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Science (General/Chat)

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  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - M74: A Grand Design Spiral

    08/30/2026 1:12:54 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 12 replies
    NASA ^ | 30 Aug, 2026 | Image Credit: NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI / AURA)- ESA / Hubble Collaboration Acknowle
    Explanation: If not the most grand, then this spiral galaxy is at least one of the most photogenic. An island universe of about 100 billion stars, 32 million light-years away toward the constellation Pisces, M74 presents a gorgeous face-on view. Classified as an Sc galaxy, the grand design of M74's graceful spiral arms are traced by bright blue star clusters and dark cosmic dust lanes. Constructed from archival images, this sharp composite is from the Hubble Space Telescope. Spanning about 30,000 light-years across the face of M74, it includes exposures recording emission from hydrogen atoms, highlighting the reddish glow of...
  • Climatologist Says a Century of Weather Data Contradicts Claims of Record Heat

    08/30/2026 8:28:50 AM PDT · by MtnClimber · 36 replies
    The Epoch Times ^ | 23 Aug, 2026 | Kevin Stocklin
    American author Mark Twain famously stated: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.” Likewise, digging deeper into data sometimes reveals a different picture from what you saw at first glance. After combing through reports from more than 1,200 weather stations across the United States, former University of Alabama climatologist John Christy is challenging a commonly held belief that extreme high temperatures have become more prevalent. According to his report, published this spring in the academic journal Theoretical and Applied Climatology, the data don’t show an increase...
  • Wi-Fi Sensing Technology and Privacy Risks. Detecting Human Movement Through Wi-Fi Signals.

    08/30/2026 5:44:08 AM PDT · by devane617 · 20 replies
    Youtube ^ | 05/27/2026 | Cyb3rMaddy
    Wi-Fi sensing is becoming a powerful technology, capable of detecting movement and gestures without cameras, raising significant questions about online privacy. This video explores the evolution of wifi sensing and its implications for surveillance, including its use in home security and how it could shape future technology. We also discuss the broader cyber security landscape as these capabilities become more advanced, making even a simple motion sensor a potential privacy concern.
  • THE PROOF - Aborted babies are used in vaccine creation

    08/30/2026 5:12:20 AM PDT · by Morgana · 39 replies
    life site news ^ | August 28, 2026 | staff
    Dr. Stanley Plotkin is considered the godfather of vaccines. He reluctantly admitted the horrific facts about abortion and vaccine manufacturing — facts the pharmaceutical industry has spent decades hiding. He claimed only two fetuses were involved in his work. Then the lawyer handed him a study he authored — using 76 aborted babies. Plotkin was forced to admit the truth: They weren’t miscarriages. All were over three months’ gestation. All were normally developed. They were aborted for social and psychiatric reasons — so their organs could be harvested. Lungs. Kidneys. Hearts. Tongues. Pituitary glands. Chopped into pieces and cultured for...
  • Jalisco Cartel kingpin’s secret California ranch in Riverside County revealed

    08/29/2026 11:56:07 PM PDT · by Libloather · 4 replies
    NY Post ^ | 8/29/26 | Titus Wu
    One of the world’s most-wanted drug traffickers owns an unsuspecting ranch in a Riverside County valley — and the federal government is trying to seize it. Juan Carlos Valencia Gonzalez, 41, of Santa Ana, is the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, nearly five months after his stepfather, Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, was killed during a Mexican military anti-drug operation. When Valencia was just a 26-year-old living in Orange County, he bought a ranch in Hemet, California, that was offered to him for just $250,000. The property sits in a ranching community surrounded by farmland and upscale homes, according...
  • The site of St.Erasmo [Bronze Age citadel]

    08/29/2026 8:04:21 PM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 4 replies
    Logo Cesi Porta dell'Umbria ^ | prior to August 29, 2026 | editors / unattributed
    The spur of St.Erasmo, looming above the village of Cesi... represents the best preserved example of a fortified high ground site in the Umbria region and, in general, one of the main sites of this type in central-southern Italy. This point was fortified, encircling an area of about 7000 sq.m with massive masonry in polygonal work, with a wall of about 400 linear metres, which alternates various types of polygonal work, from the more regular and well- smoothed that distinguishes the northern side, to more cursive ones, with not well-worked blocks, attested in several points, perhaps less visible on the...
  • We are probably alone (11 mins)

    08/29/2026 7:42:49 PM PDT · by Az Joe · 79 replies
    The Ancient Dog ^ | 08/05/2026 | Professor Edmund Whitmore
    Professor Edmund Whitmore takes the stage to make an argument most scientists won't say out loud: that we are probably alone in the universe. Not "we haven't found anyone yet." Actually alone. The only technological civilization that exists, or has ever existed, within any distance that matters.
  • Jets leave onlookers horified as they nearly hit roof of South African stadium during pre-game flyover: ‘Could’ve been catastrophic’

    08/29/2026 6:00:29 PM PDT · by Libloather · 20 replies
    NY Post ^ | 8/29/26 | Ella Morrison
    Two regional airline jets were caught on camera nearly hitting the top of a South Africa stadium as as they participated in a dramatic — and near disastrous — pre-game flyover above a packed international rugby game. “It looks like the airplanes almost hit the top of Cape Town stadium,” one horrified social media user wrote, while another quipped. “That was a bit dicey if you ask me. Shoo-wee” In one video taken atop the stadium, the jets appear to come within just several feet from slamming into the roof of the sporting venue as fireworks go off — and...
  • Royce White wears blonde wig while sitting courtside at Fever game — days after WNBA bans him from draft

    08/29/2026 2:00:32 PM PDT · by Libloather · 24 replies
    NY Post ^ | 8/29/26 | Bryan Fonseca
    Royce White brought his crusade to Indiana. The former NBA first-round pick wore a long blonde wig and sat courtside for the Fever’s 111-91 win over the Sun on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. On his Instagram, White wrote, “The Kweeeen has arrived! They better bow for a beautiful Black Trans Lesbian!” with a smirk on his face. White, who, along with Enes Kanter Freedom, has been trying to push the WNBA amid the ongoing debate surrounding transgender participation in women’s sports. His appearance comes not long after Kanter Freedom, the former NBA big man, was courtside during a Fever game...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Eclipse Pair

    08/29/2026 12:37:31 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 6 replies
    NASA ^ | 29 Aug, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: Gwenaël Blanck
    Explanation: Eclipses tend to come in pairs. Twice a year, during an eclipse season that lasts about 34 days, Sun, Moon, and Earth can nearly align. Then the new and full phases of the Moon, separated by just over 14 days, create a solar and a lunar eclipse. But only rarely is the alignment at both new moon and full moon during a single eclipse season close enough to produce a pair with both total solar and lunar eclipses. More often, partial eclipses are part of any eclipse season. But, the last eclipse season of 2026 did produce this fortnight-separated...
  • The Mystery of the Neolithic Marked Arrowheads [10:22]

    08/29/2026 7:14:25 AM PDT · by SunkenCiv · 16 replies
    YouTube ^ | August 29, 2026 | MegalithHunter
    The Mystery of the Neolithic Marked Arrowheads | 10:22 MegalithHunter | 24.7K subscribers | 557 views | August 29, 2026 00:00 New Discovery of Incised Arrowheads 00:54 Where Have These Arrowheads Been Found? 02:46 Tepecik-Çiftlik Archaeological Site 06:11 Looking For A Pattern
  • Gavin Newsom set to ban vapes in California — and the $2K fine it comes with

    08/28/2026 3:29:29 PM PDT · by Libloather · 40 replies
    NY Post ^ | 8/28/26 | Katie Jerkovich
    California is one step closer to banning disposable nicotine vapes — with environmentalists arguing the gadgets’ metals would be better off in electric vehicle batteries. State lawmakers passed Assembly Bill 762 Wednesday, sending the measure to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s desk for a signature or veto — with repeat violators facing civil fines of up to $2,000. The bill would permanently ban disposable, battery-embedded vapor inhalation devices containing tobacco products, prohibiting anyone from “importing or manufacturing” them for sale in California starting Jan. 1, 2027. It would also prevent the sale of those kinds of e-cigarettes starting on Jan. 1, 2028....
  • Trump’s Quietly Working to Give Part of Yosemite to a Private Developer

    08/28/2026 3:09:10 PM PDT · by Libloather · 26 replies
    NOTUS ^ | 8/28/26 | Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) By Anna Kramer August 28, 2026 05:00 a.m. U
    For more than a year, the National Park Service has been quietly working to fulfill an unprecedented directive from Trump officials: Parcel off a corner of Yosemite National Park to give to a private developer. National Park Service staff in California and Washington, D.C., are trying to arrange a land exchange between a Nevada-based company and the federal government, according to four people directly familiar with discussions, as well as agency documents reviewed by NOTUS. Since the spring of 2025, the Trump administration has been looking into ways it could cede a roughly quarter-mile strip of land inside Yosemite to...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - The Sky Turns Above Paranal

    08/28/2026 12:20:33 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 8 replies
    NASA ^ | 28 Aug, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: Osvaldo Castillo
    Explanation: At the latitude of ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile, about 25 degrees south, Earth's rotation moves the planet's surface eastward at over 1,500 kilometers per hour. And while that's faster than the speed of sound at sea level, the motion is imperceptible. Still, that motion can be revealed in the apparent rotation of the night sky by photographing star trails. This star trail image was composed from a digital stack of 300 consecutive 25-second exposures made with a camera fixed to a tripod to trace the star trail arcs. The graceful arcs are concentric and centered at the south...
  • Debunking 10 of the Most Common Health Myths

    08/27/2026 9:36:56 PM PDT · by SeekAndFind · 26 replies
    Healthgrades ^ | 08/27/2026
    We largely accept several longstanding myths about our health, nutrition, fitness, and more. Understanding the truth can be important for helping us live our healthiest lives.Have you ever found yourself questioning whether that bit of health advice you’ve grown up believing is actually true? You may be surprised at what’s myth and what’s fact.Health myths usually don’t have bad intentions. They may have developed when we didn’t know as much about how the human body works, and these were the best approaches at the time. But we may cling to some of them even when science has shown us a...
  • Climate crisis could be destabilising mountain areas like Nepal, experts warn

    08/27/2026 5:55:02 PM PDT · by MinorityRepublican · 49 replies
    The Guardian ^ | August 27, 2026 | Jonathan Watts
    The devastating flash flood that has ripped through the border communities of Nepal and Tibet has heightened fears that the climate crisis is destabilising the geology of mountain and polar regions, threatening millions of people. Satellite imagery suggests a glacier collapse high in the Himalayas was the primary cause of the deadly torrent of mud, water and ice that tore along the Bhotekoshi River on Wednesday. It swept away buildings and roads and left at least 360 dead and 1,400 missing. A magnitude 4.4 earthquake was initially blamed for the collapse. However, it is now thought to have been caused...
  • Climate zealots’ net-zero push dies a quiet death — and not a moment too soon (only 4.42 years left)

    08/27/2026 4:56:27 PM PDT · by Libloather · 14 replies
    NY Post ^ | 8/27/26 | John Stossel
    What a difference a few years make. Not long ago, politicians said climate change was going to kill us, so we must move to “net zero” emissions. This is theoretically possible: Since vegetation removes carbon, we could get to net zero by burning fewer fossil fuels. Governments everywhere pledged to do just that. President Joe Biden and European leaders promised “net zero by 2050.” For a while, it seemed like it might happen. Spain invested billions in its solar-power grid; Germany claimed to get most of its power from renewables. But now they realize that they made a mistake. European...
  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Colorful Aurora over Icelandic Waterfall

    08/27/2026 12:02:48 PM PDT · by MtnClimber · 9 replies
    NASA ^ | 27 Aug, 2026 | Image Credit & Copyright: Victor Lima Text: Cecilia Chirenti (NASA GSFC, UMCP, CRESST II)
    Explanation: What a sight to behold, when a night sky became filled with colors that appeared to rain over the Skógafoss waterfall in Iceland. This image was taken in a single 5 second exposure by the photographer in April 2025. Seeing an aurora is on many people's bucket lists. But it is not easy. It requires high solar activity, dark and clear skies, and usually a viewing location at high latitude. That makes the northern lights more easily seen than the corresponding southern lights, simply because there is less landmass in the Southern Hemisphere, especially around the Antarctic Circle. Auroras...
  • Santa Monica forced to deploy new tactics as deadly violence descends on popular tourist spot

    08/27/2026 9:20:08 AM PDT · by Libloather · 33 replies
    NY Post ^ | 8/26/26 | Justin Choi
    Santa Monica is putting more cops on the streets after a summer of violence hit the tourist hotspot — including two shootings in just two days. **SNIP** Saturday, a knife-wielding man was shot and killed near the Santa Monica Pier after he allegedly charged toward officers. The following day, a person was shot in the leg during an attempted robbery. The violence comes after a string of deadly incidents that has put the normally tourist-packed city on edge. In mid-July, a man was fatally shot in a parking lot near the Pier. Police responding around midnight found an adult male...
  • Made in Mexico $9K EV could be a California commuter’s dream

    08/27/2026 8:49:08 AM PDT · by Libloather · 103 replies
    NY Post ^ | 8/27/26 | Erica Andrews
    Southern California drivers dreaming of a cheap new car may soon have another pint-sized option to consider, if Mexico’s bargain electric vehicles ever make their way across the border. Mexico has unveiled Olinia, a new homegrown electric vehicle brand built around tiny, affordable EVs designed for short trips, small businesses and urban deliveries, according to Marketplace. The Olinia lineup is part of Mexico’s broader effort to develop its own electric vehicle industry rather than simply serve as a manufacturing base for global automakers. President Claudia Sheinbaum has promoted the project as evidence that Mexico can develop its own technology and...