Save 20% on Celestron binoculars in this limited time Amazon deal
Save $60 and get the Celestron TrailSeeker 8×42 binoculars for $239.95 at Amazon — but you’ll have to be quick as we’ve seen the deal expire briefly this week already.
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Science and Technolgy blog
Individuals who experienced more adversity as children are less responsive to methamphetamine
An analysis of data from several previous studies indicated that individuals who experienced more childhood adversity tend to show dampened subjective responses to methamphetamine and d-amphetamine 90 to 180 minutes after administration. However, their subjective responses to buprenorphine were not…
Explainer: How cells use chemistry to make the electricity of life
Every second, cells throughout your body send out small electrical signals. Tiny jolts control your heartbeat. In your brain, cells use electricity to release chemicals that make you feel happy or sad. In your muscles, they send signals that help…
Zap, zap, zap! Our bodies are electric
Our daily lives seem to run on electricity. Electric lights illuminate our rooms. Electric power runs our computers, microwave ovens, cell phones and countless features on our cars. When we lose access to electricity, it can feel like we also…
Explainer: Anatomy of a heartbeat
Your heart beats about 100,000 times per day. That’s around 3 billion times over an average lifetime. Each beat pumps blood to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen. From there, it flows on to all of the rest of…
One of the best Celestron telescopes now $2,399 in latest Adorama price drop
Save $400 on one of the best telescopes — Celestron Advanced VX 8-inch EdgeHD is now 14% off at Adorama in this price drop before Amazon Prime Day.
Earth from space: Deep tidal channels cut between ‘pirate hotspot’ islands in the Bahamas
This 2015 photo from the International Space Station showcases the deep tidal channels that cut through a line of cays in the Bahamas. Astronauts say it is “one of the most recognizable points on the planet.”
Mentally stimulating activities linked to slower cognitive decline in older adults, study finds
New research published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement has found that older adults who regularly participated in mentally challenging activities, such as reading or puzzles, maintained higher levels of memory, working memory, attention, and processing speed over several years…
Amazon will “ramp up” Prime Video ads in 2025
Subscribers to Prime Video’s ad tier will start seeing more commercials next year, further testing how much advertising streamers will tolerate. Speaking to the Financial Times today, Kelly Day, VP of Prime Video International, said that Amazon will offer more…
Attackers exploit critical Zimbra vulnerability using cc’d email addresses
Attackers are actively exploiting a critical vulnerability in mail servers sold by Zimbra in an attempt to remotely execute malicious commands that install a backdoor, researchers warn. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-45519, resides in the Zimbra email and collaboration server…
Meta smart glasses can be used to dox anyone in seconds, study finds
Two Harvard students recently revealed that it’s possible to combine Meta smart glasses with face image search technology to “reveal anyone’s personal details,” including their name, address, and phone number, “just from looking at them.” In a Google document, AnhPhu…
OpenAI is now valued at $157 billion
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has now raised $6.6 billion in a new funding round that values the company at $157 billion, nearly doubling its previous valuation of $86 billion, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The…
More people are surviving avalanches than decades ago — here’s why
A study of avalanche survival data shows that survival rates have increased and rescues are faster, but time is still critical for buried victims.
The potential psychological harm of being labeled as “addicted” to pornography
A recent study published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior offers new insights into how labeling oneself as addicted to pornography might influence both personal and relational outcomes. The study found that while identifying as addicted to pornography is linked…
Microsoft releases Office 2024, the latest buy-once-own-forever version of Office
Microsoft’s push to get Windows and Office users to buy Microsoft 365 subscriptions can be irritating, but to the company’s credit, it’s one of the few that has continued to sell buy-once, use-forever versions of its flagship software after launching…
Despite stricter regulations, Europe has issues with tattoo ink ingredients
Recently, chemists at Binghamton University learned that many tattoo inks in the US contain different pigments than those listed, or unlisted additives. One might expect the European Union, with its stricter regulations, to have fewer issues on that score, but…
Watch live: A ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse has begun over Easter Island
The Oct. 2 partial solar eclipse, known as an annular or “ring of fire” eclipse, is about to begin over Easter Island and South America. Watch it for free right here.
DirecTV/Dish merger has a problem as debt holders object to $1.6 billion loss
DirecTV’s agreement to buy the Dish satellite and streaming TV business from EchoStar is facing opposition from Dish creditors who would be forced to take a loss on the value of their debt. Dish creditors “plan to block a distressed…
Amazon illegally refused to bargain with drivers’ union, NLRB alleges
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has filed charges against Amazon, alleging that the e-commerce giant has illegally refused to bargain with a union representing drivers who are frustrated by what they claim are low wages and dangerous working conditions.…
ADHD could mask warning signs of alcohol dependency, rodent study suggests
New research raises concerns about the co-use of prescription stimulants and alcohol in adolescents with ADHD. The study, published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, found that adolescent rats exhibiting ADHD-like symptoms tend to be resistant to…
Helene takes ultrapure quartz mines offline, threatens tech supply chains
Millions of people across the US South have gone without power or have been forced to evacuate following days of extreme downpours brought on by Hurricane Helene. North Carolina has borne the brunt of the devastation, with the state accounting…
Tesla reverses sales slump, sees modest growth in Q3
This morning, Tesla posted its sales and production numbers for the third quarter of 2024. While not spectacular when compared to Q3 2023, the numbers do show modest growth, unlike the rather disappointing Q2 2024. However, the production and sales…
Welcome to our latest design update, Ars 9.0!
Greetings from the Orbiting HQ! As you can see, we’ve refreshed the site design. We hope you’ll come to love it. Ars Technica is a little more than 26 years old, yet this is only our ninth site relaunch (number…
Popular Juicebox EV home chargers to lose connectivity as owner quits US
Owners of the popular home EV chargers made by Juicebox are about to lose a whole lot of features. Its owner, the energy company Enel X, has just announced that it is leaving the North American market entirely as of…
Sonos CEO admits to insufficient app testing : “We released it too soon”
Sonos’ controversial app update in May was “obviously a failure,” Sonos CEO Patrick Spence told Reuters today. When the update launched in May, customers revolted over missing features, like the ability to search music libraries, edit song and playlist queues,…
Alien civilizations are probably killing themselves from climate change, bleak study suggests
Astrophysicists estimate that any exponentially growing technological civilization has only 1,000 years until its planet will be too hot to support life.
James Webb telescope watches ancient supernova replay 3 times — and confirms something is seriously wrong in our understanding of the universe
The James Webb Space Telescope has zoomed in on an ancient supernova, revealing fresh evidence that a crisis in cosmology called the Hubble tension isn’t going anywhere soon.
Inflammatory genes linked to autism risk in children of mothers with asthma
A longitudinal study in Australia found that children of mothers with asthma who had increased expression of specific inflammatory genes were more likely to show autism-related behaviors at 12 months. The genes in question were CYSLTR2, NOX1, C1QA, CXCL10, C8A,…
Scientists have traced all 54.5 million connections in a fruit fly’s brain
By tracing every single connection between nerve cells in a single fruit fly’s brain, scientists have created the “connectome,” a tool that could help reveal how brains work.
Thunderstorms churn up a ‘boiling pot’ of gamma rays
A thunderstorm seen in gamma-ray vision is a complex, frenetic lightshow when viewed from above the clouds.
A hurricane’s aftermath may spur up to 11,000 deaths
Hurricanes like Helene may indirectly cause deaths for years. Stress, pollution and a loss of infrastructure could all contribute to tropical cyclone fatalities.
Dolphins’ open-mouth behaviors during play are like smiles, a study claims
Experts urge caution in calling bottlenosed dolphins’ gesture a humanlike “smile,” but agree it seems to be important for how the animals communicate.
Flu shots have changed this year — here’s why
Unlike past flu shots, flu vaccines for the 2024-2025 season don’t contain the “Yamagata lineage” of influenza viruses because evidence suggests that type of flu no longer exists.
Monster X-class flare launches massive solar storm towards Earth — and could trigger auroras this weekend
The sun just unleashed one of its largest solar explosions in recent years, temporarily causing a radio blackout on Earth and spitting out a coronal mass ejection that will likely collide with our planet this weekend.
What causes stuttering?
Very little is known about the origins of stuttering, but there are several possible explanations.
First-of-its-kind study shows gun-free zones reduce likelihood of mass shootings
A new study challenges the belief that gun-free zones attract active shooters. In the first quantitative study of its kind, published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, researchers found that gun-free zones may actually reduce the likelihood of mass…
This Garmin smartwatch is now $400 off matching last year’s Black Friday price
The Garmin Epix 2 watch is now 44% off at Garmin and Amazon.
Dealing with election anxiety? A psychiatrist explains how to channel your fears and break out of tribal thinking
Instead of excitement about the upcoming election, many of my patients and friends – regardless of political affiliation – report they’re terrified at the thought of the “other side” winning. Democrats tell me they fear Donald Trump will end our…
Weirdly, mayo can help study conditions ripe for nuclear fusion
Mayonnaise is useful for smearing on sandwiches and prepping potato salads. But scientists are now using it to study nuclear fusion. How mayonnaise behaves can vary. If jiggled gently, it returns to its original shape. That’s called elastic behavior —…
‘The simplicity of life just hits you’: Watch rare footage of critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla feeding her baby in the wild
Filmmakers captured a mother eastern lowland gorilla nursing her infant for the PBS show “Silverback.”
Belief in “White Replacement” conspiracy linked to anti-social traits and violence risk
A recent study published in Politics, Groups, and Identities has found that up to one-third of Americans believe in the “White Replacement” conspiracy theory. The study provides evidence that these beliefs are linked to personality traits such as anti-social tendencies,…
These are the cheapest binocular deals ahead of Amazon Prime Day
We’ve rounded up the best binocular deals on the market to help you save money — with options for all budgets and experience levels.
Could these camera deals get any better before Amazon Prime Day?
We’ve rounded up the best camera deals from Sony, Nikon, Canon and more — save $$$’s on your next mirrorless or DSLR camera.
Coyotes have the face muscles for that ‘sad-puppy’ look
The ability to make heart-melting stares may not be the fruit of dog domestication if their still-wild cousins have the power to do it too.
32 alien planets that really exist
Beyond our solar system, countless alien worlds of lava, ice, water and noxious gas swirl through the cosmos. Here are some of the strangest exoplanets that scientists have discovered so far.
Switch emulator Ryujinx shuts down development after “contact by Nintendo”
Enlarge / These copyrighted Switch games shown on Ryujinx’s former GitHub page probably didn’t curry any favor with Nintendo. (credit: Ryujinx / Internet Archive) Popular open source Nintendo Switch emulator Ryujinx has been removed from GitHub, and the team behind…
In a 1st, DNA analysis reveals identity of captain cannibalized during ill-fated Franklin expedition
Scientists have discovered the identity of a cannibalized victim who sailed on the doomed Northwest Passage expedition of 1845 to 1848.
Over 80% of inpatients with alcohol use disorder report persistent pain
A new study published in the journal Alcohol highlights the significant link between chronic pain and alcohol use disorder, with a particular focus on individuals seeking treatment for their condition. The research found that over 80% of people undergoing inpatient…
COVID fraudster pleads guilty, faces 20 years for role in $83M testing scam
Enlarge / Residents line up for COVID-19 testing on November 30, 2020 in Chicago. (credit: Getty | Scott Olson) The co-owner of a Chicago-based lab has pleaded guilty for his role in a COVID testing scam that raked in millions—which…
OpenAI unveils easy voice assistant creation at 2024 developer event
Enlarge (credit: Benj Edwards) On Monday, OpenAI kicked off its annual DevDay event in San Francisco, unveiling four major API updates for developers that integrate the company’s AI models into their products. Unlike last year’s single-location event featuring a keynote…
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