Canal turns into ‘stream of blood’ in Argentina as locals fear toxic leak
The Sarandí canal in Argentina turned blood red last week. Officials suspect a toxic substance used in dyes has entered the waterway, located on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.
TECH DEIYO
Science and Technolgy blog
Cat attachment style impacts behavior and hormone levels, study finds
Cats, like dogs and even human babies, can develop different kinds of emotional attachments to their owners, and these attachments have a noticeable impact on their lives, according to new research published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science. Scientists have discovered…
Spooky floating lights in South Carolina could be earthquake farts
Gases that rise from the earth during earthquakes could explain strange sightings of floating balls of light.
Want less conflict in your relationship? Try this simple perspective shift
Consciously channeling the perspective of a neutral third party can defuse romantic conflict and prevent future disputes, according to a study of 716 Americans my colleagues and I published in the journal Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice. We…
The Ranger XP Kinetic is the ultimate electric UTV—at a high price
Utility terrain vehicles, also known as side-by-sides, are multi-seat off-road vehicles used for work or play, and their use is exploding around the globe. The market was once entirely composed of glorified golf carts, but we’re now seeing plenty of…
Let’s learn about chocolate
Valentine’s Day isn’t just an opportunity to exchange nice notes with friends, family, classmates and crushes. It’s also a great excuse to eat many people’s favorite treat: chocolate. The main ingredient for chocolate comes from the tropical cacao tree. The…
This teen engineer’s device sniffs out common food allergens
Samvith Mahadevan, 14, has had severe food allergies his whole life. He’s been exposed to allergens when eating foods that were not labeled properly. To protect people like him from allergic reactions, Samvith decided to build his own allergen detector.…
Venus, the ‘love planet’, will look extra special this Valentine’s Day. Here’s why.
In a cosmic coincidence, Venus — the planet named for the Roman goddess of love — will be at its brightest and best on Valentine’s Day. Heres where and when to see it.
If any AI became ‘misaligned’ then the system would hide it just long enough to cause harm — controlling it is a fallacy
AI “alignment” is a buzzword, not a feasible safety goal.
Sun quiz: How well do you know our home star?
Test your knowledge on the giant ball of burning gas at the heart of the solar system.
New psychology research links psychopathy and narcissism to antisemitism
Individuals with traits like narcissism and psychopathy may be drawn to antisemitic ideologies, according to a new study published in the journal Current Psychology. Researchers found that people who score higher on measures of these dark personality traits also tend…
People have been dumping corpses into the Thames since at least the Bronze Age, study finds
A new study of human remains dredged from the Thames River reveals that people frequently deposited corpses there in the Bronze and Iron ages.
Depression might unlock a more independent mind at the ballot box
People experiencing symptoms of depression may be less likely to vote strictly along party lines, according to new research published in the journal Political Psychology. The study found that as depressive symptoms increased, the influence of a voter’s usual party…
Earth from space: The heart-shaped ‘Spirit Lake’ sculpted by Mount St. Helens’ epic eruption
This 2023 satellite photo shows the heart-shaped Spirit Lake, which was transformed by the cataclysmic eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980.
Hims & Hers Super Bowl controversy: What the ad left out about its ‘alternative’ weight-loss drugs
The telehealth company Hims & Hers put out a Super Bowl ad that skimped on clarifying that its compounded semaglutide medications aren’t FDA-approved.
OpenAI’s secret weapon against Nvidia dependence takes shape
OpenAI is entering the final stages of designing its long-rumored AI processor with the aim of decreasing the company’s dependence on Nvidia hardware, according to a Reuters report released Monday. The ChatGPT creator plans to send its chip designs to…
22 states sue to block new NIH funding policy—court puts it on hold
On Friday, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced a sudden change to how it handles the indirect costs of research—the money that pays for things like support services and facilities maintenance. These costs help pay universities and research centers…
In emergency decision, James Webb telescope will study ‘city-killer’ asteroid 2024 YR4 before its close approach to Earth
In a rare “time-critical” decision, the James Webb Space Telescope will study the true size of the “potentially hazardous” asteroid 2024 YR4 twice over the next few months. The asteroid has a roughly 2.3% chance of impacting Earth in 2032.
‘Fascinating’ Viking Age inscription reveals who owned immensely valuable ‘Galloway Hoard’
A newly deciphered inscription suggests the immense “Galloway Hoard” found in Scotland over a decade ago was held in common.
Mysterious tunnels sketched by Leonardo da Vinci in 1495 may finally have been discovered — hidden under a castle in Milan
Researchers may have found the hidden tunnels beneath a castle in Milan that Leonardo da Vinci sketched in 1495.
Phubbing linked to increased aggression in romantic relationships
A recent study published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests that when one partner is distracted by their smartphone during time spent together, it is linked to harmful behaviors that can damage the quality of a romantic relationship. The study found…
Can Acacia catechu and Scutellaria baicalensis extracts enhance brain function?
A new study published in Nutritional Neuroscience has investigated whether a daily herbal supplement made from extracts of two traditional medicinal plants can boost brain function in healthy adults. Over a four-week period, participants taking the supplement showed improvements in…
What you need to know about the T-Mobile Starlink mobile service
T-Mobile yesterday announced more details of its new service powered by Starlink and said Verizon and AT&T customers can use the satellite offering, too. The standard price will be $15 a month as an add-on for T-Mobile customers, and $20…
After Trump killed a report on nature, researchers push ahead with release
The first-ever National Nature Assessment—which was based on significant public feedback and strove to reveal how nature loss influences climate change and impacts humanity—may still see the light of day after the Trump administration abruptly ended the ambitious project. Researchers…
Handful of users claim new Nvidia GPUs are melting power cables again
Here we (maybe) go again: Reports from a handful of early adopters of Nvidia’s new GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card are reporting that their power cables are melting (so far, there’s at least one report on YouTube and one on…
Sexy or off-putting? Women weigh in on their male partner’s scent in bed
A recent qualitative study explored women’s perceptions of their partner’s odor in intimate and sexual situations. The results revealed that women’s perception of odor often depended on context, such that even odors generally perceived as unpleasant were often accepted as…
Dragonsweeper is my favorite game of 2025 (so far)
While writing a wide-ranging history of Windows Minesweeper for Boss Fight Books in 2023, I ended up playing many variations of Microsoft’s beloved original game. Those include versions with hexagonal tiles, versions with weird board shapes, and versions that extend…
Tesla turns to Texas to test its autonomous “Cybercab”
If you live or drive in Austin, Texas, you might start seeing some new-looking Teslas on your roads later this summer. Tesla says it wants to start offering rides for money in the two-seater “Cybercab” that the company revealed last…
Watch potential ‘city-killer’ asteroid 2024 YR4 as it hurtles through space
Asteroid 2024 YR4 has a tiny chance of hitting Earth in 2032, but for now, you can watch it fly harmlessly through space in a short time-lapse video captured by the NASA-funded ATLAS telescope.
Stalled protein processing may underlie Alzheimer’s disease
A recent study published in eLife offers a new perspective on the development of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that the condition may be triggered by disruptions in how the brain processes proteins. Researchers found that mutations in a specific gene can…
Citing EV “rollercoaster” in US, BMW invests in internal combustion
BMW has pledged to continue investing in combustion engine and hybrid technology as it warned of a “rollercoaster ride” in the US transition to electric vehicles following the return of Donald Trump as president. Board member Jochen Goller said the…
A fungus named after Sir David Attenborough zombifies cave spiders
The new fungus species Gibellula attenboroughii forces reclusive cave spiders to exposed areas, likely to benefit spore dispersal.
Scientists discover Earth’s inner core isn’t just slowing down — it’s also changing shape
The surface of Earth’s inner core appears to be dynamic, changing shape as it rotates, earthquake waves reveal.
Stronger men have more partners—and so do stronger women, new study finds
A new study published in Evolution and Human Behavior shows that being physically strong may be linked to a greater number of sexual partners and an increased chance of long-term relationships. Researchers found that men with stronger upper bodies were…
A man volunteered to get brain implants for depression. Hear his story
In the first episode of The Deep End Podcast, we meet Jon Nelson, who shares why he volunteered to get brain implants for his relentless depression.
Calling time alone “me-time” boosts positive feelings and improves perceptions, unlike labeling it “isolation”
Framing time alone as “me-time” rather than “isolation” enhances emotional well-being, increases positive affect, and improves beliefs about solitude, according to a new study published in Cognition & Emotion. Spending time alone is a common experience that can be beneficial…
A fast radio burst from a dead galaxy puzzles astronomers
A blast of radio waves from the outskirts of an ancient galaxy challenges theories about what creates such bursts.
Early-medieval stash of ‘devil’s money’ found at cult site in the Netherlands
Researchers think the site in the Netherlands may have been used for pagan worship in reaction to the spread of Christianity.
Earthquakes: Facts about why the Earth moves
Discover interesting facts about how big earthquakes can get, why earthquakes happen, and why they’re so hard to predict.
MIT builds swarms of tiny robotic insect drones that can fly 100 times longer than previous designs
Scientists have built a new type of robotic insect that can fly 100 times longer than previous generations.
Alcohol use disorder patients show brain structure changes that may underlie emotional distress
A new study has found that men recovering from alcohol use problems tend to have less brain tissue in areas linked to thinking and emotion compared to healthy men. The research also found that these brain differences were related to…
CenturyLink nightmares: Users keep asking Ars for help with multi-month outages
CenturyLink hasn’t broken its annoying habit of leaving customers without service for weeks or months and repeatedly failing to show up for repair appointments. We’ve written about CenturyLink’s failure to fix long outages several times in the past year and…
For teens, virtual reality worlds aren’t all fun and games
“Breaking out of reality and exploring different worlds” is what Alex P. enjoys most about using his virtual reality, or VR, headset. The 12-year-old lives in Strongsville, Ohio. Darrell M. of Bedford, Texas, enjoys the feeling of being inside game…
Scientists Say: Avulsion
Avulsion (noun, “uh-VUL-shun”) In geology, avulsion refers to a river or stream changing course over a short period of time. In medicine, avulsion means the tearing or pulling away of tissues in the body. River avulsions create new channels, or…
Astronomers catch black holes ‘cooking’ their own meals in bizarre, endless feeding cycle
Black holes can actively regulate the material they consume, using powerful jets of gas blasted into space, according to a new study. It suggests many such cosmic beasts effectively “cook” their own meals.
Thule snow goggles: 1,000-year-old Arctic eyewear carved from walrus tusks
These carved snow goggles were a necessary accessory for Arctic existence centuries ago.
Punch-Out’s Mike Tyson has been defeated in under two minutes for the first time
Since Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out was first released on the NES in 1987, millions of players have undertaken millions more digital matches against one of the hardest video game bosses ever—Tyson himself (or, later, the reskinned “Mr. Dream”). Only a small…
Being less observant of thoughts linked to more sex partners in women with mood swings
A new study published in the journal Sexes has explored the relationship between rapidly changing moods, boredom, mindfulness, and the number of sexual partners women have had in the past year. The researchers found that women who reported experiencing rapid…
The Super Bowl might influence birth patterns, study suggests
Excitement surrounding big sports tournaments like the Super Bowl or the World Cup might lead to more than just team spirit; a scientific review published in PeerJ indicates these events could be linked to a bump in birth rates roughly…
New study links red meat to faster cognitive decline
Less red meat is good for the planet and a growing number of people have started the new year resolving to pursue a meat-free diet. Besides being good for the planet and kinder to animals, eating less red meat is…
