It"s not the end of the world... yet
NOTE FOR 2022 READERS: This is the 19th in a series of award-winning open letters to the next century, now just one generation away. Babies born this year in the U.S., and more than 60 other countries, are expected to live to 2100 and beyond. Dear 22.....»»
Novel AI framework incorporates experimental data and text-based narratives to accelerate search for new proteins
Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and the world's fastest supercomputers, a research team led by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has developed an innovative computing framework to speed up the desi.....»»
New report details what happened to the Arecibo Observatory
In 1963, the Arecibo Observatory became operational on the island of Puerto Rico. Measuring 305 meters (~1000 ft) in diameter, Arecibo's spherical reflector dish was the largest radio telescope in the world at the time—a record it maintained until.....»»
Are these tiny insects the world"s laziest bugs?
At less than 3mm long, you may not think Dunatothrips aneurae seem like much. And—as I have shown in a new study published in the Journal of Animal Ecology—you'd be absolutely right. That's because these may be the world's laziest insects......»»
Controlling skyrmions at room-temperature in 2D topological spin structure technology
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has, for the first time in the world, generated and controlled skyrmions at room temperature in two-dimensional (2D) materials. This achievement reduces power consumption compared to tradi.....»»
EU opens antitrust investigation into key Apple supplier Corning
The European Commission has announced its latest antitrust investigation, and it could once again have an impact on Apple. The EC says it is investigating whether Corning, a key Apple supplier, “may have abused its dominant position on the world.....»»
World’s first wooden satellite launched to space
The tiny wooden cubesat arrived at the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX Dragon ship and will be deployed to orbit before the end of this year......»»
OpenAI’s robotics plans aim to ‘bring AI into the physical world’
OpenAI has made no secret of its hardware ambitions. Those plans came a step closer to fruition on Tuesday with the hiring of Caitlin Kalinowski, the now-former head of hardware at Oculus VR......»»
Decades after global regulations, the Arctic Ocean"s legacy persistent organic pollutants haven"t dropped
The presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in all the world's oceans but one has been in steady decline since 2001, when 152 countries agreed on a comprehensive global ban. The exception has been the Arctic Ocean, which has seen a sharp ris.....»»
Researchers call for nuanced understanding of "tribe" in Arab world
The study of Arab tribes should not be abandoned because Middle East and North African citizens continue to insist on the relevance of the term in their daily lives, says a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Political Science......»»
Testing thousands of RNA enzymes helps find first "twister ribozyme" in mammals
The "RNA world" hypothesis proposes that the earliest life on Earth may have been based on RNA—a single-stranded molecule similar in many ways to DNA—like some modern viruses. This is because, like DNA, RNA can carry genetic information, but, lik.....»»
Is the election making you feel adrift and wobbly? That"s "zozobra," and Mexican philosophers have some advice
Ever had the feeling that you can't make sense of what's happening? One moment everything seems normal, then suddenly the frame shifts to reveal a world on fire, struggling with war, climate change and political violence and upheaval......»»
Viewpoint: Carl Sagan"s scientific legacy extends far beyond "Cosmos"
On Nov. 9, 2024, the world will mark Carl Sagan's 90th birthday—but sadly without Sagan, who died in 1996 at the age of 62......»»
Q&A: How animal tracking data can help preserve biodiversity
Today's ecologists have more data than ever before to help monitor and understand the world's biodiversity. Yet researchers are still working to get more detailed information to better combat declining animal populations that can eventually lead to s.....»»
Elon Musk has gone all in for Trump—here"s what"s at stake for the world"s richest man in the US election
Elon Musk is supporting Donald Trump in his quest to regain the American presidency. He has committed millions of dollars to a pro-Trump "political action committee" (PAC) and has appeared alongside Donald Trump at some of his rallies......»»
World"s first wooden satellite launched into space
The world's first wooden satellite has blasted off on a SpaceX rocket, its Japanese developers said Tuesday, part of a resupply mission to the International Space Station......»»
The "27 Club" isn"t true, but it is real—a sociologist explains why myths endure and how they shape reality
There's a certain allure to the notion that some of the world's brightest stars burn out at the age of 27. The so-called 27 Club has captivated the public imagination for half a century. Its members include legendary musicians Jimi Hendrix, Janis Jop.....»»
Biologists reveal the genetic "switch" behind parrot color diversity
From the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro to the shoulders of pirates: parrots are synonymous with color for people across the world. In a study published in the journal Science, scientists from The University of Hong Kong, together with an international t.....»»
Svalbard Global Seed Vault evokes epic imagery and controversy because of the symbolic value of seeds
Two-thirds of the world's food comes today from just nine plants: sugar cane, maize (corn), rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil-palm fruit, sugar beet and cassava. In the past, farmers grew tens of thousands of crop varieties around the world. This.....»»
Did the world"s best-preserved dinosaurs really die in "Pompeii-type" events?
Between about 120 million and 130 million years ago, during the age of dinosaurs, temperate forests and lakes hosted a lively ecosystem in what is now northeast China. Diverse fossils from that time remained pretty much undisturbed until the 1980s, w.....»»
The world promised to tame methane: Emissions are still rising
Sitting in his cramped office in Paris, Manfredi Caltagirone admits that one of the world's highest-profile efforts to cut methane emissions so far isn't stopping the gas from escaping and warming the atmosphere......»»