Category Archives: Transhuman News

Charming Discovery

Physicists at CERNs Large Hadron Collider just discovered a brand-new kind of subatomic particle and its composition is a baffling world-first.

The yet-unnamed particle is the first that we know of to be entirely made up of the same kind of quark, which is a building block for subatomic particles. In this case, according to preprint research shared online Tuesday, the particle is composed of four charm quarks an arrangement that could help physicists better probe the underlying forces holding particles together.

Charm quarks are just one of six flavors of quark, along with up, down, strange, top, and bottom. As one of the heavier flavors, the charm quarks are bound together by the same, poorly-understood fundamental force that binds protons to neutrons. Researchers hope the unusual combination can help them explain how that particular force works.

Particles made up of four quarks are already exotic, project spokesperson Giovanni Passaleva said in a press release, and the one we have just discovered is the first to be made up of four heavy quarks of the same type, specifically two charm quarks and two charm antiquarks.

Next, the team hopes to sort out whether theyve found a true tetraquark or rather two quark pairings that are bound together like atoms in a molecule though both would be valuable discoveries.

Todays discovery opens another exciting chapter in this scientific book, allowing us to study our theory of matter particles in an extreme case, spokesperson Chris Parkes said in the release.

READ MORE: Exotic never before seen particle discovered at CERN [University of Manchester]

More on the LHC: The LHC Just Discovered A New System of Five Particles

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The Large Hadron Collider Just Discovered a Brand-New Particle - Futurism

Cold Shoulder

Overall, the Earth is getting warmer at an ominous rate which, according to an overwhelming majority of climate scientists, is probably a result of greenhouse gas emissions.

Thats why its so interesting, as Mashable points out in a fascinating new story, that one spot in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean appears to be getting colder each year.

A new paper in the journal Nature Climate Change explores possible reasons for the cold spot, which is known as the warming hole or, charmingly, the blob.

The researchers conclusion is that the blog is probably caused by a number of complex factors but mainly changing ocean currents and thick clouds that congregate over it.

Counterintuitively, the researchers say, the same greenhouse effect thats warming most of the Earth is likely causing the complex phenomena that are causing the blob to get colder.

Anthropogenic climate change changes the circuitry of the climate system, said Kristopher Karnauskas, an oceanographer at the University of Colorado Boulder who had no role in the research. [The cold blob] is an interesting manifestation of the peril were bringing on.

READ MORE: Why Earth has a stubborn spot thats cooling [Mashable]

More on climate change: Climate Change Threatens 60 Percent of the Worlds Fish Species

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One Particular Spot on Earth Is Getting Colder Instead of Hotter - Futurism

Off-Kilter

For the first time, scientists have managed to find our solar systems precise center of gravity down to about 100 meters a flabbergastingly precise measurement on the scale of our vast solar system.

It sounds like a trivial feat think back to the posters hanging in your classroom and you might reasonably assume that the center of our solar system is smack dab in the middle of the Sun. But finding the gravitational center its barycenter,in the lingo is actually a complex task, ScienceAlert reports, that involves factoring in the pull of every planet, asteroid, and moon in the star system.

With all those gravitational tugs especially Jupiters particularly strong pull accounted for, the real center of gravity in our solar system lies just above the Suns surface, according to research published in The Astrophysical Journal.

With that knowledge in hand, astronomers can more accurately hunt for gravitational waves given off by faraway supermassive black holes and pulsars, ScienceAlert reports. Thats because these measurements are extremely sensitive to error and depend on us knowing where Earth is relative to the solar systems barycenter.

Now, armed with a better understanding of the solar systems balance, scientists expect their gravitational recordings to suddenly improve.

Using the pulsars we observe across the Milky Way galaxy, we are trying to be like a spider sitting in stillness in the middle of her web, NASA astronomer Stephen Taylor said in a press release. How well we understand the solar system barycenter is critical as we attempt to sense even the smallest tingle to the web.

READ MORE: Astronomers Have Located The Centre of The Solar System to Within 100 Metres [ScienceAlert]

More on the solar system: Astronomers Discover Mirror Image of our Solar System

Read more here:
Scientists Say They've Found the Exact Center of the Solar System - Futurism

It would have been easy for Max Brookss World War Z to feel gimmicky. An oral history of a worldwide zombie apocalypse? There are many, many places where that could have gone wrong. Instead, what Brooks created succeeded on a host of levels, from the geopolitical to the horrific. It balanced big-picture momentum with a few fantastic setpieces; via its framing device, it also allowed Brooks to present a bold vision of what the world might look like after such an outbreak was contained.

On paper, Brookss followup has more than a few things in common with World War Z. Like its predecessor, Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre is presented as a found document. Like its predecessor, it involves humans coming into conflict with something uncanny. And, like its predecessor, its structure offers plenty of foreshadowing of discomfiting events. But Devolution differs from World War Z in a few substantial ways as well, which ultimately make it a more intimate book than its predecessorand a far stranger one.

The bulk of the narrative comes from the journal of one Kate Holland, with additional interviews and annotations by an unnamed writer. From the early pages, Brooks offers a broad outline of whats to come. Holland was one of the residents of an isolated, high-end, high-tech eco-community of Greenloop. Were told that Mount Rainier erupts, leading to chaos in the Pacific Northwestfor humans and non-humans alike. The introduction alludes to a troop of hungry, apelike creatures who would soon attack Greenloop.

All of that information gives the narrative the sort of doomed intensity of the best disaster movies. Greenloop itself, designed to be isolated in nature but also easy for its affluent residents to access Seattle, plays out like a lightly satirical take on Elon Musk-style futurism. Once the eruption hits and the communitys members find themselves isolated in ways they never expected, Brooks balances the more satirical elements of the situation with keen attention to the unique methods such a community would use to survive.

Being cut off from civilization is but one struggle that the residents of Greenloop must face. Kates journal includes allusions to strange sounds heard at night, and massive shadowy figures seen in the distance. The reader knows whats coming, which means that the plot has more than a little horror movie in its DNA. Were introduced to a disparate group with their own rivalries and shifting dynamics; as anyone whos seen a horror movie knows, were about to see most of these people meet terrible fates.

Interspersed with the Kate Holland narrative are interviews conducted with experts in the field and people with ties to Greenloops residents. Its here that Brooks offers a glimpse into Devolutions larger worldbuilding: namely, the idea that the sasquatches (or Bigfoots? Bigfeet?) that attacked Greenloop represent a species that evolved concurrently to humanity, and which have developed a keen ability to hide themselves away from human civilization.

The novels title, then, comes from the notion that the extreme circumstances of the volcanic eruption pushed the sasquatches to adopt more violent behavioreffectively devolving into a more base state. As the plot develops, the human characters find themselves relying less and less on technology and using more and more brutal tacticsmeaning, essentially, that devolution works both ways.

In showing humans pitted against a close evolutionary relative in a desperate attempt at survival, Brooks offers a bleak view of the world. Its telling that neither sidehuman or sasquatchsuggests cooperating to save both communities. Throughout the book, Brooks makes allusions to areas around the globe where neighboring populations have gone to war, including a passing reference to the Balkans in the 1990s and another character looking back on their time in the IDF.

But Brookss ambitious take on human (and primate) nature sometimes balances unsteadily with the smaller details of life in Greenloop, including a few odd pop culture references. When Devolution shows a wider canvaseven a secret history of the worldit works brilliantly, and the scenes of two species each fighting for their life abound with harrowing moments. But there are times where the intimate scale of this novel feels at odds with some of Brookss larger thematic points. As compelling as it is, you might find yourself wishing hed opted to tell this story using a larger canvas.

Devolution is available from Del Rey.

Tobias Carroll is the managing editor of Vol.1 Brooklyn. He is the author of the short story collection Transitory (Civil Coping Mechanisms) and the novel Reel (Rare Bird Books).

More here:
When Futurism Meets With Disaster: Max Brooks' Devolution - tor.com

Researchers have yet to find any evidence of life on any other planet, including Mars.

But that hasnt stopped some rogue scientists from making outlandish claims and self-publishing evidence of the existence of a microbiological presence on the Red Planet, as CNETsJackson Ryan reports in an outstanding feature.

Self-described neurobiologist Rhawn Gabriel Joseph a man referred to by Ryan as the Space Tiger King, a nod to the popular Netflix docuseries is convinced that life already exists on Mars and Venus, and that we already have the evidence to back it up.

The roots of Josephs school of thought first started with the labeled release (LR) experiments on Mars in the 1970s, when NASAs Viking lander looked for biosignatures on the planet by carrying out a series of tests.

While the lander found no significant amount of organic molecules, some scientists, most notablythen-NASA researcher Gilbert Levin, believed the results did indeed confirm the existence life on Mars.

NASA refuted any such claims outright, writing that the experiments provided no clear evidence for the presence of living microorganisms in soil near the landing sites.

Joseph built on the research from this fringe group of researchers, by claiming that life was brought to the cosmos by a process called panspermia, a theory that suggests life in space was seeded with microbes carried by dust and meteors.

Over the decades, Joseph has attempted to get his work peer-reviewed and published in a variety astrobiology journals. He even went as far as creating his own journal, which he calls the Journal of Cosmology, likely an attempt to make his work appear more legitimate.

The journal is not much more than an outdated website, and has published claims made by Richard Hoover, another former NASA scientist, who suggested that we discovered fossilized bacteria in space, as CNET reports yet another claim NASA wants nothing to do with.

In 2014, Joseph even attempted to sue NASA into examining a biological organism the agencys Opportunity rover discovered on the surface of Mars. He claimed the rover found a mushroom-like fungus, a composite organism consisting of colonies of lichen and cyanobacteria, and which on Earth is known as Apothecium. It turned out to be a rock.

Just last year, Joseph caught a break when the reputableAstrophysics & Space Science journal published a paper of his that claimed life on Venus had already been found.

Based on photographic evidence made up of grainy black and white images, Joseph argues that Russias Venera 13 lander found evidence of life on Venus in 1982. The paper is still online, as CNET found. The journal added an editors note to the paper this month warning readers that conclusions of this article are subject to criticisms that are being considered by the editors.

Mainstream astrobiologists are not amused.

I feel like these guys have just poisoned the whole field, Paul Myers, a developmental biologist at the University of Minnesota, told CNET.

READ MORE: The search for life on Mars and the Space Tiger King [CNET]

More on life on Mars: Former NASA Scientist Convinced We Already Found Life on Mars

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Extremely Dubious Scientist Believes There's Mushrooms and Lichen on Mars - Futurism

Right now, it is not business as usual. Theres no going back to normal. Charged conversations and changing times call for meaningful, intentional action on the part of large and small brands alike.

How do well-meaning brands communicate where you stand and show your support of your audience at this time?

Jennifer Jen Kem is a Brand Futurist, Business Strategist and Leadership Mentor to women-founded companies and her entire mission is to help them get seen, heard and paid more, based on their values. Her brand and personal values are founded on Autonomy, Justice, Generosity, Leadership and Legacy, and as a 2nd generation Filipino-American, she speaks out often about racial injustice and gender inequality.

Jen shares 5 ways brands can take meaningful action right now.

5 Ways Brands Can Take Meaningful Action During This Time | Stephanie Burns

1. For Your Community: Listen - Dont defend.

Instead of muting them or saying thats not true, say honestly that youre not fully equipped to respond. Say youre listening and from that place of listening, you are committed to fixing it, advises Kem.

Now is the time to listen to those that are hurting.

2. For Your Audience: Educate.

Pass the torch to those qualified to answer. Bring educators, consultants, and coaches who are experts in Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) into your business and hire them to help you assess and audit your stance and policies internally and externally, says Kem. Make it part of your company, not something extra or on top of the everyday work of your company. Communicate your stance with impunity in your communication with your audience.

3. For Your Messaging: Bridge.

One part of branding is managing optics, and going forward (not just during this time), its important to communicate with authentic and honest optics. Stay true to your brand voice but acknowledge that you want to address where you stand, notes Kem.

Bridge the gap of where your brand is now, where you stand and where you are going.

4. For Your Values: Re-Assess.

Center your brand around values-driven metrics, not purely results-driven. Ask yourself - how can we get to the result and understand through the lens of our core values? Your clients dont have to align perfectly with your values, but they should resonate with at least 1 or 2. If youre not making People and Inclusion an authentic value in your brand even if you feel that you are, youre not a values-driven brand, says Kem.

It might be time to take a hard look at the values of your company to see if you truly are aligned with them or if there is need for adjustment.

5. For You: Your Brand Is A Reflection Of You.

This is the world of business now. For me, Ive been choosy in who I has help and amplify. Create REALationships with your audience and understand why they come to you for your expertise. Your audience trusts you, and thats a currency you should not take lightly. Be sure to check on your partnerships and affiliates to see where they stand and if it aligns with your values, explains Kem.

If you feel stuck on what to do or how to help, start with your values and your brand will follow.

Originally posted here:
5 Ways Brands Can Take Meaningful Action During This Time - Forbes

Blazing Up

The Bighorn Fire is a vicious blaze thats been raging in Arizona since the beginning of June forcing evacuations as recently as this week.

In fact, the fire has grown so large that satellites can easily see it from space, according to a new post by NASAsJet Propulsion Laboratory.

NASA grabbed the imagery using its Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument, on board its Terra satellite, which was launched back in 1999.

The epic shot included in the post shows the fires progress over the Santa Catalina Mountains, North of Tucson. Vegetation is shown in red, according to NASAs description of the shot, and burned areas are shown in gray.

ASTER, the space agency wrote, is a useful instrument for mapping the changing surface of the Earth because of its high resolution and capability of imaging in thermal infrared wavelengths.

NASA has used it to study the movement of glaciers, volcanic activity, crop health, weather, and the wellbeing of wetlands and coral reefs.

READ MORE: NASAs ASTER Sees Arizonas Bighorn Fire Burn Scar From Space [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory]

More on fires: Devastating Fires in Amazon Rainforest Can Be Seen From Space

More:
This Forest Fire Was So Huge, NASA Spotted It From Space - Futurism

Light Diet

Researchers from University College London (UCL) say theyve found that exposing the human eye to deep red light for three minutes a day could improve declining eyesight.

According to a study about the research published in the Journals of Gerontology, cellular function declines with age due to lower densities of mitochondria in the retinas photoreceptor cells. Mitochondria are as you may have learned in school the powerhouse of the cell, producing energy and boost cell function. Photoreceptor cells are particularly power hungry but after being exposed to near-infrared light with a wavelength of 670 nanometers, their performance improved, along with study subjects eyesight.

The technology is simple and very safe, using a deep red light of a specific wavelength, that is absorbed by mitochondria in the retina that supply energy for cellular function, Glen Jeffery, professor at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and lead author of the study, said in a statement.

For the study, 12 male and 12 female participants between the ages of 28 and 72 had the sensitivity of their eyes checked. They were then asked to stare into a small LED flashlight for three minutes a day over two weeks, a process Jefferey likened to re-charging a battery.

Participants ability to detect colors improved 20 percent among some of those 40 and older. Low light sensitivity improved significantly in the same group as well.

Mitochondria have specific light absorbance characteristics influencing their performance: longer wavelengths spanning 650 to 1000nm are absorbed and improve mitochondrial performance to increase energy production, Jeffrey said.

READ MORE: Deep red light reboots aging retinas like recharging a battery [New Atlas]

More on eyesight: This Bionic Eye Is Better Than a Real One, Scientists Say

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Researchers Say You Can Improve Your Eyesight by Staring at This Specific Type of Light - Futurism

No Touching

A team at NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab have built a prototype to fight the ongoing coronavirus pandemic: An electronic pendant that scolds you every time you lift your hands to your face.

The tiny device, called PULSE, is simple in design. Its equipped with a infrared proximity sensor, a coin-sized vibration motor, and a three volt battery. Once it notices that youre about to touch your face, the vibration motor triggers.

Health experts have long recommended that you should abstain from touching your own face to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection. All it takes is a short touch to spread pathogens from your hands to your mouth or nostrils.

NASA doesnt have any plans to start selling the gadget, but it has generously made the entire plans for the small device open source, from schematics for the electronics to files for 3D printing the case.

The team seems to have had far more success at developing a device to stop you from touching your face than Australian astrophysicist Daniel Reardon, who got four small magnets stuck up his nose in late March while trying to develop a similar gadget.

READ MORE: NASA designed a vibrating necklace to help you stop touching your face [Mashable]

More on that physicist: Physicist Tries to Build Device to Prevent Coronavirus, Gets Magnets Stuck Up Nose

Read more:
NASA Invents Wearable That Scolds You For Touching Your Face - Futurism

Gilead Sciences, the pharmaceutical company behind the COVID-19 treatment remdesivir, just announced what it will charge for the antiviral drug.

Patients with health insurance from a private company can expect to pay about $520 for a single dose, The Wall Street Journal reports. That comes out to $3,120 for the five-day treatment the vast majority of patients receive, and $5,720 for a ten-day course. Because remdesivir may be the first COVID-19 treatment to receive full FDA approval, its price tag could set the precedent for othernew treatments that emerge down the road, though theWSJ reports that the potential approval of the vastly-cheaper dexamethasone could drive down the cost of remdesivir instead.

The high cost which will be reduced to $390 per dose under government insurance like Medicare will be enacted in July and is motivated by Gilead trying to recoup its research and development investments as it ships the drug out to hospitals around the world. And besides, Gilead CEO Daniel ODay told the WSJ, patients may still end up paying a lower hospital bill than they would have without remdesivir if the drug shortens their stay.

Other countries are likely to negotiate prices similar to the Medicare costs when they buy from Gilead, according to the WSJ. But in countries like Bangladesh, where Gilead has licensed the medication to generic drugmakers, the cost for a full treatment course could be under $1,000 because the raw materials fora full treatment course of remdesivir cost less than $10.

Remdesivir was first approved under an FDA emergency authorization back in May. At the time, data suggested it could cut a coronavirus patients hospital stay by an average of four days compared to those receiving standard treatments without remdesivir. Given the cost per night of staying in a hospitals COVID-19 ward, heading home sooner means a significantly lower bill.

Read more from the original source:
Even With Insurance, the COVID Drug Remdesivir Is Shockingly Expensive - Futurism