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Hundreds of thousands of years ago, our ancestors evolved a simple trick that could have helped thwart a major infectious disease. It probably saved our skins, but the change was far from a perfect solution.

New research has uncovered evidence that mutations arising between 600,000 and 2 million years ago were part of a complex of adaptations that may have inadvertently made us prone to inflammatory diseases and even other pathogens.

An international team of researchers compared around a thousand human genomes with a few from our extinct cousins, the Neanderthals and Denisovans, to fill in missing details on the evolution of a family of chemicals that coat the human body’s cells.

Continue reading “Humans Might Be So Sickly Because We Evolved to Avoid a Single Devastating Disease” | >

Barakah, which was originally scheduled to open in 2017, has been dogged by delays and is billions of dollars over budget. It has also raised myriad concerns among nuclear energy veterans who are concerned about the potential risks Barakah could visit upon the Arabian Peninsula, from an environmental catastrophe to a nuclear arms race.

Experts have raised concerns about potential risks Barakah plant could pose to the environment and regional security.

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Continue reading “UAE starts first nuclear reactor at controversial Barakah plant” | >

Strange metals have surprising connections to high-temperature superconductors and black holes.

Even by the standards of quantum physicists, strange metals are just plain odd. The materials are related to high-temperature superconductors and have surprising connections to the properties of black holes. Electrons in strange metals dissipate energy as fast as they’re allowed to under the laws of quantum mechanics, and the electrical resistivity of a strange metal, unlike that of ordinary metals, is proportional to the temperature.

Generating a theoretical understanding of strange metals is one of the biggest challenges in condensed matter physics. Now, using cutting-edge computational techniques, researchers from the Flatiron Institute in New York City and Cornell University have solved the first robust theoretical model of strange metals. The work reveals that strange metals are a new state of matter, the researchers report July 22 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Continue reading “Quantum Physicists Crack Mystery of “Strange Metals” – A New State of Matter” | >

In a press conference at the University of Chicago, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) unveiled a report that lays out a blueprint strategy for the development of a national quantum internet, bringing the United States to the forefront of the global quantum race and ushering in a new era of communications. This report provides a pathway to ensure the development of the National Quantum Initiative Act, which was signed into law by President Trump in December 2018.

Around the world, consensus is building that a system to communicate using quantum mechanics represents one of the most important technological frontiers of the 21st century. Scientists now believe that the construction of a prototype will be within reach over the next decade.

In February of this year, DOE National Laboratories, universities and industry met in New York City to develop the blueprint strategy of a national quantum internet, laying out the essential research to be accomplished, describing the engineering and design barriers and setting near-term goals.

Continue reading “U.S. Department of Energy Unveils Blueprint for Quantum Internet” | >

Facebook is taking another stab at stealing some video viewing hours from YouTube by launching official music videos in the US.

Starting this weekend, users will be able to watch videos from some of their favorite artists across genres. For that, the company has patterned with some major record labels including Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Merlin, BMG, Kobalt, as well as many across the independent music community, and publishers.

Facebook had already tested out official music videos in India and Thailand through partnerships with local labels. Those partnerships also helped the platform with music for certain Facebook and Instagram features.

Continue reading “Facebook is launching official music videos in the US” | >

Solar power, hydrogen fuel from seawater, automatic wingsails, a 6 year journey.

The Energy Observer set sail on a six-year world tour in 2017, testing new technologies, from onboard hydrogen electrolysis to fully-automated sails. It’s hoped the rugged ocean environment will prove the techs’ durability and usefulness at home.

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Continue reading “First boat to make its own hydrogen fuel from seawater” | >