Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

Brown bears are 'on the clock' like humans, but don't suffer the same negative health impacts. Confirming what observational studies have long thought, a genetic study has shown that a grizzly bear’s body clock ticks away routinely, even when the animal is deep in hibernation. What’s more, proof of their circadian rhythms mirrors our own, except these bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) can hibernate in the dark for four to seven months and…

Gamma rays can be produced from the two steams of jets formed when supermassive stars collapse into themselves at the end of their lives. Earlier this year, it was reported that the Earth was hit by the brightest gamma-ray bursts seen since the dawn of civilization. Now, a team of astronomers has assigned a value to the energy contained in those blasts and it's staggering to say the least. The gamma-ray burst (GRB) reported in April of this…

The deadly 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel, and Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, have upended lives — including those of researchers throughout the region. People in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank are reeling from the repercussions of the 7 October attacks on Israel by the militant organization Hamas. Hamas members killed around 1,200 people, including at least 28 children, according to data being compiled by the newspaper Haaretz. Some 240…

Researchers in China have developed a robot chemist powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that might be able to extract oxygen from water on Mars. The robot uses materials found on the red planet to produce catalysts that break down water, releasing oxygen. The idea could complement existing oxygen-generating technologies or lead to the development of other catalysts able to synthesize useful resources on Mars. “If you think about the…

The researchers analyzed recycled plastic pellets like these and found a shockingly high amount of chemical compounds that call the material's use into question The researchers analyzed recycled plastic pellets like these and found a shockingly high amount of chemical compounds that call the material's use into  question. While the use of recycled plastics is normally considered a noble endeavor, a new study says it's time to think twice.…

Ducati has a new motorbike, and it's celebrating this fact with a series of photos and videos so flagrantly ribald and saucy they'd be pixelated out in Japan. I mean, look at them. In fact, forget the bike, can I buy some of this guy's talent? If you're gonna name a bike "Mono," you'd better deliver – but we'd expect nothing less from Ducati. It's nearly 20 years since Ducati decided what the heck, let's make a supermotard with a massive…

Teaming with former GT1 world champion Andrea Bertolini, Maserati has crafted a blacked-out, nighthawk version of the MC20 supercar, only 50 copies of which will be made. Always inventive with the names, Maserati is calling the limited-run vehicle Notte, which means "night" in Italian. About as inventive as calling its four-door luxury sports sedan the "Quattroporte," which translates to "four doors." But at least the lack of imagination ends…

Astronomers have discovered evidence of a theorized type of black hole lurking in the distant universe. Known as an “Outsize Black Hole,” this object could help explain some fundamental cosmic mysteries, including how supermassive monsters form. Black holes as we know them tend to fall into two categories: there’s the stellar mass black holes, which as the name suggests have masses equivalent to a few stars. They form when large stars die in a…

There has been little attention paid to Cochrane’s review of covid‐19 vaccines, in stark contrast to the world-wide media attention paid to its review of face masks. Since Cochrane reviews have been lauded as “rigorous” and “trustworthy,” it is prudent to apply equal scrutiny to the latest update of the “Efficacy and safety of COVID‐19 vaccines.” Findings of the Cochrane review? Published in December 2022, the review analyses 41 randomised…

Austrian mobility technology company AVL had a pretty good day for itself earlier this month, when it confirmed simulations that showed its prototype 2.0-liter turbo hydrogen race engine developing over 200 hp-per-liter. AVL uses a water-injection system alongside its turbocharger to moderate combustion for safer burn and improved power production ... and so far it's working like a charm. Most of the fanfare around automotive hydrogen has been…

A large UK study has linked abnormal heart rhythm to cognitive decline, which is the latest in a growing body of evidence suggesting that there is a significant correlation between common heart conditions and the risk of dementia. University College London (UCL) researchers looked at 4.3 million individuals on the UK’s primary electronic health record to identify 233,833 people with the common heart condition atrial fibrillation (AF) and…

Despite many studies showing pigeons are surprisingly smart, from being as good at counting as primates, to being able to identify breast cancer in X-rays, scientists are fighting a losing battle to dispute their widely held reputation as being a bit “dim-witted.” A new study has pitted the pigeon up against an artificial-intelligence model and found that both bird and computer follow a similar process in order to work out the problem they’re…

Scientists from Caltech and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have found evidence that Earth’s core is leaking. High levels of a particular isotope of helium were found in lava flows in Canada, which the team proposes originated in the planet’s core. Although we seem content to waste it by blowing it into balloons, helium is relatively rare on Earth. Why? Your first instinct is probably right – it literally floats into the upper…

It’s generally thought flipping a coin is a quick and fair way to settle random disputes. Someone calls heads or tails as a coin is flipped, offering 50/50 odds it will land on either side. But what if the chances of heads or tails aren’t even? A team of 48 researchers in Amsterdam spent days flipping coins and discovered the results of this game of random chance may not be as random as most assume. In the early 2000s a trio of US…

Diabetes is one of the most pressing health concerns of our time, and now Swedish scientists have demonstrated a new potential way to manage the disease. It turns out the eye might be a useful place to implant insulin-producing cells to control blood sugar levels. In patients with type 1 diabetes, the immune system mistakenly attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, leaving the body unable to regulate blood sugar levels and leading…

A fiery debate has been raging about the possible link between covid-19 vaccines and ‘turbo cancers.’ The subject was thrust into the spotlight after an article published in The Atlantic in Sept 2022, told the story of well-known Belgian immunologist Michel Goldman, who thought the covid-19 vaccine had accelerated his lymphoma. Knowing that chemotherapy would render him immunocompromised, Goldman rushed out to get vaccinated and boosted…

Porsche and Austrian shipyard Frauscher have taken the first production model of the 850 Fantom Air for a spin on the waters of Lake Garda in Italy, an electric sports boat that's is built around drive technology from the upcoming Porsche Macan electric SUV. "The eFantom offers everything that Frauscher and Porsche products have always promised: outstanding performance and luxurious experiences, the highest quality and exclusive, timeless…

The revolt of the gladiator Spartacus in 73-71 BCE remains the most successful slave revolt in the history of Rome. The rebellion is known as the Third Servile War and was the last of three major slave revolts which Rome suppressed. The story of Spartacus has been told by historians, novelists, and filmmakers up to the present day when it enjoys a wide following as a very popular television series but admiration for the hero of the Third…

A new study has found that exposure to light at night messes with our internal body clock, increasing the risk of mental illness, while daytime light exposure reduces that risk. The findings offer a simple and effective, non-pharmacological means of improving mental health. Our internal body clock, or circadian rhythm, regulates cycles of alertness and sleepiness by responding to the changes in light in our environment. While other cues such…

The frosty U.S. and China decoupling talk is getting real as pandas are getting recalled from zoos across the country and across the world. It’s called “panda diplomacy” and it’s thought to have started as early as the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century when Empress Wu Zeitan sent a pair of bears (believed to be pandas) to Japan. This Chinese policy of sending pandas as diplomat gifts was revived in 1941, on the eve of the United States…