01Via NPR⏱ 2 min readTrump takes first flight on new Air Force One gifted by the Qatari governmentPresident Trump took his first flight on the new Air Force One yesterday. The Boeing 747 luxury jet was given to the U.S. by the government of Qatar, raising concerns about ethics and security.Start reading →
02Via The Guardian⏱ 2 min readReflecting pool algae: the science Trump needs to know – podcastThe Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool in Washington DC has hardly been out of the news since April when President Trump vowed to have it renovated, and painted ‘American flag blue’ by 4 July. Despite the pool being stripped, cleaned, coated and refilled, within days the algae that has plagued it for decades was back. To find out why these blooms happen, what makes them so difficult to tackle and what Trump could try next, Ian Sample hears from co-host Madeleine Finlay, and from Dr Linda May, a freshwater ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. Clips: Sky News Australia, Reuters, Global News Continue reading...Start reading →
03Via The Guardian⏱ 2 min readUnderstanding Ebola’s wildlife origins is crucial to preventing next big outbreakIf we don’t know the source, not only do humans remain at risk but wildlife can suffer needlessly via retaliation While virologists and public health departments were palpitating over the news of an Andes virus infectious disease outbreak on a cruise ship (13 cases, three deaths), in the Democratic Republic of the Congo the Bundibugyo virus, the root of the current Ebola outbreak (currently more than 1,250 cases and at least 362 deaths), was smouldering under the radar. Bundibugyo virus is a horrifying, highly fatal pathogen. Symptom onset is sudden and includes headaches, diarrhoea, malfunctioning kidneys and liver, and, less frequently, internal and external bleeding (hence the term “haemorrhagic disease”). Grimly, contagiousness remains after death, meaning the family and loved ones of the deceased can be exposed when they wash and clothe the body in preparation for the funeral. Continue reading...Start reading →
01Via PBS⏱ 2 min readWhite House picks Harvard professor with polarizing alien theories to lead new UFO councilA polarizing Harvard astronomer known for splashy theories about alien visits has been tapped by the White House to lead a team of outside scientists to study the national security risks posed by UFOs.Start reading →
01Via PBS⏱ 2 min readFederal Reserve Chair Warsh emphasizes political independence, signals focus on inflationIn remarks at a central bank conference in Sintra, Portugal, Warsh said that if businesses or households thought the Fed would accept inflation above 2%, "I guess they'd be disappointed. We're going to deliver price stability."Start reading →
01Via The Guardian⏱ 2 min readRapid spread of AI may worsen global inequality, UN warnsPanel proses shared framework for responsible AI development as adoption grows unevenly across world A new United Nations report warns that the development of artificial intelligence may exacerbate global inequality and proposes a shared framework for how to responsibly develop AI, as adoption and investment into the technology accelerates unevenly across the world. “The more AI advances without shared rules, the less say governments and people will have in the outcome,” said António Guterres, the UN secretary general, at a press conference on Wednesday. “Our message to governments is simple: do not wait … the science is here. We can no longer say we did not know what we do.” Continue reading...Start reading →
02Via NPR⏱ 2 min readTrump administration partially lifts export ban on Anthropic's most advanced AI modelThe U.S. government is asserting a new level of influence over AI, controlling which companies can access Anthropic's new models. OpenAI agreed to let the administration screen users of its new model.Start reading →
03Via NASA⏱ 2 min readNASA Seeks Volunteers for New Yearlong Simulated Moon, Mars MissionNASA is recruiting research participants for the agency’s next simulated deep space mission. Beginning no earlier than August 2027, research volunteers will spend one year living and working in interplanetary environments at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, operating under isolated conditions expected during crewed missions to the Moon or Red Planet. Insights from this […]Start reading →
04Via NASA⏱ 2 min readNASA’s Webb Studies How Planet Survived Death of its StarNASA’s James Webb Space Telescope is giving us new insight into the far-future of solar systems like our own, as the agency continues to reveal the secrets of the universe and our place in it. Billions of years ago, a Sun-like star nearing the end of its life swelled tremendously in size to become a […]Start reading →