Scientists have found microbes in the Alps and the Arctic that can digest plastic at temperatures as low as 15°C.

This will allow us to take a new step in waste recycling. Microorganisms that feed on plastic are already known, but usually they only work at temperatures above 30°C. Because of this, they are too expensive to use on an industrial scale. To find new microbes, the scientists took samples of 19 strains of bacteria and 15 fungi that had grown on plastic that had lain in the ground for one year in Greenland, Svalbard and Switzerland. The results showed that the microorganisms are able to process polyethylene and polyester-polyurethane, as well as some other types of plastic.

In countries with gender inequality, the cerebral cortex of women is thinner than that of men.

The researchers used 7876 MRI scans of healthy adults (4078 women and 3798 men) for analysis. About 35% of participants lived in low- and middle-income countries. Scientists have determined the thickness and area of the cortex of the hemispheres and individual areas of the brain. These parameters are most often used in studying the influence of environmental factors. The analysis revealed a significant relationship between the level of gender inequality in the country and the average thickness of the cortex of the right hemisphere. With significant inequality in women, it turned out to be thinner. The brain develops under the influence of upbringing and other social factors, so scientists suggest that harsher conditions for women may lead to pronounced gender differences.

Are you still kidding about the possibility of a meteorite falling on your head?

The New Jersey woman has already made a joke. A visitor from space flew into the house of Susie Cope from Philadelphia. A metal meteorite pierced through the roof, flew through all the floors and fell to the floor in the lower one. Fortunately, no one was hurt. And Susie can be congratulated in general - according to the laws of the United States, now this is her meteorite.

They called ways to recognize a photo taken by a neural network.

First you need to pay attention to the format of the picture and the faces located on it. “Real human faces are a little bit asymmetrical. Outdated neural networks, on the contrary, give out excessively disproportionate faces. In addition, in fake photos, human eyes can also give out the work of neural networks. People's eyes in these shots often appear blurry and out of focus.

Track Package wheels.

Tesla has unveiled a set of sports wheels Track Package, which allows the Model S Plaid to accelerate to 322 km / h. The electric car was supposed to reach such speeds initially, but the company set a limit of 262 km / h for safety reasons. For the Track Package, you'll pay: $15,000 just for a set of sport brakes, or $20,000 for brakes, aluminum forged wheels and sport tires. Can only be used on closed tracks.

Nike has created an artificial northern lights.

Nike has created artificial northern lights over Manchester in honor of footballer Erling Holland's record. For the first time in 26 years, the Norwegian footballer broke the English Premier League record for the number of goals scored in one season.

In China, they successfully connected the brain of a monkey to a computer.

On May 4, a group of Chinese scientists conducted the world's first successful experiment to connect a brain-computer intervention interface (BCI) to a monkey's brain. They connected invasive sensors to the walls of the monkey's brain vessels, which made it possible to receive signals without performing a craniotomy. Thanks to the received data and their identification, the animal gained control over the mechanical arm.

Japan has unleashed delivery robots on the streets.

Behind the external attractiveness of such mechanisms lies a serious goal. The population of Japan is one of the oldest in the world: almost 30 percent of the population is over 65 years old. Many of them live in sparsely populated rural areas where there is no easy access to basic necessities.

Engineers have invented the world's first wooden transistor.

To create a new transistor, cork wood was used, since its wood without fibers has a uniform structure. The researchers also made a few additional changes to it. The result was a wooden transistor capable of regulating electrical current and providing continuous operation at a selected output level.

Engineers taught robot jellyfish to move objects under water.

They have developed a robot jellyfish that can reach speeds of up to 6.1 centimeters per second underwater and is able to move light objects. In the future, such devices will be able to clean water from pollution.

Unusual wall in Seattle.

The Gum Wall in Seattle is a 15 meter section covered with about 10 centimeters of gum. In 2015, the local attraction had to be removed - sugar began to destroy the wall.

In the USA, beer was created from San Francisco sewage.

The product is the result of a collaboration between Northern California brewers Devil's Canyon and water treatment company Epic Cleantec. The result of the joint work was Kölsch with a bitter taste and a pronounced aroma of hops. To create it, they used wastewater from washing, washing dishes, showers, bathtubs and sinks of one of the residential complexes.

The Americans created the MouthPad, a computer mouse controlled by the tongue.

Specialists from the American company Augmental introduced a new computer mouse for people with disabilities. It is a controller in the form of a cap, which is inserted into the mouth and interacts with the tongue. It has a built-in battery, as well as a touch panel in the sky - this is the main control. The user is required to put the tongue in the correct position, and the sensors will respond to the level of pressure. Users are promised accessible functionality with the ability to communicate and even play. The release date has not yet been announced. While the device is in development, those who wish can register on the waiting list.

Venus Aerospace showed the concept of a supersonic civil aircraft Stargazer.

It will accelerate to Mach 9 and will be able to deliver passengers from New York to Tokyo in an hour with a maximum speed of 11 thousand kilometers per hour. For this, a combo of conventional aircraft and rocket engines will be used - the jet will fly almost in space. There is only one nuance - we are talking about a business jet for 12 people.

One piano chord can take away nightmares.

Scientists have found that nightmares can be cured with a combination of two non-invasive treatments. This was confirmed in a study of 36 patients with sleep disorders. One method is to rewrite your most frequent nightmares in a positive way. Scientists have proposed to reinforce this therapy with sound associated with positive experiences. Participants in the experiment completed a dream diary for two weeks. During this time, half of the group went through a therapy session to create a connection between the positive version of their nightmares and the C69 piano chord. The subjects then slept with headphones on, where the sound was played every 10 seconds during REM sleep, when nightmares are most likely. Their number decreased several times compared to the control group.

For the first time, a New Zealand court has made revenge porn a crime.

A New Zealander got revenge on his girlfriend for breaking up by posting their home video on a porn site. After that, she was diagnosed with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The girl turned to a special agency for help, but her request was rejected on the grounds that sexual violence based on images is not recognized in the law. The victim sued for many years and demanded that the video be removed from the network, and also sought compensation for moral damage. In the end, she was able to win the trial.

Aliens can learn about earthlings because of cell towers.

The scientists explained that each base station emits a signal with a power of 100-200 watts, and the total energy they radiate into space is second only to military radars. Astronomers have shown that, using large radio telescopes, mobile phone network signals can be picked up from nearby stars, including Alpha Centauri and Barnard's Star. As broadband systems increase in power, the activity of earthlings becomes even more visible. Signals generated artificially will come mainly from densely populated parts of the northern hemisphere.

At the bottom of the ocean, they found pollutants that were banned half a century ago.

Researchers from Sweden and Denmark have found traces of polychlorinated biphenyls at the bottom of a trench in the Pacific Ocean. These substances have been banned since the 1970s because of the damage they cause when they bind to the tissues of living organisms. They have been used in electrical equipment, paints, coolants and many other products.

Japan will ban upskirting and photo voyeurism.

The new law prohibits taking, distributing and storing photos of other people's genitals without consent. It also criminalizes the filming of people in sexual positions. Offenders face up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 3 million Japanese yen (about 1.7 million rubles). It is expected that innovations will be adopted in June this year.

A women-only high-rise building is being built in London.

It will be a 15-story building with 102 apartments for those who have experienced domestic violence, discrimination and financial problems. The rooms will be designed so that they are comfortable for women of any age and needs. For example, the kitchen will have lower worktops and powerful ventilation specifically for menopausal women. It will be possible to rent housing at a low social rate. Men will be able to live in the house only if they become partners with the tenants.