Here Comes the Sun—to End Civilization
Every so often, our star fires off a plasma bomb in a random direction. Our best hope the next time Earth is in the crosshairs? Capacitors......»»
Study finds biodiversity impacts of agricultural deforestation have inherent and predictable geographical differences
Agriculture is the foundation of human civilization and a prime example of our impact on Earth. Almost 40% of our planet's ice-free land surface, most of which was previously forested, is now dedicated to agriculture. As our demand for food increases.....»»
Epic sci-fi saga "Foundation" will return to Apple TV+ for a third season
The quest to rebuild civilization following the collapse of the Galactic Empire will continue, as Apple has announced that it will renew "Foundation" for a third season.'Foundation' renewed for a third season"Foundation" is based on the Isaac Asimov.....»»
Civilizations are probably spreading quickly through the universe, researchers claim
The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) has always been plagued by uncertainty. With only one habitable planet (Earth) and one technologically advanced civilization (humanity) as examples, scientists are still confined to theorizing where.....»»
Scientifically, efficiently and cost-effectively treating wastewater generated from anaerobic digestion
The resource utilization of waste is important in the construction of an ecological civilization. Agricultural waste contains rich renewable resources and has high potential value in fertilization and energy conversion. Anaerobic digestion technology.....»»
Olefins from carbon dioxide and hydrogen: Green chemistry under fluctuating conditions
Wouldn't it be an elegant solution to use the substance that is most damaging to the climate and threatens the future as a raw material for economic goods and everyday items? In fact, carbon dioxide (CO2), an unavoidable byproduct of civilization, is.....»»
Chemists use nature as inspiration for a sustainable, affordable adhesive system
Glue holds the world together. Without adhesives, much of modern human civilization—including our cellphones, cars, furniture, walls and the packages arriving on our doorstep—would simply fall apart......»»
If Earth were an exoplanet, JWST would know there"s an intelligent civilization here
If we're going to look for life on other worlds, why not start with the one planet we know has life? Earth's atmosphere is rich with oxygen and molecules such as methane, which strongly suggest the presence of life. It also has traces of molecules su.....»»
First artificial synthesis of tanzawaic acid B may lead the way to new antibiotics
The discovery of antibiotics in 1928 was a major turning point in the history of medicine. For the first time since the dawn of human civilization, doctors had gained access to an extremely powerful and effective tool to fight against a wide variety.....»»
Iraq"s marshes are dying, and a civilization with them
Mohammed Hamid Nour is only 23, but he is already nostalgic for how Iraq's Mesopotamian marshes once were before drought dried them up, decimating his herd of water buffaloes......»»
New nearby supernova could be used by aliens to get our attention
A team of astronomers from the University of Washington, the SETI Institute, Yale University and Smith College is searching the vicinity of a new supernova in the spiral arms of the Pinwheel Galaxy hoping to find a signal from an alien civilization......»»
First contact: Global team to simulate message from extraterrestrial intelligence to Earth
What would happen if we received a message from an extraterrestrial civilization? Daniela de Paulis, an established interdisciplinary artist and licensed radio operator who currently serves as Artist in Residence at the SETI Institute and the Green B.....»»
Saving humanity: Here"s a radical approach to building a sustainable and just society
Collectively, we are driving Earth and civilization towards collapse. Human activities have exceeded planetary boundaries. We are changing the climate, losing biodiversity, degrading land, contaminating freshwater, and damaging the nitrogen and phosp.....»»
New tool to guide efficient energy extraction from quantum sources
The idea that energy is a fundamental driver of societal progress has led to the concept that a civilization's level of technological development can be measured by its ability to harness and use energy. Based on this, Russian astrophysicist Nikolai.....»»
Tropical fruits are vulnerable to climate change. Can we make them resilient in time?
Plants provide almost every calorie of food we eat. Grains like rice, wheat and corn make civilization possible. For millennia, farmers have bred grains, fruit and vegetable varieties to get larger harvests and plants better able to tolerate differen.....»»
Even if there"s life on TRAPPIST-1, we probably can"t detect it
If we ever find life on other worlds, it is unlikely to be a powerful message from space. It's certainly possible that an alien civilization specifically sends us a radio message like a scene out of Contact, but the more likely scenario is that we ob.....»»
Elon Musk warns AI could cause "civilization destruction" even as he invests in it
Elon Musk warned in a new interview that artificial intelligence could lead to "civilization destruction," even as he remains deeply involved in the growth of AI through his many companies, including a rumored new venture......»»
Opinion: Racist and sexist depictions of human evolution still permeate science, education and popular culture today
Systemic racism and sexism have permeated civilization since the rise of agriculture, when people started living in one place for a long time. Early Western scientists, such as Aristotle in ancient Greece, were indoctrinated with the ethnocentric and.....»»
Study reveals influencing factors on global dumpsite distribution
With the advancement of global civilization, monitoring and managing dumpsites have become essential parts of environmental governance worldwide. However, dumpsite locations are difficult to pinpoint in a timely manner by local government agencies an.....»»
Ancient DNA is restoring the origin story of the Swahili people of the East African coast
The legacy of the medieval Swahili civilization is a source of extraordinary pride in East Africa, as reflected in its language being the official tongue of Kenya, Tanzania and even inland countries like Uganda and Rwanda, far from the Indian Ocean s.....»»
Would building a Dyson sphere be worth it? We ran the numbers.
Here's the math behind making a star-encompassing megastructure. Enlarge (credit: Kevin Gill (CC BY 2.0)) In 1960, visionary physicist Freeman Dyson proposed that an advanced alien civilization would someday quit fooling.....»»