Some Thoughts on The Red State vs Blue State Debate

This week 170-year-old champagne found on a shipwreck is the oldest ever tasted‚ for the first time in 50 years‚ the US plans to land on the moon next month‚ and a discovery of ancient Egyptian waterways hints at how the pyramids may have been built. Finally‚ we explore if humans will settle in space anytime soon.Subscribe to the IFLScience newsletter for all the biggest science news delivered straight to your inbox every Wednesday and Saturday.The 25‚000-Year-Old "Pyramid" In Indonesia Was Likely Not Made By HumansLast month‚ a new study garnered a lot of media attention (including from IFLScience) 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 have raised skepticism about its bold conclusions. Read the full story hereLife-Extending Drug For Big Dogs Moves One Step Closer To FDA ApprovalThis week‚ biotech company Loyal announced that it had reached a key milestone in the path toward approval of its lifespan-extending drug for dogs. The announcement came after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Veterinary Medicine confirmed they were satisfied that the drug‚ LOY-001‚ is likely to be effective at increasing the lifespan of large dogs. Read the full story here170-Year-Old Shipwreck Champagne Is Oldest Ever Tasted‚ With Notes Of "Animal" And "Wet Hair"The idea of finding a treasure chest in an ancient shipwreck might be a popular movie storyline‚ but far from gold and jewels‚ an unexpected new item might be the source of future wealth. A group of divers discovered a shipwreck containing 168 bottles of champagne that were still intact‚ so‚ of course‚ they tasted it. Read the full story hereSurprise: After 50 Years‚ US To Land On The Moon Next MonthWith over half a century since NASA last landed on the Moon‚ the upcoming Artemis missions are a source of global excitement. However‚ before the crewed launch (fingers tightly crossed) in November 2024‚ the US will actually return to the Moon's surface next month‚ hitching a lift aboard a private company's lander on January 25. Read the full story hereDiscovery Of Ancient Waterway May Solve Mystery Of How The Pyramids Were BuiltThe mystery of how the pyramids were built may have finally been solved thanks to the discovery of an ancient branch of the Nile that once flowed through Giza. Hundreds of meters wide‚ the enormous waterway has long since dried up‚ but could have provided transportation for the colossal amounts of material and workers needed to construct the iconic landmarks thousands of years ago. Read the full story hereTWIS is published weekly on our Linkedin page‚ join us there for even more content.Feature of the week: Can We Settle Space Anytime Soon?In the late 1950s‚ humanity took its first shaky steps into the cosmos. In the last few decades‚ we have had a continuous human presence living in Earth orbit‚ and we expect this to continue for the foreseeable future. In this exclusive interview‚ we spoke to A City on Mars authors Zach and Kelly Weinersmith about whether humanity can settle in space – and if we should.  Read the full story hereMore content:Have you seen our free e-magazine‚ CURIOUS? December 2023 is OUT NOW. Check it out for exclusive interviews‚ book excerpts‚ long reads‚ and more.PLUS‚ check out season 3 of IFLScience's The Big Questions Podcast‚ in which we asked:• Is Jurassic Park Possible?• How Is Climate Change Affecting Polar Bear Populations?• Why Is Space Junk Such A Big Deal?• Can We Save A Species On The Very Brink Of Extinction?• How Does A Quantum Computer Work And How Will They Change The World?• What Is Space Weather And How Does It Affect Us?• What Is Ancient Ice Telling Us About The Future?• Are E-Fuels The Future Of Aviation?• How Are Glaciers Changing In A Warming World?• Are We Ready For The Next Massive Solar Flare?

Regenerative medicine might just have had a new tool added to its arsenal: Scientists have created tiny biological robots out of living human cells. Though they may be small‚ the self-assembling bots are mighty‚ with a study demonstrating their potential for healing and treating disease. The team had already proven their biological robotics chops back in 2020 with the creation of Xenobots‚ made from frog embryonic cells. They even managed to design Xenobots so that they could reproduce in a way that no living animal or plant does‚ something that had never been seen before. The researchers weren’t sure whether the incredible capabilities of the Xenobots were in some way down to their amphibious origins‚ so they wanted to find out if biobots could also be created from the cells of other organisms. And why not begin with humans?The starting point for the newest robots‚ called anthrobots‚ is a single adult human cell taken from the trachea (windpipe). These types of cells are covered in tiny hair-like structures called cilia which help keep tiny particles out of our lungs. By manipulating their growth conditions in the lab‚ the team was able to encourage the cells to replicate into multicellular organoids with the cilia facing outwards.Now‚ with their coating of oar-like cilia beating away‚ the cells would be able to move. In this colorized image‚ you can see the furry coating of cilia on the Anthrobot's surface.Image credit: Gizem Gumuskaya‚ Tufts UniversityA few different variants of the anthrobots emerged‚ with slightly different shapes and ranging in size between 30 and 500 micrometers. Depending on the arrangement of their cilia‚ they moved differently – wiggling around‚ traveling in straight lines‚ or moving in circles. They can survive in the lab for up to 60 days before naturally degrading.This ability to spontaneously form their own shape is one of several advantages of the anthrobots.“Unlike Xenobots‚ they don’t require tweezers or scalpels to give them shape‚ and we can use adult cells – even cells from elderly patients – instead of embryonic cells‚” explained their creator‚ PhD student Gizem Gumuskaya‚ in a statement. "It’s fully scalable – we can produce swarms of these bots in parallel‚ which is a good start for developing a therapeutic tool.”One of these potential therapeutic applications is in healing. The team observed that when a cluster of anthrobots (called a “superbot”) was added to neurons grown in the lab‚ which had been damaged by scratching the layer of cells‚ the miniature marvels encouraged new cell growth to fill in the gap.     And remember‚ the anthrobots are made of tracheal cells‚ not neurons. The scientists were surprised at their capabilities‚ which open up a whole host of potential applications in neurological diseases‚ tissue damage‚ and drug delivery. The fact that the cells naturally grow into such a range of structures‚ and that you could theoretically harvest a patient’s own cells for the process‚ thus limiting the chances of adverse immune reactions‚ means that we’re probably only scratching the surface of the possibilities.“Two important differences from inanimate bricks are that cells can communicate with each other and create these structures dynamically‚ and each cell is programmed with many functions‚ like movement‚ secretion of molecules‚ detection of signals‚ and more‚” Gumuskaya said. “We are just figuring out how to combine these elements to create new biological body plans and functions – different than those found in nature.”“The cellular assemblies we construct in the lab can have capabilities that go beyond what they do in the body‚” added senior author Michael Levin‚ director of the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University. “It is fascinating and completely unexpected that normal patient tracheal cells‚ without modifying their DNA‚ can move on their own and encourage neuron growth across a region of damage. We’re now looking at how the healing mechanism works‚ and asking what else these constructs can do.”The study is published in the journal Advanced Science.

On December 1‚ Japan inaugurated JT-60SA‚ the largest operational superconducting tokamak in the world to date. A tokamak is a nuclear fusion reactor shaped like a donut and this new-build in Japan‚ with the support of the European Union (EU)‚ is meant to be the forerunner of the under-construction International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER)‚ which is currently being built in France and is expected to open in a few years. The goal of this nuclear fusion reactor is to demonstrate that the design can output a net amount of energy. More energy needs to come out than is put in for it to make sense. Nuclear fusion has the potential to release an enormous amount of clean carbon-free energy. After all‚ it is what powers stars. But to recreate the conditions that happen at the heart of stars‚ energy needs to be invested. And that’s where the difficult trade-off happens.A different setup from the tokamak‚ called inertial confinement fusion‚ has demonstrated net gain in the last year but still not enough to be commercially viable. This tokamak heats up plasma kept in a strong magnetic field to up to 200 million degrees Celsius (360 million degrees Fahrenheit)‚ with currents going through it at 1 million amps. A household circuit carries between 15 and 20 amps.Researchers expect that scaling will allow them to extract more and more energy. This is why ITER is designed to be bigger‚ being able to achieve burning plasma first and then full fusion by 2035. JT-60SA will inform the next steps in reactor approaches‚ and it is already showing promise. The first plasma was shown to circulate in October with much lower currents going through it.“What happens here today will matter tomorrow for the contribution of fusion in a carbon-free energy mix. JT-60SA is key to the international fusion roadmap because it provides a one-of-a-kind possibility to learn‚ operate this unique fusion device and to share that valuable knowledge with ITER‚” Marc Lachaise‚ director of Fusion for Energy‚ said in a speech during the inauguration.Fusion for Energy is responsible for the EU's contribution to ITER. Thirty-five countries are part of ITER: the whole EU‚ Switzerland‚ the United Kingdom‚ India‚ Japan‚ Russia‚ China‚ and the United States. ITER is being constructed in the south of France and it is expected to have the first fusion plasma inside it in 2025.

If you fall into piranha-infested waters‚ how long do you have before they devour you before your very eyes? Minutes? Seconds? If you watched Netflix's wildly popular Wednesday last year‚ you will have seen the show opens with the titular character enacting revenge on her brother's bullies by unleashing a bag of the little biters into the school swimming pool to merry hell. But what would actually happen if you found yourself in close quarters with a pack of piranhas? And what does Teddy Roosevelt have to do with it all?  Video credit: TED-Ed

The enigma surrounding Mexico’s alien mystery deepens with a recent analysis suggesting that the DNA from the tiny corpses doesn’t match human genetic material but instead belongs to an ‘unknown species.’ Mexico’s Congress has witnessed a spectacle over the past couple of months‚ with the controversial UFO enthusiast and journalist Jaime Maussan taking center stage multiple times to substantiate his claim that the mummified remains discovered in Peru represent extraterrestrial life. In his latest endeavor‚ Maussan presented a team of researchers who conducted a DNA examination on the specimens. The results indicated that 30 percent of the genetic material does not correspond to any known species. They asserted the authenticity of the figures‚ which constitute a singular skeleton. However‚ the remaining 70 percent of the DNA analysis has yet to be disclosed. “This is the first time extraterrestrial life has been presented in this manner‚” Maussan said to Congress. “We have a clear example of non-human specimens unrelated to any known species on our planet. “The public has the right to know about non-human technology and beings. This reality unites humanity rather than dividing us. We are not alone in this vast universe; we should embrace this truth.” Maussan added that the two corpses have sturdy bones‚ are toothless‚ and contain implants made of the soft‚ slivery-white metal cadmium and the bluish-white metal osmium – rare elements on Earth. The post Mexican ‘alien mummies’ have 30% DNA of an ‘unknown species’ appeared first on Anomalien.com.

A woman from Quang Binh province‚ Vietnam‚ has piqued curiosity with her claim of not consuming any food for over 50 years‚ solely subsisting on water. However‚ this assertion remains unverified‚ solely reliant on her testimony without any corroborating evidence. The woman at the center of this narrative is Mrs. Bui Thi Loi‚ born in 1948‚ residing in Loc Ninh commune‚ Dong Hoi city‚ Quang Binh province. Mrs. Loi‚ a caretaker at the local martyrs’ cemetery‚ actively engaged in the youth volunteer movement and was involved in rescuing soldiers. In 1963‚ while aiding wounded soldiers on a mountain alongside her team‚ Mrs. Loi was struck by lightning‚ losing consciousness in the process. As per Mrs. Bui Thi Loi’s account‚ following the lightning strike‚ she ceased feeling hunger and lost the desire to eat. Concerned about her well-being‚ her companions prepared sugar water for her consumption. According to local news website dantri.com.vn‚ Over the years‚ Mrs. Loi’s eating patterns became irregular as she experienced no hunger‚ primarily subsisting on fruits. From 1970 onward‚ she scarcely consumed any food‚ relying solely on water. Photo: Tran Anh Mrs. Loi expressed her puzzlement at her condition‚ noting a lack of hunger‚ aversion to food odors‚ and occasional nausea ever since the lightning incident‚ spanning over 50 years. This lack of eating caused difficulties during childbirth as she had no milk and had to seek it from others. Despite cooking daily for her children‚ she refrained from eating herself‚ especially after her children moved away for work‚ discontinuing her cooking altogether. Many individuals intrigued by Mrs. Loi’s account visited her home. With her children gone‚ her kitchen lay unused‚ covered in dust‚ and her gas stove remained untouched. Her refrigerator contained only bottled water and soft drinks‚ devoid of any food. Mrs. Loi disclosed her dependence on a monthly subsidy of approximately 1.3 million VND‚ primarily allocated for purchasing water‚ with the surplus directed toward charitable causes. Despite abstaining from food and relying solely on water‚ she claimed good health and an absence of any illnesses. Mr. Tran Van Thanh‚ Vice Chairman of Loc Ninh Commune People’s Committee‚ expressed skepticism about confirming Mrs. Loi’s dietary habits. The story remains rooted in hearsay without substantiation or verification. Local authorities observed only bottles of water during their visits to Mrs. Loi’s residence‚ noting the apparent disuse of her kitchen. Doctors from the Department of Nutrition at the Vietnam-Cuba Dong Hoi Friendship Hospital acknowledged the prevalence of stories on social media about individuals abstaining from food yet maintaining good health. However‚ verifying or elucidating the cause behind such claims poses significant challenges. The post After being struck by lightning‚ a woman has not eaten for 50 years appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Scientists from McGill University in Montreal found that the cause of the death of dinosaurs was not only a meteorite that fell to Earth ‚ but also massive volcanic eruptions that changed the climate on the planet. Study author Professor Don Baker presented the results of his paper entitled “Recurring volcanic winters during the last Cretaceous: sulfur and fluorine reserves in Deccan lavas.” This work suggests a link between volcanic activity and the extinction of dinosaurs. The Earth’s atmosphere 66 million years ago underwent toxic changes caused not only by an asteroid collision‚ but also by massive volcanic eruptions. Analysis of sulfur levels showed that before the asteroid impact‚ volcanic activity and mercury were already significantly influencing the planet’s climate. Research by geologist Sarah Callegaro of the University of Oslo points to the formation of sulfur lava in Western India coinciding with climate change. The new data contradicts previous opinions and confirms that volcanism in the Deccan traps significantly influenced the climate before the disaster. Although basalt in the region does not typically contain much sulfur‚ the slow release of the cooling molecule into the atmosphere after an eruption suggests a possible cause of the global drop in temperature. This resulted in periodic drops in temperature of up to 10°C followed by recoveries over the 100‚000 years before the asteroid impact. “Our research demonstrates that climatic conditions were almost certainly unstable‚ with repeated volcanic winters that could have lasted decades‚ prior to the extinction of the dinosaurs‚ ” explains McGill University geochemist Don Baker. “This instability would have made life difficult for all plants and animals and set the stage for the dinosaur extinction event.” The argument for pulses of eruptions does seem to be stacking up and volcanoes are‚ after all‚ what brought three quarters of all life on Earth to an end during the previous mass extinction. “Deccan Traps volcanism set the stage for a global biotic crisis‚ repeatedly deteriorating environmental conditions by forcing recurring short volcanic winters‚” the team concludes. Their research was published in Science Advances. The post Even without the meteorite‚ dinosaurs would have gone extinct appeared first on Anomalien.com.

Daniel Otis‚ a Canadian freelance investigative journalist‚ has submitted over 200 requests under federal and provincial freedom of information laws to various Canadian agencies‚ seeking records on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) observed in Canadian airspace. He has received thousands of pages of relevant material‚ including 70 years of reports from Canadian pilots‚ soldiers‚ and police officers‚ reports thedebrief.org. “For more than two years‚ I have used freedom of information requests to uncover case files‚ procedures‚ and briefing material about unidentified objects and lights in Canadian airspace‚” Otis says. “While this might seem outlandish at first‚ I have obtained thousands of pages of relevant material‚ including 70 years of reports from Canadian pilots‚ soldiers‚ and police officers.” However‚ one of his requests was denied by Ontario Power Generation (OPG)‚ which refused to disclose records concerning UAP detected at or near Ontario’s nuclear power plants. Otis launched the request based on an anonymous tip he received. OPG claimed that releasing the records could seriously threaten an individual’s safety or health. Journalist has now hired a law firm‚ The Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF)‚ to help him appeal the decision. The CCF is a national and non-partisan charity that defends constitutionally protected rights and freedoms. He argues that the public has a right to know how government agencies are addressing the UAP issue‚ especially in relation to national security and nuclear power. Otis’s case is part of a broader effort to increase transparency and accountability on the UAP topic‚ which has gained more attention and legitimacy in recent years. In the United States‚ a UAP Disclosure Act is being proposed by lawmakers to require the government to release more information on UAP sightings and investigations. The post Canadian Journalist Fights for UAP Records Near Nuclear Sites appeared first on Anomalien.com.