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ePack is a li’l urban semi-trailer truck – that you pedal
A Kenworth has nothing on this thing. Cityshuttle – By Ben Coxworth 2024 May 07 – It’s highly unlikely that you’ve ever seen a pedal-electric delivery vehicle quite like the ePack before. In order to accommodate its 4,000 liters of cargo space, the six-wheeler …
GPT trains robots better than humans – as proven by this dog on a yoga ball
Eureka Research – By Joe Salas 2024 May 06 – This quadruped wobbling along balanced on top of a yoga ball is a fun experiment to watch – but at its core, it demonstrates that AIs like GPT-4 can train robots to perform complex, real-world …
For-profit nursing homes are cutting corners on safety and draining resources with financial shenanigans − especially at midsize chains that dodge public scrutiny
The for-profit nursing home sector is growing, while placing a premium on cost cutting and big profits. Picture Alliance via Getty Images – By Sean Campbell, Investigative journalist, The Conversation And by Charlene Harrington, Professor Emeritus of Social Behavioral Sciences, University of California, …
FBI looks into thrill-seeking New Mexico teachers alleged to have been global art thieves
Willem de Kooning’s Woman-Ochre after it was recovered in 2017. Photograph: Robert Demers/AP – Jerry and Rita Alter, now deceased, are suspected of having stolen artworks in the 80s, including Willem de Kooning’s Woman-Ochre – Edward Helmore Last modified on 2024 May 04 …
Stressed? Study shows light shone on the head and belly helps
Applying low-intensity light to the head and gut simultaneously reduced the effects of chronic stress. Agence France-Presse (AFP)/Alain JOCARD – By Paul McClure 2024 May 03 – Applying non-invasive, low-intensity light to the head and belly simultaneously reduces the effects of chronic stress on …
Leech-inspired device may make for kinder, gentler blood sampling
The bio-inspired device replicates the manner in which leeches (pictured) draw blood through the skin. Depositphotos – By Ben Coxworth 2024 May 02 – Leeches may be creepy, but many people find hypodermic needles even creepier. That’s one of the reasons why scientists have …
Angry? Your blood vessels pay the price, new study demonstrates
Anger is never a great look, especially inside your blood vessels. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2024 May 01 – Even brief periods of anger caused by triggering memories can negatively impact our blood vessels’ ability to relax. That’s the finding of a new …
New studies suggest millions with mild cognitive impairment go undiagnosed, often until it’s too late
Mild cognitive impairment can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. ivanastar/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Soeren Mattke, Director of the USC Dornsife Brain Health Observatory, University of Southern California And by Ying Liu, Research Scientist, Center for …
Giant raptor dinosaur had legs taller than you
One of the huge footprints discovered in China that revealed the new giant species of raptor dinosaur. Yingliang – By Michael Irving 2024 Apr 29 – The six-foot-tall raptors in the Jurassic Park movies were terrifying enough, but now scientists have described a giant …
Three women diagnosed with HIV after getting ‘vampire facials’ in New Mexico
A dermatologist performs contour plastic in the lips with filler. Photograph: Equatore/Alamy – Associated Press 2024 Apr 28 – CDC says incidents at unlicensed medical spa are first documented cases of virus transmitted by a cosmetic procedure using needles – Three women who …
Cybersecurity researchers spotlight a new ransomware threat – be careful where you upload files
Avoiding iffy downloads is no longer enough to ensure this doesn’t happen. Olemedia/iStock via Getty Images – By Selcuk Uluagac, Professor of Computing and Information Science, Florida International University Published: 2024 Apr 26 – You probably know better than to click on links …
How bird flu virus fragments get into milk sold in stores, and what the spread of H5N1 in cows means for the dairy industry and milk drinkers
Cows typically get over avian flu in a couple of weeks, but it’s an economic blow for farms. AP Photo/Charlie Litchfield – By: Noelia Silva del Río, Associate Specialist in Cooperative Extension, Production Medicine and Food Safety, University of California, Davis Richard V. …
Flame-throwing robo-dog can now be yours for under $10k
Thermonator can throw a 30-ft flame with laser-sighted precision. Throwflame – By Paul Ridden 2024 Apr 25 – A robo-dog capable of throwing 30-ft flames from its back might seem the stuff of sci-fi nightmares, but such terrors were made real last year with …
Superfood protein pulled out of thin air massively scales up production
Solar Foods has demonstrated how versatile its high-protein Solein powder is. Solar Foods – View 6 Images – By Bronwyn Thompson 2024 Apr 24 – The world’s first commercial-scale factory for making nutrient-rich and versatile protein from air and sustainable energy has opened its doors …
Self-balancing omnidirectional motorcycle spins, slides and glides
James Bruton’s omnidirectional, self-balancing “Screw Bike”. James Bruton – By Loz Blain 2024 Apr 22 – One of the most bizarre vehicles we’ve ever seen in motion. This jaw-dropping electric contraption rolls on four custom-made omnidirectional wheels, mounted sideways so it can self-balance like …
Two lifeforms merge in once-in-a-billion-years evolutionary event
The algae Braarudosphaera bigelowii has been found to have absorbed a cyanobacteria called UCYN-A, which may be a huge step forward for evolution. Tyler Coale – By Michael Irving 2024 Apr 18 Last time this happened, Earth got plants. Scientists have caught a once-in-a-billion-years …
Microsoft AI creates scary real talkie videos from a single photo
The VASA-1 AI model can generate realistic talking head video footage from a single reference photo, which is lip-synced to an audio track. Microsoft Research Asia – By Paul Ridden 2024 Apr 19 – Microsoft Research Asia has revealed an AI model that can …
Octopus-inspired grasper gets it right by mimicking mucus
Octopus suckers are made of very soft, malleable tissue – but they also secrete mucus. University of Bristol. – By Ben Coxworth 2024 Apr18 – A new octopus-sucker-inspired suction cup could make it much easier and more energy-efficient for robots to lift and release …
FBI chief says Chinese hackers have infiltrated critical US infrastructure
The FBI director, Christopher Wray, speaks during a House hearing in Washington DC on 2024 Apr 11. Photograph: Bonnie Cash/UPI/Rex/Shutterstock – Volt Typhoon hacking campaign is waiting ‘for just the right moment to deal a devastating blow’, says Christopher Wray – Reuters Last …
Hybrid camera system gives your smartphone “super-telephoto” zoom
Beaverlab says that the Excope DT1 “pairs cutting-edge optics with advanced digital technology, transforming any smartphone into a high-performance ultra-telephoto camera” Beaverlab Tech. – By Paul Ridden 2024 Apr 18 – Tech company Beaverlab has launched a Kickstarter to raise funds for a smart …
Brazilian woman arrested after taking corpse to sign bank loan: ‘She knew he was dead’
A woman brought her seemingly dead uncle to a bank in Brazil for a loan. Photograph: @realengotv via X – Shock in Brazil after woman is arrested and charged with violating a corpse and attempted theft through fraud – Tom Phillips in Rio …
Junk food damages growing brains so severely it affects long-term memory
Junk food eating during adolescence can have a long-term negative effect on memory. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Apr 16 – Eating a fatty, sugary Western diet (read: junk food) during the crucial years of brain development impairs memory long-term, new research has …
New Mexico’s rivers are most threatened waterways in US, report finds
Serpent Lake wetlands in New Mexico, in an undated photo. Photograph: Jim O’Donnell/Courtesy American Rivers – America’s dirty divide – Rivers – Supreme court ruling left more than 90% of state’s surface waters with no pollution protections, since they don’t run continuously. – …
Japan to build NASA a Moon camper van you can drive without spacesuits
Artist’s concept of the Moon camper van. JAXA – By David Szondy 2024 Apr 14 – When NASA returns to the Moon, its astronauts will enjoy tooling around in a pressurized camper van courtesy of JAXA and Toyota. The two-person vehicle is part …
Personalized cancer treatments based on testing drugs quickly leads to faster treatment, better outcomes
Identifying the most effective cancer treatment for a given patient from the get-go can help improve outcomes. Leslie Lauren/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Diana Azzam, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, Florida International University Published: 2024 Apr 11 – Despite many …
Gallery: 50 new marine species found, including this unimpressed sea toad
A Chaunax, a bony fish in the sea toad family, seen on the southwestern flank of Rapa Nui. ROV SuBastian/Schmidt Ocean Institute CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 View 14 Images. – By Paul McClure 2024 Apr 11 – An expedition to underwater mountains off the coast …
Harvard’s bizarre “metafluid” packs programmable properties
Harvard engineers have created a programmable “metafluid”. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2024 Apr 09 – Harvard engineers have created a strange new “metafluid” – a liquid that can be programmed to change properties, like its compressibility, transparency, viscosity and even whether it’s Newtonian …
All-terrain Exoquad gets wheelchair users into four-wheelin’ action
Pricing for the Exoquad starts at about US$14,109. Exotek – By Ben Coxworth 2024 Apr 09 – The Exoquad four-wheeler is designed to let wheelchair users independently explore the gnarliest of outdoor environments. And while it packs multiple motors, it has an unpowered sibling …
Theory of Relativity drives plan for Moon standard time
The Moon may soon be going the way of the Earth, with time zones established. Depositphotos – By David Szondy 2024 Apr 08 – Thanks to Albert Einstein, the US Government wants to establish an official time zone for the Moon. It has less …
A natural deception: 3 marketing myths the supplement industry wants you to swallow
They act kind of like drugs, but they aren’t regulated like them. Valentyna Yeltsova/Getty Images – By Katie Suleta, Doctorate in Health Sciences candidate, George Washington University Published: 2024 Apr 05 – Americans seem to have quite a positive view of dietary supplements. …
Are you one of the millions about to have cataract surgery? Here’s what ophthalmologists say you need to know
Cataract surgery removes the clouded lens of the eye and replaces it with a new, clear lens. Ivan-balvan/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Allan Steigleman, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Florida And by Elizabeth M. Hofmeister, Associate Professor of Surgery, Uniformed …
Watermelon overdose cases reveal a deadly risk to compromised kidneys
Watermelon can be dangerous for people with impaired kidney function. Depositphotos View 7 Images – By Paul McClure 2024 Apr 03 – 14% of American adults are affected by chronic kidney disease – and anyone in that category should be very careful about how …
For the Maya, solar eclipses were a sign of heavenly clashes − and their astronomers kept sophisticated records to predict them
El Castillo pyramid illuminated at night under a starry sky in Chichén Itzá, México, one of the largest Maya cities. Matteo Colombo/DigitalVision via Getty Images – By Kimberly H. Breuer, Associate Professor of Instruction, University of Texas at Arlington Published: 2024 Apr 03 …
Could sharing a bedroom with your pets be keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep?
Your dog may not be the best sleep partner. gollykim/E+ via Getty Image – By Brian N. Chin, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Trinity College Published: 2024 Apr 03 – Sleeping with your dog in the same room could be negatively affecting your sleep …
GPT-4 is 82% more persuasive than humans, and AIs can now read emotions
AIs are learning to track human emotional responses in real-time, by watching our faces and listening to the tone in our voices. Hume AI – By Loz Blain 2024 Apr 02 GPT-4 is already better at changing people’s minds than the average human is, …
Human cells enter ‘suspended animation’ using tardigrade proteins
Proteins from the microscopic tardigrade could help shield humans cells from damaging stressors. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2024 Apr 01 – Tardigrades are famously tough little critters, and good for them – but what’s in it for us? We might now be closer …
What is dirt? There’s a whole wriggling world alive in the ground beneath our feet, as a soil scientist explains
Dig into soil and you’ll find rock dust but also thousands of living species. ChristinLola/iStock/Getty Images Plus – By Brian Darby, Associate Professor of Biology, University of North Dakota Published: 2024 Mar 25 – Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. …
DNA says you’re related to a Viking, a medieval German Jew or a 1700s enslaved African? What a genetic match really means
A genetic match to an ancient person doesn’t mean you’re more related genealogically. Mark Edward Atkinson/Tetra Images via Getty Images – By Shai Carmi, Associate Professor of Population and Statistical Genetics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem And By Harald Ringbauer, Group Leader, Department of …
The roots of the Easter story: Where did Christian beliefs about Jesus’ resurrection come from?
A mosaic of the Resurrection in the Basilica of St. Paul in Harissa, Lebanon. FredSeiller/Wikimedia Commons By Aaron Gale, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, West Virginia University Published: 2024 Mar 27 – As Easter approaches, Christians around the world begin to focus …
Now we know: Dogs can sniff trauma recollections on our breath
Dogs can already be helpful to those suffering from PTSD, and new research shows they might even be able to predict flashback events and intervene before they happen. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2024 Mar 28 – Two dogs in a small study were …
ePack is a li’l urban semi-trailer truck – that you pedal
A Kenworth has nothing on this thing. Cityshuttle – By Ben Coxworth 2024 May 07 – It’s highly unlikely that you’ve ever seen a pedal-electric delivery vehicle quite like the ePack before. In order to accommodate its 4,000 liters of cargo space, the six-wheeler …
GPT trains robots better than humans – as proven by this dog on a yoga ball
Eureka Research – By Joe Salas 2024 May 06 – This quadruped wobbling along balanced on top of a yoga ball is a fun experiment to watch – but at its core, it demonstrates that AIs like GPT-4 can train robots to perform complex, real-world …
For-profit nursing homes are cutting corners on safety and draining resources with financial shenanigans − especially at midsize chains that dodge public scrutiny
The for-profit nursing home sector is growing, while placing a premium on cost cutting and big profits. Picture Alliance via Getty Images – By Sean Campbell, Investigative journalist, The Conversation And by Charlene Harrington, Professor Emeritus of Social Behavioral Sciences, University of California, …
FBI looks into thrill-seeking New Mexico teachers alleged to have been global art thieves
Willem de Kooning’s Woman-Ochre after it was recovered in 2017. Photograph: Robert Demers/AP – Jerry and Rita Alter, now deceased, are suspected of having stolen artworks in the 80s, including Willem de Kooning’s Woman-Ochre – Edward Helmore Last modified on 2024 May 04 …
Stressed? Study shows light shone on the head and belly helps
Applying low-intensity light to the head and gut simultaneously reduced the effects of chronic stress. Agence France-Presse (AFP)/Alain JOCARD – By Paul McClure 2024 May 03 – Applying non-invasive, low-intensity light to the head and belly simultaneously reduces the effects of chronic stress on …
Leech-inspired device may make for kinder, gentler blood sampling
The bio-inspired device replicates the manner in which leeches (pictured) draw blood through the skin. Depositphotos – By Ben Coxworth 2024 May 02 – Leeches may be creepy, but many people find hypodermic needles even creepier. That’s one of the reasons why scientists have …
Angry? Your blood vessels pay the price, new study demonstrates
Anger is never a great look, especially inside your blood vessels. Depositphotos – By Michael Franco 2024 May 01 – Even brief periods of anger caused by triggering memories can negatively impact our blood vessels’ ability to relax. That’s the finding of a new …
New studies suggest millions with mild cognitive impairment go undiagnosed, often until it’s too late
Mild cognitive impairment can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. ivanastar/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Soeren Mattke, Director of the USC Dornsife Brain Health Observatory, University of Southern California And by Ying Liu, Research Scientist, Center for …
Giant raptor dinosaur had legs taller than you
One of the huge footprints discovered in China that revealed the new giant species of raptor dinosaur. Yingliang – By Michael Irving 2024 Apr 29 – The six-foot-tall raptors in the Jurassic Park movies were terrifying enough, but now scientists have described a giant …
Three women diagnosed with HIV after getting ‘vampire facials’ in New Mexico
A dermatologist performs contour plastic in the lips with filler. Photograph: Equatore/Alamy – Associated Press 2024 Apr 28 – CDC says incidents at unlicensed medical spa are first documented cases of virus transmitted by a cosmetic procedure using needles – Three women who …