The world's first all-electric hydrofoil passenger boat has cruised through its “test flight” in Sweden and is now set for serial production at a factory near Stockholm.Designed by Swedish tech company Candela Technology AB‚ the Candela P-12 can travel at 30 knots‚ a record for electric passenger vessels‚ with a range of up to 92 kilometers (50 nautical miles).Much of the vessel's performance is thanks to its hydrofoils‚ wing-like structures mounted on struts below the hull. These lift the vessel out of the water and significantly reduce drag‚ helping the vessel to travel faster. Gliding with the help of the hydrofoil also makes the vessel more energy efficient‚ using 80 percent less energy than conventional ships at high speed.           To ensure a smooth journey‚ the foils are also fitted with sensors and a computer system that gauges wave height and wind speed to stabilize the vessel. The company claims this helps passengers experience 90 percent less g-force than they would on a traditional boat‚ even during rough weather.Measuring just under 12 meters (39 feet) in length‚ the Shuttle version of the boat can fit up to 30 passengers‚ as well as space for bicycles and pushchairs. The Shuttle model will set you back €1.7 million (over $1.8 million)‚ which is apparently a similar price to a comparable boat with a combustion engine‚ but significantly lower than other renewable options. There is also a fancier Business version‚ which features a premium interior with seating for 12 to 20 passengers‚ plus suitcases.Candela has already rolled out a number of small leisure boat models for private customers‚ but the P-12 aims to be the company’s first foray into commercial vessels."The P-12 is a platform that will cater to a vast range of clients. Whether it's public transport fleets‚ VIP services‚ or private customers‚ it will revolutionize how we travel on water‚" Gustav Hasselskog‚ CEO of Candela Technology‚ said in a statement.An artist's illustration of the fancy "Business" model's interior.Image credit: Candela Technology ABSweden’s capital‚ Stockholm‚ is a waterfront city scattered across 14 islands‚ so water-based transport has the potential to play a big role in the city’s infrastructure. If the pilot scheme goes to plan‚ Candela aims to have their P-12 Shuttle join Stockholm's public transport network in 2024."Today‚ in many cities‚ congested roads are common while waterways — humanity's oldest transport infrastructure — remain underutilized for rapid commuting. The P-12 will let you use these waterways as green highways‚ enabling fast intra-city connections. Often‚ the quickest route is by water‚" added Hasselskog.Maritime transport currently accounts for 3 percent of global carbon emissions‚ and that is a figure set to rise to 13 percent in the coming decades if no action is taken. While the move towards electric ships has been slow and hit many hurdles‚ the trend is slowly growing trajectory. Two years ago‚ an autonomously electric-powered cargo ship set out on its maiden voyage in Norway.

Stubbing your toe is the perfect example of disproportionate pain. As your pinky collides with the unforgiving corner of your coffee table‚ it can feel as if your phalanx has just erupted through the skin of your toe‚ and yet five minutes later it’s basically fine. Given the intensity of feeling from such a minor ailment‚ it got us wondering: can pain kill you?What is pain?Humans are highly sensitive due to a complex network of nerves that runs throughout our entire body (the first-ever complete dissection of the human nervous system demonstrates how extensive it is). Packed full of danger-detecting nociceptors‚ our nerves can pick up on changes in temperature‚ chemical balance‚ or pressure‚ but the pain isn’t felt by those nerves‚ because pain is sensed by the brain.When you stub your toe the pain isn’t actually in your toe. Pain is the result of the brain evaluating information‚ combining sensory information with expectations based on previous exposure to pain.This means that when the brain produces pain‚ it chooses a location based on a “best guess scenario”. Usually‚ the brain gets it right‚ but sometimes it doesn’t‚ as in the case of referred pain that can tell you the ouchie is in your shoulder when actually it’s caused by something that’s gone wrong in the abdomen‚ for example.So‚ if pain is essentially the interpretation of information by the brain…Can pain kill you?Pain itself can't kill you‚ but its physiological effects can‚ and it will come as no surprise that it’s one of the louder symptoms of a range of potentially deadly illnesses and injuries. Viruses are one example here.“When you catch a virus‚ your immune system reacts to protect your body. It initiates inflammation – and pain is one of the cardinal signs of this inflammation‚” Dr Franziska Denk‚ a senior lecturer at Kings College London who focuses on pain research‚ told IFLScience.“Pain is caused by nerves in your body sensing that your immune cells are active and thus that your body is under attack. The nerves react by sending signals to your brain to encourage you to rest and not move about too much until the immune system has done its job and the inflammation has resolved.”Aside from the underlying illnesses or injuries that cause severe discomfort‚ pain can also contribute to a person’s risk of death because of the stress it puts on the body. What pain does to the body“Severe pain is a horrific stress‚” wrote Forest Tennant in Practice Pain Management. “Severe pain flares‚ acute or chronic‚ cause the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to produce glucocorticoids (cortisol‚ pregnenolone) and catecholamines (adrenalin and noradrenalin) in an effort to biologically contain the stress. Catecholamines have a direct‚ potent stimulation effect on the cardiovascular system and severe tachycardia and hypertension result.”Pain flares like this can push a person’s heart rate up to over 100 beats a minute and cause dangerously high blood pressure‚ which is especially devastating in patients with existing health issues‚ and it can be pushed even higher by another side effect of extreme pain.“In addition to adrenal catecholamine release‚ pain flares cause overactivity of the autonomic‚ sympathetic nervous system‚ which add additional stimulation to catecholamine-induced tachycardia and hypertension‚” Tennant continued. “The combined physiologic effects of excessive catecholamine release and autonomic‚ sympathetic discharge may put such strain on the heart to cause coronary spasm‚ cardiac arrhythmia‚ and sudden death.”So‚ while pain itself isn’t a direct cause of death‚ it can have a significant influence on a patient’s outcome if it isn't managed properly. Fortunately‚ the field of anesthesia means we can block even extreme pain‚ allowing surgeons to cut people open without them having to feel a thing.But as far as stubbing your toe in the shower goes? You’re going to have to brave that by yourself.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 skincare habits of a pod of orcas have been captured in world-first footage of a rare behavior. Filmed as part of National Geographic WILD's new series Incredible Animal Journeys‚ the clip shows the animals using the rough surface of icebergs as a way to exfoliate irritants. Does skincare get any fresher?The behavior appears to be an adaptation that helps these animals to overcome one of the downsides of swimming in the chilly waters of Antarctica."We all need to look after our skin‚ but this pod of orca has a unique problem. Unable to molt in these sub-zero seas‚ a yellowy green algae builds up on their skin‚" producer Sarah Gibbs told Newsweek. "This family pod has learned to exfoliate the outer surfaces of their skin using icebergs as scratching posts. It shows just how smart and resourceful orca are‚ and shows another side to these 'killer' whales.”An alternative solution to the pesky algae is to swim around 11‚200 kilometers (7‚000 miles) to a climate where the water is warm enough for the orcas to molt‚ clearing their skin. As anyone who’s ever given up on a lengthy skincare regimen can relate to‚ sometimes that’s just too much effort for a scrub."If you're feeling the itch‚ you have to look for something closer to home‚" Gibbs continued.Incredible Animal Journeys  Starts on 3rd December at 8pm on National Geographic WILDWhen they do make the journey‚ it’s thought to be the longest migration any animal makes solely for the purposes of looking after their skin‚ and NatGeo's is the first documentary to capture it in a video. Incredible Animal Journeys starts on December 3 at 8pm GMT on National Geographic WILD.Orca (Orcinus orca) are famously intelligent animals‚ but they aren’t the only cetaceans known to practice complex skincare routines. In 2022‚ researchers captured footage of a group of dolphins self-medicating by rubbing themselves against corals.Aggravating the corals caused them to release mucus‚ containing 17 active metabolites in the lab which had antibacterial‚ antioxidative‚ hormonal‚ and toxic properties. It seems the dolphins make use of the bioactive compounds in the coral species’ exudates to make their skin happier.Considering we humans have tried everything from puppy fat and salty owls‚ to skull lichen and sleeping with mummified remains to cure our ills‚ rubbing against some ice or corals doesn’t seem so weird. And let’s not even go there with the boob toothpaste thing.

High up on the freezing Tibetan plateau‚ a pair of prehistoric hominid children created the world’s earliest rock art when they intentionally left their hand and footprints on a soft limestone wall about 200‚000 years ago. At least‚ that’s the narrative that archaeologists proposed back in 2021‚ although a new analysis challenges this account and suggests that the prints are probably no older than 1‚300 years old.The picture of a primordial child artist in the Himalayas was initially painted in 2002‚ when researchers discovered a panel of prints near to the Qiusang Hot Springs in Tibet. Imprinted into a type of limestone called travertine before it hardened‚ the 18 impressions were dated to about 20‚000 years ago using thermoluminescence analysis.In 2018‚ the same researchers then found a second panel of prints at the same site. This time‚ they used uranium-thorium dating to determine the age of the artwork‚ with their results - published three years later - indicating that the markings were left between 169‚000 and 226‚00 years ago in the Middle Pleistocene.Supposedly left by two children aged 7 and 12‚ the prints have been celebrated as the oldest example of parietal art on the planet‚ preceding other famous examples of hand and footprints in Indonesia and Spain by up to 185‚000 years. In addition‚ the supposed age of the markings suggests that ancient hominid children were somehow living on the Tibetan plateau - often referred to as the Roof of the World - way back in the mid-Ice Age.As wonderful as all that sounds‚ the authors of a new study have found a number of pretty massive holes in the plot. For instance‚ they point out that the use of uranium-thorium dating is highly controversial‚ and tends to provide results that are significantly higher than the age estimates given by radiocarbon dating.Noting that the travertine panel is completely exposed to the elements‚ the researchers say that the removal of surface uranium by rainwater would certainly have increased the age estimate yielded by this technique. To account for this‚ the archaeologists behind the original claims should have analyzed the age of cores taken from deeper within the rock - something they neglected to do.On top of this‚ the researchers say that the two panels of prints found at the Qiusang Hot Springs are virtually identical in both their content and their state of preservation‚ despite the fact that one is supposedly 20 times older than the other. This is something they find inexplicable‚ particularly when one considers that travertine is highly prone to weathering.Yet the biggest flaw in the theory is exposed by the recent discovery of two Tibetan writing characters etched into the same panel of limestone. This writing system is thought to have been introduced around 1‚300 years ago‚ and the inscriptions would have had to have been made just before the travertine hardened.In other words‚ the panel on which the prints are found must have crystallized some time in the past 1‚300 years‚ which means the markings left by the child artists can be no older than this.Adding yet more skepticism to the mix‚ the study authors say that there is no archaeological evidence to support the presence of any human species on the Tibetan Plateau 200‚000 years ago‚ and that the high altitude and freezing conditions would have made the region uninhabitable. “The area would have been subjected to either glacial or periglacial hypoxic conditions and would have been most marginal or inaccessible to Lower Palaeolithic hominins‚” write the researchers. “Bearing in mind that the earliest proposed human presence on the central Tibetan Plateau‚ attributed to the Nwya Devu site‚ is of the Final Pleistocene… [the] claim that Middle Pleistocene children lived at the Qiusang site during a glacial is extraordinary‚” they continue.Summing up their arguments‚ the authors conclude that this “extraordinary claim is made simply on the strength of dates derived from a method that is contentious when applied to travertine fully exposed to precipitation.” Offering an alternative hypothesis‚ they propose that “the hand and footprints… were made at the same time as Tibetan inscriptions‚ no earlier than 1‚300 years ago‚ because both were made in the still-soft precipitate.”The study is published in the Journal of Archaeological Science.

Although messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines had been in research and development for many years‚ the search for a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 brought them to the forefront. However‚ alongside the approval of mRNA vaccines against the virus came a slew of misinformation about their capabilities – namely‚ the claim that mRNA in the vaccines could alter the DNA in our cells. Whilst it's arguably pretty natural to have concerns in the face of something new‚ in this case‚ the science is clear – mRNA cannot change the DNA of a cell. In fact‚ it can’t even enter the region where DNA is stored in the first place. What is mRNA?mRNA is something of a middleman – it’s a small‚ single-stranded molecule that carries instructions from our DNA that tell the machinery in our cells‚ known as the ribosomes‚ what protein to make and how to make it. The long and double-stranded DNA stays safely tucked away in the nucleus‚ the cellular home of our genetic material. Normally‚ mRNA is produced in the nucleus in a process called transcription‚ but in the case of mRNA vaccines‚ it enters cells within a lipid-based protective bubble. Once that bubble is stripped away‚ the mRNA within is used as an instruction manual for cooking up proteins in the same way that mRNA from any other source would be. Can it change my DNA?The simple answer to whether mRNA can alter your DNA is no‚ but if you’re looking for a more detailed explanation‚ there are several reasons as to why. Remember when we said that the nucleus is DNA’s cellular home? Well‚ think of that home as less of a cozy country cottage and more like Fort Knox; entry and exit are controlled on a military-esque level‚ and you’re only allowed in and out with express permission. mRNA doesn’t have the molecular equivalent of a visitor’s pass‚ even if it was made within the nucleus – once it’s out‚ it’s out.Even if it were able to pull a Mission Impossible and get into the nucleus‚ it would soon find itself without a job. “[I]t's RNA‚ it's not DNA; it's a different language‚” said Paul Offit from the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. To have a chance of altering DNA‚ mRNA would first need to change “languages” and become DNA‚ a process known as reverse transcription. This requires a catalyst‚ the enzyme reverse transcriptase‚ which it simply doesn’t have.Again‚ for argument’s sake‚ if reverse transcription wasn’t a problem‚ mRNA would still fall at the final hurdle. As Offit explained: “Even if it were reversed transcribed to DNA‚ which it's not because it can't be‚ it would still need to integrate into the DNA with an enzyme called integrase‚ which it also doesn't have.”Then there’s the matter of mRNA’s longevity‚ or rather‚ lack of it. Even if all of the above wasn’t a problem and it could enter the nucleus‚ it probably wouldn’t even get the chance – mRNAs are quickly targeted for destruction by the cell. This means that the mRNA in COVID vaccines‚ for example‚ isn’t going to hang around in your body – it’s like a recipe that says‚ “destroy after reading”.In other words‚ mRNA simply can’t change your DNA – it’s not one to go against the rules of biology.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.

Picture this: a dog named River born in the unforgiving desert of Qatar‚ later finding itself in the midst of a snowy wonderland. It’s a story that offers us a glimpse into the life of a tough‚ yet resilient canine who has triumphed over adversity. River’s early days were no walk in the park. Born... The post Dog born in desert can’t contain joy when he sees snow for the very first time appeared first on Animal Channel.

MoonShine Wildlife Rehab isn’t your average animal rescue center. They specialize in nurturing sick‚ injured‚ or abandoned wildlife‚ preparing them for a triumphant return to the wild. Their care extends to a variety of animals‚ including squirrels‚ porcupines‚ foxes‚ owls‚ raccoons‚ and even skunks. Among their heartwarming stories is that of a tiny‚ clever baby... The post Rescue baby skunk melts hearts with adorable way he tries to ‘act tough’ appeared first on Animal Channel.

The leader of a government-tied‚ election-interfering censorship group is griping that pressuring tech companies to crush speech has become harder. Fast Company published a Nov. 21 article featuring Kate Starbird‚ a leader of the government-tied Election Integrity Partnership (EIP). In statements to Fast Company‚ Starbird whined that Republican and independent efforts to expose the federal Censorship Industrial Complex have made the work of so-called “disinformation” researchers harder‚ as social media companies are somewhat more cautious about wholesale suppression of free speech. The piece also cited a George Soros-funded institute. “It’s an open question going into 2024 if [election officials] are going to pick up the phone‚” Starbird complained‚ alleging “smear campaigns” that “can take a heavy emotional toll.” Yet in 2020 and 2022‚ EIP expressed no concern for the Americans who were silenced through their flagging and pressuring activities. Starbird’s complaints ring particularly hollow after a Twitter Files installment corroborated a House Judiciary Committee report accusing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of playing a leading role in creating a system (EIP) to shut down election “misinformation” online‚ an anti-First Amendment action. But government censorship surrogate EIP wasn’t the only questionable source Fast Company cited. The outlet also quoted Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson arguing for increased government-private coordination. “There have been deterrents to collaboration‚ but at the same time there’s been more incentive for collaboration than ever before‚” Benson said at an Aspen Institute summit. Notably‚ the Aspen Institute has received major donations from leftist billionaire George Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF). The OSF granted over a million dollars to Aspen Institute in multiple grants between 2016 and 2022‚ online records show. In 2022 alone‚ OSF gave the Aspen Institute two grants of $350‚000 and $400‚000‚ respectively. Fast Company betrayed its own bias by citing Accountable Tech‚ which proudly ran a campaign to “keep [Donald] Trump off Facebook.” Now Accountable Tech has shifted from demanding censorship of particular content to pressuring tech companies to implement new restrictions and “safeguards.” The outlet also mournfully noted that X (formerly known as Twitter) under Elon Musk is not responsive to censorship demands. The article ended with Starbird again‚ insisting she will not cease her work to crush free speech in coordination with the government and Big Tech. Conservatives are under attack. Contact your representatives and demand government agencies and Big Tech be held to account to mirror the First Amendment while providing transparency‚ clarity on so-called hate speech and equal footing for conservatives. If you have been censored‚ contact us at the Media Research Center contact form‚ and help us hold Big Tech accountable. 

There are many things in life you can’t control. However‚ survivalists can take measures to help themselves live as long as possible in the event of major societal shifts or natural disasters. Eliminating things that harm your health is one of them. The post 3 Lesser-Known Hazards That Are Lowering Your Life Expectancy appeared first on Survivopedia.

Irish police have launched an investigation into former two-division UFC champion Conor McGregor after he expressed outrage over the vicious Nov. 23 stabbing of three young children and their caregiver outside a primary school in Dublin. According to the Sunday Times‚ assistant Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly is leading an Irish police investigation into whether McGregor has disseminated online hate speech. What's the background? Two little girls‚ ages 5 and 6‚ a 5-year-old boy‚ and the children's caregiver‚ a woman in her 30s‚ were stabbed by a suspect allegedly of Algerian origin outside Dublin primary school Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire around 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. Eyewitness Siobhán Kearney told the Irish Times she had heard "screaming" and "spotted a guy with a stabbing motion across the road." "So I took across the road and there was fellas there and they pulled the guy off the children. There was a good few kids‚" said Kearney. Caio Benício‚ a courier and father of two who happened to be motoring through the area on a moped at the time‚ noticed the attack under way‚ dismounted‚ and cracked the suspect over the head with his motorcycle helmet. The 50-year-old suspect‚ whom Blaze News previously reported was arrested and deemed a "person of interest" by police‚ reportedly was left injured after passersby intervened. According to the Times‚ the suspect arrived in Ireland in 2003 demanding asylum. His application was rejected and officials ordered his deportation‚ but he successfully challenged his removal and won residency rights. The suspect was arrested for possession of a knife last May. Supt. Liam Geraghty claimed Thursday that investigators were "satisfied there is no terrorist link‚" reported the Guardian. The 5-year-old girl the attacker repeatedly stabbed in the chest was still fighting for her life in a hospital with "catastrophic" injuries as of Saturday‚ reported the Independent. The 6-year-old female victim remains in a hospital but is said to have suffered less serious injuries. The boy‚ age 5‚ was released from the hospital late last week. The caregiver said to have used her body to shield the children during the savage attack was reportedly still in serious condition over the weekend‚ receiving treatment for multiple stab wounds to her abdomen and chest at Mater Hospital. Fighting Irish The attack sparked outrage across the Emerald Isle. In Dublin‚ rioters sparred with police and set numerous vehicles ablaze‚ including a bus and a tram. Amidst the riots‚ police commissioner Drew Harris described the hooligans as a "complete lunatic faction driven by far-right ideology." Irish justice minister Helen McEntee said that "the scenes we are witnessing this evening in our city centre cannot and will not be tolerated. A thuggish and manipulative element must not be allowed to use an appalling tragedy to wreak havoc." McEntee stressed that police would scour around 6‚000 of surveillance footage in hopes of identifying more outraged Irishmen to arrest. Forty-eight arrests had been made as of Sunday. Irish President Michael Higgins expressed sympathy for the injured children and condemned the use of the attack "by groups with an agenda that attacks the principle of social inclusion." Fighting words McGregor did not mince words when responding online to news of the attack on Thursday but made clear he did not support the riots. "Innocent children ruthlessly stabbed by a mentally deranged non-national in Dublin‚ Ireland today‚" he wrote just hours after the attack. "There is grave danger among us in Ireland that should never be here in the first place‚ and there has been zero action done to support the public in any way‚ shape or form with this frightening fact‚" continued McGregor. "Make change or make way. Ireland for the victory. God bless those attacked today‚ we pray." "Absolutely horrific scenes all day‚ my stomach is churning. With no action being taken at all during these ever more frequent events‚ like literally zero action taken whatsoever‚ how do we expect an end to this?" the fighter tweeted in another instance to his 10.3 million followers. "We need reform. WE NEED ACTION!" His coach John Kavanagh later posed the question on X‚ "So what should happen with this demented scumbag who attacked women and kids today?" McGregor wrote back‚ "Torture and death." — (@) Following the Thursday night riots‚ the fighter made clear he did not condone "any attacks on our first responders in their line of duty" or the "looting and the damaging of shops." The Sunday Times reported that Micheál Martin‚ Irish deputy prime minister‚ called McGregor's remarks "disgraceful." "Isolated voices like that and voices that essentially are inciting hate and to some degree incitement is unacceptable‚" said Martin. McGregor responded‚ "Blame anyone but themselves. Typical. Worthless you are Michaél. Worthless and spineless!" — (@) Irish Labour Party politician Aodhán Ó Ríordáin told the Irish Sun‚ "You have shock jock people online whipping it up and you have online platforms purporting to be mainstream media outlets whipping it up‚ Conor McGregor whipping it up – it doesn't help." Ríordáin added‚ "They all have to – I think – account for their actions and for their words." The Telegraph indicated that leftist politician and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar would not comment directly on McGregor's remarks but stressed that new hate-speech laws should be implemented. Although the timing of the investigation suggests McGregor's most recent comments are at issue‚ the mixed martial arts star has also ruffled leftist feathers in recent weeks with his criticism online of unchecked immigration and Irish politicians' various failings. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!