A team of researchers in England has launched a contest to create a magical experience based solely on sound, challenging the conventional notion that magic tricks rely on visual elements. The project aims to explore the human mind’s perception and understanding of reality, making magic more inclusive for people with visual impairments. The contest has…
research on The Soothsayer / page 29
Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder have discovered that lightning can trigger bursts of high-energy electrons in the Earth’s inner radiation belt, posing a potential threat to spacecraft and astronauts. The researchers analyzed data from a NASA satellite and found that these bursts can occur at low energies, making them difficult to detect. This…
Researchers in South Africa have updated the country’s health-research ethics guidelines to include a new section on heritable human genome editing, a technique that involves introducing genetic changes to sperm, eggs, or embryos, which will be passed down through successive generations. This move has sparked concerns globally, as it could put South Africa one step…
A team of researchers from the National Geographic Society’s Pristine Seas team has discovered the world’s largest standalone coral off the coast of the Solomon Islands. The coral, estimated to be 300 to 500 years old, measures 34 meters wide, 32 meters long, and 6 meters tall, making it longer than the average blue whale….
A UK-based health technology start-up, Siloton, has made a significant breakthrough in the development of a portable optical coherence tomography (OCT) system. This innovative technology uses photonic integrated circuits to miniaturize expensive and fragile optical components, making it possible to capture high-quality images of the human retina. The system has the potential to revolutionize the…
Researchers at the University of Florence have made a groundbreaking discovery at Pompeii, Italy, by analyzing DNA from human bone fragments recovered from plaster casts of people who died during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The genetic data revealed details about the sex, ancestry, and family ties of five individuals, challenging old…
Researchers have proposed a new hypothesis to explain the “Great Dimming” of the red supergiant star Betelgeuse, suggesting that an unseen low-mass companion star may be responsible for the phenomenon. The team analyzed decades of observational data and used advanced computer models to simulate Betelgeuse’s activity, finding that the brightest phase of the star’s brightness…
Mathematicians have debunked the bunkbed conjecture, a well-known hypothesis in probability theory that seemed self-evident but has been proven false. The conjecture, which dealt with navigating mathematical mazes called graphs stacked like bunk beds, has significant implications for physics and our understanding of mathematics. The discovery highlights the importance of questioning assumptions and the need…
Researchers have made a significant discovery in understanding the molecular pathway behind endometriosis, a painful condition affecting millions of women worldwide. The study suggests that drugs already used to treat migraines could be effective in treating endometriosis by inhibiting a key protein that promotes pain and exacerbates the disease. This breakthrough offers new hope for…
Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery on the moon’s farside, revealing signs of surprising volcanic activity near the lunar south pole. The first samples from the region, brought back by China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft, show that the rocks formed from cooling magma relatively recently, about 2.8 billion years ago. This finding may help solve the mystery…