science
Minecraft fan may be most committed hobbyist out there
Feedback comes across a YouTuber’s efforts to build a large language model in Minecraft and is impressed at the scale of it – even if it doesn’t quite live up to its promise to blow your mind “in spectacular fashion” Source link
Has life today been enshittified? Cory Doctorow's new book explores
Enshittification is a term coined by Cory Doctorow in 2022. In his new book, Doctorow lays out how tech companies have made our lives progressively worse, finds Matthew Sparkes Source link
US public health system is flying blind after major cuts
The Trump administration has laid off government workers integral to major public health surveys, meaning the country will lack crucial information on births, deaths and illnesses nationwide Source link
How a surge in ancient plagues 5000 years ago shaped humanity
Plague, leprosy, smallpox and other diseases didn’t jump from animals to humans when we thought. Ancient DNA is revealing where they come from and how they changed history Source link
Hurricane Melissa is being fuelled by exceptional ocean heat
The monster hurricane pummelling Jamaica is powered by abnormal sea surface temperatures in the Caribbean, which were made at least 500 times more likely by global warming Source link
Unpicking the genetics of fibromyalgia sheds new light on its causes
Fibromyalgia, which causes chronic pain all over the body, is poorly understood, but two studies – made up of millions of participants – are helping us get to the roots of the condition Source link
Civet coffee: The real chemistry behind this bizarre luxury drink
Scientists are finding out how coffee beans are transformed when they pass through the guts of Asian palm civets in the hope of replicating the process without using animals Source link
Cloud microbes' colours could help us detect life on other planets
Microbes high in Earth’s stratosphere produce pigments to protect them from UV light – so similar molecules could be biosignatures of life elsewhere in the galaxy Source link
'Weaponised' CAR T-cell therapy shows promise against solid tumours
So far, immune cells that have been engineered to kill cancers, known as CAR T-cells, haven’t worked well against solid cancers – but a study in mice suggests that could soon change Source link
Why group exercise is better than working out alone
When it comes to boosting mental health and even improving performance, team sports and group exercise come out on top, finds Grace Wade Source link