Mac World
- Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR orders to begin on December 10You’ll finally be able to order the new Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR on Tuesday, December 10, according to a “Save the Date” email Apple sent to some customers earlier this evening. Last month, Apple announced it would ship in December, but today the first time we’ve seen an actual date. Notably, Apple has yet to say when the Mac Pro will actually ship.To read this article in full, please click here
- How to buy a refurbished Mac, MacBook, iPhone, or iPad from AppleLooking for a way to save some money on the latest Apple products? Consider a refurbished MacBook, refurbished iPhone, or refurbished iPad from the Apple Certified Refurbished store. A refurbished product is just like a new, but at a lower price.Here’s a quick guide with links to the best deals you can find on the refurb store, along with a FAQ guide if you want to know more about the ins and outs of the Apple Certified Refurbished store and buying a refurbished MacBook, desktop Mac, iPhone, or iPad. We make a recommendation of what to buy, but feel free to check out the store inventory to find the right model for you.To read this article in full, please click here
- Apple TV+ original shows, series, and movies: Apple buys documentary film about Billie EilishApple is planting its own flag in the streaming wars with Apple TV+, its in-house streaming service that features only original programming—no reruns of hit TV shows or last year’s blockbuster movies.The company is said to be spending several billion dollars a year on original programming. That’s a lot of TV! It’s nothing compared to the $12 billion Netflix spent on content in 2018, but it’s still a very big investment.What can you get for all that money? Apple is attracting some of the best talent in TV and film production, including huge stars and directors, and locking down the television and movie rights to best-selling books.To read this article in full, please click here
- Filmic Firstlight review: Subscription model holding back slick camera appFollowing the App Store’s debut in 2008, a cottage industry for third-party iPhone camera apps began to flourish, a testament to how underwhelming Apple’s software was at the time. Over time, Apple started catching up, with the latest iOS releases proving the company now takes the Camera app as seriously as the hardware that drives it.Third-party developers responded by finding new ways to differentiate their camera apps from the one already built in. The latest to face this challenge head-on is Filmic, virtually a brand name when it comes to shooting mobile video. Can the makers of popular video app Filmic Pro conjure similar magic with photos as well?To read this article in full, please click here
- Amazon Echo Buds review: An excellent value plagued by small annoyancesThey sound pretty good. They have active noise reduction. They let you summon a digital assistant hands-free. They are relatively comfortable and not too big. And the Echo Buds true wireless earbuds from Amazon only cost $129. What’s the catch?The catch, besides an obvious and expected bent toward Alexa and Amazon services, is that these earbuds annoy you with a series of small aggravations that make them feel like the economical choice, not the best choice.My time with the Echo Buds alternated between being surprised at what you get for “only” $130 and frustrated that Amazon didn’t put more care into their design, craftsmanship, and quality. Echo Buds are a good value, especially if you’re already all-in with Alexa, but those who don’t care about hands-free Alexa integration should probably consider other options.To read this article in full, please click here
- Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Hub review: The smart garage controller to beat is also the least expensiveThis wire-free smart controller doesn’t just work well, it’s also priced to move (just be aware of the cost to control a second door opener).
- Cord cutting: A beginner's guideHow to cut the cord: All the devices, services, and knowledge you need to ditch cable and save money.
- Evaluating the rumors of the 2020 and 2021 iPhonesIt hasn’t even been three months since the release of Apple’s latest iPhone lineup and already the rumor mill is working overtime on what might arrive in the company’s smartphones next year and, believe it or not, the year after that.Even if the iPhone is making up a smaller percentage of Apple’s revenue these days, it hasn’t ceased being the product that defines Apple, meaning speculation remains at peak levels. And all the smartwatches, streaming services, and fancy wireless headphones aren’t going to be changing that calculus anytime soon.Certainly the next iPhone is still a way off, but it’s worth taking a moment to look at this latest round of rumors and think critically about what they might portend—even if they don’t end up coming true.To read this article in full, please click here
- iOS 13.3: Apple releases the fourth beta to developers and public testersWhile iOS 13.2 delivered the last of the features Apple promised when it first introduced iOS 13 back at WWDC, it’s not like the company is just going to kick back and relax until iOS 14 next year. We can expect at least one or two more point-releases with minor new features, and a few bugfix releases, as well.iOS 13.2 brings a handful of minor interface tweaks, like the ability to disable memoji stickers suggestions in the emoji keyboard. It may also address the memory management issue reported by some users, where apps are too aggressively purged from memory and have to be reloaded often.To read this article in full, please click here
- Apple updates Clips app with Memoji and Animoji support, add new Disney stickersApple on Thursday did not release the Mac Pro that they said would ship in December. The company did, however, release something that probably is more appealing to the general Apple customer: An update to Clips, its iOS app for creating and sharing short video clips.The main feature of the 2.1 update is support for Animoji and Memoji characters. Memoji that was made in the Messages app can be brought into Clips, and Memoji and Animoji characters can be layered with stickers, filters, and animated text. Animated stickers and emoji now follow the movements of a user’s face using the iPhone and iPad's front-facing camera.To read this article in full, please click here
- Wild rumor teases a full wireless iPhone 13 with no ports at all—and I believe itThe iPhone 11 has barely been out for two months, but we’ve already got a pretty good picture of what the iPhone 12 is going to bring, with an all-OLED lineup, 5G, and an enhanced camera array. But now MacRumors is reporting that Apple’s best analyst just dropped some news about the 2021 iPhone lineup, and it’s wild.Let’s start at the top. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says that Apple will be seeking to add more space between its pro and non-pro phones with the upcoming models. He expects “the highest-end model would cancel the [Lightning] port and provide the completely wireless experience.” That means, you wouldn’t be able to buy a dongle to connect a pair of USB headphones, nor would you be able to carry around a power bank for a quick charge. Everything you do, from music streaming to charging, would need to be done wirelessly.To read this article in full, please click here
- 2020 iPhone rumors: Five new iPhone models?The 2019 iPhone models haven’t even been officially announced yet, and we’re already starting to see reports about what will be in the 2020 iPhones. We’ve compiled the most notable ones here, but take these with a big grain of salt. Even if these reports are accurate representations of what suppliers are saying, or come from moles within Apple itself, the company’s plans can and do change. There’s still plenty of time before the design and features have to be totally set in stone.Update 12/5/19: Apple could release five new iPhone models next year.The latest rumor: 5 new iPhone models in 2020 Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a research note where he predicts that Apple will release five new iPhones in 2020: 5.4- and 6.1-inch models each with a dual-lens camera; 6.1- and 6.7-inch models with triple-lens cameras and “time of flight sensors”; and a 4.7-inch model. (Kuo also has thoughts on the 2021 iPhones.)To read this article in full, please click here
- iPhone, iPad, and MacBook Pro rumors, and more We’re got iPhone rumors, iPad rumors, and MacBook Pro rumors. All this and more on this episode of the Macworld Podcast.This is episode 678 with Leif Johnson, Roman Loyola, and Michael Simon.Listen to episode 678 To read this article in full, please click here
- Hate the screenshot floater in macOS? Here’s how to get rid of itWhen you make a screen capture in macOS in Mojave or Catalina, a tiny thumbnail appears in the bottom-right corner of the screen for a few seconds. Click it, and a small editing suite appears that lets you modify what you captured or delete the image or images before they’re saved. (We have a complete guide to using this markup tool.)If you don’t want that thumbnail, however, you have to know exactly where to change the setting. It’s not found in any System Preferences pane, and Mojave did away with Grab, the former standalone screen-capture utility built into macOS.Instead, you have to invoke a screen-capture mode to change associated settings. You can either press Command-Shift-5 or launch Applications > Utilities > Screenshot, the not-quite-an-app that replaced Grab.To read this article in full, please click here
- Yale Assure Lever with Connected by August review: Yale lets you ditch its own app for August’sAlas, Yale’s hardware and August’s wireless technology make for truly unhappy bedfellows.
- F-Secure Safe for Mac review: No-frills quality protectionSimplicity is the name of the game when it comes to F-Secure Safe. This antivirus suite provides a lot of protection, but that's about all it offers. You won't find any extras such as encrypted online storage, secure file erase, or a VPN, though F-Secure does have its own VPN called Freedome that can be purchase separately.A lack of extras is not necessarily a bad thing. Many security suites get overloaded with tools that few people use, but a few well-chosen extras such as those mentioned above would've been a nice addition.Still, there's no denying that F-Secure's protection level is very high. Let's dive into the details of this suite.To read this article in full, please click here
- Best smart lock for a keyless homeKeys are yesterday’s tech, your smart home needs a smart door lock.
- The Mac Pro is an important symbol, but you probably shouldn’t buy itThe new Mac Pro is coming very, very soon—in the next couple of weeks, if we hold Apple to the astronomical definition of “coming this fall.” It’s safe to say that this is the most anticipated Mac in history—if only because its existence was pre-announced more than two and a half years ago, with the specifics following six months ago.The Mac Pro is important and it’s platform defining. And unless you’re someone in the extreme high end of the Mac market, you will never use one. It’s a bundle of expectations built on a precision stainless steel space frame and sheathed in a machined aluminum housing.To read this article in full, please click here
- What to do if your new 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro randomly shuts downLucky you if you got a new 2019 13-inch MacBook Pro. Unlucky for you if it turns out it has a problem with shutting down at random moments. On Tuesday, Apple seems to have acknowledged the problem and posted a support document to try and fix it.This problem seems to occur with 2019 MacBook Pro models that have two Thunderbolt 3 ports. According to the support document, here’s what you should do. If your MacBook Pro’s battery is less than 90 percent charged, continue to step 2. If your battery is more than 90 percent charged, use your computer until the percentage drops below 90 percent, then continue to step 2. Connect your Mac to its power adapter. Quit all open applications. Close your computer’s lid, which puts your Mac in to sleep mode. Let your Mac charge for at least 8 hours. If this doesn’t fix the problem, the document recommending contacting Apple to schedule a support meeting at your local Apple store.To read this article in full, please click here
- What the new iOS 13 Wi-Fi message means about nearby available networksSince you updated to iOS 13 or iPadOS 13, you may have seen a message appear when you’re away from a Wi-Fi network you’ve joined previously. “Available Wi-Fi Network: ‘Name of Network’ is an available network nearby.” A Join button may appear or you may need to tap the notification to get one to show up.The first time I saw this, I wondered if a malicious party had finally figured out a way to make an illegitimate message somehow appear on my iPhone. Then I remembered this somewhat obscure bit of text at Apple’s announcement of the new operating system updates: Popular Wi-Fi networks. Your iPhone determines which Wi-Fi networks at your location are being used and notifies you if one is available.To read this article in full, please click here
- iRobot Braava Jet m6 review: a smarter robot mopThe Braava Jet m6 can map your rooms, recognize carpet, and even clean in sequence with select Roomba vacuums.
- Adobe Premiere Elements 2020 review: Minor update enhances creative optionsManipulating still images tends to be easier than editing video—tweak the brightness, add a vignette effect, throw on a filter (or three), and you’ve got a photo worth sharing with others. By comparison, digital video requires a degree of timing and skill to assemble disparate shots into a cohesive whole.Such is the challenge for creators of video editing software: Take something inherently complicated and make it easy enough for anyone to do. Is it really possible to toss random clips onto a timeline and let artificial intelligence assemble them into a slick presentation? Not quite, but we’re inching closer to that goal.Smart tags On the surface, the video editing workflow in Adobe Premiere Elements 2020 remains unchanged since last year’s release. Like sister app Photoshop Elements for images, there are three methods for editing videos: Quick, designed to trim clips or hastily assemble a timeline from multiple videos; Guided, which walks users step-by-step through the entire process; and Expert, which offers freeform editing with more advanced tools but none of the guidance.To read this article in full, please click here
- Google's latest messaging service is basically DMs for PhotosGoogle is rolling out a new messaging service for sharing, liking, and commenting on photos inside the Photos app.
- Sony firmware update adds AirPlay 2 and Homekit to some 2018 and 2019 TV modelsBack in January at CES, several TV manufacturers announced their intent to support both HomeKit and AirPlay 2 on some of their current and upcoming TVs. Most of the announced products have now either shipped or had firmware updates to add the necessary support, but Sony has been a little slower than LG, Vizio, or Samsung.On Tuesday, Sony is rolling out firmware updates for several TV lines that run Android TV, upgrading them to Android 9 Pie. The update adds several new features, including Dolby Atmos support, and of course HomeKit and AirPlay 2 support.To read this article in full, please click here
- Live-streamed Billie Eilish concert to cap Apple’s year-end app, game, and music awardsApple has expanded its annual year-end awards this year to include Apple Music artists, and to celebrate, one of the biggest performers of the year is giving a free concert.On Wednesday, December 4 at 6:30 p.m. Pacific, Billie Eilish will give “a bespoke performance” at the Steve Jobs Theater, which will be streamed live on Apple Music. Apple says the show “will be unlike anything ever seen from this unanimously crowned Artist of the Year.” Apple routinely features popular artists during its product launches, but this is the first time it’s live-streamed a concert from the Apple Park campus. The annual iTunes/Apple Music Festival, which featured performances by Elton John, Chance the Rapper, and Coldplay, was held at various venues around the work before its 2017 cancellation.To read this article in full, please click here
- ‘Servant’ review: A deliciously creepy thriller that creeps alongServant is a show that makes you question what is real and what is not, and a show that might make you suspicious of people you live with and even love. Does the educated, professional woman it shows us truly believe the obvious falsehood before her, or does she embrace it solely because it makes her happy? Are spooky shenanigans really afoot, or do the protagonists have a relatively workaday crisis on their hands? For that matter, you might find yourself thinking, is there anyone in this world who’s not utterly awful?All of which is to say that Servant is a perfect show for our times. That’s said with tongue firmly planted in cheek, but there’s plenty of evidence that producer (and sometime director) M. Night Shyamalan wants Servant to be exactly that. Every scene of this extremely watchable creepshow suggests that it’s dying to say so many things.To read this article in full, please click here
- FontExplorer X Pro 7 review: Helpful tools to find the font you needWhile an up-to-date font management utility is a necessary tool for creative professionals, version 7 of FontExplorer X Pro adds features that make it appealing to any Mac user who wants to explore their font collection. In addition to the arsenal of useful features and tools in previous versions, version 7 adds helpful and educational features, such as automatic classification of your fonts by style, suggested usage, or theme, as well as the ability to show you similar fonts, and to show you fonts that pair well with a selected font.To read this article in full, please click here
- Fluance RT85 turntable review: A great-sounding turntable for the vinyl enthusiast on a budgetYou'd typically need to spend hundreds more to get the upgrades and performance in Fluance's budget-priced turntable.
- How to add trusted phones to your Apple ID two-factor authenticationThe two-factor authentication (2FA) system Apple developed to protect access to your Apple ID account and associated purchases and the ability to make purchases has safeguards in place to make sure that you shouldn’t easily lose access to your account even if you lose one piece of the authentication puzzle.When you enroll in 2FA, all Macs, iPhones, and iPads logged into the same Apple ID become “trusted devices,” capable of letting you approve access from a given location and then receiving the code that you must enter to complete a log in when setting up a device, setting up store access, or accessing your account at the Apple ID site.To read this article in full, please click here
- Cherished traditions: Where are the iPhone production cut rumors?Looking at the calendar on the wall, The Macalope sees it’s December and if you’ve paid attention all these years you know that it’s time once again for the inevitable reports that Apple is cutting iPhone orders.This is the moment The Macalope trains for every year. He hydrates. He lifts. He does squat lunges.So many squat lunges.He’s not really sure why he does squat lunges. They have literally nothing to do with writing about Apple’s iPhone pipeline. The hydration, sure. But squat lunges? Makes no sense.Anyway, let’s do this! Time to start the annual loose rumor-based speculation! It’s tradition!Here we go!“JPMorgan raises iPhone sales estimates.”To read this article in full, please click here
Wired
- Melting Ski Resorts Have a Snow Machine ProblemThe changing climate is warming the slopes, forcing resorts to turn to snow-generating beasts that take a heavy environmental toll.
- A Remote Tanzanian Village Logs Onto the InternetThe Danish company Bluetown installed a hot spot in Sagara B, with download speeds fast enough for Netflix and for local life to change.
- Billie Eilish's Van Halen Knowledge Tops This Week's Internet News RoundupSome folks online got pretty upset about this. Van Halen did not. Also, the impeachment hearings continue apace.
- Elon Musk's ‘Pedo Guy’ Trial, Uber’s Crime Report, and More Car News This WeekPlus, the Air Force 3D prints parts for old planes, flying car execs consider the little people, and self-driving cars learn about selfish humans.
- The New Port of 'Halo: Reach' Is a Renaissance for the SeriesThe version for PC, part of the Master Chief Collection, is full of color and foreign, cosmic wonder.
- 14 Great Gifts for Mom (2019): Gift Ideas for the Mother in Your LifeMothers come in all types, but these are our favorite picks for the WIRED mom in your life.
- France Plans a Revolution to Rein in the Kings of Big TechCédric O, the French digital affairs minister, says taxes are just a start; future moves could ban acquisitions or make companies share data with rivals.
- The Safari Browser Settings You Should Tweak Right nowGet the most out of your Safari browsing on iOS and macOS with these tips and tricks.
- What Your Klout Score Really MeansYour Klout score is gaining in importance: A high one might bring perks, but a low one could dash your career dreams.
- ‘Randomizers’ Are Breathing New Life Into Old GamesA small but growing community in the retro emulation scene is using a class of mods and hacks to revamp the classics.
- 3D Printing Can Keep Aging Air Force Aircraft FlyingAnd the military wants you—to help it make spare parts for decades-old B-52 bombers and other planes.
- Space Photos of the Week: What the Parker Solar Probe Will See Once It Reaches the SunImages from Parker's predecessors show us what it'll see once it arrives at the Sun.
- Why the iPhone 11 Tracks Your Location Even When You Tell It Not ToRussian disinformation, a VC hack, vulnerable VPNs, and more are in the week’s top security news.
- 20 Gifts for Xbox One Owners: Games, Controllers, Headsets, and MoreFrom the Master Chief Collection to Microsoft's Adaptive Controller, these gift ideas will make any Xbox fan happy.
- 20 Best Gifts for Dad (2019): Gift Ideas for the Father in Your LifeDads are almost impossible to shop for but don't worry, there's bound to be something here in our list of gifts for dad that he'll love.
- How Deepfakes Scramble Our Sense of True and FalseArtificial intelligence enables more realistic—but fictitious—images and sounds. Researchers are racing to develop better detection tools.
- The CW's 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' Puts a Gen X Headlock on Superhero TVThe crossover event will tie together multiple stories while HBO's Watchmen is redefining the meaning of superheroes—just like their comics did in the 1980s.
- Elon Musk Wins in Defamation Suit by British DiverThe verdict in favor of the Tesla CEO capped a four-day trial in Los Angeles over insults Musk tweeted in 2018.
- Uber's Alarming Crime Report, T-Mobile's 5G Test, and More NewsCatch up on the most important news from today in two minutes or less.
- Bernie Sanders Says Internet Service Should be a Human RightThe Vermont senator and presidential candidate proposed a $150 billion plan to expand broadband, including regulating rates for internet service.
Tech World
- DeepMind founder Mustafa Suleyman leaves indefinitelyDeepMind's cofounder and head of applied artificial intelligence, Mustafa Suleyman, has abruptly left the company for an indefinite period
- UK government launches £10 million Edtech strategyEducation secretary, Damian Hinds, wants schools across the UK to “take advantage of all of the opportunities available through Edtech” in the government's new strategy
- John Lewis Partnership selects four startups to reduce plastic wasteThe partnership will join hands with four UK startups as it hopes to reduce plastic waste as part of its retail tech initiative, JLAB
- Latest Facebook news and announcements
- Uber's most notable news and announcementsAll the details on Uber's biggest announcements as well as updates on the controversial company's trials and tribulations
- Trainline launches AI disruption alerts for Google AssistantThe coach and rail journey app has launched a new AI voice app for automated disruption alerts
- What is Hdac? Blockchain tech advert scores on World Cup TVHere is some insight into the first ever blockchain advert
- Tech that will change banking and the way we save
- New and upcoming tech IPOsHere are the tech companies that are planning to launch on the stock market this year
- Techworld unveils the techies 2018 winnersThe winners were revealed at a glitzy party in Shoreditch on 22 February
- KRACK Wi-Fi flaw: What you should knowSeveral fundamental weaknesses have been exposed in the most common Wi-Fi security protocols.
- GitHub on the hunt for a new diversity leadGitHub is holding its annual 'Universe' conference in San Francisco this week.
- Quiz: Can you answer these 8 questions about Elon Musk?How much do you actually know about Elon Musk?
- Java 9: Release date and new featuresJava Development Kit (JDK) 9 has now been released!
- 15 things we learned during Facebook's 2017 F8 conference
- the techies 2017 awards in pictures
- the techies 2017 winners - GoCardless, Splunk and Wayra among winnersGoCardless, Moneybox, Addison Lee and Genius Hub were among the big winners at the techies last night, Techworld's annual awards to celebrate innovation, disruption and entrepreneurship across the UK technology scene.
- UK could lose 30,000 fintech jobs after 'hard Brexit'Ireland, Malta, Denmark, Cyprus, Sweden and Luxembourg are all cited as locations fintech firms may move to if the UK loses 'passporting' rights.
- Quiz: How much do you know about Google DeepMind?Take our Google DeepMind quiz and see if you're smarter than a robot...
- Fintech sector fears further talent shortages post-BrexitSome of the best and brightest from London's booming fintech scene came together to discuss the potential impact of Brexit this week, and access to talent was the most pressing concern.
Nature
- Science publishers review ethics of research on Chinese minority groups
- Storing data at the speed of light
- Daily briefing: Sounds of life revitalize reefs
- What the United Kingdom’s ‘Brexit election’ means for science
- A cancer that strikes small children is traced to the embryo
- Margarita Salas (1938–2019)
- The perks of actively contributing to a society
- Working Scientist podcast: The PhD thesis and how to boost its impact
- Two of the biggest US earthquake faults might be linked
- Daily briefing: Climate-change models stand the test of time
- ‘Stomach-ache’ neurons rush to the rescue when bacteria invade
- Expensive treatments for genetic disorders are arriving. But who should foot the bill?
- Fighting fire with science
- c-Jun overexpression in CAR T cells induces exhaustion resistance
- Electrons in graphene go with the flow
- Gene Therapy Arrives
- Additive manufacturing of ultrafine-grained high-strength titanium alloys
- Accretion of a giant planet onto a white dwarf star
- Tiny pores trap a pollutant — and put it to good use
- Frontal cortex neuron types categorically encode single decision variables
- The molecular landscape of ETMR at diagnosis and relapse
- Chinese universities with military ties classed as ‘risky’ collaborators
- A step closer to the Sun’s secrets
- Sun-bombing spacecraft uncovers secrets of the solar wind
- Gene therapy is facing its biggest challenge yet
- Daily briefing: An assumption borrowed from physics is breaking economics
- RGF1 controls root meristem size through ROS signalling
- Podcast: Genomic sequencing and the source of solar winds
- Curing What Ails Us
- To fix research assessment, swap slogans for definitions
- All of Us
- The GenomeAsia 100K Project enables genetic discoveries across Asia
- Alfvénic velocity spikes and rotational flows in the near-Sun solar wind
- Light-driven anaerobic microbial oxidation of manganese
- When I left, you did not ask me to stay
- Parker probe kicks off a golden age for solar exploration
- 23 and Baby
- Probing the energetic particle environment near the Sun
- Observation of the exceptional-point-enhanced Sagnac effect
- The integrative biology of type 2 diabetes
- Malaria cases are falling worldwide
- Designer alloy enables 3D printing of fine-grained metals
- Visualizing Poiseuille flow of hydrodynamic electrons
- Regulation of α-synuclein by chaperones in mammalian cells
- Near-Sun observations of an F-corona decrease and K-corona fine structure
- The Power of Spheres
- Developmental ROS individualizes organismal stress resistance and lifespan
- Key role for CTCF in establishing chromatin structure in human embryos
- Space-funding hike, ‘risky’ collaborations and a novichok ban
- Non-Hermitian ring laser gyroscopes with enhanced Sagnac sensitivity
- Highly structured slow solar wind emerging from an equatorial coronal hole
- Food for thought about manipulating gut bacteria
- Women from some under-represented minorities are given too few talks at world’s largest Earth-science conference
- From the archive
- Climate change splits two penguin species into winners and losers
- Daily briefing: The unpublished CRISPR-babies papers
- Crack down on genomic surveillance
- Climate talks must chart an equitable path to net-zero emissions
- Did a million years of rain jump-start dinosaur evolution?
- Life on a higher plane
- NASA images reveal crashed Indian Moon lander
- Brain’s reward region helps to supply resilience in the face of stress
- Carbon markets shape agenda at UN climate summit
- Daily briefing: Authors of five seminal HIV/AIDS papers tell what happened next
- Glacier monitoring tracks progress in limiting climate change
- A picture is worth a thousand base pairs
- Power of connection: why the Russia–Europe gas trade is strangely untouched by politics
- Groundwater: a call to action
- Reptiles known as ‘living rocks’ show surprising cognitive powers
- European space windfall will fast-track science missions
- Targeted stem-cell attack could make transplants safer
- Pastcast: The first issue of Nature
- Daily briefing: Black hole is ‘impossibly’ massive
- Novichok nerve agents banned by chemical-weapons treaty
- Daily briefing: “We are in a state of planetary emergency”
Science Daily
- Closing critical gap in weather forecastingScientists working on the next frontier of weather forecasting are hoping that weather conditions 3-to-4 weeks out will soon be as readily available as seven-day forecasts. Having this type of weather information--called subseasonal forecasts--in the hands of the public and emergency managers can provide the critical lead time necessary to prepare for natural hazards like heat waves or the next polar vortex.
- Dramatic health benefits following air pollution reductionReductions in air pollution yielded fast and dramatic impacts on health-outcomes, as well as decreases in all-cause morbidity, according to new findings.
- Electronic map reveals 'rules of the road' in superconductorUsing a clever technique that causes unruly crystals of iron selenide to snap into alignment, physicists have drawn a road map that reveals the quantum ''rules of the road'' that electrons must follow in the enigmatic superconductor.
- Study debunks notion that C-section would increase risk of obesity in the childWomen who have C-sections are no more likely to have children who develop obesity than women who give birth naturally, according to a large study. The findings contradict several smaller studies that did find an association between C-section deliveries and offspring obesity but did not consider the numerous maternal and prenatal factors that the researchers did in this study.
- New ultra-miniaturized scope less invasive, produces higher quality imagesJohns Hopkins engineers have created a new lens-free ultra-miniaturized endoscope, the size of a few human hairs in width, that is less bulky and can produce higher quality images.
- Nanocontainer ships titan-size gene therapies and drugs into cellsScientists report they have created a tiny, nanosize container that can slip inside cells and deliver protein-based medicines and gene therapies of any size -- even hefty ones attached to the gene-editing tool called CRISPR.
- New kind of soft elastic material has medical and technological applicationsGel-like materials have a wide range of applications, especially in chemistry and medicine. However, their usefulness is sometimes limited by their inherent random and disordered nature. Researchers have found a way to produce a new kind of gel which overcomes this limitation. It is still malleable and adaptable like existing gels, but it has a more ordered structure, which can open up a new range of possible uses in various fields.
- Gamma-ray laser moves a step closer to realityA physicist has performed calculations showing hollow spherical bubbles filled with a gas of positronium atoms are stable in liquid helium. The calculations take scientists a step closer to realizing a gamma-ray laser.
- Reduced soil tilling helps both soils and yieldsBy monitoring crops through machine learning and satellite data, scientists have found farms that till the soil less can increase yields of corn and soybeans and improve the health of the soil -- a win-win for meeting growing food needs worldwide.
- Simple experiment explains magnetic resonancePhysicists have designed an experiment to explain the concept of magnetic resonance. A versatile technique employed in chemistry, physics, and materials research, magnetic resonance describes a resonant excitation of electron or atomic nuclei spins residing in a magnetic field by means of electromagnetic waves.
- Novel way to ID disease-resistance genes in chocolate-producing trees foundChocolate-producing cacao trees that are resistant to a major pathogen were identified by an international team of plant geneticists. The findings point the way for plant breeders to develop trees that are tolerant of the disease.
- Current treatment for fungal meningitis is fueling drug resistanceA common first-line treatment approach for cryptococcal meningitis in low-income countries is being compromised by the emergence of drug resistance, new research warns. The findings highlight the need to develop new drugs and treatment regimens for the lethal brain infection, which kills around 180,000 people each year.
- Link between vitamin A and brain response in Monarch butterfliesBiologists are making strides in understanding biological clock function in several model organisms and translating these studies into broader implications for human health.
- Empowering mucosal healing with an engineered probioticResearchers developed a living material approach that uses a strain of genetically engineered E.coli Nissle bacteria as a locally acting probiotic. The engineered bacteria produce a network of nanofibers that directly binds to mucus to fill inflamed areas like a patch, shielding them from gut microbes and environmental factors. This probiotic-based therapeutic strategy protected mice against the effects of colitis induced by a chemical agent and promoted mucosal healing.
- Dial-a-frog -- researchers develop the 'FrogPhone' to remotely call frogs in the wildResearchers have developed the 'FrogPhone', a novel device which allows scientists to call up a frog survey site and monitor them in the wild. The FrogPhone is the world's first solar-powered remote survey device that relays environmental data to the observer via text messages, whilst conducting real-time remote acoustic surveys over the phone.
- Scientists use crabs to validate popular method to identify unknown human brain neuronsA crab's nervous system could help scientists learn what causes single neurons in the human brain to become 'out of whack,' which can contribute to the development of neurological diseases like Alzheimer's disease. Knowing exactly how a single neuron operates among the billions housed in the human brain could one day help scientists design innovative ways to prevent and treat these diseases, such as targeted therapies.
- Infant morbidity decreases with incentive-based prenatal tobacco interventionsA new study reveals a significant reduction in NICU (up to 55%) and preterm births due to incentive-based programs implemented to help low-income pregnant women stop smoking cigarettes. Colorado saved over 4 million dollars in healthcare costs by providing these programs and has an opportunity to save 16 million. The issue is critical because smoking in the third trimester of pregnancy is three to four times higher among women who live in poverty.
- Island 'soundscapes' show potential for evaluating recovery of nesting seabirdsAn important tool for monitoring seabird populations involves acoustic sensors deployed at nesting sites to record sounds over long periods of time. But analysis of the recordings to identify and count the calls of different species can be time-consuming, even with computers and artificial intelligence. An alternative approach is to evaluate all of the sounds in an environment as a 'soundscape', using features such as acoustic diversity, complexity, and intensity as indicators of ecosystem health.
- How do you cultivate a healthy plant microbiome?Crops today never see their parents' microbiome, so how do they develop a leaf microbial community that's healthy and resistant to invasion by pathogens? Biologists sequenced the microbiomes of tomatoes through four generations and saw three-quarters of the bacteria disappear, leaving a core community that proved resistant to random invaders. The findings show it's possible to cultivate a robust plant microbiome, and suggests that probiotic additions could survive on crops, providing lasting benefits.
- 'Conductor' gene found in plant root stem cell 'orchestra'Researchers lift the veil on the 'conductor' plant root stem cell gene that helps orchestrate and coordinate stem cell division of different root stem cell types, ensuring the harmonic communication necessary for plant growth and maintenance.
- 'Junk DNA' affects inherited cancer riskA person's risk of developing cancer is affected by genetic variations in regions of DNA that don't code for proteins, previously dismissed as 'junk DNA', according to new research. This new study shows that inherited cancer risk is not only affected by mutations in key cancer genes - known as oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes - but that variations in the DNA that controls the expression of these genes can also drive the disease.
- Tick box questionnaire could significantly improve esophageal cancer survival ratesA simple health questionnaire could be a highly effective tool to pre-screen people for early signs of esophageal cancer, enabling much earlier diagnosis and treatment, finds a new study.
- Long-term study finds faster breast cancer radiation treatment as effective as long courseApproximately half of the patients were randomly assigned whole breast radiation, delivered once per day over 3 to 5 weeks. The other half received external beam APBI which was given twice a day over 5 to 8 days. The study was long-term, with a median followup of 8.6 years.
- BPA levels in humans dramatically underestimatedResearchers have developed a more accurate method of measuring bisphenol A (BPA) levels in humans and found that exposure to the endocrine-disrupting chemical is far higher than previously assumed. The study provides the first evidence that the measurements relied upon by regulatory agencies, including the US Food and Drug Administration, are flawed, underestimating exposure levels by as much as 44 times.
- Quarter of Californian adults live in a household with a gun, poll indicatesOne in four adults in California lives in a household with a gun, including around 1 in 7 (14%) who personally own a firearm, suggest the results of a survey.
- Study seeks to answer whether effects of 'abortion pill' can be reversedWomen who initiate medical abortion but opt to stop in the middle of treatment may be at risk for serious blood loss, a study finds. Researchers found this is true even for women who use an experimental treatment that claims to 'reverse' the effects of the abortion pill. The study provides important insights into the safety of using high doses of progesterone during early pregnancy to try to stop a medical abortion.
- Assistance during first years of biology major leads to higher retention of first-gen studentsAssistance during the first years of a biology major leads to higher retention of first-generation students.
- As China rapidly adopts clean energy, use of traditional stoves persistsOld habits are hard to break. A new study of replacement of traditional wood and coal burning stoves with clean energy in China suggests that, without a better understanding of the reasons behind people's reluctance to give up traditional stoves, it will be difficult for policies in China and elsewhere in the world to succeed in encouraging this shift towards clean energy.
- Artificial cells act more like the real thingProtocells -- artificial cells -- that are active and mimic living cells by moving independently and that are biocompatible and enzymatically active are now possible using an improved method.
- 'Buildings' in human bone may hold key to stronger 3D-printed lightweight structuresThe discovery of how a 'beam' in human bone material handles a lifetime's worth of wear and tear could translate to the development of 3D-printed lightweight materials that last long enough for more practical use in buildings, aircraft and other structures.
- Open source EEG visualization toolResearchers have developed a free open source computer program that can be used to create visual and quantitative representations of brain electrical activity in laboratory animals in hopes of developing countermeasures for opioid use disorder.
- Cellphone distraction linked to increase in head injuriesHead and neck injuries incurred while driving or walking with a cellphone are on the rise -- and correlates with the launch of the iPhone in 2007 and release of Pokémon Go in 2016, a new study found.
- NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission explains Asteroid Bennu's mysterious particle eventsShortly after NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft arrived at asteroid Bennu, an unexpected discovery by the mission's science team revealed that the asteroid could be active, or consistently discharging particles into space.
- Developing a digital twin of a vehicleIn the not too distant future, we can expect to see our skies filled with unmanned aerial vehicles delivering packages, maybe even people, from location to location. Researchers are developing 'digital twins' that combine computational models and machine learning to predict vehicle health and enable autonomous decision-making at the edge.
- Recycling nutrient-rich industrial waste products enhances soil, reduces carbonRecycling biotechnology byproducts can enhance soil health while reducing carbon emissions and maintaining crop yields.
- Behavioral interventions may be as effective at reducing food intake as anorectic drugsSimulations predict that behavioral interventions such as imposing strict no-food restrictions after meals can be as effective as strong anorectic drugs in reducing food intake in rodents, according to a study.
- Rats exchange information about danger in a reciprocal fashionRats exchange information about danger in a reciprocal fashion, and this information transfer is at least partially mediated by a brain region called the anterior cingulate cortex.
- Mobile devices blur work and personal privacy raising cyber risksOrganizations aren't moving quickly enough on cyber security threats linked to the drive toward using personal mobile devices in the workplace.
- Newly engineered peptide shows potential as long-acting anti-HIV drugA newly engineered peptide called IBP-CP24 has the potential to be further developed as a long-acting anti-HIV drug that can be used alone or in combination with a broad neutralizing antibody for the treatment and prevention of HIV-1 infection, according to a new study.
- Dull teeth, long skulls, specialized bites evolved in unrelated plant-eating dinosaursHerbivorous dinosaurs evolved many times during the 180 million-year Mesozoic era, and while they didn't all evolve to chew, swallow, and digest their food in the same way, a few specific strategies appeared time and time again. An investigation of the skulls of 160 non-avian dinosaurs revealed the evolution of common traits in the skulls and teeth of plant-eating members of otherwise very different families of these extinct reptiles.
- Nervous system doesn't merely detect Salmonella, it defends the body against itStudy in mice shows the nervous system not only detects the presence of Salmonella in the gut but actively stops the organism from infecting the body.
- Root of childhood kidney cancer discoveredA fundamental change in our understanding of the childhood kidney cancer Wilms' tumor is on the horizon, after the discovery of its earliest genetic root by scientists. By comparing genome sequences from normal kidney tissue and tumors, the team identified patches of normal-looking kidney tissue that in fact carried DNA changes that cause Wilms' tumor.
- Wildlife in tropics hardest hit by forests being broken upTropical species are six times more sensitive to forests being broken up for logging or farming than temperate species, says new research.
- Clinical study finds eating within 10-hour window may help stave off diabetes, heart diseaseResearchers have found that a 10-hour time-restricted eating intervention, when combined with traditional medications, resulted in weight loss, reduced abdominal fat, lower blood pressure and cholesterol for participants. The pilot study could lead to a new treatment option for metabolic syndrome patients who are at risk for developing life-altering and costly medical conditions such as diabetes.
- Three types of cells help the brain tell day from nightResearchers report the discovery of three cell types in the eye that detect light and align the brain's circadian rhythm to our ambient light. The study marks the first direct assessment in humans of light responses from these cells, called intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) -- and the implications for health are substantial.
- Taming chronic inflammation may reduce illness, save livesScientists are recommending early diagnosis, prevention and treatment of severe chronic inflammation to reduce the risk of chronic disease and death worldwide.
- Technique shows how individual cancer cells react to drugssci-Plex, a new cell-response screening method, pools genetically different cells and shows what happens to individual cells when the sample is treated, such as with cancer drugs. The technology collects information on changes in genetic expression in each labeled cell, providing data useful in exploring mechanisms triggered by drugs or other agents.
- Immune system can be coaxed into selecting key antibodies to fight HIVResearchers have cleared a major obstacle in the development of an HIV vaccine, proving in animal models that effective, yet short-lasting antibodies can be coaxed into multiplying as a fighting force against the virus.
- Bats may benefit from wildfireBats face many threats -- from habitat loss and climate change to emerging diseases, such as white-nose syndrome. But it appears that wildfire is not among those threats.
- Physical forces affect bacteria's toxin resistance, study findsA random conversation between two researchers at a child's birthday party led to a collaboration and new understanding of how bacteria resist toxins, which may lead to new tools in the fight against harmful infections.
- Next generation of CAR-T cells possibleA new approach to programing cancer-fighting immune cells called CAR-T cells can prolong their activity and increase their effectiveness against human cancer cells grown in the laboratory and in mice, according to a new study.
- Using green products leads to a warm glow in shoppersA new article suggests that spending some of that money on green products might make consumers feel quite a bit better about their purchases. The study looks at the so-called ''greenconsumption effect'' -- how using a green product creates a ''warm glow'' feeling in users -- and what it means for retailers in an increasingly eco-conscious marketplace.
- A solution for cleaning up PFAS, one of the world's most intractable pollutantsEngineers have developed a treatment train for a PFAS compound called HFPO-Dimer Acid, also known by its trade name, GenX.
- Can Arctic 'ice management' combat climate change?According to a much-debated geo-engineering approach, both sea-ice retreat and global warming could be slowed by using millions of wind-powered pumps, drifting in the sea ice, to promote ice formation during the Arctic winter.
- How flowers adapt to their pollinatorsThe first flowering plants originated more than 140 million years ago in the early Cretaceous. They are the most diverse plant group on Earth with more than 300,000 species. Evolutionary biologists have now analyzed 3-dimensional models of flowers and found that flower shapes can evolve in a modular manner in adaptation to distinct pollinators.
- First long-term estimates suggest link between cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease and strokeThe observational and modelling study which used individual-level data from almost 400,000 people extends existing research because it suggests that increasing levels of non-HDL cholesterol may predict long-term cardiovascular risk by the age of 75 years. Past risk estimates of this kind are based on 10-year follow-up data.
- Prenatal and early life exposure to multiple air pollutants increases odds of toddler allergiesA new article shows a significant association between multiple prenatal and early life exposures to indoor pollutants and the degree of allergic sensitivity in 2-year-olds.
- A momentous view on the birth of photoelectronsThe creation of photoelectrons through ionization is one of the most fundamental processes in the interaction between light and matter. Yet, deep questions remain about just how photons transfer their linear momentum to electrons. With the first sub-femtosecond study of the linear photon momentum transfer during an ionization process, physicists now provide unprecedented insight into the birth of photoelectrons.
- Scientists reliably predict people's age by measuring proteins in bloodProtein levels in people's blood can predict their age, a study has found. The study also found that aging isn't a smoothly continuous process.
- Damaging rains from hurricanes more intense after winds begin to subsideHowling wind drives torrential rain sideways as tall, slender palms bow and tree limbs snap. A hurricane approaches, its gale-force winds wreaking havoc as it nears the coast. Storm surges combine with the downpour, inundating the area with water.
Popular Mechanics
- How Do Magnets Work?Have you checked twitter today? Driven in a car? Binged a new show? Thank magnetism.
- Why Baseboard Heaters Are So Common in Old HomesForced air isn't the only way to heat a home.
- Mathematician Finds Easier Way to Solve Quadratic EquationsHere's the secret.
- This Seal Is Wearing a Data-Mining Hat for ScienceFashionable and functional.
- Carjackers’ Plan Foiled Because They Can't Drive StickIn case you needed another reason to buy a car with a manual transmission.
- This Software Shows You Exactly How Different Animals View the WorldFinally, see how Spot sees.
- Here's What Happens When You Hit a Speed Bump at High SpeedFor when you don't see those speed bumps down the road.
- DARPA's Next-Gen Environmental Suits Could Be Inspired by Shark SkinExisting protection suits are less than user-friendly.
- Scientists Crack Longest, Most Complex Encryption Key EverIt took a total computing time of 35 million hours.
- The Mandalorian Takes a Sharp Turn Down Nostalgia LaneAnd returns to a familiar hive of scum and villainy.
- Some of Our Favorite New Strategy Board Games Are 50% off TodayThis Amazon daily deal arrives at the perfect time for holiday gifts.
- What Is a Polar Vortex? The Frigid Weather Pattern ExplainedThe wintry weather pattern is back again, threatening to hit the U.S. with an especially bitter winter in 2019.
- The Tantalizing Promise of Blue EnergyAfter years of fits and starts, scientists have generated electricity from river delta churn. So what now?
- This Archipelago Saved an Entire Species of Reindeer From ExtinctionIt's a holiday miracle.
- This Electric Eel Can Light Up A Christmas TreeWho needs power when you have an electric eel to light up your Christmas tree?
- The Best Space Heaters for Warming Up the Office, Garage, or HomeWe took the heat to find the best appliance for you.
- Home Brewing Is Hard. Space Brewing Is Harder.Budweiser just sent seeds for its suds up to the ISS.
- Plastic Can Walk on its Own NowLook at it go!
- Ancient Drunk Gorillas Are the Reason You Can Tolerate Booze TodayThree cheers for our belligerent ape ancestors.
- 55 Years Ago Today, an Explosion Toppled an ICBM’s WarheadThe incident was one of a handful of “Broken Arrow” incidents reported by the U.S. Military.
- How to Know When You Need Snow TiresIf you're wondering what temperatures and conditions justify winter tires, here's a good explanation.
- How a New York City Roaster Is Putting Nicaraguan Coffee on the MapFrom high-altitude slopes of Central America to boutique cafés in NYC, César Vega coaxes unique flavors from a mountain of beans.
- 6 Reasons A Leatherman is the Ultimate Camping ToolA versatile multi-tool is a must-have for any outdoor adventure.
- Why the Pentagon Says It Needs Low-Yield NukesThe military thinks a smaller bomb is essential for deterring—and fighting—adversaries.
- What We Just Learned About the Sun from the Fastest Spacecraft EverThe first data from this probe's encounter with the sun is incredibly illuminating—and pretty damn puzzling.
- That Time a Scientist Left Plans for the Hydrogen Bomb in a Train BathroomWhoopsie.
- Why Electric Cars Aren't Great for Towing...YetThey can pull, but they can't do it for long.
- Breathe Easier With One of These 10 Best HumidifiersAn evaporative or ultrasonic humidifier will defend you from winter’s cold, dry air.
- How to Convert a School Bus to a RVBuses are simple, cheap, and durable. Now start building your tiny house on wheels.
- Ford Is Making Car Parts from McDonald's Coffee WasteMight as well do something with all that chaff.
- The World's Greatest Flight Simulator Is for F-35 Pilots OnlyThe Distributed Mission Training simulator connects F-35 fighter pilots from around the world.
- Why Birds Are Getting SmallerAnd why their wings are getting bigger.
- Craigslist Has an App NowCheap-car shoppers rejoice.
- The U.S. Army Is Making Ear Protection for Its Very Good BoysMilitary dogs are prized for their hearing—but loud noises can be a problem.
- The 2020 Sci-Fi Film GuideHeadless knights, deep space missions, and a desperate struggle on Arrakis.
- Pablo Escobar's Brother Made a Folding Phone for Some ReasonWhat a time.
- The 8 Best Christmas Tree Stands for the HolidaysBecause the perfect tree is nothing if it doesn’t stay upright.
- Photon-Boosted Lasers Could Carve Out Cancer Like a ScalpelIt's all about the precision.
- Someone Just Found 30 Vintage Jaguars in an Old GreenhouseA good number of the cars are apparently E-Types.
- The U.S. Navy Signs Up for 9 New Nuclear SubmarinesThese nine submarines, eight of which will be new Block V Virginia-class submarines, is the Navy's largest warship building deal ever.
- One of Our Favorite Commuter Bags Is Still on Sale TodayAmazon’s Cyber Monday deals aren’t over just yet.
- The Coldest Chemical Reaction in the Known Universe Just HappenedWhat's cooler than being cool? Ultracold.
- Archeologists Accidentally Stumble Upon 1,000-Year-Old Ship Buried on a Norwegian FarmThanks to ground-penetrating radar and some spare time, a team of archaeologists accidentally discovered a ship from either the Viking or Merovingian period.
- Scientists Spot Rare Minimoon MeteorTurns out our moon isn't the only moon circling Earth. Dun dun duuuuun.
- Look at This Very Good, Very Old BoyResearchers found the 18,000-year-old puppy in permafrost with fur, whiskers, and teeth intact.
- Could Civilian Satellites Provide a GPS Backup in Wartime?The plan could turn civilian satellite constellations into targets, a plan satellite owners might not like.
- The Best Way to Save Dying Coral Reefs: Bring Out the LoudspeakersScientists attracted fish with underwater jams—sadly, not Phish—and they surprisingly stuck around.
- Spain Captures First Known 'Narcosub' to Cross the AtlanticThe capture confirms suspicions that “narcosubs” are making the dangerous crossing from South America to Europe.
- That Time a Couple Bought an Iconic Bond Car for $100—Then Sold It to Elon Musk for $1 MillionThe Lotus Esprit S1 inspired Tesla's new Cybertruck.
- What Happens When You Cryogenically Freeze a Car BatteryThe energy capacity doesn't change—but this does.
- Your House on Mars Will Probably Be Stocked with IKEA FurnitureMaybe it'll be easier to assemble in space.
- College Student Solves 100-Year-Old Physics ProblemThe century-long bubble mystery, popped.
- Typhoons, Cyclones, and Hurricanes: Naming the World's Most Powerful StormsWhat's behind the names of the world's most powerful storms?
- Amazon’s Best Cyber Monday Deals on Tech, Tools, Toys, and MoreAmazon offers some of the biggest deals on the last day of the long Black Friday weekend.
- Bugatti Chiron Noire: A Budget-Friendly SupercarIf you call $3.3 million "budget friendly," that is.
- Buy a New Samsung Galaxy Smartphone and Amazon Will Throw in Free HeadphonesThe giant e-tailer cut $550 off the Samsung Galaxy S10 and Note 10 with over-ear headphones for Cyber Monday.
- An Alarmingly Deep Dive Into the Science of Baby YodaWe talked to eight actual scientists to find the answers. This is a cry for help.
- The Best Cyber Monday Deals on Tech, Tools, Outdoor Gear, and MoreIt’s your last chance to save big before the holidays.
- Early Asteroid Impacts Could Have Spurred Today's Tectonic ActivityA new study links a slew of extra-terrestrial impacts millions of years ago to our planet’s most unique feature—plate tectonics.
- Should You Warm Up Your Car When It's Cold?The long-held notion that you should let your car idle in the cold is only true for carbureted engines. But you still might need to wait a while before driving off in subzero temps.
- The 25 Best Tower Defense GamesBuild those structures. Keep them from harm. Collect that loot. Repeat.
- 28 Documentaries You Should Stream on NetflixAlready tired of holiday movies? We’ve got a documentary for you.
- 13 Mythical Creatures, RankedDid your favorite make the list?
- 50 Great Gadget and Gear Gifts for the HolidaysWhether you’re looking for new tech, tools, or outdoor gear, this guide has you covered.
- The 25 Best Sci-Fi Movies on Netflix Right NowRouge robots, deep space planets, and a voice assistant love story.
- 7 Amazing Facts About the Speedy CheetahWhat do you know about the world's fastest land mammal?
- The Best Multitools for Every SituationInnovative and inventive multitools to cut, tighten, loosen, open, or twist whatever problem crops up.
- REI's Top 16 Deals on Outdoor Gear This WeekSave on Cyber Monday specials, plus take an extra 25 percent off at REI Outlet.
- The 16 Scientific Moments That Defined 2019A lot of science happened this year. Here are the moments and discoveries that amazed us.
- The Best Video Game the Year You Were BornFrom Oregon Trail to Overwatch, these are the games we grew up on.
- 35 Big Machines That Changed the World In Big WaysTheir huge size is only outdone by their huge importance.
- The 25 Coolest Shipwrecks In the WorldGrab your scuba gear, because we're about to go deep—unless you suffer from thalassophobia.
- 7 Amazing Facts About Jaguars, One of the World's Coolest CatsThe big cats are among the fiercest apex predators in the world.
- The 25 Best Action GamesLooking for high-octane thrills? Look no further.
- Our Gear Editors Found the Best Black Friday Tech DealsSave on TVs, wireless earbuds, smart home devices, gaming equipment, and more.
- From Model T to Model 3: How Driving Changed Over a CenturyA century of four-wheeled mobility.
- 25 Great Games Like MinecraftNo Creepers were harmed during the creation of this list.
- The Best Christmas Lights, Tested By Real PeopleSelecting the right lights is an important part of the holiday—even if you're not Clark Griswold.
- The 25 Best PC GamesYour next adventure is a click of the mouse away.
- The Best Black Friday Deals on ToolsEquipment can be expensive. But around this time of year, maybe a little—and in the case of some of these sales, a lot—less so.
- 20 Questions We Have for the 2020sWill this decade continue to shatter scientific barriers? Will we figure out nuclear fusion? Will we finally identify UFOs? Many questions remain.
- Eight Battery Packs to Keep Your Gadgets GoingWhen your smartphone’s battery can’t get you through the day, always have a back up plan.
- The 20 Best Gifts for The Mandalorian-Watching, Lightsaber-Toting Star Wars FansThose who love the original trilogy and those who love the new one will both find something in this selection.
- Our 20 Favorite Car Toys for KidsAnd they aren’t just your grandparents’ Hot Wheels (but yes, there are a couple of those).
- 12 Great Holiday Gifts for the Space Nerd in Your LifeIf they’re always looking upward, these picks will be sure to please.
- Google's Tour Builder Is a Great Way to Make Your Friends Hate YouNow you can create virtual tours of your annoying vacations.
- The 20 Best Robot Gifts for KidsThese gifts are sure to spark creativity and joy in the early engineer in your life.
- The 30 Best Time Travel Movies1.21 gigawatts of sci-fi greatness.
- 8 Ways to Power Your Home With Renewable EnergyPower your home, save money, and help the environment.
- 10 Things We Want to Leave Behind in the 2010sImagine the next decade without Facebook, flat-Earthers, and exploding phones. We feel better already.
- An error has occurred; the feed is probably down. Try again later.
Neuroscience
- Researchers develop open source EEG visualization toolA new open-source computer program can create visual and quantitative representations of neural activity in lab animals. Researchers hope others will utilize the program to help develop countermeasures for opioid use disorder.
- Dendrites filtering neuron’s excitementPurkinje cells can modulate and filter incoming signals. The findings shed new light on learning mechanisms within the cerebellum.
- First of its kind study seeks to answer whether effects of ‘abortion pill’ can be reversedWomen who use mifepristone for a medical abortion are at risk of severe hemorrhage if they do not complete the procedure with misoprostol, a new study reports.
- How gene mutation causes autism and intellectual disabilityGenetic mutations in Usp9X results in the brain growing fewer synapses during development. The mutation also causes hyperactivity and an increased risk of anxiety. The findings shed new light on the cause of autism and other intellectual disabilities.
- Study finds BPA levels in humans dramatically underestimatedA new method reveals BPA levels may be more than 44 times higher in humans than previously believed.
- Rats use same brain area as humans to empathize with othersReducing activity in the anterior cingulate decreases empathetic responses in rats. The data suggests an observer shares the emotions of others as it enables them to prepare for danger.
- Brain differences detected in children with depressed parentsThe right putamen, a brain area linked to reward, motivation, and feelings of pleasure, is smaller in children with a genetic risk factor for depression. Previous studies implicated reduced putamen volume with anhedonia, which is often associated with depression, suicidal behaviors, and psychosis.
- Controlling attention with brain wavesAttention can be boosted by using neurofeedback to increase alpha brainwaves.
- Coffee, nicotine and amphetamines activate ‘hot spots’ in the fetal brainEpisodic exposure to nicotine, caffeine, and amphetamines triggers malfunctions in the fetal brain, specifically affecting the development of the indusium griseum.
- Respiration key to increase oxygen in the brainBlood can bring more oxygen into the brains of mice following exercise as increased respiration increases oxygen levels in hemoglobin.
- Key brain region smaller in birth control pill usersA new neuroimaging study reveals women who take oral contraception have reduced hypothalamic volume compared to women who do not take the pill. Smaller hypothalamic volume was associated with increased negative emotions and depression risk.
- The gut may be involved in the development of multiple sclerosisIncreased levels of Smad7 in T-cells is linked to multiple sclerosis-like symptoms in mice. In the intestines, the T-cells were more frequently activated and migrated to the central nervous system, where they triggered inflammation. Similar activation was seen in human patients with multiple sclerosis. The findings provide further evidence that multiple sclerosis may start in the intestines and spread via the CNS.
Reuters Environment
- New Zealand met service issues thunderstorm warning for some parts after weekend floodsNew Zealand's meteorological service issued severe thunderstorm warnings for parts of New Zealand on Sunday after wild weather over the weekend caused flooding, road closures and landslides.
- Australian firefighters try to control bushfires ahead of hot daysFirefighters in eastern Australia used easing weather conditions on Sunday to bring bushfires under control ahead of forecast of soaring temperatures for next week.
- Dancing crowds protest in Madrid while climate leaders meetHundreds of people blocked one of Madrid's most emblematic streets on Saturday by dancing to demand action against climate change in what protesters dubbed civil disco-bedience.
- Fix climate crisis because Earth is all we've got, Physics Nobel prize winner saysFix the climate crisis and save the Earth, one of this year's Nobel laureates for physics urged on Saturday, saying the idea of humans escaping our planet to live in other solar systems was farfetched and unrealistic.
- Bankrupt PG&E reaches $13.5 billion settlement with California wildfire victimsCalifornia's bankrupt power producer PG&E Corp said on Friday it had reached a $13.5 billion settlement with victims of some of most devastating wildfires in the state's modern history.
- Giant fire near Sydney may burn for weeks as people struggle to breatheA giant bushfire on the edge of Sydney, which has blanketed the city in smoke causing a spike in respiratory illnesses and the cancellation of outdoor sports, will take weeks to control but will not be extinguished without heavy rains, firefighters said.
- Trump says U.S. will finalize new fuel efficiency rules next yearU.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his administration will finalize its rollback of Obama-era vehicle emissions standards next year and expected it would provoke a new legal challenge by California.
- U.S. EPA proposed biofuel blending requirements 'similar' to October plan - EPA officialThe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has delivered a proposal on biofuel blending requirements for 2020 to the White House Office of Management and Budget, an EPA official said on Friday.
- Trump takes aim at trickle-down toilets, faucetsPresident Donald Trump said on Friday he has directed his environmental regulators to find answers to what he said is a big problem - water-conserving showers, faucets and toilets.
- Trump administration sees partial waivers as potential fix in biofuel debate: sourcesThe Trump administration believes it can assuage farmer anger over its biofuels policy by agreeing to use more partial waivers for oil refineries, signaling a potential solution to a protracted battle between Big Corn and Big Oil, two key political constituencies in next year's presidential election, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
- Disappearing frontier: Alaska's glaciers retreating at record paceAlaska will soon close a year that is shaping up as its hottest on record, with glaciers in the "Frontier State" melting at record or near-record levels, pouring waters into rising global seas, scientists said after taking fall measurements.
- Activist Thunberg warns governments in Madrid that 'change is coming'Teen activist Greta Thunberg took her call for bold action to tackle climate change to a U.N. summit in Spain on Friday, warning world leaders that a growing youth-led protest movement meant they could no longer hide.
- Victoria Falls shrink to a trickle, feeding climate change fearsFor decades Victoria Falls, where southern Africa's Zambezi river cascade down 100 metres into a gash in the earth, have drawn millions of holidaymakers to Zimbabwe and Zambia for their stunning views.
- Thunberg says 'our voices' being heard but not translating into actionTeenage climate activist Greta Thunberg said on Friday the voices of climate strikers are being heard but politicians are still not taking action.
- New mining waste dam rules should not be retroactive, says review chiefNew global standards for mining waste dams should take into account the difficulties of making existing dams compliant, the chair of an independent panel of experts crafting the new rules said on Friday.
- Fears grow about Sydney after Australia fires merge into giant blazeBushfires fanned by winds combined into a single giant blaze north of Sydney late on Friday, blanketing Australia's biggest city in hazardous smoke, causing weekend sports games to be canceled and prompting calls for outdoor workers to stay home.
- Remembrance Lake: In Japan, climate change unravels 600 years of history held dearKiyoshi Miyasaka climbs the stone steps of his shrine, autumn leaves crunching under his feet. The Shinto priest, dressed in white, aims an orange leaf blower at a row of cobblestones and clears the path of fallen leaves.
- Europe must do more to protect its rivers and lakes: scientistsMore than 5,500 scientists have signed an open letter saying that Europe is facing a severe threat to its freshwater biodiversity and must do more to protect its rivers and lakes.
- Fires in the Amazon: a barrier to climate change up in smokeFire is not natural in the Amazon. Virgin rainforest, no matter how fierce the sun, is too wet to catch alight. If the forest burns it is almost always because of humans.
- Youth matches postponed in New South Wales as Australia bushfires rageAustralia's sports federations have postponed youth matches in New South Wales as firefighters battled to contain nearly 150 fires burning in the eastern state on Friday that have blanketed Sydney, the nation's biggest city, in hazardous smoke.
Nature
- Rice seed yields blood proteinHuman serum albumin from transgenic rice could ease shortages of donated blood.
- Max Planck Society opens South American outpostPartner institute in Buenos Aires will focus on neuroscience and drug development.
- Fetal gene screening comes to marketNon-invasive procedure could make prenatal testing easier, but it comes with ethical problems.
- European ban on stem-cell patents has a silver liningResearchers can work without fear of action over patent infringement.
- Antibody offers hope for multiple sclerosis treatmentPromising phase III trial paves the way for alemtuzumab approval.
- European court bans patents based on embryonic stem cellsFinal decision could stifle investment in developing therapies.
- No quick fix for Haiti choleraAs outbreak enters its second year, relief bodies move to roll out vaccine for the first time.
- Cloned human embryo makes working stem cellsResearchers begin to identify past problems with cloning technique.
- Renewable rubber hits the roadDeal between Amyris and Michelin highlights industry's hunt for a profitable niche.
- Draft guidelines for nanomedicine unveiledWith hundreds of nanoproducts currently being tested in humans, recommendations aim to safeguard trial participants.
- Bacteria encode secret messagesUndercover
- Texas prepares to fight for stem cellsEnthusiasm for unapproved treatments worries regulators.
- US plant scientists seek united frontAcademia and industry join forces to carve out ten-year plan.
- Biodefence since 9/11: The price of protectionSince the anthrax attacks in 2001, some $60 billion has been spent on biodefence in the United States. But the money has not bought quite what was hoped.
- Electrified bacterial filaments zap uraniumMechanism by which microbes scrub radioactive contamination revealed.
Physics World
- National Engineering & Construction Recruitment ExhibitionExhibition: 20 Apr 2018 - 21 Apr 2018, NEC, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
- Physicists beat Lorentz reciprocity for microwave transmissionNew device could boost telecommunications and be adapted for photonics
- Tales from a British physicist in JapanElizabeth Tasker details the good, the bad and the confusing of working as a physicist in Japan
- Tales from a British physicist in JapanElizabeth Tasker details the good, the bad and the confusing of working as a physicist in Japan
- Japan’s SuperKEKB set for first particle collisionsRevamped accelerator will soon be smashing electrons and positrons together
- Wood-based 'supermaterial' is stronger and tougher than steelNew material is made by compressing treated wood
- Three photons bind together to make a ‘molecule’ of lightTechnique could be used to create quantum-information systems
- Nuclear excitation by electron capture seen at long lastBreakthrough could lead to new type of energy source
- 9th Joint European Magnetic Symposia (JEMS)Conference: 3 Sep 2018 - 7 Sep 2018, Mainz, Germany. Organized by wikonect GmbH.
- Living in the Internet of Things and Cyber SecurityExhibition: 28 Mar 2018 - 29 Mar 2018, London, United Kingdom. Organized by The IET.
Christian Science Monitor
- Interstellar visitors open new window to the cosmosComet Borisov, the second known visitor from outside our solar system, heralds a new kind of astronomy: one where celestial bodies come to us.
- Climate change gets personal. Can one individual make a difference?While COP25 delegates negotiate international rules for the Paris climate agreement, we explore the role of the individual in climate action.
- In Jordan’s desert, ancient rock art finds modern defendersA project to safeguard ancient inscriptions and drawings in a desert valley is helping local Bedouins to draw connections to the past.
- ‘Property’ or ‘person’? How animal rights could open new moral frontier.Elephant in animal rights case waits for sanctuary, but an orangutan from Argentine zoo now lives in Florida. Advocates push for their personhood.
- Mini but mighty: How microbes make the worldA pair of studies published this week expand our understanding of the ocean’s tiniest organisms, underscoring the vital role of the mighty microbe.
- Shedding light on black holesOnce considered an improbable artifact of Einstein’s equations for general relativity, black holes are very real manifestations of how extremely massive objects can capture light itself.
- A physics Nobel for seeking our place in the universeThe Nobel Prize in physics goes to two exoplanet researchers and one cosmologist for launching a revolution in our perception of the cosmos.
- New 'moon king': Saturn passes Jupiter with 20-moon discoveryScientists have discovered 82 moons are orbiting Saturn, making it the planet with the most known moons. Jupiter previously held the title with 79.
- Elon Musk unveils latest Starship designed to go to MarsElon Musk showed off the newest space ship Saturday at the SpaceX’s rocket development site in the remote village of Boca Chica, Texas.
- Pitch perfect? How culture shapes the way you hear musicMusic is often called the universal language. But new research suggests that culture shapes how you hear music.
- Mars or bust: A comicSending humans to Mars is easy, except for the parts about getting there, landing safely, and surviving on the surface. That’ll take lots of science.
- Astronomers find water vapor on distant, temperate planetA pair of papers published this week argue that water vapor is present on K2-18 b, a temperate planet some 111 light-years from Earth.
- It’s ‘tangible’: How ‘Sharpiegate’ touches chord on scientific integrityThe uproar over presidential intrusion on weather forecasting centers around both concrete details and the bipartisan value of public safety.
- The ethics of stopping hurricanes: 3 questionsHurricane Dorian moved northward along the coast of North Carolina Friday as a Category 1 storm. Could a nuclear bomb stop it?
- Hawaii telescope team looks to Spain as protests continueWhile Hawaii's protested Mauna Kea is still the favored spot, the Thirty-Meter Telescope is now seeking a backup permit in Spain's Canary Islands.
- ‘It smells like gunpowder’: Astronauts tell of their time on the moon (audio)On the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, our reporter interviews two of the 12 astronauts to set foot on the moon. Listen to their stories.
- Apollo 11 at 50: How the moon landing changed the worldThe moon landing advanced science, boosted the U.S. in its global competition with the Soviet Union, and opened up the possibilities of space travel.
- Lunar landing quizTest your knowledge of lunar landing missions here.
- Mission Control opens to public 50 years after moon landingNASA's Johnson Space Center has recreated its Apollo-era Mission Control to evoke 1969. The exhibit, meticulously restored down to the tan carpeting and gray-green wallpaper, opens to the public June 28 in Houston.
- NASA to open moon rock samples sealed since Apollo missionsMoon rocks hold keys to the universe. Scientists have studied them to determine the age of the surfaces of Mars and Mercury, and established that Jupiter likely formed closer to the sun and later migrated outward.
Nanowerk
- Electronic map reveals 'rules of the road' in superconductorUsing a clever technique that causes unruly crystals of iron selenide to snap into alignment, physicists have drawn a road map that reveals the quantum 'rules of the road' that electrons must follow in the enigmatic superconductor.
- Microcavities save organic semiconductors from going darkResearchers found a way to keep these organic semiconductors from going dark. They used tiny sandwich structures of mirrors, called microcavities, to trap light and force it to interact with a layer of molecules, forming a new hybrid state, known as a polariton, that mixes light and matter.This approach could lead to brighter, more efficient LEDs, sensors and solar cells.
- A new view for glassesScientists used computer simulations to demonstrate how the dynamics of a glassy liquid can be predicted based on the local structural ordering at the atomic level. This work may lead to a deeper understanding of glass transition.
- Ultrafast x-ray opticsScientists have demonstrated a new micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) resonator. By using this device with a hard (higher energy) X-ray, scientists can now control how long the X-ray pulses are, down to 300 picoseconds long.
- Super nanoparticle superlatticesNanoparticle superlattices have properties that are different from both the individual particles and the bulk material. Ions and molecules called ligands bind particles together in these superlattices. New research shows how the ligands affect key structural and mechanical properties of the superlattices.
- Anticipation of regulatory needs for nanotechnology-enabled health productsThis new white paper, published by the European Commission, summarizes the major challenges associated with the regulation of the nano-enabled health products.
- Researchers discover potential key to extremely low-friction surfacesResearchers studied friction of a graphene step edge using atomic force microscopy.
- Smart, self-powered patch against corrosionResearchers are developing a smart patch that can cut huge amounts off the costs of rust.
- Freeze frame: Scientists capture atomic-scale snapshots of artificial proteinsScientists adapt microscopy technique to build and image peptoid nanosheets with unprecedented atomic precision.
- Paradoxical replacement tissue for medicineA material that thickens when you pull on it seems to contradict the laws of physics. However, the so-called auxetic effect is interesting for a number of applications. A new study shows how this amazing behavior can be improved - and even used to treat injuries and tissue damage.
- Mapping the energy transport mechanism of chalcogenide perovskite for solar energy useEngineers have characterized the thermal energy conversion mechanism in the lattice of an advanced nanomaterial called chalcogenide perovskite and demonstrated its tunability - important for its potential use in solar energy generation.
- Nanoengineering: The skills and tools making technology invisibleNanoengineering is a branch of engineering that exploits the unique properties of nanomaterials - their size and quantum effects - and the interaction between these materials, in order to design and manufacture novel structures and devices that possess entirely new functionality and capabilities, which are not obtainable by macroscale engineering. The book 'Nanoengineering: The Skills and Tools Making Technology Invisible' puts a spotlight on some of the scientists who are pushing the boundaries of technology and it gives examples of their work and how they are advancing knowledge one little step at a time.
- Novel material switches between electrically conducting and insulating statesApproach could inform the design of quantum materials platforms for future electronics.
- Metalens grows upResearchers have developed an all-glass, centimeter-scale metalens in the visible spectrum that can be manufactured using conventional chip fabrication methods.
- Bending an organic semiconductor can boost electrical flowSlightly bending semiconductors made of organic materials can roughly double the speed of electricity flowing through them and could benefit next-generation electronics such as sensors and solar cells.
- Diamonds in your devices: Powering the next generation of energy storageUsing conductive nanodiamond as electrode material in a water-based cell significantly increases its energy storage capacity.
- Towards high quality ZnO quantum dots prospective for biomedical applicationsScientists have moved a step closer to creating stable, high quality colloidal zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) for use in modern technologies and nanomedicine. Using advanced DNP-enhanced NMR spectroscopy they have clearly proved the superiority of the developed organometallic approach over the traditional sol-gel procedure both in terms of stability and the highly-ordered organic shell of the resulting ZnO QDs.
- Imaging technique gives catalytic 2D material engineering a better viewA scanning electrochemical cell imaging technique shows how nanoscale structural features affect the catalytic activity of MoS2 monolayers for hydrogen evolution reactions.
- Electron correlations in carbon nanostructuresPhysicists elucidate the behaviour of electrons in graphene nanoribbons.
- Grain boundaries in graphene do not affect spin transportResearchers have used numerical simulations to show that spin diffusion length is independent of grain size. The results have implications for the optimisation of graphene-based spintronic devices.
- Magnetic nanoparticles for water purificationScientists have introduced a new water purification method based on magnetic nanoparticles coated with a so-called 'ionic liquid' that simultaneously remove organic, inorganic, and microbial contaminants, as well as microplastics. The nanoparticles are then easily removed with magnets.
- Hiring antibodies as nanotechnology buildersResearchers recruit antibodies as molecular builders to assemble nanoscale structures made of synthetic DNA.
- Using electrospun fibers instead of chemotherapy to treat brain cancerUsing electrospun fibers, doctors and engineers can treat glioblastoma multiforme directly.
- A close look at a sticky situationNew research finds missing link between soft surface adhesion and surface roughness.
- Solar cell degradation: Daylight damage-saving timeA research team studies the process by which the performance of advanced solar cells degrades over time; this work may help promote the adoption of renewable energy produced by robust, high-efficiency organic photovoltaics.
- Controlling the optical properties of solids with acoustic wavesPhysicists have found that large-amplitude acoustic waves, launched by ultrashort laser pulses, can dynamically manipulate the optical response of semiconductors.
- Solving the thermoelectric 'trade-off' conundrum with metallic carbon nanotubesStrategy to bypass trade-off between thermoelectric voltage and conductivity.
- Nanoscale exploration of the solid-liquid interfaceHow a liquid interacts with the surface of a solid is important in batteries and fuel cells, chemical production, corrosion phenomena, and many biological processes.
- Transforming the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into grapheneResearchers have produced graphene by molten carbonate electrolytic splitting of CO2 to a nano-thin carbon product (carbon nanoplatelets) comprised of 25 to 125 graphene layers, and subsequent electrochemical exfoliation of the nanoplatelets to graphene in a carbonate soluble aqueous solution. The sole products of the carbon dioxide electrolysis are straightforward: high yield carbon nanoplatelets and oxygen. The carbon nanoplatelets provide a thinner starting point than a conventional graphite reactant to facilitate electrochemical exfoliation.
- 2D materials boost carrier multiplicationResearchers discover a carrier multiplication process in 2D semiconductors that could increase the efficiency of future solar cells.
- Electro-optical device provides solution to faster computing memories and processorsFirst-of-a-kind electro-optical device provides solution to faster and more energy efficient computing memories and processors.
- Armored with plastic 'hair' and silica, new perovskite nanocrystals show more durabilityResearchers have demonstrated a novel approach aimed at addressing the material's durability problem: encasing the perovskite inside a double-layer protection system made from plastic and silica.
- Researchers find potential solution to overheating mobile phonesResearchers have developed a revolutionary way to encode computational information without using electrical current. As a global first, this could lead to faster technological devices that could efficiently use energy without overheating.
- The coldest reactionWith ultracold chemistry, researchers get a first look at exactly what happens during a chemical reaction.
- Toward more efficient computing, with magnetic wavesCircuit design offers a path to spintronic devices that use little electricity and generate practically no heat.
- Stretchable, highly conductive film promising for wearable electronicsStrong bonds between metal nanowires and polymer nanofibers enable a composite film to realize good electrical conductivity and high stretchability.
- Quantum dot lasers move a step closer with electric-pumping developmentScientists have developed a way to make colloidal quantum dots produce laser light with the help of an electric field.
- Smallest 3D stop-animation shot in a scanning electron microscope (w/video)A new microscopic film pushes the boundaries of stop motion cinematography by employing 3D figurines the size of a grain of dust.
- Seeing the world's smallest universal jointsResearchers used electron cryomicroscopy to solve the structure of an essential component of the bacterial flagellum with unprecedented resolution, with important implications for new antibiotics and future nanobots.
- All the carbon nanotubes are fit to printChemists use newsprint for inexpensive bulk production of carbon nanotubes.