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A remarkable natural nuclear reactor, believed to have operated around 2 billion years ago, was discovered in Oklo, Gabon, challenging conventional notions of nuclear energy. This ancient reactor utilized naturally occurring uranium, specifically a favorable concentration of uranium-235, which is essential for sustaining nuclear fission. French scientists uncovered the reactor in 1972 while testing uranium ore, noting a slight discrepancy in uranium-235 levels that indicated approximately 200 kilograms had undergone fission. The reactor thrived due to three critical conditions: an adequate supply of uranium-235, a source of neutrons from uranium decay, and a flow of groundwater that regulated the reaction. This cycle of heating and cooling allowed the reactor to function for hundreds of thousands of years until the uranium-235 was depleted, leaving behind only traces of its existence and the mystery of the "missing uranium." 
Published: Nov 21 2024, 11 pmeznews.inAn unsettling urban legend has emerged online, claiming that the beloved nursery rhyme "The Muffin Man" is rooted in a gruesome tale of child murder. A TikTok video suggests that the rhyme recounts the story of a supposed serial killer named Frederick Thomas Lynwood from the 1500s, who lured children with muffins before killing them. However, fact-checking by Snopes reveals no historical evidence supporting Lynwood's existence or the alleged murders. The rhyme, first recorded in 1820, likely refers to street vendors known as muffin men, rather than any sinister figure. Folklore experts suggest that children's songs often contain nonsensical elements and do not necessarily reference real events or individuals. Ultimately, the origins of "The Muffin Man" appear to be more whimsical than macabre, reflecting the playful nature of nursery rhymes rather than a dark historical narrative.
Published: Nov 22 2024, 3 ameznews.inThe Close-up Photographer of the Year competition has unveiled its stunning shortlist for 2024, showcasing the remarkable talents of photographers from around the globe. Out of over 11,500 entries, the top 100 images span various categories, including Arachnids, Underwater, and Butterflies and Dragonflies. Notable entries include Lane Kirstein's striking photograph of a mother wolf spider with her spiderlings in Georgia, and Gabriel Jensen's dramatic underwater shot of a doctorfish narrowly escaping a lizardfish's jaws. Other highlights feature Dmytro Vsesvit's close-up of moth eggs in Ukraine and Jamie Smart's adorable capture of a harvest mouse. Each category winner will receive £250, while the overall winner will take home a £2,500 cash prize and a trophy. The competition aims to celebrate the intricate beauty of nature through macro photography.
Published: Nov 19 2024, 4 ameznews.inThe bouba-kiki effect reveals intriguing insights into language and human psychology, demonstrating a strong tendency for people to associate certain sounds with specific shapes. In a classic experiment, participants overwhelmingly identified a spiky shape as "kiki" and a rounded one as "bouba," a phenomenon first noted by German psychologist Wolfgang Köhler in the 1920s. Subsequent studies by Vilayanur Ramachandran and Edward Hubbard in the early 2000s confirmed this effect across diverse cultural backgrounds, with 95 to 98 percent agreement among participants. The effect extends beyond shapes to encompass personality traits, suggesting that sharp sounds may evoke intelligence while softer sounds connote pleasantness. Although the bouba-kiki effect is widely observed, some languages, such as Mandarin and Turkish, show less correlation. Researchers speculate that this phenomenon may stem from the physical articulation of sounds or ideasthesia, where abstract concepts trigger sensory experiences, hinting at a deeper connection between sound and meaning in language evolution.
Published: Nov 22 2024, 5 ameznews.inResearchers at University College London (UCL) have developed the world's thinnest spaghetti, measuring just 372 nanometers in diameter—200 times thinner than a human hair. This groundbreaking creation, which can only be seen under an electron microscope, was produced using a technique called electrospinning, where a mixture of flour and liquid formic acid is drawn through a needle by an electric charge. The resulting nanopasta forms a mat less than one inch across. While the team, led by Beatrice Britton, does not intend for this ultra-thin pasta to be used in cooking—due to its tendency to overcook in seconds—they aim to explore its potential applications in medicine, such as in wound dressings and tissue regeneration. The findings are detailed in the journal *Nanoscale Advances*.
Published: Nov 22 2024, 1 ameznews.inA recent video by science YouTuber James Orgill, known as The Action Lab, explores how a simple mug of hot cocoa, tea, or coffee can act as a particle detector. This phenomenon, first noted by Japanese physicist Torahiko Terada in 1922, involves observing droplets forming on the surface of the drink, potentially influenced by steam or electric charge differences. As these droplets vanish, they create patterns reminiscent of particle trails in a cloud chamber, which can be attributed to cosmic rays or convection forces. Orgill's experiments suggest that while gamma radiation has little effect, electrostatic charges significantly influence the vapor patterns, indicating a complex interplay between electric forces and liquid turbulence. The exact mechanisms remain unclear, but the captivating effects can be witnessed in everyday beverages, highlighting the intriguing science that can unfold in our kitchens.
Published: Nov 19 2024, 11 pmeznews.inAstronomers may have uncovered potential evidence of "cosmic strings," theorized "cracks" in the universe that originated during its early expansion. First proposed in the 1970s, these one-dimensional strings could stretch across the cosmos and are believed to produce detectable gravitational waves when they interact. A recent study focused on a region known as CSc-1, where researchers observed two galaxies that might actually be one, lensed by a cosmic string. The team analyzed spectral data and found similarities between the galaxies, suggesting gravitational lensing effects. They noted that the observed angles and features could be explained by the geometry of a cosmic string. While the findings are intriguing, the researchers remain cautious, acknowledging that the galaxies might share properties due to their proximity or other gravitational influences. Further observations with advanced telescopes are planned to explore this potential discovery. The study is published in the Bulletin de la Société Royale des Sciences de Liège.
Published: Nov 21 2024, 10 pmeznews.inEarth's magnetic north pole is on the move, drifting eastward at an accelerating rate due to the dynamics of molten metal in the planet's outer core. Since the 1830s, it has shifted approximately 2,250 kilometers from Canada towards Siberia, with its movement increasing from under 15 kilometers per year to around 50-60 kilometers annually between 1990 and 2005. If this trend continues, the pole could advance another 660 kilometers towards Siberia in the next decade, potentially causing compasses to point east of true north by 2040. Meanwhile, the south magnetic pole is also drifting eastward over Antarctica. While such shifts are significant, they are part of a natural cycle, with complete pole reversals occurring every 300,000 years on average. Scientists are monitoring these changes closely, as they may affect GPS and satellite navigation systems, although daily life remains largely unaffected.
Published: Nov 18 2024, 9 pmeznews.inScientists continue to unravel the mysteries of the Earth's inner core, located over 5,100 kilometers beneath the surface, primarily through seismic wave analysis. Despite extensive exploration, the core's transition from a molten state to solid remains poorly understood. Alfred Wilson-Spencer, a research fellow at the University of Leeds, highlights that while the inner core is extremely hot, reaching at least 5,000 Kelvin, its solidification process is complex. Traditional models suggest that supercooling of the liquid iron is necessary for solidification, but recent simulations indicate that the presence of elements like carbon could allow for solidification with less supercooling, potentially under 400 Kelvin. This new perspective could significantly alter estimates of the inner core's age, suggesting it may be several hundred million years younger than previously thought. The study, currently awaiting peer review, raises important questions about the core's formation and its implications for understanding Earth's magnetic field.
Published: Nov 21 2024, 9 pmeznews.inResearchers at the Tokyo University of Science have made a significant breakthrough by capturing the first-ever footage of a giant virus, known as *Mimivirus*, infecting the amoeba *Acanthamoeba castellanii*. This innovative study, led by Professor Masaharu Takemura, utilized light microscopy to visualize the infection process in real time, overcoming challenges posed by the small size of most viruses and the mobility of amoebae. The team successfully grew the amoebae in agar, allowing them to document key events such as virus proliferation, cell death, and the release of new viruses. The researchers aim to use this footage as an educational tool in classrooms, enhancing students' understanding of viral infection mechanisms and the broader implications of viruses in ecosystems. The findings are published in the *Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education*.
Published: Nov 21 2024, 6 pmFor the fastest, latest, not so wokest news, 'experts say' you need to visit Eznews
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