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A photograph of a black graphite disk floating above a stack of three, round magnets. (Credit: Adrian Skov (OIST)) Study shows how perfect magnetic symmetry can cancel energy loss. In A Nutshell Researchers at OIST built a 10-millimeter graphite disk that levitates and spins above a magnetic array inside a vacuum chamber. By arranging magnets in perfect circular symmetry, the setup cancels the eddy currents that normally slow conductors moving through magnetic fields. Even at one-billionth of Earth’s air pressure, the disk kept spinning with almost no slowdown; only tiny tilts or material imperfections created measurable friction. This ultra-stable, contact-free...

Over the past five years, common good constitutionalism has taken tenuous root in elite legal academia. It’s now beginning to find its way into courtrooms. But scholars remain divided on its potential to reshape the legal landscape — and whose “common good” it seeks to advance. ***************************************************************** On March 31, 2020, when the United States was on Covid-19 lockdown, The Atlantic published “Beyond Originalism,” a cerebral essay by the Harvard Law professor C. Adrian C. Vermeule ’90. The essay urges legal conservatives to abandon originalism, the dominant school of constitutional interpretation for the conservative legal movement, which posits that the...

I got here in 2021. As a matter of fact, the ACA made health insurance UNAFFORDABLE for my family after it was passed, with skyrocketing premiums higher than our house payment. I was not in Congress when all this Obamacare, “Affordable Care Act” bullshit started. I got here in 2021. As a matter of fact, the ACA made health insurance UNAFFORDABLE for my family after it was passed, with skyrocketing premiums higher than our house payment. Let’s just say as nicely as possible, I’m not a fan. But I’m going to go against everyone on this issue because when the...

While the shutdown is needless, the Democrats are rightly concerned about healthcare cost coverage. MEDICAID EXPANSION FAIRNESS What I’m thinking of is to slightly and generally increase the state Medicaid expansion share to 5% plus the highest rate of state income tax. Right now, California pays for Medicaid expansion at 10% and rakes in 13% income tax from doctors. That would make Medicaid expansion cheaper for no income tax red states like Florida and Texas. To help fund likely Medicaid expansion to states like Texas and Florida, the state Medicaid shares (traditional & expansion) would increase annually starting in 2028...

The Engines of Wealth: From Conquest to CodePreface: Understanding the DNA of Human ActionHuman history is shaped by the tension between constant biological drives and changing social environments. Across centuries, people have sought the same essentials — food, clothing, shelter, and security — yet the mechanisms to achieve them have evolved dramatically. Civilizations rise and fall not because human nature changes, but because the systems that organize labor, energy, and capital shift in response to crisis, innovation, and opportunity.This essay traces three transformative forces that have repeatedly restructured societies and economies: war, which expanded wealth through conquest; plague, which redistributed...

Red wood ants (Formica rufa) pheromone transmission. (Photo by Yuriy Bartenev on Shutterstock) In A Nutshell * Red wood ants carry Fructilactobacillus sanfranciscensis, the sourdough bacterium that can seed milk and trigger yogurt-like fermentation. * In lab conditions, four live ants added to warm milk led to curdling by morning at about pH 5 (store yogurt is ~4.2), with mild tang and grassy notes. * Ants contribute formic acid (about 1–2.5 g/L measured in the yogurt), lowering pH; ant-borne bacteria then make lactic and acetic acids and enzymes that cut milk proteins. * Only live ants yielded stable, desirable communities;...

The claim that Marian devotion in Catholicism is derived from pagan goddess worship—specifically Ishtar, Diana, or Astarte—is a persistent but thoroughly discredited myth rooted in 19th-century anti-Catholic propaganda, most notably Alexander Hislop’s *The Two Babylons* (1853). This narrative, often recycled in modern social media and evangelical circles, alleges that Mary’s veneration as the Mother of God (Theotokos) or Queen of Heaven is a Christianized version of ancient pagan goddess cults. However, linguistic, historical, biblical, and cultural evidence reveals no connection. This compiled text is inspired by discussions with our fellow freepers and I hope offers a detailed, accessible refutation of...

An impending government shutdown presents an opportunityThe U.S. government is about to run out of money. If Congress does not pass a spending bill -- or a short-term continuing resolution that keeps money flowing temporarily -- there will be a federal government shutdown this coming Tuesday. Moments like these are rare opportunities for the party that is not in control of Congress. As the New York Timesopens in a new tab or window described it, "...passing a government spending bill that can win the necessary 60 votes depends on attracting at least a small amount of Democratic support. That will...

Jimmy Kimmel and the Long Tradition of Television Censorship by NetworksWhen Disney pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from the air after affiliate stations refused to run it—and Kimmel refused to apologize—many framed the moment as a free speech issue. But in reality, this is not a new phenomenon. Kimmel is merely the latest in a long line of television personalities to discover that while free speech is protected from government interference, it does not shield individuals from the consequences imposed by employers, advertisers, or the broader marketplace.The tension between individual expression and corporate image has shaped the entertainment industry for decades....

Leopard tooth marks were found on this Homo habilis jawbone. Image credit: Vegara-Riquelme et al., Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2025) Around 2 million years ago, prehistoric humans in East Africa turned the tables on the carnivores that had previously terrorized them, learning not only to fend off these predators but also steal their kills, thus replacing them at the very top of the food chain. Generally, the ancient species Homo habilis is credited with making this trophic leap, yet new research suggests that this extinct hominin was actually hunted by leopards and may therefore have been...

If you’ve never seen HBO’s “Succession,” I highly recommend it. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I found it to be a fascinating blend of fine writing, interpersonal drama, and cutthroat, high-stakes corporate maneuvering. The series was reportedly based on Rupert Murdoch, his family, and his News Corp.-Fox News empire.Murdoch’s family has no shortage of its own theatrics, as we have written about, but on Monday, many questions about the future of the conglomerate were answered:The Murdoch family on Monday resolved the legal battle over control of its media empire, which includes Fox Corp. and News Corp, the company...

The best reggae singers range from the soul- and gospel-influenced to unique voices that could only come from within. Here are 20 of the greatest.From versatile voices such as Bob Marley’s, to the soul- and gospel-tinged style of Toots Hibbert and the fully committed, utterly convincing messaging of Winston Rodney, the best reggae singers of all time are a varied bunch proving that the music has much more to offer than the obvious stereotypes. Whether they fronted bands or made a name for themselves as a solo artist, here are the 20 best reggae singers of all time. Bob...

A technology company in southern China is developing a humanoid robot equipped with an artificial womb, designed to carry and give birth to human children. The project, announced by Kaiwa Technology and expected to debut by 2026, marks a significant step in artificial gestation. As China develops a pregnancy robot capable of full-term human reproduction, experts are closely watching the ethical and scientific implications. Guangzhou-based Kaiwa Technology revealed that the robot will be capable of carrying a fetus through a ten-month gestation cycle and assisting in childbirth. The company says it plans to sell the product for under 100,000 yuan,...

The question of whether a public official in the United States can undermine the U.S. Constitution without violating their oath of office is complex, as it hinges on the nature of the oath, the definition of “undermine,” and the legal and practical mechanisms for assessing violations. Drawing on your prior questions about the oath of office (specifically in Indiana), socialism, communism, abortion, and ballot access, this response analyzes the issue through constitutional principles, legal standards, judicial precedents, and practical considerations. The answer will clarify whether actions that undermine the Constitution inherently breach the oath and under what circumstances they might...

From Fiat Everything to Real EverythingThe infrastructure is now visible to those willing to see it. The systematic replacement of natural systems with artificial ones has reached into every domain—money, food, health, education, information. What began as isolated changes has revealed itself as a coordinated operation: the complete substitution of reality with decree, ownership with access, competence with credentials.The mathematical engineering of ownership out of reach becomes clear—from 52% of 30-year-olds owning homes in 1950 to a projected 13% by 2025. Extraction was rebranded as liberation—the subscription economy that converts your $3,000 monthly into someone else’s equity while you build...

President Trump’s upcoming summit in Alaska with President Putin will be a defining moment not just in U.S. relations with the Russian Federation, but also for the safety and survival of the world. I do not believe that most Americans fully understand the gravity of the situation. My personal assessment is that if these two leaders cannot reach an agreement this weekend, then the chances increase dramatically that events could spiral out of control, leading to an unthinkable catastrophe. Zelensky appears to be trying to box in President Trump by his trip to Germany to continue funds flow to him...

Connecting The Dots: A Comprehensive Advanced AI Analysis Of The Declassified Durham Annex And Its Criminal ImplicationsExecutive Summary The following is a lengthy AI conversation I had with Perplexity Pro AI discussing the details of the recently declassified documents released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. It consisted of open-ended questions based specific linked stories in the news, where the AI then gathered its own citations before forming its response to me. The portion of the conversation that I’m including here is from the end of the conversation; I’m not including some of the earlier Q&A that laid the...

Despite grappling with fears for a son held hostage in the middle of a deadly war zone, Yehuda Cohen still holds onto hope. "I have three children, I'm going to have three children until the last day of my life," he said. "Nimrod will come back and complete our family." It is a sentiment which is obviously fuelled by a father's love, but it is also borne out of necessity — a sense of purpose, even as the window of opportunity for his family to be reunited with one another seems to be getting narrower by the hour. A photo...

While the study is intriguing, additional observations will be essential to verify or challenge its findings. Astudy analyzing JWST observations of the early universe has uncovered an intriguing mystery: most galaxies appear to be rotating in the same direction. This unexpected pattern, which defies current cosmological models, has led the study's authors to propose a bold possibility: that our universe might exist inside a black hole. The JWST has allowed astronomers to peer back further into the past than any other infrared or optical telescope, seeing infrared light that was emitted by distant galaxies just 300 million years after the...

Leaked files reviewed by The Grayzone expose the covert war waged by British intelligence against Russia in the Black Sea, outlining Ukrainian “honey trap” plots along with blueprints for blowing up the Kerch Bridge. Sensitive documents reviewed by The Grayzone indicate that the United Kingdom is the central architect behind Ukrainian military operations targeting Russia’s Black Sea Fleet. Among other explosive findings, the files reveal high-ranking British military and intelligence figures drew up detailed plans to “maximize attrition of [Moscow’s] Black Sea Fleet,” plotted to blow up the Kerch Bridge connecting Crimea to mainland Russia with fertilizer bombs, and even...