This week‚ a CRISPR-edited pig kidney has successfully been transplanted into a living person‚ breeding efforts welcome ridiculous-looking hatchlings of the world’s rarest fish‚ and scientists simulate black holes in the lab using “quantum tornados” for the first time. Finally‚ we investigate the longest solar eclipse on record.Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for all the biggest science news delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday and Saturday.Study Claiming Humans Built A 25‚000-Year-Old Pyramid In Indonesia Removed By JournalA journal has retracted a controversial study that claimed that humans had begun constructing a "pyramid" in Indonesia as far back as 25‚000 years ago. In November 2023‚ the study garnered a lot of media attention for its extraordinary claim that a mountain in Indonesia is actually the world's oldest pyramid built by ancient humans. But reactions from archaeologists since publication were highly skeptical about its bold conclusions. Read the full story hereA CRISPR-Edited Pig Kidney Has Been Transplanted Into A Living Person For The First TimeIn a world first‚ doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a living human recipient. The patient‚ 62-year-old Richard “Rick” Slayman‚ had been living with end-stage kidney disease‚ relying on dialysis to survive after a previously transplanted human kidney had begun to fail. Read the full story hereThe World’s Rarest Fish Is Making A Comeback‚ One Ridiculous Baby At A TimeBehold‚ the rarest fish in the world! The red handfish‚ Thymichthys politus‚ is known from just two small patches of reef off the coast of Tasmania‚ thought to be home to around 100 adults. Habitat degradation and climate change have threatened them with extinction‚ but thanks to a breeding program‚ they welcomed 21 hatchlings in 2023 and you have to see them. Read the full story hereFirst-Ever "Quantum Tornado" Lets Scientists Simulate Black Holes In The LabBlack holes are objects at the limit of our physical theories‚ so the better we understand them‚ the better we can test our knowledge of the universe. While astrophysical black holes are studied in so many ways‚ it would be much easier to analyze one in the lab. Unfortunately‚ having one in a lab would lead to the destruction of said lab and probably the planet‚ so scientists have found the next best thing: they have created a simulation using a quantum tornado. Read the full story hereArchaeologists Find Shipwrecks Using Clues From Homer's IliadArchaeologists have used the Iliad‚ an Ancient Greek epic poem written in the 8th century BCE set towards the end of the legendary Trojan War‚ as a guide to locate shipwrecks off the coast of Greece. Researchers have located 10 shipwrecks that sunk at points between 3000 BCE to World War II around the island of Kasos. Among these sources was Homer's Iliad‚ which references Kasos as a trading hub that joined the fight against Troy. Read the full story hereTWIS is published weekly on our Linkedin page‚ join us there for even more content.Feature of the week: When Was The Longest Recorded Solar Eclipse In History?Not all solar eclipses are equal – even if we’re ignoring partial and annular eclipses‚ some are more impressive sights than others. Next month’s North American eclipse will last a lot longer than the 2017 equivalent‚ but how long can an eclipse theoretically last? And when was the longest eclipse of all? Read the full story here More content:Have you seen our free e-magazine‚ CURIOUS? Issue 20 March 2024 is out now. Check it out for exclusive interviews‚ book excerpts‚ long reads‚ and more.PLUS‚ the entire season 3 of IFLScience's The Big Questions Podcast is available now.

Anyone who’s experienced a menstrual cycle knows it can often feel like you’re at the whim of your hormones‚ but some people believe they have a solution: seed cycling. But what exactly is it – and‚ most importantly‚ does it actually do anything to help?What is seed cycling?Cast aside the image of a little pumpkin seed on a bicycle – this kind of cycling is of the menstrual variety. According to its proponents‚ seed cycling helps to balance out the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.This naturopathic practice starts by assuming that someone’s menstrual cycle is 28 days‚ which has historically been considered the average‚ though a normal range is actually anywhere between 23 and 35 days. This is then split into two 14-day phases. If you don’t have a regular cycle‚ a common suggestion is that you go with the phases of the Moon (yes‚ really).The first phase is presumed to coincide with the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle‚ which starts on the first day of your period. Over the next 14 or so days‚ there’s an increase in the production of estrogen. To boost this‚ the suggestion is to eat raw‚ ground-up pumpkin and flax seeds up until you ovulate.Then begins phase 2‚ which is supposed to match up with the luteal phase‚ where production of the hormone progesterone increases‚ peaking and then dropping if there’s no pregnancy. Fans of seed cycling claim that switching to munching on ground-up sesame and sunflower seeds from the point of ovulation and throughout this phase will boost progesterone levels.There are several supposed benefits to chowing down on all those seeds that are touted by proponents of seed cycling; people suggest it can help periods become more regular and less painful‚ ease premenstrual syndrome‚ help with conditions involving hormones like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)‚ manage menopause symptoms‚ and even help with infertility.Does seed cycling work?All of those supposed benefits might sound pretty amazing‚ but there’s a significant catch. Whilst there might be an abundance of anecdotes (of which many are on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram) claiming that seed cycling is beneficial‚ there’s a lack of solid scientific evidence to back any of those claims up.Many of the oft-quoted studies referenced by seed cycling proponents aren’t actually about seed cycling‚ though they do cover the seeds involved in it. One of these is a 1993 study that examined whether supplementing a traditional Western diet with flaxseed had any effect on the menstrual cycle. Though the researchers found that‚ compared to controls‚ participants’ luteal phases were longer‚ and none experienced anovulation when taking flaxseed‚ there were no significant changes to the overall average cycle length‚ nor the concentration of estrogen during the follicular phase. The study concluded that the changes they saw were down to a group of compounds found in flaxseed called lignans – but there’s little weight in that conclusion‚ given there were only 18 participants.Other studies have also looked at the components of the seeds that are supposed to be beneficial. It’s often claimed‚ for example‚ that the apparent effects of pumpkin seeds come from their zinc content. A recent review of 36 studies found that zinc supplementation could potentially improve some elements of PCOS and painful periods.However‚ it found little evidence to support any role in treating endometriosis or menopausal symptoms. Similarly‚ a study examining two weeks of supplemental zinc sulfate’s effects on 32 postmenopausal patients found no significant evidence of it having any effect on estrogen or progesterone levels. However‚ there were only eight participants per experimental group.It’s only in the last few years that studies specifically on seed cycling have started to pop up. Even then‚ they’re few and far between‚ with far from enough evidence to suggest that the practice has any “hormonal balancing” benefits – a recent review concluded as much.A study published last year looked at the effectiveness of seed cycling in treating PCOS and concluded that it improved hormone levels. However‚ there’s a major problem with making such a conclusion: participants in the study (of which there were only 90) had to undergo a number of other changes‚ being instructed to take up 40 minutes of "brisk" walking‚ 60-minute "regular" walks‚ 10 minutes of deep breathing each morning‚ and a specific portion-controlled diet – so it’s not actually possible to determine if seed cycling was responsible for any changes seen.The overall pictureIf you’re experiencing problems with your menstrual cycle‚ or suspect that you might be having hormonal issues‚ it’s best to speak to a healthcare provider. The evidence (or rather lack of it) suggests that seed cycling isn’t going to help. However‚ unless you’re allergic to the seeds involved‚ it’s unlikely to cause harm to your health either. In fact‚ seeds can be part of a balanced diet‚ adding unsaturated fats‚ protein‚ and fiber.The biggest harm coming from seed cycling might end up being the hole it burns in your wallet – or the sheer boredom of eating seeds every. single. day.All “explainer” articles are confirmed by fact checkers to be correct at time of publishing. Text‚ images‚ and links may be edited‚ removed‚ or added to at a later date to keep information current. The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice‚ diagnosis‚ or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Two projects using the James Webb Space Telescope will look at the auroras of Uranus and Saturn to discover what processes make them tick.

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by Sean Adl-Tabatabai‚ The Peoples Voice: Serious questions have been raised about the Clinton Airport executive who was fatally shot by ATF agents in his home on Tuesday. According to reports‚ Bryan Malinowski‚ the executive director of the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport‚ was shot dead after getting in a firefight with federal agents with […]

In this installment of “Motor School‚” Quinn Redeker discusses cornering techniques. For tight‚ slow-speed turns‚ counterbalancing enables a more controlled drop‚ with a much tighter turning radius to boot. Photos by Kevin Wing. I think it’s fair to say there are a few subjects we should all steer clear of if we want to foster a harmonious relationship with other humans. Politics and religion are obvious land mines. And my wife knows that recommending a culling of the herd in the garage isn’t a party‑starter. But it appears I’ve discovered a ripe one you might also have some feelings about. And knowing how domineering and strong‑willed you are‚ when the dust settles‚ I really hope we can still be friends. Okay‚ here goes nothing. There exists a feverish debate amongst motorcyclists regarding two uniquely different approaches to riding. Of course‚ there are more than two‚ but these revolve around the rider’s center of balance (center line) in relation to the motorcycle’s center of balance while navigating turns. Yep‚ a global hot button‚ this one. But please don’t ask for the Gold Codes just yet. When a motorcycle starts to lean over and fall into a turn‚ its center of gravity shifts inward‚ causing it to head toward the ground (just go with me here; it’s science). When this happens‚ we have a couple options. One‚ we can counterbalance‚ a technique that shifts our center of gravity to the outside of the bike’s center of gravity‚ effectively countering the effects of the motorcycle’s weight transfer as it falls in. Two‚ we can lean our body into the curve‚ shifting our center of gravity to the inside of the motorcycle’s center of gravity as it falls in‚ effectivelytrading the motorcycle’s weight with our own as the bike leans over. This on‑road technique applies to paved corners with a good surface. Hmmm‚ what to do. Flip a coin? Call a friend? Ask “what would Fonzie do?” Solid options‚ no doubt. But before we rush over to Arnold’s and pull Fonzie away from the Polaski twins‚ I’ll kick off the group share and give you my two cents on the topic. When I do police motor competitions on my BMW R 1250 RT‑P‚ I employ as many tricks as my tiny brain can remember to execute tight maneuvers in confined spaces. These events are 1st‑gear scenarios‚ and the speeds drop as low as 5 mph‚ triggering the bike’s mass to fall like a 650‑lb paperweight. In other words‚ the bike’s weight is compounded by the fact that the gyroscopic forces and inertia are greatly reduced at slower speeds‚ while nature’s gravity amp is cranked up to 11. Deep science‚ yes‚ but an important thing to keep in mind because it’s a major contributing factor for why we throw our feet down‚ break into a cold sweat‚ or abandon ship altogether when speed slows down and our bike leans over.  These days I do my best to mitigate unplanned and unsettling weight shifts‚ so I rely on counterbalancing when I slow to walking speeds. By offsetting the bike’s lean‑in mass with counterbalancing‚ my big Beemer falls over slower‚ falls over farther‚ and turns a much tighter radius. All big wins. Yes‚ clutch control and throttle input are players in my process‚ but counterbalancing does most of the heavy lifting. Sounds like we solved the riddle then‚ and we should counterbalance the bike whenever it leans over? Absolutely‚ yes. Well‚ unless your motorcycle has more gears in the transmission than 1st. Let me explain why and how my strategy changes when I click through the gears.  As an Advanced Riding Clinic instructor for Total Control‚ I co‑teach clinics where we take students on‑track and put them through advanced concepts and techniques to help manage speed situations on the street. A major challenge we face as riders (and help mitigate as instructors) are speed situations in corners. You know that as speed increases‚ your motorcycle requires a greater lean angle for whatever radius you are navigating. This can be problematic if you don’t have techniques and a plan to deal with it. We need all the cornering clearance we can find when speeds pick up. A lean-in technique helps accomplish this. Let’s imagine Future You: It’s a magical Monday‚ and you’re having a “personal medical issue‚” so work is a no‑go. Precisely 27 minutes later‚ you are fully kitted up‚ and that pesky walking pneumonia has miraculously vanished as you drop into a long right‑hander. At that precise moment‚ ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” pours into your helmet speakers‚ and because this is your jam‚ mid‑corner speeds unwittingly climb. Suddenly‚ and without warning‚ your bike begins shedding unwanted poundage by grinding hard parts along the pavement as your line widens and pushes you toward the double yellows. Not great. Future You will do one of three things here: 1) Panic and grab the brakes mid‑corner‚ causing abrupt weight transfer that will stand your bike up and aim it toward the portion of the roadway you are trying to avoid; 2) Eventually drag parts so much that you lever the tires off the ground and initiate a low‑side crash; or 3) Move your body’s center line to the inside of the motorcycle’s center line (leaning in)‚ effectively trading the bike’s mass for your mass‚ causing the bike to reduce its lean angle‚ tighten its line‚ and maintain its speed. Leaning in doesn’t necessitate high speeds or excessive hanging off‚ but rather positioning oneself toward the inside of the curve for cornering. Let’s go with option 3 on this one. Let me land the plane here. When you find yourself in 1st‑gear situations‚ it’s all about counterbalancing‚ but as soon as the speeds pick up and you click 2nd gear and beyond‚ shift your body’s center line to the inside of the motorcycle’s center line. If you want a live‑action example‚ go to my YouTube channel (Police Motor Training with Quinn Redeker) and find the video titled: “Motorcycle Technique: Counterbalance vs Lean (Road Race Style).” It provides a clear visual demonstration and explanation as to why and where I use one style over the other. Fantastic. You’ve said nothing this whole time‚ so either we are in total agreement on this or I’ve offended you somewhere along the way. In either case‚ maybe this will build a bridge of sorts: “We seldom learn much from someone with whom we agree.” – Mokokoma Mokhonoana Find Quinn at Police Motor Training. See all Motor School with Quinn Redeker articles here. The post Motor School with Quinn Redeker: Which Way Do You Lean? appeared first on Rider Magazine.