#PFAS chemicals resist degradation for up to 1,000 years. A group of #chemistry researchers developed a new light-driven technique could transform them into harmless chemicals and ions.
#science #news #chemistry
Frozen CSI: Key bacterial species that can serve as "biomarkers of death" in frigid conditions have been found by researchers, aiding investigators when visual examination falls short.
#science #death #bacteria
About one-third of the world’s #population – around 3 billion people – doesn’t have access to the #internet because of #infrastructure limitations, economic disparities or geographic isolation.
A new kind of aircraft is being tested to potentially provide easier internet access to rural areas (and disaster zones):
Cerebrospinal fluid surrounds your brain and spinal cord, and its importance can’t be overstated.
And unfortunately, CSF leaks are often misdiagnosed as #migraine, sinus #infections or #allergies.
#health
#Privacy settings in many apps can make you feel like you have good control over your data, but don’t be so sure.
You may be unaware of the additional steps needed to actually secure your data:
https://theconversation.com/complicated-app-settings-are-a-threat-to-user-privacy-235842
In two-parent families, mothers not only actually do more of the chores, they shoulder more of the cognitive load of planning, anticipating and delegating the chores.
And it all takes a serious toll on moms’ #mentalhealth.
From new commercial Moon landers to asteroid investigations, an aerospace engineer looks at the most exciting #space missions planned for 2025: https://theconversation.com/from-new-commercial-moon-landers-to-asteroid-investigations-expect-a-slate-of-exciting-space-missions-in-2025-243645 #science #news
With confirmation hearings coming up soon for Trump’s nominees to his cabinet, we’re taking a step back to answer some basic questions.
A lot of us haven’t studied civics since 7th grade, so here are some useful refreshers on the process and what these leaders of government departments actually do.
First up: why do we even have confirmation? 🧵
Here’s what the Attorney General does:
Here’s what the Secretary of Education does: #edusky
Here’s what the Director of National Intelligence does, written by someone who used to work very closely with the DNI:
The Director of the FBI isn’t a cabinet position, but we thought we’d explain what they do, too:
We’ll be publishing a bunch more of these profiles in January, so watch for the links here or subscribe to our free Politics Weekly newsletter:
https://theconversation.com/us/newsletters/subscribe/?promoted=politics-weekly-74
Trust in U.S. media hit a record low in 2024. A #journalism professor explains why Black Midwesterners are turning to alternative, trusted messengers for #news:
Preventive care is supposed to be free by law for millions of Americans thanks to the Affordable Care Act, but many don’t receive recommended preventive services, and the patients that do receive it spend millions of dollars every year on unexpected bills.
The main problem: There’s no specific regulations to determine exactly which services should be free, or for whom, or how often.
#Retirement doesn’t just lead to concerns about money. It also raises questions about one’s usefulness in the world.
“We should worry, as we think about retirement, more about what the good life for creatures like us – those who are now free from our jobs – should be,” writes a philosopher:
#philosophy #bigquestions
Disagree with that medical bill?
Research shows it’s worth calling your hospital billing office – 74% of people who did that saw a bill correction that brought the balance down.
#health
Maybe you’ve just found us on #Nostr, but there’s a good chance that you’ve read articles from The Conversation on one of the 100s of websites that syndicate our journalism.
We give it away free of charge under Creative Commons and support decentralized social platforms because we want to reach as many people as possible with accurate, trustworthy, insightful journalism.
Here are some of the places where our articles appeared this week: Yahoo! News looked at a history of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and how TV executives almost lost faith in it
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/why-charlie-brown-christmas-almost-134732217.html
In FastCompany, our look at the state of the arctic (not good) https://www.fastcompany.com/91244202/arctic-report-card-2024-climate-change-carbon-emissions-wildlife-wildfires-sea-ice
On DefenseOne, our analysis of post-Assad #syria: https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2024/12/stabilizing-syria-will-challenge-fractured-opposition-and-external-backers/401524/
The Space Review published our fascinating story on astrobiology
https://www.thespacereview.com/article/4904/1
The Indian nonprofit news site:Scroll.in published one of our health articles on the cognitive benefits of exercis: https://scroll.in/article/1076363/the-cognitive-benefits-of-physical-activity
This is a valuable public service. Your donations help make it possible to give away this quality journalism for free. We’d be deeply grateful for a zap of your support.
Right now, your gift of fiat currency will be matched dollar-for-dollar as part of #NewsMatch, so your impact will be doubled. We’ll also send you a free e-book with some of our best stories of the year. Thank you!
Your "normal" blood test results may not actually be normal for you. A mathematician explains how #MachineLearning can find healthy blood count ranges for individual patients and improve predictions of their risk of future disease.https://theconversation.com/blood-tests-are-currently-one-size-fits-all-machine-learning-can-pinpoint-whats-truly-normal-for-each-patient-245730
#News #Medicine #AI #PersonalizedMedicine
To prepare for an ever hotter future, architects and city designers could learn from the past.
The Sumerians who lived in southern Iraq 6,000 years ago used thick walls and small windows to keep indoor temperatures cool. Ancient Egyptians harnessed the wind and funneled it downward into buildings. Ancient Puebloans understood the importance of solar orientation.
#climatechange #tips
As human #population increases, humans and animals share increasingly crowded landscapes. Which means everyone needs to be more informed in how to safely interact with #wildlife.
As human #population increases, humans and animals share increasingly crowded landscapes. Which means everyone needs to be more informed in how to safely interact with #wildlife.
The DEA is considering reclassifying marijuana as a schedule III drug, on a par with Tylenol 3.
We had a drug policy expert weigh the pros and cons:
#health
Tommy John surgery, once reserved for saving the careers of #MLB pitchers, is now commonplace among teenage athletes. More than half of these procedures are performed on 15-19 year olds as youth sports intensify.
Loving is a practice, and it’s something we can improve on, according to a philosopher 🥰🥰🥰
This is because love is made up of other skills such as listening carefully and being present. If you get better at these skills, you get better at loving.
#philosophy #love #relationships