Google Pixel phones can now download the new Android 15 updateThe update includes new AI-powered features and shortcuts https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/us-science-tech-weekend-features-project/article-12672207/From-AI-generated-wallpapers-flashing-notifications-new-Android-14-features-didnt-know-about.html
Using a new 3D printing technique, researchers have developed special ceramic structures for a solar reactor. Initial experimental testing show that these structures can boost the production yield of solar fuels. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231027110734.htm
PFAS, a family of highly fluorinated substances, represent a danger for humans and the environment. Particularly problematic members of this family, such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) appear to cause organ damage and cancer, as well as disrupting the endocrine system. Researchers have now introduced a new method for an economical, easy-to-use fluorescence sensor for sensitive on-site testing for PFAS in water samples. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231027110744.htm
A kilonova explosion from a neutron-star merger and the original host galaxy of those dead stars, as seen by JWST. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, A. Levan (IMAPP, Warw), A. Pagan (STScI))
Using an incredibly bright gamma-ray as a guide, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected the heavy element tellurium around the site of a stellar-corpse collision. The discovery brings scientists a step closer to understanding where the universe's heaviest elements come from.
While scientists know that elements lighter than iron are forged in the hearts of massive stars, even the most massive stellar bodies aren't capable of generating hot and dense enough conditions at their cores to forge heavier elements such as gold, platinum or tellurium. https://www.livescience.com/space/astronomy/james-webb-telescope-spots-ultra-rare-cosmic-explosion-that-could-reveal-the-origin-of-the-universes-heaviest-elements
The hurricane’s intensity shocked forecasters, who had predicted just 16 hours before landfall that Otis would come ashore as a Category 1 storm. Satellite images captured at 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday show Otis located 210 miles south-southeast of Acapulco—still a tropical storm with winds at about 65 miles per hour. But by 12:25 a.m. on Wednesday, Otis had become the strongest hurricane to ever hit Mexico’s Pacific Coast and the fastest-strengthening storm on record in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, report Jason Samenow and Kelsey Ables for the Washington Post. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/hurricane-otis-slams-mexico-in-nightmare-scenario-that-shocked-meteorologists-180983153/
and there are around three billion gamers worldwide. While online gaming can improve wellbeing and foster social relations, privacy and awareness issues could potentially offset these benefits and cause real harm to gamers.
The new study, by scientists at Aalto University's Department of Computer Science, reveals potentially questionable data collection practices in online games, along with misconceptions and concerns about privacy among players. The study also offers risk mitigation strategies for players https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231027110719.htm
A new study of undergraduate students found that individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity (ADHD) disorder were more likely to be evening types compared to individuals without this disorder. Furthermore, individuals with ADHD were more prone to exhibit depressive symptoms. This trend was especially pronounced among evening-type participants. The study was published in the Journal of Sleep Research. https://www.psypost.org/2023/10/individuals-with-adhd-who-are-evening-types-are-more-likely-to-have-depressive-symptoms-214221
Remains of 3,000-mile-wide 'lost continent' discovered on ocean floor, study says https://phys.org/news/2023-10-mile-wide-lost-continent-ocean-floor.html
Improving deep sleep may prevent dementia, study finds https://www.monash.edu/news/articles/improving-deep-sleep-may-prevent-dementia,-study-finds
Current valuation methods for forest conservation projects have come under heavy scrutiny, leading to a crisis of confidence in carbon markets. This is hampering efforts to offset unavoidable carbon footprints, mitigate climate change, and scale up urgently needed investment in tropical forest conservation.
Measuring the value of carbon storage is not easy. Recent research revealed that as little as 6% of carbon credits from voluntary REDD+ schemes result in preserved forests. And the length of time these forests are preserved is critical to the climate benefits achieved.
Now, a team led by scientists at the University of Cambridge has invented a more reliable and transparent way of estimating the benefit of carbon stored because of forest conservation.
The method is published today in the journal Nature Climate Change. In it, the researchers argue that saving tropical forests is not only vital for biodiversity, but also a much less expensive way of balancing emissions than most of the current carbon capture and storage technologies. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231030141413.htm
Analysing the data, the scientists found that in those areas where there was little deforestation both locally and regionally, the average change in land temperature over the 2001 to 2021 period was 0.3 °C. Locations with 40% to 50% local deforestation but little regional deforestation, warmed by an average of 1.3 °C.
In comparison, in areas with both local and regional deforestation, the average temperature rise was 4.4 °C. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/10/231030194534.htm
Satellite constellations such as Starlink do have many benefits. The goal of bringing internet and data communication to the most remote areas of the world is a noble one. But it comes at a cost, both financially and in what it robs of our view of the heavens. There are choices to be made between connecting everyone instantly and the heritage of our dark skies.
Reference: Karpov, Sergey, and Julien Peloton. “The rate of satellite glints in ZTF and LSST sky surveys.” arXiv preprint arXiv:2310.17322 (2023). https://www.universetoday.com/163985/satellites-make-up-to-80000-flashing-glints-per-hour-its-a-big-problem-for-astronomers/
A new study led by researchers at Barrow Neurological Institute has found that people living in regions with median levels of air pollution have a 56% greater risk of developing Parkinson's disease compared to those living in regions with the lowest level of air pollution.
The study, published in Neurology, was conducted to identify national, geographic patterns of Parkinson's disease and test for nationwide and region-specific associations with fine particulate matter. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-reveals-link-air-pollution-incidence.html
In English, we tend to use “this” to describe objects that are physically within our reach, and switch to “that” for objects that are further away. However, it’s not been clear whether this spatial separation is the same across different and unrelated languages. https://www.iflscience.com/these-two-little-words-seem-to-exist-across-all-languages-71362
For example, a CT scan of the head or brain costs $132 for the 25th percentile provider while the same procedure costs $218 at the 75th percentile provider, according to researchers from Bentley University, Brown University, and the IU Paul H. O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. The variation in price exists for a variety of shoppable as well as non-shoppable services.
The researchers say that high price variation in health care may be a result of differing levels of quality but also may reflect anticompetitive contracts or consolidation. The findings of the report "Transparency in Coverage Data and Variation in Prices for Common Health Care Services," are published in the journal JAMA Health Forum. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2023-10-prices-vary-widely-health.html
President Joe Biden on Monday signed a wide-ranging executive order on artificial intelligence, covering topics as varied as national security, consumer privacy, civil rights and commercial competition. The administration heralded the order as taking "vital steps forward in the U.S.'s approach on safe, secure, and trustworthy AI." https://www.voanews.com/a/biden-signs-sweeping-executive-order-on-ai-oversight-/7333603.html
Credit: University College London
Digging new ponds and resurrecting old "ghost ponds" can be done by landowners to revitalize biodiversity in natural and farmland landscapes, say UCL researchers in a new how-to guide for turning degraded ponds into thriving ecosystems.
The "Guide to the restoration, creation and management of ponds," developed by the UCL Pond Restoration Research Group in conjunction with the Freshwater Habitats Trust and Norfolk Ponds Project, is designed to help landowners, farmers and other stewards of the land to manage existing ponds, restore degraded ponds and determine the best ways to create new ones. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-ghost-ponds-dead.html
“I can interact and talk with my fans 24/7 about almost anything. I’d love to talk with you,” the perpetually friendly Digital Mark says in an introductory video from Soul Machines, the Auckland, New Zealand-based AI company that created him. It specializes in autonomously animated 3D digital people to enhance customer and fan experiences.
The 30-year-old Tuan, who’s often referred to simply as Mark, is a member of South Korean boy band GOT7, whose seven members have their own projects on the side. Tuan has a YouTube channel with 3 million subscribers. He’s a model whose face has graced magazine covers across Asia. And now, he’s part of a virtual-human population boom. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lesliekatz/2023/10/30/say-hello-to-k-pop-star-mark-tuans-chatty-ai-twin-digital-mark/?sh=34959e6f3673
During a recent research cruise off the southern coast of California, NOAA Fisheries divers and partners found a juvenile white abalone. It’s one of only three live juveniles observed in natural subtidal reefs along the California coast during the past 20 years. They once numbered in the millions, but are now endangered.
NOAA Diving Program Manager Joe Hoyt from the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations holds an empty white abalone shell with a juvenile white abalone–the small reddish bump–inside. The abalone was returned to the ocean. Credit: NOAA Fisheries
The discovery demonstrates that the highly endangered species, one of NOAA Fisheries’ Species in the Spotlight, is reproducing in the wild. This gives us hope that our restoration efforts in other areas will rebuild their numbers. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/rare-juvenile-white-abalone-spotted-california-raises-hope-endangered-shellfish
has now discovered how B12 is absorbed by certain intestinal bacteria. Published in the journal Nature Communications at the beginning of August, the findings will serve as a basis for research on how to better fight diseases and develop better antibiotics.
Kleinekathöfer and his team's breakthrough finding, what they call "pedal-bin mechanisms," offers critical understanding for how bacteria in the intestine known as bacteroides can absorb vitamin B12. This is important for human health since B12 cannot be produced or absorbed by humans themselves. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-bacterial-mechanism-vitamin-b12-uptake.html
It’s been widely suggested that sperm count and quality has slumped in the past 50 years. One particular study found that the demise was most notable after 2005 when sperm counts from healthy young men in the US nosedived. This new research asks the question: could smartphones be to blame? https://www.iflscience.com/smartphones-linked-to-spermageddon-in-new-research-what-to-know-71394
Manganese has been shown to sweep away damaging plaques in the blood vessels of mice
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While statin drugs are good at controlling plaques in blood vessels, they can't eliminate them once they are established. But researchers may have just found a way to blast the circulatory system clean using a common nutrient found in many foods. https://newatlas.com/health-wellbeing/manganese-blood-vessel-plaque/
also proposes an answer to another planetary science mystery. Researchers have long hypothesized that the Moon was created in the aftermath of a giant impact between Earth and a smaller planet dubbed Theia, but no trace of Theia has ever been found in the asteroid belt or in meteorites. This new study suggests that most of Theia was absorbed into the young Earth, forming the LLVPs, while residual debris from the impact coalesced into the Moon. https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/the-remains-of-an-ancient-planet-lie-deep-within-earth
In a new study, first published online Oct. 30 in Group & Organization Management, an international group of researchers, led by Stevens Institute of Technology and University of Illinois Chicago, offer a novel explanation of the cognitive factors through which abusive leadership degrades employee performance — and helps explain why some employees are more vulnerable than others to the negative impact of abusive bosses https://www.stevens.edu/news/having-a-bad-boss-makes-you-a-worse-employee
Children’s Nebraska Sees 87% Decrease in Food Waste and Late Trays with Integration of Oneview Healthcare’s Digital Meal Ordering https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231102030868/en
By encasing bacteria in a tough but porous coating, researchers have made paint that could be used to capture carbon and produce biofuels https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2023/11/this-living-paint-traps-carbon-dioxide-and-produces-oxygen/
The science behind mixing honey into cocktails
You don't have to be an experienced bartender to get your guests buzzin https://www.popsci.com/diy/honey-cocktail-science/
Within LIGO’s vacuum chamber, laser light is now created in not only a squeezed fashion, but where quantum squeezing occurs in a frequency-dependent fashion. The squeezer is operational in this photo, as green laser light is being pumped through it. (Credit: Georgia Mansell/LIGO Hanford Observatory) https://medium.com/starts-with-a-bang/ligo-successfully-squeezes-quantum-states-surpassing-heisenbergs-limits-b2cd85534169
An international team of researchers has discovered that formaldehyde, a widely spread pollutant and common metabolite in our body, interferes in the epigenetic programming of the cell. This finding expands the knowledge of formaldehyde, previously considered only as a DNA mutagen, and helps establishing a further link with cancer. "This substance is especially concentrated in various products used in construction, furniture manufacturing, the textile industry and some hair products," comments Dr. Esteller. Going a step further, Dr. Pontel stresses this vision pointing out that "formaldehyde is not only a significant environmental hazard, often found in polluted fumes, but it can also be generated within our bodies through the metabolism of common dietary substances like the sweetener aspartame. Moreover, our cells are continually producing formaldehyde, a known mutagen that can lead to cancer." https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231102162531.htm
The team also learned that water returned to the aquifer by septic systems plays a major role in helping to limit saltwater intrusion. "About 66% of the water that gets pumped out of the aquifer ends up returning to it," says Kirshen.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that the highest levels of salinity today aren't near the coast, but inland, and especially around the roads. "This surprised me," says Boutt, "and it looks like road salt is one of the main sources of elevated salinity today." https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231102162841.htm
Diets that are more plant based, like the Mediterranean diet and traditional diets in China, Japan, and India, are shown to reduce risk, especially when compared to the Western diet. Alzheimer’s disease rates rise in these countries as they make the nutrition transition to the Western diet. This study identifies dementia risk factors including higher consumption of saturated fats, meat, especially red meat such as hamburgers and barbeque as well as processed meats such as hot dogs, and ultraprocessed foods high in sugar and refined grains.
This review also lets us know why certain foods increase or reduce risk of Alzheimer’s disease. For example https://www.newswise.com/articles/diet-has-a-major-impact-on-risk-of-alzheimer-s-disease
NASA’s Lucy spacecraft took this image of asteroid Dinkinesh and its small satellite on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, with its Long-Range Reconnaissance Imager (L’LORRI) instrument.
NASA/Goddard/SwRI/Johns Hopkins APL/NOAO
The finding offers bonus science to what was otherwise a test-heavy rendezvous. https://www.inverse.com/science/nasa-lucy-spacecraft-dinkinesh-second-asteroid
They found that the dementia incidence rate decreased by 28.8% between 2002 and 2008 before increasing by 25.2% between 2008 and 2016 – a rate of 2.8% per year.
If the incidence rate continues to increase at this pace, the number of people with dementia in England and Wales is set to increase to 1.7 million (1.62-1.75) by 2040 – approximately twice the number in 2023 – indicating a considerably larger burden on health and social care than anticipated. https://hospitalhealthcare.com/news/dementia-burden-significantly-higher-than-previously-predicted-by-2040/
Scientists have finally figured out where the starfish head is: it’s everywhere
Study shows the arms are actually extensions of its head https://www.zmescience.com/science/scientists-have-finally-figured-out-where-the-starfish-head-is-its-everywhere/
Climate change is turning swaths of California's mountains into 'zombie forests' https://phys.org/news/2023-11-climate-swaths-california-mountains-zombie.html
Unprecedented in Greece in its intensity, the Dadia fire has been classed by the European Commission as the largest ever recorded in the EU.
"We did not expect the fire to spread so quickly... it crossed 40 kilometers (25 miles) in eight hours," https://phys.org/news/2023-11-desolation-greece-dadia-europe-biggest.html
Low current around roots boosts plant growth https://www.nature.com/articles/d44151-023-00162-5
These dynamics will all but ensure that the issue of Loss and Damage—and its implications for the rest of the negotiations—will be even more hotly debated at COP28 starting later this month in Dubai.
Below is a statement by Dr. Rachel Cleetus, the policy director and lead economist for the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). https://www.ucsusa.org/about/news/us-rich-nations-force-lopsided-loss-and-damage-compromise-create-trust-deficit-ahead
Now, a new study led by Michael Cheeseman of Colorado State University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration finds a very familiar story related to air pollution. In an essay written by Adam Voiland and featured on the NASA Earth Observatory website, Cheeseman said, “When you look at NASA satellite data across the United States and compare that to socioeconomic data about our schools, the picture is clear: Hispanic, Asian, and Black and African American public school children attend schools with higher concentrations of air pollution than white students, especially in urban areas.” There also seem to be strong correlations for poor communities, irrespective of race. The study was recently published in the journal GeoHealth, and is comprehensive assessment of over 98,000 public schools. https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2023/11/04/why-school-location-can-expose-certain-kids-to-more-air-pollution/?sh=42913cbb5511
High insulin levels directly linked to pancreatic cancer
First detailed explanation of why people with obesity and Type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of pancreatic cancer https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1006368
I attempted to emulate the various guitars of the artists highlighted so I could demo the chords more authentically. Anyway, with the advent of large language models, such as ChatGPT, there is now the option to utilise their training to find a better way to describe how to get a particular guitar tone.
I asked ChatGPT to explain how I could emulate the guitar tone Alex Lifeson uses on one of my favourite Rush song’s Freewill, from their 1980 album Permanent Waves. That was the first tour on which I saw the band live so it holds a special place for me.
Here’s the specific prompt I used to get it to describe how I might emulate the tone: https://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/emulating-alex-lifesons-rush-guitar-tone.html
The first public display of a sample from asteroid Bennu is seen, Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington. https://astrobiology.com/2023/11/national-museum-of-natural-history-unveils-display-of-asteroid-bennu-sample.html
Misunderstanding As A Catalyst
While feeling understood is always desired, being misunderstood is an opportunity that can lead to personal growth and creativity. It’s a paradoxical idea, yet history is replete with examples of individuals who found their uniqueness and creativity in moments of profound misunderstanding.
When we’re misunderstood, we’re pushed out of our comfort zones and forced to confront our own uniqueness. In the words of Mignault, “We feel understood when others view how our emotions are normal and even desirable.” The paradox lies in the tension created by being misunderstood. Mignault’s research raises an intriguing question: Could embracing this discomfort be a catalyst for personal transformation? https://www.forbes.com/sites/traversmark/2023/11/04/a-psychologist-urges-us-to-embrace-this-key-element-of-self-growth/?sh=5baa693a1e6b
Research in mice shows that the anti-inflammatory properties of exercise may arise from immune cells mobilized to counter exercise-induced inflammation. Immune cells prevent muscle damage by lowering levels of interferon, a key driver of chronic inflammation, inflammatory diseases, and aging. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/11/231103170639.htm
'This study strongly suggests that Gunung Padang is not a natural hill,' the archeologists wrote last month, in the journal Archaeological Prospection, after years of analyzing data from those past trips, 'but a pyramid-like construction.'
At the pyramid's core, the team found what they described as 'meticulously sculpted' and 'massive' lava-stone structures made of andesite: a fine-grained kind of igneous rock.
This inner-most chamber, dubbed Unit 4, 'likely originated as a natural lava hill,' they wrote, 'before being sculpted and then architecturally enveloped during the last glacial period,' sometime between 16,000 to 27,000 years ago. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12708099/worlds-oldest-pyramid-Gunung-Padang-Indonesia-three-times-older-Stonehenge-Egyptian-pyramids-Giza.html
There is some evidence that increasing salt intake, as measured by sodium in urine may be linked to increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This has been linked to increased blood pressure and the reduced effectiveness of the hormone insulin.
Insulin normally controls blood glucose levels and is a key part of how type 2 diabetes develops. However, evidence for this mechanism has only been shown in rats.
Reducing salt is still a good idea https://theconversation.com/is-salt-really-a-new-culprit-in-type-2-diabetes-216969
FDA proposes banning ingredient found in some citrus-flavored sodas https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fda-ban-brominated-vegetable-oil-citrus-flavored-soda/
"I like the idea of not depending on photosynthesis for everything we eat," Davis said. "At whatever scale, synthesizing food will alleviate competition between natural ecosystems and agriculture, thereby avoiding the many environmental costs of farming."
Davis highlighted the practice of razing tropical rainforests to create space for palm oil plantations. Cookies, crackers, snack chips and a lot of other middle-of-the-store products are made with dietary fats coming from this source. He asked if anybody would notice if the oil used to bake their cookies came from a food refinery up the road instead of a plantation in Indonesia. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-team-ways-climate-crisis.html
Some bedbug detectors do exist, but this doesn’t just detect bedbugs — it traps them.
Their prototype emits a far-reaching CO2 signal that the bedbugs can detect. They are drawn to the system and trapped there. The prototype is already functional (and the two are looking to get it patented), but they’re also working on an improvement: a camera that would observe the bedbugs’ behavior and optimize the CO2 signal accordingly. https://www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/exterminating-bedbugs-used-to-require-a-human-sacrifice-but-not-anymore/
Study sheds light on seasonal trends in adolescent depression and antidepressant prescribing https://www.news-medical.net/news/20231106/Study-sheds-light-on-seasonal-trends-in-adolescent-depression-and-antidepressant-prescribing.aspx
The Environmental Protection Agency will review the use of a chemical found in tires that has been linked with the deaths of salmon on the U.S. West Coast.
Spurred by a petition from West Coast tribes, the EPA will study the impact of the rubber preservative 6PPD with an eye to potentially banning its use. Through normal wear and tear, tires shed tiny bits of rubber rich in 6PPD. The preservative reacts with ozone pollution to form 6PPD-q, which is toxic to fish. Rainfall washes the chemical from streets and parking lots into streams and rivers. In the Pacific Northwest, 6PPD-q has proved deadly to coho salmon. https://e360.yale.edu/digest/epa-tire-chemical-salmon-6ppd
What’s your chronotype? Knowing whether you’re a night owl or an early bird could help you do better on tests and avoid scams https://theconversation.com/whats-your-chronotype-knowing-whether-youre-a-night-owl-or-an-early-bird-could-help-you-do-better-on-tests-and-avoid-scams-216058
A Green Approach To Upcycle Vegetable Waste Vegetable waste gets a new lease of life in health and personal care products with an economically viable method https://www.technologynetworks.com/analysis/articles/a-green-approach-to-upcycle-vegetable-waste-379661
Scientists have discovered that viruses can latch onto other viruses to insert their genes into host cells. Lab results with apparent contamination led the team to directly see the strange interaction for the first time.
Viruses are known to infect the cells of host organisms like animals, plants, and even bacteria, but they’d never been known to physically attach themselves to other viruses before. https://newatlas.com/biology/viruses-attaching-others-first-time-bacteriophage/
Now, a team of researchers has shed new light on a seven-planet system in Kepler's ocean of data.
The star is called Kepler 385, and it's about 4,670 light-years away. Some of its planets were confirmed back in 2014, while some remained as candidates. But in a new updated catalogue, exoplanet scientists have confirmed the rest of the planets and revealed new details on this rare system.
The paper announcing the new catalogue is called "Updated Catalog of Kepler Planet Candidates: Focus on Accuracy and Orbital Periods. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-kepler-planets.html
"What we need is social control over the algorithm. The question is — not what do they know about us, but who owns them? And how can organised democratic society take control of the algorithms in the interests of the many?" he said.
"All political problems have political solutions. The difficulty is getting organised and converting what is in our collective interest into collective action.
"But it's always been the problem of politics since the beginning of democracy." https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-05/what-is-technofeudalism-and-are-we-living-under-it/103062936
Recruitment expert reveals the six mistakes most people make on LinkedIn that ruin their chances of getting hired https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12698731/Recruitment-expert-reveals-six-mistakes-people-make-LinkedIn-ruin-chances-getting-hired.html
Looking at the image, which I’ve embedded below, it’s evident that the birth and subsequent growth of a star is exceptionally violent. As a result, several shockwaves and jets of energy like the ones seen in this image are common when a star is born. The particular star in question this time around is part of an object called HH212. https://bgr.com/science/james-webb-shows-us-what-our-sun-probably-looked-like-when-it-was-birthing/
The researchers say the mycocrete will be a great improvement structurally when dried. Jane Scott of Newcastle University said, "Our ambition is to transform the look, feel and well-being of architectural spaces using mycelium in combination with bio-based materials such as wool, sawdust, and cellulose."
The scientists, in their research, mixed mycelium spores with other materials the spores could consume and be able to grow off of, like grains. The mixture was then placed into a warm, dark, and humid space while the mycelium grew and was then dried.
This process creates a building material that researchers say is a more natural replacement for foam, plastic or timber.
Scott says what is created is a "lightweight, flexible, and formable" material. https://scrippsnews.com/stories/scientific-breakthrough-in-fungal-networks-could-change-home-building/
However, recent research has led the FDA to reconsider the safety of this food additive. Back in 1970, the FDA determined that BVO was no longer “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS), leading to increased oversight and regulation of its use in food products. As a result, many beverage manufacturers gradually replaced BVO with alternative ingredients over the years. Consequently, BVO is currently found in very few beverages in the United States.
Who still uses uses BVO?
According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, PepsiCo removed BVO from Gatorade in 2013, and both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo later announced they would remove the ingredient from all their beverages.
However, the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy group focusing on consumer health, reports that 90 products on the market today still use BVO. The majority are different brands of orange soda. According to EWG’s list, brands including BVO include Food Lion sodas, some Great Value sodas, and Sun Drop citrus soda. Mountain Dew drinks are also mentioned on this organization’s list, but PepsiCo says they no longer use the ingredient in the popular drink. According to the Environmental Working Group, this includes Sun Drop, made by Keurig Dr Pepper, as well as Orangette and Great Value Fruit Punch, made by Walmart. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278691522003350
They were left sealed for more than 250 years, never read by their intended recipients.
Now, French letters confiscated by Britain's Royal Navy in the mid-18th century have finally been opened.
Written between 1757 and 1758, the artefacts were intended for French sailors serving on the Galatée ship under Louis XV during the Seven Years' War.
The messages finally reveal the lives and passions of the sailors' loved-ones, including pining girlfriends and wives.
'I cannot wait to possess you,' wrote one French woman to her husband, a non-commissioned officer on the Galatée, before signing off 'your obedient wife'. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12716067/French-love-letters-confiscated-Britains-Royal-Navy-finally-read-265-years-revealing-saucy-messages-sent-sailors.html
"Our experiments showed that field mice consider the surrounding environment and flexibly utilized Sasa seeds," Kajimura concludes. "Since this kind of behavior affects tree regeneration, as well as understory vegetation, our findings show the influence of mice on the creation of complexities of the forest ecosystem." https://phys.org/news/2023-11-relationship-mice-century.html
"All of these risks of various types of natural disasters are correlated and increasing in frequency. And that presents a real problem for the insurance market. There's fundamental questions as to whether insurance as we know it is a sustainable business," said Angle.
The cost to insurance companies has skyrocketed over the years. Insurance agencies get their own insurance coverage, called reinsurance, to cover the risk of catastrophes. Those reinsurance rates have risen dramatically, too.
Angle says from 1964 to 1990, U.S. insurers paid out on average about $100 million a year for wildfires. Over the next 20 years, that number rose to $600 million a year. By 2018, wildfire insurance payouts were averaging almost $4 billion annually.
"The only way they can afford that is if they're either insuring more people or charging existing customers more. There's really no other way," said Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute. https://scrippsnews.com/stories/homeowners-scrambling-to-find-insurance-in-natural-disaster-areas/
New research shows that European food consumption draws unnecessarily excessively on global resources, which is why researchers are calling for political action. Many of the foods that are consumed in Europe are produced in countries outside Europe. Food loss—and waste later in the chain—occurs along the food supply chain, from the primary agricultural sector in Europe or rest of the world, until it feeds mouths in Europe.
"Halving Europe's food loss and waste, together with a redistribution of global food resources, could solve the challenges of food shortages in the world," https://phys.org/news/2023-11-food-europe-generate-major-footprint.html
The FDA said it is working to identify additional cases and other products that may also be contaminated, and to understand the source of the lead. In its recall notice, Schnucks reported its supplier, Purcell International, notified it that "elevated levels of lead found in the cinnamon raw material used by Austrofood SAS, the manufacturer of the applesauce cinnamon pouches. https://arstechnica.com/health/2023/11/toxic-toddler-fruit-pouches-extremely-high-lead-levels-sicken-7-in-5-states/
banks of the Haine, a river in southern Belgium, 31,000 years ago were already using spearthrowers to hunt their game. This is the finding of a new study conducted at TraceoLab at the University of Liège.
The material found at the archaeological site of Maisières-Canal permits establishing the use of this hunting technique 10,000 years earlier than the oldest currently known preserved spearthrowers. This discovery, published in the journal Scientific Reports, is prompting archaeologists to reconsider the age of this important technological innovation. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-long-distance-weaponry-year-old-archaeological-site.html
More recent research has found that various herbs and spices, such as garlic and ginger, can also improve cognition and memory in older adults — even in those suffering from dementia. A popular Japanese condiment, wasabi, Wasabia japonica, also known as Japanese horseradish, https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2023/11/06/wasabi-boosts-shortand-long-term-memory-in-older-people/?sh=8ec3018c71b2

The Scene Begins with Robotnix: Getting things ready for Circuitina
Robotnix: Come one come scrub is that how scrub!? you could do better than that
Cruncher then comes in
Robotnix: Cruncher how does this place look
Cruncher: Excellent sir
Robotnix: Oh thank you
He then notices crumbs
Robotnix: Who left crumbs in my throne come which one of you was it be honest you dont have to pick up i will
Nexel: I did sir
Robotnix: Then pick it up
Nexel: But you said
Robotnix blasts him
The bell rings
Robotnix: Oh no
Circuitina then arrives
Robotnix: Welcome home dear how was your trip
Circuitina: Eh i guess it was alright but the flight was terrible Omg Cruncher how are you my boy
Cruncher: Very well madame
Circuitina: I haven't seen you since you were this height Kids come say hello to your cousin
Trix and Bolto: Cruncher!
Cruncher: Oh for God's sake
Trix: Do you miss us?
Cruncher: No
Robotnix: Settle down you three go have fun somewhere else you know what while your at it go on a Power Capsule search
Cruncher: These are the type which makes me think life is not worth living anymore
The Scene cuts to Zane Robin and Ken with Foobo
Foobo: We've done we got the Red Power Capsule
Robin: In your metal freaking face Robotnix!
Ken then notices Zane is upset
Ken: Hey Zane you okay pal?
Zane: Oh me I'm fine just sitting down
Robin: Crying?
Zane: Oh my god yes! I miss her so much!
Foobo: Who
Robin: Kira my girlfriend i can't live without her i just can't
Ken: Damn bro
Robin: Well i know how you must feel Z my girlfriend Jeanette is also up stuck inside Robotnix's ship also getting turned into a blood thirsty psychopathic cyborg
Zane: How much did you care about her?
Robin: Only at times she was kinda cruel to me at times so i only miss her slightly
Ken: And most of the girls rejected me in high school because i wasn't normal and didn't have much but that didn;t effect me
Robin: Even if i was a girl i'd reject you
Ken Kicks him in the stomach
Robin: Ooof!
Ken: Look how about you start dating other people to take your mind off this Vera girl
Zane: Its Kira and plus i dont know about dating other women Kira was the only one that we had a special connected plus when first started dating it went awkward i even dated Melanie from Ghoul Monsters
A cut away of Zane dating Melanie (Ghoul Monster Blue Ranger) is seen
Zane: So When do you often use your screeching powers?
Melanie: Only when fighting and when I'm scared of ...
She sees a Bee
Melanie: Bees
She screams so loud she makes Zane's face goes backwards
Melanie: Oh sorry
Zane: No worries you did this couple of times so im used to it
Cut Away Ends
Zane: But i suppose your right theres no point sulking like a little bitch for three hours
Robin: You cried for three hours?
Zane: See ya i have work in about hour and my boss will kill me if i dont show up on time
Foobo: Since he's gone we still have a task to do we have to search for the Yellow Power Capsule before Cruncher Who I hate so much and wishes he was scrap right now gets it before us
Robin: Oh I had plans
Foobo: Like what?
Robin says nothing
Foobo: Exactly nothing huh?
The scene cuts to A University
Where Gran (Music Crusader Pink Ranger) is at she is to busy using her phone while her professor is speaking
Professor lump: Does any one of you know what the square root of 57 is anybody?
Gran looks at her phone of her boyfriend Shane
Gran: Where are you?
Professor lump: Excuse me miss Grendelgon is there anything interesting on your phone then my class
Gran: Um No Professor lump I was just
Professor Lump: Is that your boyfriend
Gran: Um yes?
Professor Lump: So your boyfriend is more important than my lesson oh dear woman focus on your studies if that's the only thing you have going on then you'l never own a business or own a music company
They all laugh
Gran: Ugh
The Scene cuts to Gran leaving college
Gran: Well thanks for making a cool out of yourself today Gran
Nancy then shows off her boyfriend to her
Nancy: Hey Granny Fanny
Gran: Stop calling me that Nancy
Nancy: I'd like introduce you to my boyfriend Romeo he's Hispanic drives a tesla a Honda and lots of sports cars and can move his rock hard abs like a wave
Gran: Wow impressive *sarcastically *
Nancy: Where's your boyfriend that loser Shane
Gran: Oh he's somewhere I dont know
Nancy: Huh what's that? Sorry I lost track to what you were saying because I dont talk to losers
Gran: You just went up to me and spoke trash just now
Nancy: See ya
Gran purse then gets stolen
Gran: My Purse!
Gran then chases after the thief everywhere until Zane with his moped trips him over
Zane: Going somewhere? i think not now give me that
Gran then jumps on Zane strangling him
Gran: You thief give me back my purse you low life crook!
Zane: Ah get off me im not the crook i just stop him and got your purse back
Gran looks at the crook and then Zane
Gran: Oh my god im so sorry
Zane: Its fine miss honestly
Gran: No oh my god im such an idiot
Zane: Its cool dont worry about it Im just glad this guy didn't anything important
Gran: Just a candy that doesn't taste that good that my aunt gave me thats all
Zane: I better head back to work will have my ass if i dont deliver this pizza on time
Gran: Wait
Zane turns his head
Gran: Whats your name?
Zane: Zane
Gran: Im Gran
Zane Drives off
Zane: I think her i think found the next person i should date to get my mind off Kira things are starting to turn out..
He falls into a sewer
Zane: Aaaah!
The scene cuts to Cruncher with Bolto and Trix
Bolto: Cruncher where are we going man?
Trix: Are we going to that giant empire whatever its called with the weird looking fabric armour and shiny things
Cruncher: They call it a mall and no where looking for the Yellow power capsule
Bolto: Whats that?
Cruncher: Lord
He then sees The Rangers
Cruncher: Huh? what are they doing here?
Trix: Those guys look fun can we talk to them?
Cruncher: Uh yes yes we certainly can
Cruncher then approaches Ken and Robin
Robin: Oh look its Muncher
Cruncher: Its Cruncher Oh and its the scammer
Ken: Thats me Makes clicking sounds
Robin: Why are you here exactly and who are they?
Cruncher: Just Robotnix's Children who I'm baby sitting who are 18 and can clearly take care of themselves
Bolto: What's up dude!
Cruncher: Anyway prepare to be destroyed
They charge at them
Robin: Its Morphing time!
They both morph and start to fight
Robin uses his Operator Rod to clash with Cruncher in a one on one fight Meanwhile Ken blasts at Bolto and Trix with the EDP blaster but they dodge his every move
Trix: Careful you could hurt someone with that
Ken: Um that's the idea you two are the bad guys so I'm supposed to hurt you remember?
Bolto: Oh now that's just rude
They kick him in the stomach
Bolto: Nice teamwork sis
Trix: For real
Robin: Man I wish Zane was here
Cruncher: Well he ain't here isn't he?
Cruncher wacks him hard
The Scene cuts to Gran at home
Gran sits in her Room and then she starts to think
Gran: You know this is what Aunt Vera always says I never go for it
Gran then gives The local pizza place a call just for Zane
Zane: Hello King Cross Pizza how may we help you?
Gran: Hey Zane remember me?
Zane: No Do i know you?
Gran: Its me Gran the girl who's purse you got back from that crook
Zane: Oh now i remember so how ya been and what do you want to order
Gran: Actually i was wondering if you wanted to go out sometimes and do you guys have Hawaiian?
Zane: Oh my god i'd love to what time? And what sauce would you like on your Hawaiian pizza tomato or barbecue?
Gran: Seven twenty and barbeque is fine thank you
Zane: Thats great i'll be there and where is the location your located at so i can delivery that pizza to you?
Gran: Oooh i cant wait and its Forty six Elmer street
Zane: All right!
Mr Briggs: Hay i didn;t pay you to celebrate and act happy get to delivering pizzas
Zane: Yes mr Briggs
The scene cuts to Gran in a Restaurant
She waits for Zane to come in But Zane arrives
Zane: Wow dont you look lovely
Gran: Aw thank you you dont look that bad yourself
Zane: Really because most people say i look like a Disney star that later their career ended in two years time
Gran: Hahaha your funny
Cheryl (Fish Driver Blue Ranger ) comes in as the waitress
Cheryl: Hello welcome to Alfonso Garden what would you two like to order?
Zane: Um i'll have the steak with carrots
Cheryl: Okay and you miss
Gran: The spaghetti and meatball special please
Cheryl: Okie dokie your food will be hear in just a minute god i hate this job
Zane: So you haven't told me anything about you yet Gran
Gran: Oh me? im a student and Colorado high oh you dont have to tell me your a pizza boy
Zane: Zane well does this Pizza hat shows you the obvious
Gran: You keep your pizza hat with you?
Zane: Yeah only when I'm out at parties
Cheryl: Here ya go
They begin to eat
Gran: Um you got a little
Zane tries to point where the food is on his face is
Gran: Here I'll wipe it for you
Gran wipes the sauce off Zane's Face they then start laughing with another
A scene cuts to a montage of them spending time together is shown
Them going into a Mary go round at a theme park and on the bumper cars having a picnic Gran then gets mugged again but then uses her Trumpet Crusade Blaster to fire the mugger away
The scene cuts to Zane and Gran on top of his zords
Zane: So how's the view?
Gran: Perfect Zane dating has been wonderful it's like you complete me
Zane: I'm feeling the same way too
Nancy: Oh my god is that Gran?
Gran: Ugh what do you want Nancy?
Nancy: I just wanted to see how you were doing is this your date?
Gran: Yeah
Nancy: Oh my god that's funny what does he do?
Zane: I'm a pizza boy
Nancy: Pizza boy? thats a job for a loser Romeo here is a Billionaire that has one hundred and thirty four sports cars
Zane: Nice to meet you
Romeo: Ew I dont wanna shake your hand
Nancy: Exactly He doesn't want the smell of barbecue pizza loser boy
Gran: Dont speak to him that way
Nancy: Or what Granny?
Gran: And don't call me Granny!
Gran punches Nancy
Nancy: My Nose!
She looks in the Mirror
Nancy: I'm hideous
Romeo: You bi...
Zane punches him
Zane: Back off Snob
They both leave
Zane: Wow we made a pretty good team don't we?
Gran: Yeah well I gotta go it was nice meeting you
Zane: Yeah you too
Gran runs off
Zane then smiles
The Scene cuts to Zane at home
Bertha: Wow you look happy did something happen?
Zane: I went on a date Grandma
Bertha: Dont you always go on a date with Kira?
Zane: Not at the moment
The door bell rings
Zane: Woah you guys look beat what happened?
Robin: Um Cruncher is what happened? How was your date by the way?
Zane: Oh it was good Gran and I had the time of our lives
Foobo: You dated Gran!?
Zane: You know her too? you dated her before me right did you get her pregnant too you little!
Foobo: No i know her in person shes one of you guys
Zane: A Power Ranger?
Foobo: Yes.
Zane: She never told me she was a Ranger
Foobo: Welp i suggest we should recruit her then
Zane: Thats rad well i better head to bed i got a date tomorrow
Foobo: Uh no your coming with us we need you your apart this remember?
Zane: But
Foobo: Now buts tomorrow morning were beginning our mission understood
Zane: Guys talk to him
Ken: Sorry we don't make the rules
Zane: Fine at least let me follow her on Instagram before we head out
Ken: Damn only 49 followers?
Zane? Dont know why i hear she does some really good ASMR
The scene cuts to the empire
Robotnix: Empty hands again?
Cruncher: Yes im afraid so
Robotnix: Ugh Why!?
Cruncher: These two were desperate for Ice cream so i had to buy some for them I had to destroy ATM Machine just to get it for them
Robotnix: Your making a fool out of me man
Cruncher: Dont blame me blame them They care more about earthling things other being Killer cyborgs that slaughter man kind
Robotnix: Its fine we'll try again next time
Cruncher: Really?
Robotnix: No go back out!
Cruncher: All right you two were gonna do this mission right and this time no more messing around and no more screens and candy
Bolto and Trix: Aw
Circuitina: Oooh honey my feet need a pedicure
Robotnix: Oh God Scrapple you mind doing me the honours?
Scrapple: Sighs Well prepare to be broken rusty
The scene cuts to Zane waking up on a Sunday
Zane: Ah No Work today fantastic
Zane then gives Gran a call
The phone rings
Gran: Hello?
Zane: Hey Gran i was wondering what are you doing this week?
He then sees the others
Gran: Oh I'm just at home chilling you?
Zane: Oh im..]
Robin: Zane you coming or what? we'll just ditch your ass
Foobo: Robin stop it
Zane: Oh Im just,,
Foobo: There you are were waiting you know?
Zane: I can't go because i have work
Foobo: Oh says here you dont come to work on Sundays or Tuesdays
Zane: Oh i got cancer
Ken: Look fine to us
Zane: Please let just spend more time with her
Foobo: I told you yesterday No means no
Zane: Oh come on
Robin: Just listen to him unless you want to see what he really does if you disobey him
Zane: Oh and thats?
Foobo Freezes him
Ken: That
The scene cuts to Cruncher with The Teen Cyborgs
Cruncher: Okay this time no more games were on a mission here understand?
Bolto and Trix: Understand
Cruncher: You better understand cause if you don't i'll make sure you'll be scrubbing dish
Trix: Ugh Ew you must be crazy
Cruncher: Then Behave
Cruncher then sees the Rangers
Cruncher: Shh we got company again
Foobo: See Anything?
Robin: Nope
Ken: Negative
Zane: I do
Foobo: Where?
Zane: Oh i just see Gran
Robin Ken and Foobo: Ugh!
Foobo: Can you forget about her for just a minute
Robin: You said she was a Ranger didn't you? Why not ask her to help out
Gran then waves at Zane which he waves back
Gran: Zane!
Zane: Gran!
Gran: Who are these guys? and that freakish little alien
Foobo: I'm Foobo and Your Gran which is precisely correct
Gran: Oh my god how does it know my name?
Robin: He knows every Ranger on this planet including us Robin
Ken: Ken
Cruncher: And Cruncher!
Gran: Who's he?
Foobo: The most irritating cybernetic killer machine Bastard on this planet Cruncher
Trix: Dont forget this bad girl
Bolto: And this guy!
Foobo: And Bolto and Trix his Cousins?
Cruncher: There not my cousins there Robotnix's children I have to babysit who are clearly eighteen
Ken: Your baby sitting eighteen year olds? Sad bro
Cruncher: Shut up you dont know what it's like having to immature brats who cant do anything ri..
Bolto: Hey look what I found
He finds the Yellow Power Capsule
Cruncher: You found it you actually found it
Robin: Were fucked
Cruncher and the others then run
Foobo: After them
Zane: Um you come to Gran
Gran: Oh Um Okay?
They start chasing after them
Trix: To slow losers
Zane: Ugh
They start to fly
Ken: Well there they go
Robin: Foobo can;t you just teleport us there?
Foobo: Wait why didn;t i think of that?
Zane: I feel your not that smart
Cruncher and The Teen Cyborgs then land in a dock
Cruncher: Hahaha we did it i never usually say this but...
Bolto: Were the greatest we know
Cruncher: No i was gonna say Im finally gonna be number one!
Meanwhile The Rangers show up
Foobo: Hand over the Capsule or some one will get hurt
Ken: Dont you mean the no one will get hurt
Foobo: No i still want to hurt him
Cruncher: Never your gonna have to take it from my cold dead hands
Foobo: We were hoping you say that
The fight begins
Zane kicks Cruncher but then he body slams him
Zane: Aaagh Ow!
Ken and Robin then decide to team up on Bolto by trying to grab him but he flys causing them to bump into each other
Trix tries to kill Gran but Gran uses a Crate cover to dodge the blast
Gran: Hahaha suck it B!
Trix: B?
Gran: Means Bitch
Trix: Oh why you!
Foobo then Blasts at Cruncher causing the Yellow power Capsule to fall
Cruncher: For the love god dont just stand there get it!
Bolto: No Problem Bruh
Cruncher: I'm not your bruh!
Ken: Oh No you dont
Ken does a swerve kick
Cruncher: Ah!
Ken: Goal!
He then gets blasted
Ken: Aaaah!
Foobo: This is all your fault Zane if you weren't so focus on that Gran girl the Power Capsule wouldn't be taken away
Zane: Well i can't help it if a just wanted to meet someone new again because my girlfriend was taken away by an evil cybernetic warlord Oh and i think i might have the simple reason why you don;t want me to be in a relationship other than save the wold is because you don't have someone to love too
Cruncher: Burn
Zane: Foobo Im.. Sorry
Foobo: Look its fine lets just focus on the task
Robin: Right its Morphing time!
The four rangers Morph and begin to fight
Cruncher: Nexels
Zane uses his Holy Paladin Sword to do a mega holy strike on the Nexels Robin extends his Operator Rod
Robin: Hadn't done that in a while
The Nexels blast him
Robin: Ah At least give me a second to stare at my weapon before shooting me
He then starts to attack them n and lifting them up in the air
Ken uses his EDP Sabre to slash each and every one of the Nexels and then uses the EDP Tazer
Ken: Hahaha Take it baby you
Robin: Bruh
Gran uses her Trumpet Crusade Blaster to cause a wave causing the Nexels to brave apart
Gran: That was easy
Trix: You wont find this easy.
As Trix is about to attack Gran Zane blasts at her
Trix: Ow you made me broke a nail!
Gran: Thanks Zane
Zane: Dont mention it
Gran: Let's finish this together all of us
Ken: Yeah whatever
Robin: Sure sure
They all point their weapons at The Nexels killing them instantly
Cruncher: Your not done yet
Robin: Um yes we are we literally killed your crew
Cruncher: Your gonna have to go up against the mega Nexel
They see the mega Nexel
Gran: Oh my
Zane: Robin and Gran you to handle this one
Gran: Gladly
They both summon their zords
Gran: Lets see what you got
Gran uses her Sound wave V Trumpet zord to cause a wave but the Mega Nexel uses a shield
Gran: Are you for real
Robin: Yep
They then get knocked out
Mega Nexel: That all you got?
Zane: Think we should help them?
Ken: Nah they got this
Gran: Hey Rubin
Robin: Its Robin Bitch!
Gran: Yeah whatever wanna try combining
Robin: I'll think about ... yeah sure
Their Zords combine into one
Zane: Wait two Rangers zord#s can combine into one? but there not even on the same team
Ken: Well anything can happen dude i dont give a Horses's ass
Cruncher: Show them what you got
The Mega Nexel uses its shield as a blade but the combined zord breaks it
Bolto: Epic fail
Robin: Now your the one who's fucked
Gran: Right in your behind
They both fire causing the Mega Nexel to be killed
Cruncher: Oh No! No No
Zane: Alright another win Take the L!
The scene cuts to the Rangers meeting up with each other
Zane: Gran you were amazing out there
Gran: Oh stop it your making me blush
Zane: Oh i can make you do more than just blush
Ken: U think i know where this is going and im liking it
Robin: Shut up
Foobo: Well at least we have the... Where is it?
Cruncher: Oh i still have it
Foobo: Quick after him or
He leaves with it
Foobo: He'll escape
Zane: Dont worry man we'll get him next time but first lets welcome Gran to the squad
Foobo: Oh i almost forgot about happy to have you aboard
Ken: So what do we do now?
Foobo: We get that thing you earthlings call food?
Robin: Im in
The Ending scene cuts to the empire
Robotnix: Omg you finally have it
Cruncher: Yep and i couldn't have done without... Me
Bolto: You gotta be kidding me! i found for
Cruncher: Uh uh uh quiet Bolto
Robotnix: This calls for a celebration boys lets go to earth and kill all the humans for that thing they call tacos!
Circuitina: Honey my feet again
Robotnix nods at Scrapple
Scrapple rolls his eyes
The End

There was a barbeque joint that had been featured on D³ which later on wound up on "Restaurant Impossible." 😳
It was run by a couple (of course having marital problems) who loved singing Gospel songs to each other; I think one may have been a minister.
I believe what got them on D³ was either their chicken and waffles or their barbecue.
But by the time RI came along it was the usual culprits: god-awful food, unsanitary cooking conditions, and absent customers.
Anyway, it was weird to watch this restaurant which had once been praised on another FN show get torn apart a few years later.
They had a largely African American staff and clientele and before the Irvine makeover people arrived, customers could write graffiti all over the blank restaurant walls...those all got painted over when the designers stepped in, though.
Anyway, I was wondering if this ever happened again?
A restaurant which had once been highlighted and praised for its soulful, delicious food later on wound up needing "saving?"
I guess sometimes things just fall to pieces...

First Previous Wiki
Fyuuleen watched the hail fall almost sideways outside the Conclave building. The roiling sea of black clouds stretched out into the hazy darkness, with the light of the city below barely illuminating them enough to see the bottoms. She could hear thunder roaring in the distance and even saw a few flashes of lightning hit some of the lightning rods across the city.
There were many things that she was glad that the Dreedeen didn't need right now, such as crops. The pellets of ice were projected to get far larger soon, and she'd go inside before that. Her crown would protect her from anything damaging, as it sometimes did when she'd gone outside to see it. Sometimes she'd feel a heavy impact through it and see an ice chunk break apart. Feeling the ice on her horns during storms like this helped to stabilize her back in reality. Ever since... her mate's death, she'd found it much harder to keep herself from drifting.
"Please come back inside, Conclave Leader," one of her guards shouted. She turned her personal shield back on and obliged, until she saw a shape being outlined by the hail's impacts where she just was. Fyuuleen ran forward into the building as her guards noticed and raised their weapons.
"State your business or leave!"
Fyuuleen suddenly was lifted into the air, feeling a set of sharp claws grasp her throat. She pushed at them, wondering if whatever this thing that was attacking her was going to kill her.
"I am here to ensure that-"
The crown shot some sort of projectile at the hidden assailant, and Fyuuleen stuck out her back spines to make herself harder to grab from the back. More of her guards were converging on the location, shooting at the invisible attackers after they began activating the special equipment that the Alliance had given them to work against stealth technology.
They worked by allowing the Dreedeen to 'see' air currents. And combined with their large areas of vision, the two types of vision could be easily overlapped for the guards to utilize perfectly. The crown shot two thin tendrils out to surround an attacker, bringing them down to the ground. It scraped at them for several minutes, appearing to try to remove something.
Fyuuleen realized that the attacker had gone right through her personal shield. That shouldn't have been possible, which meant that an issue must have been induced within the charged fields to make that occur. Most of the time, the shield was invisible, but she knew it was still there based on the slight distortion it brought all around them.
Or was there specific equipment that allowed things to get through shields? When the Alliance had briefed her about the battles on Earth, Luna, and Ceres, she'd been surprised that the shields on Earth hadn't fallen before Wisselen were being detected in cities and the wilderness. Earth's biomes were drastically different than Keem's, which would have made detection even harder there. No hiding was possible unless one went underground on the ice plains, the mountains, salt flats, ice marshes, or the frigid dunes of the deserts of Keem.
Her mind came back to the battle. The gunfire had continued, and more guards had arrived. The crown had been shredding pieces off the attacker's equipment. She didn't think that they were a Wisselen based on the number of legs that were making depressions in the carpet. Some of the other creatures had died, their orange blood staining the expensive carpets of the interior decorators.
Fyuuleen noticed that they were similar... No. They were the same. She made a call to the Alliance as the face of the enemy that the crown was slowly wearing down became visible. The creature was in a great deal of pain from what it appeared, with its abdomen mostly scraped and scrubbed to do away with the stealth equipment. From what she could see, the stuff had been bolted directly into the attacker's carapace, which was outright barbaric.
"What can we do for you?" A voice that sounded very young to be who she'd asked for was on the line.
"I would like to talk to the UN or the Luna Command Council."
"They're both in diplomatic meetings right now, but should be free in a few hours unless it's an emergency, in which case they can save the conversation for later. What's the subject, Conclave Leader?"
"The Acuarfar."
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Phoebe watched Ri'frec brush his fur and groan a few times.
"Shedding season?"
"You know that's not how we work."
"Oh?"
"Our fur doesn't change," he grumped.
"I think your fur's changed a lot since I arrived on the scene."
"Well, though you're a fiery personality, you don't do that much to me," Ri'frec said, turning around to regard his bare back with a wrinkled snout.
"You missed a spot," Phoebe said, gesturing at his legs.
"So now you're a Breyyanik haircare expert?"
"Nope." Phoebe walked over and picked him up. "Do you like this?"
"Well, it doesn't help with my attempts to groom myself, but yes." He smiled at her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. They were just the right weight, just like the rest of him. He was so attractive to her sometimes that she almost couldn't resist him. But now was not the time, especially after all his hard work.
She pressed her nose into the fur on his chest and gave a long sniff.
"You need a shower," she exclaimed.
"What? I literally just had one."
"I can still smell the smoke and equipment around you. You've been wearing your smoke mask, right?"
"When I go by the manufacturing and welding areas, I have my full spacesuit on. You're lying to me."
"Since when did you become a detective?"
"That's not-"
Phoebe received a message. Another attack had happened, near a spaceport in eastern Asia. The suspects were engaged in a multi-level firefight holed up in an old oil rig. There were dozens, and of course they had hostages. She deployed her net drones from the closest facility and set the VIs' modes to 'stealth' and 'capture.' They'd be able to handle most of it, but she'd keep an eye on them in case she needed to take control if the VI couldn't handle a situation.
"What happened? You blanked out."
"More attacks."
"Breyyanik again? If you can disclose it, that is. I don't want to get you in trouble."
"It's fine. I'm using the news sites right now. The attackers' species is unknown currently. They've stolen an FTL engine, though. With the suppressors activated, they won't be able to blow them up and actually cause damage."
"Those things have a high enough yield to level thirty city blocks."
"Well then, it's a good thing they're in an isolated environment."
"Hostages?"
"Yep. Brey'll get them out soon."
"How many attacks this week that are unexplained like this?"
"Nine. Frelney'Brey's going to make a speech after the tenth one."
"His support's still good, right?" Ri'frec asked.
"It's great, actually. Your people like him more than ever, likely since they know for certain that Brey backs him. And why are you asking me things that you could look up on your tablet in thirteen seconds?"
"Thirteen?"
"Based on your typing speed."
"That's just odd to measure, Phoebe," Ri'frec said, leaning on her affectionately.
"It's fun having all those little dumb fact about yourself. Like when I counted all the hairs on your body that one time."
Ri'frec rolled his eyes, a less impactful motion on his face than it would be on a human's. "Anyway, the reason I ask you this is because you are very smart and knowledgeable."
"Aww, you're going to make me blush," Phoebe said.
"As if. You're just too infatuated with me to do anything other than blush when I'm naked."
"More like half-naked with that fur coat of yours on."
"Fur coat?"
"Your fur is like a coat," Phoebe stated.
"Oh, I see now. By the way, after I get finished working, want to go get ice cream?"
"Sure," Phoebe said. "Though I can't really eat it very well."
"You can eat it at all?"
"Well, I have a mouth and throat. So technically I could, but then you have all the messy problems of things sitting in one place for like a week on end."
Ri'frec grinned at her, exposing his adorable little teeth. "One could say that ice cream would gum up your insides, then."
"I've made that joke seven weeks, two days, fourteen hours, and forty-four minutes ago, Ri'frec."
"Right before a very enjoyable activity."
"Your memory is improving, then. Good job!"
"Thanks. But seriously, we should reward ourselves for all that we've accomplished. And we're going to need to discuss our wedding plans."
"I'd say that we film it and release it, but I'm not sure how you feel."
"Sure. You know, this might be the first wedding in history where the bride is also the photographer. With those soundless mini-drones of yours, you could put all the photographers out of a job."
She could, now that she thought about it. Considering the number of weddings in the Sol system and the number of drones she could control it was amusingly easy to achieve. But why take a job when you didn't need to?
"And I'm also the cook," Phoebe added. "We're making lentil soup, rice, overly elaborate salads, and of course having a barbeque."
"As one does," Ri'frec said. "I'm so glad to be with you, Phoebe."
"You too, furball."
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
"Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Conclave Leader Fyuuleen," Council Director Davis said. The UN Security Director, Laktern Manakair, sat beside him using a hard light hologram.
"What shall we do about this?" Fyuuleen asked, her face showing the color patterns of concern and confusion.
"Well, we must get to the bottom of the matter. I'll send Phoebe in with one of those scanners she's been able to miniaturize. We're seeing an increased prevalence of lone individuals from species aligned to us disappearing and then coming back to attack places or people of importance. It is likely that we have been infiltrated at some lower levels at least, and may need to increase the prevalence of our scanner technology. Also, I do not think that Izkrala should be made aware of this until we have a solution we can present."
"Agreed," Frelney'Brey's hologram said. He was dressed in some sort of shirt/robe combination that was apparently a piece of older Breyyanik culture. It did look good, though, and more importantly, it looked comfortable.
"We wish to know the number of the hostiles and whether any demands have been made," Security Director Manakair replied. "With this, we can begin building a model of capability."
"Do we have an enemy then, humans?" Fyuuleen asked. The rest of the Conclave was behind her in the secured room except for a few individuals meant to serve for the continuation of government should the worst happen. They remained silent, though, apparently trusting Fyuuleen with the task of requesting information. Though the message of their presence was clear to Council Director Davis. He knew that this would be a critical issue.
"We do. We do not know who yet, or where. We have made you aware of the matter regarding the hive Emperor and asked for inputs regarding policies, but received none besides acceptance. I assume that this was deliberate?"
"It was," Fyuuleen said. "Most of the policies you were discussing around diplomat exchange we already agreed to. After... intense deliberation, we have agreed to follow your lead on the matters with the Hive Emperor, since he seems to hold the most favor with your species."
"That is good," Frelney'Brey's projection said. "We must all increase security after this. They may continue to target our leaders. If they have their sights on you, Fyuuleen, then I suggest protecting the members of the opposition to your leadership the most. It will appear that you care for them and win you a little extra support."
"The advice is noted, Voice of Brey. But we'll decide that amongst ourselves. The important matter is getting air scanners for stealth equipment detection. We need as many as you can produce for us, and are willing to buy them off you if necessary."
"We'll sell them at three percent above cost," Frelney'Brey said. "There is little need to be price gouging in times like this. I won't suggest any specific measures, but you may also want to watch your population's separatist regions for activity. And you must make preparations against the resonance signals in any way that you can.
Finally, I think that we should all have another summit soon to discuss the future direction of the Alliance. With the Knowers and Acuarfar coming onto the scene and the Vinarii beginning to make some noise as well, we need to have a solid plan for a policy that all others agree upon."
"That is acceptable," Fyuuleen said. "And though we are aware of the resonance signal, we have little defense against it. Some full-body armors are in the works meant to test this, though. With luck, we can mass-produce them. Personal shields also work well against the signal once they're tuned for them. So I nor the rest of the Conclave is at risk from that unless our shields are gone."
"Another thing," the UN Security Director said. "We need to keep a much closer watch on Cander to prevent his discovery, much more than what we have. Fyuuleen, you must exterminate the Vuureensleev as quickly as possible before our adversaries figure out a way to use them as foot soldiers."
"We are working on it. Your teams are doing quite well, but there's millions of them scattered across the world."
Cartoro thought of something else.
"If we assume that the Sprilnav and the Vinarii are not responsible for this, and we know that the Westic Empire did not seem to order these attacks based on their location and timing, then we do indeed have a different enemy. I suggest that we lean harder on Calanii, open talks with some of the other galactic leaders in our neighborhood, and see if we can delve into their networks. We may need to use Phoebe to hack past their defenses, which are very elaborate."
"Then that is something to contact her about, since she is not at this meeting," Fyuuleen noted. "Is the construction of shipyards in your system proceeding apace?"
"Yes. The newer models are made to be able to work with less crew members so we can have more of them. Recruitment is high right now, but still slowing down after the battles ended. Without the threat looming over their heads, people don't really want to fight themselves. We need strong defenders, and many of them."
"We are doing the best we can," Frelney'Brey said. "Once the repairs on Ceres are mostly complete, the Breyyanik will continue to aid your fleets."
"All the superweapons that you detected have been destroyed, Fyuuleen. Are there any more that have been discovered since you last notified us?"
"No. The manners for discovery are private, but I have been told that no more are in existence. We are free to begin the attack on the Frawdar Empire. My ships will be arriving from northeast on the galactic plane. Are your ships in position with Fha Izkrala and the Muscar Empire?"
"Yes. Thank you for sending your ships, Fyuuleen. In case they figured out Izkrala's communications, we still have an avenue of unexpected attack. Our stealth ships have sought out their military installations, their shipyards, spaceports, and government agencies. So far, we do not know the location of Emperor Quaqualis but have narrowed him down to three planets, two moons, and seven stations. The Frawdar Empire's network is still a steel trap, though. Without Phoebe's help, our VIs wouldn't be able to penetrate."
"Thank you, Security Director," Fyuuleen said. "What of the Muscar Empire's situation overall?"
"The problem of the Muscar Empire's nobles is yet to be solved as well. They are highly prideful individuals, and moderately powerful on their own but extremely so when gathered in large numbers. They control most of the dark money we've been able to identify, most of the illicit industries and markets, as well as smuggling and money laundering efforts nationwide that not even Izkrala appears to be aware of. We will be monitoring the situation in the coming weeks and months, but the UN will vote against their admittance into the Alliance until they are sorted out properly."
"What do you consider that to be?" Fyuuleen asked. "We don't need to fight a war with them. Calanii's still having to do damage control around the Vinarii Empire, even if he isn't saying it. There's whole planets erupting in rebellion on the fringes that he's having to bring back to heel. With the Muscar Empire only comprising 14 systems, they cannot afford to lose even one planet. We may simply have to work around the nobles."
"We do not have to, and shall not," Cartoro Davis said. "I nor Luna Command shall deal with those who are in positions of power that are inherited in such a way. At least, not when we are trying to get them into the Alliance. We cannot have them transferring their rampant corruption and greed to our populations. Though the hivemind insulates Humanity from most of the problem, that doesn't apply for the rest of you."
"I agree," Fyuuleen said. "Though I am not exactly elected in the ways that you are, I also think that the concept of nobles shall only lead to problems down the line. We should lean on Izkrala to eliminate them slowly and support them. This could take months or years, but they must be removed from the equation. The Vinarii deciding to gain interest in the Alliance is not likely by chance. I think Hive Emperor Calanii worries about what will happen to his empire when we grow outward.
As it can be called, the' spatial stagnation' affects nearly every nation in the galaxy. Everyone who doesn't have access to space outside their borders is struggling to keep their economies afloat. Wars result from almost every time a nation is closed off from the rest of the galaxy by others, but they eventually calm down.
We seem to be in a sort of mosaic pot of nations, one which could be tossed into war with a large enough revelation. Unfortunately, none of the galactic empires we have seen, even the ones spanning upwards of thirty thousand systems, can stand up to the Sprilnav. Perhaps not even all together without help. If we want the Alliance to grow, we will need to do it in secret once we reach our system limit so the Sprilnav do not destroy us before we become too powerful to stop.
Stretching that to its most upper bounds could mean several things. The Dreedeen population is experiencing a massive boom, as well as the Breyyanik population. If we can get that to continue, we could increase our population by as much as five percent yearly. In ten to fifteen years, we'll massively reap the dividends of that investment. The longer we keep it going, the better our reward. The Acuarfar are primarily needed for their population, and nothing more. We have all the resources we need; we just need to build them into things. Frelney'Brey, may you send over two of your star lifting ships so we can get an industry started in our system as well?"
"I will arrange that," he said. "It will take time."
"That is acceptable. So it appears that we have three priorities. Obfuscation, so that anyone that may threaten us doesn't know where to strike. Diplomacy. We need to get the Muscar Empire and the Knowers on our side and help them to solve their political tensions. We must ensure that the Vinarii Empire doesn't 'colonize' us or turn us into a puppet state.
Buildup. We need billions of Dyson swarm satellites in both systems and perhaps the Teegarden system also for the Knowers when they sort out their problems. We also require tens of thousands of next-generation ships armed with weapons that can pack a higher punch. Railgun research, lasers and grasers, missiles, fusion warheads, all of it. We have cruisers and but only three battlecruisers as far as I know. This number should increase soon with a few more shipyards able to construct and service larger vessels now coming online. With the supporting fleets also being scaled up, I suggest we begin efforts on creating our first dreadnaught. It is time to show the galaxy that we mean business."
Next

Duffel Blog's tips on how to pretend you’re not having fun on Memorial Day

Stop. Smiling.

May 27
AMERICA — With Memorial Day right around the corner, many Americans are planning to both reflect upon the sacrifices made by those who have died while serving in the U.S. military, and to have a fun 3-day weekend. If you’re one of these, then rest assured there is a small but vocal group of people who would like to remind you that you are an inconsiderate piece of crap.
Memorial Day, after all, is a solemn occasion, as any number of social media posts stating that it’s not “Barbeque Remembrance Day” will remind you. And although the holiday is the unofficial start of summer, with all sorts of awesome, fun things happening on that weekend, if you so much as smile in a photo posted on Facebook and mention the words “Memorial Day,” you may open yourself up to stern correction. If you’re lucky, this could be as simple as a passive-aggressive comment (“Looks like you’re having fun, but I spent the day cleaning veteran headstones with my grandfather’s toothbrush he used during WWII”).***

Helpful Dos and Don’ts

• Do only drink shitty beer. When someone asks you if you want, say, a Guinness, reply that Valhalla doesn’t serve Guinness and walk thoughtfully away.
• Do make sure that when a conversation even peripherally touches on military service, adamantly tell people that you're not a hero and the real heroes aren't with us anymore, despite no one calling you a hero in the first place.
• Do sandwich every photo you want to post online where you look even remotely amused in between photos of Arlington National Cemetery and memes about libtards dishonoring our honored dead.***

I picked up this used RI at Long and McQuade yesterday. It is mint! Sounds amazing!
Here's what it looks like (with my MIM 60's tele).
I recorded a little song to show how it sounds. The guitar is straight into the amp for both rhythm and lead tracks. Song here.
Thanks!