144 articles from WEDNESDAY 10.5.2023
The Download: a bold fusion claim, and a new augmented reality game
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. This startup says its first fusion plant is five years away. Experts doubt it. The news: A startup called Helion, backed by Sam Altman, claims it’s on track to flip on the world’s…
This startup says its first fusion plant is five years away. Experts doubt it.
A startup backed by Sam Altman says it’s on track to flip on the world’s first fusion power plant in five years, dramatically shortening the timeline to a carbon-free energy source that’s eluded scientists for three-quarters of a century. Helion Energy’s announcement that it’s on the verge of commercializing the process that powers the sun…
Why buses can't get wheelchair users to most areas of cities
Imagine you could travel to only 1% of the city where you live—areas that were easily accessible to other residents.
New breathalyzer for disease sniffs out COVID in real-time, could be used to detect cancer, lung disease
With each breath, humans exhale more than 1,000 distinct molecules, producing a unique chemical fingerprint or "breathprint" rich with clues about what's going on inside the body.
Fire from fire: How wildfires can create their own weather and lightning
The recent wildfires in Alberta have included some pyrocumulus clouds. These clouds create their own local weather and even lightning that can ignite more fires. We look at how they form, and what we expect with lightning and climate...
You may soon be eating more gene-edited food with Canada's updated seed rules
Organic farmers say Canada's relaxed guidelines welcome genetically modified seeds and leave them no room to opt out, while biotech developers applaud the change, saying it will help farmers increase crop yields in the face of food insecurity and climate...
'Perfect storm' of heat, dryness fuel western Canada's extreme wildfires
Dry vegetation, record temperatures and powerful winds: this "perfect storm" of weather phenomena fueled the massive forest fires in western Canada's Alberta province this year, according to researchers.
Australia told to shoot kangaroos before they starve
Australia's kangaroos could die in "catastrophic" numbers if a population boom is left unchecked, ecologists have warned, while backing the industrial-scale culling of the marsupials.
Microbes discovered that can digest plastics at low temperatures
Scientists have found microbes that can do this at 15C, in a potential breakthrough for recyclingMicrobes that can digest plastics at low temperatures have been discovered by scientists in the Alps and the Arctic, which could be a valuable tool in recycling.Many microorganisms that can do this have already been found, but they can usually only work at temperatures above 30C (86F). This means that...
Salt marshes protect the coast, but not where it is needed most
Salt marshes provide multiple ecosystem services, and one of those is protection of the coast against flooding. This is especially important in low-lying countries like the Netherlands.
Scientists discover microbes in the Alps and Arctic that can digest plastic at low temperatures
Finding, cultivating, and bioengineering organisms that can digest plastic not only aids in the removal of pollution, but is now also big business. Several microorganisms that can do this have already been found, but when their enzymes that make this possible are applied at an industrial scale, they typically only work at temperatures above 30°C.
‘No progress’ in tackling premature births – UN
UN report says urgent investment in antenatal care is needed to reduce preterm birth rates.