The metaverse: What is it, will it work, and does anyone want it?
Since its rebrand as “Meta”, Facebook has been throwing its considerable weight behind the idea of an immersive virtual reality world. Here’s everything you need to know
I bonded with a quirky robot after chatting to it about my fears
By Annalee Newitz David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images WHENEVER I get really depressed and anxious, my first impulse is to reach for my phone. Maybe I’ll get a message from a friend or discover some new distraction on social media. Unfortunately, during the past couple of years, one glance at my screen often makes … Read more
See the Bizarre Fruiting Bodies of Slime Molds
When Barry Webb is crawling around on the forest floor with a flashlight, passersby understandably give him strange looks. After all, the U.K.-based photographer is looking for something others might struggle to see: slime mold growths that only stand around a tenth of an inch high. For scientists, classifying slime molds has proved to be … Read more
Does every star have planets?
In 1992, astronomers discovered the first planet outside the solar system. Since then, telescopes have spotted thousands of these so-called exoplanets orbiting not only stars similar to the sun but also in binary star systems; small, cool stars called red dwarfs; and even ultradense neutron stars. It’s enough to make you wonder: Does every star … Read more
Healthy ageing: Strength, balance and mobility are the best predictors of a long life
A US study of older women finds that those who perform well on physical tests have the best chances of living longer, while weight loss may not be beneficial Health 6 January 2022 By Jessica Hamzelou A woman exercising Tatsiana Plotilova / Alamy Stock Photo Weight loss isn’t always beneficial in later life. Older women … Read more
Covid-19 news: Omicron cases hit record highs in Europe
By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu and Layal Liverpool Free covid-19 rapid lateral flow test kits are handed out in Walthamstow, north London, England TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images Latest coronavirus news as of 2pm on 6 January Omicron continues to surge … Read more
Three doses of a cheap, common antibiotic batter—but don’t beat—yaws, a tropical skin disease | Science
One year ago, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared yaws—a little-known, painful, and disfiguring tropical disease—a target for global eradication by 2030. Today, results from a clinical trial involving 56,000 people have shown just how challenging it will be to achieve that goal. The trial’s ambitious regimen—giving an entire population three doses of the inexpensive … Read more
This scientist blew the whistle on Trump’s COVID-19 response—now he aims to stop future pandemics | Science
In May 2020, with anonymous callers vowing to kill him and similar threats mounting on social media, Rick Bright gave up his cellphone and went into hiding for more than a month. “If I heard tires rolling over the road in the middle of the night in the driveway where I was staying, it was … Read more
Asterisms: definition, facts and examples
These unique star patterns aren’t as big as constellations. How else do they compare and what are some recognized examples?
Maintenance – Scientific American
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