Science and Technolgy blog
Enlarge / Researchers write, “In this image, the person on the left (Scarlett Johansson) is real, while the person on the right is AI-generated. Their eyeballs are depicted underneath their faces. The reflections in the eyeballs are consistent for the…
Enlarge (credit: Bloomberg / Contributor | Bloomberg) After years of controversies over plans to scan iCloud to find more child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), Apple abandoned those plans last year. Now, child safety experts have accused the tech giant of…
Enlarge / A bad update to CrowdStrike’s Falcon security software crashed millions of Windows PCs last week. (credit: CrowdStrike) By Monday morning, many of the major disruptions from the flawed CrowdStrike security update late last week had cleared up. Flight…
Enlarge / It’s all too easy to go nuts with the Porsche option list and spend a fortune, but what if you didn’t do that? (credit: Michael Teo Van Runkle) Porsche’s high-performance variants of the 911 might make for great…
A recent study published in Behavioral Sciences has found that a two-week social media digital detox can significantly reduce smartphone and social media addiction while improving physical, mental and social health among young adults. Smartphones have become an essential part…
Instead of sinking from the surface, some deep-sea oxygen may be created by battery-like nodules that split water into hydrogen and oxygen.
In a global first, scientists working in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the North Pacific Ocean have found that metallic nodules on the seafloor produce their own oxygen, dubbed “dark oxygen.”
Enlarge / File photo of a Falcon 9 launch on May 6 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. (credit: SpaceX) It was only about 10 days ago that the Falcon 9 rocket’s upper stage failed in flight, preventing the…
A recent study has uncovered a significant link between the brain chemical dopamine and our ability to understand and attribute mental states to ourselves and others, a process known as mentalizing. Conducted by researchers at the University of Birmingham, the…
Rocky planets around fiery stars could hide their water for later use, but it takes 3 to 8 times the amount in our world’s oceans to end up Earthlike.
A study conducted in a mixed reality environment found that individuals with more pronounced psychopathic traits tended to show less anxiety-related behaviors in an anxiety-inducing mixed-reality environment used in the study. Fearlessness and lack of empathy best predicted (the lack…
Enlarge / Artist concept of the Demonstration for Rocket to Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) spacecraft. (credit: DARPA) Phoebus 2A, the most powerful space nuclear reactor ever made, was fired up at Nevada Test Site on June 26, 1968. The test…
Beakiation (noun, “Beek-ee-AY-shun”) Beakiation is a technique that parrots use to move along thin branches. Scientists recently discovered beakiation in experiments with a parrot species called rosy-faced lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis). These birds are native to dry woodlands in southwestern Africa.…
They say that going to space changes you. The idea is that people get a new perspective from seeing our world from above. It’s called the Overview Effect. But a new project offers clues to how spaceflight also changes our…
Ultraprocessed foods have been tied to various health risks — but what are they, exactly?
A recent study published in the journal Psychology of Religion and Spirituality has shed light on the stereotypes people hold about atheists and theists when it comes to relationships. The findings indicate that atheists are perceived as more likely to…
What’s the secret to Homo sapiens’ success as a species?
Fluoride has been added to community drinking water systems in the United States since 1945 to prevent dental cavities. Currently, 73% of the U.S. population receives fluoridated water at a targeted concentration of 0.7 milligrams per liter. However, a new…
While headlines around the world claimed that ancient galaxies discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope were “breaking” our understanding of the Big Bang, the truth is much more nuanced — and much more interesting.
A recent study published in the journal Neuropharmacology sheds light on how consuming high-calorie, sugary, and fatty “junk-food” diets affects brain function and behavior. Researchers found that these diets not only alter neural pathways but also influence food-seeking behaviors, particularly…
A recent study has found that caffeine might exacerbate the negative effects of chronic sleep restriction on the brain’s grey matter. The researchers discovered that people who consumed caffeine during a period of sleep restriction showed more significant reductions in…
A recent study conducted in the United Kingdom has found that individuals with pronounced traits of neuroticism and conscientiousness tend to report stronger attachments to their pets. Additionally, females, dog owners, people over 50 years of age, and those caring…
Command module pilot Michael Collins took this iconic Apollo 11 photo 55 years ago today, after his historic trip around the far side of the moon made him “the world’s loneliest man”.
Ever heard a snippet of a song and instantly known what comes next? Or picked up the rhythm of a chorus after just a few notes? New research from the Center for Music in the Brain at Aarhus University and…
Animals are disappearing too fast for researchers to record all of the extinctions we’ve caused.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are two of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders. Despite their distinct diagnostic criteria, there is a notable clinical and genetic overlap between the two disorders. A new meta-analysis, published in…
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute on Aging have uncovered promising findings regarding the effects of intermittent fasting and a standard healthy diet on brain health in older adults with obesity and insulin…
A recent study published in the Journal of Research in Personality explores how people’s perceptions of their roles as major or minor characters in their life stories influence their psychological well-being. The researchers found that individuals who view themselves as…
(credit: TEEIC) On April 11, a small company called Graphyte began pumping out beige bricks, somewhat the consistency of particle board, from its new plant in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The bricks don’t look like much, but they come with a…
This bizarre animal lives on the seabed and uses its large hand-like fins to move walk around.
In a recent study conducted by researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, it was discovered that lower levels of testosterone, combined with higher levels of a protein called neurofilament light chain, significantly increase the risk of cognitive decline in older…
Enlarge / Renditions of a possible composition of LHS 1140 b, with a patch of ocean on the side facing its host star. Earth is included at right for scale. (credit: BENOIT GOUGEON, UNIVERSITÉ DE MONTRÉAL) Of all the potential…
The James Webb Space Telescope has revolutionized astronomy in just two years of operations, but how can it see a galaxy 33.8 billion light-years away in a universe that is only 13.8 billion years old?
New research published in Comprehensive Psychoneuroendocrinology provides insight into moral decision-making processes in psychopathic individuals. Researchers found that clinical psychopaths with high impulsivity tend to make deontological choices in high-emotion scenarios, avoiding direct harm even at the expense of optimal…
When a dog looks strikingly like its owner, is that a coincidence or is there more to the story?
Enlarge / This artist’s concept shows the possible appearance of ESA’s RAMSES spacecraft, which will release two small CubeSats for additional observations at Apophis. (credit: ) For nearly 20 years, scientists have known an asteroid named Apophis will pass unusually…
A recent study published in Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology has uncovered a surprising link between adolescent alcohol use and brain structure. Researchers found that larger hippocampal volumes are associated with alcohol use during adolescence, while no such relationship was found…
A new study published in the journal PNAS Nexus has shed light on how social media algorithms favor politically sponsored content from certain parties, even when the same budget is applied. This research, conducted by the Politecnico di Milano, LMU…
Ryan Reynolds and High Jackman join forces in Deadpool and Wolverine. If there’s anything the Deadpool franchise is known for, it’s R-rated cheeky irreverence. The forthcoming Deadpool and Wolverine clearly has that in spades, but the final trailer strikes an…
Enlarge (credit: Diamond Shruumz) Newly released testing data of Diamond Shruumz-brand gummies purchased in 2023 identified the presence of psilocin, a hallucinogenic drug closely related to the magic-mushroom drug psilocybin that is classified as a Schedule I drug, alongside psilocybin,…
Enlarge / A marketing image for the Galaxy Buds3 Pro. (credit: Samsung) Samsung is delaying the release of the $250 Galaxy Buds3 Pro in the US from July 24 to August 28, per its website. The third-generation earbuds have Samsung…
Brief blasts of light might make some materials into fleeting superconductors. Magnetic measurements strengthen the case for this controversial claim.
NASA’s Curiosity rover revealed an ‘oasis’ of rare elemental sulfur on Mars after accidentally crushing a rock with its tires. The yellow crystals have never been spotted on the Red Planet before.
Spending time in nature is often associated with relaxation and well-being. A recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology reveals that nature contact not only benefits physical and mental health but also fosters prosocial behaviors — actions intended…
Enlarge (credit: SOPA Images / Contributor | LightRocket) Continuing to evolve the fact-checking service that launched as Twitter’s Birdwatch, X has announced that Community Notes can now be requested to clarify problematic posts spreading on Elon Musk’s platform. X’s Community…
Enlarge / Antonio Felix da Costa leads the way into turn one at Portland International Raceway. (credit: Sam Bagnall/Formula E) Formula E provided flights from Washington to Portland and accommodation so Ars could attend the Portland E-Prix. Ars does not…
Enlarge (credit: Getty Images | SOPA Images ) Citing frustration with mobile carriers enforcing different phone-unlocking policies that are bad for consumers, the Federal Communications Commission is proposing a 60-day unlocking requirement that would apply to all wireless providers. The…
Enlarge (credit: Bloomberg Creative Photos) Although US coal consumption has fallen dramatically since 2005, the country still consumes millions of tons a year, and exports tons more—much of it transported by train. Now, new research shows that these trains can…
Enlarge (credit: hdaniel) Airlines, payment processors, 911 call centers, TV networks, and other businesses have been scrambling this morning after a buggy update to CrowdStrike’s Falcon security software caused Windows-based systems to crash with a dreaded blue screen of death…
Infections peak in the summer and winter. Up-to-date vaccinations, testing and masking can slow the spread.
