Vampire bats have been found to metabolize their food in a unique way, using amino acids from their recent blood meals as a primary source of energy. This discovery challenges our understanding of mammalian physiology and may have implications for our understanding of other mammals that rely on blood or protein-rich diets. Researchers have been…
Science on The Soothsayer / page 22
A recent outbreak of bird flu in a central Oregon farm has raised concerns about the potential for a pandemic. The discovery of a pig infected with the H5N1 strain has sparked alarm bells due to the role of pigs in mixing and potentially creating new flu strains that can affect humans. Forecast for 6…
Researchers have made a breakthrough in aviation with the development of a new airplane design that mimics the unique features of bird wings. The innovative design, which features a series of lightweight flaps that deploy passively, has shown significant improvements in lift, drag, and stall prevention. This technology has the potential to revolutionize the aviation…
Researchers have discovered that artificially enhanced smiles can influence romantic feelings, raising questions about the ethical use of face-altering technology. A study found that when two people’s smiles were boosted, they reported higher levels of attraction. This has sparked concerns about the impact of digital transformations on social interactions. Forecast for 6 months: Expect a…
The notion of a midlife crisis is being reevaluated by scientists, who are now focusing on the growing mental health crisis among adolescents. Researchers are questioning the validity of the U-curve theory, which suggests that happiness plummets in midlife before rebounding. Instead, they are finding that happiness trends vary across different cultures and age groups,…
A new phone app has been shown to increase the frequency of lucid dreams, allowing users to become aware of their dreams and potentially gain insight into the nature of consciousness. Researchers at Northwestern University tested the app and found that it was effective in inducing lucid dreams in users. The app uses sound cues…
Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery of a massive black hole in a distant quasar, 13 billion light-years from Earth. The black hole, powered by a quasar named ULAS J1120+0641, is half as massive as all the stars in its host galaxy, a record high ratio for a quasar host galaxy. This finding has shed…
Scientists have made significant discoveries about Jupiter’s moons, with the latest count standing at 95. The discovery of new moons and the exploration of existing ones are expected to reveal more about the planet’s composition and potential for life. NASA’s Europa Clipper mission and the European Space Agency’s Juice mission are set to launch in…
Researchers at Stanford University have made a groundbreaking discovery about the decline of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. According to their study, published in Science, the batteries’ electrolyte inadvertently releases hydrogen into the positive end, or cathode, triggering a cascade of unwanted reactions that reduce battery life. This finding could lead to improved battery life and sustainability…
Three scientists, David Baker, Demis Hassabis, and John Jumper, have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking work in protein research. David Baker’s computational protein design and Demis Hassabis and John Jumper’s protein structure prediction have revolutionized the field, enabling scientists to design and predict protein structures with unprecedented accuracy. This…
