Category: Coping with COVID
A robot gets a face of living ‘skin’ that allows it to smile
NPR If humanoid robots make you a bit queasy — would it help if they had fleshy faces that can smile at you? The uncanny feat is the result of new technology using engineered living skin tissue and human-like ligaments to give robots a more natural smile, according to Tokyo University researchers who unveiled their […]
Jul 10, 2024
Another monolith appeared near Las Vegas. Who’s behind these mysterious objects?
NPR First it was Utah. Then Romania. And California. Spain. Wales. Paraguay. The metallic monoliths began to be found in late 2020 by unsuspecting viewers in seemingly random locations around the world. Often evocative of a science fiction movie prop, the mysterious objects captured the public’s attention and frequently drew crowds hoping to catch a glimpse of […]
Jun 26, 2024
The 2024 Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling Race
The Atlantic Crowds gathered at Cooper’s Hill, on a farm near Gloucester, England, once again yesterday, cheering as racers took part in the annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling and Wake. Continuing a tradition that dates back at least 200 years, participants chased a nine-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese, running in a chaotic scramble down a […]
Jun 19, 2024
Why Is the Letter “X” Used for a Kiss?
History Facts The letter “X” has ambiguous linguistic roots, and has carried various meanings in different contexts. “X” marks the spot of buried treasure on a map, represents a variable in mathematics, or can be used to select a choice on a ballot. Nowadays, it’s also commonly used as a symbol of affection and endearment […]
Jun 12, 2024
MIT researchers ordered and combined parts of the 1918 pandemic influenza virus. Did they expose a security flaw?
The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists Without proper guardrails in place, experts and governments worry, artificial intelligence (AI) could make it easier for more people to do harm with biology. Perhaps advanced chatbots could help devise a biological attack plan, or they could de-skill the process of making a pathogen to the point at which many could do it. […]
Jun 5, 2024
Lady Gaga performed on stage with Covid. Did we learn nothing from the pandemic?
The Guardian Should you go into work when you’re sick with a contagious virus? Lady Gaga has spoken and the answer, it seems, is “sure, why not?” During a recent Q&A for an HBO concert special based on her 2022 Chromatica Ball tour, the pop star was asked to reveal something she had never shared […]
May 29, 2024
Supernova or Coronavirus: Can You Tell the Difference?
New York Times A scientist finds beauty in the “visual synonyms” that exist in images seen through microscopes and telescopes. For Kim Arcand, a visualization scientist for NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, visual symmetry reveals how basic physics and chemistry thread through everything in the universe, from the tiniest organisms to […]
May 21, 2024
Locks of Beethoven’s Hair Are Unraveling the Mysteries of His Deafness and Illnesses
Smithsonian Magazine Researchers found high levels of lead, mercury and arsenic in the German composer’s hair, which may help explain some of his many ailments. German composer Ludwig van Beethoven began losing his hearing in his 20s, a fact that deeply upset and embarrassed him. Over the years, his hearing loss worsened, and by the time he […]
May 15, 2024
Squirrels may have given medieval Britons leprosy
BBC Humans may have caught leprosy from squirrels in medieval times, researchers say. They studied human and red squirrel bones from archaeological sites in Winchester, southern England, and found they had closely related strains of the bacteria that causes it. Leprosy is a chronic disease infectious between humans that attacks the skin, nerves and mucous […]
May 7, 2024