Cocaine found in mummified brains reveal that New World drug came to Italy 200 years earlier than thought
Researchers unexpectedly found traces of cocaine in the mummified brain tissue of 17th-century people buried in a crypt in Milan.
TECH DEIYO
Science and Technolgy blog
Homeopathic company refuses to recall life-threatening nasal spray, FDA says
Enlarge (credit: Getty | Florian Gaertner) The maker of a homeopathic nasal spray with a history of contamination is refusing to recall its product after the Food and Drug Administration once again found evidence of dangerous microbial contamination. In a…
Anti-cheat update leaves GTA Online’s Steam Deck players out in the cold
Enlarge / Artist’s conception of what used to be possible, before BattlEye ruined things. Last week, Rockstar added BattlEye support to Grand Theft Auto V, offering some much-needed anti-cheat protection for the game’s highly successful GTA Online multiplayer mode. That…
A handy guide to the universal language for the mathematically perplexed
Enlarge / Math for English Majors talks about numbers as nouns, verbs as calculations, and algebra as grammar. (credit: Ben Orlin) Galileo once famously described the universe as a great book “written in mathematical language and its characters are triangles,…
What’s your mathematical style?
Enlarge (credit: Ben Orlin) Math teacher Ben Orlin writes and draws the (aptly named) blog Math With Drawings and is the author of a new book, Math for English Majors: A Human Take on the Universal Language. To mark its…
30th-anniversary limited-run PS5 and PS5 Pro bring back mid-’90s gray plastic
The PS5 Pro version of the 30th anniversary bundle comes with both varieties of DualSense controller, a plate for an (optional) optical drive, and other accessories. [credit: Sony ] Sony launched the original PlayStation console in Japan on December 3,…
Real-time Linux is officially part of the kernel, after decades of debate
Enlarge / Cutting metal with lasers is hard, but even harder when you don’t know the worst-case timings of your code. (credit: Getty Images) As is so often the case, a notable change in an upcoming Linux kernel is both…
Earth’s ancient ‘greenhouse’ conditions were hotter than thought
A timeline of 485 million years of Earth’s surface temperatures shows ancient greenhouse conditions were hotter than scientists thought.
Big Five traits shape self-esteem development in adolescence
A new study published in Journal of Personality & Social Psychology suggests that personality traits often drive changes in self-esteem during adolescence. Adolescence is pivotal for the development of personality traits and self-esteem, both linked to outcomes such as academic…
EEG scans reveal early signs of PTSD development in sexual assault survivors
A new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research has uncovered differences in brain activity patterns that could predict which women may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following sexual assault. By analyzing brain function soon after the trauma using…
Cloudflare helps Brazil block Elon Musk’s X after platform briefly evaded ban
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | NurPhoto) Elon Musk’s X temporarily became accessible again in Brazil despite government orders requiring Internet service providers to block the social network. X’s revival was enabled by the company switching to a different network provider,…
AI’s hungry maw drives massive $100B investment plan by Microsoft and BlackRock
Enlarge (credit: J Studios via Getty Images) If you haven’t noticed by now, Big Tech companies have been making plans to invest in the infrastructure necessary to deliver generative AI products like ChatGPT (and beyond) to hundreds of millions of…
Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ contains surprisingly accurate physics — suggesting he understood the hidden ‘dynamism of the sky’
A new analysis of the brushstrokes and colors in Vincent van Gogh’s famous painting Starry Night reveals a striking similarity to “hidden turbulence” in Earth’s atmosphere, suggesting the iconic artist had a surprisingly detailed understanding of natural processes.
Man buried with large stones on his chest to prevent him from ‘rising from the grave’ unearthed in Germany
Archaeologists in Germany have unearthed a “revenant” grave where a man was buried with large stones on his chest to prevent him from rising from the dead.
Mysterious sound coming from the Mariana Trench has finally been explained
A new study has revealed the exact origin of the Pacific Ocean’s mysterious “biotwang” noises, which were first detected by underwater surveys near the Mariana Trench in 2014.
Robot placed under the control of a fungal overlord
Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson | Getty Images) Most living organisms easily surpass machines when it comes to navigating real-world environments and adaptability to changing conditions. One way to bridge that gap is building biohybrid robots that merge synthetic machinery with…
Study links near-death experiences to vivid dream phenomena like lucid and precognitive dreams
A recent study published in the journal Dreaming sheds new light on the relationship between near-death experiences and dreaming. The research found that individuals who have had a near-death experience (NDE) report more frequent and vivid dreams, including lucid dreaming,…
Volkswagen halts ID. 4 production and sales due to bad door handles
Enlarge / Instead of giving the ID.4 complicated door handles that recess into the side of the car, VW has designed these to be flush yet always accessible. (credit: Volkswagen) Volkswagen has a bit of a headache on its hands…
Vaccines for mpox are finally reaching Africa. But questions about the virus remain
With concerns that mpox may now spread more easily and be more severe, researchers warn that failing to curb the outbreak means “nobody is safe.”
Earth’s outer core may hold a hidden ‘doughnut’
A newly discovered doughnut shape in Earth’s outer core may reveal elements that help drive the formation of the planet’s magnetic field.
Droughts likely to be even longer in the future due to climate change
(credit: USGS) Droughts in the coming decades could be longer than projected by current climate models, a new study published Wednesday in Nature warns. The international team of scientists examined potential biases that could skew climate models used to make…
Adolescents exposed to greater parental conflict more likely to have sleep problems as emerging adults
An eight-year study following a group of adolescents into emerging adulthood found that individuals exposed to more conflict between their parents during adolescence tended to have more sleep problems as emerging adults. These individuals generally had lower sleep efficiency and…
Ants changed the architecture of their nests when exposed to a pathogen
Black garden ants made tweaks to entrances, tunnels and chambers that may help prevent diseases from spreading.
Scientist who discovered body’s ‘fire alarm’ against invading bacteria wins $250,000 Lasker prize
One of this year’s coveted Lasker Awards has gone to Zhijian “James” Chen, a scientist behind a key immune-system discovery.
Low cognitive ability intensifies the link between social media use and anti-immigrant attitudes
New research has found that individuals who frequently use social media and perceive immigrants as threats are more likely to harbor negative emotions toward them. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, indicates that these effects are stronger among those…
Redwood Materials signs deal to recycle BMW’s EV batteries in the US
Enlarge / BMW is moving to cylindrical cells for its sixth-generation EV powertrain, which debuts in the Neue Klasse. And now it has a recycling partner. (credit: BMW) Battery recycling company Redwood Materials gained a new automaker partner today. It…
Parrots may offer clues to how our intelligence evolved
Bruce the kea is missing his upper beak. This makes the olive green parrot look a little like he’s always surprised. But scientists are even more shocked at what he can do in spite of his injury. Bruce has been…
Playing with fire: How VR is being used to train the next generation of firefighters
Can VR training for first responders replicate the heat, the smoke and the stress of handling a real blaze?
Could we turn the sun into a gigantic telescope?
Using a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, it might be possible to use the sun as a gigantic telescope to peer deep into space.
Fascinating neuroscience research reveals a key mechanism underlying human cognition
How does the brain adapt to different levels of mental challenge? A new neuroimaging study reveals that when we engage in more complex cognitive tasks, our brain activity becomes not only richer in detail but also more streamlined. The findings…
Record-breaking fires engulf South America, bringing black rain, green rivers and toxic air to the continent
The Amazon fires, fueled by severe drought exacerbated by climate change, have created a toxic smoke cloud spanning about 4 million square miles — an area larger than the entire United States.
Nintendo, The Pokemon Company sue Palworld maker Pocketpair
Enlarge / Artist’s conception of Pocketpair lawyers establishing a defensive position against Nintendo’s coming legal onslaught. (credit: Pocketpair) Nintendo and The Pokemon Company announced they have filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Pocketpair, the makers of the heavily Pokémon-inspired Palworld.…
“Dead Internet theory” comes to life with new AI-powered social media app
Enlarge (credit: gremlin via Getty Images) For the past few years, a conspiracy theory called “Dead Internet theory” has picked up speed as large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT increasingly generate text and even social media interactions found online. The…
After 20 years, World of Warcraft will now let players do solo raids
Enlarge / The final boss of the new WoW raid, who will now be beatable as a solo player in Story Mode. (credit: Blizzard) After 20 years, it’s now possible for solo players to finish storylines in the massively multiplayer…
ESA’s JUICE spacecraft confirmed Earth is habitable. Here’s why
JUICE successfully identified water and the building blocks of life in Earth’s atmosphere. In doing so, the probe headed for Jupiter’s moons confirmed that its instruments are working properly.
Patents for software and genetic code could be revived by two bills in Congress
Enlarge / An image from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where in 1874, the newest thing was not software or genetic compositions, but shutter fastenings from H.L. Norton. (credit: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images) The Senate Judiciary Committee is…
Iron winds and molten metal rains ravage a hellish hot Jupiter exoplanet
“Our observations indicate the presence of powerful iron winds, probably fuelled by a hot spot in the atmosphere.”
Massive China-state IoT botnet went undetected for four years—until now
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images) The FBI has dismantled a massive network of compromised devices that Chinese state-sponsored hackers have used for four years to mount attacks on government agencies, telecoms, defense contractors, and other targets in the US and Taiwan.…
Landmark AI deal sees Hollywood giant Lionsgate provide library for AI training
Enlarge (credit: Benj Edwards / Malte Mueller via Getty Images) On Wednesday, AI video synthesis firm Runway and entertainment company Lionsgate announced a partnership to create a new AI model trained on Lionsgate’s vast film and TV library. The deal…
Husbands of employed wives report greater happiness and self-esteem
A recent study published in the journal Personal Relationships explored the intricate links between self-esteem, happiness, and marital conflict in married couples, with particular attention to how these dynamics might differ based on whether the wife is employed. The findings…
Backlash over Amazon’s return to office comes as workers demand higher wages
Enlarge / Warehouse workers at the STL8 Amazon Fulfillment Center marched on the boss Wednesday to demand a $25 an hour minimum wage for all workers. (credit: via Justice Speaks) Amazon currently faces disgruntled workers in every direction. Office workers…
ISPs tell Supreme Court they don’t want to disconnect users accused of piracy
Enlarge / The Supreme Court of the United States in Washington, DC, in May 2023. (credit: Getty Images | NurPhoto) Four more large Internet service providers told the US Supreme Court this week that ISPs shouldn’t be forced to aggressively…
Age of Mythology: Retold is surprisingly playable with a controller
Enlarge / I hope you like radial menus, because you’ll be looking at a lot of them. Age of Mythology: Retold brings a lot of the usual advancements that you’d expect for a reboot of both the increasingly dated 2002…
14 dead as Hezbollah walkie-talkies explode in second, deadlier attack
Enlarge / Two radios said to have exploded in Lebanon, with photos later posted to social media. (credit: Various X users) Wireless communication devices have exploded again today across Lebanon in a second attack even deadlier than yesterday’s explosion of…
Amazon “tricks” customers into buying Fire TVs with false sales prices: Lawsuit
Enlarge / A promotional image for Amazon’s 4-Series Fire TVs. (credit: Amazon) A lawsuit is seeking to penalize Amazon for allegedly providing “fake list prices and purported discounts” to mislead people into buying Fire TVs. As reported by Seattle news organization…
Robert Pattinson gets the crappiest immortality in trailer for Mickey 17
Robert Pattinson’s character didn’t read his contract’s fine print in Mickey 17, director Bong Joon-ho’s latest film. It’s been five long years since director Bong Joon-ho’s film Parasite topped Ars’ list for best films of the year, whose prior work…
Fossils of an extinct animal may have inspired this cave art drawing
Unusual tusks on preserved skulls of dicynodonts influenced the look of a mythical beast painted by Southern Africa’s San people, a researcher suspects.
Some healthy fish have bacteria in their brains
Animals including mammals usually protect their brains from infiltrating microbes that can cause disease. But some fish seem to do just fine.
‘What is normal today may not be normal in a year’s time’: Dr. Dinesh Bhugra on the idea of ‘normal’ in psychiatry
Live Science spoke with leading psychiatrist Dr. Dinesh Bhugra ahead of his appearance at the HowTheLightGetsIn festival in London.
New study challenges the gender-equality paradox
A study published in Journal of Personality & Social Psychology challenges the prevailing notion of the “gender-equality paradox” by deconstructing how gender differences vary across societies with high gender equality. The gender-equality paradox has garnered significant attention, positing that as…
