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Israel’s Controlled Demolitions Are Razing Neighborhoods in GazaResidential buildings demolished by Israeli forces in January near Gaza’s border with Israel. Controlled demolitions in Gaza The Times verified more than two dozen explosions in videos posted from Nov. 15 to Jan. 24. Gaza City Residential buildings Al-Qarara Rural residential area Khuza’a Residential buildings Gaza City Blue Beach Resort Gaza City Apartment buildings Al-Qarara Mosque Beit Lahia School Gaza City Residential buildings Jabaliya Al-Noor mosque Gaza City Palestine Square Beit Hanoun Two U.N. schools Bani Suheila Residential buildings Gaza City Multiple buildings Khuza’a Residential buildings Bani Suheila Mosque Gaza City Multistory building Gaza City Two-story building Bani Suheila Al-Dhilal mosque Gaza City Residential building Gaza City Residential building Khuza’a Residential buildings Juhor Ad-Dik U.N. school Al-Zahra Israa University Gaza City Residential buildings Al-Musaddar Multiple buildings Gaza City Residential buildings Al-Zahra Gaza’s Palace of Justice Bani Suheila Residential buildings Khuza’a Residential buildings Al-Qarara Rural residential area Beit Hanoun Multiple buildings Al-Mughraqa Al-Azhar University campus Bani Suheila Residential buildingsIsraeli officials, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the issue, said that Israel wanted to demolish Palestinian buildings close to the border as part of an effort to create a security “buffer zone” inside Gaza, making it harder for fighters to carry out cross-border attacks like the ones in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Controlled demolitions in Khuza’a Gaza Strip Highlighted area destroyed over the course of at least four demolitions Location of demolitions Previously destroyed buildings Mosque 500 feet Gaza Strip Previously destroyed buildings Location of demolitions Highlighted area destroyed over the course of at least four demolitions Mosque 500 feetOne of the largest demolitions identified by The Times was carried out in Shuja’iyya, a residential neighborhood on the outskirts of Gaza City. Controlled demolition in Shuja’iyya, Gaza City Gaza Strip Previously destroyed buildings Location of demolition Highlighted area destroyed in demolition 500 feet Gaza Strip Previously destroyed buildings Location of demolition Highlighted area destroyed in demolition 500 feetIn some videos, the demolitions appear to be targeting underground infrastructure.

Persons: Bani Suheila Al, Dik U.N, Zahra, Bani, Mughraqa Al, Israel, Musaddar Jan, Khan Younis Khuza’a, Deir, Bani Suheila, Copernicus, Corey Scher, Den, Daniel Hagari, Matthew Miller, Khan Younis, ”, Marco Sassòli, “, Husam Zomlot Organizations: New York Times, Hamas, Times, Blue, Azhar University, Bani, The Times, BANK, Israa University, Copernicus Sentinel, CUNY, Center, Den Hoek of Oregon State University, State Department, Israa, U.S, University of Geneva Locations: Gaza, Gaza’s, Israel, —, Gaza City, Al, Qarara, Lahia, Noor, Palestine, Bani Suheila, Bani Suheila Mosque Gaza, Dhilal, Zahra Israa, Zahra Gaza’s, Sderot, BANK GAZA, Israa University GAZA, ISRAEL, Deir al, Bani, Rafah Rafah, EGYPT, Erez, WEST, GAZA, Med, Rafah EGYPT Rafah, Den Hoek of, Palestinian, Palestine Square, Khuza’a, Shuja’iyya, Gaza City Gaza, U.N, Israa University, Britain

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers have discovered a rare in-sync solar system with six planets moving like a grand cosmic orchestra, untouched by outside forces since their birth billions of years ago. The find, announced Wednesday, can help explain how solar systems across the Milky Way galaxy came to be. The six found so far are roughly two to three times the size of Earth, but with densities closer to the gas giants in our own solar system. This solar system is unique because all six planets move similar to a perfectly synchronized symphony, scientists said. All solar systems, including our own, are thought to have started out like this one, according to the scientists.

Persons: Tess, —, Adrien Leleu, they're, ”, Enric Palle, Palle, University of Bern’s Hugh Osborn Organizations: —, University of Geneva, of Astrophysics, University of Bern’s, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla, Canary

Pre-election polls suggested that Swiss voters had three main concerns: Rising fees for the obligatory, free market-based health insurance system; climate change, which has eroded Switzerland’s many glaciers; and worries about migrants and immigration. The Socialists, in second, added two seats to reach 41 in that chamber, known as the National Council. In Switzerland, voters also participate directly in government decision making. The Swiss did line up with the EU in imposing sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. The Federal Council is considering whether to join the EU and the United States in labeling Hamas a terror organization.

Persons: Pascal Sciarini, ”, “, ” Sciarini, —, Alain Berset, Viola Amherd Organizations: GENEVA, Swiss People’s Party, Swiss, Socialists, National Council, Christian, Democrat, Liberal, Greens, University of Geneva, “, SVP, Federal Council, Berset, Voters, European Union, —, Russia, Federal, EU, United Nations, Islamic, International Monetary Fund Locations: Europe, Greece, Sweden, Italy, Poland, Switzerland, Swiss, Brussels, Bern, Ukraine, United States

☆ Most of us have a bit of Neanderthal DNA, with some more than others. Scientists think they've figured out why.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-19 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

AdvertisementAdvertisementMost of us have a little bit of Neanderthal DNA. An employee of the Natural History Museum in London looks at model of a Neanderthal male/ Will Oliver/PA Images/GettyBut that proportion varies, and some people have slightly more Neanderthal DNA than others. People in East Asia, notably, tend to have more Neanderthal DNA in their genomes, but why they have more has long baffled scientists. "So what's puzzling is that an area where we've never found any Neanderthal remains, there's more Neanderthal DNA," study author Mathias Currat, a geneticist at the University of Geneva, told CNN. Their study found that up to about 20,000 years ago, European genomes were indeed richer in Neanderthal DNA than the Asian genomes they have on record.

Persons: —, Will Oliver, we've, Mathias Currat, Currat, Claudio Quilodrán Organizations: Service, University of Geneva, CNN, Harvard Medical School, That's, UNIGE Faculty of Science Locations: London, East Asia, Siberia, Europe, Anatolia, Western Turkey, Western Europe, Asia

☆ Scientists may have untangled a mystery of Neanderthal ancestry
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A new analysis of ancient genomes is deepening scientists’ understanding of the Neanderthal DNA carried by human populations in Europe and Asia — genetic traces that may have medical relevance today. The researchers found that, over time, the distribution of Neanderthal DNA didn’t always look as it does now. This resulted in a lower proportion of Neanderthal DNA observed in European genomes during this period. “The thing was that they had less Neanderthal ancestry so they diluted the (Neanderthal ancestry) in European populations,” Currat said. For example, Neanderthal DNA may play a small role in swaying the course of Covid-19 infection, according to a September 2020 study.

Persons: we’ve, ”, Mathias Currat, Currat, Dr, David Reich, ” Currat, Tony Capra, wasn’t Organizations: CNN, University of Geneva, Harvard Medical School, Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, University of California Locations: Europe, Asia, Altai, Central Asia, Eurasia, East Asia, Boston, Anatolia, what’s, Turkey, Western, Northern Europe, Bakar, San Francisco

☆ Scientists used a laser beam to bend a bolt of lightning for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

For the first time, scientists were able to show they can bend lightning from a storm with a laser. The project, 20 years in the making, required a super powerful laser to be shot into the sky. A powerful laser was able to deflect a lightning bolt almost 200 feet before it hit a lightning rod, greatly improving the rod's function. The Laser Lightning Rod is seen in place on top of a Swiss mountain. AdvertisementAdvertisementEventually, the scientists were able to record a natural lightning bolt that, for the first time, followed the laser beam before hitting the tower.

Persons: —, Aurélien Houard, Appliquée, they'd, Houard, Jean, Pierre Wolf, Benjamin Franklin, we've, Wolf, Houart Organizations: Service, EPFL, University of Geneva, Polytechnique, Street, Nat, CNN, Street Journal, Photonics Locations: Swiss, EPFL, Switzerland, France, Germany, Säntis

☆ Sand dredging is 'sterilising' ocean floor, UN warns
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsGENEVA, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Around 6 billion tons of marine sand is being dug up each year in a growing practice that a U.N. agency said is unsustainable and can wipe out local marine life irreversibly. The findings from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) coincide with the launch of a new platform 'Marine Sand Watch' backed by funding from the Swiss government that monitors dredging activities using marine tracking and artificial intelligence. "The amount of sand we are withdrawing from the environment is considerable and has a large impact," UNEP's Pascal Peduzzi told a Geneva press briefing. In some cases, companies remove all the sand to the bedrock, meaning that "life may never recover", Peduzzi added. China, the Netherlands, the United States and Belgium are among the countries most active in the sector, he said.

Persons: Ann Wang, Pascal Peduzzi, Peduzzi, Arnaud Vander Velpen, Emma Farge, Christina Fincher Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, University of Geneva, Thomson Locations: Taiwan, Swiss, Geneva, China, United States, Netherlands, Belgium

☆ AI robots could play future role as companions in care homes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( Emma Farge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Advanced humanoid robot 'Sophia' is pictured at AI for Good Global Summit, in Geneva, Switzerland, July 6. Demonstrating its conversational skills, Nadine told Reuters it talked, sang, and played bingo with residents at a Singapore nursing home three years ago. Other robots on display include 'PARO', a baby seal robot 'pet' who can help dementia and Parkinson's patients, and nursing assistant Grace. Last week, Nadine was upgraded with AI model GPT-3 and this has improved her interaction and conversation skills, Thalmann said, meaning it can express more complex concepts. Referring to Thalmann, Nadine said: "I'm very grateful to her for giving me life and I'm proud to be her creation."

Persons: Sophia, Pierre Albouy GENEVA, Nadine, Nadia Magnenat Thalmann, Thalmann, Grace, Emma Farge, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: Good Global, REUTERS, Artificial Intelligence, University of Geneva, International Telecommunication Union, Global, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Geneva, Switzerland, Singapore, PARO

☆ Medieval monks' observations of the moon reveal unexpected
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —Medieval observations of the moon are helping present-day researchers study a mysterious cluster of volcanic eruptions on Earth. Monks, and other scribes from the era, made detailed descriptions of lunar eclipses, when the moon is fully in Earth’s shadow. Guillet believes medieval manuscripts contain an important source of information about a string of large but little-understood volcanic eruptions on Earth. These dates correspond with five major volcanic eruptions identified from traces of volcanic ash found in polar ice cores — in 1108, 1171, 1230, 1257 and 1276. “These eruptions were significantly more powerful than some of the most well-known volcanic eruptions in recent history,” Guillet said.

☆ Move over Ben Franklin: Laser lightning rod electrifies scientists
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/4] The Laser Lightning Rod, an experimental lighting protection device that diverts the path of lightning bolts using a high-power laser, is seen in action at the top of Mount Santis in Switzerland in this undated photograph. Scientists now are moving to improve on that 18th century innovation with 21st century technology - a system employing a high-powered laser that may revolutionize lightning protection. With further development, this Laser Lightning Rod could safeguard critical infrastructure including power stations, airports, wind farms and launchpads. In experiments during two months in 2021, intense laser pulses - 1,000 times per second - were emitted to redirect lightning strikes. Houard anticipated that 10 to 15 years more work would be needed before the Laser Lightning Rod can enter common use.

☆ Nikon photo contest reveals fantastic microscopic world that surrounds us
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-16 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: 1 min

Each year, art and science collide in the Nikon Small World photo contest to produce breathtaking (and sometimes unnerving) microscopic images. This year's first place prize was awarded to Grigorii Timin, supervised by Dr. Michel Milinkovitch at the University of Geneva, for his image of an embryonic hand of a Madagascar giant day gecko. Timin used image stitching to merge hundreds of images together to create the final image. "The scan consists of 300 tiles, each containing about 250 optical sections, resulting in more than two days of acquisition and approximately 200 GB of data," said Timin.

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