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On January 23, 1556, the Shaanxi province of northwest China experienced a catastrophic earthquake, believed to be the deadliest day in recorded history, with an estimated death toll of 830,000. The quake, which registered a magnitude between 8 and 8.3, was triggered by the slipping of the Weinan and Huashan faults, with its epicenter near Huaxian. Most victims perished from collapsing structures and landslides, while many others succumbed to disease and famine in the aftermath. Despite not being the strongest earthquake, it remains the deadliest, surpassing the 1976 Tangshan earthquake, which killed around 655,000. Given the global population of less than half a billion in 1556, the Shaanxi earthquake represents the greatest relative loss of life in a single day. Nearly 500 years later, no other day has matched its tragic toll, solidifying its place in history. 
Published: Dec 03 2024, 5 pmeznews.inGoogle's parent company, Alphabet, has revised its artificial intelligence (AI) policies, removing a commitment made in 2018 to avoid using AI in ways that could cause overall harm, including weaponization and surveillance. This pledge followed employee protests against the company's collaboration with the Pentagon on military drone footage analysis. The original guidelines included a clear prohibition on technologies likely to cause harm and those violating international law and human rights. However, the updated principles now lack specific assurances against harmful applications, instead offering a vague commitment to ensure that benefits outweigh risks. In a blog post, senior executives acknowledged the rapid evolution of AI and the need for democracies to lead its development, suggesting a shift towards applications that enhance national security. While they assert that AI use will align with international law and human rights, the lack of clarity raises concerns about potential future uses of the technology.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 9 pmeznews.inAs Donald Trump prepares for his second presidency, the scientific landscape in the United States is facing significant turmoil due to a series of controversial executive orders. These orders, deemed illegal and unconstitutional by critics, have led to immediate funding freezes at key agencies like the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), impacting both current and future grants. The NSF has been instructed to halt any projects promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, raising fears among scientists about job security and research integrity. Meanwhile, NASA and the CDC have reportedly removed references to marginalized groups and critical scientific data, prompting concerns over censorship and the potential dismantling of academic freedom. As uncertainty looms, many in the scientific community are calling for accountability and expressing fears of a broader brain drain from the country.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 9 pmeznews.inThe question of whether Jesus was a historical figure or a myth remains a topic of debate among scholars. Most historians agree that Jesus Christ was a real Jewish preacher born in the Eastern Mediterranean over 2,000 years ago, whose life and teachings laid the groundwork for Christianity. While the New Testament provides accounts of his life, it is primarily a theological document, not a strict historical record, and contains inconsistencies due to its multiple authors. Non-Christian sources, such as the Jewish historian Josephus and Roman historian Tacitus, also reference Jesus, affirming his existence and crucifixion. However, there is no concrete archaeological evidence to confirm his life, with artifacts like the Shroud of Turin remaining contentious. Experts argue that the absence of physical remains does not negate Jesus's existence, as many individuals from that era left no archaeological trace, yet their influence endures through their ideas.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 10 pmeznews.inThe "Monster Study," conducted in 1939 by American psychologists Wendell Johnson and Mary Tudor, remains one of the most controversial experiments in psychological history. Aimed at testing the hypothesis that negative reinforcement could induce stuttering, the study involved 22 orphaned children from the Soldiers and Sailors Orphans' Home in Iowa. While ten children were already identified as stutterers, the remaining twelve were divided into groups where some were praised for their speech, while others were labeled as stutterers despite having normal speech patterns. Over several months, Tudor and the children's teachers were instructed to react negatively to speech interruptions, leading to significant anxiety and speech inhibition among the children. Although the study's results were inconclusive regarding stuttering, the psychological impact was profound, with participants reporting lasting effects on their speech and self-esteem. In 2007, a $1 million settlement was awarded to the victims, highlighting the ethical failures of the experiment.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 8 pmeznews.inFor decades, the origin of the enigmatic Mima mounds—circular hillocks found across various continents—has baffled both residents and scientists. These mounds, which can reach heights of up to two meters and are often clustered in fields, have sparked numerous theories, ranging from natural processes to extraterrestrial involvement. However, researchers at San José State University (SJSU) have proposed that gophers may be the primary architects behind these formations. A 1987 study demonstrated how gophers push soil upwards as they burrow, and a subsequent computer model mirrored the characteristics of Mima mounds. Observations of untended fields revealed that gophers can create smaller mounds over decades, suggesting that it could take 500 to 700 years for them to form the larger structures. While the gopher theory is compelling, experts caution that it may not apply universally to all Mima mounds, leaving some mystery intact.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 12 ameznews.inThe "Little Albert" experiment, conducted by American psychologists John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner in the early 20th century, is a notorious example of unethical psychological research. Inspired by Ivan Pavlov's work on classical conditioning, Watson and Rayner aimed to condition fear in a healthy infant, referred to as Albert B. Initially, Albert showed no fear towards various stimuli, including a white rat. However, after being subjected to loud noises whenever he approached the rat, he developed a fear of it and other fluffy objects, demonstrating the principles of conditioned responses. Despite their claims of contributing to psychological understanding, the experiment raised significant ethical concerns, particularly regarding the potential psychological harm inflicted on the child. Speculation surrounds Albert's identity in adulthood, with candidates including William Albert Barger and Douglas Merritte, the latter of whom had neurological impairments that complicate the experiment's implications.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 6 pmeznews.inOcean explorers have uncovered a mysterious object at the bottom of the Baltic Sea, first detected in 2011 by the Ocean X Team. The sonar image, resembling the Millennium Falcon, appeared to rest at the end of a 300-meter flattened seabed, prompting speculation about its origins, including theories of asteroids, U-boat bases, and even UFOs. However, subsequent investigations revealed that the object is likely a natural formation of glacial deposits, consisting of granites, gneisses, and sandstones, as confirmed by geological analysis from Stockholm University. The peculiar interference with electronic devices near the site added to the intrigue, but experts suggest it is a result of natural geological processes rather than extraterrestrial activity. Despite the initial excitement, the Ocean X Team has shifted focus to new projects, including exploring historic shipwrecks and searching for lost treasures, showcasing the ongoing allure of underwater exploration.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 3 pmeznews.inThe Great Pyramid of Giza is the only surviving structure of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, while the location of the elusive Hanging Gardens of Babylon remains a mystery. Traditionally attributed to King Nebuchadnezzar II in the 6th century BCE as a gift for his homesick wife, the gardens are often envisioned as a magnificent terraced structure filled with exotic flora. However, no archaeological evidence has confirmed their existence, and notable historians like Herodotus failed to mention them. German archaeologist Robert Koldewey believed he found their foundation in Babylon, but this theory is largely dismissed today. Scholar Stephanie Dalley proposes that the gardens may have actually been located in Nineveh, built by Assyrian King Sennacherib, suggesting a historical mix-up after the Assyrian conquest of Babylon. Despite ongoing research, the true fate of the Hanging Gardens remains one of history's greatest enigmas.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 5 ameznews.inOver the weekend, a "square structure" on Mars, captured by the Mars Global Surveyor, sparked excitement among figures like Joe Rogan and Elon Musk, igniting discussions about potential alien origins. However, another intriguing find from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter—the so-called "monoliths" on Mars and its moon Phobos—has also drawn attention. These images, taken years ago, have been previously discussed, notably by astronaut Buzz Aldrin in 2009, who suggested a mission to Phobos to investigate its monolith. Despite the allure of these structures, scientists assert that both the monoliths and the square can be explained by natural geological processes. The monolith on Phobos, for instance, is likely a large boulder ejected from the Stickney Crater, while the Mars monolith's rectangular appearance is attributed to rock layering and imaging resolution, rather than extraterrestrial intervention.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 11 ameznews.inA recent study has revealed that two massive canyons on the Moon, Vallis Schrödinger and Vallis Planck, were formed in less than ten minutes by a significant impact event, challenging previous assumptions about their origins. The Schrödinger Impact Basin, located within the South Pole-Aitken basin, is one of the Moon's youngest and best-preserved craters, making it a focal point for understanding lunar geology. Researchers David Kring, Danielle Kallenborn, and Gareth Collins utilized lunar photographs and impact modeling to determine that the canyons were carved by debris ejected at speeds between 0.95 and 1.28 kilometers per second. The energy required for this event was estimated to be 1,200 to 2,200 times greater than that of a nuclear explosion. These findings could have implications for NASA's Artemis missions, suggesting that candidate landing sites may be less covered by impact debris, facilitating the collection of primordial crust samples and testing lunar formation theories.
Published: Feb 05 2025, 4 pmFor the fastest, latest, not so wokest news, 'experts say' you need to visit Eznews
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