The American Elite Want to RATION Food‚ Power‚ and Gas for the Rest of Us

The Shameful and Strange Ruling Against Israel at the ICJ

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Shock: NPR's New President a CRT-loving Hyperpartisan

This week NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter took its final flight‚ a newly discovered astronomical object is either the heaviest known neutron star or the lightest black hole‚ and a new gene therapy enables an 11-year-old boy to hear for the first time. Finally‚ we investigate the history behind BMI‚ and why it is not a measure of health.Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for all the biggest science news delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday and Saturday. New Room Temperature Superconductor Throws Hat In The Ring – This Time‚ It’s GraphiteSuperconductive materials can transmit electricity without resistance‚ making them fundamental for advanced and efficient technologies. The current drawback is that this property is only obtained below a certain temperature‚ often pretty close to absolute zero. Scientists are hunting for a material that would be superconductive at room temperature‚ and the latest “hat in the ring” for this quest is actually a pretty common material in a pretty peculiar configuration: graphite‚ the substance that makes up the writing part of pencils.  Read the full story hereGoodbye Ingenuity‚ Humanity’s First Flying Vehicle On Another Planet NASA’s Ingenuity Mars helicopter has taken its final flight across the dusty plains of Jezero Crater. The first flying vehicle on another world‚ Ingenuity spent almost 1‚000 days on the Red Planet carrying out test flights and helping its rover companion Perseverance navigate the Martian terrain‚ 33 times longer than NASA had initially planned. Having proven that controlled powered flight on another world is possible‚ after its most recent flight‚ a brief loss of communication‚ and a bad landing‚ NASA has confirmed the mission has ended. Read the full story hereWorld’s First IVF Rhino Pregnancy Is Big Step To Saving Species On Brink Of ExtinctionA huge breakthrough for endangered rhino species in Africa has been achieved through the world’s first in-vitro fertilization (IVF) rhino pregnancy. A team has successfully implanted a lab-created rhino embryo into a surrogate rhino mother for the first time‚ resulting in pregnancy. This could be a big step towards saving the northern white rhino‚ a species on the very brink of extinction. Read the full story hereNewly Discovered Astronomical Object Is Right On The Edge Of Two Extreme PossibilitiesAstronomy is full of puzzling objects‚ and an international team of researchers has just added another juicy one: A dense compact object that has been spotted orbiting a pulsar. This in itself is not that groundbreaking – but the mass of this object is puzzling. It's in the so-called mass gap. Researchers are either observing the heaviest neutron star known or the lightest black hole. Read the full story here11-Year-Old Boy Hears For First Time Ever Thanks To Gene Therapy BreakthroughAn 11-year-old boy who was born with an extremely rare form of deafness that is thought to affect only about 200‚000 people worldwide has become the first patient to receive a new gene therapy procedure‚ and it’s allowed him to hear sounds for the first time in his life. Now‚ the procedure is being trialed on more children. Read the full story hereTWIS is published weekly on our Linkedin page‚ join us there for even more content.Feature of the week: Your BMI Is Not A Health Measure – Here's Why In the last 50 years‚ the body mass index (BMI) has gone from a relatively obscure demographic tool to an ever-present gauge of personal worth. With the level of importance we tend to impart upon the metric‚ you might expect the BMI to be the result of years of research by health experts. It’s not. In fact‚ it was never meant to be used on individuals at all. Read the full story hereMore content:Have you seen our free e-magazine‚ CURIOUS? Issue 18 January 2023 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.

Human remains that are over 2‚000 to 2‚500 years old have been recovered by archaeologists within the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The discovery‚ what is essentially a new “bog body”‚ was made in peatland at an excavation site in Bellaghy in October 2023. At the time‚ police were made aware that human bones had been found at the site and it was unclear whether they were old or more recent.“On initial examination‚ we couldn’t be sure if the remains were ancient or the result of a more recent death”‚ Detective Inspector Nikki Deehan explained in a statement.“Therefore‚ we proceeded to excavate the body with full forensic considerations in a sensitive and professional manner. This approach also ensures that any DNA evidence could be secured for any potential criminal investigation. Ultimately this wasn’t the case in this instance.”At first‚ the team carrying out the excavation discovered bones from a human's left lower leg and right arm. These included a tibia and fibula‚ as well as a humerus‚ ulna‚ and radius bone. As they continued to search‚ the team recovered more bones belonging to the same individual.The first findings had been close to the surface‚ but the bones of a lower left arm and left femur were soon discovered about 5 meters (16.4 feet) south of the surface remains. Additional finger bones‚ fingernails‚ part of the left femur‚ and the breastbone were found upon further excavation.Given the state of the remains‚ it is not possible to draw too many conclusions about the individual themselves. However‚ postmortem analysis conducted by a forensic anthropologist has determined that the individual was probably male‚ and between 13-17 years old when they died.Bog bodies are human remains that have been naturally mummified in peat bogs‚ which contain acids that preserve bodies for centuries. Throughout history‚ thousands of people have been preserved in this way after their bodies fell into the muck‚ either after being murdered‚ sacrificed‚ or simply by accident. Unlike some bog bodies‚ the remains of humans that are naturally mummified in peat bogs‚ these fragments have retained some of the individual’s skin‚ finger‚ and toenails‚ and maybe even a kidney.“The well-preserved nature of the body meant radiocarbon dating could be used to ascertain the time of death‚” Detective Inspector Deehan added.              IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites.“The radiocarbon dates have placed the time of death between 2‚000 - 2‚500 years ago‚ approximately 500 [BCE]. This is the first time radiocarbon dating has been used on a bog body in Northern Ireland‚ and the only one to still exist‚ making this a truly unique archaeological discovery for Northern Ireland.”According to Dr Alastair Ruffel of Queen’s University Belfast; “To ensure the highest possible standards in forensic recovery of human remains were maintained‚ we conducted two phases of high-resolution ground penetrating radar survey at the site. The results showed no indications of further human remains.”The remains were initially discovered about 1 meter (3.2 feet) below the current ground surface‚ which‚ Ruffel explained‚ “matches the radiocarbon estimates.” It seems the remains were also “amongst a cluster of fossil tree remains”‚ which suggests the individual “may have died or been buried in a copse or stand of trees‚ or washed in.”The Chief Executive of Forest Services‚ John Joe O’Boyle‚ added: “Forest Service recognizes the significance of this very exciting find. This ancient bog body was discovered on land owned by the Department and we are now working with National Museums NI to transfer it to them so that they can continue with further examination and preservation of the remains.”“I hope‚ in due course‚ the find will help us all understand better something of our very early history.”

Plastic shells have become a fashion trend for hermit crabs across the world. In a new study‚ scientists have looked into how often hermit crabs are using plastic and other human-made materials as their shells‚ concluding that it is likely to be a global problem across many different species.Researchers at the University of Warsaw in Poland analyzed nearly 29‚000 images of hermit crabs that had been uploaded to online platforms such as iNaturalist by wildlife enthusiasts. They identified 386 crabs that had co-opted artificial shells as their homes. The most common human-made material was plastic caps‚ like the ones you find on soda bottles‚ which accounted for up to 85 percent of the artificial shells.All in all‚ they estimated that the problem impacts at least 10 of 16 terrestrial hermit crab species found across the tropical regions of the planet. "When I first saw these pictures‚ I felt it was heart-breaking‚" Professor Marta Szulkin‚ study author from the Institute of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Warsaw‚ told BBC Radio 4.Examples of plastic-shelled hermit crabs used in the study.Image credit: Shawn Miller via Z. Jagiello et al.‚Science of The Total Environment ‚ 2024 (CC BY 4.0 DEED)“At the same time‚ I think we really need to understand the fact that we are living in a different era and animals are making use of what is available to them‚" she added.Hermit crabs have a soft abdomen with an exoskeleton that needs protection. To save on the energy-intensive process of growing their own shell‚ they’ll simply hijack the disused shells left behind by dead crustaceans. However‚ with the world’s oceans becoming increasingly polluted with plastic‚ it appears many hermit crabs are increasingly tempted to use trash as their shelter.The new study looked into why hermit crabs are ditching their typical natural shells in favor of artificial alternatives and concluded that it likely hinges on a few different things. Sexual selection is a likely factor because females may be attracted to the novelty of the plastic shell. Plastics are also generally lighter than chitin shells‚ which makes it a more practical choice. Additionally‚ hermit crabs may be choosing plastic shells as it helps them camouflage in polluted environments.    It’s not clear if the plastic shells are impacting the well-being of the hermit crabs or whether it’s a benign consequence of living in the Anthropocene. In a follow-up study‚ the team hopes to uncover whether this new behavior is affecting the evolution of hermit crabs.“These analyses will deepen our understanding of the consequences of plastic pollution in marine ecosystems‚ as well as the evolution of species in the context of new evolutionary pressures associated with the Anthropocene‚” the researcher said in a statement.Hermit crabs aren’t alone in their plastic plight. In recent times‚ scientists have documented a myriad of ways that the natural world is being changed by the ever-growing presence of plastic‚ from turtle bellies filled with artificial netting to ants becoming entangled in synthetic fibers.In one particularly jarring example‚ geologists have recently discovered "plastic rocks" on a remote volcanic island off the Brazilian coast.The new study is published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.

In the bustling city of Los Angeles‚ a dedicated group named Hope For Paws tirelessly works to rescue animals in dire straits. Their mission recently led them to a heart-wrenching case involving Miley‚ a dog whose plight was nothing short of tragic. Miley‚ a sick and forlorn canine‚ had been surviving in a massive pile... The post Dog rescued from trash pile ‘pays it forward’ and becomes ‘angel’ for another frightened pup appeared first on Animal Channel.

On Thursday‚ NBC's Law &; Order: Special Victims Unit premiered an episode in which a white rape victim agonizes over prosecuting her rapist because he's black. In the episode‚ "Truth Embargo‚" the rape occurs during a mass smash-n-grab robbery of a high-end store. One of the masked looters spots a shopper in a bathing suit near the dressing room and attacks her. At the hospital‚ the victim‚ Natalie (Romina D'Ugo)‚ falsely claims she did not see the rapist because he was wearing a mask. Video store cameras later show he took off his mask before entering the dressing area. Natalie's lesbian partner‚ Brooke (Keeley Miller)‚ is angry at police detectives when she meets them in the hospital‚ somehow blaming them for New York City's spiking crime. Brooke: [Scoffs] What happened to this city? I mean-- are the police trying to prove some kind of point?  Detective Velasco: What point is that? Brooke: That we still need you.  More evidence piles up‚ which points to a black man named Jay Watson (Mykey Cooper). Natalie reluctantly identifies him in a police line-up‚ and he is arrested. During the trial‚ Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) asks Brooke how she's doing. Brooke tells her that the biggest source of angst for Natalie right now is "the systemic inequities that exist within the criminal justice system." Benson: Brooke. How are you holding up? Brooke: Not great. I was up all night with Natalie. She was inconsolable. Benson: That's understandable. Look‚ when a person goes through a trauma like that‚ they can end up in a very vulnerable state. Brooke: Yeah‚ it wasn't about that. Benson: Okay‚ then what?  Brooke: We're acutely aware of the systemic inequities that exist within the criminal justice system. Benson: You mean for people like Jay. Brooke: Yeah. Our concern is that he might not receive a fair trial. Benson: Well‚ I can't deny that there's a history of racial bias. It's certainly not a perfect system. Brooke: How do you do this every day? Benson: My focus‚ my priority is on healing. So I do what I can. Brooke: When does Natalie actually have to take the stand? Benson: She's up next.  On the stand‚ assistant district attorney Dominick Carisi (Peter Scanavino) asks Natalie to identify her assailant in the courtroom‚ but she remains silent‚ forcing Carisi to request a brief recess. Outside the courtroom‚ Natalie tells Carisi and Benson the dramatic story of her adopted brother from Cameroon. When she was twelve years old‚ Natalie dared her black adopted brother to steal a pack of gum. They got caught. Cops gave her a warning‚ but her brother received a night in juvenile detention. This story is‚ of course‚ preposterous. Even if it were realistic‚ it's still not believable that a victim would want her rapist to go free because of it. Benson tries to convince Natalie to change her mind. Benson: But Natalie‚ Jay Watson raped you.  Natalie: Do you think I forgot? How could I? This entire trial has been an exercise in reminding me. Carisi: And this is your chance to do something about it. Natalie: I am going to‚ believe me. Because I can. I can afford therapy. I have that luxury.  And maybe‚ one day...I'll be okay. But if that teenager goes to prison? He may not be. Ever. [crying] I don't want that. Benson: Natalie‚ wait.  Eventually‚ Benson manages to convince Natalie to identify her attacker on the stand. "I hope you know that I wouldn't be here if I didn't think that a fair trial was possible. And I'm not asking you to trust the system‚ Natalie. I'm asking you to trust me‚" she tells the victim. At no point in this episode‚ does any character question Natalie and Brooke's presumptions about "systemic inequity" despite studies showing innocent black men are not unfairly targeted for criminal prosecution. The episode ends with a cringeworthy scene in which Carisi agrees to accept a plea deal despite a slam dunk case that is guaranteed conviction. Why?  Because‚ by golly‚ the rapist feels really‚ really sorry about what he did.   Carisi: I'm listening‚ Mr. Carter. Carter: Go ahead‚ Jay. Watson: That girl‚ Natalie. I did what she said. She ain't lying. Carisi: Okay. Watson: I took something. Something I can't give back. It was just supposed to be a robbery. But when I saw her-- my whole life‚ nobody paid attention to anything I did. Not at home‚ not at school. Always felt kind of invisible‚ you know? So why would this be any different? What I did to Natalie...I did. Changed her life forever. So‚ I guess I finally learned my lesson. Just too late. Carisi: It's never too late‚ Mr. Watson. You'll do time. But not your whole life. When you get out‚ you'll still have some runway ahead of you. And taking responsibility for what you did is only the first step. Let's speak to Ms. Ross.  Lots of young people are neglected. Feeling invisible does not drive them to rob a store and rape a shopper in it.  "Truth Embargo" is eye-rolling in its excuse-making and guilt-tripping. The audience is supposed to feel sympathy for a violent criminal merely because of the color of his skin. No one‚ especially the victim‚ mentions the danger of Watson raping another woman if he is set free or receives a reduced sentence. The whole focus is instead on neurotic white guilt. For a show with the words Law &; Order in its title‚ this episode is oddly uninterested in whether or not society should be protected from a predator.

NBC's medical drama Chicago Med is back on the air with the program’s ninth season‚ and apparently the writers learned nothing from their hiatus and are still inserting elements of the liberal agenda into their shows.  On Wednesday’s episode‚ “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both of Us‚” one of the show’s storylines downplayed the impact illegal immigration has on communities by featuring a ‘violent‚ racist white male’ character who takes issue with the appearance of preferential treatment toward migrants in the hospital over his wife who had been injured in a car accident. In a nutshell‚ "white male" Wade Martin brings his wife to the hospital after they got into a car accident. He was driving and didn’t sustain any injuries. The storyline suggests that he ran into an illegal immigrant with his vehicle on purpose. That same illegal immigrant‚ Luis‚ arrives at the hospital for treatment as well. Later in the show‚ a doctor treating Luis notices that he has a separate issue from the injury that occurred during the car accident. That is‚ he has a rash on his leg and is diagnosed with ‘typhus‚’ which can be caused by flea bites. Dr. Zola Ahmad (Sophia Ali) suspects that the local shelter where the migrants are being housed might have an outbreak‚ which eventually leads her to bringing a van load of migrants to the hospital for a checkup. Martin is frustrated with the hospital for taking too long to do his wife’s MRI scan. He then completely loses it when he notices the hospital staff attempting to move his wife out of her hospital room to make way for the migrants. He confronts them about it and goes into a rant about how the migrants are getting preferential treatment over Americans‚ which eventually leads to him getting into a heated scuffle with the doctors.  Mr. Martin: Wait‚ why are you moving my wife?  Nurse: Sir‚ please‚ it's just temporary.  Dr. Crockett Marcel: Hey‚ Mr. Martin. You okay? Mr. Martin: What's going on? Did you two authorize this? Dr. Ahmad: Mr. Martin‚ my apologies. It appears we're momentarily---- Mr. Martin: You think I don't see what's going on‚ but you're giving all the rooms to them. - Hold on now. - Same thing happened at my kid's school. They commandeered her gym for a shelter.  Dr. Crockett Marcel: Look‚ Wade‚ I assure you we have enough resources to take care of everyone. - Mr. Martin: No‚ we don't. People keep saying that‚ but we just don't‚ okay? The whole volleyball season got canceled‚ and my daughter needed that for her scholarship. And now my wife‚ she's obviously not receiving your full attention. How come nobody's looking out for us?  Dr. Crockett Marcel: I understand that this is an inconvenience‚ but we do need to free up this room. Okay‚ go ahead. Mr. Martin: No‚ get away from her! - Dr. Ahmad: Mr. Martin‚ please. - Mr. Martin: Stop handling me! - Wait! Hey! - No! - Dr. Crockett Marcel: Hey‚ hey. Calm down! - Mr. Martin: No! No! Get away from me! Get off of me! - Security Guard: Calm down‚ Mr. Martin! - Let's go. - Mr. Martin: Get off of me! Get off of me! No! No! - Dr. Crockett Marcel: You all right? - Dr. Ahmad: Yeah‚ I'm fine. I'll go get that blood draw started.  It’s clear Hollywood writers love to produce sympathetic plots when it comes to people living in the U.S. illegally. And if you're frustrated by the millions of people pouring over the border‚ then you're the problem in the eyes of Tinseltown 'progressives.' The reality is‚ border crossings by migrant families have hit record highs‚ and the influx of migrants is creating chaos in communities across the country. For example‚ a Denver‚ Colorado hospital system says it’s ‘at a critical point’ due to the flood of migrants and uncompensated medical care costs. It’s so bad‚ the hospital is having to turn away people who are in need of care.