== yjc
The physics of kiiking, Estonia’s extreme sport of swinging

Researchers use mathematics, physics and control theory to analyze kiiking, an extreme sport invented in Estonia in which athletes pump a giant swing until they complete a full rotation.

== yjc
Surprising ingredients suggest ancient Egyptian paint was far more complex than previously assumed

Ancient Egypt has left us a wealth of artistic treasures, including wall paintings, wooden coffins and limestone reliefs. Many retain their vibrant colors despite the passage of time, a testament to the ingredients used to make the paint mixtures.

== seems to be a never ending subject these days, I am not looking forward to this winter or the likely drought conditiions next year
El Niños have been more intense over the last 40 years than in the previous 1,000 years, coral records reveal

To examine historic El Niño patterns, researchers sampled cores from 13 corals, including living colonies and boulders of ancient coral, from the Galápagos Islands. Corals grow 1 to 2 centimeters (0.4 to 0.8 inches) per year by secreting layers of calcium carbonate. The chemistry of these layers provides a record of the seawater temperature in which the corals grew.

== yjc
Major polluters are worsening the Western US water crisis: A new way to measure who’s responsible

A recent study found that emissions from the Carbon Majors caused a significant reduction in spring snowpack across the Western United States—enough lost snow water to fill Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the country.

Going beyond simple models of neural networks

Physics is most readily applied to relatively simple systems: a pendulum, two electrons colliding or the structure of the solar system. But when systems become complicated—when many particles interact with one another, in condensed matter systems such as gases and fluids or in the cosmology of the early universe—simplifications can be made using a technique called classical or extended mean-field theory.

‘Visual symbol of climate change’: Mount Robson’s Berg Glacier no longer reaches lake

Researchers have observed the iconic glacier has separated from the lake and may no longer form icebergs.

How the sun’s galactic journey and superflare-filled youth shaped Earth’s climate

Over the last tens of millions of years, Earth’s climate has undergone significant shifts, including notable ice ages in which the global average temperature temporarily dropped by several degrees. During these periods, more frequent climate swings caused Earth to warm and cool. To explain these periods of warming and cooling, scientists looked to factors internal to Earth, including orbital changes, greenhouse gases and ice.

Scientists May Have Figured Out Why Dead Brains Don’t Always Rot

The brain is one of the first organs to begin decomposing after death. Yet archaeologists have discovered more than 4,400 preserved human brains around the world, some of which have remained intact for the last 12,000 years. In hundreds of cases, the brain was the only soft tissue left among otherwise skeletal remains.

== yjc, great mostly non-mathematical explanation
I Explained Partial Derivatives to a Friend at Dinner. She Made Me Write It Down

A partial derivative measures exactly this. How much does the output change when I nudge one input and hold every other input still. That’s the whole definition. Everything else you’re about to see is just this idea wearing increasingly fancy outfits.

== yjc
How we found Haida Gwaii’s first marbled murrelet nest in more than 30 years

Unlike almost every other seabird, marbled murrelets don’t nest on cliffs or rocky islands. Instead, each spring they leave the ocean behind and fly inland (sometimes more than 80 kilometers) to ancient forests where they each lay a single egg on broad, moss-covered branches high in the canopy.

Purple fabric beats the heat, reflecting 87.6% of sunlight and cooling simulated skin

A new purple cooling fabric developed by Chinese and Australian researchers could help people stay cooler during scorching summer days without having to resort to wearing white.

Earth’s magnetosphere might not protect us from superstorms after all

Science seems like a straightforward endeavor. You come up with a hypothesis, collect data to prove or disprove it, and analyze that data to see whether the hypothesis is right. But anyone who actually does science will tell you that it is often not that straightforward. One of the most common complexities is data analysis.

Arctic shipping a daunting prospect in hotly contested region

With Gulf turmoil slashing Suez Canal traffic, shipping firms are tempted to try the Arctic for quicker trips between Europe and Asia—but commercial prospects are unlikely to match countries’ strategic ambitions for the North Pole.

== yjc
Cowpea plants create underground defense system for the next generation after insect attacks

Some plants use tiny hairs to slow down insects or thorns to deter larger animals from grazing. Others use toxic chemicals to make themselves taste bad. Still others release airborne scents, called herbivore-induced plant volatiles, that attract predators like parasitoid wasps.

A museum-shelf mystery reveals 6,500-year-old human tooth pendant in Serbia

Found during field surveys at the Vinca cultural site of Jablanica in Serbia, the human tooth was originally misidentified as an animal tooth bead.

Researchers Use Ordinary WiFi Connections to Create Images of Nearby People and Their Surroundings

Ordinary WiFi networks could quietly become powerful surveillance tools, allowing people to be identified without cameras, special sensors, or even carrying a connected device. Researchers showed that unencrypted signals routinely exchanged between WiFi devices and routers can be used to create radio-based images of people and recognize them within seconds.

== yjc, interesting what the ‘hackers’ are getting up to
You don’t want this Sleepwalker backdoor on your Windows machine

Its own command language, 23 instructions - signs point to ‘well-resourced operation rather than an opportunistic one’

== update
China delays ambitious Chang’e 7 moon mission until 2027

Chang’e 7 was supposed to launch onboard a Long March 5 rocket on August 24, but the launch was scrubbed on Sunday evening, China’s Manned Space Agency (CMSA) said in a statement. Poor weather conditions linked to Typhoon Narra were likely a factor. As a result, the mission will be put on ice until at least 2027.

== more and more
World’s oceans hit highest temperature on record as El Niño grows

The data is based on sea temperatures 10m (32ft 10in) below the surface, using measurements from buoys, ships and satellites, which are combined to produce a global estimate.

== yjc
Why are there suddenly so many data centres planned in Canada?

Canada has bet big on AI, and part of that push is a boom in planned or proposed AI data centres, which require vast amounts of water and energy.

== in case anyone cares
s it safe to use a USB-C laptop charger on your phone?

It’s a common occurrence: You have your fully charged laptop plugged in before you, but your smartphone is seriously lagging behind. So, you unplug the charger from your laptop and use it with your phone. Both have USB-C ports, so it should be OK, right?

== yjc
Why do Canadians call the last letter of the alphabet zed?

Zed may be part of Canadian identity, but it’s lost popularity since the 1970s.

== sorry, more El Niño
‘Super’ El Niño didn’t cause this year’s fires and heat waves, but it’s about to take us on a ‘wild ride’

Although this scorching summer aligned with the arrival of an El Niño and climate scientists say it’s not to blame for those devastating extreme weather events. However, they note we may only be starting to see how this naturally occurring phenomenon could amplify extreme weather already super-charged by fossil-fuel driven climate change.

== yjc, bit weird for me
You can’t buy anything on these food delivery and shopping sites. Here’s why that’s the point

The cart is full. The items have been picked. The checkout button is waiting. You click “place order” — and then nothing happens.

== in case anyone interested
The difference between Shot with IMAX and Filmed for IMAX

“Shot with IMAX” and “Filmed for IMAX” sound like two ways of saying the same thing. They aren’t, although IMAX’s own branding makes the difference less obvious than the names suggest.