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upstart writes:

Why using the oceans to suck up CO2 might not be as easy as hoped:

The world's oceans are amazing carbon sponges. They already capture a quarter of human-produced carbon dioxide when surface waters react with the greenhouse gas in the air or marine organisms gobble it up as they grow.

[...] Other research groups have also recently found that dissolving olivine in filtered and artificial seawater produced less of an increase in alkalinity than expected, the study noted. Still another recent preprint paper found similarly confounding results for other minerals that had been expected to boost ocean alkalinity.

Meanwhile, several additional studies recently raised doubts about a different ocean-based approach: growing seaweed and sinking it to suck up and store away carbon.

Finding viable ways to pull down greenhouse gases will be vital in the coming decades. A National Academies report in December on ocean-based carbon removal noted that the world may need to suck up an additional 10 billion tons annually by midcentury to limit warming to 2 ˚C.

Boosting ocean alkalinity could theoretically remove tens of billions of tons each year on its own, according to the research group Ocean Visions. But the National Academies panel noted that it will require extracting, grinding, and shipping rocks on roughly similar scales, all of which would have substantial environmental consequences as well.

The new studies haven't delivered the final, definitive word on whether any of these methods will be feasible ways of helping to reach those carbon removal targets.

Journal Reference:
Fuhr, Michael, Geilert, Sonja, Schmidt, Mark, et al. Kinetics of Olivine Weathering in Seawater: An Experimental Study, Frontiers in Climate (DOI: 10.3389/fclim.2022.831587)

Original Submission

takyon writes:

Hubble Space Telescope Spots Oldest and Farthest Star Known

Astronomers announced on Wednesday the discovery of the farthest and oldest star ever seen, a dot of light that shined 12.9 billion years ago, or just 900 million years after the Big Bang that gave birth to the universe.

That means the light from the star traveled 12.9 billion light-years to reach Earth.

The finding was part of efforts using the Hubble Space Telescope to search for some of the universe's farthest and earliest galaxies. By a lucky coincidence, the astronomers were able to discern a single star system within one of those galaxies.

[...] The star spotted by Mr. Welch and his colleagues possesses what astronomers call a red shift of 6.2, far higher than the previous record-holder for most distant single star. That star, reported in 2018, had a red shift of 1.5, corresponding to when the universe was about four billion years old.

The researchers nicknamed the new star Earendel — Old English for "morning star." If it is a single star, the astronomers estimate that it is a big one — some 50 times the mass of our sun. It could also be a system of two or more stars.

The alignment of Earendel and the galaxy cluster will persist for years, so Earendel will be one of the targets during the first year of observations by the newly launched James Webb Space Telescope, which has a larger mirror than Hubble and gathers light at the longer infrared wavelengths.

A highly magnified star at redshift 6.2
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-04449-y

Original Submission

stretch611 writes:

From The Register:

According to a research paper, "What Data Do The Google Dialer and Messages Apps On Android Send to Google?" [PDF] Google Messages (for text messaging) and Google Dialer (for phone calls) have been sending data about user communications to the Google Play Services Clearcut logger service and to Google's Firebase Analytics service.

"The data sent by Google Messages includes a hash of the message text, allowing linking of sender and receiver in a message exchange," the paper says. "The data sent by Google Dialer includes the call time and duration, again allowing linking of the two handsets engaged in a phone call. Phone numbers are also sent to Google."

The timing and duration of other user interactions with these apps has also been transmitted to Google. And Google offers no way to opt-out of this data collection.

Google Messages (com.google.android.apps.messaging) is installed on over a billion Android handsets. It's offered by AT&T and T-Mobile on Android phones in the US and comes preloaded on recent handsets from Huawei, Samsung, and Xiaomi. Similarly, Google Dialer (also known as Phone by Google, com.google.android.dialer) has the same reach.

upstart writes:

What do you do with end-of-life wind turbines? - Technology Org:

Wind turbines are designed to last at least 20 years. However, they may often work far beyond their estimated service life if properly maintained. Sooner or later, however, they will be so marked by wind and weather that they must be taken out of use. And that time has now come for the first large generation of energy-producing wind turbines.

Most parts of the turbine can be reused without problems. Reuse is more problematic when it comes to blades made of composite materials consisting of glass fibres held together by a strong glue like epoxy.

According to a statement from the European Technology and Innovation Platform on Wind Energy (ETIPWind), there will be around 66,000 tonnes of end-of-life wind turbine blades in Europe in 2025, and intensive work is currently being done to find out how they can be given new life rather than simply being deposited in landfills. It is, in fact, not a very good idea to incinerate them as ordinary waste, because it leaves a lot of ash and many fiberglass particles.

Development Engineer Justine Beauson is a materials scientist at DTU. For several years, her field of research has been what to do with end-of-life wind turbine blades. For example, Justine can describe how wind turbine blades—or various parts of them—have been used as exciting structures in playgrounds and— in crushed form—as reinforcement in concrete, as fillers in noise attentuation screens, and the like.

upstart writes:

Finland's Spy Service Warns of Russian Interference, Attacks:

Finland must brace for Russian interference and hybrid attacks as it weighs whether to join the NATO military alliance, the security services warned on Tuesday.

The Nordic nation shares a 1,340-kilometre (830-mile) border with Russia and has remained militarily non-aligned since the end of World War II to avoid provoking its eastern neighbour.

[...] "The whole of Finnish society must be vigilant towards Russian attempts to influence Finnish decision-making regarding the NATO question," Antti Pelttari, head of the Finnish security services Supo, said.

Releasing its updated terrorism threat report, Supo on Tuesday highlighted the danger of "widespread Russian interference and illegal surveillance," but kept the national terror threat at level two, or "elevated", on a scale of four.

[...] Finland has previously been subject to so-called hybrid tactics from Moscow, such as repeated airspace incursions, or the release in 2016 of 1,700 migrants across the Finnish border.

Earlier this month the transport authority Traficom said it had received "numerous" reports from aircraft of GPS interference in eastern Finland, but was unable to identify the source of the interference.

Original Submission

upstart writes:

Quantum Computer Researcher Warns That the Industry Is Full of Ridiculous Hype:

The nascent field of quantum computing generates a steady drumbeat of attention-grabbing headlines about the looming "quantum apocalypse," "quantum supremacy," and endless new investments in ventures that promise to finally crack the commercial capabilities of the tech wide open.

In an excoriating new essay for MIT Tech Review, though, prominent University of Maryland quantum researcher Sankar Das Sarma says that everybody needs to take a deep, deep breath.

The research is fascinating, he writes, and may well eventually lead to extraordinary breakthroughs. But the reality, according to his analysis, is that things are progressing slowly so far and we're unlikely to see anything world-changing from the tech in the near future.

"I am as pro-quantum-computing as one can be: I've published more than 100 technical papers on the subject, and many of my PhD students and postdoctoral fellows are now well-known quantum computing practitioners all over the world," Das Sarma wrote. "But I'm disturbed by some of the quantum computing hype I see these days, particularly when it comes to claims about how it will be commercialized."

Original Submission

upstart writes:

ATLAS Experiment at Large Hadron Collider Seeks Out Unusual Signatures of Long-Lived Particles:

Physicists at the ATLAS experiment are on the hunt for new, long-lived particles to help explain several outstanding mysteries of our Universe. High-energy collisions allow researchers to study heavy particles that decay very quickly, like the Higgs boson. But unlike heavy Standard Model particles – which decay within a few millimeters of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) collision point – new, long-lived particles (LLPs) could travel sizeable distances through the ATLAS detector before decaying.

Studying the decay of any particle is a complex task, but it is usually made much easier by assuming that it decayed near the LHC collision point. This leaves LLPs in a blind spot, as they could decay anywhere in the detector. Further, as the layers of the ATLAS experiment are instrumented differently, evidence of LLPs would look different depending on which layer the particle decays in.

To ensure no stone is left unturned, ATLAS physicists have devised a range of new strategies to look for LLPs with various possible characteristics. Four new results from this effort have been presented at the recent Lepton-Photon and La Thuile conferences.

upstart writes:

A Homecoming for Mark Vande Hei After Setting American Spaceflight Record:

NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei arrived at the International Space Station on April 9, 2021, and [returned] home today (March 30, 2022), after spending 355 days in low-Earth orbit. This duration breaks the previous [American] record, held by retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, by 15 days.

Vande Hei will return in a Soyuz spacecraftas scheduled alongside cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anton Shkaplerov.

The record for the longest a person has been in space is held by Valeri_Polyakov, who spent 437 days 18 hours in a single trip, and 22 months in total.

Original Submission

upstart writes:

DDR4 and DDR5 SDRAM Prices May Drop in Q2 2022:

The average selling prices for DRAM are forecasted to drop by up to 5% in the second quarter because hardware manufacturers have built up enough inventory and because demand for PCs and other devices is not expected to be strong in the period due to uncertainties caused by Russian-Ukrainian war, according to TrendForce.

PC makers are adopting conservative DRAM stockpiling strategies for Q2 2022 as they have memory in stock. In addition, DRAM makers are ramping up production of higher density chips, thus increasing bit supply, and there are uncertainties with demand for PCs later this year. Normally, computer makers begin to stockpile DRAMs for the peak back-to-school season in June, but with uncertainties about the demand for PCs, they are not going to significantly increase their purchases, which is why PC DRAM prices are going to drop by 5% to 8%, TrendForce believes.

[...] When it comes to mobile DRAM, demand for smartphone memory (which is also used for notebooks and tablets) is expected to remain flat in the second quarter, which is why TrendForce believes that prices of LPDDR memory my decline by up to 5% in Q2 2022 when compared to Q1 2022. This is somewhat surprising as Apple and its partners typically begin stockpiling LPDDR memory for its next-generation iPhones and increased demand for laptops in May to June timeframe, which naturally stimulates price growth.

Original Submission

upstart writes:

Octopus-like tentacles help cancer cells invade the body:

Using octopus-like tentacles, a cell pushes toward its target, a bacterium, like a predator tracking down its prey. The scene could be playing out in a nature programme. Instead the pursuit is being observed at the nano-scale through a microscope at the University of Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute. The microscope recording shows a human immune cell pursuing and then devouring a bacterium.

With their new study, a team of Danish researchers has added to the world's understanding of how cells use octopus-like tentacles called filopodia to move around in our bodies. This discovery about how cells move had never been addressed. The study is being published today in the journal, Nature Communications.

"While the cell doesn't have eyes or a sense of smell, its surface is equipped with ultra-slim filopodia that resemble entangled octopus tentacles. These filopodia help a cell move towards a bacterium, and at the same time, act as sensory feelers that identify the bacterium as a prey," explains Associate Professor Poul Martin Bendix, head of the laboratory for experimental biophysics at the Niels Bohr Institute.

The discovery is not that filopodia act as sensory devices -- which was already well established -- but rather about how they can rotate and behave mechanically, which helps a cell move, as when a cancer cell invades new tissue.

upstart writes:

Invading hordes of crazy ants may have finally met their kryptonite:

When tawny crazy ants move into a new area, the invasive species is like an ecological wrecking ball—driving out native insects and small animals and causing major headaches for homeowners. But scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have good news, as they have demonstrated how to use a naturally occurring fungus to crush local populations of crazy ants. They describe their work this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"I think it has a lot of potential for the protection of sensitive habitats with endangered species or areas of high conservation value," said Edward LeBrun, a research scientist with the Texas Invasive Species Research Program at Brackenridge Field Laboratory and lead author of the study.

In some parts of Texas, homes have been overrun by ants that swarm breaker boxes, AC units, sewage pumps and other electrical devices, causing shorts and other damage. Natives of South America, tawny crazy ants have raised alarm bells as they've spread across the southeastern U.S. during the past 20 years. The idea for using the fungal pathogen came from observing wild populations of crazy ants becoming infected and collapsing without human intervention.

upstart writes:

Fathers Taking Diabetes Drug More Likely to Have Sons With Birth Defects, Study Finds:

A new study suggests that metformin, a widely used diabetes drug, could be dangerous for men to use if they're planning to have children. The research found a higher risk of genital birth defects in boys whose fathers had likely been taking metformin in the three months prior to conception. More data will be needed to understand whether this link represents a true cause-and-effect relationship and if it should change how the drug is prescribed.

Metformin is a generic drug that's proven to be an invaluable treatment for many people with type 2 diabetes. In combination with diet and exercise, metformin helps keep blood sugar levels in check. It's also often used off-label as a modest weight loss aid and to manage symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal condition that can raise the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Some data has even suggested that it may help slow down cognitive decline in older patients.

As important as metformin is, no drug is without side effects. And some studies, largely in animals or in the lab, have suggested that the drug could negatively affect the male reproductive system. This new research, published Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine, seems to be the first large study of its kind to look for this potential impact in men.

The study authors analyzed population data from Denmark on over a million births recorded from 1997 to 2016. This data included information on prescribed medications filled by the parents of these children. And when they looked at the outcomes of children born to fathers who had filled a prescription for metformin during the preconception period, they found an overall higher rate of birth defects: about 5.4% for these children, compared to 3.3% of other children.

Journal Reference:
Maarten J. Wensink , Ying Lu , Lu Tian , et al. Preconception Antidiabetic Drugs in Men and Birth Defects in Offspring, Annals of Internal Medicine (DOI: 10.7326/M21-4389)

Original Submission

upstart writes:

No more excuses: NASA in line to get funding needed for Artemis plan:

President Joe Biden on Monday released his budget request for the coming fiscal year, and NASA is a big winner. The administration is asking Congress to fund $25.9 billion for the space agency in 2023, an increase of nearly $2 billion over the $24 billion the agency received for fiscal year 2022.

The budget request for NASA includes a healthy increase for the Artemis Program, which seeks to carry out a series of human landings on the Moon later this decade. Notably, funding for a "Human Landing System" would increase from $1.2 billion for the current fiscal year to $1.5 billion, allowing for a second provider to begin work. Additionally, funding for lunar spacesuits would increase from $100 million to $276 million. NASA would also receive substantial funding—$48 million—to begin developing human exploration campaigns for the Moon and beyond.

All of this new funding in the proposed budget comes in addition to the billions that NASA has been spending annually to develop the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft. Overall funding for Artemis, therefore, would increase from $6.8 billion in fiscal year 2022 to $7.5 billion in the coming fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2022.

This means that, for the first time, the agency could have all of the money it needs for major programs to carry out the Artemis Moon landings. "This budget puts us on the right course," NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana said during a telephone call with reporters on Monday afternoon.

[...] Beyond the Artemis Program, the budget request would fund NASA's science programs to higher levels than ever before, due in large part to cost overruns for the Europa Clipper mission. The cost of the mission, which will make dozens of flybys of the intriguing Jovian moon from whence its name derives, has increased by $703 million to about $5 billion. To accommodate the cost overruns, several other missions would be delayed, including NEO Surveyor, a mission to detect near-Earth asteroids.

Original Submission

upstart writes:

Can't get hold of a shiny new Raspberry Pi? Here's why:

Adafruit, an official reseller of Raspberry Pi computers, has mandated account verification and two-factor authentication in an effort to prevent bots from snapping up limited supply.

In a blog post, Adafruit explained it hopes to give customers the opportunity to purchase Raspberry Pis and other in-demand items at the going market rate, without having to compete with automated bots for stock.

"Please note! We are now requiring a verified account with two-factor authentication enabled in order to purchase certain high-demand products, such as Raspberry Pi computers, due to a large number of bot-purchasers making it difficult for Makers and Engineers to order these products," reads a notice on Adafruit product listings.

"Please make sure you have a verified Adafruit account and enable two-factor authentication. Finally, you will need to sign out and back in to activate the account verification."

Original Submission

upstart writes:

Printing circuits on rare nanomagnets puts a new spin on computing:

New research artificially creating a rare form of matter known as spin glass could spark a new paradigm in artificial intelligence by allowing algorithms to be directly printed as physical hardware. The unusual properties of spin glass enable a form of AI that can recognize objects from partial images much like the brain does and show promise for low-power computing, among other intriguing capabilities.

"Our work accomplished the first experimental realization of an artificial spin glass consisting of nanomagnets arranged to replicate a neural network," said Michael Saccone, a post-doctoral researcher in theoretical physics at Los Alamos National Laboratory and lead author of the new paper in Nature Physics. "Our paper lays the groundwork we need to use these physical systems practically."

[...] At the intersection of engineered materials and computation, spin-glass systems are a type of disordered system of nanomagnets arising from random interactions and competition between two types of magnetic order in the material. They exhibit "frustration," meaning that they don't settle into a uniformly ordered configuration when their temperature drops, and they possess distinct thermodynamic and dynamic traits that can be harnessed for computing applications.

"Theoretical models describing spin glasses are broadly used in other complex systems, such as those describing brain function, error-correcting codes or stock-market dynamics," Saccone said. "This wide interest in spin glasses provides strong motivation to generate an artificial spin glass."

The research team combined theoretical and experimental work to fabricate and observe the artificial spin glass as a proof-of-principle Hopfield neural network, which mathematically models associative memory to guide the disorder of the artificial spin systems.

Journal Reference:
Saccone, Michael, Caravelli, Francesco, Hofhuis, Kevin, et al. Direct observation of a dynamical glass transition in a nanomagnetic artificial Hopfield network, Nature Physics (DOI: 10.1038/s41567-022-01538-7)

Original Submission