IP what? Explaining water and dust resistance for audio gear
Tech companies use an IPX code to show that their products are water and dust-resistant. But what does this IPX code mean? We break it all down......»»
Key negotiator Norway sees "positive signals" ahead of plastic talks
In the single week that world leaders convened for high-level UN talks in New York, nearly 100,000 water bottles' worth of microplastics swirled through the city's air, posing known and still unknown risks to human health......»»
Researchers explore novel approach to map forest dieback in satellite images
Forests and woodlands cover one third of Earth's surface and play a critical role in carbon sequestration, water regulation, timber production, soil protection, and biodiversity conservation. Accelerated by climate change, the decline of these and ot.....»»
Frozen in time: Rock fossils hint at Mars"s ancient climate
Long ago, flowing wind and water shaped Mars's malleable sand and sediment into dunes, ripples and other landscape patterns, called bedforms. Over billions of years, some of these landforms hardened into rock—scientists then call them paleo-bedform.....»»
Climate-smart grazing: Study shows how weather mitigates nitrogen runoff
Livestock production is an important component of U.S. agriculture, with global demand for meat and dairy expected to double in the coming decades. This increase will lead to intensified grazing on U.S. grasslands, potentially exacerbating water qual.....»»
This $44 device fixes the iPhone’s lack of hi-res wireless audio
Apple's music service might support lossless, hi-res audio, but iPhone users couldn't hear that quality with wireless earbuds – until now......»»
Talking to ChatGPT for the first time is a surreal experience
Listen to our first audio demo with OpenAI's new natural voice chat features. Enlarge / Putting the "chat" in ChatGPT (credit: Getty Images) In May, when OpenAI first demonstrated ChatGPT-4o's coming audio conversation c.....»»
Tailwinds don’t help “everesting” cyclists
"There are no clever tricks to get around the necessary diet and exercise." Enlarge / Physicist Martin Bier in an aerodynamic tuck, a cycling position that reduces wind resistance. (credit: Martin Bier) Many avid bicycli.....»»
Study shows Mars" early thick atmosphere could be locked up in the planet"s clay surface
Mars wasn't always the cold desert we see today. There's increasing evidence that water once flowed on the red planet's surface, billions of years ago. And if there was water, there must also have been a thick atmosphere to keep that water from freez.....»»
Thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado are leaking toxic water, but Congress finally has a solution in sight
Polluted water leaking from thousands of abandoned mines in Colorado's mountains is turning wetlands orange and dumping toxic dissolved metals in the headwaters of many of the state's rivers......»»
New nanoparticle prevents mineral buildup in equipment handling water-oil mixtures
In the process of oil extraction, hard mineral buildup inside the pipes and equipment can cause serious operational damage, safety issues such as pipe explosion and significant economic losses. The current methods for descaling mineral buildup, howev.....»»
Governor launches effort to protect rivers, water supplies as growth booms in SC
Gov. Henry McMaster took steps Tuesday to jump start plans for protecting South Carolina rivers and groundwater, forming a commission to study how to manage the water supplies that often spark disputes among businesses, farmers, environmentalists and.....»»
Bottled water has a huge and growing toll on human and planetary health, experts warn
The huge and growing toll bottled water is taking on human and planetary health warrants an urgent rethink of its use as 1 million bottles are bought every minute around the globe, with that figure set to rise further still amid escalating demand, wa.....»»
Atmospheric methane increase during pandemic due primarily to wetland flooding, satellite data analysis finds
A new analysis of satellite data finds that the record surge in atmospheric methane emissions from 2020 to 2022 was driven by increased inundation and water storage in wetlands, combined with a slight decrease in atmospheric hydroxide (OH). The resul.....»»
Revisit the days of translucent gaming gear with these new Xbox controllers
Xbox is following up on its Sky Cipher limited-edition controller by bringing new transparent color options to the Design Lab......»»
New AirPods Max are still missing these modern Apple features
Apple new AirPods Max last week. The minor revision includes USB-C, comes in fresh colors, and supports one new audio feature. But there are a whole lot of modern Apple features absent from these updated AirPods Max. Here’s everything that’s mis.....»»
Spinning artificial spider silk into next-generation medical materials
It's almost time to dust off the Halloween decorations and adorn the house with all manner of spooky things, including the classic polyester spider webs. Scientists reporting in ACS Nano have made their own version of fake spider silk, but this one c.....»»
Tree frog tadpoles have a unique way of not contaminating their water supply: Not pooping
The Eiffinger's tree frog (Kurixalus eiffingeri), found on Ishigaki and Iriomote islands in Japan, has a unique biological adaptation: its tadpoles do not defecate during their early developmental stages. This finding by researchers at Nagoya Univers.....»»
Graphene spike mat uses ordinary fridge magnet tech to fight antibiotic resistance
With strong bactericidal properties, graphene has the potential to become a game changer in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. So far there have been no efficient ways to control these properties—and thus no way to make use of graphen.....»»
Marshall updates its Monitor headphones with a little help from Billie Joe Armstrong
Marshall's latest over-ear wireless headphones get a massive bump in battery life and improved comfort, plus spatial audio......»»
VW CEO Oliver Blume expects significant concessions from unions in crunch talks
VW Group CEO Oliver Blume said the automaker's costs in Germany are too high compared to international competition, setting up a clash with unions who have pledged fierce resistance to job cuts and plant closures......»»