The galaxy NGC 6789 viewed through a 2-meter twin telescope
Ignacio Trujillo et al. 2025
Approximately 12 million light years from Earth lies an unusual galaxy. Its center has consistently formed new stars over the past 600 million years, yet the exact source of the fuel driving this star formation remains elusive.
The galaxy known as NGC 6789 was first identified in 1883, but it has only been in recent years that evidence of ongoing star formation has emerged. NGC 6789 is situated in a region dubbed the Local Void, located towards the Draco constellation, which is notably sparse in cosmic matter. It stands out as one of the few galaxies existing within this void, making it highly isolated compared to the majority of galaxies in the universe.
This isolation contributes to the enigma surrounding its star creation. Galaxies typically require gas to produce new stars, yet local voids contain very little gas. Being at least a billion years old, NGC 6789 should have depleted its initial reserves of gas; however, it has managed to generate approximately 100 million solar masses, equating to about 4% of its total mass, over the last 600 million years.
Ignacio Trujillo and researchers from the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics utilized the 2-meter twin telescope at the Teide Observatory in Tenerife to capture deeper images of galaxies than previously possible, aiming to uncover signs of events that might have introduced gas. If a merger with another galaxy or a previously undetected gas flow had occurred, it might have distorted the shape of NGC 6789.
However, the new images did not reveal any distortions. It is possible that NGC 6789’s formation left behind a substantial amount of gas or that there exists a faint gas pocket nearby that did not alter the galaxy’s shape at all. For now, the mystery remains unsolved.
Abandoned coal power plant at an abandoned Indiana Army Ammunition Factory
American Explorer/Shutterstock
Numerous decommissioned coal-fired power plants have the potential to become reliable backup or emergency energy sources for the grid, eliminating the dependence on fossil fuels. Instead, they can utilize thermal energy trapped in soil.
The idea involves accumulating a large mound of soil near the coal facility and embedding industrial heaters within it. During periods of low electricity demand, these devices transform inexpensive electricity into heat, storing it in the soil at around 600°C. When electricity demand peaks, the heat can be transferred from the soil through heated liquid pipes.
A generator linked to the turbine blades of a coal plant can convert this heat into supplemental energy. The heat transforms water into steam, turning the turbine blades to produce electricity. “Rather than burning coal to heat water for steam, we harness heat from the energy stored within the soil,” explains Ken Caldeira from Stanford University in California.
This type of energy storage is crucial in supporting renewable energy sources like wind and solar, which often generate power intermittently. Soil offers a more affordable, abundant, and accessible resource for long-term energy storage compared to alternatives like lithium batteries and hydrogen fuels.
“The most exciting aspect is the low cost of energy capacity, especially since it is significantly cheaper than other energy technologies,” states Alicia Wongel at Stanford University.
Nonetheless, this approach has its challenges. “In such systems, minimizing plumbing and electrical costs is crucial, yet can be difficult,” notes Andrew Maxson from the Electric Power Research Institute, a non-profit research organization based in California.
Most soil consists of naturally heat-resistant materials like silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide, which makes it “very resilient to heat,” says Austin Vernon from Standard Thermals in Oklahoma. His startup aims to commercialize this “thermal” technology, especially for repurposing retired coal power plants in conjunction with nearby solar and wind energy sources.
There are many retired coal facilities across the United States. Close to 300 coal-fired power plants were shut down between 2010 and 2019, and an additional 50 gigawatts of coal capacity is expected to reach retirement age by 2030. In the late 2000s, cheaper natural gas and renewable energy began to outcompete coal.
Christian Phong from the Rocky Mountain Institute, a research organization in Colorado, views the idea of repurposing defunct coal plants positively. “This provides an opportunity for local communities to engage in the clean energy transition, generating jobs and additional tax revenue while navigating the shift away from coal,” he remarks.
Eight young children seem to be shielded from severe genetic disorders following their birth through a three-parent DNA technique. This method involved replacing defective maternal mitochondria with those from a female donor.
Approximately 1 in 5,000 individuals carry mitochondrial defects that provide energy to cells and are inherited solely from the mother. Such defects may result from genetic mutations leading to issues like blindness, seizures, and, in extreme cases, death. “Families find it incredibly challenging to cope with these diseases. They are heart-wrenching,” states Bobby McFarland from Newcastle University, UK.
In 2015, the UK first sanctioned a procedure called pronuclear transfer for women at high risk of passing on mitochondrial conditions, particularly those who cannot benefit from pre-implantation genetic testing.
This nuclear transfer technique utilizes eggs from both mothers and donors, which are fertilized with paternal sperm via IVF. After roughly 10 hours, the nuclei from both eggs are extracted, leaving behind the crucial genetic material that is separate from mitochondrial DNA.
The nucleus from the mother is subsequently inserted into the donor’s egg, yielding an embryo that primarily inherits DNA from its biological parent while acquiring mitochondria from the donor. Some mitochondrial DNA from the mother may still be unintentionally transmitted, according to Burt Smeet from Maastricht University in the Netherlands.
McFarland, who pioneered this method with her team, has applied the technique to 19 women harboring harmful mutations in over 80% of their mitochondria, typically the level that causes issues.
Seven of the women achieved pregnancy after the final embryo transfer, resulting in eight healthy births, including one pair of twins.
The researchers evaluated blood samples from the newborns, finding no harmful mitochondrial DNA mutations in five, and only trace levels in the remaining three. “The results have exceeded expectations,” says Mike Murphy from Cambridge University.
In the months or years following these nuclear transfers, all children have shown progress with developmental milestones. However, some may encounter complications that may or may not be linked to the procedure. For instance, one child developed high blood fat levels and an abnormal heartbeat, both of which were successfully addressed, while another experienced epilepsy at 7 months old, which resolved on its own.
The research team plans to monitor these children to assess the long-term consequences of the procedure.
LONDON – Eight healthy babies have been born in the UK, aided by experimental techniques designed to prevent mothers from transmitting severe rare diseases to their offspring through DNA, researchers have announced.
The majority of DNA resides within the nuclei of our cells and is inherited from both our mothers and fathers—essentially, it shapes who we are. However, mitochondria, the cell’s energy-producing structures, also contain DNA outside the nucleus. Mutations in this mitochondrial DNA can lead to various illnesses in children, resulting in symptoms like muscle weakness, seizures, developmental delays, major organ failure, and even death.
In vitro fertilization (IVF) testing typically helps identify these mutations, although there are instances where this is not evident.
Researchers have pioneered methods to circumvent these issues by employing healthy mitochondria from donor eggs. They reported their findings in 2023 in an article detailing the birth of the first babies born using this technique, which involves extracting genetic material from the mother’s eggs or embryos and transferring it to a donor egg or embryo possessing healthy mitochondria, while discarding the bulk of its original DNA.
Dr. Zev Williams, head of the Fertility Center at Columbia University and not involved in this study, stated that this research “marks a significant milestone.” He believes that broadening reproductive choices will allow more couples to achieve a safe and healthy pregnancy.
This method results in an embryo containing DNA from the mother, the father, and the donor’s mitochondria—an approach that became legally viable in the UK after law changes in 2016. Similar procedures are also permitted in Australia, though they remain banned in many countries, including the US.
Experts from Newcastle University in the UK and Monash University in Australia reported in the New England Journal of Medicine that they successfully implemented these new methods for fertilizing embryos from 22 patients, with one woman still pregnant.
Footage released by the Newcastle Fertility Center shows delicate IVF procedures. Fertility Centre in Newcastle
One of the eight babies born exhibited unexpectedly high levels of abnormal mitochondria, according to Robin Lovell-Badge, a stem cell and developmental genetics scientist at the Francis Crick Institute, who was not involved in the research. While these levels are not currently deemed harmful, monitoring is required as the baby grows.
Andy Greenfield, a reproductive medicine expert at Oxford University not associated with the research, emphasized its significance, noting that mitochondrial replacement techniques are primarily used in other settings aimed at avoiding genetic illnesses, like early-stage embryo testing.
“This technique was certified a decade ago, so we have all been anticipating this report,” he shared with NBC News via email. “Fortunately, the children appear to be healthy.”
Long-term follow-up with these children is essential as keeping them healthy is a priority, he emphasized.
Lovell-Badge noted that the donor DNA’s contribution is minimal, asserting that the child will not exhibit characteristics from the women who provided the healthy mitochondria. The donor genetic material constitutes less than 1% of the DNA in babies conceived using this technology.
“In comparison, if you received a bone marrow transplant from a donor, you would possess significantly more DNA from other individuals,” he explained.
In the UK, all couples seeking childbirth via donated mitochondria must obtain approval from the national fertility authority.
Concerns have been raised by critics, who warn that the long-term effects of such innovative techniques on future generations remain uncertain.
“At this time, clinical application in the US is not allowed, mainly due to regulatory restrictions regarding genetic modifications to embryos,” Dr. Williams from Columbia said via email. “Whether this situation will evolve remains unclear and is subject to ongoing scientific, ethical, and policy discussions.”
For almost ten years, Congress has included provisions in the annual funding bill that prevent the FDA from accepting applications related to clinical research protocols involving the intentional creation or modification of human embryos to incorporate genetic alterations.
However, in jurisdictions where such methods are allowed, advocates argue they can offer a promising option for some families.
Liz Curtis, whose daughter Lily passed away from mitochondrial disease in 2006, is collaborating with other families affected by these disorders. She expressed the devastation of receiving a diagnosis indicating that death was inevitable for an infant without intervention.
Curtis reflected on how the diagnosis “turned our world upside down, and yet there was minimal discussion about it, what it entailed, and how it would affect Lily.” Following this experience, she founded the Lily Foundation in her daughter’s honor to raise awareness and support regarding the disease, alongside her latest initiatives at Newcastle University.
“This development is incredibly exciting for families who have little hope for a positive outcome,” Curtis remarked.
The UK fertility authority, which oversees human fertilization and embryology, endorsed the findings, noting that this technique might only be accessible to individuals with a high risk of transmitting disease to their children.
As of this month, 35 patients have been approved to undergo the procedure.
Researchers at Talton State University have discovered that extracts from okra and/or fenugreek can attract and eliminate as much as 90% of microplastics from sea, freshwater, and groundwater.
Srinivasan et al. We demonstrated that plant-based polysaccharides exhibited better microplastic removal efficiency than polyacrylamides commercially used in water treatment. Image credit: Srinivasan et al., doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4C07476.
Microplastics are emerging as significant pollutants that pose a threat to aquatic environments globally.
These solid polymers, measuring less than 5 mm, originate from larger plastic debris and the fragmentation of environmental emissions.
These contaminants not only inflict physical damage but also act as carriers for other harmful pollutants that cling to microplastics.
When consumed by organisms, these microparticles can lead to bioaccumulation and bioproliferation.
Conventional wastewater treatment methods using inorganic and organic polymer flocculants are not eco-friendly and can introduce toxicity.
Dr. Rajani Srinivasan and her team at Talton State University have been investigating a safe, plant-based strategy for attracting and eliminating contaminants from water sources.
In laboratory experiments, they found that okra, fenugreek, and tamarind polymers effectively adhered to microplastics, allowing them to aggregate and sink for easy separation from water.
To prepare the sticky plant polymer, sliced okra pods were soaked in separate containers of water overnight.
The resulting extracts were collected, dried, and ground into a powder.
Analysis revealed that the powdered extracts contained polysaccharides, which are natural polymers.
Initial tests on pure water contaminated with microplastics indicated: (i) One gram of any of the quart (1 liter) powders was highly effective in trapping microplastics. (ii) Dried okra and fenugreek extracts removed 67% and 93% of the plastic in one hour, respectively. (iii) A combination of equal parts okra and fenugreek powder reached a maximum removal efficiency of 70% within 30 minutes. (iv) Natural polymers proved significantly more effective than synthetic commercial polyacrylamide polymers typically used in wastewater treatment.
The researchers conducted tests using real water samples contaminated with microplastics.
They collected samples from various water sources around Texas and analyzed them in the lab.
The removal efficiency of plant extracts varied based on the original water source: okra was most effective in seawater (80%), fenugreek showed 80-90% efficiency in groundwater, and a 1:1 mixture of okra and fenugreek achieved 77% efficiency in freshwater.
The scientists suggest that natural polymers display different efficiencies due to the diversity of microplastic types, sizes, and shapes across water samples.
“While polyacrylamide is commonly used for contaminant removal in wastewater treatment, extracts from okra and fenugreek provide biodegradable and non-toxic alternatives,” they stated.
“Using these plant-based extracts for water treatment can eliminate microplastics and other pollutants without introducing additional toxins into the treated water, thereby reducing long-term health risks for the public,” Dr. Srinivasan added.
The team’s work has been published in the journal ACS Omega.
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Rajani Srinivasan et al. 2025. Fenugreek and okra polymers as therapeutic agents for removing microplastics from water sources. ACS Omega 10(15):14640-14656; doi:10.1021/acsomega.4C07476
Could there be hydrogen under Mount Grison in Switzerland?
Thomas Stoyber/Alamie
Mountain ranges may serve as a significant source of clean energy in the form of unexplored hydrogen. Previous investigations hinted at the presence of “geological” hydrogen underground, but researchers have now pointed to mountains as potential reservoirs.
“Some minerals can react with water to produce hydrogen, serving as a source of sustainable green energy,” explains Frank Zwarn from the Helmholtz Geoscience Centre in Germany.
While a plethora of minerals exists on Earth, most are located at great depths in the mantle. However, during the formation and elevation of mountain ranges, certain mantle materials can be brought nearer to the surface, where they might interact with water through a process called meandering.
To understand the potential for hydrogen generation, Zwaan and his team modeled the uplift process and assessed the mantle material reaching areas with optimal temperatures and adequate circulating water for this reaction to occur. Their findings support the notion that large quantities of hydrogen could form below these mountains.
Serpentine minerals also exist in the ridges of the Central Sea, which some speculate may have played a role in the origin of life. However, Zwaan notes that the hydrogen created there is unlikely to remain trapped due to temperatures below 122°C (252°F), as bacteria can consume the trapped hydrogen. In contrast, it can be drilled from deeper areas of higher temperature below the mountains.
“I wouldn’t want to inhabit that area, but it’s ideal for preserving hydrogen,” Zwaan stated at the European Geoscience Union conference in Vienna last week. “There may be an additional opportunity to drill into what is known as a hydrogen kitchen, the zone where hydrogen is generated.”
The model’s outcomes are corroborated by preliminary findings from studies on various mountain ranges. For instance, Gianreto Manatschal from the University of Strasbourg in France confirmed evidence of hydrogen production beneath the Grison region of the Swiss Alps. However, he emphasized that there remains much to learn. “Our research is merely the beginning,” he remarked.
Notably, some hydrogen has been reported to be seeping from beneath the Northern Pyrenees, according to Alexandra Robert at the University of Toulouse, France. This research is still in its formative stages.
New rat studies published in the Journal of Peer Reviews indicate that the addiction to nicotine pouches and other oral products may be influenced by flavoring (Nicotine and cigarette research).
Nicotine pouches, small bags placed between the gum and lips to provide nicotine without cigarettes, have seen a surge in popularity. Sales in the US spiked from 126 million units between August and December 2019 to 888 million units between January and March 2022 (source).
The growth of nicotine pouches has been rapid in recent years. In 2024, Zyn, the top-selling brand in the US, sold 385 million units, a 50% increase from 2023 (Forbes).
Recent research suggests that the flavors and sweeteners used in oral nicotine products can significantly impact nicotine consumption. In experiments with rats, combinations of flavoring and sweeteners with nicotine solutions were tested to measure the resulting intake.
“We aimed to investigate the influence of sweeteners and flavors on nicotine usage,” said researcher Dr. Dennis Bagdas from Yale University School of Medicine. BBC Science Focus. “While many oral nicotine products contain these additives, their effects on selection behavior and preferences are not fully understood.”
Prior research by Bagdas and colleagues had already shown that sweetened nicotine solutions increase consumption. In this study, rats were given plain, sweet, flavored, or sweetened nicotine options.
As expected, both male and female rats showed a preference for sweetened solutions, with notable gender differences. Females consumed more nicotine when paired with simple sweeteners, while males favored nicotine with cinnamaldehyde.
According to the researchers, this suggests that flavors can impact nicotine consumption in men more than women. The study also revealed that menthol flavors led to increased consumption in men but not in women.
The nicotine pouch is placed between the lips and gums, allowing direct absorption into the bloodstream – Getty
While the study was conducted on rats, Bagdas noted that rodents and humans share similar reward systems, offering insights into human behavior. Further studies in humans are needed to confirm these findings.
“Rodents have well-established reward systems that make them a valuable model for studying the effects of additives on nicotine consumption,” she explained.
“By isolating the impact of specific sweeteners and flavors on nicotine preferences, we can gain a better understanding of how these factors influence consumption, separate from external influences like marketing and social factors.”
The study highlights the potential need for regulatory measures as flavored nicotine pouches are widely available in various forms.
“Our findings on the appeal of oral nicotine products and additives that may heighten dependency risk can guide harm reduction strategies and regulatory policies,” said Bagdas.
“This study underscores the significance of sweetness in oral nicotine preferences, suggesting a need for public health measures to regulate sweeteners and flavors in these products.”
Bagdas also stressed the importance of further research on other ingredients in oral nicotine products that could impact consumption, such as pH modifiers, nicotine sources, and formulations.
About our experts
Dennis Bagdas, DVM, PhD, is a research scientist at Yale School of Medicine specializing in behavioral neuropharmacology. She collaborates with the Yale Center for the Study of Tobacco Product Use and Addiction (Yale TCors) to study nicotine addiction behaviors in adolescents and adults and examine the effects of tobacco ingredients on nicotine intake.
In the quest for clean energy and a shift away from fossil fuels, scientists may have uncovered new sources of power, potentially hidden in our mountains. A team of researchers from Germany has identified a vast reservoir of hydrogen gas, generated by rocks formed millions of years ago, through advanced simulations.
This discovery is significant as hydrogen (H2) as a power source does not emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, making it a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels that contribute to climate change. Additionally, the production of hydrogen results in water instead of harmful emissions. However, the challenge lies in the fact that natural hydrogen production is rare, with the current synthetic production relying on fossil fuels.
The main hurdle in hydrogen production is sourcing it naturally. While geological processes can generate natural hydrogen without the need for fossil fuels, the availability of large accessible reserves remains uncertain. The recent study conducted by German researchers could potentially address this issue.
“We may be on the brink of a new era in natural hydrogen exploration,” said Dr. Frank Zworn, the lead author of the study published in the journal Advances in Science. “This could pave the way for a new natural hydrogen industry.”
Researchers at the GFZ Helmholtz Center for Geosciences in Germany utilized simulations of plate tectonic processes to identify a substantial reserve of natural hydrogen.
Natural hydrogen can be generated through various methods, such as bacterial transformation of organic matter or the splitting of water molecules due to radioactivity in the Earth’s crust. However, one of the most promising natural methods involves a geological process known as “serpentinization,” where rocks from the Earth’s mantle react with water to release H2 gas.
According to researchers, when these hydrogen-rich rocks are situated near the Earth’s surface, they can create potential zones for large-scale hydrogen production via excavation. These rocks are brought closer to the surface through processes such as continental rifting and mountain formation over millions of years.
As the crustal plates collide and create mountains, deep mantle rocks push up to the surface of the Earth. ‘Hot spots’ of hydrogen gas were identified where these rocks surfaced. – Image credit: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 USGS/ESEU Frankswaan edition, GFZ
By analyzing two processes, researchers determined that mountain formation offers ideal conditions for hydrogen generation. The combination of cold environments in mountains and increased water circulation could enhance hydrogen levels significantly. Simulations showed that rocks emerging through mountain formations have 20 times the hydrogen capacity compared to those brought to the surface via continental rifting.
Signs of natural hydrogen production have already been observed in mountainous regions such as the Pyrenees, European Alps, and Balkans. The research team anticipates that their findings will inspire further exploration of natural hydrogen in these areas and other mountainous regions.
Professor Sasha Brune, the head of the geodynamic modeling section at GFZ, emphasized the economic prospects tied to natural hydrogen. He stated, “It is now crucial to delve deeper into the migration pathways of microbial ecosystems that consume hydrogen, both shallow and deep, and to gain a better understanding of where potential hydrogen reservoirs can be formed.”
The high seawater temperature that contributed to the weather of California’s storm in late 2023
Kevin Carter/Getty Image
Researchers say the rapid increase in marine temperature up to the level of the record breaking in 2023 and 2024 is a sign that the pace of climate change has accelerated.
The world marine temperature reached a record high for 450 days in 2023 and early 2024. The Ehninho’s weather pattern, which appears in the Pacific Ocean, can explain some of the extra heat, but about 44 % of the recorded warmth is decreasing to the world. According to the sea, which absorbs heat from the sun, the acceleration speed Christmer chat At a British lady university.
Merchants and his colleagues have analyzed marine warming over the past 40 years using satellite data, concluding that the speed of warming has been more than four times since 1985.
The team says that this rapid acceleration depends on the rapid change of the EEI of the earth’s energy. This is the scale of how much heat is trapped in the atmosphere. The EEI has doubled since 2010, and the sea has absorbed much more heat than before.
“The sea generally sets a pace of global warming,” says a merchant. “Therefore, as an extension, global warming is accelerating as a whole, including land.” Merchants are “I personally convinced that accelerating climate change is a major factor in recent marine temperature increase. I say. “
Based on their analysis, merchants and his team predict that marine warming will continue to increase rapidly in the next few decades. “If the tendency of the EEI is out of the future, a large amount of global warming can be expected in the next 20 years, as in the past 40 years.
The climate model hopes that the speed of climate change will accelerate, but the analysis of the merchant suggests that the trend of the real world is in line with the most pessimistic model forecast. “The fact that this data -driven analysis is placed in a high -end high -end that the model predicted is a problem that needs to be viewed,” he says.
However, early data suggests that EEI decreased in 2024 after a recorded spike in 2023. Some researchers argue that this data may not accelerate in the worst scenario.
Wastewater treatment facilities are a major source of PFAS contamination in U.S. drinking water, estimated to contain enough “forever chemicals” to raise concentrations above safe levels for more than 15 million people. is being discharged. It also has the potential to release long-lasting prescription drugs into the water supply.
Although these plants purify wastewater, they do not destroy all the contaminants added upstream, and the remaining chemicals are released into the same waterways that provide drinking water. “This is a funnel into the environment,” he says bridger lyle at New York University. “We capture different things from different places and release them all in one place.”
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of particular concern because they contain carbon-fluorine bonds and are highly persistent in the environment. Regular exposure to several types of PFAS is associated with an increased risk of many health problems, from liver damage to various forms of cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently established strict drinking water limits for six of the most well-studied PFAS.
Wastewater treatment facilities are a known source of PFAS contamination worldwide. sewage sludge It is produced as a by-product and sometimes used as fertilizer. To determine whether similar contamination remained in treated water, Ruyle and his colleagues measured concentrations of PFAS and other molecules containing carbon-fluorine bonds in wastewater at eight large treatment facilities across the United States. .
Their findings suggest that wastewater treatment plants across the United States release tens of thousands of kilograms of fluorine-containing compounds into the environment each year, including significant amounts of PFAS. Once the treated wastewater leaves the facility, it mixes with natural water from rivers and lakes. “That would create downstream drinking water issues,” Lyle said.
Applying these numbers to a model of the U.S. drinking water system, the researchers estimated that wastewater could cause PFAS concentrations in the drinking water of approximately 15 million people to exceed EPA limits. In times of drought, as natural water for diluting wastewater decreases, models suggest that concentrations rise above the limit by up to 23 million people. And Ruyle says these may be conservative estimates. Their model assumes that natural water is already free of PFAS.
“This shows that wastewater treatment facilities are a very important source of these compounds,” he says. Carsten Plasse The professor at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland was not involved in the study. Although there are ways to remove or destroy PFAS in water, and more drinking water facilities are installing such systems, currently “our wastewater treatment plants are not set up to deal with this.” he says.
While chemicals alone will forever be a problem, researchers also found that PFAS only make up a small portion of the total amount of fluorinated chemicals emitted by facilities. Most were not PFAS, but other compounds used in common medications such as statins and SSRIs. These drugs are also a concern for ecosystems and people.
“Another person could be taking a cocktail of fluoridated prescription drugs,” Lyle says. But the effects of low doses and long-term exposure to such compounds are not well understood, he says.
“We need to start having a conversation about whether we should use more fluoride in medicines,” Ruiru says. Fluoridation is widely used in medicines to increase their effectiveness in the body, but “preventing widespread chemical contamination should also be important,” he says.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Elon Musk has announced plans to donate $45 million per month from July onwards to support a super PAC working towards the election of Donald Trump.
Musk, a tech billionaire who recently endorsed Trump, has already made a substantial donation to America PAC. The exact amount of this donation will be revealed in election filings on July 15, as per Bloomberg.
Reports from both The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg are based on anonymous sources familiar with Musk’s plans. With an estimated net worth of $252 billion, Musk is considered one of the wealthiest individuals globally.
The potential donation from Musk is described as “tremendous” by The Wall Street Journal, highlighting that the largest known donation in the 2024 election cycle so far is $50 million. This amount was contributed by the great-grandson of banker Thomas Mellon to a pro-Trump super PAC.
As of June 30, there were no records of Musk donating to the super PAC, according to a review by The New York Times.
America PAC has garnered support from Musk’s tech industry associates, as reported by The New York Times. Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of Palantir with Peter Thiel, has also endorsed the PAC, along with the Winklevoss twins, crypto entrepreneurs critical of Biden’s policies.
America PAC, launched recently, aims to finance robust Republican voter mobilization initiatives in key states to counter Democratic efforts, according to The New York Times.
Contrary to earlier reports, Musk clarified in a tweet in March that he had not made any donations to U.S. presidential candidates.
If ByteDance exhausts all legal avenues to fight a bill banning TikTok from U.S. app stores, the Chinese company would prefer to shut down the app rather than sell it, according to four sources.
The core algorithms that TikTok relies on are crucial to ByteDance’s overall operations, making it highly unlikely that the app powered by these algorithms would be sold, sources close to the parent company said.
Despite TikTok’s popularity with over 1 billion users, it still operates at a loss and represents a small portion of ByteDance’s total revenue and daily active users. In a worst-case scenario, the parent company would choose to shut down TikTok in the US rather than sell it to an American buyer.
Shutting down TikTok would have minimal impact on ByteDance’s business, allowing the company to maintain its core algorithms, as per unidentified sources not authorized to speak to the media.
ByteDance confirmed in a statement on Toutiao that it has no plans to sell TikTok, responding to speculations suggesting otherwise. The company is not considering selling TikTok’s US business without its recommendation algorithm.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed optimism about blocking the bill signed by President Joe Biden, banning the app used by 170 million Americans. The company believes it will win the appeal against the ban.
The bill, passed by the US Senate, raises concerns about potential access to Americans’ data by China or surveillance through apps. The deadline for TikTok’s sale is set for January 19, but it could be extended if ByteDance shows progress.
ByteDance’s revenue increased from $80 billion in 2022 to nearly $120 billion in 2023, with TikTok’s US daily active users accounting for 5% of the company’s total DAUs worldwide, sources familiar with the matter revealed.
The core algorithm shared by TikTok and ByteDance’s domestic apps like Douyin is a valuable asset that ByteDance is not willing to sell to a competitor. Separating the algorithms from TikTok’s US assets would be complex, making it an unlikely option, sources added.
Former US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s interest in forming an investor group to acquire TikTok may not attract buyers for ByteDance’s US assets, excluding the algorithm, sources noted.
Investors valued ByteDance at $268 billion when they offered to repurchase about $5 billion worth of stock in December.
used by astronomers CSIRO's Australian Telescope Compact Array captured the most detailed radio images ever seen of the 47-member Tukanae star cluster, the second brightest globular cluster in the night sky.
paduano other. identified new radio sources (white squares) at the center of 47 Tucanae (red circles).Image credit: Paduano other., doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad0e68.
Tucanae 47, also known as NGC 104, is a massive ancient globular cluster located approximately 15,300 light-years south of the constellation Tucanae.
At about 120 light-years in diameter, this cluster is so large that despite its distance, it appears to be about the same size as the full moon.
Home to millions of stars, 47 Tucanae is one of the brightest and most massive globular clusters known and is visible to the naked eye.
“Globular clusters are very old, gigantic balls of stars found around the Milky Way. They are incredibly dense, with tens to millions of stars packed together inside the ball.” said Dr. Arash Bahramian, astronomer at the Curtin University Node of the International Center for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR).
“Our images are of 47 Tucanae, one of the most massive globular clusters in the galaxy. It has more than a million stars and a very bright, very dense core.”
The ultra-high-sensitivity radio images of 47 species of Tucanidae were created from more than 450 hours of observations with CSIRO's Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA).
“The 47 Tukanae are visible to the naked eye and were first cataloged in the 1700s,” Dr. Bahramian said.
“By imaging in great detail, we were able to discover an incredibly faint radio signal at the center of the cluster that was previously undetectable.”
“The detection of the signal is an exciting discovery and can be attributed to one of two possibilities,” said Dr. Alessandro Paduano, also from ICRAR's Curtin University Node.
“First, the 47 Tukanae may contain black holes with masses between the supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies and the stellar black holes created by collapsing stars. .”
“Intermediate-mass black holes are thought to exist within globular clusters, but they have not yet been clearly detected.”
“If this signal turns out to be a black hole, it would be a very important discovery and the first radio detection of a black hole in a star cluster.”
The second possible source is a pulsar. This is a rotating neutron star that emits radio waves.
“This is an interesting discovery scientifically, as a pulsar so close to the center of a cluster could be used to search for as yet undetected central black holes,” Paduano said.
Iceland is one of the most boring countries in the world. That’s a compliment, not an insult. The island nation is dotted with thousands of boreholes dug deep into the bedrock to extract geothermal energy. You’ll soon be joined by another team, but it’s never boring. “We are planning to drill into the magma chamber,” says Hjalti Pár Ingolsson from Reykjavík’s Geothermal Research Cluster (GEORG). “This is our first trip to the center of the Earth,” says his colleague Björn Sor Gudmundsson.
Well, not in the center. Some magma chambers (underground reservoirs of molten rock) lie just a few kilometers below the earth’s surface and are within reach of modern excavators. Sometimes magma leaks to the surface and erupts as lava. At the time this story went to press, that’s exactly what was beginning to have spectacular and devastating effects around the town of Grindavik in southern Iceland. The problem is that we usually don’t know where the magma chamber is. “No geophysical method has yet been proven to satisfactorily locate magma chambers,” he says. John Eichelberger At the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
But now Ingolfsson and his colleagues are in luck. They accidentally discover a magma chamber and are planning to do the unthinkable: to intentionally drill into it. This project is nothing short of making scientific history by providing the first direct opportunity to study the hidden liquid rock that Earth used to build its continents. On the way, it could also be…
Researchers have developed a new method to create transparent magnetic materials using laser heating. This breakthrough is crucial for the integration of magneto-optic materials and optical circuits, a major challenge in this field. This is expected to lead to advances in miniature magneto-optical isolators, miniature lasers, high-resolution displays, and miniature optical devices. Credit: SciTechDaily.com
A new laser heating technique by a Japanese research team enables the integration of transparent magnetic materials into optical circuits, paving the way for advanced optical communication devices.
In a major advance in optical technology, researchers at Tohoku University and Toyohashi University of Technology have developed a new method to create transparent magnetic materials using laser heating. This breakthrough, recently published in the journal Optical Materials, presents a new approach to integrating magneto-optic materials and optical devices, a long-standing challenge in the field.
“The key to this result is that we used a special laser heating technology to create a transparent magnetic material called cerium-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Ce:YIG),” said Taichi Goto, associate professor at Tohoku University’s Institute of Electrical Communication. he points out. (RIEC) and study co-author. “This method addresses the critical challenge of integrating magneto-optic materials into optical circuits without causing damage, an issue that has hindered progress in miniaturizing optical communication devices.”
Laser heating setup for preparing transparent magnetic materials.Credit: Taichi Goto et al.
Magneto-optical isolators in optical communications
Magneto-optical isolators are essential for achieving stable optical communications. These act like traffic lights at traffic lights, allowing movement in one direction but not the other. Integrating these isolators into silicon-based photonic circuits is difficult because they typically require high-temperature processes.
As a result of this challenge, Goto and his colleagues turned to laser annealing, a technique that selectively heats specific areas of a material with a laser. This allows precise control that affects only the target area without affecting the surrounding areas.
Previous work has exploited this to selectively heat bismuth-substituted yttrium iron garnet (Bi:YIG) films deposited on dielectric mirrors. This allows Bi:YIG to be crystallized without affecting the dielectric mirror.
However, problems arise when working with Ce:YIG, whose magnetic and optical properties make it an ideal material for optical devices, as exposure to air causes undesirable chemical reactions.
To get around this, the researchers designed a new device that uses a laser to heat the material in a vacuum, meaning without air. This made it possible to precisely heat small areas (approximately 60 micrometers) without changing the surrounding material.
Impact on optical technology
“Transparent magnetic materials created using this method are expected to greatly facilitate the development of compact magneto-optical isolators that are essential for stable optical communications,” Goto added. “It also opens the door to creating powerful miniature lasers, high-resolution displays, and miniature optical devices.”
Reference: “Vacuum laser annealing of magneto-optical cerium-substituted yttrium-iron-garnet films” Hibiki Miyashita, Yuki Yoshihara, Kanta Mori, Takumi Oguchi, Pan Boy Lim, Mitsuteru Inoue, Kazushi Ishiyama, Taichi Goto, 2023. November 14th, optical materials. DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2023.114530
An Elon Musk biopic is being produced at New York-based studio A24 and is being directed by “Black Swan” director Darren Aronofsky, according to sources.
A24 has secured the rights to the biopic of the world’s richest man, Walter Isaacson, the people said, adding that the Musk biopic will be produced by Aronofsky’s production company Protozoa Pictures.
“I’m glad Darren is doing it. He’s one of the best players,” Musk said in an X post on Friday.
The studio previously worked with the director on the film The Whale, starring Brendan Fraser, which won Academy Awards for Best Actor, Best Makeup and Best Hairstyling.
A24 received 18 Academy Award nominations for six films this year, ranking second behind entertainment giant Walt Disney.
Isaacson’s book about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was made into a film of the same name by Universal in 2015, starring Irish actor Michael Fassbender as the late tech tycoon.
A24 has secured the rights to Walter Isaacson’s biography of Elon Musk.AP“I’m glad Darren is doing it. He’s one of the best players,” Musk said in an X post on Friday.Reuters
A book about Mr. Musk was released in September by book publishing giant Simon & Schuster, which is owned by private equity firm KKR.
The person told Reuters the deal was highly competitive, with top studios and filmmakers also competing.
Mr. Musk is the head of rocket maker and satellite communications company SpaceX, the head of Tesla, the world’s most valuable carmaker, and the head of tunnel construction company The Boring Company and brain chip company Neuralink.
The person told Reuters the deal was highly competitive, with top studios and filmmakers also competing. Darren Aronofsky, top.Reuters
The billionaire acquired social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) for $44 billion last year after a six-month acquisition spree.
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