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'The governor is pretty foolish saying what he said'

An image shared on X purports to show a U.S. deportation flight. This is a US deportation flight looks like. ?? pic.twitter.com/onn2e1bfkU — David Ditch Jr.??? (@DavidjDitch) January 28, 2025 Verdict: Misleading Although deportation flights have been occurring under President Donald Trump in 2025, the image shows 600 Afghans on a U.S. military plane that […]

Boom argues only risk can solve for the problem of safety, introducing the book’s central concept of 'bubbles.'

'No tariffs were levied'

Scientists in China experimenting with rice cultivars have been able to crossbreed a non-GMO variety that produces 70% less methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is emitted in large amounts through rice cultivation. The team is now seeking to demonstrate the importance of this new rice to the Chinese government in the hopes that it […] The post The Rice Revolution: Slashing 70% of Methane Emissions While Boosting Yields appeared first on Good News Network.

The post From Fierce to Floppy: Science Finally Explains Why Cats Fall Over in Harnesses by Dr. Karyn Kanowski BVSc MRCVS (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com. We’ve all been guilty of it at one time or another. That moment of Schadenfreude when we see a cat do something uncoordinated or embarrassing. Perhaps it’s because it happens so rarely, or because it’s usually us, the bumbling humans, that are being silently mocked by feline onlookers. A more common opportunity for us to quietly enjoy the misfortune of our much-loved cat is when we first introduce them to a harness. Of course, there are those who take on this equipment with nary a hint of hesitation, but for others, the application of a harness renders the normally graceful and agile feline into a rigid, wobbly, or vertically challenged mess. Over the years, many theories have been postulated to explain why a harness, vest, or jumper should rob a cat of their motor function, and to be fair, these theories seem quite reasonable. However, we recently learned of a study from 2012 that may actually explain the phenomenon. Why a Harness Causes Cats to Fall Over: The Theories Prior to our discovery, the leading theories explaining why harnesses make some cats fall over included: Fight, Flight, and Freeze: The idea that a harness presents the cat with some unknown threat has many believing that the rigid response is part of their instinctive fight, flight, or freeze reaction to danger. Pressure Points: This theory suggests that the harness stimulates certain pressure points that are commonly associated with a mother cat carrying her young. It may also trigger a ‘play dead’ reaction in response to being picked up by a predator. The Wrong Fit: A harness that is too large or too small may interfere with movement. Image Credit: Akifyeva S, Shutterstock A Scientific Explanation We know that cats are extraordinarily flexible, fast, agile, and acrobatic. From their preternaturally rapid reflexes to their ability to always land on their feet, feline mobility and coordination have always been the subject of curiosity. We recently uncovered a study* that looked into how much of that feline coordination comes from the brain, and how much is controlled by spinal reflexes alone, with some fascinating results. By surgically separating the brain from the spinal cord, scientists found that cats could still walk on a treadmill with coordinated hind limb function when the appropriate motor nerves were electrically stimulated. The experiment proved that in addition to higher brain function, feline movement and coordination were governed by direct somatosensory feedback – that is, the body was able to maintain a balanced and coordinated gait based purely on touch. *WARNING Although the methods and study design adhered to ethical guidelines, it is not an experiment we would endorse. It no doubt has many implications in neurological medicine for both humans and animals but does not make for pleasant reading. The Sixth Sense (not that Sixth Sense) This somatosensory feedback mechanism functions almost like a sixth sense, providing cats with an additional unconscious way to move and react to their environment, which explains how they can do the things they do. However, when we put something over their body, it would be the equivalent of placing a blindfold over their eyes. A cat is unlikely to be consciously aware of this sixth sense, but it will be a shock to the system when it is suddenly obscured. But, just as a cat will eventually adapt to a lack of sight, they will also adapt to their altered somatosensory input, and once they have learned to do this, it too becomes a reflex whenever the harness is put back on. Image Credit: alexgo.photography, Shutterstock Is It Cruel to Put a Harness on My Cat? Not at all. Unless your cat is particularly distressed by the harness or shows no sign of adjusting to wearing one, once your cat becomes accustomed to the harness, they should be able to enjoy their newfound (relative) freedom without impediment. What you don’t want to do is: not allow your cat enough time to get used to the harness laugh at your cat – they are very sensitive creatures and know exactly whose shoes to poop in. The post From Fierce to Floppy: Science Finally Explains Why Cats Fall Over in Harnesses by Dr. Karyn Kanowski BVSc MRCVS (Veterinarian) appeared first on Catster. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren't considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Catster.com.

News The Fantastic Four The Fantastic Four Take Their First Steps in a New Trailer Did you know they’re a FAMILY? Well, you’ll certainly know it after this. By Molly Templeton | Published on February 4, 2025 Screenshot: Marvel Studios Comment 0 Share New Share Screenshot: Marvel Studios Third time’s the charm, right? The third major motion picture to focus on Marvel’s Fantastic Four is coming this year, right on schedule: 2005 had the Ioan Gruffudd/Jessica Alba/Chris Evans/Michael Chiklis Four, and 2015’s Four had Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Bell, which frankly still feels like a whole lot of strange casting. The casting is not messing around this time. Here’s the synopsis: Set against the vibrant backdrop of a 1960s-inspired, retro-futuristic world, Marvel Studios’ The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel’s First Family—Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn) and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) as they face their most daunting challenge yet. Forced to balance their roles as heroes with the strength of their family bond, they must defend Earth from a ravenous space god called Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his enigmatic Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner). And if Galactus’ plan to devour the entire planet and everyone on it weren’t bad enough, it suddenly gets very personal. For those keeping track, that means this movie stars the stars of a whole lot of other major franchises and award-winning entertainments, from The Last of Us to Mission: Impossible to Stranger Things to The Bear. This first trailer seems to want to be sure that you remember that Moss-Bachrach is in The Bear; his primary contribution is to get hyped about robot cooking—but also add some garlic to the sauce. As for Kirby, she gets to give a little pep talk about family, which may or may not prompt a viewer to remember that she was also in the Fast and Furious spinoff Hobbs and Shaw. Directed by WandaVision‘s Matt Shakman, The Fantastic Four: First Steps takes place in a retro-styled New York that presumably is some other universe than the primary one in other Marvel movies. They have space travel, but Reed is still doing elaborate math on a chalkboard (which means nothing; doesn’t everyone do elaborate math on a chalkboard?). Their cars are neat. John Malkovich has a dramatic wig. And Galactus, largely unseen, looms over the city. Neither Julia Garner nor Natasha Lyonne turn up in this trailer, but it’s the first of presumably many before The Fantastic Four: First Steps arrives in theaters on July 25th.[end-mark] The post <i>The Fantastic Four</i> Take Their <i>First Steps</i> in a New Trailer appeared first on Reactor.

Books Backlist Bonanza Backlist Bonanza: 5 Underrated Black Speculative Books Here are a few titles that deserve to be on your TBR By Alex Brown | Published on February 4, 2025 Comment 1 Share New Share For Black History Month, I thought I’d dig up some great speculative fiction books written by and about Black folks. These aren’t the books you normally see on BHM reading lists. These are the ones that didn’t get nearly enough attention or who have fallen off the radar in recent years. Black speculative fiction writers are doing incredible work in this field, even if it doesn’t get noticed as much by mainstream readers or awards. And if any of these books or authors are new to you, take this as a sign for you to start broadening out your reading habits. Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves (Portero Universe #1 — Simon Pulse, 2010) This young adult fantasy is the definition of “underrated classic.” It’s dark, it’s weird, it’s diverse, and it’s delightfully paranormal. Dia Reeves passed away a few years ago, but her work in YA in the early 2010s helped shape it into the wonderland of chaos and brilliance it is today. The first in what would eventually become known as the Portero Universe series, this book is about a teen, Hanna, who is biracial Black and white (Finnish). She runs away from her dysfunctional home and washes up in a small Texas town. As she tries to manage her bipolar disorder, her new life delivers new challenges, like ghosts, demons, and a boyfriend. It’s got those early season Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes. Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi (Beasts Made of Night #1 — Razorbill, 2017) This titan of contemporary speculative fiction got his publication start in young adult fiction, first with this fantasy duology inspired by Nigerian culture and then with a dystopian sci-fi duology about cybernetic teens. Taj, a sin-eater working in the walled city of Kos, has a challenging life. Whenever he eats a sin-beast, he’s marked with a tattoo of that creature and can see the sinful act from the person he’s consuming. When he’s summoned to eat the sin of a royal, he gains a power he never knew he had. Pulled into a vast conspiracy, Taj must fight for his life, for the future of his city, and for the girl he’s falling in love with. It’s a story that feels both epic and intimate. Plus, we don’t get much in the way of boys as protagonists of YA fantasy, so we gotta celebrate the few we have. A Ruin of Shadows by L.D. Lewis (Dancing Star Press, 2018) I yell about how good this novella is as often as I can. Ever since I read it when it first came out, I have not stopped thinking about it. After a lifetime spent on the battlefield, General Daynja Édo, commander of the Boorhian Empire military, is returning home. Her career is one for the records, not least of which for training her Shadow Army of seven young assassins. Her impenetrable armor and severe black mask make her seem even more invulnerable. Édo is given one final task… and she refuses. Now the might of the empire is after her, including her own assassins. For only 66 pages, this novella punches way outside its weight class. Empire of the Feast by Bendi Barrett (Neon Hemlock Press, 2022) Not enough of you read Neon Hemlock novellas, and it shows. This erotic queer sci-fi novella is a great place to start. Riverson is the 32nd Feast-Emperor, the first man in a line of women rulers. I don’t want to give too much away, but it’s full of twists and turns and unsettling strangeness. All I’ll tell you is there’s a monster locked inside the sun, and the only way to keep it from escaping are lots and lots and lots of orgies (and the magic they generate). With its rapid-fire pacing, tantalizing premise, and nuanced worldbuilding, this is yet another small press novella that is as impressive—if not more so—than many full-length novels. Sweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus (Astra Black #1 — Tor Books, 2022) In 2121, the Muungano empire struggles to carve a place for itself in the galaxy. After it splits from Old Earth, the Muungano city-states spread from the Moon to Mars to Titan and even to the starship Cypher. Their empire is more of a collective than an oppressive imperial force, a system their old enemies cannot tolerate. Several incidents trigger a series of destabilizing reactions that threaten the future of this new coalition. Readers big into The Expanse should pick this up. The second book in this Afrofuturist trilogy, Breath of Oblivion, only came out in 2024, so you still have time to jump into this series. [end-mark] The post Backlist Bonanza: 5 Underrated Black Speculative Books appeared first on Reactor.