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GENERAL INTEREST
Lost Silk Road Cities Discovered High in the Mountains of Central Asia
Scientific American, October 23, 2024
On the Silk Road, these lost twin cities may have sustained themselves in a foreboding landscape with metallurgy and commerce
'Impossible' Proofs of Pythagoras' Theorem Published by High School Students
Science Alert, October 29, 2024
What began as a bonus question in a high school math contest has resulted in a staggering 10 new ways to prove the ancient mathematical rule of Pythagoras' theorem.
Who Invented Music? The Search for Stone Flutes, Clay Whistles and the Dawn of Song
The Conversation, October 10, 2024
No historical evidence exists to tell us exactly who sang the first song, or whistled the first tune, or made the first rhythmic sounds that resembled what we know today as music. But researchers do know it happened thousands of years ago.
Don't Be duped: Here's How to Spot Deepfakes
Phys.org, October 25, 2024
Deepfake content has been used to dupe viewers, spread fake news, sow disinformation and perpetuate hoaxes across the internet....Less well understood is that the technology behind deepfakes can also be used for good.
Math Is Still Catching Up to the Mysterious Genius of Srinivasa Ramanujan
Quanta, October 21, 2024
Born poor in colonial India and dead at 32, Ramanujan had fantastical, out-of-nowhere visions that continue to shape the field today.
COSMOS
Blowing Out 70 Candles: CERN Celebrates Seven Decades of Discoveries and Looks Ahead to a Brilliant Future of Science and Innovation
CERN, October 01, 202B
A special high-level ceremony held at CERN crowned a year-long celebration taking place across Europe and beyond
Add Astronaut Nutrition to the List of Barriers to Long-Duration Spaceflight
Universe Today, October 28, 2024
Though there are no firm plans for a crewed mission to Mars, we all know one’s coming. Astronauts routinely spend months at a time on the ISS, and we’ve learned a lot about the hazards astronauts face on long missions. However, Mars missions can take years, which presents a whole host of problems, including astronaut nutrition.
First ‘Black Hole Triple’ May Have Formed in a Surprisingly Gentle Way
Popular Science, October 23, 2024
New discovery questions if all black holes come from violent explosions.
NASA’s Oldest Active Astronaut Is Also One of the Most Curious Humans
Ars Technica, October 28, 2024
At the age of 69, Pettit is NASA's oldest active astronaut and began his third long-duration stay on the space station last month. A lifelong tinkerer and gifted science communicator, he already is performing wonders up there.
Cosmic Inflation’: Did the Early Cosmos Balloon in Size? A Mirror Universe Going Backwards in Time May Be a Simpler Explanation
The Conversation, October 24, 2024
Today, the dominant theoretical approach combines string theory, a powerful mathematical framework with no successful physical predictions as yet, and “cosmic inflation” – the idea that, at a very early stage, the universe ballooned wildly in size.
INNOVATION
Wind Power Goes Small With Micro-Turbines for Homes, Public Parks, and More
Yale Climate Connections, October 23, 2024
The phrase ‘wind power’ likely conjures images of massive spinning blades. But some companies now make micro wind turbines – tiny devices that can be installed at homes, businesses, and public parks.
Recycling Wastewater to Drive Water Security
Cosmos, October 27, 2024
According to the UN World Water Development Report 2024, approximately 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking water and half of the world’s population experiences severe water scarcity for at least some of the year. Amid these alarming statistics, the recycling of wastewater is emerging as a vital solution.
OpenAI Plans to Release Its Next AI Model by December
The Verge, October 24, 2024
The startup’s next flagship model, code-named Orion, is slated to arrive around the two-year anniversary of ChatGPT.
How a Next-Generation Particle Collider Could Unravel the Mysteries of the Higgs Boson
Physics World, October 22, 2024
Several designs exist, one of which is a huge 91 km circumference collider at CERN known as the Future Circular Collider (FCC). But new technologies are also offering tantalizing alternatives to such large machines, notably a muon collider.
Do Humans and AI Work Better Together?
Earth, October 28, 2024
According to the researchers: “These human-AI systems have tremendous potential given the complementary nature of humans and AI – the general intelligence of humans allows us to reason about diverse problems, and the computational power of AI systems allows them to accomplish specific tasks that people find difficult.”
HEALTH
Is Coffee Good for Your Heart Health? 3 Studies Offer Insights
Medical News Today, October 17, 2024
Studies on caffeine’s effects on heart health have gained interest in recent years. One crucial question remains: How much caffeine is too much?
The 20-Minute Full-Body Workout For Busy People
Coach, April 03,2023
Slip a worthwhile session into the busiest of schedules with this full-body routine which requires only a set of dumbbells.
This Military Technique Can Help You Fall Asleep in 2 Minutes
Mental Floss, October 28, 2024
The military sleep technique focuses on relaxing every part of the body so you can finally get the high-quality sleep you deserve.
6 Tips for Better Breakfasts
Eat Right, August 22 2023
Research shows that breaking an overnight fast with a balanced meal can make a significant difference in overall health and well-being, in particular for children and teens. Eating a smart breakfast can help improve behavior and school performance.
What’s Behind the Rise in ADHD Diagnoses?
Futurity, October 18, 2024
ADHD is a chronic condition characterized by difficulty focusing, restlessness, and impulsive behavior. If untreated, ADHD can have severe negative consequences on physical and mental health throughout a person’s life, including low self-esteem, chronic stress, fatigue, and higher risk of substance abuse.
NATURE
Why Humans Kiss: It Might Have Evolved from Our Ape Ancestors Grooming
Cosmos, October 28, 2024 (w/kissing-chimps-kissing)
Scientists have been trying to figure out where kissing came from for a long time. New research suggests that the answer is to be found in the behavior of ancient ape ancestors of humans – and other forms of touch becoming “superfluous” a la Bergman
What's the Difference Between a Tsunami and a Tidal Wave?
Live Science, October 28, 2024
Tsunamis and tidal waves are the powerful types of wave on Earth, but very different processes are involved in their formation.
Catastrophic 73% Decline in the Average Size of Wildlife Populations in Just 50 Years Reveals a ‘System in Peril’
Impakter, October 11, 2024
WWF flagship Living Planet Report details sharp declines in monitored wildlife populations
You Don’t Need Words to Think
Scientific American, October 17 2024
Brain studies show that language is not essential for the cognitive processes that underlie thought
Spiky Porcupines Are Our Lifeform of the Week
EarthSky, October 28, 2024
There are two families of porcupines with different lifestyles. But if they have something in common, it is the painful weapon they won’t hesitate to use if they feel threatened: sharp quills.
ENVIRONMENT
COP16 Kicks Off; Water Woes; Coral Bleaching Worst Ever’
Carbon Brief, October 23, 2024
A joint investigation by Carbon Brief and the Guardian found that 85% of countries had failed to meet a UN request to publish new pledges on how they plan to tackle biodiversity decline before COP16. Just 25 nations and the EU released new national biodiversity strategies and action plans (NBSAPs) ahead of the summit.
Alarm Call as World's Trees Slide Towards Extinction
BBC, October 28, 2024
Scientists assessing dangers posed to the world’s trees have revealed that more than a third of species are facing extinction in the wild. The number of threatened trees now outweighs all threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians put together, according to the latest update to the official extinction red list.
Biodiversity Declining Even Faster in ‘Protected’ Areas, Scientists Warn COP16
The Guardian, October 24, 2024
Just designating key areas will not meet 30x30 target on nature loss, study says, pointing to oil drilling in parks.
Industrial Fishing Undermines World’s Greatest Carbon Sink, Experts Warn
DeSmog, October 24, 2024
Damage to oceans is releasing vast amounts of CO2, despite efforts to market fish as a sustainable food.
Generative AI Could Generate Millions of Tons of E-Waste by Decade's End, Study Finds
TechXplore, October 29, 2024
In their study, published in Nature Computational Science, the group attempted to add up all the circuit boards, batteries and other pieces of electronic hardware used to drive generative AI applications as they outlive their usefulness.
CLIMATE
Would Abandoning False Hope Help Us to Tackle the Climate Crisis?
The Guardian, October 24 2024
Leaders are eager to fill us with positivity, but research shows people in distress are more likely to take collective action.
World on Pace for Significantly More Warming Without Immediate Climate Action, UN Report Warns
PBS, October 24, 2024
The world is on a path to get 1.8 degrees Celsius (3.2 Fahrenheit) warmer than it is now, but could trim half a degree of that projected future heating if countries do everything they promise to fight climate change, a United Nations report said 10/23/24. But it still won’t be near enough to curb warming’s worst impacts such as nastier heat waves, wildfires, storms and droughts, the report said.
Lifting the Veil on Tens of Billions in Oil Company Payments to Governments
Inside Climate News, October 22, 2024
New reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission reveal payments around the globe. One takeaway? The U.S. government might be getting a bad deal.
What Happens to the World if Forests Stop Absorbing Carbon? Ask Finland.
Grist, October 20, 2024
Natural sinks of forests and peat were key to Finland’s ambitious target to be carbon neutral by 2035. But now, the land has started emitting more greenhouse gases than it stores.
Climate “Tipping Points” Found from Last Ice Age
Cosmos, October 23, 2024
Ice core samples collected in Greenland, spanning 120,000 years of climate history, reveal abrupt “tipping points,” related to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation which plunged Earth into the last ice age.
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