‘Unprecedented Mass Coral Bleaching’ Expected in 2024, Says Expert

2023 is first year of potential pair of El Niño years and since 1997, every instance of these pairs has led to mass coral mortality.

Global Carbon Emissions From Fossil Fuels To Hit Record High

Projected rate of warming has not improved in past two years, analysis shows

== if we encrypt passwords for storage in a database, why not all personal info
Apple Report Finds Steep Increase in Data Breaches, Ransomware

Apple says the escalating intrusions, combined with increases in ransomware means the tech industry needs to move toward greater use of encryption.

Tyrannosaur’s last meal was two baby dinosaurs

The last meal of a 75-million-year-old tyrannosaur has been revealed by scientists - two baby dinosaurs.

== yjc, really makes me wonder…
Chinese garlic is a national security risk, says US senator

A US senator has called for a government investigation into the impact on national security of garlic imports from China.

== have had previous article on transparent wood
Why scientists are making transparent wood

Stronger than plastic and tougher than glass, the resin-filled material is being exploited for smartphone screens, insulated windows and mor.

Why do so many people in industrialized Western societies have unhealthy microbiomes that lack diversity?

What happens when the intricate, long-standing partnership between microorganisms and human cells begins to unravel?

The Milky Way will probably devour all the tiny galaxies that surround it

The rapid disruption of smaller galaxies suggests they lack a bit of dark matter.

Nikon Makes Special Firmware For NASA To Block Galactic Cosmic Rays In Photos

Space travel requires instruments made on Earth to be specially adapted to the harsh extra-terrestrial world — and that includes tweaking a camera’s software.

Light Can Be Reflected Not Only In Space But Also In Time

Researchers exploring such “time reflections” are finding a wealth of delightfully odd and useful effects.

== yjc, when I was a kid my uncle repaired virtually every bit of
== farm equipment by himself, including tractors, combines and such
A Massive Repair Lawsuit Against John Deere Clears a Major Hurdle

The class-action antitrust suit is one of the biggest challenges to Deere’s tractor repair monopoly.

The Extremely Large Telescope Will Transform Astronomy

With a giant 39.3-meter main mirror and advanced adaptive optics, the ELT will collect far more light and achieve much sharper images than any existing ground-based telescope, revolutionizing the study of exoplanets, black holes, dark matter, and the early universe.

== seen something on this before
The weird materials behind sustainable furniture

From crushed oyster shells to agricultural waste, Celine Sandberg has experimented with some wacky ingredients to make parts for furniture.

== paywall??, lengthy, but interesting read
Maybe We Already Have Runaway Machines

A new book argues that the invention of states and corporations has something to teach us about A.I. But perhaps it’s the other way around.

Project Cuts Emissions By Putting Data Centers Inside Wind Turbines

Pioneering what it says are CO2-neutral data centers, windCORES hopes to curtail the carbon footprint from one of the highest energy users.

== jsyk, it is unlikely what you’ve had in your local sushi joint is actually wasabi
Wasabi Linked To ‘Substantial’ Boost In Memory, Japanese Study Finds

Researchers at Tohoku University in Japan found that wasabi improves both short- and long-term memory.

== legnthy
Nearly Every Windows and Linux Device Vulnerable To New LogoFAIL Firmware Attack

UEFIs booting Windows and Linux devices can be hacked by malicious logo images.

Quantum Computer Sets Record For Largest Ever Number of ‘Logical Quantum Bits’

A quantum computer contains the largest ever number of “logical quantum bits”, which can be used for error-free calculations.

Researchers used Hurricane Larry to prove ocean microplastics can be swept inland as air pollution

Storm’s path meant the particles it carried to land originated in the ocean.

Researchers develop under-the-skin implant to treat Type 1 diabetes

The device can secrete insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar levels, to cells.

== when windows 10 ends, I may move to Linux, not a fan of windows 11
Linus Torvalds on the state of Linux today and how AI figures in its future

Linus Torvalds talked about Rust in Linux, Linux maintainer fatigue, and AI’s future role in Linux and open-source development.

Governments Spying on Apple, Google Users Through Push Notifications

Unidentified governments are surveilling smartphone users via their apps’ push notifications, a U.S. senator warned on Wednesday.

AI Models May Enable a New Era of Mass Spying, Says Bruce Schneier

AI will enable a shift from observing actions to interpreting intentions, en masse.

‘Wobbly Spacetime’ May Help Resolve Contradictory Physics Theories

Scientist proposes framework for reconciling mathematically incompatible theories of quantum mechanics and Einstein’s gravity.

Western US Wildfires Undo Two Decades of Air Quality Progress

Increasingly intensive and frequent wildfires in the western U.S. are deteriorating air quality and causing more premature deaths, a new study found.

== lots of info, have had articles on tipping points before, but this report is a bit more concerning
New report says ’the world is on a disastrous trajectory’ due to climate change

It comes out as COP28 deals with controversies around prioritizing fossil fuels.

Oldest mosquito in amber reveals bloodsucking surprise

Ancient male had piercing-sucking mouth parts now seen only in females.

== yjc, guess there’s something like this in most countries (I expect Canada is an exception)
(https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67626880?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA)

Hidden behind five rings of barbed wire in a park just outside Milton Keynes lies no ordinary manufacturing workshop. It has never opened its doors to the media in its 85-year history - until now.

Beeper says it reverse-engineered iMessage into an Android app

It’s a technical deep dive, so buckle up!

== I sure hope not, only browser I use
Firefox On the Brink?

The Big Three may effectively be down to a Big Two, and right quick.

Research Finds That Renting Ages You Faster Than Smoking, Obesity

Living in a private rental property accelerates the biological ageing process by more than two weeks every year.

Cicadas Are So Loud, Fiber Optic Cables Can ‘Hear’ Them

In 2021, scientists experimenting with fiber optics picked up a strange signal: the cacophony of cicadas. It could lead to a new way of monitoring insects.

China Sinks 1400-Ton Data Center In Sea With Power of 6 Million PCs

When ready, the data center will serve companies like China Telecom and Hong Kong-based AI firm SenseTime.

First Results From the World’s Biggest Basic Income Experiment

Money always helps, but for the very poor, one lump sum can last a long time.

ChatGPT Cheat Sheet: Complete Guide for 2023

Get up and running with ChatGPT with this comprehensive cheat sheet.

== yjc, seeing we had an article on the berg last time
Attenborough ship encounters mammoth iceberg

The UK’s polar ship has sailed alongside the world’s biggest iceberg. The frozen block, A23a, covers more than twice the area of London.

Physicists May Have Found a Hard Limit on The Performance of Large Quantum Computers

It is becoming increasingly easier to carry out calculations with quantum computers. However, calculations show that there are fundamental limits - namely the quality of the clock used.

Plants May Be Absorbing 20% More CO2 Than We Thought, New Models Find

Green light: It’s not a silver bullet, but scientists say this study makes the case for keeping plants central in strategies to counter the impact of climate change

Church In New Orleans Establishes its Own Solar-Powered Electricity Resilience Hub

After Hurricanes Katrina and Ida, a city initiative is building solar-driven disaster response hubs to increase its resilience

Free-roaming horses are feral and invasive, B.C. says — but biologist, First Nation argue they need protection

New book looks at the horses of the Chilcotin plateau, where the animals share rich history with First Nations

== yjc
How ‘forced financing’ makes some car dealerships more money

Sales tactic turns away some customers who want to pay cash.

How scientists are fighting climate-fuelled disease

Clare is studying the insects to understand how dengue spreads around the world - and how climate change is fuelling that spread.

Tiny Living Robots Made From Human Cells Surprise Scientists

“We don’t realize all the competencies that our own body cells have.”

Why Mexico Wants You to Virtually Adopt an Axolotl Salamander

It can regenerate bits of its body. Ancient Mexicans revered it as a mischievous, shape-shifting god.

Investing $30 Billion, the UAE Announces the World’s Largest Climate-Focused Investment Fund

Dubbed ALTÉRRA, the fund will allocate $25 billion to climate strategies and $5 billion to incentivise investment flows into the Global South.