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New clues have emerged in the mystery of how the brain avoids ‘catastrophic forgetting’ — the distortion and overwriting of previously established memories when new ones are created. · A research team has found that, at least in mice, the brain processes new and old memories in separate phases of sleep, which might prevent mixing between the two. Assuming that the finding is confirmed in other animals, “I put all my money that this segregation…

The economic uncertainty surrounding a Donald Trump takeover looms over the world as it enters a new year. The incoming US President, who will assume office on January 20, has already warned his two closest neighbours, Canada and Mexico, of a 25 percent tariff on all their products unless they curb the entry of illegal migrants and drugs into the US. · In his typical unilateral style, Trump has also threatened the BRICS group of countries –…

The ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first people to make New Year’s resolutions, some 4,000 years ago. They were also the first to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year—though for them the year began not in January but in mid-March, when the crops were planted. · During a massive 12-day religious festival known as Akitu, the Babylonians crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the reigning king. They also…

It was 1977 and Thierry Sabine was lost. He'd wandered the Libyan desert for three days in an ocean of featureless sand. His meager supplies – a few snacks and a bit of water – were gone. · January 14, 1977: the daytime temperatures weren't the scorching 100-plus-degrees you'd imagine from the deserts of Northern Africa. In fact, they were downright pleasant, hovering around 68 °F (20 °C). Perfect weather for blasting across the barren…

Water security will be a key test of the new Syrian government’s credibility. Since 2011, water scarcity has been a central factor in the country’s prolonged conflict, manipulated for political and economic gain. In a region already vulnerable to climate change, prolonged drought and water shortages have worsened the plight of a country devastated by 13 years of war. · Before 2010, 98 percent of urban Syrians and 92 percent of rural residents…

“Technoference,” the disruption caused by parents’ screen use during face-to-face interactions with their toddlers, is raising alarms among experts. · Sabina Pauen, a developmental psychology professor, warns that this interference can cause stress and confusion in children, as they struggle to interpret their parents’ emotions and reactions when attention is divided. · Beyond this, research highlights broader concerns about toddlers’ early…

Australian Guy Menzies’ flight from Sydney ended awkwardly when he crash-landed in a swamp at Harihari on the West Coast on January 7th, 1931. His heroic effort helped to lift spirits on both sides of the Tasman against the backdrop of the Depression. · The first successful trans-Tasman flight had been completed in 1928 by the illustrious Australian aviator Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew aboard the Fokker tri-motor Southern Cross (see 11…

A simple,delicious,salmon supper brightened with a kiwifruit, pepper and lime dressing. Here, the fish is baked in parchment to keep it tender, and the tangy salsa brings the whole thing to life.  · Ingredients: · 4 x 130g salmon fillets · For the salsa · 1 kiwi fruit · 1 small red onion · 1 yellow pepper · 1 tomato · 1 garlic clove · 30g coriander, finely chopped · 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil · Juice of 1 lime · Method · Preheat the oven…

An explosive new study conducted within the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) own laboratory has revealed excessively high levels of DNA contamination in Pfizer’s mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. · Tests conducted at the FDA’s White Oak Campus in Maryland found that residual DNA levels exceeded regulatory safety limits by 6 to 470 times. · The study was undertaken by student researchers under the supervision of FDA scientists. The vaccine vials…

You see, the poet haunts, casting a spell on the reader or listener. The power of the word in poetic form is nearly incomprehensible. Especially when paired with melody, the effect is extraordinary. This means that a songwriter, a hundred years down the road, having read only small, peripheral portions of his poetry, and having understood even less, can attempt to write a song in meaningful conversation with the poet. · In spite of an education…