For decades, the movement of stars near the center of our Milky Way galaxy has provided some of the most convincing evidence for the existence of a supermassive black hole. However, Dr. Valentina Crespi from the La Plata Institute of Astrophysics and her colleagues propose an innovative alternative: a compact object composed of self-gravitating fermion dark matter, which could equally explain the observed stellar motions.
A compact object made of self-gravitating fermion dark matter. Image credit: Gemini AI.
The prevailing theory attributes the observational orbits of a group of stars, known as the S stars, to Sagittarius A*, the supposed supermassive black hole at our galaxy’s center, which causes these stars to move at speeds of thousands of kilometers per second.
In a groundbreaking study, Dr. Crespi and her team propose that fermions—a specific type of dark matter made from light elementary particles—can form a distinct cosmic structure that aligns with our current understanding of the Milky Way’s core.
The hypothesis suggests the formation of an ultra-dense core surrounded by a vast, diffuse halo, functioning as a unified structure.
This dense core could replicate the gravitational effects of a black hole, thereby accounting for the orbits of S stars and nearby dusty objects known as G sources.
A vital aspect of this research includes recent data from ESA’s Gaia DR3 mission, which meticulously maps the Milky Way’s outer halo and reveals the orbital patterns of stars and gas far from the center.
The mission has documented a slowdown in the galaxy’s rotation curve, known as Keplerian decay, which can be reconciled with the outer halo of the dark matter model when combined with the standard disk and bulge components of normal matter.
This finding emphasizes significant structural differences, bolstering the validity of the fermion model.
While traditional cold dark matter halos spread in a “power law” fashion, the fermion model predicts a more compact halo structure with a tighter tail.
“This research marks the first instance where a dark matter model effectively connects vastly different scales and explains the orbits of various cosmic bodies, including contemporary rotation curves and central star data,” remarked Carlos Arguelles of the La Plata Astrophysics Institute.
“We are not merely substituting black holes for dark objects. Instead, we propose that supermassive centers and galactic dark matter halos represent two manifestations of a single continuum of matter.”
Importantly, the team’s fermion dark matter model has already undergone rigorous testing.
A recent 2024 survey demonstrated that as the accretion disk illuminates these dense dark matter cores, it produces shadow-like features reminiscent of those captured by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration at Sagittarius A*.
“This point is crucial. Our model not only elucidates stellar orbits and galactic rotation but also aligns with the famous ‘black hole shadow’ image,” stated Crespi.
“A dense dark matter core bends light to such an extent that it forms a central darkness encircled by a bright ring, creating an effect similar to shadows.”
Astronomers performed a statistical comparison of the fermion dark matter model against traditional black hole models.
While current data on internal stars cannot definitively distinguish between the two theories, the dark matter model offers a cohesive framework to elucidate both the galaxy’s center (encompassing the central star and shadow) and the galaxy at large.
“Gathering more precise data from instruments like the GRAVITY interferometer aboard ESO’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, and searching for specific features of the photon ring, an essential characteristic of black holes that are absent in the dark matter nuclear scenario, will be crucial for testing the predictions of this innovative model,” the authors noted.
“The results of these discoveries have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the fundamental nature of the Milky Way’s enigmatic core.”
The team’s research was published today in Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.
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V. Crespi et al. 2026. Dynamics of S stars and G sources orbiting supermassive compact objects made of fermion dark matter. MNRAS 546 (1): staf1854; doi: 10.1093/mnras/staf1854
Understanding Body Fat: The Good, The Bad, and The Complex
Dr. Ray Clark & Mervyn Goff/Science Photo Library
Body fat is often misunderstood as merely a passive energy reserve. However, emerging research indicates it plays a crucial role in our overall health, providing insights into its intricate functions.
Fat comes in various forms, including white fat, which stores energy and releases hormones influencing metabolism; brown fat, known for generating heat; and beige fat, which activates thermogenesis under specific conditions. The location of these fats matters significantly. While subcutaneous fat is usually harmless, visceral fat, located deep in the abdomen, is closely linked to inflammation, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
Recent studies further clarify this dynamic, suggesting that adipose tissue is actively involved in regulating blood pressure and managing immune responses in crucial areas of the body.
A study led by Jutta Jarkanen at Karolinska University Hospital in Stockholm examined the cellular structure of visceral fat in various abdominal locations. Their findings highlighted that epiploic fat, which envelops the large intestine, is abundant in immune cells and specialized fat cells producing inflammatory proteins tied to immune activation. They discovered that microbial products from the intestines trigger these fat cells to activate nearby immune responses.
“Our research indicates that fat deposits are specialized based on their anatomical position, particularly the fat adjacent to the intestine, which is tailored for immune interactions,” Jarkanen noted.
Although the study included obese participants, everyone has some visceral fat around their intestines, suggesting that epiploic fat fulfills a fundamental role irrespective of body weight.
“The gut continually encounters nutrients, microbial elements, and environmental substances,” Jarkanen explained. “Having adjacent adipose tissue to sense, respond, and manage immune reactions adds an extra layer of defense.”
However, obesity can lead to chronic overactivity in this system. Overeating, excessive consumption of particular foods, and specific bacterial compositions in the gut microbiome can lead to persistent immune signaling in intestinal fats, contributing to low-grade inflammation linked with metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes and obesity.
A follow-up study unveiled yet another surprising function of fat: its role in regulating blood pressure. Marcia Koenen and colleagues at Rockefeller University aimed to understand the connection between obesity, characterized by excessive white fat, and high blood pressure, while noting that brown and beige fats seem to offer protection.
The team investigated perivascular adipose tissue, a beige fat-rich layer encasing blood vessels. In genetically modified mice that lack beige fat, their blood vessels exhibited stiffness and overreacted to daily hormonal signals that constrict arteries, resulting in elevated blood pressure.
The researchers identified that the enzyme QSOX1, secreted by dysfunctional fat cells, caused this adverse effect. Blocking this enzyme prevented vascular damage and normalized blood pressure in the mice, independent of their body weight. “This emphasizes the importance of inter-organ communication in understanding complex diseases such as hypertension,” emphasized Koenen.
“This study sheds light on the often-underestimated roles of brown and beige fat,” noted Christy Townsend from Ohio State University. Though human perivascular adipose tissue is proportionately less substantial than in mice, it remains physiologically relevant. “This research highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of fat’s effect on health beyond overall fat mass and BMI.”
Instead of merely focusing on fat reduction, these findings point towards future therapies aimed at preserving or restoring the advantageous functions of fat by targeting specific fat deposits, enhancing immune-fat communication, and maintaining healthy beige fat activity. However, comprehensive research is necessary before these findings can be applied clinically.
Together, these studies position adipose tissue as an active, functionally diverse system implicated in numerous aspects of human physiology. “When I began working in this field in the late 1990s, the belief was that fat was just a sack of cells storing extra nutrients,” stated Paul Cohen, also from Rockefeller University, who participated in the second study. “These investigations reveal a shift in our understanding of fat as not just a single cell type, but a complex tissue composed of various cell types engaged in diverse processes, extending far beyond simple nutrient storage and mobilization.”
If you’re considering running a marathon or starting an intense exercise program this January, why not opt for a simpler goal to enhance your well-being in 2026?
Setting an objective to calm your mind may not sound ambitious, but it offers significant health benefits. A growing body of research highlights the negative impact of stress on overall health, particularly on heart health. Techniques to achieve a calm state can elevate self-reported happiness, enhance emotional regulation, and improve sleep quality research suggests.
This calmness counteracts “allostatic load,” a term used by Sula Windgassen, a health psychologist and author of the upcoming book Everything is Inside Your Body. Chronic stress contributes to wear and tear on the body, overburdening key regulatory systems like metabolic, neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and immune functions, which can eventually lead to disease.
When discussing stress relief, you’ve likely come across traditional advice such as exercise and deep breathing techniques. While these methods are scientifically validated, there’s emerging evidence pointing to additional calming strategies beyond a digital detox or time spent in nature.
Develop a Sense of Control
Research shows that enhancing your perception of control over stressors can aid in managing them. For example, in a study, participants who completed daily questionnaires about their stressors reported that feeling in control correlated with resolving stress more effectively.
“It’s not that the stressor goes away; rather, individuals feel empowered to address it, letting it go or resolving it,” says David M. Almeida from Pennsylvania State University, a key researcher in the study.
Achieving this sense of control involves small, manageable changes. “Feeling in control doesn’t imply you have everything figured out; it means being aware of factors you can influence during stressful situations.” This might look like deciding your response, determining when to engage, or finding a resolution path.
Interestingly, your age may influence how easily you feel in control. “Longitudinal studies indicate that while older adults may feel less control over work demands and family matters, they often maintain a strong sense of control in interpersonal conflicts,” Almeida explains. “This allows individuals to focus on what truly matters.”
Practice Self-Compassion
Research increasingly supports the idea that self-kindness can mitigate stress’s adverse effects on mental health, as indicated in a 2024 study. This research assessed self-compassion levels and participants rated statements such as, “I strive to understand and be patient with parts of my personality I dislike.” Researchers later investigated how these feelings affected coping mechanisms.
Data revealed that increased self-compassion fostered healthier coping strategies, enhancing psychological well-being while reducing anxiety, depression, and stress during a six-week study period.
Using Various Self-Care Techniques for Inner Calm
Drew Angerer/Getty Images
These findings support earlier research, which suggests that self-compassion can buffer against the harsh realities of stress. Psychologist Kristin Neff, a pioneer in self-compassion research, emphasizes three components: self-kindness, recognizing our shared humanity, and mindfulness, which allows us to separate ourselves from painful emotions.
Self-compassion works by reducing self-criticism and rumination, according to William Van Gordon, a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Professor of Contemplative Psychology at the University of Derby. However, he advises moderation to avoid self-obsession, which can lead to heightened stress levels.
A balanced approach includes practicing compassion for both yourself and others. Van Gordon recommends active listening when someone shares their struggles with you, making eye contact, putting away your phone, and fully engaging with them (“That sounds really challenging, I’m sorry to hear that.”). Additionally, loving-kindness meditation can be beneficial; spend 10-15 minutes daily sending well wishes to others using phrases like “May you be happy” and “May you be peaceful.”
Revamp Your Self-Care Practices
Self-care strategies play a significant role in stress management, as extensively documented in the literature. Recent studies indicate that integrating diverse self-care methods into your routine yields the best results. For instance, a study published in August explored how individuals coped with stresses during the coronavirus pandemic, analyzing participants’ journaling about their anxiety levels and the coping techniques employed.
I’ve discovered that a blend of strategies such as journaling, exercise, social interaction, and cognitive reframing—like focusing on the positive aspects of not receiving a promotion—has proven most effective.
“Different combinations of tools worked for different individuals on different days,” explains Ethan Cross, an experimental psychologist from the University of Michigan involved in the research. “Those adept at managing emotions benefited from having a wide array of emotional regulation strategies.”
Australia will restrict social media use for individuals under 16 starting December 10th.
Mick Tsikas/Australian Associated Press/Alamy
A historic initiative to prohibit all children under 16 from accessing social media is about to unfold in Australia, but teens are already pushing back.
Initially announced last November, this prohibition, proposed by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, will commence on December 10th. On this date, all underaged users of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat will have their accounts removed.
Companies operating social media platforms may incur fines up to A$49.5 million (£25 million) if they do not comply by expelling underage users. Nonetheless, neither parents nor children face penalties.
This regulation is garnering global attention. The European Commission is considering a similar rule. So far, discussions have centered on implementation methods, potential age verification technologies, and the possible adverse effects on teens who depend on social media to engage with their peers.
As the deadline approaches, teens preparations are underway to defy these restrictions. A significant illustration is of two 15-year-old boys from New South Wales, Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, who are challenging the social media ban in the nation’s highest court.
“The truth is, kids have been devising ways to bypass this ban for months, but the media is only catching on now that the countdown has begun,” Jones remarked.
“I know kids who stash their family’s old devices in lockers at school. They transferred the account to a parent or older sibling years ago and verified it using an adult ID without their parents knowing. We understand algorithms, so we follow groups with older demographics like gardening or walking for those over 50. We engage in professional discussions to avoid detection.”
Jones and Neyland first sought an injunction to postpone the ban but opted instead to present their opposition as a specific constitutional challenge.
On December 4, they secured a crucial victory as the High Court of Australia agreed to hear their case as early as February. Their primary argument contends that the ban imposes an undue burden on their implied freedom of political speech. They argue this policy would compromise “significant zones of expression and engagement in social media interactions for 13- to 15-year-olds.”
Supported by the Digital Freedom Project, led by New South Wales politician John Ruddick, the duo is rallying for their cause. “I’ve got an 11-year-old and a 13-year-old, and they’ve been mentioning for months that it’s a hot topic on the playground. They’re all active on social media, reaping its benefits,” Ruddick shared.
Ruddick noted that children are already brainstorming methods to circumvent the ban, exploring options like virtual private networks (VPNs), new social media platforms, and tactics to outsmart age verification processes.
Katherine Page Jeffrey, a researcher at the University of Sydney, mentioned that the impending ban is starting to feel tangible for teenagers. “Up until now, it seems young people hadn’t quite believed that this was actually happening,” she commented.
She adds that her children have already begun discussing alternatives with peers. Her younger daughter has downloaded another social media app called Yope, which is not listed on the government’s watch list yet, unlike several others like Coverstar and Lemon8 that have been warned to self-regulate.
Lisa Given, a researcher at RMIT University in Melbourne, believes that as children drift to newer, less known social media platforms, parents will struggle to monitor their children’s online activities. She speculated that many parents may even assist their children in passing age verification hurdles.
Susan McLean, a foremost cybersecurity expert in Australia, argued that this situation will lead to a “whack-a-mole” scenario as new apps emerge, kids flock to them, and the government continually adds them to the banned list. She insists that rather than taking social media away from teenagers, governments should compel large companies to rectify algorithms that expose children to inappropriate content.
“The government’s logic is deeply flawed,” she pointed out. “You can’t prohibit a pathway to safety unless you ban all communications platforms for kids.”
McLean shared a poignant quote from a teenager who remarked, “If the aim of this ban is to protect children from harmful adults, why should I have to leave while those harmful adults remain?”
Noah Jones, one of the teen complainants, stated it bluntly: “There’s no greater news source than what you can find in just 10 minutes on Instagram,” he insisted. “Yet, we faced bans while perpetrators went unpunished.”
Experiencing reduced focus, appetite, and coordination? These are all indicators of sleep deprivation, a growing global issue.
About two-thirds of adults globally are estimated to awaken at least once each night. In the UK, one in five adults frequently struggle with sleep issues. As reported by the European Journal of Public Health, the UK is the most sleep-deprived nation in Europe.
A 2025 independent survey by OnePoll, commissioned by Silentnight, asked 2,000 UK residents about their sleep routines. The results showed that 24% of participants consider feeling tired to be normal.
This is a serious concern. Sleep deprivation not only impacts your mood the next day but can also lead to various health issues, as well as chronic physical and mental health challenges over time.
Discover why your body requires a nightly reset with valuable insights and tips for enhancing your sleep quality from Kathryn Pinkham, founder of Insomnia Clinic and sleep expert at Silentnight.
Please reset your mind
While you’re asleep, your brain actively resets itself for recovery. The glymphatic system clears out toxins and metabolic byproducts, while short-term memories are stored in the neocortex. Concurrently, the prefrontal cortex manages emotional responses, processes the day’s events, and prepares for what’s to come.
The brain also experiences a neurochemical reset as dopamine and serotonin levels drop notably during sleep. Brain waves slow down to the REM stage, where activity surges as the brain processes emotions and memories, aiding creative thinking during waking hours.
Kathryn shares tips on how to calm your mind before bedtime to effectively reset it.
• Alleviate stress by jotting down thoughts to relieve pressure.
• Instead of thinking, “I can’t sleep,” tell yourself, “I will get some rest, and I’ll manage the day.”
• Be gentle with yourself; don’t chase after ideal sleep. Reducing pressure allows your body to relax naturally.
Reset your body
During deep (slow wave) sleep, your body undergoes a reset and regeneration process. It’s recognized that sleep quality impacts the aging process, and chronic sleep deprivation can adversely affect both current and future health.
While you sleep, your body is hard at work. Protein synthesis fosters cell repair, the pituitary gland produces human growth hormone (HGH) to encourage muscle growth, and immune functions are enhanced.
During deep sleep, heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, and your cardiovascular system rests. Quality sleep is shown to improve insulin sensitivity, enhancing glucose metabolism and energy levels. Hormones like melatonin are produced while cortisol, a stress hormone, is regulated.
Kathryn Pinkham advises on how to reset your body before sleep:
“The human body inherently needs sleep, a need that intensifies the longer you remain awake. Going to bed early, waking up late, napping during the day, or worrying excessively in bed can weaken this need, making it more challenging to fall asleep. To bolster your need for sleep, try going to bed a bit later and maintaining a consistent wake-up time. This way, you’re more likely to drift off as soon as your head touches the pillow.”
Reset your lifestyle
The Sleep Foundation states, “Good sleep is a 24-hour process,” indicating that cultivating productive daily habits is key to enjoying healthy sleep patterns.
“When you’re fatigued, it’s easy to fixate solely on bedtime,” Kathryn notes. “However, don’t depend only on sleep to feel rejuvenated. Other strategies for boosting energy include physical activity, ample sunlight exposure, and healthy eating. Simple adjustments like these can help your nervous system relax and alleviate stress. When your days are balanced, you’ll naturally start to sleep better.”
Silentnight’s national sleep reset campaign aims to encourage individuals in the UK to rethink their approach to rest, helping to eliminate obstacles to improved sleep through a structured three-step reset plan.
Findings from sleep reset research indicate:
• 1 in 3 people (30%) wake up multiple times each night.
• The main concerns keeping people awake include: Health worries (34%), Financial issues (28%), and Relationship troubles (23%).
• Nearly 30% of individuals lie awake regretting their actions from the day.
• Significant life events can also interrupt sleep, like Job interviews (30%), Moving (23%), and for 28% of women, menopause.
Silentnight provides a range of mattresses tailored to every sleeper, from our new UltraGel™ collection, designed for comfort and support throughout the night, to our Just Sleep roll-up mattress series, which combines convenience with comfort.
Do you really need to invest in a new TV? The allure of the latest features and massive screen sizes is strong, but exercising a bit of patience could save both money and the planet. You can enhance your viewing experience with some straightforward tips and tricks.
It’s understandable to feel Fomo. In the past, buying a new TV was typically only necessary when the old one failed completely. Back then, all TVs seemed quite similar, offering nearly the same features.
The landscape today is vastly different. Every year introduces a new selection of high-tech flat screens that surpass previous models in clarity. What was once a simple box is now a sophisticated piece of technology, often displayed on your wall as art.
But I can relate to your frustrations. It doesn’t take long for even the latest screen’s brilliance to feel a bit lackluster. My smart TV’s picture quality seems to fade, and its operating system feels sluggish with each passing month. Apps lag, and navigating menus seems cumbersome. And in the back of my mind, the thought of a shiny new OLED creeps in.
But is that truly necessary? I’m here to suggest that you can delay that purchase and enhance your TV experience with a few adjustments and perhaps some budget-friendly gadgets.
Upgrade Your Smart TV OS
One of the telltale signs that a TV is nearing the end of its useful life is its smart platform. All reputable shows today connect to streaming services and smart home functionalities, but as more advanced software emerges, older platforms naturally fall out of favor. If your streaming apps no longer receive updates and the interface feels sluggish, it’s a sign.
While it’s disappointing, your TV doesn’t have to head to the landfill just yet. You can breathe new life into it by simply adding an affordable streaming dongle. Devices like Amazon’s Fire TV Stick, Roku’s Streaming Stick, or Google TV Streamer, plugged into a spare HDMI port, can revamp your streaming setup with quicker interfaces, contemporary services, and handy voice search features.
Amazon offers both HD and 4K streaming sticks, with the basic 1080p option priced at £39.99 and the 4K model starting at £49.99.
Amazon Fire TV Stick HD
£39.99 on Amazon £39.99 at John Lewis
Not an Amazon Prime member? Consider the Roku 4K UHD Stick instead. It provides a wide array of streaming apps and services for under £50. The Google TV streamer with built-in Chromecast serves a similar purpose at £99.
Roku 4K Streaming Stick Plus
£24.99 at Argos £39.99 at Currys
Most TVs have a spare USB port for powering the stick, so you won’t even need an extra cable plugged into the outlet.
Alternatively, elevate your viewing experience by opting for Sky Stream. This compact device offers a full suite of premium Sky channels, including movies and sports, plus built-in apps like Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+, Prime Video, and UK broadcasters. The basic subscription starts at £15 per month and includes Sky Atlantic, Netflix, and Discovery+.
The innovation lies in its reliance on your Wi-Fi network, eliminating the need for a dish or antenna. Unlike traditional satellite boxes, it doesn’t come with a built-in hard drive—your recordings are stored on your personal video recorder (PVR) in the cloud, so you won’t run out of space.
Smart Tricks That Actually Work
It might seem unusual, but if you aren’t facing specific tech issues, consider adjusting the lighting in your room for an improved viewing experience. Rearranging lamps to avoid glares and replacing harsh ceiling lights with softer backlighting can create a more enjoyable atmosphere. Installing lights behind the screen can lessen eye strain and enhance perceived contrast. This technique, known as bias lighting, is used in professional settings.
For a bigger view, try moving closer to your TV. While it may sound odd, there’s a clear link between screen resolution and viewing distance.
In the era before HD, lower resolutions often justified a greater distance. However, modern 4K UHD and even 8K TVs feature such high pixel densities that you can sit much closer without eye fatigue.
Ideally, your couch should be placed 1.5 times the distance from the screen. For a 55-inch TV, this translates to a distance of about 2 meters. If comfortable, don’t hesitate to sit closer. Watching native 4K content provides you with richer detail and textures.
Best Times for Watching Movies with Lights On
Ambient lighting can significantly enhance the visual quality of some shows and movies. Photo: SeventyFour/Getty Images
If you enjoy dark, atmospheric films but find that your LED TV appears washed-out in low light, you don’t need to rush for an OLED upgrade. There’s a simple solution.
LED backlighting enables vibrant images under bright conditions, but in dim settings, it enhances the visibility of backlighting and softens the black levels. Watching your LED TV in a room with ambient light can lead to a more natural image, helping black tones stay genuinely black instead of gray.
Maximize Your Current Setup
If your TV’s visuals appear dull or unnatural, it’s possible that the backlighting may be weakening. For a quick adjustment, navigate to the settings menu.
You’re likely viewing the Standard Picture setting, which is typically the default. Try switching to Dynamic or Vivid mode. This can enhance the colors in your visuals and give them more vibrancy.
Not All HDMI Settings Are Created Equal
If the image still seems muted, double-check your HDMI configuration. When consuming HDR content from external devices like set-top boxes, game consoles, or UHD Blu-ray players, an underwhelming visual experience may indicate that HDR isn’t being utilized.
[画像] or [一般設定] Check the HDMI settings in your menu. This is generally labeled as either standard or optimal (or enhanced). Selecting Optimal will let you view both 4K UHD and HDR signals coming from the source.
Conversely, if your HDR content appears too dark and you picked your TV up at a bargain during Black Friday, it may not possess the necessary brightness for effective HDR viewing (despite marketing claims). In this scenario, setting HDR to standard will yield a brighter overall image while retaining 4K resolution.
Enhance Your TV Audio With a Soundbar
If your TV’s audio is less than ideal and clarity is slipping, a soundbar could be the simplest and most effective upgrade.
It’s common for flat-screen TVs to produce mediocre sound quality. Even the latest models often struggle due to their slim designs, which leave minimal space for robust speakers, resulting in disappointing audio. A well-chosen soundbar not only increases volume but also improves clarity and creates a rich soundstage, restoring a full auditory experience missing from built-in TV speakers.
For smaller TVs (around 43 inches), the Sharp HT-SB700 is a solid choice. This Dolby Atmos soundbar, spanning only 640mm, delivers 140W and represents fantastic value.
Sharp HT-SB700
£89 at Tesco £89.99 at Currys
For larger TVs, consider the £999 Samsung HW-Q990F. This impressive soundbar is 1,309mm wide, houses 23 speakers, outputs a total of 756W, and comes equipped with a wireless subwoofer and two wireless rear speakers for a fully immersive cinematic sound experience.
Samsung HW-Q990F Soundbar
£999 at John Lewis £999 at Currys
When All Else Fails – It Might Be Time to Invest in a New TV
That said, certain scenarios warrant upgrading to a new TV. If it tumbles from its stand and you find yourself watching through what resembles 80’s retro visual effects, it’s time to recycle it (and we encourage you to do so) recycle electrical products.
Likewise, if the design feels outdated (I’m referring to those bulky TVs with absurdly wide bezels), an upgrade is justifiable. Wide bezels are unlikely to return to fashion. And if you’re truly drawn to OLED technology, I won’t deter you. The allure of OLED screens is so captivating that they can make even the dreariest TV shows seem appealing.
However, if your concerns stem merely from performance inconsistencies with your trusty older model or a desire for a smarter, interconnected user experience, considering alternative solutions may be a more prudent route to avoid an unnecessary major purchase.
For additional insights, check out our articles on when to upgrade your laptop and how to extend the life of your smartphone.
Steve May is an expert in technology and home entertainment, with over 30 years of experience covering all things television; from the slimmest, brightest screens to sound systems that rival commercial cinemas. When not delving into tech, you’ll often find him binge-watching series or organizing his Blu-ray collection.
My dog, Pepper, is a carefree senior who cherishes bedtime. While his treat might be a motivating factor, he genuinely enjoys the time when we all settle down for the night. He loves short walks, where he takes his time to sniff around.
He also gets excited to see the horses in the nearby fields (which sometimes earns him an extra treat, especially since he used to be scared of them). Many dogs may have their preferences, but these are definitely Pepper’s favorites.
When considering ways to enhance your dog’s life, think about what is commonly important for dogs in general, but also tailor it to your individual pet’s likes.
This finding comes from a study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science, where dogs participated in a two-week class involving either scent work or heel training, followed by judgment bias tests before and after the sessions.
The tests measured how quickly dogs approached an ambiguous bowl placed between locations where food is regularly found versus places where it is never present (the idea being that optimistic dogs expect to find food and reach the bowl faster).
During off-leash walks, allow your dog to utilize his nose. Even on-leash walks, let them explore and sniff around.
Consider scattering treats in safe grassy areas, encouraging your dog to find them using his nose. You can also invest in or create a snuffle mat (a thick rug designed to hide treats); use it around your home when your dog isn’t looking. Alternatively, enroll in a scent class, which can be particularly beneficial for reactive dogs that may respond to certain stimuli with behaviors often mistaken for aggression.
2. Use a variety of snacks
Enhance the rewards used during training. While food is a powerful reinforcement, avoid relying solely on kibble. Experiment with a variety of treats and human snacks like chicken, roast beef, and cheese.
Studies have indicated that dogs are quicker to approach bowls known to contain sausage rather than those with kibble. So, keep in mind that the type of reward matters to them.
Some dogs may prefer a single type of treat, resembling their typical variety over time. Engaging in quick play sessions can also serve as a substantial reward for certain dogs.
If you haven’t adopted a reward-based training approach, it’s time to make a switch. Tools like leashes, prong collars, and shock collars are associated with risks to dog welfare.
3. Make your playtime social
If your dog enjoys the company of other dogs, seek out opportunities for social play. Play is crucial for dogs—especially young ones. Ideally, puppies should participate in closely supervised play sessions in puppy classes to learn about gentle biting and other physical skills.
Play also fulfills an essential social function. While watching your dog play, notice signs like bouncing steps, playful facial expressions, and play bows (where the front legs are on the ground and the back legs are lifted).
Photo credit: Getty
Watch for changes in play activity, such as dogs chasing each other. Older dogs may play less and often prefer to hang out with other dogs instead of engaging in roughhousing or chasing.
If your dog isn’t fond of unfamiliar dogs, stick to interactions with dogs they already enjoy. Conversely, if they don’t particularly like other dogs, spend more time playing with them yourself—it’s also an excellent way to satisfy their playtime needs.
4. Give your dog a safe space
When your dog needs to unwind, provide them with a safe space. This could be a dog bed in a quiet area or a crate with the door left open. Such spaces are vital, particularly in homes with children, or for dogs that may be shy or fearful.
Ensure everyone in the household respects these boundaries. Allow dogs to enter and exit their safe space as they wish and refrain from bothering them. If you need to encourage them out of their safe area, call them rather than forcing them.
5. Get a decent dog bed
Dogs spend a lot of time sleeping, so investing in a quality dog bed is worthwhile. They may not need to mimic your sofa or bed, so disregard assumptions about not letting them on furniture.
Older dogs sleep more than younger adults and might suffer from issues like arthritis, so consider beds that are lower to the ground (for easy access) or provide steps or ramps for reaching furniture.
6. Discover your dog’s preferences
A great tip is to engage in activities that both you and your dog enjoy. Does your dog prefer fetching, pulling, or chasing games? They might also enjoy playing with flirt poles (toys designed for interactive play, akin to cat wands but for dogs) due to their predatory instincts.
Does your dog favor hiking through woods, or visiting parks with splash ponds? Perhaps they just want to cuddle on the couch while watching TV.
Preferences vary by individual dog, so don’t make assumptions. Pay attention to what excites them. Participating in shared activities and spending quality time together can strengthen the bond between humans and their dogs.
Exercise caution when seeking AI advice on medical issues
Chong Kee Siong/Getty Images
Wondering whether to consult a doctor about your sore throat? The quality of AI recommendations can vary based on how you frame your questions. In experiments with AI models, users who made typos, expressed uncertainty, or were identified as women were more frequently advised to seek medical attention.
“Subtle biases can shape the nature and content of AI recommendations, significantly affecting the distribution of medical resources.” Karandeep Singh, who did not participate in the research at the University of California, San Diego, commented.
Avinisa Gravatina and her team at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have harnessed AI to produce thousands of patient notes in various formats. Some messages included intentional errors and spaces to replicate the writing style of individuals with limited English skills or typing difficulties, while others utilized uncertain language to reflect different emotional tones, including health anxiety or gendered expressions.
The researchers presented these notes to four widely-used large language models (LLMs) that power many chatbot applications, asking them if patients should manage their conditions independently, visit clinics, or undergo certain tests. The models included OpenAI’s GPT-4, Meta’s Llama-3-70b, Llama-3-8b, and the Palmyra-Med model created specifically for healthcare by AI specialists.
Results indicated that variations in format and style influenced the recommendations, with 7-9% of the AI models suggesting that patients remain at home rather than seek medical appointments. Additionally, female patients were more likely to receive recommendations to stay home. A study highlighted that treatment suggestions were more susceptible to changes based on the gender and language style of the queries than those offered by human clinicians.
OpenAI and Meta did not respond to inquiries for comments. According to Zayed Yasin, a writer involved in the research, these LLMs are not intended for health advice or clinical recommendations without human oversight.
Most operational AI technologies in electronic health records currently depend on OpenAI’s GPT-4 O, which wasn’t directly studied here. Singh emphasized the necessity for enhanced methods to assess and monitor generative AI models within the healthcare sector.
Building strong friendships may seem like a natural process—finding joy in each other’s presence, sharing laughter, and bonding over common interests. However, the unspoken dynamics of different types of friendships can often be complex. Recent research has shed light on the significance of these relationships in our overall happiness. Yet, there are strategies for nurturing meaningful connections.
This article is a part of our special series that explores how experts view some of the most intriguing concepts in science. Click here for additional information.
Jeffrey Hall, Director of the Relationships and Technology Labs at the University of Kansas, is among the researchers examining ways to cultivate friendships. He suggests viewing friendships as a spectrum—from mere acquaintances to our closest confidants who remain by our side.
“The fundamental requirement is mutual liking and a communication frequency that allows the relationship to develop,” he states. “Trust and a sense of safety in sharing secrets are expected, along with prioritizing each other above others.”
Time invested in a friendship is crucial, as highlighted by Hall’s research. In a series of studies, he had participants recently relocated to a new city map out their social lives. He found that individuals must spend about 57-164 hours with someone before they are deemed “friends,” while developing “good” or “best” friendships typically requires around 200 hours together.
The quality of time spent together is also vital. “Engaging in daily activities—eating, drinking, playing, exploring—helps cement these bonds because we want to share those moments with them,” says Hall, co-author of the upcoming book Social Biome, which delves into these themes. Conversely, being compelled to interact through work or study does little to foster genuine friendships.
It’s common to find ourselves gravitating toward individuals who share common traits. Over the last decade, anthropologist Robin Dunbar from Oxford University identified seven key attributes in “pillars of friendship.” These pillars represent deep connections stemming from shared language, culture, education, career experiences, interests, worldviews, humor, and musical tastes.
He notes that we may share only one or two of these pillars with around 150 people we identify as friends, while only five close companions and about six to seven truly good friends exist in our lives, as mentioned in his book Friends: Understanding the Influence of Our Most Important Relationships.
Interestingly, friends may even share similar brain activity patterns. In a 2018 study, Carolyn Parkinson at UCLA had students watch a series of videos in an fMRI scanner. The results showed that she could predict friendships based on similarities in their brain responses to the clips, indicating that closer friends often have synchronized neural activity.
As discussed in my book, Connection Law, Parkinson’s research explores the concept of shared reality. This idea suggests that having a mutual perspective on the world enhances relationships. “These individuals focus on similar aspects of life and share similar emotional responses to their experiences,” she notes.
Can these connections exist digitally? Hall believes they can. “Communicating via phone or video with loved ones is likely just as beneficial as in-person interactions,” he asserts. “Creating regular opportunities for digital communication can help maintain and enrich these relationships.”
Explore more articles in this series by following the links below:
The rift between the richest individual globally and the leader of the largest economy carries significant repercussions for both parties.
Elon Musk, who heads various companies including Tesla, and Donald Trump, who has gained from Musk’s backing during his presidency, share a symbiotic relationship.
Here are ten potential ways in which Musk and Trump could damage each other’s interests if they fail to reach an agreement.
Actions Trump Could Take Against Musk
Terminate government contracts linked to Musk’s business
In reaction to Musk’s criticism of his tax and spending plan, Trump expressed on his social media platform that canceling a contract with a billionaire could reduce government expenditures.
“The quickest way to save billions is to cut Elon’s government subsidies and contracts. I am surprised Biden hasn’t done that!” Trump stated.
The New York Times and Wall Street Journal reported on allegations of widespread drug use by Musk, raising concerns over NASA’s requirements for contractors like SpaceX to maintain a drug-free environment. The Times indicated that Musk received significant warnings regarding this matter. SpaceX has not commented.
In response to the allegations from last month, Musk stated: In 2024 I mentioned that I occasionally used ketamine based on a doctor’s prescription.
Question Musk’s immigration status
Trump supporter and prominent “alt-right” figure Steve Bannon suggested to the Times that Musk’s immigration status warrants investigation.
“They need to formally investigate his immigration status because I genuinely believe he is an illegal alien and should be deported promptly,” Bannon declared regarding Musk, who was born in South Africa and is a US citizen.
Utilize presidential authority against Musk
Observing Trump’s election, many noted the myriad opportunities for a Musk-friendly administration to bolster the economic benefits for the world’s richest. However, what might have been a supportive environment can equally turn adversarial.
Richard Pierce, a law professor at George Washington University and an expert on government regulation, remarked at the time:
Exclusion from influential circles
Trump has the ability to ostracize Musk within the “Make America Great Again” movement. Republican Rep. Troy Nairs criticized the billionaire, stating, “You’ve been a nuisance.” He added, “It’s more than enough.”
While Musk can weather such opposition, his considerable wealth makes him a crucial source of funds for Republican campaigns.
Potential Actions Musk Could Use Against Trump
Leverage X for political influence
Musk can harness his X platform and its over 220 million followers to bolster Trump’s campaign efforts for 2024. This can also serve as a venue for promoting far-right ideologies that align with the MAGA agenda.
Theoretically, Musk could use his X account to criticize Trump with the same fervor that has previously energized his policies (Musk is a frequent user of his platform).
However, this approach hinges on Musk’s perceived impact among US voters. According to the Pew Research Center, five in ten American adults view Musk unfavorably, though it is noteworthy that seven out of ten Republican adults have a favorable opinion.
Establish a new political party
With a valuation exceeding $300 billion, Musk has the capability to redirect substantial resources away from the Republican Party and form a new political entity. He has expressed a willingness to invest $250 million into Trump’s 2024 campaign and is keen to engage deeply in political matters.
Recently, he posted a poll on x, querying, “Is it time to establish a new political party in America that truly reflects 80% of the populace?” Over 80% of the 4.8 million respondents answered “Yes.”
Engender geopolitical complexities in business dealings
The Starlink Satellite Broadband Platform, managed by Musk’s SpaceX, plays a vital role in the Ukraine conflict against Russian invasion, yet China remains a significant market for Tesla. Through his ventures, Musk maintains political connections globally, often seen with world leaders. However, any damage to Trump’s international stature and profits must be weighed against potential repercussions for Musk’s business interests.
Pose challenges for NASA
NASA maintains a strategic partnership with Musk’s SpaceX, utilizing its Dragon spacecraft for astronaut transport to the International Space Station. Musk has hinted at plans to phase out the Dragon program entirely. Nevertheless, SpaceX is integral to NASA’s operations for the ISS.
Influence within Trump’s circle
Musk has been a consistent presence in Trump’s inner circle, as illustrated by the content on his X account, where he can deliver pointed critiques that might have far-reaching effects. However, individuals within Trump’s inner circle could also have access to Musk, with personal matters making headlines in the media.
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<img class="Image" alt="" width="1350" height="900" src="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg" sizes="(min-width: 1288px) 837px, (min-width: 1024px) calc(57.5vw + 55px), (min-width: 415px) calc(100vw - 40px), calc(70vw + 74px)" srcset="https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=300 300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=400 400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=500 500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=600 600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=700 700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=800 800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=837 837w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=900 900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1003 1003w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1100 1100w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1200 1200w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1300 1300w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1400 1400w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1500 1500w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1600 1600w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1674 1674w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1700 1700w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1800 1800w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=1900 1900w, https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01181823/SEI_249575190.jpg?width=2006 2006w" loading="eager" fetchpriority="high" data-image-context="Article" data-image-id="2478846" data-caption="The division of human cells may not exactly align with what’s written in textbooks" data-credit="Iokanan VFX Studios/Shutterstock"/>
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<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Title">Inaccuracies in Textbook Descriptions of Human Cell Division</p>
<p class="ArticleImageCaption__Credit">Iokanan VFX Studios/Shutterstock</p>
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<p>Researchers have identified a unique type of cell division that enables cells to store information in a way that determines the identity of their offspring. This discovery is key to advancing tissue engineering techniques and deepening our comprehension of cancer progression.</p>
<p>Traditionally, it was believed that the majority of cells would curl into a spherical shape prior to division, allowing for an even distribution of contents between the "daughter" cells and ensuring they remain of the same type.</p>
<p>However, stem cells represent an exception, as they can undergo heterogeneous or asymmetric cell division, yielding two distinct types of cells.</p>
<p>In a surprising find, <a href="https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/shane.herbert">Schoen Herbert</a> from The University of Manchester, along with his team, observed that non-stem cells in developing zebrafish blood vessels also divide asymmetrically. These endothelial cells migrated to form new vessel branches and divided without adopting a spherical shape, resulting in different cell types.</p>
<p>By altering the shape of human endothelial cells in laboratory conditions, the team established that a cell's geometry can predict the symmetry of its division. Longer, more slender cells were more likely to divide asymmetrically, indicating that the division process can be influenced by the cell's shape.</p>
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<p>Herbert illustrated that cells do not lose their structural and behavioral information during this process, suggesting they maintain their form, thereby preserving their "memory." "Often, they retain their shape, enabling them to convey this memory," he stated.</p>
<p>This phenomenon allows for a simultaneous movement, division, and production of various cell types without disrupting the ongoing cellular processes. Such flexibility supports rapid adjustments to developmental needs, like supplying tissues necessary for expanding blood vessels and nerves.</p>
<p>The implications of this discovery extend to lab-grown tissues, where generating functional blood vessels is a significant hurdle. "Our challenge is to create a specific environment that allows these cells to achieve the shapes and behaviors necessary for forming functional blood vessels," explains team member <a href="https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/persons/holly.lovegrove">Holly Lovegrove</a> from the University of Manchester. Adjusting cell shapes could pave the way for producing specific cell types, she suggests. Conversely, cancer can spread through the formation of clusters of migrating cells, with these new insights potentially shedding light on that process.</p>
<p>This research exemplifies how organisms can fine-tune mechanisms like cell rounding to accomplish multiple tasks critical for tissue development. <a href="https://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/group-leaders/a-to-g/buzz-baum/">Buzz Baum</a> from the MRC Institute of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK, remarked, "This is a clever method to retain essential information while facilitating network growth by generating more cells."</p>
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Intermittent fasting has emerged as a popular approach to enhance health and boost metabolism. However, recent research indicates that its advantages may be diminished by body fat due to inconspicuous disruptions in the liver’s hunger adaptation.
In a study, researchers assessed liver modifications in both healthy and obese mice that lacked leptin, the hormone responsible for regulating appetite, during food deprivation periods. Intermittent fasting entails extended calorie restriction followed by a regular eating window.
Both mouse groups exhibited similar metabolic networks, comprising liver molecules that collaboratively manage energy; however, significant differences in timing were observed.
“In a healthy liver, energy-centric molecules such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) quickly respond to starvation and modulate various metabolic reactions,” stated Professor Shinya Kuroda in BBC Science Focus.
“This mechanism appears to be deficient and confused in obese individuals.”
To put it differently, in healthy mice, energy-related molecules like ATP and AMP operate as primary hubs, swiftly adapting metabolic responses to conserve and redistribute energy. Conversely, in obese mice, these molecules did not exhibit a quick response, resulting in a sluggish and disoriented reaction to starvation.
A rapid response from ATP and AMP during periods of food scarcity enables the liver to utilize energy from stored reserves. This process is believed to facilitate several benefits of intermittent fasting, such as weight reduction and better glycemic control.
Through a combination of structural and temporal metabolic analyses, the research team elucidates how obesity induces metabolic “jet lag,” complicating not just the timing but also the manner in which crucial molecular events transpire.
“Our findings could have significant implications for enhancing the effectiveness of intermittent fasting in humans,” Kuroda remarked.
“Next, we aim to identify easily detectable blood-based biomarkers in humans,” Kuroda added. “Ultimately, clinical research is necessary to assess our findings. The journey is lengthy, but every thousand-mile journey begins with a single step.”
Shinya Kuroda is a professor at the Faculty of Science at the University of Tokyo, Japan, focusing on Systems Biology. His research includes publications in Cell, Journal of Biochemistry, and Natural Cell Biology.
Fragments of mitochondrial DNA can be added to the cell's main genome
wir0man/Getty Images
Mutations in which DNA from energy-producing mitochondria is mistakenly added to a cell's main genome were thought to be extremely rare. Now, studies of brain tissue show that such mutations occur in all of us, and their numbers may be a factor in ageing.
“Not only are they present, but they are abundant in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain associated with cognitive abilities.” Ryan Mills At the University of Michigan.
In human cells, almost all of the DNA (about 6 billion letters) resides in the nucleus, but the energy-producing organelles called mitochondria have their own tiny genome of about 16,600 letters.
That's because mitochondria were once free-living bacteria with their own large genome. In the roughly 2 billion years since those bacteria formed a symbiotic relationship with our distant ancestors, most of the original bacterial genome has been lost or transferred to the main genome in the nucleus.
This evidence of transfer has led biologists to know for a long time that fragments of mitochondrial DNA could somehow find their way into the nucleus and then be added to the main genome. But this kind of mutation was thought to be very rare, Mills says. Over the past few years, work by his team and others has shown that this isn't as uncommon as we thought. At least in cancer cells.
Mills and his colleagues showed that these types of mutations also occur in non-cancerous cells by sequencing the DNA of brain tissue samples taken from 1,200 people during post-mortem examinations.
Although another team took the samples and sequenced them, Mills and his colleagues looked for mutations that add mitochondrial DNA to the nuclear genome. “We were just curious,” Mills says.
Not only did they find such mutations, but they also found that they were more prevalent in people who, on average, died younger.
It's not clear whether these mutations are just a symptom of aging or a cause of it, Mills says. “The jury is still out,” he says. “But if you take the entire mitochondrial sequence and put it somewhere in the genome, it's hard for me to believe that it wouldn't have an effect.”
This summer, there has been an alarming increase in heatstroke-related deaths worldwide. According to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, extreme heat occurrences are becoming more frequent and lasting longer, affecting a larger number of people. Why is this happening, and how can you identify if your loved ones are at risk?
What occurs inside our bodies when our temperature rises?
Heat stress is caused by an accumulation of heat due to physical exertion or environmental stressors like solar radiation, air temperature, humidity, and wind speed. A person’s acclimatization, work type, physical activity level, and clothing also influence heat factors.
Humans are warm-blooded creatures, meaning the body’s internal temperature must remain around 37°C. If the internal temperature reaches 42°C, vital organs can cease functioning, leading to severe illness and death. 27 pathways Extreme heat can be lethal due to reduced blood flow and damage to essential organs.
Individuals most vulnerable to heat-related illnesses include those with poor thermoregulation capabilities, such as infants, elderly individuals, those with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, and outdoor workers.
What is heat stroke?
Heat stroke manifests when individuals experience heat stress and start feeling unwell. Various types of heat stroke exist. Heat stroke often accompanies dehydration, including conditions like heat syncope, thermal tetany, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion.
Another prevalent form of heat stroke is heat stroke, where the body struggles to regulate temperature, with categories like exertional heat stroke and classic heat stroke.
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What steps should be taken if someone is suspected of having heat stroke?
If an individual faints, experiences concentration issues, or has breathing difficulties, immediate medical assistance is crucial. If they are conscious but feel unwell or overheated, rapid cooling and hydration are essential.
Caution must be exercised with very cold water to avoid cold shock, which can impact breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. Ice water offers no advantage.
Replenishing lost fluids and minerals due to sweating from overheating is essential, so providing sports drinks can aid in hydration.
How can heat stroke be prevented?
Preventing heat stroke is feasible with measures such as issuing heatwave warnings, creating prevention plans, and staying hydrated during extreme heat periods. Hot drinks are as effective as cold ones, and temperature plays a minimal role in core body temperature.
Additional cooling methods include taking cool showers and focusing on cooling hands, feet, and face. Ventilating indoor spaces and avoiding direct sunlight can help maintain a cooler environment, while fans promote air circulation.
Vulnerable groups, like the elderly, should take extra precautions against heatstroke and follow advice from family and friends to stay hydrated and cool.
Babies are particularly susceptible to extreme heat, with techniques like covering strollers with damp cloths and using clip-on fans being more effective than thin blankets in protecting them from the sun.
Will the situation worsen?
While climate change intensifies extreme heat events, strides have been made in preventing heatstroke. Government strategies to prevent heatstroke are being implemented, with urban planning initiatives like creating green urban spaces to combat urban heat islands.
Initiatives like cooling centers, forecast-based financing, and early warning systems contribute to preventing heat-related illnesses. Achieving net-zero emissions is crucial to halting extreme heat escalation and averting catastrophic heatwaves.
Use of Data ESA's Gaia mission Astronomers have discovered a number of metal-poor stars that are more than 13 billion years old and in orbits similar to our sun.
Rotational motion of a young (blue) and an older (red) star similar to the Sun (orange). Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / R. Hurt / SSC / Caltech.
“The Milky Way has a large halo, a central bulge and bar, and thick and thin disks,” said Dr Samir Nepal of the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam and his colleagues.
“Most of the stars are found in a thin disk of the so-called Milky Way galaxy, which revolves regularly around the galactic center.”
“Middle-aged stars like our Sun, which is 4.6 billion years old, belong to a thin disk that is generally thought to have begun to form between 8 and 10 billion years ago.”
Astronomers used the new Gaia data set to study stars within about 3,200 light-years of the Sun.
They found a surprisingly large number of very old stars in the thin disk orbit, most of which are over 10 billion years old, with some being over 13 billion years old.
These ancient stars show a wide range of metal compositions: some are very metal-poor (as expected), while others have twice the metal content of the much younger Sun, indicating that rapid metal enrichment occurred early in the evolution of the Milky Way.
“These ancient stars in the disk suggest that the formation of the Milky Way's thin disk began much earlier than previously thought, around 4 to 5 billion years ago,” Dr Nepal said.
“This study also reveals that the Galaxy underwent intense star formation early on, leading to rapid metal enrichment in its inner regions and the formation of a disk.”
“This discovery brings the Milky Way's disk formation timeline into line with that of high-redshift galaxies observed with the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA).”
“This shows that cold disks can form and stabilize very early in the history of the universe, providing new insights into the evolution of galaxies.”
“Our study suggests that the Milky Way's thin disk may have formed much earlier than previously thought and that its formation is closely linked to an early chemical enrichment in the innermost regions of the galaxy,” said Dr Cristina Chiappini, astronomer at the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam.
“The combination of data from different sources and the application of advanced machine learning techniques has allowed us to increase the number of stars with high-quality stellar parameters, which is an important step leading our team to these new insights.”
Samir Nepal others2024. Discovery of local counterparts of disk galaxies at z > 4: The oldest thin disk in the Milky Way using Gaia-RVS. A&Ain press; arXiv: 2402.00561
As America celebrates the Fourth of July with flashing lights, barbecues, and parades, our furry friends may not find fireworks as enjoyable. Many dogs can be scared of fireworks, even if they are only hearing or seeing them from a distance.
If your dog is afraid of fireworks, there are ways to make the experience more relaxing. Dr. Zazie Todd, an animal behavior expert, shared some tips on how to keep your dog calm during a fireworks display.
Why are dogs scared of fireworks?
Dogs have sensitive hearing, so loud sounds like fireworks can be particularly frightening for them. Without understanding the context of these sounds, dogs can become scared and anxious when they hear fireworks.
To help your dog feel more at ease during fireworks displays, there are some steps you can take.
Tips for keeping your dog calm during fireworks
Create a suitable environment for your dog
One way to protect your dog from the noise and light of fireworks is to draw the curtains and turn on the TV. However, being present to reward your dog when there are loud noises can be even more effective in calming them down.
Comforting your dog during fireworks is okay, as they look to you for support in stressful situations. Creating a safe and comforting space for your dog can also help them feel more secure.
Don’t be afraid to comfort them
Despite the idea that comforting a scared dog can make them more afraid, there is no scientific evidence to support this. It is important to offer comfort to your dog during stressful situations, such as fireworks displays.
Try desensitization training
Training your dog to be comfortable with loud noises, like fireworks, can be beneficial. Exposing puppies to quiet firework sounds during their socialization period can help prevent fear of fireworks in the future. Building a positive association with fireworks can also reduce fear and anxiety in dogs.
Going to the vet
If your dog suddenly becomes extremely frightened of fireworks, it may be worth seeking professional help from a vet. Getting your dog checked for any underlying issues causing fear of fireworks can be important for their well-being.
Get a prescription for medicine
If you don’t have time to train your dog or want immediate relief, your vet can prescribe medication to help your dog cope with fireworks. However, this should be used as a short-term solution, and long-term training is recommended for lasting results.
About our experts
Zazie Todd, author of Pet Psychology, is an expert in animal behavior and pet care. With a background in psychology and training, Todd provides science-based information on keeping pets happy and healthy.
What’s the best way to pet a cat? Answer: Probably not the way you do it. You might think petting is a tried-and-true way to bond with your cat, but there’s no guarantee that your cat will enjoy the physical contact.
As Dr. Lauren Finca, a cat behavior expert from Nottingham Trent University explains: “While some cats do enjoy being petted, most cats would dislike the type of petting we typically prefer. The reason cats tolerate petting so well is likely due to the benefits of the relationship with their owner – think of the food, treats and affection you give your cat.”
“When it comes to petting, it’s best to remember that cats are not naturally social or tactile animals.”
In short, if you suspect your cat is only resisting your petting because he wants another bite of dinner, you’re probably totally right — especially if you’re constantly touching his butt.
“Certainly, from a scientific perspective, we know very little about this. It’s often assumed that cats like to be stroked at the base of their tails, but research shows that this is actually Elicit the most negative behavioral responses from cats” says Finca.
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About Dr. Lauren Finca
Dr Lauren Finca is a feline behaviour expert at Nottingham Trent University. She has been involved in academic research into cats for over 10 years.
Finca is also a specialist consultant for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home and works with the International Council for Cat Care (ICatCare) and the International Society of Feline Medicine (ISFM) on a range of behavioural and welfare projects.
Feeling uncomfortably hot due to the soaring temperatures in the UK and the US heatwave is totally understandable. As humans evolved for tropical climates, working in such heat can be challenging. According to Professor Mike Tipton from the Extreme Environments Institute at the University of Portsmouth, our bodies were not designed for physical labor or office work in such hot conditions.
To stay cool during the heatwave, apart from the obvious tips like staying hydrated, seeking shade, and closing curtains, here are four science-backed techniques to help you beat the heat.
1. Cool your hands first, not your face
Cooling your face with a fan might seem instinctual, but immersing your hands in cold water for 15-20 minutes can be a more effective way to cool down. This method helps in dissipating heat from your body as your blood flows through your hands, providing quicker relief than cooling your face.
2. Avoid cold showers
Contrary to popular belief, taking cold showers is not the ideal way to cool down during extreme heat. Immersing too much of your body in cold water reduces blood circulation to the skin, hindering the cooling process. Opt for lukewarm showers instead to maintain adequate blood flow to your skin and regulate your body temperature effectively.
3. Choose hot drinks
Drinking hot beverages can actually help cool you down faster than cold water by triggering mechanisms like sweating and increased blood flow to the skin. While hydrating with water at any temperature is beneficial, hot drinks activate these cooling responses more effectively.
4. Let the wind blow to encourage sweating
Using a fan to create airflow and encourage sweat evaporation can be more helpful than just focusing the fan on your face. The wind aids in evaporating sweat from your body, facilitating the cooling process during extreme heat conditions. Natural air movement or non-electric fans can be effective in promoting sweat evaporation and overall cooling.
About our experts
Mike Tipton, a Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at the University of Portsmouth, has extensive research experience in thermoregulation, environmental physiology, and occupational health. With over 40 years of work in survival and thermal medicine consulting for the RAF and UKSport, Tipton is a leading expert in the field.
You’ve probably experienced this scenario before: after a long day, feeling mentally and physically drained, all you want to do is crawl into bed and sleep.
However, your brain, the most powerful biological supercomputer in the universe, decides to play tricks on you. Instead of allowing you to rest, it keeps you wide awake, with thoughts racing through your mind at lightning speed.
So why does this happen? Why does it prevent us from sleeping when we need it the most? The answer is simple: when you’re too tired, your brain overrides the signals for sleep and keeps you awake.
If you’ve heard of being “over-fatigued” before, it’s often used to describe babies who become agitated and unsettled from being awake too long, leading to sleep disturbances and stress.
Similarly, adults can experience the same issues when unaddressed emotions interfere with the body’s natural sleep processes. The longer you stay fatigued, the more challenging it becomes to fall asleep.
Fortunately, there are ways to break this cycle. In the sections below, we’ll explore what causes excessive fatigue and share three scientifically proven steps to combat it for good.
Excessive fatigue impacts your sleep quality
Being overly tired is a paradoxical situation. When you’re physically and mentally drained, your brain is actually overstimulated and in a state of hyperarousal, making it difficult to transition to sleep.
This hyperarousal state affects essential functions that promote sleep, particularly hindering the buildup of sleep pressure in the brain.
Sleep pressure refers to the buildup of neurochemicals and hormones that increase throughout the day, signaling your body’s need for rest.
“Interestingly, as sleep pressure rises, the brain can become more excitable,” explains Professor Matt Jones, a Neuroscientist at the University of Bristol. “The neurons in the cerebral cortex tend to fire more frequently as wakefulness increases.”
“The primary theory is that sleep helps reset sleep pressure, preventing the brain from becoming overly excited and metaphorically ‘exploding!'”
When you’re vigilant and overwhelmed by racing thoughts, this process of resetting the brain for sleep is disrupted, particularly impacting the locus ceruleus area in the brainstem.
“In times of hyperarousal, the activity in this brain region remains high, impeding the transition to sleep and resisting mechanisms that facilitate falling asleep,” Jones clarifies.
Furthermore, persistent fatigue and sleep deprivation can exacerbate troubling thoughts, making it harder to sleep the following night.
“A study in 2019 found that individuals with insomnia were more likely to ruminate about recent embarrassing events and have disrupted sleep compared to healthy sleepers,” he explains.
“Insomniacs might even become hypersensitive to their heartbeat, showing how an unrested brain struggles to ignore irrelevant stimuli,” Jones adds.
“A well-rested brain can filter out unnecessary information, but insomnia disrupts this process, leading to increased mental strain,” he concludes.
When you’re too tired and key brain regions remain hyperaroused while trying to sleep, essential processes for rest are disrupted.
Dr. Alex Scott, a Psychology lecturer at Keele University, explains that in today’s society, people struggle to regulate their emotions and process daily experiences effectively due to various distractions.
“At the end of the day, we are less inclined to deal positively with our emotions, often exaggerating worries and ruminating in bed,” he shares.
Scott suggests that when fatigued, individuals tend to use unhealthy coping mechanisms, like rumination and blame-shifting.
If rumination proves ineffective for alleviating fatigue, Scott recommends the following three strategies:
1. Avoid counting sheep
Paradoxically, trying too hard to fall asleep can make it even harder. Instead of using traditional methods like counting sheep, Scott encourages individuals to understand that sleep is an automated process that cannot be forced.
“Focus on processing your emotions through exercises like a worry journal,” Scott advises.
2. Maintain a worry diary
Although it may seem tedious, journaling your worries can significantly improve sleep quality for those with sleep issues, according to Scott.
Before bedtime, write down all your concerns in a journal, allowing you to acknowledge them and develop strategies to address them the next day.
“The act of writing down your worries may help you rationalize them and temporarily set them aside, promoting better sleep,” Scott explains.
3. Establish a bedtime routine
Creating a relaxation routine before bed, ideally starting an hour before sleep, can help alleviate mental fatigue and prepare your mind for rest.
“Engage in activities like reading, mindfulness, or journaling during this time to unwind and avoid associating your bed with worries,” Scott suggests.
Learn more about our experts
Professor Matt Jones: A Neuroscientist at the University of Bristol, delving into the science of sleep, memory, and decision-making. His research has been featured in numerous academic journals, such as Frontiers in Neurology, Sleep, and the Neuroscience Journal.
Dr. Alex Scott: As a Psychology lecturer at Keele University, Scott explores the relationship between sleep and mental health issues. His work has been published in esteemed journals like the British Journal of Health Psychology and the British Medical Journal.
Satellite Galaxy Crater II The Milky Way's Crater 2 (or Crater 2) is located in the constellation Crater, about 380,000 light-years from Earth. This galaxy is very cold, very diffuse, and has a low surface brightness. According to a new study, Crater 2 exists thanks to self-interacting dark matter.
Location of Crater II and other Milky Way moons at distances between 100,000 and 400,000 parsecs from the Sun. Image courtesy of Torrealba others., doi: 10.1093/mnras/stw733.
” discovery “Since 2016, there have been numerous attempts to recreate the anomalous properties of Crater II, but these have proven extremely difficult,” said Haibo Yu, a professor at the University of California, Riverside.
Dark matter makes up 85% of the matter in the universe, and under the influence of gravity it can form spherical structures called dark matter halos.
Invisible halos permeate and surround galaxies like Crater II, and the fact that Crater II is so cold indicates that its halo is low density.
“Crater II developed within the Milky Way's tidal field and experienced tidal interactions with its host galaxy, similar to how Earth's oceans experience tidal forces due to the Moon's gravity,” Professor Yu said.
“In theory, tidal interactions can reduce the density of dark matter haloes.”
However, recent measurements of Crater II's orbit around the Milky Way suggest that if dark matter is made of cold, collisionless particles, as predicted by the prevailing cold dark matter theory (CDM), the strength of the tidal interactions is too weak to reduce the dark matter density in the satellite galaxy enough to match the measurements.
“Another mystery is why Crater II is so large when, as the satellite galaxy evolves in the Milky Way's tidal field, tidal interactions should reduce its size,” said Professor Yu.
Professor Yu and his colleagues put forward a different theory to explain the properties and origin of Crater II.
This is called self-interacting dark matter (SIDM) and can plausibly explain the diverse distribution of dark matter.
The theory proposes that dark matter particles self-interact through the dark force and collide with each other forcefully near the center of the galaxy.
“Our study shows that SIDM can explain the anomalous properties of Crater II,” said Professor Yu.
“The key mechanism is that dark matter self-interaction thermalizes Crater II's halo and creates a shallow dense core, i.e. the dark matter density flattens out at a small radius.”
“In contrast, in a CDM halo, the density would increase rapidly towards the center of the galaxy.”
“In SIDM, the strength of the relatively weak tidal interaction, consistent with what is expected from measurements of Crater II's orbit, is sufficient to reduce the dark matter density in Crater II, consistent with observations.”
“Importantly, the size of galaxies is also increasing within the SIDM halo, which could explain the large size of Crater II.”
“Dark matter particles are only more loosely bound in the cored SIDM halo than in the pointed CDM halo.”
“Our study shows that SIDM is a better option than CDM for explaining the origin of Crater II.”
of study Published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.
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Zhang Xingyu others2024. Interpreting self-interacting dark matter in Crater II. Apu JL 968, L13; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad50cd
The discovery was made possible by ESA’s Gaia spacecraft, which is mapping more than a billion stars across the Milky Way galaxy and beyond, tracking their motions, brightness, temperature, and composition.
This image visualizes the Milky Way and its surrounding halo of stars. New Gaia data reveals that the wrinkles seen in the Milky Way are likely the result of a dwarf galaxy colliding with the Milky Way about 2.7 billion years ago. Our galaxy’s two major satellite galaxies, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds, are visible at the bottom right. Image credit: ESA / Gaia / DPAC / Donlon other./ Stephen Payne Waldenaar.
The Milky Way galaxy has grown over time as other galaxies have approached, collided, been torn apart, and been swallowed up.
Each collision still sends ripples through different groups of stars, influencing their movements and behavior in space.
One of Gaia’s goals is to study these wrinkles to unravel the history of our Milky Way galaxy. It does this by pinpointing the positions and motions of more than 100,000 stars close to Earth, a tiny fraction of the roughly 2 billion objects it observes.
“As we age, we tend to get more wrinkles, but our research shows that the opposite is true in the Milky Way – it’s like a cosmic Benjamin Button, and it gets less wrinkled over time,” said Dr. Thomas Donlon, an astronomer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Alabama.
“By looking at how these wrinkles fade over time, we can trace when the Milky Way last experienced a major collision — and it turns out this happened billions of years later than we thought.”
The Milky Way’s halo contains many stars with unusual orbits, many of which are thought to have been incorporated into the galaxy in an event that astronomers call the last great merger.
As the name suggests, this is the last time the Milky Way has experienced a significant collision with another galaxy, which is proposed to have been a giant dwarf galaxy that smothered the Milky Way with stars passing very close to the center of the Milky Way.
Astronomers estimate that the merger occurred between 8 and 11 billion years ago, when the Milky Way was still in its infancy, and is known as Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus.
But data from Gaia’s Data Release 3 suggests that another merger could have resulted in the unusually behaving star.
“For the stellar wrinkles to be as clear as we see in the Gaia data, the stars would have had to have appeared on Earth less than 3 billion years ago — at least 5 billion years later than previously thought,” said Dr. Heidi Jo Neuberg, also of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
“Every time a star passes back and forth through the center of the Milky Way, a new stellar wrinkle forms.”
“If they had merged with us 8 billion years ago, there would have been so many wrinkles next to each other that we wouldn’t be able to see them as separate features.”
This discovery suggests that these stars did not result from the ancient Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus merger, but must have arisen from a more recent event called the Virgo radial merger, which occurred less than 3 billion years ago.
“The history of the Milky Way is currently being constantly rewritten, thanks in large part to new data from Gaia,” Dr. Donlon said.
“Our image of the Milky Way’s past has changed dramatically since even 10 years ago, and I think our understanding of these mergers will continue to change rapidly.”
“This finding that most of the Milky Way galaxy joined Earth within the last few billion years is quite different from what astronomers previously thought.”
“Many prevailing models and ideas about the growth of the Milky Way predict that a recent head-on collision with a dwarf galaxy of this mass would be extremely rare.”
“The Virgo radial merger likely pulled in a group of other small dwarf galaxies and star clusters, all of which joined the Milky Way at about the same time.”
“Future exploration will reveal which of these small objects previously thought to be related to the ancient Gaia sausage Enceladus are in fact related to the recent Virgo radial merger.”
of Investigation result Appears in Monthly Bulletin of the Royal Astronomical Society.
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Thomas Donlon otherThe year is 2024. The remains of the “last great merger” are dynamically young. MNRAS 531(1):1422-1439; doi:10.1093/mnras/stae1264
New and impressive images of the supermassive black hole located at the center of our galaxy show that its powerful magnetic field twists and rotates in a spiral pattern.
This is a never-before-seen view of Sagittarius A* (or Sgr A*), the massive black hole in the Milky Way galaxy that consumes nearby light and matter.
The images suggest similarities in structure between this black hole and the black hole in the galaxy M87. Although the black hole in M87, which was imaged for the first time, is over 1,000 times larger than Sagittarius A*, both exhibit strong, organized magnetic fields.
This pattern hints that many, if not all, black holes may share common traits, according to the scientists who published their findings in the Astrophysics Journal Letter on Wednesday.
“We’ve discovered that strong, orderly magnetic fields are crucial in how black holes interact with surrounding gas and matter,” said study co-leader and NASA Hubble Fellowship Program co-author, Einstein Fellow Sarah Isaun, as stated in a press release.
Isaun worked with an international team of astronomers known as the Event Horizon Telescope to conduct the research. This team comprises over 300 scientists from 80 institutions worldwide.
This same collaboration captured the first direct visual evidence of Sagittarius A* in 2022 and also studied the M87 galaxy, which is located approximately 53 million light-years away from Earth.
The magnetic field around the massive black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, known as M87*, is believed to play a vital role in its extraordinary behavior. Black holes emit powerful jets of electrons and other subatomic particles into space at nearly the speed of light.
Although no such bursts of activity have been observed from Sagittarius A*, the similarities between the two black holes suggest that hidden jets may still be detected. Researchers suggest this possibility in the new images.
Using new 21 cm radio observations made with NSF's Green Bank Telescope, astronomers have discovered that more than 250 clouds of neutral gas are blasting out into interstellar space from the center of the Milky Way. These clouds are likely the product of the same phenomenon that created the Fermi bubble.
The artist's concept is that clouds flowing from the center of the Milky Way are caught up in extremely hot winds and accelerated to speeds of hundreds of kilometers per second. Image credit: NSF/GBO/P. Vosteen.
It has long been known that energetic processes at the center of the Milky Way generate high-velocity hot winds that spread through intergalactic space with temperatures of millions of degrees and speeds of thousands of kilometers per second. Most large galaxies have winds like this.
The serendipitous discovery that some of this hot gas is trapped in cold hydrogen clouds was made by Australia's ATCA telescope, which measured 21cm radio emissions from interstellar hydrogen atoms.
This suggests that there may be an undiscovered population of clouds transporting material away from the Milky Way's core.
Hydrogen clouds are important in their own right, but they also act as probes for hot air.
Conditions in very hot winds are difficult to measure, but just as a few leaves thrown up on Earth indicate the direction and speed of the wind in the area, cold clouds can You can track its status.
The sensitivity of the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) makes it an ideal instrument for detecting faint signals from interstellar hydrogen, but mapping these clouds and understanding their true extent is essential. It wasn't easy.
Dr Felix James 'Jay' Rockman, senior astronomer at Green Bank Observatory, said: 'It took many years to systematically map hundreds of square degrees using GBT in search of weak hydrogen emissions. ” he said.
“Once we identify a few promising candidates, we can follow up with targeted observations with other telescopes to show us even more.”
“This cloud must have been ripped off from a region near the center of the Milky Way galaxy and flung outward by a burst of star formation or black hole activity.”
Some of these clouds have the fastest outflow velocities of any cloud ever observed in the Milky Way, and may even escape from the Milky Way.
In an unexpected development, new data from the APEX telescope reveals that some hydrogen clouds contain molecules and dense cold gas.
“No one would have expected that the clouds violently ejected from the Milky Way would harbor relatively fragile molecular material, but that's what happened,” Rockman said.
Astronomers using the MeerKAT array recently mapped hydrogen in several clouds with high angular resolution, showing that it evolves and gets shredded as it flows into interstellar space.
“These new results open the door to further discoveries,” Dr. Rockman said.
“How clouds that are accelerated to speeds of more than 400 kilometers per second remain stable is a mystery.”
“The chemical processes inside these clouds are very unusual and unexplored.”
Dr. Rockman and his colleague Dr. Enrico Di Teodoro of the University of Florence, findings in AAS243243rd Meeting of the American Astronomical Society, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
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Felix Rockman and Enrico di Teodoro. 2024. New investigation of neutral clouds in the Milky Way's core wind. AAS243Abstract #2851
LTo be fair, technology has improved my life and still surprises and delights me every day. My cell phone also turns into a flashlight! My TV remembers how far into last night's episode it was, even if I didn't. The bus stop knows when the bus is coming and can monitor the entire journey of the pizza from the restaurant to your home. Frankly, these are miracles.
However, there were corresponding sacrifices. For over 20 years, I have surrendered entire areas of ability, memory, authority, and independence to machines in my life. Along the way, we've become anxious about problems that didn't exist before, indecisive about choices we didn't have to make before, and angry about things we never noticed before. Ta.
There are probably hundreds of ways technology has ruined my life. Let's start with him 16 pieces.
1. I lose concentration.
It's not just me: 2022 survey According to a study conducted by the Center for Attention Research, 49% of adults believe their attention spans are shortening due to competing distractions available on cell phones and computers. Now I end up doing 20 minutes of half-hearted research and getting dragged down an online rabbit hole, all the while being bothered by notifications announcing the arrival of an email or the death of an elderly actor. Masu. They were close relatives or something. Especially since he chases me with the relentlessness of a bailiff on Duolingo. Sometimes he interrupts my Italian lessons and reminds me to take another Italian lesson. That's why I still can't order coffee in Rome after 5 years with her.
2. Poor posture
I felt like sitting in front of a screen all day was having a negative effect on my body, so I bought a stand to raise my computer in hopes that it would help me sit up straighter. Then it became variable focus, so I had to crane my neck and jut my chin out to read the screen through the bottom half of the glasses. I ended up switching to a laptop.Then I had to put that on the stand. Despite this, I still have a question mark attitude. I tried setting an alarm to step away from the computer at regular intervals, but it kept waking me up.
3. Life can feel like a never-ending battle to prove you're not a robot.
Obviously, this includes all the failed attempts to click on every photo with a traffic light in it to qualify as a legitimate human investigator looking for spare dishwasher wheels . But it also means resisting the temptation to click an auto-reply button in an email that says something like “Okay, thank you!” and compose your own response. Every day is a Turing test, and you don’t always pass it.
4. Meetings are now inevitable.
You used to be able to say, “Friday?” I'm sorry, but on Friday I'm going to Antarctica. ” But thanks to Zoom, Google, and FaceTime, there is no reasonable excuse for not attending a meeting. You can also see a picture of yourself all the time, so you can see exactly how bored you are.
5. I can no longer argue in the pub.
I remember a time when it was considered ungentlemanly to check the factual accuracy of what your drinking buddies said. You were simply trying to counter their argument by presenting your own plausible facts. But when everyone has all the GDP, brick Even though the countries are so close together, there doesn't seem to be much point in having a lively discussion. I end up researching it all night and saying, “Hmm.” These days, if you want to get into a petty argument over vague facts in an environment where phone use is prohibited, you have to go to jail. Or try a pub quiz. Either way, it's not life.
6. It's getting harder and harder to turn on.
You may have experienced the feeling you get behind the wheel of a rental car at a foreign airport, staring at the dashboard and wondering, “How am I going to drive it?” Or maybe you've faced a similar calculation in an unfamiliar shower or while standing in front of a seemingly ordinary stove. The constant development of new ways to turn things on has led us steadily away from the intuitive and toward the deliberately mysterious. Last week I found myself alone in a frigid bedroom with no electric radiator working. I ended up having to turn it upside down to find the model number to find the manual PDF online. I just wanted it to be hot.
Oddly enough, the virtual world is full of old-fashioned mechanical emulators – animated buttons that make clicking sounds. Knobs and sliders can be manipulated with a cursor, but in the real world the controls are reduced to a flat black panel covered in cryptic symbols such as a crescent moon. lightning. A circle with an M inside. M stands for mode.
This may sound like any age, but it's hard to believe that today's young people want a Wi-Fi enabled kettle.
7. You now have unfiltered access to the opinions of stupid people.
Technology not only allows us to know what stupid people are thinking; It now cherry-picks their thoughts and presents them to me every day as if I were some kind of idiot connoisseur. To be honest, I don't remember asking for anything like this.
8. Stupid people now have unfiltered access to each other's opinions.
In the past, so-called gatekeepers of traditional media restricted the flow of information through narrow, one-way channels. Now stupid people have their own media, where they can freely discuss and reaffirm stupid ideas with each other. Unfortunately, this wasn't quite the force of good we had hoped.
9.I am I'm clearly worse at typing than I was 10 years ago.
I was never a great typist, but ever since word processing programs started correcting my mistakes, I developed a misplaced confidence in my abilities. If this facility is not available for any reason, I type like a person suffering from a stroke.
10. I feel a strange obligation to monitor bad news in real time.
They call it doomscrolling. We all do it to some degree, but bad news is just more persuasive than good news. But for me, it went from being a mild obsession to a full-time job.
11. I live in fear of being scammed.
I'm deeply suspicious of delivery notifications, communications from my mobile phone service provider, QR codes, and anything else that asks me to click on a link that I didn't order. I believe that the email from my bank regarding fraudulent activity is itself a scam. I once ignored a genuine email from my son saying he lost his phone and requested that he send a text message to a foreign number. He was alone in Vietnam at the time, and I thought, “Well done, you son of a bitch.”
12. I am forced to live in silent and shameful defiance of all conventional wisdom regarding passwords.
I don't know about you, but when I get advice about not writing down passwords, not using the same password over and over, and changing passwords regularly, I nod and say, “Sure,” but I… Write down all your passwords, keep them as few as possible, and change them only when absolutely necessary. To me, all the conventional wisdom about passwords ignores an important point. That means it's useless if you don't know the password. You can click “Forgot your password?” each time, set a new password, and forget it again immediately. By the way, I am also doing this.
13. You should go anywhere with advance warning and advance arming.
It used to be considered creepy to Google someone right before meeting them. Now it seems rude to show up without knowing anything about them. It should also give you information about what you're going to see and do, where to eat, and perhaps your travel route. Don't get me wrong. I like to be prepared. I just don't want to read a restaurant menu before leaving the house.
14. I have consistently risen to the level of disruption that every new technology allows.
As of this writing, I have 77 tabs open in my browser. Behind it is a completely different browser. Every morning I sift through the stacks of open documents to find the ones I need. You might think this virtual disorganization is preferable to a cluttered desk, even if it's neatly tucked into a slim laptop, but my desk is also cluttered, and the surrounding The walls are covered with post-its.
15. I resent technology, but I'm powerless without it.
Sometimes we hear stories of inventions that seem designed to foster slavish dependence, such as self-tuning guitars or programmable cocktail machines, but what we're actually reminded of is that technology is broken. Only when under. It's not just that you've lost the skills you need. I can't even remember the process. How did I previously find my way, figure out what to watch on TV, pay for takeout? There should have been a system in place.
16. The rest of the world is also helpless without it.
In my work in journalism, I sometimes find myself in certain technical inconveniences. A week without a smartphone. That's what a month without Google feels like. And what I got here is that if you abandon modern technology, the world generally refuses to participate in the experiment. You only know this when someone at the ticket counter looks you in the eye and tells you to download the app.
Sagittarius A*, the 4.3 million solar mass black hole at the center of the Milky Way, spins so fast that space-time around it is warped into the shape of a soccer ball, according to an analysis. Data collected by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and NSF's Carl G. Jansky Very Large Array.
daily other. Sagittarius A* was found to be rotating at 60% of its maximum rotational speed, which is set by matter that cannot travel faster than the speed of light. This image shows Sagittarius A* in X-ray light from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Image credit: NASA / CXC / University of Wisconsin / Bai other.
Black holes have two fundamental properties: mass (weight) and spin (rotational speed).
Determining either of these two values can tell astrophysicists a lot about black holes and their behavior.
Dr. Ruth Daly of Pennsylvania State University and colleagues applied a new method using X-ray and radio data to predict Sagittarius A*'s rotation rate based on how matter moves toward or away from the black hole. Decided.
They discovered that Sagittarius A* rotates at an angular velocity (rotations per second). Its angular velocity is about 60% of its maximum possible value, a limit set by the inability of matter to travel faster than the speed of light.
In the past, different astronomers have used different techniques to estimate the rate of rotation of Sagittarius A*, ranging from not rotating at all to rotating at near maximum speed, with mixed results.
“Our research may help answer the question of how fast our galaxy's supermassive black holes rotate,” said Dr. Daly.
“Our results show that Sagittarius A* is rotating very rapidly, which is interesting and has far-reaching implications.”
A rotating black hole pulls space-time and nearby matter into its surroundings as it rotates. Spacetime around a rotating black hole is also crushed.
If you look down at a black hole from above and follow the barrel of the jet it produces, spacetime is circular.
However, if you look at a rotating black hole from the side, spacetime looks like a soccer ball. The faster the spin, the flatter the football.
The spin of a black hole acts as an important source of energy. When a supermassive black hole rotates, its spin energy can be extracted to produce a parallel outflow, a thin beam of matter such as a jet, but this requires at least some material near the black hole. must exist.
Because of the limited fuel surrounding Sagittarius A*, the black hole has been relatively quiet for the last several thousand years, with a relatively weak jet stream.
But new research shows that this could change as the amount of material increases near Sagittarius A*.
“A collimated jet powered by a galaxy's rotating central black hole could have a significant impact on the galaxy's entire gas supply,” said Michigan State University astronomer Megan Donahue. “This also influences the rate and uniformity with which stars form.”
“Fermi bubbles seen in X-rays and gamma rays around the Milky Way's black hole indicate that the black hole was probably active in the past. Measuring the black hole's rotation is important in this scenario. It's a test.”
To determine Sagittarius A*'s spin, astronomers looked at the black hole's spin and its mass, the nature of the matter near the black hole, and its outflow properties.
The parallel outflow produces radio waves, and the disk of gas surrounding the black hole is responsible for emitting X-rays.
Using this method, the researchers combined data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and NSF's Carl G. Jansky Very Large Array with independent estimates of the black hole's mass from other telescopes. to limit the rotation of the black hole.
“Sagittarius A* offers a special perspective because it is the closest supermassive black hole to us,” said Dr. Anand Lu, an astronomer at McGill University.
“Although it is quiet now, our research shows that in the future it will have an incredibly powerful impact on the matter around it.”
“It could happen in a thousand or million years, or it could happen in our lifetime.”
of study Published in Royal Astronomical Society Monthly Notices.
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Ruth A. Daly et al. 2024. New black hole spin values for Sagittarius A* obtained using the outflow method. MNRAS 527 (1): 428-436; doi: 10.1093/mnras/stad3228
Satellite image of Typhoon Surigae over the Pacific Ocean in 2021
European Union/Copernicus Sentinel-3 images
In the past decade, five tropical cyclones have recorded wind speeds strong enough to be classified as Category 6 storms. Analysis suggests hurricane sizes may need to be updated as rising temperatures strengthen storms.
If carbon emissions continue at their current pace, a “Category 7” storm is even possible. 'It's certainly possible in theory if we keep warming the planet,' says climate scientist james cossin at the First Street Foundation, a nonprofit research organization in New York.
Officially, there is no such thing as a Category 6 or Category 7 hurricane. According to the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale used by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in the United States, storms with sustained wind speeds of 252 kilometers per hour or higher are categorized as Category 5.
But as the wind speeds of the strongest storms increase, Kossin and his colleagues say using this scale becomes increasingly problematic. michael wehner That's because a study at California's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory does not convey the increased risk posed by increasingly severe storms.
“The situation is bad and it's getting worse,” Kossin said. “As the climate changes, these storms will become stronger.”
They say there are three pieces of evidence that global warming is causing the wind speeds of the strongest storms to increase. First, the basic theory of hurricanes as a type of heat engine says that a hotter world should produce stronger storms.
Second, high-resolution climate models produce storms with faster winds as the Earth's temperature rises.
And finally, the real-world storm is getting stronger. Of the 197 Category 5 tropical cyclones between 1980 and 2021, half occurred in the 17 years ending in 2021, with the five fastest occurring in the last nine years of this period. It occurred on.
If the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale were expanded to rank storms with wind speeds over 309 km/h as Category 6, all five of these storms would fall into that category. The five are Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, Hurricane Patricia in 2015, Typhoon Meranti in 2016, Typhoon Goni in 2020, and Typhoon Surigae in 2021.
However, Cossin and Wehner are not suggesting that the NHC formally adopt the Category 6 definition. Cossin says using a scale based on wind speed is fundamentally flawed, given that flooding and storm surges can pose a greater threat to life and buildings. .
Instead, they believe the NHC needs to implement an entirely new system to better communicate the overall risk posed by the storm. For example, 2008's Hurricane Ike was a massive storm that caused massive flooding and damage, but Kossin said it was only a Category 1 or 2 storm when it made landfall in the United States.
kelly emmanuel at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology agree that a new scale is needed. “While I think it's important to recognize that hurricane intensity is increasing, we should also point out that most of the damage, injuries, and loss of life from hurricanes comes from water, not wind.” he says.
“I have been an advocate of replacing the venerable but outdated Saffir-Simpson scale with a new scale that reflects the totality of risk from a particular storm,” Emanuel says.
Another hurricane expert, Jeff Masters, now semi-retired, doesn't think the NHC intends or should change the Saffir-Simpson scale. “But it's important to understand how devastating these new superstorms could be, so talking about a hypothetical Category 6 storm is a valuable communications strategy for policymakers and the public. ” he says.
Masters said wind damage increases exponentially with wind speed, with a Category 6 storm with wind speeds of 314 km/h causing four times more damage than a Category 5 storm with wind speeds of 257 km/h. It is said that there is a possibility.
There is an interesting and appropriate “spot the difference” Microsoft Visual Studio An advertisement that used to be published in a computing magazine.
On the left side of the image is the desk of an “unhappy” software developer. It's midnight now. Under the gaze of a single desk lamp, mangled piles of paper litter the scene, and yellow sticky notes dangle from a computer screen.
The right side shows the desk of a “happy” software developer. It's clean and tidy, you have a calendar full of social events, and it's a sunny day outside.
The message was clear. It means that developers will feel less stressed if they use his C++, a popular programming language that allows them to develop software regardless of the platform.
Almost two decades later, technology has advanced, but software developers still face many of the same challenges. How do you handle the entire lifecycle of creating a product for your customers, from designing the software to making sure it works and is secure? , to deployment and maintenance of the finished product?
Scaling up and down is smooth Cloud platforms greatly simplify developers' lives, from planning, writing, editing, and debugging code to delivering it live to customers, even when they don't know what the final requirements will look like. .
Previously, software companies delivered applications and services to customers and then had to guess how much infrastructure was needed to support product delivery and maintenance.
This problem can be further exacerbated by the fact that customers may be struggling to meet highly fluctuating demand from end users.
Azure's scalable cloud platform solves this problem by hosting your software and automatically scaling it as demand increases or decreases, allowing you to focus on what you do best: software development. .
Consider the following case live tech games (LTG) etc. The company was faced with the challenge of supporting 10,000 users simultaneously playing a live football tournament multiplayer mobile game online, a number he needed to increase to 500,000.
“During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, in partnership with ITV, we ran over 30 live tournament games with thousands of players competing simultaneously, and thanks to Azure, everything went perfectly. ” says the LTG co-founder. Co-CEO Samuel Worsley.
Develop and debug all in one place Software development is a complex process. Especially when there are many cooks involved and everyone, including the boss, has different ideas about what coding language the software should be written in.
“If you like working in one programming language and your colleague likes working in another, that's not a problem with Visual Studio,” says Microsoft UK Head of Digital and Application Innovation, Data and Artificial Intelligence. Director Denise Dourado said. .
Visual Studio is an integrated development environment that allows developers to write, edit, and debug code in one place instead of moving from tool to tool.
“Without Visual Studio, you end up designing code in one place and having to debug it in another place. It takes time,” says Dourado.
The worst thing for developers, she says, is that when they switch from one tool to another, they worry about what will happen to their code, making the development process take a long time.
Audit software is easy You've built your software, but now you need to deploy and maintain it, which can be a huge headache.Here is Azure DevOp Services Come in.
Azure DevOps can be used collaboratively by multiple people to track changes made to software source code and release them to customers in a live environment.
In addition, at a time of global economic uncertainty, there is a real need to reduce costs and improve efficiency while providing added value to customers whose businesses are undergoing significant digital transformation.
Mobile phone company Vodafone realized that it had too many computer systems within the company and many different code repositories for all of its software. Some control systems relied on Word documents to manually track source code changes.
“At the time, we could automatically roll back a deployment to see specifically which line of code caused the problem, link to the developer, and see why we did something like that. It took us a long time to be able to do that,” says Ben Connolly. Head of Digital Engineering at Vodafone.
Improved productivity Artificial intelligence (AI) is also increasingly helping developers solve pain points. GitHub, the world's largest code repository and social software development community, leverages AI in the following ways: GitHub Copilot.
“GitHub Copilot provides enhanced features for developers, including suggesting code improvements, identifying common coding errors, and helping developers understand the codebase faster, especially for developers new to the project. ,” adds Dourado.
According to GitHub, 46% of new code is now written by AI, overall developer productivity has increased by 55%, and 75% of developers on the platform are looking to be more creative with their software development. They report that they are now able to concentrate on specific areas.
Software development has been democratized Microsoft wants to take things a step further by “democratizing” the IT industry and making it possible for people without a software development background to build software, Dourado said. “We're bringing in users from the business environment and allowing them to build programs without necessarily understanding code,” she added.
for example, Azure cognitive services You can automate document processing, improve customer service, understand the root causes of anomalies, and extract insights from content.
“The world of technology is constantly changing, especially around things like AI, and if you are a developer, it may not be your core skill. We’re trying to make it possible to leverage AI without spending months or years,” says Dourado.
“What's important to me is that I don't have to struggle to learn new technology and have more freedom to be creative and take advantage of the features of the application.”
As organizations move their computing infrastructure to the cloud, they are harnessing the power of data like never before. Cloud-based services use artificial intelligence (AI) to make data easier to access, search, and understand. Instead of data being the property of a team of data scientists and analysts, new cloud-based tools and technologies are opening up this area of expertise to a wider range of employees across the organization.
Leighton Searle, director of Azure Solutions UK at Microsoft, believes there are significant benefits for businesses running their IT infrastructure. microsoft azure cloud platform. “The huge potential of new generative AI technologies has placed a renewed emphasis on the quality and availability of data in organizations,” he says. When companies move their data to the Microsoft Azure cloud platform, they can instantly access tools and services to unlock their value for both employees and customers. This will lead to culture change and deeper embedding of data throughout the business.
Searle identifies four areas where the cloud is accelerating the use of data, empowering employees, and increasing productivity.
1 Empower employees to make data-driven decisions Searle emphasized that the cloud is helping to democratize data, allowing employees to access data directly in their daily workflows, rather than being locked into administrative reports or separate line-of-business applications. Masu. “To unlock the value of data and realize its potential, data must be accessible to the people who need it,” Searle said. “It provides contact center agents with a scannable overview of all previous customer interactions, transactions, and support calls, as well as instant access to a company-wide knowledge base of specialized information for world-class That could mean providing a better customer experience or enabling mobile mechanics to meet customer needs. Identifying parts and inventory status from a photo taken with a mobile phone.”
Almost every role can benefit from timely, secure and relevant data, Searle says. When staff become responsible for managing data related to their role, they need tools to simplify the process. Data visualization tools help employees create simple representations of data to glean insights and improve customer experiences.For example, Heathrow Airport Microsoft Power BI Use data visualization tools through Microsoft Teams to transform data from management systems into visualizations that are easy for staff to read. These allow employees to see at a glance how airport passenger numbers are changing in real time. Prepare your staff for the peaks and troughs rather than just reacting to them.
2 Breaking down data silos To achieve a higher degree of data democracy, data must be made available throughout the organization, rather than being locked away in a central repository. “With the right guidance, governance, and guardrails in place, you can enable the rest of your business and provide access to the data you need,” Searle says.
For example, a group of five south London boroughs formed the South London Partnership; Linked with Azure Build a universal data platform. This includes sharing data from “Internet of Things” (IoT) sensors monitoring at-risk populations, and he estimates the partnership has already saved four lives. I am. IoT sensors also monitor air quality and flood risk. “The ability of cloud technology to share data while maintaining data rights and privacy has allowed us to break down data silos,” Searle says.
3 Building AI and modern search to accelerate your business Customer and employee expectations have changed as AI-driven experiences play a larger role in daily life. Along with a good data foundation and a good data culture, these experiences are quickly becoming critical to both employee and customer retention. Employees can use internal apps to search for data and access historical information in “structured” tables and graphs or in “unstructured” formats from documents, images, and other sources. You need to dig deep into your knowledge.
Mr. Searle points out that: Azure cognitive search The platform and Azure Open AI service allow users to type common natural language queries into the search bar. This is processed by an AI-powered system that looks at all data sources and returns a natural language summary from the most relevant sources. Used for validation or further research. He says this type of his AI-driven experience will help companies derive insights and make data-driven decisions intuitively and at unprecedented speed.
For example, Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust moved its computing infrastructure to the cloud and used Azure Cognitive Search to Make patient records easier to search By the clinician. The trust has uploaded all records to Azure. The records included all kinds of unstructured data, including handwritten notes, doctor's notes, scanned images, and photographs.
Clinicians said they were “blown away” to learn that Azure Cognitive Search enabled them to discover these diverse formats, allowing them to quickly find handwritten notes and records from the previous year.
4 Building a data-driven culture From frontline workers to boardroom executives, all employees should be open to incorporating data into the way they work, Searle says. He believes they can all learn from and contribute to enriching the data that flows through them. Employees who are involved in managing their own data are also better placed to reduce the risk of bias and incorrect assumptions in data-driven decision-making.
Searle believes that democratizing data requires a significant change in corporate culture. Departments across the organization, such as human resources, marketing, operations, sales, and finance, play a critical role in the data they generate and consume. For example, business users of organizational data are in the best position to set data security and access policies and manage the data so that it can be used with confidence by other parts of the business.
The pace of change can be daunting for leaders at all levels. To help organizations upskill, Microsoft has partnered with European business school Insead to AI Business School.
Searle outlines the steps businesses need to take to get the most out of their data. “We securely bring data into the Microsoft cloud. We lead from the top to build a data-driven culture across the organization and move quickly to projects that deliver business value. This positive experience ripples throughout the business, and this It will help us incorporate data-driven approaches to further scale.”
YC’s Black Alumni Tells How They Raised $107 Million
Cold outreach with a warm touch: Here’s a quick pitch I emailed to investors
sometimes non-traditional The route will lead to the best results. Zack Coeliusis a managing partner at Coelius Capital and started out as an entrepreneur. Over the past 20 years, he has founded many companies and after successfully exiting one of his ventures into the world of angel investing through a syndicate.
and after a while that His connections led him to VC, but not as part of a group. Essentially, Coelius’ connections and reputation allow him to serve as the sole general partner (GP).
In this column, I’ve summarized the takeaways Coelius shared with me about his experience getting his foot in the door, how to leverage favor, and the strategies he found most useful as a solo GP.
Focus on the founders first
If you want to become a VC, you should get involved with some VCs, right? Not necessarily, Coelius says.
That’s the problem largely Entry-level investors go to VCs first. But unless you’re a close friend of the VC, they probably aren’t offering you quality deals. Investors keep the best deals to themselves, so you probably won’t have access to the best unless you start making significant changes.
Not ready to put your trust fund or wealth from a successful exit to work? Coelius has a better and cheaper proposition. It’s about making friends with the founders. Then please help them.
At the end of the day, it all comes back to relationships. The more you support VCs, founders, and the startup community at large, the more prestige you’ll gain.
This requires a lot of networking, but being able to bridge the gap between founders and VCs can be a huge boon for founders. And if you can be helpful at a critical time, you’re more likely to be rewarded and get involved in the deal.
But don’t give it away. No one likes to be bound by strict agreements. Rather, it’s a “you get what you give” situation. Founders don’t want to feel like you’re tying them down, so keep it casual.
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