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Matt Willemsen
93e9cbf325f03df5c58305bd883a28329abd7e7ba3f8d989af126f96a6338e94
Geologist from Wisconsin at home in Japan. Always exploring this world.

The shadowy Chinese firm that owns chunks of Cambodia

China's economic footprint in Cambodia now dwarfs that of any other country. It provides half of all direct investment and most of its foreign aid.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-66851049?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA #Cambodia #china #investment #aid #development

nostr:npub1hgtpg8j2dm069lwacyjmlckwp0nkzxsgqsrwmmu27x0smjscy6rqdja4wl Near its present location.

"About 100 million years ago, Alaska’s location on the globe wasn’t much different than it is now, but it was considerably warmer—similar to today’s climate in Portland, Oregon, or Seattle, thousands of miles south.#

Europa’s Carbon Dioxide Originates from Source within Its Subsurface Ocean, Planetary Scientists Say

Jupiter’s icy moon Europa has an ocean beneath a crust of water ice. Solid carbon dioxide has previously been observed on the surface, but the source was unknown. Two teams analyzed infrared spectroscopic data of Europa from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to investigate the source of carbon dioxide.

https://www.sci.news/space/europa-carbon-dioxide-12288.html #europa #CarbonDioxide #subsurface JWST #habitability

The Calendar of Human Fertility Is Changing

American births have historically peaked in late summer. But our changing behaviors, technology, and environment are flattening that bump.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2023/09/human-birth-babies-seasonality-surge/675420/ #baby #birth #bump #fertility #calendar

Mysterious 'fossilized' bubble 10,000 times the size of the Milky Way could be a relic from the Big Bang

Astronomers have spotted a gigantic void they believe to be a baryon acoustic oscillation — a relic from when the universe was a fiery plasma soup.

https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/mysterious-fossilized-bubble-10000-times-the-size-of-the-milky-way-could-be-a-relic-from-the-big-bang

#astronomy #BigBang #bubble #Boötes #baryon #acoustic #oscillation

First Contact Could Turn Out Well for Humanity

First contact with advanced extraterrestrials goes very badly for us. But in reality, how bad could it be? That’s the question a new study examines using game theory and Hobbesian philosophy.

https://www.universetoday.com/163296/first-contact-could-turn-out-well-for-humanity/ #FirstContact #humanity #aliens #AxiomsOfFirstContact #HobbesianTrap #CalvinistTrap

Tiny Swarming Spacecraft Could Establish Communications with Proxima Centauri

There are currently two major projects attempting to realize the technology, including Breakthrough Starshot and Project Lyra – which aim to reach Alpha Centauri 20 years after launch and catch up to ‘Oumuamua (respectively).

https://www.universetoday.com/163132/tiny-swarming-spacecraft-could-establish-communications-with-proxima-centauri/ #Tiny #Swarming #Spacecraft #Establish #Communications #ProximaCentauri

Sing Smart: Vocal Learning Linked to Problem Solving Skills and Brain Size

A study reveals European starlings are not just advanced vocal learners but also adept problem solvers, suggesting a co-evolution of vocal learning, cognitive abilities, and relative brain size.

https://scitechdaily.com/sing-smart-vocal-learning-linked-to-problem-solving-skills-and-brain-size/ #vocal #skills #learning #problem #solving #BrainSize #cognitive

Space Delivery: OSIRIS-REx’s Asteroid Sample Touchdown

Here’s How the September 24 Asteroid Sample Delivery Will Work

Early morning on Sunday, September 24, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft’s sample capsule will come face-to-face with Earth’s atmosphere for the first time since the mission’s 2016 launch. On board are an estimated 8.8 ounces, or 250 grams, of rocky material collected from the surface of Bennu in 2020 – NASA’s first asteroid sample and the largest ever collected in space.

https://scitechdaily.com/space-delivery-osiris-rexs-asteroid-sample-touchdown/ #Asteroid #NASA #OSIRISーREx #sample #return #Bennu

Evolution of the nervous system

COMIC: When, why and how did neurons first evolve? Scientists are piecing together the ancient story.

https://knowablemagazine.org/article/living-world/2023/what-is-a-neuron-when-did-it-evolve #comic #evolution #nervous #system

The 'game-changing' attitude behind a very creative dark web takedown

https://therecord.media/hansa-market-takedown-dutch-national-police #Hansa #cybercrime #netherlands

The Hidden Danger: Air Pollution’s Link to Breast Cancer Risk

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have discovered a correlation between high levels of particulate air pollution and an increased risk of breast cancer.

https://scitechdaily.com/the-hidden-danger-air-pollutions-link-to-breast-cancer-risk/ #AirPollution #BreastCancer #particulates #risk #PM2point5

Password-stealing Linux malware served for 3 years and no one noticed

It's not too late to check if a Linux device you use was targeted.

The site, freedownloadmanager[.]org, offered a benign version of a Linux offering known as the Free Download Manager. Starting in 2020, the same domain at times redirected users to the domain deb.fdmpkg[.]org, which served a malicious version of the app.

https://arstechnica.com/security/2023/09/password-stealing-linux-malware-served-for-3-years-and-no-one-noticed/ #Linux #password #stealing #malware #backdoor

Sony launches ‘foster care’ program for its aging robot dogs

Preloved ERS-1000 Aibo units donated to the program will be repaired and rehomed to medical and nursing facilities to help provide emotional support.

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/11/23867799/sony-launches-foster-care-program-aibo-robot-dog-sustainability #aibo #robot #dog #Sony #preloved #FosterCare #rehomed

Duck!

5 asteroids will skim past Earth over the next 2 days, NASA says

The five asteroids range from plane to bus-size, and one is expected to come to within half a million miles of Earth.

https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/5-asteroids-will-skim-past-earth-over-the-next-2-days-nasa-says #asteroids #earth #NearEarthObjects #skim

Australia’s “Fairy Circles” – Nature’s Hydrogen Goldmine?

Pockmarked landscapes in Australia may be a treasure map of sorts for a natural source of clean energy. Clusters of so-called “fairy circles” in the North Perth Basin of Western Australia have been found to seep hydrogen gas from their perimeters. Natural sources of hydrogen such as these, which have been found on multiple continents, are receiving more and more attention in the quest for fossil fuel alternatives.

https://scitechdaily.com/australias-fairy-circles-natures-hydrogen-goldmine/ #australia #hydrogen #FairyCircles #Energy #seep

Scientists finally figured out what's making German wild boars radioactive, and it's not just Chernobyl

Bavarian wild boars have remained radioactive despite levels of contaminants falling in other species. Scientists have now discovered the reason for this — truffles contaminated by the fallout from Cold War nuclear weapons tests.

https://www.livescience.com/animals/land-mammals/scientists-finally-figured-out-whats-making-german-wild-boars-radioactive-and-its-not-just-chernobyl #germany #boars #radioactive #chernobyl #bavaria #fallout