Amy Redford, daughter of Robert Redford, has expressed her discontent regarding the proliferation of artificial intelligence tributes to her late father, labeling them a “hoax.”
Redford shared a statement on social media. In her message, she expressed gratitude for the “overwhelming love and support” from fans, stating: “It’s evident he meant so much to so many, and my family is truly humbled by the countless stories and tributes pouring in from around the globe.”
She further commented, “There are numerous fabricated AI funerals, eulogies, family quotes, etc. Portraying a father who clearly has no voice, alongside a family misrepresented, is especially challenging during these trying times.”
Redford added that a public funeral has not yet occurred, and plans for a memorial celebrating her father’s life are still underway. “Every family deserves the opportunity to grieve, honor the deceased, and convey their sympathies in a manner that resonates with their values and familial culture,” she stated.
She concluded, “My wish is to maintain transparency around AI usage. While many aspects of AI are created with good intentions, I implore you to consider: What would you want if this situation involved you? Let that perspective guide your actions.”
In order to understand the motion of the solar system, astrophysicist Lukas Böhme and his team at Bielefeld University examined the arrangement of radio galaxies.
An artist’s representation of the solar system. Image credit: NASA/JPL.
“Our findings indicate that the solar system is moving over three times faster than existing models suggest,” stated Dr. Böhme, the study’s lead author.
“This outcome starkly opposes expectations grounded in standard cosmology and compels us to re-evaluate our previous beliefs.”
In their research, the authors studied the distribution of radio galaxies, which are distant galaxies emitting exceptionally strong radio waves, a type of electromagnetic radiation with long wavelengths similar to those used in radio transmissions.
Radio waves are capable of penetrating dust and gas that block visible light, enabling radio telescopes to detect galaxies that are hidden from optical instruments.
As the solar system traverses space, its movement generates subtle “headwinds.” Consequently, the number of radio galaxies appearing in its path will be marginally increased.
These variations are slight and can only be discerned through extremely sensitive measurements.
Utilizing data from the LOFAR (Low Frequency Array) telescope along with two additional radio observatories, astronomers successfully counted these radio galaxies with remarkable accuracy for the first time.
They employed a novel statistical method to address the complexity posed by the fact that many radio galaxies consist of multiple components.
This enhanced analysis improved the realism of the measurements, albeit with increased uncertainties.
Nonetheless, the combination of data from all three radio telescopes unveiled deviations exceeding 5 sigma, a statistically significant signal that suggests an important scientific finding.
The measurements indicated that the anisotropy (dipole) in the distribution of radio galaxies is 3.7 times more robust than the predictions of the Standard Model of the Universe.
This model outlines the universe’s origin and evolution since the Big Bang, assuming a nearly uniform matter distribution.
“If the solar system is indeed moving at this velocity, we must question fundamental notions about the large-scale structure of the universe,” commented study co-author Professor Dominic Schwartz from Bielefeld University.
“Alternatively, the spatial distribution of radio galaxies themselves may not be as uniform as previously thought.”
“In any event, our current model is undergoing scrutiny.”
The new findings align with prior observations when astronomers investigated quasars, the very bright centers of distant galaxies featuring supermassive black holes that consume matter and release vast energy.
This same anomalous effect is present in infrared data, indicating that it is a genuine characteristic of the universe rather than a measurement anomaly.
This research underscores how innovative observational techniques can fundamentally alter our understanding of the universe and highlights the vast areas still awaiting discovery.
For more details, view the study published in this month’s issue of Physical Review Letters.
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Lucas Boehme et al. 2025. Number of overdispersed radio sources and detection of excessive radio dipoles. Physical Review Letters 135, 201001; doi: 10.1103/6z32-3zf4
Analog computers use less energy compared to digital computers
Metamol Works/Getty Images
Analog computers that can swiftly resolve the primary types of equations essential for training artificial intelligence models may offer a viable solution to the growing energy demands of data centers spurred by the AI revolution.
Devices like laptops and smartphones are known as digital computers because they handle data in binary form (0s and 1s) and can be programmed for various tasks. Conversely, analog computers are generally crafted to tackle specific problems, using continuously variable quantities like electrical resistance rather than discrete binary values.
While analog computers excel in terms of speed and energy efficiency, they have historically lagged in accuracy compared to their digital counterparts. Recently, Zhong Sun and his team at Peking University in China developed two analog chips that work collaboratively to solve matrix equations accurately—crucial for data transmission, large-scale scientific simulations, and AI model training.
The first chip generates low-precision outputs for matrix computations at high speed, while the second chip refines these outputs through an iterative improvement algorithm to assess and minimize the error rate of the initial results. Sun noted that the first chip produced results with a 1% error rate, but after three iterations with the second chip, this rate dropped to 0.0000001%, comparable to the accuracy found in conventional digital calculations.
Currently, the researchers have successfully designed a chip capable of solving 16 × 16 matrices, which equates to handling 256 variables, sufficient for addressing smaller problems. However, Sun acknowledges that addressing the complexities of today’s large-scale AI models will necessitate substantially larger circuits, potentially scaling up to 1 million by 1 million.
A unique advantage of analog chips is their ability to handle larger matrices without increased solving time, unlike digital chips, whose solving complexity rises exponentially with matrix size. This translates to a 32 x 32 analog chip outperforming the Nvidia H100 GPU, a leading chip for AI training.
Theoretically, further scaling could yield throughput up to 1,000 times greater than digital alternatives like GPUs while consuming 100 times less energy, according to Sun. However, he cautions that practical applications may exceed the circuit’s limited capabilities, limiting the perceived benefits.
“This is merely a speed comparison; your specific challenges may differ in real-world scenarios,” Sun explains. “Our chip is designed exclusively for matrix computations. If these computations dominate your tasks, the acceleration will be substantial; otherwise, the benefits may be constrained.”
Sun suggests that the most realistic outcome may be the creation of hybrid chips that incorporate some analog circuitry alongside GPUs to tackle specific problem areas, although this development might still be years away.
James Millen, a professor at King’s College London, emphasizes that matrix calculations are pivotal in AI model training, indicating that analog computing has the potential to make a significant impact.
“The contemporary landscape is dominated by digital computers. These remarkable machines are universal, capable of tackling any computation, yet not necessarily with optimal efficiency or speed,” Millen states. “Analog computers excel in performing specific tasks, making them exceptionally fast and efficient. In this research, we leverage analog computing chips to enhance matrix inversion processes—essential for training certain AI models. Improving this efficiency could help mitigate the substantial energy demands accompanying our expanding reliance on AI.”
Groundbreaking research by NASA’s twin astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly monitored aging indicators in both siblings, with Mark remaining on Earth while Scott spent 340 days in space.
Six months later, several changes in Scott persisted, including DNA damage, cognitive decline, and telomere shortening that affects chromosome protection. This was highlighted in the Journal Science.
Recent research published in Cell Stem Cell reveals that stem cells also show signs of aging due to stress from space flight.
According to Dr. Catriona Jamieson, director of the Sanford Stem Cell Institute at UC San Diego, these cells are “aging ten times faster in space than on Earth.”
Stem cells are unique cells capable of differentiating into various tissue types. Their accelerated aging poses a concern as it diminishes the body’s natural ability to repair tissues and organs.
This new research comes at a time of increasing interest in space exploration, with government plans for long-term lunar missions and private companies sending consumers and celebrities into space. Understanding these health risks is crucial for safer space travel. Additionally, studying the acceleration of intracellular aging aids researchers in comprehending biological processes at a slower pace.
Astronauts and twin brothers Scott and Mark Kelly at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in 2016. Houston Chronicle /Hurst Newspaper /Houston Chronicle by Getty Image
Researchers utilized bone marrow stem cells sourced from individuals who underwent hip replacement procedures. These cells were cultivated in “nanobioreactors,” essentially small, clear blood bags no larger than an iPhone that facilitate biological processes. The nanobioreactor was housed in a monitored environment known as cubelabs.
Samples from each patient were divided into two cubelabs; one was sent to space, while the other remained on Earth.
The samples intended for space travelled aboard the International Space Station across four commercial resupply missions conducted by SpaceX. Overall, the samples experienced microgravity for 32-45 days, the weightlessness found in orbit. For comparison, the Earth-bound cells were maintained in a cube lab setup.
Cubelabs monitored cell conditions throughout the journey and terrestrial duration, capturing daily images using a microscope. Upon the return of the space-stressed stem cells to Earth, researchers conducted comparisons against ground controls, sequenced the genome, and performed additional analyses.
Spectroscopy enables astronomers to detect traces of matter in stars, galaxies, and other cosmic entities. Black holes consume dust and encounter various phenomena around them; as material spirals into a black hole, it compresses and heats up. Stephen Finkelstein, a co-author and professor of astronomy at the University of Texas at Austin, noted that all of this can be observed through spectroscopy.
“We’re searching for these signatures of extremely fast gas,” Finkelstein explained. “We’re discussing speeds of 1,000, 2,000, and at times even 3,000 kilometers per second. There’s nothing else in the universe that moves this quickly, so we can confirm it must be the gas surrounding a black hole.”
Scientists have pinpointed a potential distant black hole candidate, which stands as the oldest candidate confirmed via spectroscopy, he added.
Researchers also find galaxies containing new black holes to be intriguing discoveries. According to Taylor, these galaxies belong to a class known as “Little Red Dots.”
While not much information is available about Little Red Dots, they were first detected by the James Webb Space Telescope. Some have been found relatively close by, but Finkelstein indicated that they are likely more prevalent in the early universe.
Investigating the Capers-Lrd-Z9 Galaxy may offer insights into the rarity of red dots and what defines their unique coloration, researchers noted. It could also shed light on the growth of these ancient black holes during the universe’s formative stages.
In subsequent studies, researchers aim to locate more black holes in the distant cosmos.
“We’re just going to examine a very limited section of the sky using the James Webb Space Telescope,” Finkelstein stated. “If we discover one thing, there ought to be more.”
Researchers experimented with sticky hydrogels by attaching rubber ducks to rocks by the sea
Hao Guo, Hongguang Liao, Hailong Fan
The rubber ducks that remained attached to coastal rocks for over a year demonstrate the durability of this innovative sticky material. This adhesive has potential applications in deep-sea robotics, repair tasks, and as a surgical adhesive in medical contexts.
“We have created an ultra-sticky hydrogel that performs exceptionally well even when submerged,” says Hailong Fan from Shenzhen University, China. This hydrogel is a soft and flexible material.
Subsequently, at Hokkaido University in Japan, Fan and his team examined 24,000 sticky protein sequences from various organisms to pinpoint the most adhesive amino acid combination, the foundational components of proteins. They leveraged this knowledge to design 180 unique adhesive hydrogels and utilized artificial intelligence models trained on hydrogel properties to optimize formulas for enhanced adhesive agents.
This method allowed the researchers to create a novel class of adaptable, highly sticky hydrogels. According to Fan, this material can adhere to surfaces even after being repeatedly halted and re-stocked or submerged in seawater. Under these circumstances, it surpassed an adhesive strength of 1 megapascal in water, which is about ten times stronger than most soft, sticky materials.
The study indicates that it “illustrates a paradigm shift in the design of high-performance soft materials.” Zhao Qin at Syracuse University in New York commended the team’s efforts in unraveling the adhesive mechanisms of natural proteins and utilizing them in new materials.
The most playful showcase of the hydrogel’s adhesion involved leaving a yellow rubber duck stuck to wave-battered rocks along the shore. In a more pragmatic test, the hydrogel promptly sealed a leaking water pipe. This hints at its potential for repairing underwater structures and improving the durability of flexible electronics and robotics.
This material is also biocompatible, as confirmed by implanting it under the skin of mice, which opens up avenues for biomedical uses such as implants and surgical adhesives.
The impressive adhesiveness of these hydrogels is notable, but it’s important to consider that the material needs to maintain sufficient thickness to function effectively. Researchers hope to test it beyond ideal lab environments, especially in real-world scenarios with rough, contaminated, or moving surfaces.
The team has filed for patents concerning this novel material through Hokkaido University.
this summer, technology secretary Peter Kyle revealed that he is contemplating a two-hour “screen time” limit for children’s use of social media apps. This approach is not just insufficient; it has become outdated.
While the timing of this announcement is appropriate, coinciding with the onset of summer holidays and the imperative for parents to oversee their children’s safety in digital spaces, it is rooted in older screen time recommendations. While it’s vital to think about limiting screen time, the suggested cap only addresses usage duration without considering quality. Thankfully, as someone who teaches digital literacy and is also a parent, I recognize there are ways to cultivate healthier habits for our children this summer, even if the government hasn’t fully adapted yet.
Screen time limits have dominated the discourse on digital engagement for parents, educators, and society over the past decade. This guidance emerged after research indicated that increased screen time correlates with a higher risk of obesity among children and adolescents. While this was beneficial advice for promoting physical health, it failed to robustly address how the nature and quality of online content impact mental health.
For instance, adhering to this guidance allows one child to enjoy CBeebies alongside their family, stimulating conversation, while another child is isolated with headphones, consuming algorithm-driven YouTube Shorts. The existing “Screen Time” guidance treats both scenarios equivalently. However, they are qualitatively distinct. In the first case, one child experiences interactive and communal viewing with a parent, fostering discussion and connection, while the other child’s viewing experience remains isolated and fragmented. They consume short-form content with limited narratives and character development, often lacking regulatory oversight.
YouTube has become a primary platform for our children’s screen time and is now the leading choice for Generation Alpha’s first television experience. Remarkably, 88% of UK children aged 3 to 17 are using the platform. Yet, YouTube is often overlooked in discussions about social media restrictions, including in Kyle’s statement.
Attempts have been made to differentiate between types of screen time, such as “passive” versus “active” engagement. The Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health aims for policies that emphasize habits and behavior, categorizing “active screen time” as involving cognitive or physical engagement—like gaming or homework activities—while passive screen time entails low levels of interaction and intellectual involvement.Similarly, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends engaging with children about what they watch, fostering opportunities for social, educational, and creative screen time. Unfortunately, these insights have not been fully embraced in public or political dialogues.
While encouraging intentional choices regarding children’s screen content, I do not imply that individual responsibility is the sole solution. We are experiencing a digital public health crisis, as highlighted by General Vivek Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, who noted that social media can heighten the risks of anxiety and depression in youth. There is an urgent need for comprehensive policies that tackle the technological and economic frameworks underpinning these platforms. This is where Kyle should focus his efforts.
Meanwhile, the proposals from Kyle should not rely on outdated public guidance. They must be rooted in a nuanced understanding of varied screen use, addressing both physical and mental health concerns while tackling systemic issues in digital platform design. Crucially, they must consider not just the quantity, but also the quality of children’s digital engagement.
Until such changes are made, the onus of responsibility falls on individuals—particularly parents—to ensure their children are learning, engaging, proactive, and safe during screen time. I know this may feel overwhelming. To help, here are some strategies to implement with my kids this summer.
For younger children, limited screen time is generally preferable. If screens are used, I recommend watching live TV on platforms like CBeebies or CBBC, emphasizing quality engagement.
Prioritize content that encourages active participation over passive consumption. Content that fosters creativity and dialogue supports cognitive engagement and enhances communication skills, often leading to meaningful discussions.
Begin instilling critical thinking about digital content early. Use tools like SightEngine to analyze images, helping to distinguish between real and potentially misleading content. This sparks conversation about online misinformation.
Engage older children in discussions about a healthy digital diet. Together, commit to actively seeking out positive content for 30 minutes each week, deliberately avoiding uninteresting or negatively skewed material. Teach them that even negative engagement, such as liking or commenting on unfavorable content, contributes to its visibility.
As a family, regularly declutter your digital spaces by removing content that no longer inspires or educates. This includes unfollowing unwanted accounts, personalities, and brands to refine your feed to what truly resonates with you.
Consider exploring alternative search engines as a family to minimize targeted ads. DuckDuckGo and Firefox Focus do not track users for advertising purposes, and Startpage allows users to utilize Google while maintaining privacy.
While the government may not effectively regulate digital technology, parents still hold the power to guide intentional screen use. By doing so, we can instill concepts of healthy and critical screen engagement from a young age.
Dr. Kaitlyn Regehr is the Programme Director for Digital Humanities at University College London, where she lectures on digital literacy and the ethical implications of social media and AI. She is also the author of Smartphone Nation: Exploring our obsession with screens and actionable solutions.
Capuchin Monkeys and Their Role in Seed Dispersal in Tropical Forests
Carlos Grillo/Getty Images/iStockphoto
Tropical ecosystems, rich in animal biodiversity that aids in seed dispersal, can sequester carbon at rates up to four times higher than fragmented forests lacking these animals or where their movements are limited.
“This underscores the connection between the loss of animal biodiversity and the processes that intensify climate change,” explains Evan Fricke from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “We’ve lost the potential for tropical forest regeneration.”
While animals only store a fraction of the carbon in their environment, their activities significantly influence ecosystem carbon dynamics. Notably, species such as monkeys, birds, and rodents play a crucial role in dispersing a wide variety of seeds.
Fricke mentions that “linking this to a prolonged process like carbon capture across landscapes proved quite challenging.”
Fricke and his team examined over 3,000 plots in tropical forests where trees are returning and successfully reabsorbing carbon following disturbances. They then assessed the degree of movement and diversity disruption of seed-dispersing animals in each plot, with findings influenced by forest fragmentation and data from monitored animals.
They discovered that increased disruption in seed disperser movement correlated with lower rates of carbon accumulation. The forests with the most disturbed animal behaviors grew four times faster than those with minimal disruption.
On average, disturbances in animal diversity and movement patterns that disperse seeds halved the carbon accumulation potential of affected plots. This indicates that such disruptions had a more detrimental impact than other factors inhibiting tree regrowth, such as fires and livestock grazing.
In contrast, forests experiencing the least disruption sequestered carbon more rapidly than monoculture wood farms. “Natural growth enhanced by animal activity presents a cost-effective and biodiversity-friendly recovery method,” states Fricke.
Earlier ecological models indicated that seed dispersers might significantly influence carbon storage; however, this study further elucidates the critical role these animals play, according to Oswald Schmitz from Yale University. “It highlights their importance now and into the future.”
Researchers deployed lasers to overheat gold samples, measuring temperatures with ultra-bright X-ray pulses
Greg Stewart/SLAC National Accelerator Research Institute
A thin layer of wafers that fire laser shots can heat to 14 times the melting point, pushing solids well beyond predicted limits, with some solids potentially lacking any defined melting point.
Overheating is a well-known phenomenon where a solid can exceed its melting point or even its boiling point without altering its state. For instance, water heated in a microwave can reach temperatures above 100°C (212°F) if the container is smooth and undisturbed, but will boil vigorously as soon as disturbed.
Many physicists have suggested an upper overheating limit of approximately three times the standard melting point in Kelvin, termed the entropy catastrophe. This occurs because the entropy, often viewed as the degree of disorder in a system, is greater when the material transitions to a liquid state. Remaining solid at temperatures above this point contradicts the second law of thermodynamics.
Recently, Thomas White from the University of Nevada, Reno, and his team found that gold can heat up to 14 times its melting point, exceeding even the entropy catastrophe.
White and his colleagues directed a powerful laser at a 50-nanometer-thick gold sheet for 45 seconds, then measured the temperature using reflective X-rays through a novel approach. By analyzing shifts in the frequency of the reflected X-rays, they determined the excess energy transferred to the gold, allowing them to calculate the heating effect on the sheet.
“The temperatures we measured were astonishingly high,” White remarked.
After ensuring no errors in their measurements, White and his team revisited existing theories, realizing that the rapid heating of gold likely reduced the solid’s entropy compared to its potential liquid state, surpassing predicted temperature limits. “It’s crucial to state that we haven’t violated the second law of thermodynamics,” White clarified.
The actual limitations of overheating are still open questions, he noted. “I may have thought the overheating limit was resolved in the 1980s, but now I believe it’s a question worthy of further exploration. Can we heat materials beyond their melting point?”
Utilizing this X-ray technology for measuring solid heating may also help simulate the effects of extreme heat and pressure from planetary interiors on materials within very short timescales, according to Sam Vinco at Oxford University. “Currently, there isn’t an effective thermometer for solids that operates on such brief timescales,” he noted.
It will also be fascinating to ascertain if this phenomenon applies to other solids beyond gold, Vinco stated, particularly regarding whether there’s a limit to heating before melting occurs. “What’s captivating is considering whether rapid heating could essentially circumvent traditional thermodynamic principles,” he added.
“I must set some rules for how time travel operates”… Kaliane Bradley
DreamcatcherDiana/Shutterstock
The awkward reality about time travel in my novels; Time Saving started as a mere device to thrust Victorian naval officers into the modern era, allowing them to grapple with washing machines and athletes. The initial concept was: “What if your favorite polar explorer resides in your home?”—he had to arrive in one of two ways. I could either freeze Graham Gore, the icebound captain, for 200 years in Arctic stasis or find a route to drag him into semi-obscurity in London. Of the two options, the latter required significantly less effort.
Even the early drafts of the book lacked a serious take on time travel consequences. The published work shows a government agency investigating historical “foreigners” to determine if time travel warps their body and mind. Initially, the narrative opens in medias res, depicting a baffled Gore asking the narrator how a refrigerator functions. The sequence of action and reaction was far from a priority for me; I simply aimed to amuse my friends.
However, as I continued writing, I realized the necessity of establishing guidelines for time travel mechanics, since comedy benefits from a defined universe. (It’s no joke—thrillers need stakes. A lack of tension is neither exciting nor engaging.) The primary rule: foreigners cannot return (or so the ministry claims). The ministry also doesn’t have the authority to leap forward (likewise). Expatriates have one-way tickets only. This framework was essential for the humor to resonate, explaining why dashing Gore and his reluctant companions were forced to cohabitate. If he could always return home, what significance would their increasingly complicated coexistence hold?
Time Saving is fundamentally a book about time travel, where such occurrences are rare. Across more than 350 pages, it happens only once. I often describe it as a narrative about people navigating bureaucracy in various settings. It’s astounding that readers embraced it.
I had to reflect on the implications for Gore and the other foreigners while adhering to this rule during writing. Moreover, even if they did travel, it would lead to their demise. To preserve the timeline, the ministry selects individuals who are destined to die, ensuring that their absence won’t alter history. Naturally, these foreigners shy away from returning to plague-ridden London or the Battle of the Somme or John Franklin’s ill-fated 1845 Arctic expedition. Who would want to revisit places where they met their end? Yet, they are also reluctant to feel like outsiders in a foreign land. Thus, I portrayed them as refugees.
At this point, I began to take my novels more earnestly. My obsession with the real figure of Graham Gore deepened, as I sought to imagine his life, thoughts, and emotions. I delved into periodicals and literature from his era, attempting to understand how he perceived the world—a world that I now see through different lenses based on location. Increasingly, I endeavored to capture the emotional and psychological essence of being a refugee in a system that treats you as grateful, obedient, and useful.
Concurrently, I sought to comprehend the ministry itself. I began crafting this book amid the fall of 2021, inspired by a decade of the UK’s hostile environment policy. Did the government genuinely believe that giving the means for time travel would result in a welcoming of asylum seekers? This theme echoes throughout the book, prompting readers to consider whether it’s a form of time travel.
Thus, my book is not a scientific exploration of time travel’s mechanics, but rather a narrative journey—a story about traveling through time. I genuinely believe that all fiction embodies time travel; it traverses through distinct timelines, a cherished gift of preserved moments we can revisit, stepping back into a past that hasn’t yet happened.
Late yesterday, Seturaman Panchanathan, whom President Trump hired to run the National Science Foundation five years ago, left. He didn’t say why, but it was clear enough. Last weekend, Trump cut more than 400 active research awards from the NSF, and he is pressing Congress to halve Congress’ $9 billion budget.
The Trump administration has targeted American scientific companies, an engine of research and innovation that has been inducted for decades. The National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and NASA are cutting or frozen budgets. Thousands of researchers have been fired or paid back.
The confusion is confusing. Isn’t science an eternal power? Does it contain disease? Would it help you compete with China? Why not attract the kind of immigrants the president says he wants? In this edition of the newsletter, you will break the huge thing to understand the fuss.
investment
American research thrives under a sponsorship system that highlights dollars that Congress has approved to universities, national labs and labs. The Knowledge Factory employs tens of thousands of researchers, bringing talent from around the world, creating scientific breakthroughs and Nobel Prizes.
Science moves slowly, so it’s a slow moving system. Discoveries are often indirect and repetitive, and include collaboration between researchers who require years of granted education to become experts. Startups and businesses that need quick returns on investments are usually unable to wait long for long money or risk.
Science is capital. With some measures, all dollars spent on research will return at least $5 to the economy.
President Trump is not patient. He reimbursed university research into AIDS, pediatric cancer and solar physics. (Two well-known researchers compiled the list Lost NIH grants and NSF Awards. ) The administration has also fired thousands of federal scientists, including meteorologists from the National Weather Service. CDC’s pandemic preparation expert. A black researcher at the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. Already built for $3.5 billion over a decade, the next generation space observatory is waiting for a launch that could never happen now.
Alienate scientists
Administrative authorities provide various reasons for the crackdown: cost reduction, government efficiency, and “protecting women from gender ideological extremism.” Many grants have been eliminated because they include terms such as climate, diversity, disability, trans, or women. Some portrayed the administration’s rage, as the application included a DEI statement requested by the previous administration.
You don’t need a telescope to see where this leads. American leaders have historically seen science as an investment in the future. Will this administration seize it? One third of American Nobel Prize winners were foreign-born, but immigration crackdowns wiped out scientists like Xenia Petrova, a Russian who ages at Harvard University and is now sitting in a detention center in Louisiana. Australian scholars have stopped attending conferences in the US for fear of being detained, The Guardian reported.
Now, some American scientists are looking for an exit. France, Canada and other countries are courting our researchers. A recent poll by Nature magazine found that more than 1,200 American scientists were considering working abroad. Journal recruitment platforms were seen 32% of overseas positions more applications Between January and March 2025, this was higher than the same period last year.
President Trump’s tariffs had raised concerns about Apple’s manufacturing in China even before they threatened to disrupt it. This, coupled with the company’s struggle to innovate, has led to doubts within its Silicon Valley headquarters about its magic.
The introduction of tariffs on April 2nd led to a $773 billion loss in market capitalization in just four days, temporarily dethroning Apple as the world’s most valuable public company. Investors were already showing signs of dissatisfaction, with the stock dropping by 8% in the first four months of the year, outpacing the S&P 500’s decline.
Apple’s attempts to turn its fortunes around with products like virtual reality headsets, Vision Pro, and AI systems called Apple Intelligence have been met with disappointment. The headset sales were lackluster and the AI system’s key features faced delays due to functionality issues.
These challenges highlight the erosion of Apple’s reputation for innovation, causing anxiety and dissatisfaction among employees. Insiders fear that the company is mired in political infighting, cost-cutting, and talent drain, despite years of being a magnet for top talent.
Apple declined to provide a comment on the situation.
It’s been a decade since Apple’s last major commercial successes with the Apple Watch and AirPods. New services like Apple TV+ and Fitness+, launched in 2019, are lagging behind their subscription-based competitors. The iPhone, now 18 years old and accounting for half of Apple’s sales, continues to see incremental improvements annually.
While Vision Pro’s sales disappointed, Apple’s struggles with Apple Intelligence have revealed dysfunction within the company.
Last summer, Apple showcased AI products that could summarize notifications and provide enhanced writing tools for emails and messaging. However, the new iPhone shipped without the AI features as planned due to inaccuracies discovered during internal testing. This led to the postponement of the enhanced SIRI release.
After the delay, Apple’s software chief announced plans to restructure the executive team, shifting responsibility from AI head John Giannandrea to Vision Pro Headset leader Microcwell.
Technology analyst Michael Gartenberg, a former Apple product marketer, expressed concerns about the company’s handling of Apple Intelligence, calling it a case of overestimation and lack of boundaries.
Reports on changes within Apple’s SIRI team and challenges were previously covered by sources like Bloomberg and information.
Apple’s AI efforts faced setbacks in early 2023, with Giannandrea scrambling to procure GPUs for AI development, highlighting the lack of resources compared to competitors like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta.
Apple’s struggles with AI development were compounded by a shortage of GPUs, forcing teams to rely on external providers like Google and Amazon for computing power.
Disagreements within Apple’s software teams and leadership clashes contributed to delays and challenges in launching new AI capabilities like Siri.
The departure of key Apple design and product development leaders has left the company with a mix of experienced and inexperienced executives in critical roles.
Apple’s lack of clear leadership and communication has been cited as a major factor contributing to its current challenges in product development.
Despite setbacks, Apple plans to release an improved Siri virtual assistant in the fall, aiming to address previous shortcomings.
While delays have raised concerns among some Apple leaders, others believe it’s crucial to get AI right, even if it takes time to perfect.
Predators have evolved saber teeth many times throughout the history of life. And now we have a better understanding of why these teeth develop the way they do.
Saber teeth have very special characteristics. Very long, sharp canine teeth that tend to be slightly flat and curved rather than round. Such teeth have evolved independently at least five times in different groups of mammals, and fossils of saber-toothed tiger predators have been found in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
These teeth were first known to appear in mammal-like reptiles called gorgonopsians about 270 million years ago. Another example is Thylacosmiluswhich became extinct about 2.5 million years ago and was most closely related to marsupials. Saber teeth were last seen Smilodonoften referred to as the saber-toothed tiger, existed until about 10,000 years ago.
To find out why these teeth continued to re-evolve, Talia Pollock and colleagues from the University of Bristol, UK, examined the canine teeth of 95 species of carnivorous mammals, including 25 species of saberodonts.
First, the researchers measured, classified, and modeled the shape of the teeth. They then 3D printed a smaller version of each tooth in metal and tested its performance in a puncture test in which the teeth were mechanically pushed into a gelatin block designed to mimic the density of animal tissue.
This showed that the saber teeth could drill into the block with up to 50% less force than the other teeth, Pollock said.
The researchers then evaluated the tooth shape and puncture performance data using a measure called the Pareto rank ratio. This determines how optimal the tooth is in terms of strength or puncture.
“Carnivores’ teeth need to be sharp and thin enough to pierce the flesh of their prey, but they also need to be blunt and strong so they don’t break when the animal bites,” Pollock says.
i like animals Smilodon It had very long saber teeth. “These teeth probably appeared over and over again because they’re the perfect design for puncture,” Pollock says. “They’re very good at drilling holes, but that also means they’re a little more fragile.” For example, California’s La Brea tar pits have Smilodonsome broken tooth.
Other saberodonts also had teeth shaped ideally for slightly different tasks. cat Dino Feliz According to Pollock, they had squatter saber teeth for a more even balance of sting and strength.
The teeth of other saber-toothed species fall between these optimal shapes, which may be why some saber-toothed teeth did not last very long. “These are trade-offs,” Pollock said. “Aspects of the shape of your teeth make you good at some things and bad at others.”
One of the leading theories as to why the saber-toothed tiger species went extinct is that the ecosystem changed and the large prey that the saber-toothed species, such as mammoths, were thought to have gone after disappeared.
The team’s blowout findings support this. Giant teeth would not have been as effective in catching prey as large as rabbits, and the risk of tooth breakage here may have increased, making saber-tooths more effective prey. would have been defeated by someone. Pollock says it’s difficult to hunt prey like cats with small teeth.
“As ecological and environmental conditions changed, highly specialized saber-toothed tiger predators quickly became unable to adapt and went extinct.” Stefan Lautenschlager At the University of Birmingham, UK.
“I think that’s part of the reason why this saber-toothed form hasn’t evolved again now. We don’t have megafauna,” he says. Julie Michen At Des Moines University, Iowa. “The prey isn’t there.”
It’s not just called go juice. Caffeine is the most popular performance-enhancing drug in the world. It’s not a nutrient, but a drug, and it’s the most widely consumed psychoactive stimulant by humanity.
In the UK, 98 million cups of coffee are consumed every day. Apart from kickstarting your morning, it has been shown to enhance motor skills like muscle strength and endurance, as well as cognitive skills such as attention, reading speed, and problem-solving abilities.
“There’s a long list of substances believed to enhance performance,” says James Betts, Professor of Metabolic Physiology at the University of Bath. “But I would put caffeine at the top of that list because its effects are so powerful and consistent, affecting almost every tissue in the body.”
Fun fact: Coffee beans are actually seeds from the fruit of the coffee tree – Credit: Sam Brewster
These effects are driven by a diverse biology. Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, increases adrenaline, reduces fatigue, promotes fat burning for energy, and helps conserve glycogen stores, thus improving endurance.
Additionally, it blocks adenosine receptors, a neurotransmitter promoting sleep. This is why coffee makes us feel alert and energized. However, excessive caffeine consumption can lead to irritability, anxiety, and insomnia.
It’s important to time your caffeine intake correctly for optimal effects. Research by Betts suggests that consuming strong coffee after a night of poor sleep can impair blood sugar control over time.
Poor blood sugar control can increase the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, emphasizing the importance of strategic caffeine consumption.
For improved performance during workouts or activities, Betts recommends consuming coffee 45 to 60 minutes before starting. The effects of caffeine are long-lasting, lasting up to one to two hours in heavy consumers and four to six hours in moderate consumers.
In the 16th century, coffee was banned in Mecca because it was believed to stimulate radical thinking – Photo credit: Getty
While caffeine can enhance cognitive tasks, excessive consumption can lead to poor academic performance due to disrupted sleep quality and daytime sleepiness.
Overall, Betts believes caffeine consumption, especially in the morning, is beneficial for waking up and functioning well throughout the day. It has been linked to preventing various diseases and promoting a healthy, active lifestyle.
About our experts
James Betts is a Professor of Metabolic Physiology at the University of Bath with expertise in nutrition, exercise, and metabolism.
Several groups of carnivorous dinosaurs – Tyrannosaurus, Spinosaurus, and their members Velociraptor The family crept into the Bexhill-on-Sea region of present-day East Sussex, England, about 135 million years ago (early Cretaceous period), according to new research.
Early Cretaceous floodplain in southeastern England, 135 million years ago. A spinosaur (center) takes over the carcass of an ornithopod, tormenting smaller tyrannosaurs (left) and dromaeosaurs (bottom right). Image credit: Anthony Hutchings.
Dr Chris Barker, a palaeontologist at the University of Southampton, said: “Carnivorous dinosaurs are rare in the Cretaceous deposits of southern England.”
“Normally it is the Isle of Wight dinosaurs that attract our attention. Little is known about the older Cretaceous specimens recovered from mainland sites.”
In this study, Barker and his colleagues examined assemblages of theropod teeth taken from animals. Wadhurst Clay Formationmainly collected from the Ashdown Brickworks area near Bexhill, East Sussex.
Theropod teeth are complex and vary in size, shape, and serrated edge anatomy.
The authors used several techniques to analyze the fossils, including phylogenetic methods, discriminant methods, and machine learning methods.
“Dinosaur teeth are durable fossils and are typically preserved more frequently than bones, so they are often important when you want to rebuild ecosystem diversity,” Dr. Barker said. .
“There are rigorous methods that help identify teeth with high accuracy.”
“Our findings suggest the presence of spinosaurs, medium-sized tyrannosaurs, and small dromaeosaurs. Velociraptor-There are some theropods in these deposits. ”
A theropod tooth excavated from the Wadhurst Clay Formation. Scale bar – 10 mm. Image credit: Barker others., doi: 10.1002/spp2.1604.
The discovery of Tyrannosaurus is particularly noteworthy. This is because this group has not been previously identified in sediments of this age and region.
These tyrannosaurs would have been about one-third the size of their more famous cousins. tyrannosaurus rexand likely hunted small dinosaurs and other reptiles in floodplain habitats.
“Assigning isolated teeth to a group of theropods can be difficult, especially since many traits evolve independently between different lineages,” says Dr. Lucy Handford. Student at York University.
“Therefore, we employed a variety of methods to refine our findings, leading to a more reliable classification.”
“It is very likely that further discoveries will be made by re-evaluating the theropod teeth elsewhere in the museum.”
Dr Darren Naish, a palaeontologist at the University of Southampton, said: 'Southern England has an extremely good record of Cretaceous dinosaurs, and the various sedimentary layers here are among the world's best in terms of geological age and the fossil content they contain. It's also unique.”
“These East Sussex dinosaurs are older, more mysterious, and less well known than the better-known Cretaceous deposits of the Isle of Wight.”
“We've been hoping to find out for decades which groups of theropods lived here, so the new study's conclusions are really interesting.”
of findings appear in the diary paleontology papers.
_____
Chris T. Barker others. 2024. Theropod dinosaur diversity of Lower Wealden, England: analysis of the tooth-based fauna of the Wadhurst Clay Formation (Lower Cretaceous: Valanginian) through phylogenetic, discriminant, and machine learning methods. paleontology papers 10 (6): e1604;doi: 10.1002/spp2.1604
The movement of bubbling gas on the surface of R Doradus
ALMA (ESO/National Astronomical Observatory of Japan/NRAO)/W. Breming
A giant bubble of hot gas more than 75 times the size of our sun has been observed on the surface of a nearby star, and researchers say this could lead to improved computer simulations of the sun.
Wouter Flemings He and his colleagues from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, were looking at R Doradus, a star 178 light-years away from Earth and 350 times the mass of the Sun, in hopes of better understanding how material is ejected from old stars.
Vlemmings says they booked time at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observatory in Chile — which only gets one in seven applications — and there they collected a single snapshot observation.
The first two attempts were hampered by weather conditions on Earth, and only the third met the stringent quality standards set out in the researchers' Observatory Time application, but this led to the accumulation of multiple images that Vlemmings says were in fact all usable, allowing the team to plot movement over time.
Not only was this the first time such a bubble had been observed in detail outside the solar system, but the image was shaped like a kind of flip-book, allowing the researchers to measure not only its size but also its speed. “That was a bonus,” Flemings says. “We hadn't planned for it, and certainly didn't expect it to all work out that way. [this way].”
They also discovered that giant gas bubbles, more than 100 million kilometres wide, were rising to the surface and then sinking back into the star's interior at a faster rate than expected.
Nuclear fusion reactions inside the star create convection currents, which cause bubbles of hot gas to rise to the surface, then cool and sink back to the core. This process is thought to eject material that escapes the star's gravity and spreads out into space to form new stars and planets. At least in R Doradus, this process appears to be happening three to four times faster than expected, with bubbles forming and disappearing over the course of about a month.
Areas around R Doradas
ESO/Digital Sky Survey 2
Stellar convection has been modeled in computers before, but those models appear to be a bit flawed because the motion isn't nearly as fast as observed in the real world, Vlemings said.
“These bubbles are moving a little faster than expected, so it seems like we're missing something,” he says. “For a long time in our field, the models have basically been ahead of the observations, but we've never really had the observations to test whether those models are correct.”
Doradus R has not been the subject of much study because it's only visible from the Southern Hemisphere, and historically most of the large radio telescopes have been in the Northern Hemisphere. But that's changed with ALMA, Vlemmings says. Because ALMA produces such comprehensive data, he hopes to find even more remnants. Researchers hope to observe similar stars next year to see if the phenomenon can be found in other places.
Over the past five years, there have been more than 1,400 ambulance dispatches to Amazon warehouses, a figure that has been described as shocking by the GMB trade union. This raises concerns about the safety of Amazon’s UK workplaces.
The Dunfermline and Bristol Amazon centers had the highest number of ambulance attendees in the UK, with 161 and 125 respectively during the period.
In Dunfermline, a third of Scottish Ambulance Service call-outs were for chest pain, along with incidents related to convulsions, strokes, and breathing difficulties.
Since 2019, Amazon Mansfield has had 84 ambulance calls, with over 70% of them being for serious incidents such as heart attacks and strokes.
Accidents related to pregnancy, miscarriages, traumatic injuries, and suspected heart attacks have been reported at some Amazon sites, as well as exposure to harmful substances and severe burns.
The data was obtained through freedom of information requests to 12 emergency services covering more than 30 Amazon sites. However, the actual numbers may be higher as complete data was not available for all sites.
GMB staff campaigned for union recognition outside an Amazon warehouse in Coventry. Photo: Fabio De Paola/The Guardian
In Coventry, Amazon workers and GMB union members narrowly lost a crucial union recognition vote amid allegations of intimidation by the company.
Amanda Gearing, a GMB organizer, called for investigations into Amazon’s working practices, citing the shocking figures as evidence of unsafe working conditions.
Martha Dark from Foxglove emphasized the danger of working at Amazon, criticizing the company’s disregard for safety.
Workers work at an Amazon fulfillment center in Peterborough ahead of the store’s annual Black Friday sales. Photo: Daniel Leal Olivas/AFP/Getty Images
An Amazon spokesperson denied claims of dangerous working conditions, stating that safety is a top priority and ambulances are always called for emergencies.
The spokesperson also refuted claims that ambulances were not called, emphasizing that the majority of calls were for pre-existing conditions, not work-related incidents.
They encouraged individuals to visit Amazon fulfillment centers to see the truth for themselves.
South American lungfish probably has a lot of 'junk' DNA
Katherine Segers/Louisiana State University
The largest sequenced genome on record, containing 90 billion DNA letters, belongs to a South American lungfish.
“Obviously, making this happen was a technical challenge,” he said. Axel Meyer “This is the largest animal genome ever found,” said researchers from the University of Konstanz in Germany.
South American lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxaThere are two copies of the human genome, with a total of 180 gigabases (Gb) of DNA, which would stretch to 55 metres if laid out in a line – 30 times the amount of DNA found in a single human cell (6 Gb).
The South American lungfish has 19 chromosomes, 18 of which are larger than a single copy of the human genome, Meyer said.
His team also sequenced a single copy of the 40 Gb African lungfish genome (Protopterus annectens), the researchers have now sequenced all six species of lungfish found around the world, all of which have unusually large genomes.
“It's really puzzling how these fish can tolerate such large genomes,” Meyer says. The nucleus in each cell must be very large to accommodate so much DNA, meaning each cell is larger than normal, he says. Replicating that much DNA also requires a lot of energy with each cell division.
There's no evidence that this extra DNA does anything useful. Rather, it appears to be the result of a “genetic parasite” replicating itself endlessly. It's probably mostly junk, Meyer says.
His team found that mechanisms that other organisms use to limit the spread of genetic parasites appear to be damaged or missing in all lungfish species, resulting in the South American lungfish genome growing by 3.7 Gb every 10 million years – more than one copy of the human genome.
The reason for sequencing all lungfish species is to get a better understanding of what their common ancestor was like, a close relative of the lungfish that evolved into the first tetrapod land animal.
“Of all fish, lungfish are our closest relatives,” Meyer says. As their name suggests, lungfish breathe air and would drown without it.
They can also live for more than 100 years and regrow fins and tails, Meyer said, and his team hopes to figure out how they do this.
Some plant genomes are even larger than that of the South American lungfish: a small fern found on several Pacific islands is thought to have 321 Gb of DNA per cell, but there are no plans to sequence it.
Texas environmental officials notified the company last week that Elon Musk’s SpaceX had discharged pollutants into or near Texas waters, violating environmental regulations.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality report came five months after the Environmental Protection Agency notified SpaceX that it had violated the Clean Water Act.
The breach could threaten SpaceX’s ambitions to increase StartShip launches from its StarBase facility.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has repeatedly discharged pollutants into or near Texas waters, violating environmental regulations, state officials said in a notice of violation that focused on the water discharge system at the company’s StarBase launch facility.
The notice from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) last week came five months after the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 6, which oversees Texas and surrounding states, also notified SpaceX that it was violating the Clean Water Act through similar activities.
The notice and related investigative records obtained by CNBC have not been previously reported.
TCEQ said its office in the South Texas city of Harlingen, near Boca Chica Starbase, received a complaint on Aug. 6, 2023, alleging that SpaceX was “discharging floodwaters without TCEQ authorization.”
“The Harlingen area received a total of 14 complaints alleging environmental impacts from the facility’s water discharge system,” regulators said in a written statement.
Aerospace companies, including SpaceX, generally comply with state and federal laws. Federal Aviation Administration SpaceX had been seeking permission to conduct up to 25 launches and landings per year of its Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy rocket at the Boca Chica facility. The notice of violation could delay those approvals and lead to civil fines, further investigations and criminal charges against SpaceX.
in Long post about XAfter this article was published, SpaceX said regulators told it it could continue launch operations despite the violation notice.
“Through ongoing coordination with TCEQ and EPA, we have specifically asked whether we should cease operations of the Deluge system and have been informed that operations can continue,” SpaceX wrote to EPA.
Neither regulator responded to CNBC’s questions about SpaceX’s statements.
SpaceX’s Starship in Brownsville, Texas on June 5. Brandon Bell/Getty Images file
Rushing to rebuild
On July 25, 2024, TCEQ environmental investigators “conducted an internal compliance records review” to determine SpaceX’s compliance with wastewater regulations. The investigation found that SpaceX had discharged industrial wastewater without a permit four times between March and July of this year.
A water system with flame deflectors would dissipate heat, sound and energy generated during orbital test flights and rocket launches, but SpaceX didn’t have one installed at its Boca Chica launch pad before it began test flights of Starship, the biggest rocket ever made.
The FAA did not give a reason for the delay and said a new date would be announced in the future.
Parts of the US experienced heatwaves during the day that could cause heatstroke, with temperatures rising by 2.5C (1.4C) due to global warming caused by the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. World Weather Attribution, The calculations were made Thursday by a group of scientists conducting a rapid, non-peer-reviewed study of climate factors.
“It’s like an oven out here, there’s no way I could be here,” said Magarita Salazar Pérez, 82, who lives in Veracruz, Mexico, in her home without air conditioning. Temperatures in the Sonoran Desert reached 125 degrees Fahrenheit (51.9 Celsius) last week, making it the hottest day in Mexico’s history, said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist at Climate Central and co-author of the study.
And it was even worse at night, which is what made the heatwave so deadly, said Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London who is leading the team investigating its causes. Climate change has caused nighttime temperatures to rise by 2.9 degrees Celsius (1.6 degrees Fahrenheit), making extreme nighttime heat 200 times more likely, Otto said.
Salazar-Perez said there isn’t the cool nighttime air that people are used to, and doctors say lower nighttime temperatures are key to surviving the heatwave.
A man holds his head in the heat at the Cogra nursing home in Veracruz, Mexico, on June 16, 2024.Felix Marquez/AP
At least 125 people have been killed so far, according to the Global Weather Attribution Team.
“This is clearly related to climate change, the level of intensity that we’re seeing, these risks,” said Karina Izquierdo, urban adviser at the Mexico City-based Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center and co-author of the study.
Otto said what’s worrying about this heat wave, which is still heating up North America, is that it’s no longer unusual. Previous research from the group has shown that extremely extreme heat waves Not possible without climate changebut not this heat wave.
“So in that sense it’s not unusual from a meteorological standpoint, but the impacts were really bad,” Otto told The Associated Press in an interview.
“The changes over the last 20 years, which feel like yesterday, have been so dramatic,” Otto said. Her research shows that heat waves are four times more likely now than they were in 2000, when temperatures were nearly 1 degree Celsius (half a degree Celsius) cooler. “It seems so long ago, like another world.”
While other international groups of scientists, as well as global carbon emission reduction targets adopted by countries in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, have noted that warming has been increasing since the pre-industrial era in the mid-1800s, Otto said comparing what is happening now to the year 2000 is even more shocking.
“We’re seeing the baseline shift, and what was once extreme but rare is becoming more and more common,” said Carly Kenkel, dean of marine studies at the University of Southern California, who was not involved in the team’s investigation. She called the analysis a “logical conclusion based on the data.”
Jorge Moreno drinks flavored water while working at a construction site in Veracruz, Mexico on June 17, 2024. Felix Marquez/AP
The study looked at the five hottest days and nights across a wide swath of the continent, including Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Honduras. In most areas, the five days were from June 3 to 7, and the five nights were from June 5 to 9, but in some places, the peak heat began as early as May 26, Otto said.
For example, San Angelo, Texas, recorded a record 111 degrees (43.8 degrees Celsius) on June 4. Between June 2 and June 6, Corpus Christi Airport's nighttime temperatures never dropped below 80 degrees (26.7 degrees Celsius), setting a new nighttime temperature record, with two days where the temperature never dropped below 85 degrees (29.4 degrees Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.
Between June 1st and June 15th, more than 1,200 Highest daytime temperature record The United States saw a flurry of records being broken and tied, with nearly 1,800 overnight high temperature records set, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.
The team used both current and historical temperature measurements to contrast what’s happening now with past heatwave conditions, then used a scientifically-accepted method of comparing a hypothetical simulation of a world without human-made climate change with current reality to calculate how much global warming contributed to the 2024 heatwave.
Winkley said the immediate meteorological cause is high pressure that was parked over central Mexico, blocking storms and clouds that brought cold air, then moved into the southwestern U.S. and is now bringing hot air to the eastern U.S. Tropical Storm Alberto The storm formed on Wednesday and is heading toward northern Mexico and southern Texas, where it is likely to bring rain and cause flooding.
The heatwave is “exacerbating existing inequalities.” Rich and poor Izquierdo said the inequality is stark in the Americas, and Kenkel agreed: Nighttime heat is accentuated because the ability to stay cool with central air conditioning depends on how affordable you are, Kenkel said.
So, Salazar-Perez was feeling very uncomfortable during this heatwave.
Glassy gels are a new class of materials that are as stiff as plastic but extremely stretchy.
Meishan Wang, North Carolina State University
When you think of gel, you might imagine something sludgy, but the new gel-like material has been engineered to be strong and transparent like glass, yet flexible enough to stretch to almost seven times its original length.
Michael Dickey The North Carolina State University researchers say they discovered the “glassy gel” when student Meishan Wang was experimenting with ionic liquids and kept finding unexpected mechanical properties. The material they came up with is more than 50 percent liquid, yet it's as strong as the plastic in water bottles, and it's also highly stretchable and sticky. “It has a lot of great properties,” Wang says.
Each glassy gel is made up of long molecules called polymers mixed with ionic liquid (essentially liquid salt). The gels are transparent solids that can withstand up to 400 times atmospheric pressure, yet easily stretch up to 670 percent. Dickey says this could make them suitable for building soft robotic grippers or for 3D printing deformable materials.
He and his colleagues created glassy gels from mixtures of several polymers and liquid salts, and found that their strength and stretchability depended on the exact ratios used.
“By simply changing the ratio of the two materials, we can make something as stretchy as a rubber band or as hard as glass,” Dickey says.
This is because the material's stretchability comes from the ionic liquid depositing in the spaces between the stiff polymer molecules, pushing them apart, while its strength comes from electrostatic attraction between the charged particles in the liquid and the polymer, which prevents the particles from moving apart completely.
The glassy gel is also capable of self-repair; cuts or breaks can be repaired by applying heat, causing the molecules at the broken edges to rejoin. Richard Hoogenboom Researchers at Ghent University in Belgium say the technique could be useful in some cases where traditional plastics are used, but that the formulations may need to be tweaked to only soften at high enough temperatures to avoid accidental softening.
A recent comprehensive study of 20,000 adults suggests that time-restricted eating, a form of intermittent fasting, may significantly increase the risk of death. Moreover, healthy eating habits could challenge the established scientific consensus on this topic.
The latest research, published by the American Heart Association, reveals that restricting eating to less than eight hours a day is associated with a staggering 91 percent increase in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
After analyzing participants’ dietary habits and health over a period of up to 17 years, the study found no evidence to support the idea that limiting meals to an eight-hour window reduces the risk of death from any cause.
Lead author Professor Victor Wenze Zhong expressed surprise at the results, stating to BBC Science Focus that they had anticipated a decrease in cardiovascular disease risk and overall mortality with long-term adoption of an eight-hour time-restricted diet.
He further stated, “Despite the popularity of this dietary approach for its short-term benefits, our study indicates that while the typical eating window ranges from 12 to 16 hours per day, shorter meal times do not correlate with longer life.”
Although the precise reason why time-restricted eating may increase the risk of cardiovascular death is still unknown, one possible explanation suggested by Zhong is that it could lead to a loss of muscle mass.
Recent interest in time-restricted eating has been fueled by its potential health benefits. Prior studies have indicated that it could aid weight loss and improve blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
Many practitioners follow a 16:8 schedule, whereby they consume all food within an eight-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours.
This eating pattern aligns more closely with natural circadian rhythms and is believed to support better sleep and metabolic function. However, the recent findings cast doubt on its long-term benefits.
Stanford University School of Medicine Professor Dr. Christopher Gardner cautioned that while time-restricted eating may offer short-term advantages, it could have adverse long-term effects, based on the study.
It is important to note that the study has not yet undergone peer review, and detailed dietary information of the participants is not available.
The research population, with an average age of 49, recorded 2797 deaths, of which 840 were due to cardiovascular disease.
As per Zhong, individuals, especially those with existing heart disease or cancer, should be cautious about adopting an eight-hour eating window due to its associated increased risk of cardiovascular death.
He emphasized the potential effectiveness of intermittent fasting for short periods, such as three to six months, for weight loss and cardiometabolic health improvement. However, long-term adherence to practices like eight-hour time-restricted eating warrants careful consideration.
Despite these cautionary findings, Zhong and Gardner noted that it is premature to draw definitive conclusions regarding time-restricted eating based on a single study.
Ultimately, the study suggests that the content of one’s diet may hold greater importance than the timing of meals for long-term health outcomes.
About our experts:
Dr. Victor Wenze Zhong is a professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He holds leadership roles in the American Academy of Nutrition and the American Heart Association.
Dr. Christopher Gardner is a professor of medicine at Stanford University, known for his research on dietary components and patterns. He has served on the American Heart Association Nutrition Committee and the Lifestyle & Metabolic Health Council.
Microsoft has issued a response to a copyright infringement lawsuit filed by The New York Times, alleging that its content was used to train generative artificial intelligence. Microsoft called the claims a false narrative of “apocalyptic futurology” and criticized the lawsuit as short-sighted, comparing it to Hollywood’s resistance to VCRs.
In a motion to dismiss filed as part of the lawsuit, Microsoft responded to the allegations, stating that The New York Times’ content was given “particular weight” and that Microsoft has made significant investments in the Times. Microsoft ridiculed the claims made by the newspaper and denied the accusations of government involvement in the matter.
The lawsuit, which could have far-reaching implications for artificial intelligence and news content production, accuses Microsoft, as the largest investor in OpenAI, of using copyrighted content from The New York Times to develop AI products that threaten the newspaper’s ability to provide its services.
Microsoft argued that the lawsuit is reminiscent of Hollywood’s opposition to VCRs in the past and emphasized that the content used to train the language models does not replace the market for the original work but rather educates the models.
OpenAI, a co-defendant in the lawsuit, has requested the dismissal of certain claims against the company, asserting that their products, such as ChatGPT, are not intended to replace subscriptions to The New York Times and are not used for that purpose in the real world.
Following Microsoft’s legal response, The New York Times pushed back against the comparison to 1980s home-taping technology, stating that Microsoft collaborated with OpenAI to copy copyrighted works without permission.
The dispute between the parties is part of a larger legal battle over copyright issues related to AI technology and concerns about the creation of misleading information. Recent incidents, such as Google’s use of AI to generate historically inaccurate images, have raised concerns about the need to address these issues.
OpenAI has faced criticism for its training methods and refusal to disclose training data, including the use of copyrighted works. The company argues that limiting training data to public domain content would hinder the development of AI systems that meet current needs.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed surprise at the Times lawsuit, stating that the AI models do not rely on specific publisher data for training and that the Times’ content represented only a small portion of the overall text corpus used.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a casual observer, a good meteor shower is always fun to watch
These occur at the same time every year, but you don’t need expensive equipment to get the most out of them. In fact, you’re better without a telescope. By using just your eyes, you can take in a wider field of view and see more meteors.
Why do meteor showers occur on specific days?
As the Earth orbits the Sun, each year we pass through the same stream of debris left behind by comets and sometimes asteroids. In the case of periodic comets such as the large comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which is the parent object of the summer Perseid meteor shower, the stream is replenished each time it passes.
Summarized meteor showers in 2024
In this article, we have summarized all the meteor showers in 2024, their maximum period, and the number of meteors that can be observed.
Learn about constellations
While you wait for that all-important peak night, why not brush up on your constellations with our handy astronomer’s guide for beginners? Having a broad understanding of constellations will help you identify and observe the radiance of each meteor shower. It will help you get the most out of your experience.
Full moon calendar
If you prefer the moon, check out our full moon calendar. All dates, names, and times are compiled into one comprehensive list. It also includes some trivia about the moon.
What is a meteor shower?
A meteor shower is a cascade of meteors, also called shooting stars, that flash across the sky and leave a trail of light in their wake. They occur on certain days every year and can be a spectacular sight if conditions are right.
When is the next meteor shower?
After the quadrant meteor shower in January, Britain’s next major meteor shower will be the Lyrids, followed quickly by Eta Aquarius in April. The peaks of these showers are expected on April 22-23 and May 6, respectively, so mark your calendars.
Meteor Showers in 2024
See below the dates of all 2024 meteor showers, along with peak times and number of meteors seen per hour.
quadrant meteor shower
Active: December 28, 2023 – January 12, 2024 peak: January 3-4, 2024 Price/hour: 110 radiation: Boes Parent body: Probably 2003 EH1, but not confirmed yet Peak moon illumination: 59-49%
Urinidae
Active: December 17th to 26th peak: December 22nd-23rd Price/hour: Ten radiation: Ursa Minor Parent body: Comet 8P/Tuttle Peak moon illumination: 61-51%
The superabsorber becomes a liquid under ultraviolet light after absorbing enough water. It can then be reused. Credit: Ken Pekarsky, KIT
Water and UV light effectively and quickly break down the cross-linked polymers in diaper liners without the use of any chemicals. This process allows recycled plastic molecules to be reused for a variety of uses.
Superabsorbent materials such as sodium polyacrylate are important components of a variety of hygiene and medical products, including diapers, bandages, and dressings. These cross-linked polymers are typically insoluble in water, although they are known for their high absorbency. Recycling them traditionally required the use of strong acids.
It will not melt at high temperatures, it will only deteriorate. However, the acid “breaks” the chains and stabilizes the polymer after about 16 hours at 80 degrees. Celsius Therefore, recycling is now possible. Because this process is complex and expensive, superabsorbents are rarely recycled. Approximately 2 million tons of this waste is thrown away or incinerated each year.
Turns into liquid in 5 minutes instead of 16 hours
Researchers from KIT’s Institute of Biochemical Systems, Institute of Biointerfaces, and Institute of Chemical Technology and Polymer Chemistry have discovered that crosslinked sodium polyacrylate polymers degrade under ultraviolet light after uptake of water. .
“The chains that connect the polymers are broken by light, and they are so loose that they swim underwater and turn into liquid fibers,” explains Pavel Levkin, a professor at the Institute of Biochemical Systems. For the study, researchers cut liners from traditional diapers, wetted them with water and exposed them to a 1000 W lamp. After 5 minutes, the solid material turned into a liquid and fell into the collector. “This method using ultraviolet light is about 200 times faster than using acids,” Revkin says.
Recycled polymers can be used in a variety of ways
The team then used known processes to convert the liquid into new adhesives and dyes. “The observation that this substance is soluble and processable was very important. It could probably be turned into many other products,” explains the scientist.
In the test, the researchers used clean diapers. However, it is also possible to separate superabsorbents from used diapers. “Therefore, there is no reason why a near-realistic use should not be possible,” Revkin says. By using solar power, you can optimize recycling methods that are cost-effective and environmentally friendly. “We have discovered a promising strategy to recycle superabsorbents, which significantly reduces environmental pollution and contributes to a more sustainable use of polymers.”
Reference: “From diapers to thickeners and pressure-sensitive adhesives: recycling superabsorbents by UV degradation” by Shuai Li, Johannes M. Scheiger, Zhenwu Wang, Birgit Huber, Maxi Hoffmann, Manfred Wilhelm, Pavel A. Levkin , September 7, 2023 ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c06999
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