Number 399
== yjc
How Dante’s Inferno modeled a planetary impact 500 years before modern science
New research reveals that Dante Alighieri’s Inferno wasn’t just a masterpiece of literature. From multi-ring craters to shockwaves that reshaped the globe, discover how a 14th-century poet modeled a planetary impact 500 years before the birth of modern meteoritics.
How one ship engine could make hydrogen at sea and sidestep storage hurdles
Each year, international shipping moves over 80% of global trade and emits around 1 billion tons of greenhouse gases. Heavy fuel oil remains the industry’s workhorse, prized for its reliability and energy density but notorious for its carbon footprint.
The moon’s largest impact crater scattered something priceless
The South Pole–Aitken (SPA) basin is the moon’s largest and oldest confirmed impact basin. The basin has a unique, tapered elliptical shape that has puzzled scientists and sparked some debate over the direction and nature of the impact that formed it.
A study reveals that cognitive decline is not an inevitable part of aging. Researchers have demonstrated that adults across the entire lifespan, from ages 19 to 94, can measurably improve their brain performance through continual and targeted brain-healthy practices.
Arctic glacial fjords are hotspots of marine life, yet their seafloor environments remain some of the least explored regions on Earth. Their extreme remoteness and the technical challenges of deep-water observation have led scientists to rely on indirect measurements like sonar. However, these methods cannot visually verify animal behavior or identify specific species.
Your body keeps two hidden clocks, and one may quietly control far more than sleep
What if the rumble in your stomach and the tick of the clock have something in common? It might sound far-fetched, but psychologists have found that how keenly we feel our internal bodily signals and how we view past, present, and future can reinforce each other—with real effects on sleep and health.
Modern experiments suggest rhino teeth may have been part of Neanderthal toolkits
Archaeologists were puzzled by a mystery documented at ancient Neanderthal sites such as Payre in France. While most animal remains found here were broken bones, nearly 91% of the rhinoceros fossils were isolated teeth in one particular layer.
When the submarine volcano Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha’apai in the South Pacific erupted in January 2022, it was not only one of the most violent volcanic eruptions in modern times. The volcano also did something completely unexpected: it helped clean up some of the methane pollution it released.
Scientists unlock fungi’s secret chemistry, offering a greener path to crop protection
Hypocreales fungi that share the space with plants often provide their hosts with protection against harmful pests. While scientists have known for quite some time that these fungi were helpful, they didn’t understand how they worked.
Streetlights trigger bizarre ‘death spirals’ in thousands of isopods, scientists find
The study explores how these small creatures, terrestrial relatives of crabs and shrimp, also known as “woodlice” or “pill bugs,” abandon their typical solitary lives in sheltered areas to join swirling “mills” that can include over 5,000 individuals in a single group.
== a touch lengthy
Testing quantum collapse theory with the XENONnT dark matter detector
Theories of quantum mechanics predict that some particles can exist in superpositions, which essentially means that they can be in more than one state at once. When a particle’s state is measured, however, this superposition appears to “collapse” into a single outcome; a phenomenon often referred to as the “measurement problem.”
== yjc
Ice Age butcher’s tools are a sign of ancient humans’ creativity during hard times
In central China, scientists have spent over a decade excavating and studying an archaeological site where ancient humans butchered animals. Amidst bones, archaeologists found complex stone tools that would have required a level of intelligence and creativity to make.
IMF Warns New AI Models Risk ‘Systemic’ Shock To Finance
The risks, the authors said, were systemic, cut across sectors and came with the threat of contagion, with the reliance on a small number of platforms and cloud providers likely to increase “the impact of any single exploited weakness.”
== original translated to English (poorly?)
First segment of the Fehmarnbelt tunnel is in place
The tunnel will consist of 89 segments, which will be sunk in a 12-meter-deep trench on the bottom of the Baltic Sea. Such a component is 217 meters long and 42 meters wide. It weighs 73,500 tonnes and is additionally weighed down at 4500 tonnes of ballast to make it sink
== yjc, couldn’t resist including this
The no-nonsense judge calling the shots in Musk v Altman trial
Musk v Altman is just the latest high-profile Big Tech case to cross US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers’s bench. The 61-year-old federal judge, who originally hails from southern Texas, is known for her no-nonsense approach in the courtroom.
Human language shows deep safety bias, challenging 70-year scientific consensus
For decades, researchers have assumed that meaning could be distilled into three core emotional dimensions: valence (positive vs. negative), arousal (excited vs. calm), and dominance (controlling vs. submissive)—collectively known as the VAD framework.
Silicon oscillators solve computer problems that would take thousands of years using semiconductors
In the era of big data and artificial intelligence, a new approach has emerged for solving combinatorial optimization problems, which involves finding the most efficient solution among many possible options and can otherwise take thousands of years to compute.
Clean air, thinner clouds? A century-old pollution puzzle
Pre-industrial pollution from coal smoke and wood-burning in regions like the southeastern U.S. and UK may have made the air murkier than previously thought. This historical haze could significantly alter our understanding of how clouds formed and reflected sunlight in the past.
A tale as old as time: Young, attractive femme fatale lore appears in nearly every culture
From James Bond movies to water spirits in mythology, the tales of attractive, dangerous female forms that distract the hero from his path or lure men to their deaths have been around for quite some time.
Single dose of magic mushroom psychedelic can cause anatomical brain changes, study finds
Participants took 25mg of psilocybin, reporting deeper psychological insight and better wellbeing a month later
Major Homebuilder To Test Placing Mini Data Centers in Suburban Backyards
ith many communities resisting the massive data centers needed to power artificial intelligence, a California startup is betting that homeowners will embrace miniature versions right in their backyards.
What Causes Lightning? The Answer Keeps Getting More Interesting.
Armed with a slew of new instruments, physicists are closing in on one of nature’s oldest mysteries — and finding that storm clouds are seething with violent and unexpected phenomena.
Books and brain development: Why reading is much more than a pastime for children and teens
Far from being a passive activity, reading involves considerable cognitive effort. Precisely because of this cognitive demand, reading does not always generate the same immediate engagement as other, more passive activities.
Exercise benefits every area of your body, and these hormones are the reason why
We say that exercise is as necessary for our health as breathing or eating, while a sedentary lifestyle and lack of movement can be classified as a source of illness.
Three billion years ago, Earth’s life relied on a rare metal
Molybdenum is now relatively common in the environment, and its scarcity is no longer a problem for life. But that wasn’t always the case.
Polar vortex forecasts gain months of lead time with new climate-based method
The polar vortex is a band of strong wind that circles the polar regions during wintertime, acting as a barrier that helps keep bitter Arctic air locked near the polar region. Although SPV activity is known to strongly influence winter weather, scientists have struggled to predict its behavior more than two weeks into the immediate future.
Indigenous Andeans have a digestive superpower
Indigenous people of the Andes were the first to domesticate the potato, making the starch-rich crop a dietary staple for this high-altitude population long before it spread to the rest of the world.
== never had a clue such man-made islands existed
Archaeologists reveal secrets of prehistoric human-made island
The researchers examined the “crannog” in Loch Bhorgastail on the Isle of Lewis to reveal a structure built more than 5,000 years ago. Their fieldwork uncovered a layered wood and brushwood construction under the stone capping of the island
Physics-based weather models more accurate than AI at predicting extreme weather
Weather forecasting is another aspect of modern life that artificial intelligence is transforming. Models like GraphCast, Pangu-Weather, and Fuxi are already better than traditional physics-based climate models at predicting some daily weather conditions. However, they are far from perfect.
== fup on previous articles
Massive Alaska megatsunami was second largest ever recorded
Last summer a giant wave swept through a remote fjord in southeast Alaska leaving destruction in its wake. The event went largely unreported at the time, but a new scientific analysis shows tiny earthquakes triggered a massive landslide.
== less than informative, more an opinion piece
Robot wars - what an operation in Ukraine tells us about the battlefield of the near future
Zelensky has been keen to publicise what he says was a first in the history of war - but Ukraine’s military has declined to provide details of the operation.
Omega-3 supplements may be linked to faster cognitive decline in seniors, study finds
Omega-3 supplements are popular among many older adults to help combat age-related issues. They are often marketed as supporting cardiovascular health and reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.
New insight could change how we break down ‘forever chemicals’
PFAS, often called “forever chemicals,” are notoriously difficult to remove from the environment. Their extreme chemical stability means they can persist in water and the human body for decades, creating a major global pollution challenge. Now, researchers have made an important discovery that could change how we tackle the problem.
Climate change is rewriting winter lakes in a way that looks completely backward at first glance
Climate change undoubtedly affects lakes and the functioning of their ecosystems, but seasonal impacts are not always straightforward. An international team of researchers investigated how lake autumn surface warming is associated with winter under-ice temperatures and ice phenology.
Who are his people? The 4,000-year hunt for a warrior’s kin
For 4,200 years, the Y chromosome of a Yakutian warrior has quietly echoed in Siberia’s Arctic peoples. His extraordinary Stone Age grave was discovered in Russia’s far northeast near Yakutsk in 2004 by scientists. The middle-aged hunter’s skeleton was found on its back with arms at its side. Dozens of elk-bone plates were laid as a shield over the chest.
How a newly discovered organelle could help reduce cow methane emissions
Cows are ruminant mammals with a digestive system that breaks down food in a four-chambered stomach. Inside the rumen, microbes ferment tough plant fibers, such as grass, releasing hydrogen and carbon dioxide as waste products. Other microbes, called methanogens, then combine the two gases to create methane.
It’s long been thought that humans possess an adaptive looming bias—an inborn tendency to perceive advancing sounds as nearer or more urgent than receding ones. In fact, one hearing expert suggests we evolved an “auditory looming bias” that provides “advanced warning of approaching sound sources.”
Bees can detect viruses in food sources, but don’t necessarily avoid them
The ability to detect viruses and other harmful pathogens is highly advantageous for animals, as it can guide their behavior and prevent them from illness, and—in severe cases—death. When it comes to species that live in organized groups, such as bees, ants and some other insects, it can be even more crucial, as it can prevent the spread of pathogens across entire colonies.
== couldn’t recall if seen this before, too lazy to check
Coffee doesn’t just wake you up—a key biological pathway illuminates widespread health effects
For decades, research has linked coffee consumption to longer life and lower risk of chronic disease—but exactly how those benefits occur has remained unclear.
Astronomers believe they’ve detected an atmosphere around a tiny, icy world beyond Pluto
A new study suggests that a tiny, icy world beyond Pluto harbors a thin, delicate atmosphere that may have been created by volcanic eruptions or a comet strike.
AI Cameras are Being Deployed Across the Western US for Early Detection of Wildfires
On a March afternoon, artificial intelligence detected something resembling smoke on a camera feed from Arizona’s Coconino National Forest. Human analysts verified it wasn’t a cloud or dust, then alerted the state’s forest service and largest electric utility.
All Life on Earth Comes From One Single Ancestor. And It’s So Much Older Than We Thought.
Life on Earth had to begin somewhere, and scientists think that “somewhere” is LUCA—or the Last Universal Common Ancestor. True to its name, this prokaryote-like organism represents the ancestor of every living thing, from the tiniest of bacteria to the grandest of blue whales.
Robots are building clay homes in Central Texas using dirt from the ground
A rather unusual home is going up on a ranch south of Austin — made of clay and built by robots.
Ransomware Is Getting Uglier As Cybercriminals Fake Leaks and Skip Encryption Entirely
Ransomware is not slowing down, folks. If anything, the whole thing is getting weirder, louder, and much harder for companies to handle.
== an alternate view to article below
Infrasound waves stop kitchen fires, but can they replace sprinklers?
The science of acoustic fire suppression, which has long been known and documented in scientific literature and the press, works by vibrating oxygen molecules away from a fuel source, depriving the fire of a critical component needed for combustion.
How Microplastics Are Likely Helping To Heat Up the Planet
Microplastics and nanoplastics—tiny bits of broken-down plastic pollution—litter the planet’s rivers, oceans, land and air. But until now, researchers weren’t sure what effect all those plastic particles were having on an already warming climate.
Google, Microsoft and xAI agree to provide US government with early AI model access
As mentioned, the agreement follows reporting that the Trump administration wanted to introduce new AI regulation. As of May 4, the White House was reportedly considering creating a working group to oversee development of future AI models, with the committee having the power to review new models ahead of their public release.
Western music is getting simpler and more repetitive by the day and data prove it
Ever had that moment when a song comes on and it feels strangely familiar, like it reminds you of another song that came out just a few months ago? If you feel this phenomenon has become more frequent, then you are not imagining it. Science agrees with you.
What they found is that political polarization behaves like a phase transition—the same kind of relatively sudden, system-wide shift that turns water into steam. There is a critical spending threshold at which more campaign money only deepens polarization without moving the needle on who wins.
In Pompeii, ancient graffiti depicting daily life is being revealed thanks to modern technology
International researchers work to decipher lost ‘corridor whispers’ 2,000 years later.
== just in case anyone is using it
How to audit what ChatGPT knows about you - and reclaim your data privacy
If you’re looking to limit the amount of personal information you give ChatGPT, these are the main settings you should know about.
== yjc
5 Mountains That Are Totally Off-Limits (And Why)
Mountaineering can be a dangerous—and sometimes even deadly—endeavor, but that hasn’t stopped people from climbing what can feel like every peak on the planet. But there are actually a few mountains that are tantalizingly off-limits—some of which have never been climbed, and some of which were once climbable but are now legally out of bounds. Here are five such peaks that are near impossible to climb.
== saw recent article on subject, this is an older one
Former NASA Engineers Create Ingenious Way To Save Homes From Wildfires Using Noise
In order for flames to burn it needs three things, oxygen, fuel, and heat. The technology works by targeting oxygen molecules using low-frequency sound waves that vibrate them, stopping the fire from growing.
Using Drones for Cloud-Seeding Can Trigger Rain, Company Claims
A private cloud-seeding company, Rainmaker, says it has unambiguously validated the effectiveness of its technology. On Monday, the company announced that the tech has produced 143 million gallons of freshwater for Utah and Oregon residents.
== no I haven’t checked out the proof!
An amateur just solved a 60-year-old math problem—by asking AI
ChatGPT AI has proved a conjecture with a method no human had thought of. Experts believe it may have further uses.
Why do polar bears approach human infrastructure? The answer is more complex than we thought
As the Arctic climate warms, some polar bears are spending more time on shore, away from the sea ice habitats they rely on to hunt seals. As the bears are under nutritional stress due to ice loss, some wonder if they’re being forced to take more risks around people as they seek food, increasing interactions and conflicts between polar bears and people. But until now, there’s been little research into this relationship.
Bigger, faster, but still outfoxed
Predators are typically larger, faster, and more powerful than the animals they hunt. Yet in nature, most attacks fail. So why do prey get away so often?
== yjc
Invasive spotted lanternfly found in Ontario. U.S. officials say stomp it
The insect can arrive in shipments or hitch rides on vehicles from the U.S.
Physicists have measured ’negative time’ in the lab
Our experiment used photons—quantum particles of light—and the against-the-odds journey they must undertake to pass straight through a cloud of rubidium atoms.
How oak trees outwit their predators
Spring in the forest: Many insects, particularly caterpillars, hatch just when the trees’ nutrient-rich leaves are still young and soft. This means they find a table laden with food and can start eating straight away.
“I learned to dream through reading, learned to create dreams through writing, and learned to develop dreamers through teaching. I shall always be a dreamer.”
- Sharon Draper, American children's writer, professional educator, and the 1997 National Teacher of the Year.