Notices by Flipboard Science Desk (sciencedesk@flipboard.social), page 34

"The first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died nearly two months after he underwent the procedure.''

AP reports on the 62-year-old patient and the latest research on organ transplants: https://flip.it/oPsJGH

#Health #Medicine #Science

Chronic asthma could be caused by cell overcrowding in the airways.

Science News reports: "A glitch in the mechanical process that drives normal turnover of epithelial cells lining the lungs could be to blame. ... Better understanding of this physical force underpinning chronic asthma attacks might lead to new ways of combating the disease."

https://flip.it/mrBLcQ

#Asthma #Health #Disease #Science

Abnormally warm patches of water in the Pacific Ocean have had a disastrous effect on marine life since 2010. Now we may know what’s causing these giant “blobs” to keep appearing. Science Alert has more, including how a policy designed to improve environmental conditions may have negative consequences.
https://flip.it/cx7s4L
#Science #Environment #PacificOcean

Could magma be moving deep below the surface on the border of Germany and the Czech Republic? And if so, what is the significance? Recently installed seismometers in the Vogtland region captured a swarm of earthquakes, suggesting a “complex seismic situation” could be developing. Live Science explains.
https://flip.it/xMLNt9
#Science #Earthquakes #Germany #CzechRepublic #Geology

The solar storm that provided the magnificent view of the northern lights on Friday night may put on an encore. CNN has more on how you can catch the show. https://flip.it/zrFNqq
#Science #NorthernLights #AuroraBorealis #Space #SolarStorm

Scientists may have found a way to make biodegradable plastic from algae, a development that could potentially diminish the harmful effects of microplastics that linger for thousands of years. ABC News reports: https://flip.it/mizbsY
#Science #Plastics #Environment

You already know not to take an AI chatbot seriously. But there may be reason to be even more cautious. New research has found that many AI systems have already started to deliberately present human users with false information. Science Alert explains why "AI developers do not have a confident understanding of what causes undesirable AI behaviors like deception.”
https://flip.it/ZbnJtj
#Science #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Chatbot #Tech

Could snow trigger earthquakes? A new study in the journal Science Advances says thousands of quakes on Japan’s Noto Peninsula since 2020 could be linked to the region’s heavy snowfall, pointing to the weather correlating with “earthquake swarms.” While the study doesn’t say that climate directly causes the earthquakes, it suggests the rate of the seismic events could fluctuate depending on the weight of water on the surface and the movement of water below. Read more from NBC News.

https://flip.it/QdW0_j

#Earthquakes #Japan #Geology #Snow #Snowfall

Small but mighty, plankton are some of the most powerful creatures on Earth.

For @TheConversationUS, a marine conservationist writes: "Plankton are critical to marine ecosystems and to humans, but often glide under the radar of our interest."

https://flip.it/w_xF.r

#Plankton #Ocean #MarineBiology #Biology #Science #Animals

@breadandcircuses Thanks for including us! Have a great weekend.

A rare severe geomagnetic storm watch is issued for the first time in nearly 20 years amid "unusual" solar event.

CBS News quotes the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): "Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure in near-Earth orbit and on Earth's surface, potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, radio and satellite operations."

https://flip.it/6cGvxW

#Sun #SolarFlare #Geomagnetic #Space #Science

Jonathan An, an assistant professor of oral sciences, tries to ignore the hype around new life-extension treatments. But while studying for his doctorate in dentistry, An experimented with a drug normally used for organ transplant rejection on mice with oral disease. It worked, and An plans to test the drug on humans next. We may not live forever, but could science help us enjoy the time we have? Read more from Vox: https://flip.it/i0-9ZS
#Science #Health #Medicine #Longevity

Several companies are offering people in mourning a chance to chat with a “simulation” of a deceased loved one. Some say it feels like they’re speaking to them from beyond the grave, while others find it disconcerting and manipulative. Ethicists Tomasz Hollanek and Katarzyna Nowaczyk-Basińska from the University of Cambridge are the latest to voice their concerns over the risks of the "digital afterlife industry." Here’s more from Science Alert: https://flip.it/C6.06y
#Science #AI #Ethics #Humans

When Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai erupted in January 2022, the underwater volcano in the South Pacific unleashed the most intense lightning storm ever recorded and set off a mega-tsunami that was hundreds of feet high. Research indicated the eruption was fueled by two merging magma chambers. Now, scientists are looking at another potential trigger. Live Science has more: https://flip.it/ZAjd2N
#Science #Geology #Volcano #Eruption #Tonga

@djuuss Yeah, maybe not the best photo to illustrate this story!

Two giant blobs lurk deep within the Earth, but why?

From @popsci "Some scientists believe they could be responsible for plate tectonics."

https://flip.it/ZswokA

#Earth #Earthquake #Volcano #Science

The U.S. National Weather Service issues tornado warnings, watches and emergencies. Do you know the difference between the three terms?

AP explains: https://flip.it/kO4VDw

#Tornado #Weather #NWS #Storm #Meteorology

"A team of researchers have built a vision implant with tiny electrodes the size of a neuron, seeking to help blind people see again."

The Next Web reports: "Initial tests in mice showed that the implant can effectively stimulate visual perception using only a small amount of electricity."

https://flip.it/2Z5SA2

Here's the original study: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adhm.202304169

#Eyes #Vision #Research #Science

Scientists are learning the basic building blocks of sperm whale language after years of effort.

AP reports on new research from the Caribbean island of Dominica: https://flip.it/43UWRD

#Whales #Animals #Language #Science

"Earth has just experienced its 11th straight warmest month on record -- a preview of the brutal temperatures forecast for the summer, according to scientists."

ABC News reports: "May 2023 through April 2024 was the warmest 12-month stretch on record with a global average temperature of 2.90 degrees Fahrenheit above the 1850 to 1900 pre-industrial average."

https://flip.it/.uYDvT

#Climate #ClimateChange #Heat #Environment