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A Pill That Makes Your Blood Deadly to Mosquitoes? It’s Real — And It Works

Ivermectin is typically used to treat neglected tropical diseases such as onchocerciasis (river blindness) and lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis). However, studies have shown that it can also reduce malaria by killing mosquitoes that bite people who have taken the drug. As resistance to insecticides increases, ivermectin may offer a new and effective way to reduce transmission, especially in areas where standard methods are no longer reliable.

The BOHEMIA project (Broad One Health Endectocide-based Malaria Intervention in Africa), funded by Unitaid, tested this idea through two large-scale Mass Drug Administration (MDA) trials in regions with high malaria burden: Kwale County in Kenya and Mopeia district in Mozambique. Researchers evaluated whether giving a single monthly dose of ivermectin (400 mcg/kg) over three months at the start of the rainy season could lower malaria transmission. In Kenya, the program focused on children aged 5 to 15, while in Mozambique it targeted children under the age of five.

Earth appears to be developing new never-before-seen human-made seasons, study finds

Diverse perspectives, especially those from Indigenous knowledge systems, can enhance our ability to respond to environmental changes. Integrating alternative time-keeping methods into mainstream practices could foster fairer and more effective solutions to environmental problems.

Seasons are more than just divisions of time — they connect us with nature. Finding synchrony with changing seasonal rhythms is essential for building a sustainable future.

This edited article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Nearly three-quarters of solar and wind projects are being built in China

China is rapidly scaling up its solar and wind energy infrastructure, accounting for nearly three-quarters of all utility-scale projects currently under construction worldwide, according to a new report from the Global Energy Monitor (GEM). With 510 gigawatts (GW) already under construction and a total pipeline of over 1.3 terawatts (TW), China is consolidating its position as a dominant force in the global energy transition.

This acceleration follows years of sustained growth. As of early 2025, China’s operating solar and wind capacity has reached 1.4 TW—equivalent to 44% of the global total and more than the combined capacity of the European Union, United States, and India. In the first quarter of this year, wind and solar supplied 22.5% of the country’s electricity, overtaking thermal power capacity for the first time.

The majority of China’s new capacity is coming from centralized utility-scale projects, particularly in northern and western regions such as Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia, which host nearly 40% of the country’s planned solar and wind capacity. In 2024 alone, China added 278 GW of solar and 46 GW of wind.

New ChatGPT AI agent proves that it is «not a robot» — CloudFlare trusted it without CAPTCHA

It turns out that one of the most common ways to check security on the Internet is just child’s play for ChatGPT Agent. The irony is that the test requires you to prove that you «not a bot», which the OpenAI bot managed to do…

How materials science could revolutionise technology — with Jess Wade

Jess Wade explains the concept of chirality, and how it might revolutionise technological innovation.

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Watch the Q&A here (exclusively for our Science Supporters): https://youtu.be/VlkHT-0zx9U

This lecture was recorded at the Ri on 14 June 2025.

Imagine if we could keep our mobile phones on full brightness all day, without worrying about draining our battery? Or if we could create a fuel cell that used sunlight to convert water into hydrogen and oxygen? Or if we could build a low-power sensor that could map out brain function?

Whether it’s optoelectronics, spintronics or quantum, the technologies of tomorrow are underpinned by advances in materials science and engineering. For example, chirality, a symmetry property of mirror-image systems that cannot be superimposed, can be used to control the spin of electrons and photons. Join functional materials scientist Jess Wade as she explores how advances in chemistry, physics and materials offer new opportunities in technological innovation.

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Scientists use quantum machine learning to create semiconductors for the first time — and it could transform how chips are made

Researchers have found a way to make the chip design and manufacturing process much easier — by tapping into a hybrid blend of artificial intelligence and quantum computing.

Study uncovers technologically appealing trick used by microalgae to manipulate light

Skoltech researchers and their colleagues have uncovered an intricate light manipulation mechanism likely used by microscopic algae to boost photosynthesis.

By studying the interaction of light with the elaborately patterned silicon dioxide shells enclosing the , the team hopes to reveal principles that could eventually be leveraged in light detectors, bio-and chemical sensors, protective coatings against ultraviolet rays, , and other nature-inspired technology, right up to artificial photosynthesis systems using CO2 and water to make fuel.

The study was published in the journal Optica.