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Science (General/Chat)

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  • Most cancer treatments are useless for patients with advanced tumors near end of life

    05/18/2024 5:40:45 PM PDT · by george76 · 19 replies
    UPI ^ | MAY 17, 2024 | Dennis Thompson,
    Cutting-edge cancer treatments are essentially useless for patients barely clinging to life, a new study shows. Chemotherapies, immunotherapies, targeted therapies and hormone therapies do not improve survival rates in patients with very advanced tumors near the end of life, according to findings published Thursday in the journal JAMA Oncology. "Since we don't see an improved survival benefit, oncologists should revisit their goals of care conversations with patients, and this information in the study should be explained to patients," said lead researcher Maureen Canavan, an associate research scientist with Yale Cancer Center. For the study, researchers analyzed records on more than...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - North Celestial Aurora

    05/18/2024 12:48:01 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 5 replies
    NASA ^ | 18 May, 2024 | Image Credit & Copyright: Chirag Upreti
    Explanation: Graceful star trail arcs reflect planet Earth's daily rotation in this colorful night skyscape. To create the timelapse composite, on May 12 consecutive exposures were recorded with a camera fixed to a tripod on the shores of the Ashokan Reservoir, in the Catskills region of New York, USA. North star Polaris is near the center of the star trail arcs. The broad trail of a waxing crescent Moon is on the left, casting a strong reflection across the reservoir waters. With intense solar activity driving recent geomagnetic storms, the colorful aurora borealis or northern lights, rare to the region,...
  • 1st Americans came over in 4 different waves from Siberia, linguist argues

    05/18/2024 10:30:28 AM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 40 replies
    Live Science ^ | May 3, 2024 | Kristina Killgrove
    Nearly half of the world's language families are found in the Americas. Although many of them are now thought extinct, historical linguistics analysis can survey and compare living languages and trace them back in time to better understand the groups that first populated the continent.In a study published March 30 in the American Journal of Biological Anthropology, Johanna Nichols, a historical linguist at the University of California Berkeley, analyzed structural features of 60 languages from across the U.S. and Canada, which revealed they come from two main language groups that entered North America in at least four distinct waves.Nichols surveyed...
  • Scientists spot 60 stars that appear to show signs of gigantic alien power plants

    05/17/2024 9:23:26 AM PDT · by zeestephen · 35 replies
    Daily Mail ^ | 16 May 2024 | Matthew Phelan
    A survey of five million distant solar systems, aided by "neural network" algorithms, has discovered 60 stars that appear to be surrounded by giant alien power plants...Ever since theoretical physicist Freeman Dyson first proposed the idea at Princeton in 1960, astrophysicists have speculated that advanced extraterrestrials might have constructed massive solar energy collectors around one star or more. [Illustration in Comment #1]
  • Archaeology: Egyptian pyramids built along long-lost Ahramat branch of the Nile

    05/18/2024 1:53:36 AM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 36 replies
    EurekAlert! ^ | May 16, 2024 | Scientific Reports (Dr. Amr Fhail and Dr. Mohamed Fathy)
    31 pyramids in Egypt, including the Giza pyramid complex, may originally have been built along a 64-km-long branch of the river Nile which has long since been buried beneath farmland and desert. The findings, reported in a paper in Communications Earth & Environment, could explain why these pyramids are concentrated in what is now a narrow, inhospitable desert strip...Sedimentary evidence suggests that the Nile used to have a much higher discharge, with the river splitting into several branches in places. Researchers have previously speculated that one of these branches may have flown by the pyramid fields, but this has not...
  • Suicide Risks 1200% Higher After 'Gender Affirming' Surgery

    05/17/2024 9:11:24 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 23 replies
    Hotair ^ | 05/17/2024 | David Strom
    Gee, this isn't what we have been told. At least not what the MSM, the medical establishment, the President of the United States, every civil rights organization, or anybody in the Establishment has told us. You here at HotAir already knew that something like this was true, but that is because we don't shape our reporting to fit the prevailing narrative. We actually tell you the truth as best we can. Latest NIH study: kids have a 12x HIGHER rate of suicide after surgical transition.This is a scandal. We were lied to. Children died as a result. People need to...
  • The Antikythera Mechanism Was Discovered on This Day in 1901

    05/17/2024 12:50:01 PM PDT · by nickcarraway · 11 replies
    Greek Reporter ^ | May 17, 2024 | Evaggelos Vallianatos
    The Antikythera Mechanism, widely believed to be the world’s first computer, was among wreckage retrieved from a shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island Antikythera on May 17, 1901. A year later, it was identified as containing a gear by Greek archaeologist Valerios Stais. Since then, the Mechanism has had a lasting impact on scientists and thinkers across the world. The seven largest fragments of the Antikythera Mechanism, A-G, both sides. Courtesy Tom Malzbender and Hewlett Packard. The Tablet, or the Antikythera Mechanism “Tablet” was probably the name ancient Greeks gave the Antikythera Mechanism, which dates from the second...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Aurora Banks Peninsula

    05/17/2024 11:25:03 AM PDT · by MtnClimber · 8 replies
    Nasa ^ | 17 May, 2024 | Image Credit & Copyright: Kavan Chay
    Explanation: This well-composed composite panoramic view looks due south from Banks Peninsula near Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island. The base of a tower-like rocky sea stack is awash in the foreground, with stars of the Southern Cross at the top of the frame and planet Earth's south celestial pole near center. Still, captured on May 11, vibrant aurora australis dominate the starry southern sea and skyscape. The shimmering southern lights were part of extensive auroral displays that entertained skywatchers in northern and southern hemispheres around planet Earth, caused by intense geomagnetic storms. The extreme spaceweather was triggered by the...
  • 'Once-in-a-lifetime' exploding star expected to be visible before October

    05/17/2024 9:01:45 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 11 replies
    UPI ^ | May 15, 2024 | Brian Lada, Accuweather.com
    The celestial wonders of April's solar eclipse and the mesmerizing dance of last weekend's aurora borealis captivated millions, yet the cosmos has an even more elusive spectacle in store. Before the year's end, the night sky will unveil an astronomical phenomenon so extraordinary that it eclipses the rarity of both these events combined. A blazingly bright event known as a nova, a light show that happens approximately once every 80 years, is expected to be visible in the coming months. "This could be a once-in-a-lifetime viewing opportunity," NASA said. An animation showing a nova of a white dwarf that is...
  • MIT Astronomers Say They Have Discovered a Planet Current Theories Can't Explain

    05/17/2024 8:27:44 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 18 replies
    The Debrief ^ | May 17, 2024 | Christopher Plain
    Around a star in our Milky Way galaxy, astronomers have discovered an extremely low-density planet that is as light as cotton candy. The new planet, named WASP-193b, appears to dwarf Jupiter in size, yet it is a fraction of its density. CREDIT: K. Ivanov ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A team of astronomers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) say they have discovered a distant planet that they can’t explain with current planet evolutionary theories. The newly discovered WASP-193b is a gas giant 50 percent larger than Jupiter, the largest gas giant in our solar system. However, it is only one-tenth as dense,...
  • Ron DeSantis DELETES mentions of 'climate change' from Florida's laws and bans offshore windmills to protect sunshine state from 'green zealots'

    05/17/2024 3:45:19 AM PDT · by Libloather · 14 replies
    Daily Mail ^ | 5/17/24 | Nikki Schwab
    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed Wednesday that he was saving his state from 'radical green zealots' by removing references of 'climate change' from the state's energy policy and banning offshore windmills. DeSantis, a failed 2024 presidential hopeful, signed into law a bill that additionally gives preferential treatment to natural gas companies and scraps a requirement that state-purchased vehicles are fuel efficient. With 8,346 miles of shoreline and water surrounding three of its side, Florida is the most vulnerable or close to being the most at-risk state when it comes to climate change impacts, according to a number of metrics. 'The...
  • Smelting Steel Without Fossil Fuels: Solar Power Shatters the 1,000°C Barrier for Industrial Heating

    05/17/2024 1:22:17 AM PDT · by Jonty30 · 98 replies
    https://scitechdaily.com/ ^ | MAY 17, 2024 | CELL PRESS
    Swiss researchers have developed a solar energy method using synthetic quartz to achieve temperatures above 1,000°C for industrial processes, potentially replacing fossil fuels in the production of materials like steel and cement. Instead of burning fossil fuels to reach the temperatures needed to smelt steel and cook cement, scientists in Switzerland want to use heat from the sun. The proof-of-concept study uses synthetic quartz to trap solar energy at temperatures over 1,000°C (1,832°F), demonstrating the method’s potential role in providing clean energy for carbon-intensive industries. A paper on the research was published on May 15 in the journal Device. The...
  • Coffee Linked To Reduced Parkinson's Risk

    05/16/2024 9:54:20 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 8 replies
    Epoch Times ^ | 05/16/2024 | George Citroner
    Your morning cup of joe may be doing more than just giving you an energy boost to tackle the day. New evidence suggests that the caffeine in your brew could pack an extra punch by reducing your risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.(Shutterstock)Findings Suggest Caffeine May Reduce Parkinson’s Risk by 40 PercentWhile previous research highlighted caffeine’s benefits like increased energy and enhanced cognitive performance, a recent study in Neurology adds to the evidence that caffeine may help prevent Parkinson’s disease, a progressive movement disorder.The new study examined coffee intake and future Parkinson’s risk in 184,024 participants across six European countries.Unlike prior...
  • Boeing Starliner launch delayed to Tuesday due to helium leak

    05/16/2024 7:01:24 AM PDT · by Salman · 35 replies
    Space Daily ^ | May 15, 2024 | Doug Cunningham
    Boeing's Starliner flight to the International Space Station was delayed again due to a helium leak. NASA, Boeing and the United Launch Alliance said in a statemen Tuesday that the launch date will now come no earlier than Tuesday at 4:43 p.m. EDT. "Starliner teams are working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft's service module traced to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster. Helium is used in spacecraft thruster systems to allow the thrusters to fire and is not combustible or toxic," they said. Boeing's statement said that it is working with NASA...
  • Boeing Starliner launch delayed to Tuesday due to helium leak

    05/16/2024 12:40:25 PM PDT · by Red Badger · 2 replies
    Space Daily ^ | May 15, 2024 | Doug Cunningham
    Boeing's Starliner flight to the International Space Station was delayed again due to a helium leak. NASA, Boeing and the United Launch Alliance said in a statemen Tuesday that the launch date will now come no earlier than Tuesday at 4:43 p.m. EDT. "Starliner teams are working to resolve a small helium leak detected in the spacecraft's service module traced to a flange on a single reaction control system thruster. Helium is used in spacecraft thruster systems to allow the thrusters to fire and is not combustible or toxic," they said. Boeing's statement said that it is working with NASA...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Aurora Georgia

    05/16/2024 11:38:39 AM PDT · by MtnClimber · 8 replies
    NASA ^ | 16 May, 2024 | Image Credit & Copyright: Wright Dobbs
    Explanation: A familiar sight from Georgia, USA, the Moon sets near the western horizon in this rural night skyscape. Captured on May 10 before local midnight, the image overexposes the Moon's bright waxing crescent at left in the frame. A long irrigation rig stretches across farmland about 15 miles north of the city of Bainbridge. Shimmering curtains of aurora shine across the starry sky, definitely an unfamiliar sight for southern Georgia nights. Last weekend, extreme geomagnetic storms triggered by the recent intense activity from solar active region AR 3664 brought epic displays of aurora, usually seen closer to the poles,...
  • Hidden in the Halo: MIT Researchers Discover the Universe’s Oldest Stars

    05/16/2024 9:53:05 AM PDT · by Red Badger · 24 replies
    Scitech Daily ^ | May 16, 2024 | JENNIFER CHU, MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    MIT astronomers discovered three of the oldest stars in the universe, and they live in our own galactic neighborhood. The stars are in the Milky Way’s “halo” — the cloud of stars that envelopes the main galactic disk — and they appear to have formed between 12 and 13 billion years ago, when the very first galaxies were taking shape. Credit: Serge Brunier; NASA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Astronomers discovered three ancient stars circling the Milky Way’s halo, formed 12-13 billion years ago. MIT researchers have discovered three of the oldest stars in the universe, and they happen to live in our own...
  • The Sun's Most Powerful Flare in Seven Years Just Erupted

    05/16/2024 7:54:47 AM PDT · by absalom01 · 22 replies
    Science Alert ^ | May 16, 2024 | MICHELLE STARR
    A solar flare measured at X8.7 on the strength scale just emerged from AR 3664, the sunspot region responsible for last weekend's solar storms that sparked vivid auroras.That's the most powerful solar flare of the current cycle, absolutely the most powerful since 2017, and comfortably within the top 20 solar flares ever measured.As AR 3664 made its way toward the edge of the Sun's disk, it wasn't just the X8.7 flare on May 14 that erupted from the solar limb. On May 15, an X3.4 flare followed suit, suggesting that the giant sunspot region is going to continue its party...
  • European Space Agency refuses to name Israeli in sensational discovery

    05/16/2024 6:11:46 AM PDT · by Eleutheria5 · 15 replies
    Ynet ^ | 13/5/24 | Elad Zeret
    Just two weeks ago, the European Space Agency announced the discovery of a new black hole, the heaviest on the Milky Way, 33 times bigger than the Sun and 2,000 light years from Earth. Tel Aviv University’s Prof. Tsevi Mazeh, who was recently awarded the Israel Prize in physics, is among those responsible for the European Gaia spacecraft’s discovery. But if you ask him how excited he was that week, in which he both learned of his Israel prize award and his research on the new black was published, he’ll swiftly answer “The Israel prize wins bigtime.” “I cried a...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - AR 3664 at the Sun's Edge

    05/15/2024 2:14:37 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 9 replies
    NASA ^ | 15 May, 2024 | Image Credit & Copyright: Sebastian Voltmer
    Explanation: What did the monster active region that created the recent auroras look like when at the Sun's edge? There, AR 3664 better showed its 3D structure. Pictured, a large multi-pronged solar prominence was captured extending from chaotic sunspot region AR 3664 out into space, just one example of the particle clouds ejected from this violent solar region. The Earth could easily fit under this long-extended prominence. The featured image was captured two days ago from this constantly changing region. Yesterday, the strongest solar flare in years was expelled (not shown), a blast classified in the upper X-class. Ultraviolet light...