Number 351
== yjc
Algebra is more than alphabet soup, it’s the language of algorithms and relationships
You scrambled up a Rubik’s cube, and now you want to put it back in order. What sequence of moves should you make? Surprise: You can answer this question with modern algebra.
Doctors successfully treated a baby with the first ever personalized gene-editing therapy
The breakthrough case relied on CRISPR to edit a mutation in the patient’s DNA.
Researchers establish fundamental limit on how light bosonic dark matter can be
According to our current model of quantum mechanics, all fundamental particles must be either fermions or bosons.
China Launches First of 2,800 Satellites For AI Space Computing Constellation
Commercial company ADA Space released further details, stating that the 12 satellites form the “Three-Body Computing Constellation,” which will directly process data in space, rather than on the ground,
A glycopeptide with a twist: Promising antibiotic candidate provides new hope against superbugs
In search for new compounds have turned to the study of actinobacteria—microorganisms that are well-known for living in unusual environments and producing antibiotics such as vancomycin, rifamycin, and chelocardin.
Cut-price Magna Carta ‘copy’ now believed genuine
Considered a key step in the evolution of human rights against oppressive rulers, the Magna Carta has influenced the framing of constitutions around the world.
Marine-biodegradable polymer decomposes by 92% in one year, rivals nylon in strength
Nylon-based products such as clothing and fishing nets are notoriously slow to degrade, especially in marine environments, contributing significantly to global ocean pollution.
Interlocked electrodes push silicon battery lifespan beyond limits
Silicon can store nearly 10 times more lithium ions than graphite, making it a promising next-generation anode material. However, silicon’s main drawback is its dramatic volume expansion and contraction during charge and discharge, swelling up to three times its original size.
Groups of AI agents spontaneously form their own social norms without human help, study suggests
A new study suggests that populations of artificial intelligence (AI) agents can spontaneously develop shared social conventions, including bias, through interaction alone.
== the Voyager statillites, their “ancient” systems and the people working on maintaining them never fail to amaze me
Voyager 1 revives backup thrusters before command pause
Fixing the thrusters required creativity and risk, but the team wants to have them available as a backup to a set of active thrusters whose fuel tubes are experiencing a buildup of residue that could cause them to stop working as early as this fall.
Satellite data from ship captures landslide-generated tsunami for the first time
Landslide-generated tsunamis pose a serious risk to coastal communities, particularly within narrow fjords where tall cliffs can trap and amplify waves.
Earliest reptile footprints could be the first known signs of true terrestrial life
The footprints were left by an amniote, thought to be a reptile, in the aftermath of a rain shower.
20,000-year-old cave sediments on Alaskan island provide new climate clues
Dating cave sediments is a difficult task, especially when there is no organic material available for the more commonly used radiocarbon dating (14C dating) method.
Dark matter formed when fast particles slowed down and got heavy, new theory says
They say the hypothetical force shaping the universe sprang from particles that rapidly condensed, like steam into water.
They found that democratic countries tended to offshore environmentally-damaging products and processes significantly more than other countries. Their analysis also showed that pollution offshoring was significantly associated with lower emission levels locally, particularly for countries categorized as more democratic.
An ink that boosts coral settlement by 20 times could help rebuild reefs worldwide
Biologists have recently discovered that certain rocky pink algae play an important role in attracting coral larvae and encouraging them to settle on the reef.
New insights into black hole scattering and gravitational waves unveiled
From mathematical theory to practical computation, this research exemplifies the synergy needed to push the boundaries of human knowledge.
Archaeopteryx is the fossil that proved Darwin right. It’s the oldest known fossil bird, and it helps show that all birds— including the ones alive today—are dinosaurs.
Lipid-based communication between body and gut microbes can trigger beneficial immune responses
But one mystery has lingered: Can our bodies selectively recognize and manage specific bacteria among this incredibly diverse microbial community?
Zebrafish bred for heat tolerance show no apparent tradeoffs in fitness or metabolism
Fish have to evolve to handle higher water temperatures if they can’t move to areas with colder water. But what if adapting to warmer water has other unwanted consequences?
Paleontologists discover 506-million-year-old predator
Mosura fentoni was about the size of an index finger and had three eyes, spiny jointed claws, a circular mouth lined with teeth and a body with swimming flaps along its sides.
Algorithm based on LLMs doubles lossless data compression rates
If you understand something, you can express it succinctly; and if you can express something in very short expression or in a few words, then you must understand it.
Traditional Chinese medicinal fungi might show potential for central nervous system diseases
Certain fungi contain polysaccharides, steroids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and alkaloids with documented antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects.
Appeals court confirms that tracking-based online advertising is illegal in Europe
As it stands, the Transparency and Consent Framework does indeed fall afoul of the GDPR.
== I like the way the background map changes to match the new text as you scroll down the article
Here’s what we know about forever chemical hotspots in Canada
Invisible, toxic and slow to break down — forever chemicals are contaminating our food and water.
== had earlier article on the development of this wood product
InventWood is about to mass-produce wood that’s stronger than steel
In 2018, Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist at the University of Maryland, devised a way to turn ordinary wood into a material stronger than steel.
GM says new battery chemistry will enable 400-mile range EVs
The automaker is pairing up with LG to develop lithium manganese-rich prismatic cells for its future electric trucks and SUVs.
== seen previous article on something similar
Wild chimpanzees filmed using forest ‘first aid’
Chimpanzees in Uganda have been observed using medicinal plants - in multiple ways - to treat open wounds and other injuries.
Why culture has always been at the center of trade wars
The United States government recently announced a plan to leverage a 100% tariff on “foreign” films.
AI can guess racial categories from heart scans—what it means and why it matters
AI systems don’t just reflect the world—they absorb and reproduce the biases built into it.
Feeling anxious before surgery?
Anxiety can harm healing but innovative mental health support could help.
North American boreal forest holds more trees than thought
Ever wonder how many trees stand tall in North America’s vast boreal forest?
How trees regulate their water balance
Plants have small pores on the underside of their leaves, known as stomata. When the sun rises, these pores open and the plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, which they need, in addition to sunlight and water, for photosynthesis.
How maternal feedback shapes vocal development in wild bat pups
Vocal learning is the capacity to modify existing sounds and learn new vocalizations by imitating a tutor. This ability, a form of social learning, depends on acoustic input, and—especially in social animals—some form of feedback.
How assassin bugs manipulate prey communication to enhance hunting success
Researchers have discovered a remarkable example of tool use in the insect world.
User-friendly programming language helps spot hidden pollutants in massive chemical datasets
By making it easier to search massive chemical datasets, the tool has already identified toxic compounds hidden in plain sight.
== repeat?
Atmospheric water harvesting: Optimization of a hygroscopic hydrogel device improves efficiency
A small team of engineers from the U.S., Chile and Ireland has found a way to extract more water from drier air, allowing for water production in arid places like the Atacama Desert.
Butterflies hover differently from other flying organisms
Butterflies’ flight trajectories often appear random or chaotic, and compared with other hovering insects, their bodies follow seemingly mysterious, jagged, jerking motions.
In a world designed for humans, two-legged robots are able to navigate uneven terrains and maneuver around objects more easily than robots with wheels.
Versatile fungi-based living material is tear-resistant and can even be safely eaten
When working with natural materials researchers face a trade-off. Although these substances are biodegradable in their pure form, they are often not ideal when it comes to performance.
Golf course proximity linked to higher Parkinson’s disease risk
Environmental risk factors, including pesticide exposure, have been identified as contributors to PD risk.
Collective memory loss in herring results in 800 km shift in spawning grounds
Entrainment, the process by which migratory routes are transferred from experienced spawners to recruits through social learning, is integral to the migratory culture of schooling fish populations.
The USDA will republish climate change information online following farmer lawsuit
Restoration is underway and should finish in about two weeks.
One of the tech industry’s sources of carbon credits is in conflict with Kenyan herders
The grazing method the conservation program requires runs counter to traditional farming methods.
Why saliva is a great way to detect disease
Scientists have developed ways to analyze spit for the tiniest traces of illness—from mouth cancer to diabetes, and even brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Vaccine that protects against swine, human and bird flu could eliminate need for yearly shots
The new results are particularly encouraging, Weaver said, because H1 swine flu variants are detected twice as often as H3 variants—and have nearly three times more genetic diversity.
The how and why of the brain’s division across hemispheres
People have a lot of misconceptions about what the brain’s left and right hemispheres do, but one well-known aspect of this division may be even more true than people realize.
Cell death discovery could lead to next-gen drugs for neurodegenerative conditions
Researchers have discovered how to block cells dying, in a finding that could lead to new treatments for neurodegenerative conditions like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
Farmers fear dingoes are eating their livestock—but predator poo tells an unexpected story
Killing carnivores to protect livestock, wildlife and people is an emotive and controversial issue that can cause community conflict.
Liquid metal tin may be the key to sustainable desalination
A research team has developed an innovative approach using liquid metal tin to simultaneously purify water and recover valuable metals.
Facebook reaps significant economic benefits from content provided by news providers, study finds
When it comes to Facebook, news matters—not the fake stuff but the real kind generated by working journalists.
Astrophysicist searches for gravitational waves in new way
Astrophysicist is pursuing a new way of measuring the universe’s gravitational wave background—the constant flow of waves that churn through the cosmos, warping the very fabric of space and time.
Antarctica has a huge, completely hidden mountain range
The Gamburtsev Mountains are similar in scale and shape to the European Alps. But we can’t see them because the high alpine peaks and deep glacial valleys are entombed beneath kilometers of ice.
Antibiotics from human use are contaminating rivers worldwide, study shows
Researchers calculated that about 8,500 tons of antibiotics—nearly one-third of what people consume annually—end up in river systems around the world each year.
New Spacecraft Aims to Police Satellites in Orbit
True Anomaly’s Jackal will keep an eye out for suspicious satellites
== do remember sooner is a relative concept
Universe Expected To Decay Much Sooner Than Previously Thought
Researchers previously showed that not only black holes, but also other objects such as neutron stars, can “evaporate” via a process akin to Hawking radiation.
Climate Crisis Threatens the Banana, the World’s Most Popular Fruit
Bananas are the world’s most consumed fruit – and the fourth most important food crop globally, after wheat, rice and maize.
Western Digital Invests in Ceramic Storage Firm That Claims 5,000-Year Data Retention
One step closer to the yottabyte.
NASA’s Webb telescope captures mesmerizing images of Jupiter’s auroras
Researchers at the University of Leicester are learning more about the massive auroras on our solar system’s largest planet.
Nanoplastics generated from real-world plastic waste readily adsorb heavy metal ions, study reveals
Some 460 million metric tons of plastic are produced globally each year, out of which a staggering 91% of plastic waste is never recycled.
Bird flu in cats points to risk of another pandemic
The virus has evolved, and the way that it jumps between species—from birds to cats, and now between cows and cats, cats and humans—is very concerning.
World’s wealthiest 10% have contributed to two-thirds of global warming since 1990, study finds
Wealthy individuals have a higher carbon footprint. A new study published in Nature Climate Change quantifies the climate outcomes of these inequalities.
Mars is covered in traces of ancient bodies of water. But the puzzle of exactly where it all went when the planet turned cold and dry has long intrigued scientists.
What Happens If AI Coding Keeps Improving?
Some estimates suggest that writing code now accounts for half of large language model usage.
== lengthy
Is Everyone Using AI to Cheat Their Way Through College?
As a computer-science major, he depended on AI for his introductory programming classes: “I’d just dump the prompt into ChatGPT and hand in whatever it spat out.”
Sea Levels Rose Faster Than Expected Last Year. Blame Global Warming - But What Happens Next?
While other climate signals fluctuate, global sea level has a persistent rise.
It’s related to the larger social media crisis gripping the world: People are doom-scrolling global crises all day, every day.
Mike Elgan, journalist, blogger, columnist, podcaster and traveller