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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 …
Hair-loss treatment found in cinnamon
Cinnamic acid, a component of Chinese cinnamon, promoted hair growth in the lab. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 27 – A component of the aromatic spice cinnamon caused hair follicles to sprout in the lab, with researchers now set on developing a …
NVIDIA to create AI ‘agents’ that outperform human nurses
NVIDIA has partnered with Hippocratic AI to develop AI-powered healthcare agents. NVIDIA/Hippocratic AI – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 25 – NVIDIA has partnered with Hippocratic AI to develop AI-powered ‘healthcare agents’ that have already been shown to outperform other large language models and …
Kuru: unravelling the mystery disease that left entire Papua New Guinean villages without women
A typical native village of the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea in 1972. Photograph: Keystone Features/Getty Images Papua New Guinea New genetic analysis sheds light on the epidemic caused by the practice of mortuary feasting in the Eastern Highlands of PNG …
Why would Islamic State attack Russia and what does this mean for the terrorism threat globally?
Burning Crocus City Hall concert venue on evening of 2024 Mar 22. Courtesy of EPA/VASILY PRUDNIKOV – By Greg Barton, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation; Scholar-In-Residence Asia Society Australia, Deakin University Published: 2024 Mar 23 – …
Generative AI could leave users holding the bag for copyright violations
How can users of AI tools like OpenAI’s Sora video generator be sure they aren’t producing copyright-violating content? Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images – By Anjana Susarla, Professor of Information Systems, Michigan State University Published: 2024 Mar 22 – Generative artificial intelligence has …
Northrop Grumman wins DARPA contract for a railway on the Moon
The planned lunar railroad definitely won’t look as fanciful as this AI rendering. AI-generated by DALL-E – By David Szondy 2024 Mar 21 – In preparation for a permanent human colony on the Moon, DARPA has awarded a contract to Northrop Grumman to develop …
ADHD medications deliver surprise bonus benefits
ADHD medications improve more than just the symptoms of the disorder. Depositphoto – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 20 – ADHD medications do more than alleviate the symptoms of the condition; they boost overall mental health by improving the symptoms of coexisting psychiatric conditions …
Omnidirectional tripedal robot scoots, shuffles and climbs
The SKOOTR bot gets around on three motorized legs, with a large freely rotating sphere providing additional stability. University of Michigan/Hung, Adu and Moore – By Paul Ridden 2024 Mar 19 – A small research group from the University of Michigan has developed a …
Fast, reliable test measures potency of psilocybin mushrooms
A new technique determines the potency of magic mushrooms. UTA – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 19 – Laws are opening up to support the use of medicinal psilocybin – and that requires new technology to ensure accurate, consistent dosing. Researchers have now developed …
Another common bacteria implicated in stomach cancer
A common, usually harmless bacteria caused stomach cancer in mice. Depositphotos – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 18 – A common, usually harmless bacteria have a significant role in causing stomach cancer, a new study has found. It joins the better-known, at least in …
Next-gen AI software developer spawns and trains its own AIs
Cognition Labs has unveiled Devin, an extraordinary end-to-end software developing AI. Cognition Labs – By Loz Blain 2024 Mar 13 – It can autonomously plan and execute thousand-step tasks. It can build and deploy entire software projects all by itself. It can research and …
Trump wouldn’t be the first presidential candidate to campaign from a prison cell
Eugene Debs, center, imprisoned at the Atlanta Federal Prison, was notified of his nomination for the presidency on the socialist ticket by a delegation of leading socialists who came from New York to Atlanta. George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images – By Thomas Doherty, …
How ‘Dune’ became a beacon for the fledgling environmental movement − and a rallying cry for the new science of ecology
Oregon’s Umpqua Dunes inspired the desert planet Arrakis in Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune.’ VWPics/Universal Images Group via Getty Images – By Devin Griffiths, Associate Professor of English and Comparative Literature, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Published: 2024 Mar 15 – “Dune,” …
Microbes stomp daffodils in creating valuable anti-Alzheimer’s drug
A microbial fermentation process proved better than daffodil extract at creating an important anti-dementia drug. AI generated by DALL-E – By Michael Franco 2024 Mar 15 – Using an AI-based approach, researchers found a better way to create the drug galantamine, commonly prescribed to …
Newly found monster Martian volcano might be hiding an icy secret
The newly discovered volcano has monster-sized company in the form of three other gigantic Martian volcanoes. Background image: NASA Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) digital elevation model. Geologic interpretation & annotations by Pascal Lee and Sourabh Shubham 2024 – View …
Transgenic cows boost human insulin production by 10X
Cash cows: Transgenic cattle could boost insulin production and lower its cost. Depositphotos. View 4 Images – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 13 – A genetically modified cow has produced milk containing human insulin, according to a new study. The proof-of-concept achievement could be …
All-terrain teardrop micro-camper preps meals over Maxtrax boards
The Dropy camper launched last fall and is available now with many different options. Drop Campers. View 16 Images – By C.C. Weiss 2024 Mar 11 – A tailgate-free tear/squaredrop trailer built to escape city and suburb, the Dropy from Spain’s Drop Campers brings …
Video: 3D images of over 13,000 museum specimens now free to everyone
The openVertebrate (oVert) project allows free access to images of over 13,000 vertebrates. Florida Museum of Natural History View 7 Images – By Paul McClure 2024 Mar 10 – The completion of the openVertebrate (oVert) project is a significant milestone for natural history museums, …
Centuries after Christine de Pizan wrote a book railing against misogyny, Taylor Swift is building her own ‘City of Ladies’
An illustration from Christine de Pizan’s ‘The Book of the City of Ladies.’ Fine Art Images/Heritage Images via Getty Image – By Jill R. Fehleison, Professor of History and Interdisciplinary Studies, Quinnipiac University Published: 2024 Mar 08 – In her work, Taylor Swift …
5 blue-chip “digital age” collectible bargains the world missed
This article lists five of the most important bits of world history, let alone “digital age” history, that have sold for comparative “peanuts.” This is one of them – the first coin earned by the world gaming industry, retrieved from the first prototype …
Cancer vaccine for dogs almost doubles survival rates in clinical trial
Hunter, an 11-year-old golden retriever, has lived two years cancer-free after his treatment with Yale’s cancer vaccine for dogs. Deana Hudgins – By Michael Irving 2024 Mar 05 – The biggest tragedy of pet ownership is that they just don’t live long enough. Thankfully …
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 …