with other males, particularly in scenarios involving physical combat.

For over 150 years, Darwin’s views on this matter have remained largely unchallenged. However, a recent study conducted by researchers at the City University of New York and Princeton University may radically alter this perspective. The research indicates that in most mammalian species, there is actually no significant difference in body size between males and females.

The study analyzed a total of 429 mammal species, with nine individuals from each species being examined. While in species where sexual dimorphism is present (such as lions and deer, where males and females exhibit distinct physical traits), males tended to be larger. However, this pattern did not hold true for the majority of species.

For instance, many species of bats and rodents show minimal dimorphism, with males and females displaying similar sizes.

“We were surprised to discover that almost half of all bat species have larger females and that half of all rodent species exhibit sexual size monomorphism, where males and females are the same size,” stated Dr. Kaia Tombak, the lead scientist behind the study, in an interview with BBC Science Focus. “These two groups make up the majority of all mammals.”

Past studies on dimorphism have often excluded these species from their findings.

“The concept of ‘larger males’ remains prevalent in evolutionary biology,” Tombak noted. “However, if this research receives sufficient attention, it could lead to significant changes in this area.”

Bat

Yellow-winged bat (Lavia front) in Kenya. In this species, like most bats, females tend to be larger than males. Photo credit: Severin Hex

The most extreme female-biased dimorphism (where females are larger than males) was observed in peninsular tube-nosed bats (Murina Peninsula). Female world leaf-nosed bats (Phyllostomidae) also tended to be larger than males.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New test shows coral reefs can regrow in as little as four years

Posted on March 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Here is some encouraging environmental news that we all need to hear. Efforts to restore the natural world can yield positive results. A project spearheaded by British and Indonesian scientists has successfully rejuvenated damaged coral reefs in just four years.

Currently, most of the world’s coral reefs are in jeopardy, with some irreparably damaged. However, amidst the concerning reports about the state of our planet’s environment, this recent study provides a glimmer of hope.

Published in the journal Current Biology, the research showcases the capability to increase coral cover and restore essential ecosystem functions rapidly. You can view the paper here.

“The rapid recovery we witnessed was truly remarkable,” commented study author Dr. Ines Lang, a graduate of Exeter University. “We did not anticipate a full restoration of reef framework production within just four years.”

Coral reefs are crucial marine habitats that safeguard coastal regions from storms and erosion. The largest coral reef restoration project in the world is currently underway in South Sulawesi, Indonesia.

The initiative, known as the Mars Coral Reef Restoration Program, involves creating hexagonal “reef stars” (sand-coated steel structures) and affixing young corals to them. These structures are placed in coral reefs damaged by bakutsuri, an explosive fishing method that impairs coral growth. In these areas, coral recovery is impeded without human intervention.

The research team observed coral growth on the structures, with corals adding calcium carbonate to their frames. It was a crucial indicator for scientists to monitor whether reefs were growing or deteriorating based on their carbonate balance.

Within four years, the damaged reefs saw a three-fold increase in their carbonate budget, mirroring that of healthy reefs.

Researchers will continue monitoring the recovered reef’s response to stressors like ocean warming due to climate change. While restoration does not guarantee complete recovery, as restored coral reefs have yet to regain full diversity.

In fact, only one type of coral (branched corals) was transplanted, which are more vulnerable to bleaching. Researchers aim to introduce other coral species to enhance reef diversity.

Lange remarked, “There is no universal solution, but we hope this success story will inspire similar reef restoration projects worldwide.”

Read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

New experimental weight loss drug shows greater effectiveness than Ozempic

Posted on March 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Oral weight loss drug may help obese patients who hate needles

Kseniya Ovchinnikova/Getty Images

Based on early trial results reported on March 7, it appears the experimental pill may cause greater weight loss than existing injectable treatments such as Ozempic, Wigoby, and Munjaro.

The drug, called amicretin, reduced people’s weight by 13 percent in three months. This is more than double his amount observed at Ozempic and Wegoby specifically. “From the limited data we have, this approach seems a little more exciting,” he says. Daniel Drucker At the University of Toronto, Canada.

The results come from a three-month, placebo-controlled trial, so it’s too early to know how amicretin compares to other drugs in terms of long-term efficacy and safety. said Drucker, who was not involved in the trial but was consulted, as well as manufacturer Novo Nordisk and other drug companies.

The diabetes drug Ozempic and the weight loss drug Wegoby are two brand names for the compound semaglutide. They work by mimicking a gut hormone called GLP-1 that is normally released after meals. This makes a person feel full, reduces appetite, and stimulates the release of the blood sugar-regulating hormone insulin.

Semaglutide leads to a loss of about 15 percent of body weight when taken for a year, but after that the weight plateaus and the injections need to be continued for a long time or it tends to gradually come back.

Another weight loss injectable called Mounjaro, also known as Tirzepatide or Zepbound, was launched last year. It mimics GLP-1 and an additional intestinal hormone called GIP. Using Mounjaro, you seem to lose about 21 percent of your weight over the first year and five months of her life before your weight loss plateaus.

However, amicletin mimics GLP-1 and another hormone called amylin, and appears to be even more potent, at least during the first three months of treatment. Reuters reports that people who took amicletin lost 13 percent of their weight during this period, Nordisk announced today. Those who took the placebo pill had a 1% decrease. This is higher than Wegovy and Ozempic’s 6 percent and Munjaro’s equivalent figure of around 7.5 percent.

But we can only know for sure how the drugs will fare over the long term if they are compared under exactly the same circumstances in a single study, Drucker said. “This is not a head-to-head trial.”

Another caveat is that while drugs that act by mimicking GLP-1 have been used to treat type 2 diabetes for more than a decade and their safety profile is well understood, amylin mimetics That’s not the case.

Novo Nordisk also said: Amicretin’s side effects were similar to those of Wegoby, and tended to include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, especially when the dose was increased rapidly.

The availability in pill form could be a big advantage for people who don’t like injections, he says. Daniel Chancellor Global Pharmaceutical Business Analyst cytherine. “Oral medications are very attractive.”

In addition to these three drugs, other weight loss drugs that mimic other gut hormones are also in development.

topic:

Medical drugs /
weight loss

Source: www.newscientist.com

Research shows that the majority of Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon (UAP) sightings occur in the western United States.

Posted on March 1, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Sightings of unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs), formerly known as unidentified flying objects (UFOs), have been reported throughout history. There is growing interest in understanding what these sighting reports mean, given the potential security and safety risks they pose, as well as scientific curiosity. Scientists at the University of Utah and the U.S. Department of Defense see this problem as a key question of human experience and can be examined through a geographic lens: what local factors might increase or decrease the number of reported sightings. I wondered if there was a gender. They used data from the National UFO Research Center and included a total of 98,000 sighting reports over a 20-year period from 2001 to 2020. For each county in the continental United States, they analyzed his two conditions. Light pollution, cloud cover, and canopy cover. And the possibility of an object in the sky, which means near an airport or military installation. Most of the sightings took place in the western United States due to the physical geography of the area: wide open spaces and dark skies.

UAP from declassified video taken by a US Navy aircraft. Image credit: U.S. Navy.

“The idea is that if you have a chance to see something, you're likely to see an unexplained phenomenon in the sky,” said Dr. Richard Medina, a geographer at the University of Utah.

“There's more technology in the sky than ever before, so the question is: what are people actually seeing?”

“This is a difficult question to answer, but an important one because any uncertainty could be a potential threat to national security.”

“Understanding the environmental context of these sightings will help us find explanations for their occurrence and help identify truly anomalous objects that are legitimate threats.”

Dr. Medina and his colleagues looked at the number of sightings per 10,000 people per county and identified significant clusters of low numbers (cold spots) and high numbers of reports (hot spots).

Far more sightings have been reported in the west, northeast, and some isolated areas. Cold spots were in the Central Plains and Southeast.

All results except cloud cover support the general hypothesis that people will see things if they have the chance.

“We have historical ties to the UAP in the West, with military operations at Area 51 in Nevada, Roswell in New Mexico, and here in Utah at the Skinwalker Ranch in the Uinta Basin and the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground.” Dr. Medina said.

“Additionally, we have a strong outdoor community that recreates on public lands year-round. People get outside and look at the sky.”

NUFORC reported sightings for the spatial distribution of the continental United States from 2001 to 2020. Image courtesy of Medina other., doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-49527-x.

In July 2022, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, directed the establishment of the All Area Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) as a single authoritative UAP agency to lead and synchronize a whole-of-government approach. problem.

Previous UAP tracking efforts include the project blue booka U.S. Air Force-led project that investigated UFO sightings from 1947 to 1969.

blue bookThe most famous account is the Roswell, New Mexico incident, which claimed that a flying saucer crashed into a desert town on July 8, 1947, and the alien occupants were recovered by government agents.

Many Roswell residents witnessed this mysterious event, which may have led to a surge in flying saucer sightings that swept the United States.

Silence from government officials led to wild speculation and subsequent cover-up regarding the otherworldly visitors.

The US Air Force later revealed that the incident was caused by a secret multi-balloon project to detect Soviet nuclear tests.

Many UAP sightings have natural explanations. For example, the planet Venus is the usual culprit.

We've seen an increase in UAP reports in recent years, likely related to the rapid increase in spacecraft launches and orbiting satellites, including the Starlink satellite train and the proliferation of personal drones across the night sky. It is considered. The challenge is to parse which reports indicate the real threat.

The authors investigate whether there are temporal considerations for variation in sightings based on sociocultural factors.

For example, were there more reports after the Congressional hearings in July 2023 or after the SpaceX launch?

They are also investigating whether sociocultural factors influence UAP sightings. Whether there is a spike in reports after shows like: X files Will it become popular? Are some cultures more likely to see UAPs because of their beliefs?

“The U.S. government, military, intelligence community, and civilian agencies need to understand what is in their operational domain to ensure the safety and security of our nation and its people,” said Physicist Sean, AARO's first director.・Kirkpatrick said. University of Georgia.

“In this age of ubiquitous sensors and data availability, the unknown is unacceptable. The scientific community has a responsibility to investigate and educate.”

team's paper It was published in the magazine scientific report.

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RM Medina other. 2023. Environmental analysis of the likelihood of public UAP sightings and sky views. science officer 13, 22213; doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-49527-x

Source: www.sci.news

Most cats at cat shows found to be lounging around

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

intentional cat-likeness

Will cats continue to adopt their famously adorable, overbearing “cat-like” demeanor when forced to endure tons of attention from an enthusiastic public? Simona Cannas and colleagues at the University of Milan in Italy have produced some data that may draw attention to this question.

Their research, “Evaluation of cat behavior during cat shows” was published in the Veterinary Behavior Journal, focusing on the 82 cats at the cat show. (Researchers use technical terminology to describe the event as a “feline exposition.”)

They collected the data with great care. “An observer stood in front of the cage once every hour from 10:00 to 17:00, a total of 8 times for each cat.”

“An analysis of the behavior exhibited by cats on the day of the fair revealed that most of the cats were sleeping (93.9%), resting (62.2%), and looking at their surroundings (92.7%).”

The researchers’ conclusions are still up for debate as to what these cats had in mind. The study concluded that “the cat show environment represents a stressful and stimulating situation for cats. Nevertheless, our results identified few behaviors that cause discomfort or stress. Hmm…further research is needed to confirm and deepen our results.”

What a thread

Very long and thin things make a huge difference in what is possible depending on the length-to-thin ratio that catches the eye of mathematicians.

According to a press release, Researchers at North Carolina State University welcome the development of a “filamentary supercapacitor.” The name comes from the fact that the device is thread-like and can act as a capacitor, storing and releasing electrical charge in a controlled manner. The press release quotes Wei Gao, co-inventor of the technology.

She said: “Imagine being able to make a thread, a regular textile thread, that also becomes a battery. You can basically hide it in your clothes. You will be able to add additional functionality.”

We may be entering an era of thin technology.

As Feedback pointed out (October 1, 2022), the new city planned as part of Saudi Arabia’s Neom project is designed to be 170,000 meters long and 200 meters wide. Could North Carolina’s filamentous supercapacitor technology be integrated into the exoskeletons of Saudi Arabia’s cities? It would be a dramatic leap into the future for a country that claims to want to break away from its current economic dependence on oil.

This suddenly almost plausible possibility is indicative of the foresight of former Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson, who wrote almost a century ago that “one can never be too rich or too thin.” He is said to have said.

Measuring addiction

The old saying “If it can be measured, it must be important” has haunted many research efforts to explain why it is important to measure two out of five fingers on a person’s hand. Specifically, the second and fourth fingers. The two-finger quest is similar to addiction in a way. In some cases, this exploration considers addiction itself, perhaps better understood by measuring fingers.

Typically, explanations for finger proportions have spread in vague form, with the idea that hormone levels in the womb before birth somehow explain the relative length of a person’s fingers years later.

There are many and imaginative studies focusing on finger ratios. The types of important mysteries that researchers are trying to explain vary widely.

How diverse is it? Here we introduce some of the themes that have been addressed in numerical ratio research published in recent years. “Hunting success among Hadza hunters.” University students’ religious beliefs. “Parental income disparity and children’s digit ratio.” Artistic ability. “Age at first marriage among semi-nomadic people in Namibia.” “Psychological characteristics in a sample of cave explorers.” A bite wound caused during a fight. “Management Skills of Managers Employed in Public and Private Organizations in Udaipur City”; and “Number of Sex Partners”.

And addiction. Mehmet Gülcan Gülok and his colleagues from various institutions in Turkey recently published “Second to fourth digit (2D:4D) ratio for heroin and cannabis addicts” in the Journal of Ethnicity in Drug Abuse. Like most digit ratio studies, this one was done with great care. “We took the subject’s 2D and 4D lengths using a sensitive caliper and calculated 2D:4D.” And as always, it’s full of promise. “Our findings seem promising regarding whether prenatal hormonal factors are important in the pathogenesis of addiction.”

denver sniff test

If something and the headline seems odd, it might be worth considering. Anyone who stumbles across a gruesome study by an American environmental scientist may initially react to the ambiguity of its title. “Assessing the environmental justice aspects of odor in Denver, Colorado“.

Did that title have a solemn meaning? Is it really interesting? Both? No matter what the intent, Feedback is a tribute to the creator. Their language appealed to Mason Porter’s olfactory and linguistic sensibilities and alerted us.

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.

Have a story for feedback?

You can email your article to Feedback at feedback@newscientist.com. Please enter your home address. This week’s and past feedback can be found on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Research shows that binary star systems contain a higher number of habitable exoplanets than previously thought

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In a new study, astronomers from Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology examined the coupled distribution of spin and orbital orbits of exoplanets in binary and triple star systems.

An artist's impression of a giant exoplanet and its two parent stars. Image credit: Sci.News.

An important subset of all known exoplanet systems include host stars with one or more bound stellar companions.

These multistar systems can span a vast range of relative configurations and provide rich insights into the processes by which stars and planets form.

“We showed for the first time that a system where everything is coordinated stacks up unexpectedly,” he said. Dr. Malena Ricean astronomer at Yale University.

“The planet orbits in exactly the same direction as the first star rotates, and the second star orbits its system in the same plane as the planet.”

Dr. Rice and his colleagues used a variety of sources, including the Gaia DR3 catalog of high-precision stellar astronomical measurements, the planetary system composite parameter table from the NASA Exoplanet Archive, and the TEPCat catalog of spin-orbit angle measurements of exoplanets. to create a 3D geometric shape. Number of planets in a binary star system.

Astronomers found that nine of the 40 star systems they studied were in “perfect” locations.

“This could indicate that planetary systems prefer to move toward ordered configurations,” Rice said.

“This is also good news for life forming in these systems.”

“A star's companion star with a different alignment can wreak havoc on a planetary system, overturning the planet or flash-heating the planet over time.”

“And what would the world look like on a warmer Tatooine?”

“During some seasons of the year, there would be continuous daylight, and one star would illuminate one side of the Earth, and another star would illuminate the other side.”

“But that sun's light isn't always scorching, because one of the stars is farther away.”

“At other times of the year, both stars will illuminate the same side of the Earth, and one star will appear much larger than the other.”

of study will be published in astronomy magazine.

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Malena Rice other. 2024. Orbital geometry and stellar inclination of multistar systems hosting exoplanets. A.J., in press. arXiv: 2401.04173

Source: www.sci.news

Brain Scan Shows How Neural Network Boosts Creativity

Posted on February 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Practicing mindfulness improves creative thinking

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It's easy to name people who have evolved human thinking, from Jane Austen to Albert Einstein, Zaha Hadid to Ai Weiwei, but why are these people so much more creative than others? It's much more difficult to explain what kind of thinking you do. Are their brains just built that way, or can anyone learn it? The mystery of creativity has long puzzled scientists. Now, researchers are finally making some progress towards closing the curtain. Even better, their insights can help us all exercise a little more original thinking.

Some of them are exciting insights This stems from the “dual process theory” of creativity, which distinguishes between idea generation and idea evaluation. Idea generation involves digging deep into existing knowledge for seeds of inspiration. Perhaps it is done by drawing analogies from completely different areas. Free association is key at this stage, as one thought leads to another, more original insight. The second phase, idea evaluation, requires you to apply a more critical eye to select the ideas that best fit your goals. Novelists must decide whether strange, supernatural plot twists will excite readers or turn them off. Engineers must consider whether a fish-inspired airplane would be practical and efficient. Large projects require these two stages to be repeated many times during the long and winding journey from concept to completion.

Brain scans of people engaged in creative problem solving suggest that idea generation and evaluation relies on…

Source: www.newscientist.com