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California woman finds foot-long ancient mastodon tooth on beach
Fossil vanished shortly afterwards and was found again after a social media callout and donated to museum in Santa Cruz. The mastodon tooth is less than 1m years old, which is ‘new’ by fossil standards. Photograph: Jennifer Schuh/AP – Associated Press Last modified …
F-550-based Senator MRAP armored car built to survive road blasts
The Senator is a tactical MRAP. Roshel View gallery – 14 images – By David Szondy 2023 Jun 01 – Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles has rolled out its Senator Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored fighting vehicle at the CANSEC show in Ottawa. Based …
Dog personality determined by much more than breed, study finds
A study has found that a dog’s personality is determined by more than breed, environmental factors also play an important role. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2023 May 30 – The bond between humans and dogs has existed for thousands of years. Often, the …
Uber Eats food-delivery robots set to enter use in multiple US cities
Each robot can reportedly run for a full day on one charge of its battery pack. Serve Robotics Inc. View gallery – 3 images – By Ben Coxworth 2023 May 30 – For the past year, Uber-backed Serve Robotics’ wheeled robots have been delivering …
Why America has a debt ceiling: 5 questions answered
The sky’s not always the limit. AP Photo/Susan Walsh – By Steven Pressman, Part-Time Professor of Economics, The New School Updated: 2023 May 27 – A tentative deal to raise the debt ceiling may finally end the game of chicken Republicans and Democrats …
What really started the American Civil War?
More than 600,000 soldiers died during the American Civil War. Keith Lance/Digital Vision Vectors via Getty Images – By Robert Gudmestad, Professor and Chair of History Department, Colorado State University Published: 2023 May 29 – Curious Kids is a series for children of …
Indoor plants are surprisingly good at devouring carcinogenic toxins
Researchers have found that plants are very effective at clearing toxic pollutants from indoor air. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2023 May 26 – Researchers have demonstrated how effective plants are at ridding the air in your home, school, or workplace of toxic, carcinogenic …
Inflatable motorized GoBoat packs down into a carry bag
The GoBoat 2.0 is reported to offer improved performance, stability, and packability compared to the first model. GoBoat View gallery – 6 images – By Paul Ridden 2023 May 26 – Way back in 2016, startup GoBoat introduced an odd-looking boating craft that sat …
Wealthy ancient Romans may have smelled like 20th-century hippies
The crystal container holding the ointment had an amphora shape. University of Córdoba – By Michael Franco 2023 May 26 – Thanks to finding bits of bone, tools, and other aspects of human existence, archeologists have been able to reconstruct much of what life …
Edible CBD coating keeps fruit fresher for longer
A new coating made of CBD helps preserve fruit for far longer, to reduce food waste. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2023 May 21 – It may be delicious and healthy, but fruit is frustratingly fickle too, often going bad quickly in the fridge. …
SurgiField system is a packable sterile mini operating room
The SurgiField system can reportedly be set up on a patient’s body in a matter of minutes. SurgiBox View gallery – 3 images – By Ben Coxworth 2023 May 23 – Whether it’s an impoverished nation, a battlefield or a disaster site, there are …
Sunlight-activated powder disinfects water in just 60 seconds
Among other potential applications, the powder could be used by backpackers collecting drinking water on the go. Depositphotos – By Ben Coxworth 2023 May 19 – If you leave a clear bottle of water in the sunlight, the ultraviolet rays will kill any harmful …
Dirty bomb radiation antidote begins human trials
Human trials will test the efficacy and safety of the novel drug. Depositphotos – By David Szondy 2023 May 22 – Sinclair International has begun human trials of a new anti-radiation drug called HOPO 14-1 that is designed to help decontaminate those who have …
Philosopher Peter Singer: ‘There’s no reason to say humans have more worth or moral status than animals’
The controversial author on the importance of updating his landmark book on animal liberation, being ‘flexibly vegan’ and the ethical dangers of artificial intelligence for the non-human world. ‘I’ve had to develop a thicker skin’: philosopher Peter Singer. Photograph: Alletta Vaandering – The …
When the tech boys start asking for new regulations, you know something’s up
The OpenAI CEO says his industry needs government intervention. Whether it’s a ploy or a plea for help, we should be concerned. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman at the US Senate hearing on AI last week. Photograph: Patrick Semansky/AP – The Observer – Artificial …
ChatGPT-powered Wall Street: The benefits and perils of using artificial intelligence to trade stocks and other financial instruments
Markets are increasingly driven by decisions made by AI. PhonlamaiPhoto/iStock via Getty Images – By Pawan Jain, Assistant Professor of Finance, West Virginia University – Published: 2023 May 18 – Artificial Intelligence-powered tools, such as ChatGPT, have the potential to revolutionize the efficiency, …
Bees can learn, remember, think and make decisions – here’s a look at how they navigate the world
A bumblebee lands on the flowers of a white sloe bush. Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images – By Stephen Buchmann, Adjunct Professor of Entomology and of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona – Published: 2023 May 17 – As trees and …
Venturist micro-camper is an affordable gateway to backcountry escape
Enjoying camp away from the crowds. Runaway Campers View gallery – 7 images – By C.C. Weiss 2023 May 17 – Do a little shopping around the American market for budget small camping trailers, and it won’t be too long before you come across …
You shed DNA everywhere you go – trace samples in the water, sand and air are enough to identify who you are, raising ethical questions about privacy
A casual stroll on the beach can leave enough intact DNA behind to extract identifiable information. Comezora/Moment via Getty Images By Jenny Whilde, Adjunct Research Scientist in Marine Bioscience, University of Florida and by Jessica Alice Farrell, Postdoctoral associate, University of Florida …
Helion to supply Microsoft with fusion power by 2028, or pay penalties
Assembled electromagnetic coils ready for use in Helion’s 7th-gen Polaris prototype. Helion Energy – By Loz Blain 2023 May 15 – In an outrageously audacious move, Washington-based fusion power startup Helion has signed the world’s first fusion power supply deal, promising to deliver Microsoft …
AI runs 10,000 experiments a day on bacteria to speed up discoveries
A new AI platform called BacterAI can conduct thousands of experiments per day to learn about bacteria, even without any prior knowledge. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2023 May 08 – Scientific work often involves sifting through enormous amounts of data, a task that’s …
What’s a Luddite? An expert on technology and society explains
Some Luddites simply want to press ‘pause’ on the uninhibited march of technological progress. Stan Eales/iStock via Getty Images – By Andrew Maynard, Professor of Advanced Technology Transitions, Arizona State University Published: 2023 May 12 – The term “Luddite” emerged in early 1800s …
Jewish Americans Changed Their Names, But Not at Ellis Island
Thousands of Jewish immigrants and their children changed their names in America—but not at Ellis Island. The reasons are complicated and part of the Jewish struggle with their identity in America. Immigrants and inspectors in the registry room for legal inspections at Ellis …
‘I was a tiny cog in a machine of people all named vice-president of something’: the reality of remaking UK sitcoms for US audiences
The CBS version of the BBC comedy Ghosts is one of the biggest shows on American TV. But US remakes more often than not go south. Armando Iannucci and other creators share their horror stories. Altered states … (left to right) Ghosts, The …
Lessons from ‘Star Trek: Picard’ – a cybersecurity expert explains how a sci-fi series illuminates today’s threats
This orbiting museum in the show ‘Star Trek: Picard’ plays a key role in fending off a futuristic form of cyberattack. Courtesy Paramount – By Richard Forno, Principal Lecturer in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Published: 2023 May …
From Kali to Mary to Neopagan goddesses, religions revere motherhood in sometimes unexpected ways
People admire a massive statue of the Hindu goddess Kali. Jerry Redfern/LightRocket via Getty Images – By Alyssa Beall, Teaching Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Humanities, and Philosophy, West Virginia University Published: 2023 May 10 – As we approach Mother’s Day, many groups …
Bear-macing teardrop camper fights off apocalypse with insane features
Mammoth ELE off-road trailer. Mammoth Overland View gallery – 27 images – By C.C. Weiss 2023 May 10 – When the term “Extinction Level Event Camper Trailer” leapt out from our morning email scroll, we assumed it was just one company’s creative marketing, a …
Cyclemate takes to the water with its new Electric Surfboard
The Cyclemate Electric Surfboard’s 12-kW jet-drive motor takes riders to a top speed of 60 km/h (37 mph). Cyclemate View gallery – 5 images – By Ben Coxworth 2023 May 09 – Hong Kong company Cyclemate is best known for its very cushy bicycle …
The Length of Earth’s Days Has Been Mysteriously Increasing, and Scientists Don’t Know Why
Shutterstock – By Matt King, Director of the ARC Australian Centre for Excellence in Antarctic Science, University of Tasmania and by Christopher Watson, Senior Lecturer, School of Geography, Planning, and Spatial Sciences, University of Tasmania – University of Tasmania provides funding as a …
White Lotus Day celebrates the ‘founding mother of occult in America,’ Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, photographed in New York circa 1874. Universal Images Group via Getty Images – By Marina Alexandrova, Associate Professor of Instruction, The University of Texas at Austin – Published: 2023 May 05 – Every May 8, thousands of people celebrate White …
‘A race it might be impossible to stop’: how worried should we be about AI?
Scientists are warning machine learning will soon outsmart humans – maybe it’s time for us to take note. An AI humanoid from the 2014 film Ex Machina. The technology has long featured in Hollywood films but is increasingly becoming part of real life. …
The exploitation of Hollywood’s writers is just another symptom of digital feudalism
Striking workers picket outside of Warner Bros. Studios on the second day of the Hollywood writers strike on 2023 May 03, in Burbank, Calif. David McNew/Getty Images – By David Arditi, Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Texas Arlington Published: 2023 May 05 …
Peanut butter is a liquid – the physics of this and other unexpected fluids
The knife easily leaves swirls in the spread. Rimglow/iStock via Getty Images Plus – By Ted Heindel, University Professor, Bergles Professor of Thermal Science, and Director of the Center for Multiphase Flow Research and Education, Iowa State University Published: 2023 May 04 – …
Astronomers witness apocalyptic end of a world from across the galaxy
Astronomers have observed the first compelling evidence of a dying Sun-like star engulfing an exoplanet, a fate that may befall the Earth when our own Sun nears the end of its life in about five billion years. International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA/M. Garlick/M. Zamani View …
Forest fungi overheard talking to each other after rain showers
Researchers have attached electrodes to mushrooms in the forest to measure their communication signals, and found they talk more after rain. Yu Fukasawa – By Michael Irving 2023 May 02 – Whether they’re hacking the brains of bugs or mining for gold, fungi are …
Hang in there: Sloths could be our surprise superbug superheroes
Not just a pretty face: sloths could be superbug secret weapons. Depositphotos – By Bronwyn Thompson 2023 May 01 – Ever since French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, first described the sloth in 1749, the planet’s slowest moving mammal has had its work …
Plastic is already in blood, breast milk, and placentas. Now it may be in our brains.
The particles could be linked to cognitive impairment and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s. Many chemicals found in various types of plastic are known carcinogens and hormone-disruptors. Photograph: Albert Gea/Reuters – Opinion – Plastics – By Adrienne Matei Last modified on …
Rewired genetic ‘clock’ slows aging and increases cellular lifespan
Scientists have developed an oscillating genetic ‘clock’ that significantly slows down the aging process in tests in yeast cells. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2023 Apr 30 – Scientists at UC San Diego have developed a way to potentially slow down the cellular aging …
AI is exciting – and an ethical minefield: 4 essential reads on the risks and concerns about this technology
Who’s in control? John Lund/Stone via Getty Images – Author By Molly Jackson, Religion and Ethics Editor Interviewed Alec Stubbs, Postdoctoral Fellow in Philosophy, UMass Boston Casey Fiesler, Associate Professor of Information Science, University of Colorado Boulder Naomi S. Baron, Professor Emerita of …
New Wyoming rhynchosaur discovered, named in First Nations language
An artist’s reconstruction of the newly discovered rhynchosaur, Beesiiwo cooowuse, named in the language of the First Nations people indigenous to the area in which it was found. Gabriel Ugueto – By Paul McClure 2023 Apr 27 – Researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison …
California woman finds foot-long ancient mastodon tooth on beach
Fossil vanished shortly afterwards and was found again after a social media callout and donated to museum in Santa Cruz. The mastodon tooth is less than 1m years old, which is ‘new’ by fossil standards. Photograph: Jennifer Schuh/AP – Associated Press Last modified …
F-550-based Senator MRAP armored car built to survive road blasts
The Senator is a tactical MRAP. Roshel View gallery – 14 images – By David Szondy 2023 Jun 01 – Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles has rolled out its Senator Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored fighting vehicle at the CANSEC show in Ottawa. Based …
Dog personality determined by much more than breed, study finds
A study has found that a dog’s personality is determined by more than breed, environmental factors also play an important role. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2023 May 30 – The bond between humans and dogs has existed for thousands of years. Often, the …
Uber Eats food-delivery robots set to enter use in multiple US cities
Each robot can reportedly run for a full day on one charge of its battery pack. Serve Robotics Inc. View gallery – 3 images – By Ben Coxworth 2023 May 30 – For the past year, Uber-backed Serve Robotics’ wheeled robots have been delivering …
Why America has a debt ceiling: 5 questions answered
The sky’s not always the limit. AP Photo/Susan Walsh – By Steven Pressman, Part-Time Professor of Economics, The New School Updated: 2023 May 27 – A tentative deal to raise the debt ceiling may finally end the game of chicken Republicans and Democrats …
What really started the American Civil War?
More than 600,000 soldiers died during the American Civil War. Keith Lance/Digital Vision Vectors via Getty Images – By Robert Gudmestad, Professor and Chair of History Department, Colorado State University Published: 2023 May 29 – Curious Kids is a series for children of …
Indoor plants are surprisingly good at devouring carcinogenic toxins
Researchers have found that plants are very effective at clearing toxic pollutants from indoor air. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2023 May 26 – Researchers have demonstrated how effective plants are at ridding the air in your home, school, or workplace of toxic, carcinogenic …
Inflatable motorized GoBoat packs down into a carry bag
The GoBoat 2.0 is reported to offer improved performance, stability, and packability compared to the first model. GoBoat View gallery – 6 images – By Paul Ridden 2023 May 26 – Way back in 2016, startup GoBoat introduced an odd-looking boating craft that sat …
Wealthy ancient Romans may have smelled like 20th-century hippies
The crystal container holding the ointment had an amphora shape. University of Córdoba – By Michael Franco 2023 May 26 – Thanks to finding bits of bone, tools, and other aspects of human existence, archeologists have been able to reconstruct much of what life …
Edible CBD coating keeps fruit fresher for longer
A new coating made of CBD helps preserve fruit for far longer, to reduce food waste. Depositphotos – By Michael Irving 2023 May 21 – It may be delicious and healthy, but fruit is frustratingly fickle too, often going bad quickly in the fridge. …