Robodogs monitor nuclear waste in Finland

In Finland, robodogs have started monitoring nuclear waste. The cyberdog ANYmal passed the test in the spent nuclear fuel repository Onkalo, located 400 meters underground. It ran through a network of tunnels, gathering all the necessary information.

The Impact of Coffee Mugs on Taste Perception: A Study

The taste of coffee can vary depending on the mug you drink it from, according to research. It all comes down to how the human brain perceives this process - for example, if you drink coffee from your favorite mug, the beverage will bring you more enjoyment. The company you are in while drinking the beverage also affects taste perception. Even different images and motivational quotes on mugs can help start the day off better.

Antidote for slate snakes

Scientists have found a universal antidote to the deadly venom of aspid snakes. There are 384 species within this group, including the most dangerous ones: the king cobra, the black mamba, and the Indian krait. Initially, scientists isolated and compared the venom proteins of different aspid snakes. They discovered that all of them contain a toxin that causes paralysis. Then, biologists studied a library containing over 50 billion various human antibodies in order to find an antidote, and eventually identified the most suitable one - 95Mat5. Its efficacy was tested on mice injected with toxins from venomous snakes. In all cases, the rodents were protected not only from death and paralysis but also from other complications.

News about the first person with a brain implant

Elon Musk shared news that the first person with a brain implant from Neuralink has fully recovered and can now control a computer mouse using their thoughts. The patient is able to control the cursor solely with the power of their mind through the implant. The team is currently working on training the participant to achieve as many clicks as possible in a unit of time.

Gender Differences in Brain Structure

The brains of men and women are structured differently - evidence of this has been found by a neural network. It can now determine gender based on brain scans with 90% accuracy. The differences pertain to three areas of the brain: those responsible for dreams, memories, decision-making, emotions, and olfaction. This explains the distinct behaviors exhibited by men and women.

Giant anaconda

Scientists were filming a documentary and accidentally discovered the largest snake in the world. While filming for National Geographic in the Amazon rainforest, a new species of giant anaconda was found, which can grow up to 7.5 meters long and weigh half a ton.

The effect of watching videos on speech development

Video viewing has a negative impact on the vocabulary development of children under three. In a study involving 300 families with children aged 17 to 30 months, the results showed that those who watched TV and videos on social media platforms knew fewer words and formed shorter sentences. However, the situation improved when children watched content together with parents, who provided commentary on the proceedings.

Chinese Starbucks Introduces Pork-Flavored Coffee

Chinese Starbucks has released coffee with a taste of pork. The delightfully spicy latte is made with espresso and pork sauce, which is poured directly over steamed milk. It is served with a piece of meat on a skewer. Those who have tried it say that the $10 coffee has a sweet and salty taste.

Don't close applications

Closing apps on iPhone and Android is harmful for your smartphone. Swiping apps up, hoping to save battery life or speed up your smartphone's performance, only makes things worse. The fact is that frequent opening and closing of apps consumes more resources than keeping them running in the background. Apple itself recommends closing apps only if you are certain that you won't be using them in the next couple of hours.

Pinterest announces key color shades for 2024

Pinterest has announced the key color shades for 2024. After analyzing trends in fashion, design, and culture, the service has concluded that the following shades will be in trend: Orange Desert, Pink Marmalade, Blue Water, Green Moss, Brown Mocha.

Donald Trump has launched his own line of sneakers

The regular model costs $399, while the signature edition is priced around $9000. The former US president made this announcement just a day after being fined $355 million. He has been accused of financial fraud.

Familiar Voices: How Wild Cats in Zoos Respond to Human Voices

Wild cats in zoos recognize the voices of familiar individuals, according to an experiment conducted by American zoologists. The experiment involved playing recordings of voices of both familiar and unfamiliar people to the wild cats. The results show that the animals respond quicker and more intensely to familiar voices. The study was conducted in two stages, initially involving cheetahs, servals, a tiger, a cougar, and a lynx. Later, lions, fishing cats, a clouded leopard, a sand cat, and snow leopards were included in the experiment. The findings indicate the significance of social stimuli for wild cats, despite the fact that most species typically live solitary lives in their natural habitat.

Banana Peel: A Revolutionary Replacement for Packaging Films

Scientists have proposed replacing conventional packaging films and bags with banana peels. Researchers suggest extracting lignocellulosic fibers from bananas, followed by additional processing to create the film. This material is just as strong as plastic. Experiments have shown that banana peel films decompose by over 90% within a month when buried in soil, without producing any harmful or hazardous byproducts.

Tennessee ban on cold beer sales

A bill has been introduced in the Tennessee State Congress to prohibit the sale of cold beer. The Tennessee Department of Transportation claims that 1 in 3 fatal car accidents is related to drunk driving. According to the congressmen, warm beer in stores will serve as a deterrent for people who are considering opening a beer bottle while driving.

Paul McCartney got his guitar back

Paul McCartney has been reunited with his Höfner bass guitar, which went missing in 1972. He recorded numerous hits and used it until the breakup of The Beatles in the late 1960s. The musician started the search for the guitar in 2018, and eventually launched the project 'The Lost Bass' for this purpose. The project received information that the thief sold the instrument to the owner of a pub near the crime scene. This message was picked up by the media and spread worldwide. Soon, a resident of a house on the southern coast of England remembered an old bass guitar that was stored in his attic and realized it was the same instrument. Paul McCartney has already received the guitar.

Users Are Returning Apple Vision Pro in Mass Numbers

Users have started returning Apple Vision Pro in large quantities. The main complaints are about the inconvenience of use, headaches, and motion sickness after wearing the headset. Many also complain about the weight of the device and the strong pulling down of the front part of the head. In addition to this, customers believe that the price of the device does not justify its capabilities and is not suitable for regular use.

Defeating deadly brain cancer

In Belgium, for the first time in the world, a deadly brain cancer has been defeated. 13-year-old Lucas fought against diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma for 7 years and finally overcame the disease with the help of a new experimental drug.

Tragic outcome

During a surgery involving the Da Vinci robotic surgeon, a malfunction occurred which caused serious damage to an American woman's intestines. Unfortunately, the patient was unable to fully recover from the injuries and passed away six months later.

Doubling of Vegetation Area in Greenland: Consequences of Glacial Melting

The vegetation area in Greenland has doubled over the past 30 years due to the melting of glaciers. Scientists have explained that the danger of these processes lies in the expansion of marsh areas, which serve as a powerful source of methane. Methane has a much greater greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide. Another concern is the irreversible link between warming processes in the region. Ice-free land surfaces better retain heat in both winter and summer, causing even more heating. As a result, the more marshes are formed in Greenland due to warming, the more they will continue to thaw and expand. In areas where vegetation has managed to establish itself, the process is even faster.

Cross-cultural Differences in Emoji Interpretation

Chinese and British people have different interpretations of emojis. Scientists have proven that emojis are interpreted differently depending on a person's gender, culture, and age. They can give messages emotional nuances and ambiguity. The study involved 253 Chinese and 270 British participants. They were shown 24 emojis representing six basic emotions: happiness, disgust, fear, sadness, surprise, and anger.