Science Live News Content

70 killed as Afghanistan hit by heavy rains

Kabul (AFP) April 17, 2024 Around 70 people have been killed by heavy rains lashing Afghanistan over the past five days, the government's disaster management department said Wednesday. Afghanistan was parched by an unusually dry winter which desiccated the earth, exacerbating flash-flooding ...

'Human-induced' climate change behind deadly Sahel heatwave: study

Dakar (AFP) April 18, 2024 The deadly heatwave that hit Africa's Sahel region in early April would not have occurred without "human-induced" climate change, according to a study by the World Weather Attribution (WWA) group published Thursday. The West African nations of Mali and Burkina Faso ...

Markets rise as traders consider US rate outlook

Hong Kong (AFP) April 18, 2024 Asian markets rose Thursday with traders mulling the outlook for US interest rates as Federal Reserve officials questioned the need for a cut anytime soon. Oil edged up after the previous day's losses, which were fuelled by data indicating softer demand in the ...

China's Low-Altitude Economy Set for Rapid Expansion

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Apr 18, 2024 China's burgeoning low-altitude economy, recognized as a crucial strategic industry, is expected to witness exponential growth in the near future, driven by significant infrastructure investments, robust policy support, and a broad range of commercial ...

Taiwan's TSMC posts 9% profit rise in Q1

Taipei (AFP) April 18, 2024 Taiwanese chipmaking giant TSMC announced Thursday a nearly 9 percent increase in net profits in the first quarter of 2024. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company - whose clients include Apple and Nvidia - controls more than half the world's output of silicon ...

NASA's Near Space Network Bolsters PACE Climate Mission Communications

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 18, 2024 NASA's Near Space Network has successfully enabled the PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission to transmit its inaugural set of operational data to Earth, utilizing innovative data-storing technology and recent enhancements. These upgrades ...

IMF chief urges attention to war-ravaged Yemen, Sudan

Washington (AFP) April 18, 2024 International Monetary Fund chief Kristalina Georgieva on Thursday drew attention to the suffering in Yemen and Sudan, both plagued by civil wars and often overshadowed by the plight of other countries. "When we have these highly visible wars like the one ...

ESA Invests E12 Million in Revolutionary Galileo Satellite Clock Technology

Paris, France (SPX) Mar 12, 2024 The European Space Agency (ESA), representing the European Commission, has finalized a E12 million agreement with Leonardo S.p.A (Italy) and the Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica for the inception and development of cutting-edge atomic clock ...

Ecuador hit by power cuts of up to 13 hours amid drought

Quito (AFP) April 18, 2024 Parts of Ecuador were facing power cuts of up to 13 hours on Thursday amid an electricity crisis sparked by a drought that has left key hydroelectric reservoirs nearly depleted. A government decree ordering workers to stay home went largely ignored, with buses ...

Chinese cities sinking under their own weight

Extracting ground water for growing urban populations causes half of China's big cities to sink.

Siblings with unique genetic change help scientists progress drug search for type 1 diabetes

Two siblings who have the only known mutations in a key gene anywhere in the world have helped scientists gain new insights that could help progress the search for new treatments in type 1 diabetes.

An ink for 3D-printing flexible devices without mechanical joints

Researchers are targeting the next generation of soft actuators and robots with an elastomer-based ink for 3D printing objects with locally changing mechanical properties, eliminating the need for cumbersome mechanical joints.

Research suggests new lithium source in pyrite

Madrid, Spain (SPX) Apr 19, 2024 Lithium, known for its reactivity and essential role in lithium-ion batteries, is critical for sustainable energy technologies like electric vehicles and renewable energy storage systems. Given the surge in lithium demand, researchers are looking into less ...

UK and US lack regulation to protect space tourists from cosmic ray dangers

Shoe technology reduces risk of diabetic foot ulcers

Researchers have developed a new shoe insole technology that helps reduce the risk of diabetic foot ulcers, a dangerous open sore that can lead to hospitalization and leg, foot or toe amputations.

Plastic production threatens 1.5 degrees Celsius limit, new study warns

Plastic production's rapid growth threatens the global carbon budget for limiting global warming. Reductions in primary plastic production are crucial to align with climate targets and prevent exceeding the carbon budget, as highlighted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study.

How this new crazy invisibility tech can literally make you disappear

Tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains the science behind the Invisibility Shield, a 6-foot shield that makes people become invisible.

Oil, gas drilling blocked in Alaska wilds as Biden seeks green cred

Washington (AFP) April 19, 2024 The United States on Friday blocked oil, gas and mining operations across tracts of unspoiled wilderness in Alaska, winning praise from environmentalists for safeguarding habitat for polar bears, caribou and other Arctic species. More than 13 million acres ...

Momentick raises funds to advance satellite-based GHG emission tracking

London, UK (SPX) Apr 22, 2024 Momentick, a leader in emissions intelligence, has successfully raised $6.5 million in seed funding to enhance its emission intelligence algorithm and extend its market reach. The investment round was spearheaded by Chartered Group Japan and TAU Ventures, with ...

ESA astronaut class of 2022 graduation ceremony replay

Video: 00:57:15 Watch a replay of the ESA astronaut class of 2022 graduation ceremony. ESA astronaut candidates Sophie Adenot, Rosemary Coogan, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Raphaël Liégeois, Marco Sieber and Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate Katherine Bennell-Pegg received ...

Space Operations Command takes control of Space-Based Infrared System

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 22, 2024 The United States Space Force's Space Systems Command (SSC) has successfully transitioned the control of the Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Baseline Release (SBR 23-1) to the Space Operations Command after completing a successful trial period. This ...

European astronaut rookies make the grade

The European Space Agency's latest intake of astronauts complete their basic training.

Tidy up your tech: Spring-cleaning tips for safeguarding your data

Safeguarding your digital life with a reliable physical backup isn't just a precaution, it's a necessity. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides the essential backup checklist.

The troubling truth about our country's recycling programs

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how a Redditor exposed false recycling claims at their apartment, highlighting a report that only 21% of U.S. recyclables are processed.

Ariane 6 flies OOV-Cube: Internet of Things

Europe’s newest rocket soon launches, taking with it many space missions each with a unique objective, destination and team at home, cheering them on. Whether launching new satellites to look back and study Earth, peer out to deep space or test important new technologies in orbit, Ariane ...

Japan's premodern concept of nature at root of distinctive mindset in early childhood education

Observers of Japanese early childhood education and care have pointed to the mindset of educators watching over and waiting on preschoolers as being an intriguing tendency. This mimamoru approach has its roots in a premodern concept of nature.

Breakthrough rice bran nanoparticles show promise as affordable and targeted anticancer agent

Plant-derived nanoparticles have demonstrated significant anticancer effects. Researchers recently developed rice bran-derived nanoparticles (rbNPs) that efficiently suppressed cell proliferation and induced programmed cell death of only cancer cells. Furthermore, rbNPs successfully suppressed ...

65 years ago, America announced the names of its first astronauts

Pressure in the womb may influence facial development

Physical cues in the womb, and not just genetics, influence the normal development of neural crest cells, the embryonic stem cells that form facial features, finds a new study.

Study explores possible future for early Alzheimer's diagnostics

Digital memory test and a blood sample -- this combination will be tested for its potential to identify early Alzheimer's disease in a new research study. Over a hundred healthcare centers are part of the study that is now inviting participants to sign up. At least 3,000, preferably many more ...

Tesla profits tumble but shares rise on new vehicle plan

New York (AFP) April 23, 2024 Tesla reported a big drop in quarterly profits Tuesday amid an increasingly cutthroat electric vehicle market, but shares rallied as CEO Elon Musk pledged to accelerate plans for a more affordable EV. Tesla reported profits of $1.1 billion, down 55 percent from ...

Lynk secures government contract for satellite phone services

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 25, 2024 Lynk Global, Inc. (Lynk), a leader in satellite-direct-to-phone communications, has entered into a contract with the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) to supply sat2phone services to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Homeland ...

Oldest evidence of Earth's magnetic field discovered by researchers

London, UK (SPX) Apr 25, 2024 Researchers at the University of Oxford and MIT have identified a 3.7-billion-year-old geological record of Earth's magnetic field, which closely resembles the current geomagnetic field in its characteristics. This discovery, published in the Journal ...

SES's O3b mPOWER System Initiates Global High-Performance Connectivity Services

London, UK (SPX) Apr 25, 2024 SES has officially commenced operations of its second-generation O3b mPOWER satellite system, now offering high-performance connectivity services globally. The initial six satellites of the O3b mPOWER, situated in medium Earth orbit approximately 8,000km from ...

NASA and Japan's X-ray satellite space 'scope sends first snaps of distant galaxies

Ariane 6 prepares for inaugural launch

Paris, France (SPX) Apr 25, 2024 On 24 April 2024, Europe's new rocket, Ariane 6, was vertically positioned on the launch pad for its first space journey. The rocket's central core, comprising the main and upper stages, was moved from the launcher assembly building to the launch pad, located ...