200 Years Ago, the Sun Mysteriously Turned Blue. Scientists Finally Know Why

Volcanic eruptions can wreak havoc on the environment—and also produce some pretty wild optical effects.

These Newly Identified Cells Could Change the Face of Plastic Surgery

Cartilage cells that contain fat explain why some skeletal tissues are less rigid than others, and could one day be grown in labs to produce better materials for performing reconstructive surgeries.

2024 was the first year above 1.5C of global warming, scientists say

The planet’s average temperature in 2024 was 1.6 degrees Celsius higher than in 1850-1900, the “pre-industrial period”.

Ants Best Humans At Test of Collective Intelligence

Insects put their minds together in ways that sometimes eludes people.

== yjc
The sustainable tiny home trend at CES 2025

Amid the chaos of CES we got to retreat to the well-appointed calm of sustainable pods, electric trailers and EV RVs.

OpenAI Cuts Off Engineer Who Created ChatGPT-Powered Robotic Sentry Rifle

OpenAI has shut down the developer behind a viral device that could respond to ChatGPT queries to aim and fire an automated rifle.

41% of Companies Worldwide Plan To Reduce Workforces By 2030 Due To AI

This year’s report did not say that most technologies, including AI, were expected to be “a net positive” for job numbers.

== yjc
A Tour Through History’s Most Entertaining Price Anomalies

These are some of the wildest, weirdest stock-market prices ever seen.

The Los Angeles Wildfires Are Climate Disasters Compounded

Conditions for a January LA firestorm have not existed before now, writes a meteorologist and climate journalist.

Belinda the surprisingly busy sea sponge takes a whole day to sneeze

Four years of time-lapse footage off B.C. reveals the unexpectedly active life of an inanimate animal.

== alt article: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwypyg4vq8ko
Million year-old bubbles could solve ice age mystery

Air and particles formed hundreds of thousands of years ago are trapped in the ice.

Study links oil and gas industry pollution in Alberta to negative health outcomes

There is a lack of research on the topic in Canada, researcher says

Battery-powered, plug-in induction range at CES

Copper’s Charlie is a high-end stove that makes it easy to switch off gas. It can also cook three to five meals during a power outage.

== fairly lengthy
The Ocean Teems With Networks of Interconnected Bacteria

Nanotube bridge networks grow between the most abundant photosynthetic bacteria in the oceans, suggesting that the world is far more interconnected than anyone realized.

Scientists Find ‘Spooky’ Quantum Entanglement Within Individual Protons

With evidence that quarks and gluons are entangled, this picture has changed. We have a much more complicated, dynamic system.

Morning coffee may lower risk of heart disease-related death

The time of day you drink a cup of coffee may lower the risk of an early death, new research suggests.

Glass of milk a day cuts bowel cancer risk - study

A large UK study has found further evidence that people with more calcium in their diet can help reduce their risk of bowel cancer.

US sues six of the biggest landlords over “algorithmic pricing schemes”

Six landlords added to RealPage lawsuit; Cortland settles and will cooperate.

Thailand Bans Imports of Plastic Waste To Curb Toxic Pollution

Campaigners welcome move but say success depends on enforcement and global agreement on a treaty.

At CES 2025, Jackery introduced the US’ first wavy rooftop solar solution

he XBC solar roof tiles boast a unique 150° curved “smile” design and ultra-thin crystalline silicon solar cells, measuring just 0.13 mm thick.

Nvidia’s Project Digits is a ‘personal AI supercomputer’

It’s a cloud computing platform that sits on your desk … it’s even a workstation, if you like it to be.

== if true in America, likely true in most of the western world
America Is Stuck With an Elevator Crisis

America’s aging elevators are time-consuming and costly to fix.

Google Is Forming a New Team To Build AI That Can Simulate the Physical World

World models will power numerous domains, such as visual reasoning and simulation, planning for embodied agents, and real-time interactive entertainment.

Why Computer Scientists Consult Oracles

Hypothetical devices that can quickly and accurately answer questions have become a powerful tool in computational complexity theory.

== yjc
Backup by Biolite is a giant battery that keeps your fridge running during outages

As power outages get more frequent, people who’d never much thought about residential home battery backup systems are probably starting to give it some consideration.

Rogue waves are little known and can kill

Noah Mintz was able to move again after being hit by a rogue wave. He wants people around him to be aware.

A New Electricity Supercycle is Under Way

Spending on power infrastructure is surging around the world.

Climate Crisis ‘Wreaking Havoc’ on Earth’s Water Cycle, Report Finds

Global heating is supercharging storms, floods and droughts, affecting entire ecosystems and billions of people.

== touch lengthy
How a wildfire monitoring app became essential in the US west

Watch Duty – which began in California and has expanded across 14 states – alerted the public to more than 9,000 wildfires in 2024.

Man Trapped in Circling Waymo on Way to Airport

And because the car was in motion, he also couldn’t get out.

Study says myopia rates are soaring around the world

With ’near time’ identified as a problem, parents urged to boost outdoor time.

The slow return of the Iberian lynx

One of the world’s rarest cats, the Iberian lynx, is no longer classed as endangered, according to a report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

== expect computer networks in any country from china, russia, north korea, india, etc.
== lengthy
Are US Computer Networks A ‘Key Battlefield’ in any Future Conflict with China?

How chinese hackers graduated from clumsy corporate thieves to military weapons.

How true crime stories are influencing the real-life justice system

Documentaries and podcasts, including Serial, have spurred a cultural fascination with the genre.

== yjc, plenty of discussion in Canada each time change
Brazil Ended Daylight Saving Time. But It Might Bring It Back

Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s former president, promised a “permanent” end to clock confusion. Climate change could scupper that plan.

Billionaires and Tech Barons Vying To Build a Private Space Station

Founders and investors are vying to take the lead in the next stage of extraterrestrial exploration.

Should Waymo Robotaxis Always Stop For Pedestrians In Crosswalks?

On roads teeming with robotaxis, crossing the street can be harrowing.

== yjc
Dire Predictions for 2025 Include ‘Largest Cyberattack in History’

15 futurists, foreign policy analysts and other prognosticators provide some explosive potential scenarios for the new year.

Can We Make Oceans Absorb More Carbon Dioxide with a Giant Antacid?

A new technology promises to remove carbon from the atmosphere and prevent ocean acidification.

Advertisers Expand Their Avoidance to News Sites, Blacklisting Specific Words

Brands are skittish about appearing near stories on politics and violence, but news outlets say their fears are overblown.

New Device’s Radio Waves Reveal Lead Contamination In Soil

Radio frequency (RF) signals are a cornerstone of modern technology.

China Proposes Further Export Curbs On Battery, Critical Minerals Tech

China’s proposals would help the country retain its 70% grip on the global processing of lithium into the material needed to make electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Samsung and Google’s new spatial audio format will take on Dolby Atmos this year

Samsung’s 2025 TVs and soundbars will be ready for YouTube videos that use the Eclipsa Audio format for 3D sound experiences.

== yjc
Want to get a prescription for nature access in Canada?

There’s a ‘pretty low bar’ to get a nature prescription, according to a doctor in Halton, Ont.