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☆ New ‘supercontinent’ could wipe out humans and make Earth uninhabitable, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The formation of a new “supercontinent” could wipe out humans and all other mammals still alive in 250 million years, researchers have predicted. They found it would be extremely hot, dry and virtually uninhabitable for humans and mammals, who are not evolved to cope with prolonged exposure to excessive heat. Humans – along with many other species – would expire due to their inability to shed this heat through sweat, cooling their bodies,” Farnsworth added. This grim outlook is no excuse for complacency when it comes to tackling today’s climate crisis, the report authors warned. “While we are predicting an uninhabitable planet in 250 million years, today we are already experiencing extreme heat that is detrimental to human health.

Persons: ” Alexander Farnsworth, ” Farnsworth, Farnsworth, ” Benjamin Mills, Eunice Lo, ” Lo Organizations: CNN, University of Bristol, Nature, University of Leeds Locations: United Kingdom, UN

☆ Mammals’ Time on Earth Is Half Over, Scientists Predict
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Carl Zimmer | More About Carl Zimmer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It’s been about 250 million years since reptile-like animals evolved into mammals. Now a team of scientists is predicting that mammals may have only another 250 million years left. The researchers built a virtual simulation of our future world, similar to the models that have projected human-caused global warming over the next century. Using data on the movement of the continents across the planet, as well as fluctuations in the chemical makeup of atmosphere, the new study projected much further into the future. Alexander Farnsworth, a paleoclimate scientist at the University of Bristol who led the team, said that the planet might become too hot for any mammals — ourselves included — to survive on land.

Persons: It’s, Alexander Farnsworth, —, Dr, Farnsworth Organizations: University of Bristol, Nature

☆ New fossils reveal specialized eating technique of unusual ancient marine reptile
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —An unusual ancient marine reptile may have gulped down tons of shrimplike prey using a feeding technique similar to one used by some modern whales. Fang et al/Courtesy University of BristolBut there hasn’t been much evidence in the fossil record for ancient reptiles using filter feeding, until now. These structures are similar to what’s seen in baleen whales, which have strips of keratin instead of teeth. “Baleen whales have grooves along the jaws to support curtains of baleen, long thin strips of keratin, the protein that makes hair, feathers and fingernails. It’s possible that the marine reptile didn’t start out with this ability.

Persons: Hupehsuchus nanchangensis, ”, Long Cheng, et, Li Tian, Hupehsuchus, Zichen Fang, Michael Benton, It’s Organizations: CNN, BMC, Wuhan Center, China Geological Survey, University of Bristol, China University of Geosciences, University of Bristol’s School of Earth Sciences Locations: China, Hubei province, China University of Geosciences Wuhan

☆ Long before whales, pioneering marine reptile was a filter-feeder
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Artist's reconstruction shows the Triassic Period marine reptile Hupehsuchus nanchangensis, based on fossils unearthed in China's Hubei Province. Hupehsuchus is believed to have been a filter-feeder, akin to some of today's baleen whales. "Baleen whales are mammals and Hupehsuchus are reptiles. Marine reptiles asserted themselves. Two other ancient marine reptiles - Paludidraco, which lived about 230 million years ago, and Morturneria, which lived about 70 million years ago - appear to have used some type of filter-feeding.

Persons: Shi Shunyi, Long Cheng, Handout, Hupehsuchus, Mike Benton, Cheng, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, University of Bristol, BMC, Wuhan Center, China Geological Survey, Hupehsuchus, Thomson Locations: Hubei Province, Hupehsuchus, England, Siberia, Washington

☆ Cambodia holds lopsided election before historic transfer of power
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Prak Chan Thul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

He needs to win a National Assembly seat to become prime minister, which is likely. Analysts had expected the transition to come mid-term, giving time for Hun Manet to earn legitimacy with the public and political elite. "As long as Hun Sen is around, nobody will move against Hun Manet." [1/3]Hun Manet, son of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, speaks during the final Cambodian People's Party (CPP) election campaign for the upcoming general election in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 21, 2023. Some did that on Sunday, posting pictures on social media of spoiled ballots, some with writing that disparaged Hun Sen, calling him a coward.

Persons: Hun Manet, Hun Sen's, Hun Sen, I've, Gordon Conochie, Cambodia's, Cindy Liu Hun Manet, Sam Rainsy, Freshnews, Nin Sinath, Hun, Prak Chan Thul, Chantha Lach, Martin Petty, Robert Birsel, William Mallard Organizations: Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party, Former Khmer Rouge, National Assembly, La Trobe University, Cambodian People's Party, REUTERS, New York University, University of Bristol, Candlelight Party, Thomson Locations: PHNOM PENH, Former, Cambodia, Phnom Penh, China, United States

☆ Cambodia holds lopsided election ahead of historic transfer of power
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-22 | by ( Prak Chan Thul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Hun Manet, 45, needs to win a National Assembly seat to become prime minister, which he is expected to do in Sunday's general election. Analysts had expected the transition to come mid-term, giving time for Hun Manet to earn legitimacy with the public and political elite. "The reality is that as long as Hun Sen is around, nobody will move against Hun Manet." Hun Manet has given few media interviews and no clues over his vision for Cambodia and its 16 million people. 'PEACE NOT WAR'[1/3]Hun Manet, son of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, speaks during the final Cambodian People's Party (CPP) election campaign for the upcoming general election in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 21, 2023.

Persons: Hun Sen's, Hun Sen, Hun Manet, Gordon Conochie, Cambodia's, Cindy Liu, Sam Rainsy, Conochie, Chantha Lach, Martin Petty, Robert Birsel Organizations: Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party, Former Khmer Rouge, National Assembly, La Trobe University, New York University, University of Bristol, Cambodian People's Party, REUTERS, Candlelight Party, Thomson Locations: PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Phnom Penh, China, United States, Som, Bangkok

☆ Cambodia's long-serving leader says son can become PM in 3-4 weeks
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Prak Chan Thul | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Hun Manet, son of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, waves to people during the final Cambodian People's Party (CPP) election campaign for the upcoming general election in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 21, 2023. REUTERS/Cindy LiuPHNOM PENH, July 21 (Reuters) - Cambodia's long-serving leader Hun Sen has told a Chinese television station that his eldest son, Hun Manet, can become prime minister soon after Sunday's election. "In three or four weeks, Hun Manet can become the prime minister. It depends on whether Hun Manet will be able to do it or not," Hun Sen said in an interview with China's Phoenix TV aired on Thursday. His son, Hun Manet, is a candidate for the election, making his debut.

Persons: Hun Manet, Cambodia's, Hun Sen, Cindy Liu PHNOM, Sok Eysan, Ella Cao, Martin Petty, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Cambodian People's Party, REUTERS, China's Phoenix TV, University of Bristol, Thomson Locations: Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Cindy Liu PHNOM PENH, Khmer Rouge, United States

☆ Cambodia leader Hun Sen is set to win another one-sided election
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“The July 23 election is just a day for Hun Sen to impose (his choices) onto the Cambodian people,” she said. A former Khmer Rouge commander who switched sides, Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia for nearly four decades. But in more recent years Hun Sen has turned increasingly autocratic – quashing dissent and jailing critics, forcing many to flee overseas. ‘Future prime minister’Political watchers say this Cambodian election will set the stage for Hun Sen’s transition of power to his son Hun Manet. Hun Manet walks past an honour guard during a military ceremony in Phnom Penh on June 18, 2020.

Persons: Cambodia’s, Hun Sen, –, crackdowns, Hun Sen’s, ”, Mu Sochua, “, …, Bridget Welsh, “ Hun Sen, ” Kenneth Roth, Hun Manet, Tang Chin Sothy, Welsh, ” Hun Manet, Markus Karbaum, ” Karbaum, Phil Robertson, Sam Rainsy, CHARLY TWO, Rainsy, Hun, ” Rainsy, “ I’ve Organizations: CNN, Voters, Cambodian People’s Party, “, Women, Veterans ’ Affairs, ” CNN, Human Rights, ‘, Cambodian, US Military Academy, West, New York University, University of Bristol, Getty, Cambodian People's Party, Cambodian National Rescue Party, Party, Human Rights Watch, Facebook, Reuters Locations: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Cambodian, Cambodia, Khmer, China, Phnom Penh, AFP, ”, Sunday’s, Asia

☆ Like strongman, like son? Cambodia's Hun Manet makes political debut
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-20 | by ( Clare Baldwin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] General Hun Manet, son of Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen holds a party flag as he attends a kickoff of an election campaign rally for the upcoming national election in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, July 1, 2023. The political debut of Hun Manet, 45, marks one of the final steps in a decades-long grooming process that is expected to end with him succeeding his father as prime minister. For some, Hun Manet represents a young, fresh face who will further develop Cambodia. He recently hosted Hun Manet as an AmCham guest of honour. In 2019 and 2020, Hun Manet met three foreign leaders, the Lowy Institute think tank said.

Persons: Hun Manet, Cambodia's, Hun Sen, Cindy Liu, Hun, Anthony Galliano, Hun Manet's, liberalize, spokespeople, Hun Sen's, Sam Rainsy, feudalistic, Manet, Lee Morgenbesser, he's, Morgenbesser, I've, –, Clare Baldwin, Kay Johnson, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Cambodian, Cambodia People's Party, National Assembly, Cambodia, ASEAN Parliamentarians, Human Rights, Reuters, U.S, New York University, University of Bristol, ABC, Griffith University, Royal Cambodian Armed Forces, Lowy Institute, Thomson Locations: Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thai, West, Southeast Asia, Western

☆ Lilly drug slows Alzheimer's by 60% for mildly impaired patients in trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Deena Beasley | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Lilly expects the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to decide by the end of this year whether to approve donanemab. The company had previously reported that 24% of the overall donanemab treatment group had brain swelling. The deaths of three trial patients were linked to the treatment, researchers reported. For high tau patients, donanemab was shown to slow disease progression by about 17%, while the benefit was 35% for those with low-to-intermediate tau levels. Both medications are also being studied in large trials to see if they have an impact on delaying onset of Alzheimer's disease symptoms.

Persons: Seth Gale, Brian Snyder, Eli Lilly, Anne White, Lilly, Susan Kohlhaas, Liana Apostolova, White, Liz Coulthard, donanemab, Deena Beasley, Ludwig Burger, Will Dunham, Bill Berkrot, Caroline Humer Organizations: Alzheimer Research, Brigham, Women’s, REUTERS, Alzheimer's Association International, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Alzheimer’s Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Doctors, University of Bristol, JAMA, FDA, Alzheimer's Association, Health Organization, New York Stock Exchange, Thomson Locations: Boston , Massachusetts, U.S, Amsterdam, Eisai

☆ You Really Are a Tick Magnet
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Darren Incorvaia | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The tiny arachnids spread a variety of harmful diseases, as they expand their range to new areas. But two scientists recently set out on a counterintuitive mission to collect as many bloodsucking ticks as possible. Dr. Lihou is a veterinary parasitologist who studies ticks, and Dr. England is an ecologist who studies electricity and electroreception. The resulting paper, published Friday in the journal Current Biology, provides a new reason to worry about ticks. While the finding may add to ticks’ terrifying attributes, this knowledge could also be used to improve antistatic tick defenses.

Persons: ” Sam England, Katie L, Lihou Organizations: University of Bristol Locations: Berlin, England

☆ Why investors pumped $100 million into a startup using microbial fungi to turn soil into a crucial tool in the fight against climate change
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

The startup Loam Bio wants to use fungi to boost soil health and help keep carbon in the ground. But soil carbon is in a sorry state, in part due to current agricultural practices. There are different types of soil carbon; some decompose easily while others can take thousands of years to break down. The soil microbiome could also change to start breaking down the carbon that gets fixed in soil, Bailey added. "The most important thing is that we're really accurately measuring the carbon that we store in the soil," Hudson said.

Persons: Guy Hudson, Chris Sacca's, Hacking, It's, Hudson, Monique, Britt Koskella, Koskella, Andy Bailey, Bailey, we're, Chris Shafto, Dr Brooke Bruning, you've Organizations: Green Tech, Service, Australian, Lowercarbon Capital, Lowercarbon, UC Berkeley, University of Bristol Locations: Australia, Brazil

☆ The Sad Story Behind a Fossil’s ‘Grin’
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Freda Kreier | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Before the dawn of the dinosaurs, the world belonged to reptiles called rhynchosaurs. They were the size of pigs and thrived all over the planet 225 million to 245 million years ago during the mid- and late Triassic Period. They may get overshadowed by the earliest dinosaurs, he suggests, although they make up 90 percent of vertebrate fossils in some Triassic digs. This highly unusual way of eating may have doomed rhynchosaurs as they reached old age. Unable to bite their food, these old rhynchosaurs may have starved to death, Dr. Benton said.

Persons: ”, Michael Benton, . Benton, rhynchosaurs, Benton Organizations: University of Bristol Locations: England

☆ How long you breastfeed may impact your child’s test scores later, study shows
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Whether children were breastfed as infants and for how long may have an impact on their test scores when they are adolescents, according to new research. What the study team found was that there was a modest improvement in test scores associated with being breastfed longer, Pereyra-Elías said. Consequently, the results only show a correlation between breastfeeding and test scores — not causation. The researchers tried to control for many factors that might influence their results, like the mother’s cognitive ability, but they couldn’t account for everything in an observational study, Pereyra-Elías said. The difference this study showed was modest, Pereyra-Elías added, meaning that it does not make a big enough difference on the test scores that it should cause parents worry, Pereyra-Elías said.

Persons: Reneé, Elías, Kevin McConway, McConway, ” McConway, It’s, ”, “, Andrew Whitelaw, Whitelaw Organizations: CNN, Disease, University of Oxford, Open University, University of Bristol Locations: England, United Kingdom

☆ Nvidia chips away at Intel, AMD turf in supercomputers
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-22 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nvidia is the world's top maker of graphics processing units (GPUs), which are in high demand because they can be used to speed up artificial intelligence work. But Nvidia's GPU chips are typically paired with what is called a central processing unit (CPU), a market that has been dominated by Intel and AMD for decades. The University of Bristol system will be used for climate science and drug discovery research, among other things. That's actually six times more performance and energy efficiency than the university's previous system, Isambard 2," Ian Buck, general manager and vice president of accelerated computing at Nvidia, said during a press briefing. Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Size of Jurassic sea giant found, study says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The findings from the Late Jurassic period, though fragmentary, suggest the pliosaur was about twice the size of a killer whale — and move lead study author David Martill closer to redemption. However, he cautioned that an increase in length corresponds with an “exponential increase in volume … placing a biological limit on the upper size pliosaurs could reach.” Smith wasn’t involved in the study. Pliosaurs were “a group of large carnivorous marine reptiles characterized by massive heads, short necks and streamlined tear-shaped bodies,” according to Britannica. Benton wasn’t involved in the study. “Here is a marine reptile as large as a sperm whale, and there’s nothing like it around today.”

☆ These are the places most at risk from record-breaking heat waves as the planet warms
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

They identified Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea and Central America – including Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua – as “hot spots” for high-risk heat waves. Not only is there high potential for record-breaking extreme heat, but the impacts will be intensified by the huge difficulties the country already faces, he said. “When a really extreme heat wave does finally come along, then there are instantly going to be a lot of problems,” Mitchell said. Heat waves have a wide-ranging negative impact. They also take a heavy toll on human health, and extreme heat is one of the deadliest natural disasters.

☆ NASA detects first seismic waves within Mars' core
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

During these events, InSight detected for the first time seismic waves traveling through the Martian core. “More than a hundred years later, we’re applying our knowledge of seismic waves to Mars. With InSight, we’re finally discovering what’s at the center of Mars and what makes Mars so similar yet distinct from Earth.”The NASA InSight Mars lander studied the interior of Mars for four years. Planetary core offers clues on evolutionEarth has a liquid outer core and a solid inner core, but the Martian core appears to be made entirely from liquid. “We’ve made the very first observations of seismic waves travelling through the core of Mars.

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Film and TV adaptations of video games have a chequered history. But Nintendo’s “Super Mario”, along with HBO’s “The Last of Us”, is flipping the script. Jefferies analysts estimate that the “Super Mario” movie could add $350 million to Nintendo’s operating profit – equivalent to around 8% of its total for the year ending March 2022. The success of recent adaptations may lead media giants like Walt Disney (DIS.N), Comcast and Netflix to wonder what other goodies lie in video game companies. Follow @olivertaslic on TwitterCONTEXT NEWS“The Super Mario Bros. Movie”, an animated film co-financed by Nintendo and Universal Pictures, was released in North America on April 5.

But persistent inflation and skimpier incomes, coupled with high input costs, will make it a tough year for conscious consumers and the companies that serve them. Take plant-based meat substitutes. They produce 30%-90% fewer emissions than their animal-derived counterparts, but a pound of the stuff costs shoppers twice as much, according to the Good Food Institute, a think tank. The price of U.S. pea protein isolate – a key ingredient in many meat substitutes – rose 10% between April 2021 and November 2022, according to Mintec Benchmark Prices. That would edge meat substitutes closer to their goal of one day costing the same, or less, than their animal-based equivalents.

Here are 12 of the weirdest and most fascinating animal behaviors scientists spotted in 2022. Here are 12 bizarre and amazing things animals were spotted doing, some of which had never been seen before. It turned out that at least 12 species of primates had been reported doing so, a review published in the Journal of Zoology in October found. A dolphin swallowed 8 venomous sea snakesA sea snake (indicated with pink arrow), moments before it is captured and eaten by a Navy dolphin. Though animals have often been spotted using tools, these usually are used to give the animal a clear survival advantage.

☆ Fact Check-New ‘Er’ blood group is not proof COVID-19 vaccines alter DNA
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A recently discovered blood group system called Er is not proof that mRNA in COVID-19 vaccines is changing people’s DNA, as some social media users have claimed. Scientists told Reuters that Er has always existed and antigens from the blood group were first discovered more than 40 years ago. New blood group systems have been regularly discovered for decades.”Bailey said: “One of the antigens that make up the blood group system was discovered more than 40 years ago. The existence of the blood group Er does not suggest that mRNA vaccines are changing people’s blood types or DNA. Antigens from the blood group Er were first discovered 40 years ago.

In the three years to the end of 2021, Alphabet, Meta and Snap (SNAP.N) hared ahead. The upshot was the Big Tech groups boasted 2021 revenue of $380 billion, most of which was digital advertising. Alphabet, Meta and Snap saw revenue up a miserly 2.4%, on average. For one thing, digital ad giants’ stellar 2021 made maintaining the pace trickier. Meta and Alphabet will still see some of this cash given traditional ad players will use platforms like Google for these big clients’ digital advertising.

☆ Fertilizers change how bumblebees 'see' flowers by changing the electric field that attracts them to pollinate, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A study found fertilizers change that electric field and put bumblebees off from fertilizing. When they came across negatively-charged flowers, their small bodies sense the flower's electric field like a magnet. When they pollinate, the bees change the flowers' electric field. Ed Reschke/Getty imagesFertilizers change the electric fieldThe study found that spraying synthetic fertilizers onto a field didn't change the color or smell of the flower. To test whether the sprayed flower's electric field was putting off the bees, the scientists artificially charged flowers to mimic these electric fields.

☆ Kaedim's founder doesn't play video games — but her startup's use of AI to develop graphics has caught the attention of the former head of PlayStation
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Jacob E. Robbins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"I thought there has to be a secret to doing 3D modeling. She asked game developers how they would approach 3D modeling, thinking they'd have an answer from their experience rendering objects on a screen. It uses machine learning to turn drawings into digital 3D models. Kaedim's plan to take on 3D modeling in the metaverse and digital businessPsoma said that with the rise of the metaverse and digital spaces, the need for 3D modeling has only grown. For example, she said, retailers could use Kaedim's 3D-modeling software to digitize inventory and create online storefronts for customers to interact with.

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