Number 305
Another ‘missing link’ black hole discovered near the center of the galaxy
The intermediate-link black hole is believed to be a seed for supermassive black holes that formed just after the Big Bang.
Why an ‘unexciting’ galaxy could provide clues about the universe’s evolution
Astronomers believe dwarf irregular galaxy NGC 5238 may have swallowed up a smaller neighbor.
What Happened to Ancient Megafauna?
Recent studies show it wasn’t the climate that did them in.
Tight-Knit Microbes Live Together to Make a Vital Nutrient
Across the world’s oceans, a pair of symbiotic microbes — bacteria that live inside the phytoplankton known as diatoms — do the essential work of making nitrogen available for life. Remarkably, the bacteria are related to those that “fix” most nitrogen on land.
NASA’s Curiosity Rover Discovers Yellow Sulfur Crystals In Martian Rock
But where past detections have been of sulfur-based minerals the rock Curiosity recently cracked open is made of elemental sulfur.
Urgent action needed as malaria resists key drug
Resistance levels have soared in some areas from fewer than 1% to more than 20% of cases in the space of three years.
Nvidia and Mistral’s New Model ‘Mistral-NeMo’ Brings Enterprise-Grade AI To Desktop Computers
Nvidia and French startup Mistral AI jointly announced today the release of a new language model designed to bring powerful AI capabilities directly to business desktops.
Signs of Two Gases In Clouds of Venus Could Indicate Life, Scientists Say
Separate teams find evidence of phosphine and ammonia, potential biomarkers on planet whose surface reaches 450C.
Psilocybin Desynchronizes the Human Brain
The psychedelic drug causes some lasting changes to the communication pathways that connect distinct brain regions.
California’s grid passed the reliability test this heat wave
It’s all about giant batteries.
The Search for Alien Life Starts on Earth
But the places that could most help scientists find it are melting away.
Common blood-thinning drug neutralises cobra venom
A spitting cobra’s incredibly potent venom can quickly destroy skin, muscle and bone around the site of a bite.
‘Supermodel granny’ drug extends life in animals
A drug has increased the lifespans of laboratory animals by nearly 25%, in a discovery scientists hope can slow human ageing too.
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A Trillion Rogue Planets and Not One Sun to Shine on Them
Inside the race to track down our galaxy’s hidden, untethered worlds.
‘Amazing’ New Technology Set To Transform the Search For Alien Life
A conference in the UK this week will outline new developments in a project to look for ‘technosignatures’ of other advanced species.
Startup Makes Butter Using CO2 and Water
A Californian startup funded by Bill Gates is making rich, fatty “butter” using just carbon dioxide and hydrogen, with other dairy-free alternatives in the works.
The European Space Agency will follow a skyscraper-sized asteroid as it flies past Earth
The Apophis asteroid will reach within 20,000 miles on Earth in April 2029.
Jerky-like skin of a 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth could change what we know about ancient DNA
Scientists reconstruct mammoth’s genome after finding fossilized chromosomes in naturally preserved skin cells.
Cutting-Edge Technology Could Massively Reduce the Amount of Energy Used For Air Conditioning
Roughly 10 percent of the world’s energy is used for cooling, with much of the necessary electricity generated by fossil fuels. Companies need to make AC much more efficient—as soon as possible.
== yjc, lengthy
A friendship in the face of fascism
It was an instinctive sporting gesture that has gone down in Olympic folklore, but, for German long-jump champion Luz Long, it would have dark consequences.
Climate Crisis is Making Days Longer, Study Finds
Melting of ice is slowing planet’s rotation and could disrupt internet traffic, financial transactions and GPS.
‘World’s rarest whale’ washes up on NZ beach
Few specimens have been found and there have been no live sightings.
Secret ‘sky island’ rainforest saved by new discoveries
Twenty years ago, Mabu was a secret to all but the locals.
== paywall?
Russian Boat Implicated in Norway Cable Sabotage Mystery
The destruction of an underwater monitoring system corresponded with inexplicable movements of a single fishing boat.
== yjc
Research project in P.E.I. potato field confirms the oldtimers were right about manure
Combination of manure and cover crops boosted production by 26% in test field.
Cave discovered on Moon could be home for humans
Scientists had speculated that “lunar pits” like this could be cave entrances - now they have proof.
== yjc
‘Eno’ Documentary: Different at Every Screening, to Explore Randomness and ‘Generative’ Film-making
Director Gary Hustwit tells us about his living documentary and the technology that changes it for every screening.
Scientists Discover How Pancreatic Cancer Switches Off a ‘Tumor Suppressor’ Gene
Hope for new treatments after researchers find spread of disease is aided by shutting down of molecules in key genes.
Virgin Galactic Flies 3D Printer Into Space
Aboard Zero-G’s G-Force One aircraft, researchers battled motion sickness and weightlessness to test promising new space technologies.
How Will AI Transform the Future of Work?
The concept of a guaranteed income is gaining traction as a solution to the impact of AI and way to encourage more rewarding and socially valuable work.
To Avoid Sea Level Rise, Some Researchers Propose Barriers Around the World’s Vulnerable Glaciers
Scientists call for ‘major initiative’ to study whether geoengineering should be used on glaciers.
Fastest Object Ever Made By Humans Continues Circling the Sun, 500x Faster Than Sound
It’s the probe’s 20th approach to the sun, with the probe using Venus “to create a sort of gravity-powered slingshot”.
460 years after it sank, this ship is almost ready to sail again
Rebuilding a Spanish galleon has been Xabier Agote’s life’s work, and he’s close to finishing.
What’s the right temperature for your air conditioning?
Comfort, health, financial impacts and technology are all considerations.
Use any tools offered to monitor credit following Ticketmaster data breach, says expert
Instructions, support provided by companies impacted may be the best place to start, says data breach expert.
Drawn to Mars, these researchers found themselves in Yukon instead
Around 80 astroscientists visited Yukon this week for polar science conference.
New study sparks debate about whether H5N1 virus in cows is adapted to better infect humans
Study provides new evidence that the H5N1 virus currently causing an outbreak of bird flu in U.S. dairy cattle may be adapted to better infecting humans than other circulating strains of the virus.
Three Mile Island Considers Nuclear Restart
No U.S. nuclear power plant has been reopened after shutting. A restart is expected to be costly, logistically challenging and met with public and political opposition over safety and environmental concerns.
CISA Broke Into a US Federal Agency, No One Noticed For a Full 5 Months
Red team exercise revealed a score of security fails.
Dunes at P.E.I. National Park showing signs of recovery from Fiona’s wrath
Parks Canada appreciative of beachgoers who heed orders to stay off dunes.
== seen articles on this before
Tick-spread illnesses are on the rise in Canada. Are surveillance, awareness efforts keeping up?
Anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and Powassan virus are all emerging health threats alongside Lyme disease.
Cybersecurity experts say it’s a step in right direction, but threat of privacy breaches are growing
It is impossible to think without writing; at least it is impossible in any sophisticated or networked (anschlußfähig) fashion. Somehow we must mark differences, and capture distinctions which are either implicitly or explicitly contained in concepts
Niklas Luhmann