== yjc, definitely mind-boggling
India’s ‘Human Calculator Kid’ Shatters 6 World Records In a Single Day

One of Aaryan Shukla’s world records is for mentally adding 100 four-digit numbers in 30.9 seconds.

== yjc
Coming off dry January, these birds are getting a little drunk

A flock of robins feasting on berries in their yard were stumbling around, and a few even flew into their windows.

== hope for all us follicly challenge people
Epithelial stem cell ancestors for hair follicle formation

Researchers have discovered a little-known group of stem cells in hair follicles that could bring back lost locks, challenging some long-held beliefs.

== first I have ever heard of a strange star
Did astronomers just witness the formation of a ‘strange star?’

Optical data indicate that RX J1856 has a diameter of only 7 miles

The inner ear of Neanderthals reveals clues about their enigmatic origin

It is widely accepted that results obtained from studying the morphological diversity of the semicircular canals are comparable to those obtained through DNA comparisons.

‘Indiana Jones’ jailbreak approach highlights the vulnerabilities of existing LLMs

Indiana Jones is an adaptable dialogue tool that streamlines jailbreak attacks with a single keyword.

== yjc
Did Mark Carney’s campaign post an AI-generated photo?

Growing sophistication of AI causing people to be increasingly skeptical of online images, video, expert says

‘Life-changing’ gene therapy for children born blind

Sight impairment in young children has a devastating effect on their development.

Laser-based device can scan almost any sample of gas and tell you what’s in it

Its design is also simple enough that researchers could employ the method quickly and at a low cost in a range of settings.

Cancer cells cooperate to scavenge for nutrients

Every tumor cell type tested by the researchers required cooperation to survive under amino acid scarcity.

Orchid’s nutrient theft from fungi sheds light on photosynthesis-parasitism continuum

It provides a concrete ecological explanation for why a photosynthetic plant might choose fungal parasitism"

Experiments show wild fish can recognize individual divers

Overall, little scientific evidence exists to show that fish can recognize humans at all.

== a touch scary
When AI Thinks It Will Lose, It Sometimes Cheats, Study Finds

The study reveals a concerning trend: as these AI systems learn to problem-solve, they sometimes discover questionable shortcuts and unintended workarounds that their creators never anticipated

== yjc
How a century-old Montreal invention changed snow removal in the city

Tracing the history of snow clearing, from horses to the first snowblower.

AI cracks superbug problem in two days that took scientists years

Prof Penadés’ said the tool had in fact done more than successfully replicating his research.

France Runs Fusion Reactor For Record 22 Minutes

With a single gram of hydrogen isotopes yielding the energy equivalent of 11 tonnes of coal, a practical fusion reactor would hold the promise of unlimited, clean energy for humanity until the end of time.

First pharaoh’s tomb found in Egypt since Tutankhamun’s

Until recently, King Thutmose II’s tomb was the last undiscovered royal tomb of the 18th Egyptian dynasty.

World’s glaciers melting faster than ever recorded

The 270 billion tonnes of ice lost in a single year corresponds to the [water] consumption of the entire global population for 30 years, assuming 3 litres per person per day.

3D Map of Exoplanet Atmosphere Shows Wacky Climate

“This planet’s atmosphere behaves in ways that challenge our understanding of how weather works.”

Flickers and flares: JWST reveals Milky Way’s central black hole constantly bubbles with light

The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way appears to be having a party.

== I believe this is different from a similar one we had earlier
Dual-site catalyst transforms CO2 into renewable methanol

The electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction happens in two parts. Carbon dioxide is first converted to carbon monoxide, which is then converted to methanol.

Biologists transform gut bacteria into tiny protein pharmacies

Even though phages act (and look) like spider aliens, they are regular players on the gut-microbiome home team.

The evolving pigment palette of European skin, eyes and hair

The study used a probabilistic genotype likelihood method to infer pigmentation traits from low-coverage ancient DNA.

Archaeologists discover oldest evidence of stone blade production on the Arabian Peninsula

Prior research has shown that humans have been living in the region on and off for more than 200,000 years.

Odds of asteroid 2024 YR4 hitting Earth in 2032 have reached new high

Asteroid 2024 YR4 has a small chance of hitting Earth in 2032, but as astronomers make more observations about its trajectory, the odds of a collision seem to be increasing.

Researchers link a gene to the emergence of spoken language

Why did humans start speaking?

Scientists Develop ‘Injection’ To Make Smartphone and EV Batteries Last Longer

The new technique, which involves injecting a lithium-ion carrier molecule into old batteries, has been found to extend their life beyond 12,000 discharge cycles.

‘Unconventional’ Nickel Superconductor Excites Physicists

Compounds called nickelates can conduct electricity without resistance, well above absolute zero and at ambient pressure.

== Christies web site would not load in Firefox??
Obvious and the interface between art and artificial intelligence

As Christie’s becomes the first auction house to offer an artwork created by an algorithm, we ask if AI is set to become art’s next medium.

China’s ‘Salt Typhoon’ Hackers Continue to Breach Telecoms Despite US Sanctions

Latest findings shed light on how widespread the Salt Typhoon campaign has become since it was uncovered last year.

== yjc
The World’s Most Printed 3D Model, 3DBenchy, Is Now Public Domain

And just in time for its 10th birthday.

‘Work flow’ music designed to improve performance does just that

Some in the music industry have claimed that listening to the right kind of music while working can improve work performance.

New drug delivery method promises long-lasting glaucoma relief

Researchers see a future where a single injection under the eyelid could replace months of daily eye drops to treat glaucoma, a leading cause of blindness.

Gene-edited rice can produce a compound that’s vital for human health

Different species synthesize CoQ with different side-chain lengths.

Undersea mountains are key ‘hubs’ for sharks

Two were shallow seamounts, with peaks less than 100 meters below the surface—and these were teeming with vast numbers of predators, including sharks and tuna.

Asteroid Ryugu samples suggest presence of salty water in outer solar system

The discovery of these deposits, containing sodium carbonate, halite, and sodium sulfates, suggest that liquid saline water once existed within a parent body of Ryugu.

Study explains how antidepressants can protect against infections and sepsis

Users of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac had less severe COVID-19 infections and were less likely to develop long COVID.

Smell of ancient Egyptian mummified bodies reveals new insights into embalming practices

The researchers used a gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer to measure and quantify chemicals emitted by nine ancient Egyptian mummified bodies

From collisions to stellar cannibalism—the surprising diversity of exploding white dwarfs

The surprising diversity may have implications for the use of these supernovae to measure distances in the universe.

Research reveals how Earth got its ice caps

We should be careful with assumptions that cold climates will return if we drive excessive warming before stopping emissions.

Does planetary evolution favor human-like life?

A new model upends the decades-old “hard steps” theory that intelligent life was an incredibly improbable event and suggests that maybe it wasn’t all that hard or improbable.

Eating From Plastic Takeout Containers Can Increase Heart Failure Risk

Study, adding to rising evidence of plastic-linked health risks, points to gut biome changes as a cause of heart failure.

AI Used To Design a Multi-Step Enzyme That Can Digest Some Plastics

Enzyme mechanisms can be complex, and getting them to work is tricky.

Brake Pad Dust Can Be More Toxic Than Exhaust Emissions

Research shows move to electric vehicles may not be enough to enable pollution from cars to be eradicated.

‘Please Stop Inviting AI Notetakers To Meetings’

Using artificial intelligence to summarize meetings raises questions around etiquette, privacy and the purpose of meeting in the first place.

World’s sea-ice falls to record low

The world’s frozen oceans, which help to keep the planet cool, currently have less ice than ever previously recorded, satellite data shows.

== not sure this is worth including, but…
China to develop gene-editing tools, new crop varieties in biotech initiative

The move comes as China intensifies efforts to boost domestic yields of key crops like soybeans to reduce reliance on imports from countries such as the United States amid a looming trade war.