Bezos-Backed Satellite Conducting Climate Research Loses Power
MethaneSAT, a satellite mission launched in March 2024 and led by the Environmental Defense Fund, had been collecting data about methane emissions in oil- and gas-producing regions. The information has been used to measure the distribution and volume of methane being released with the goal of cutting emissions.
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Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
2 'new stars' have exploded into the night sky in recent weeks — and both are visible to the naked eye
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A second "new star" has unexpectedly appeared in the night sky, less than two weeks after a near-identical point of light first burst into view without warning. These never-before-seen "stars" are made of light coming from rare stellar explosions known as classical novas. Scientists believe this may be the first time in recorded history that more than one of these luminous outbursts have been visible with the naked eye at the same time. The first nova, dubbed V462 Lupi, was initially spotted June 12 shining in the Lupus constellation, after its progenitor star suddenly became more than 3 million times brighter than normal. Then, on June 25, multiple astronomers detected another nova, dubbed V572 Velorum, within the Vela constellation, according to Astronomers normally expect to see a classical nova once a year at most, and more than one of these explosions shining simultaneously is almost unheard of. "This is without question an extremely rare event, if not an historical one," Stephen O'Meara, an astronomer and author who has been scouring historical records for similar examples, told "I have yet to find an occurrence of two simultaneous nova appearing at the same time." The last time we came close to simultaneous novas visible to the naked eye was in 1936, when V630 Sgr and V368 Aql were spotted within a few weeks of one another, O'Meara added. However, "they were not at maximum brightness at the same time." Related: Nearly 900 years ago, astronomers spotted a strange, bright light in the sky. We finally know what caused it. V462 Lupi's brightness peaked on June 20, when it reached an apparent magnitude of +5.5. The star has since dimmed slightly but remains above the +6 magnitude threshold for naked eye visibility. V572 Velorum is even brighter, peaking at +4.8 on June 27. (A smaller magnitude signifies a brighter object; for example, the moon has an apparent magnitude of -12.7.) Astrophotographer Eliot Herman snapped the novas using a remotely operated camera in Chile (see above). V572 Velorum, which was photographed on June 27, shines with brilliant blue-white light, while V462 Lupi has a purple hue in an image captured on June 26. Novas gradually turn red before disappearing because the longer blue-colored wavelengths of light fade from view first. Both the Lupus and Vela constellations are in the southern sky, making the new novas easier to spot from the Southern Hemisphere. However, V462 Lupi can be seen from North America, just after sunset and close to the southern horizon. Vela can sometimes be seen from the southern parts of North America, including Mexico, California and Texas, meaning some people in these regions could spot V572 Velorum for themselves. But it is much less likely. The objects are technically bright enough to be seen with the naked eye. However, they will be easier to spot if you have a decent telescope or a pair of stargazing binoculars, especially if you are viewing them from the Northern Hemisphere. Unlike supernovas, which are so powerful that they completely rip stars apart, a nova only affects the outer layers of a star. Classical novas, such as V462 Lupi and V572 Velorum, occur in a specific type of binary system, where a more massive white dwarf star is pulling material away from its larger partner. When enough material has been accreted onto the dwarf star's surface, the pressure builds up and triggers an explosion that burns up most of the stolen gas and shoots pulses of bright light into space, which can sometimes be seen from Earth. RELATED STORIES —Supernova that lit up Earth's skies 843 years ago has a flowering 'zombie star' at its heart — and it's still exploding —Mystery explosion 1,000 years ago may be a rare, third type of supernova —Rare quadruple supernova on our 'cosmic doorstep' will shine brighter than the moon when it blows up in 23 billion years Some novas are recurring events, blowing their top at regular intervals: For example, the long-awaited T Coronae Borealis nova, also known as the "Blaze Star," lights up our skies roughly every 80 years. However, astronomers have been predicting that the Blaze Star will reappear imminently for the last 15 months, and it is yet to emerge, which shows that it is not an exact science. As this is the first recorded appearance of V462 Lupi and V572 Velorum, it's not known if or when they will explode again in the future. Both of them will likely fade from view in the coming weeks.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
New AI tool is better than doctors at diagnosing complicated medical issues, Microsoft says
Microsoft said it is one step closer to 'medical superintelligence' after a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool beat doctors at diagnosing complex medical problems. Tech giants are racing to develop superintelligence, which refers to an AI system that exceeds human intellectual abilities in every way – and they're promising to use it to upend healthcare systems around the world. For the latest experiment, Microsoft tested an AI diagnostic system against 21 experienced physicians, using real-world case studies from 304 patients that were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, a leading medical journal. The AI tool correctly diagnosed up to 85.5 per cent of cases – roughly four times more than the group of doctors from the United Kingdom and the United States, who had between five and 20 years of experience. Related As AI reshapes patient care, human nurses are pushing back against its creeping influence The model was also cheaper than human doctors, ordering fewer scans and tests to reach the correct diagnosis, the analysis found. Microsoft said the findings indicate that AI models can reason through complex diagnostic problems that stump physicians, who specialise in their fields but are not experts in every aspect of medicine. However, AI 'can blend both breadth and depth of expertise, demonstrating clinical reasoning capabilities that, across many aspects of clinical reasoning, exceed those of any individual physician,' Microsoft executives said in a press release. 'This kind of reasoning has the potential to reshape healthcare'. Microsoft does not see AI replacing doctors anytime soon, saying the tools will instead help physicians automate some routine tasks, personalise patients' treatment, and speed up diagnoses. Microsoft's AI system made diagnoses by mimicking a doctor's process of collecting a patient's details, ordering tests, and eventually narrowing down a medical diagnosis. A 'gatekeeper agent' had information from the patient case studies. It interacted with a 'diagnostic orchestrator' that asked questions and ordered tests, receiving results from the real-world workups. Related Is AI going to steal your job? Probably not, new study finds The company tested the system with leading AI models, including GPT, Llama, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and DeepSeek. OpenAI's o3 model, which is integrated into ChatGPT, correctly solved 85.5 per cent of the patient cases, compared to an average of 20 per cent among the group of 21 experienced doctors. The researchers published their findings online as a preprint article, meaning it has not yet been peer-reviewed. Microsoft also acknowledged some key limitations, notably that the AI tool has only been tested for complicated health problems, not more common, everyday issues. Related AI to shape EU health policymaking without new rules The panel of doctors also worked without access to their colleagues, textbooks, or other tools that they might typically use when making diagnoses. 'This was done to enable a fair comparison to raw human performance,' Microsoft said. The company called for more real-world evidence on AI's potential in health clinics, and said it will 'rigorously test and validate these approaches' before making them more widely available.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Experts make surprising discovery about health impacts of drinking Diet Coke: 'Increases the risk'
New studies reveal the health risks of drinking Diet Coke on a regular basis. According to Fox 5 DC, researchers have linked the soda to health complications, including metabolic and cardiovascular risks. Coca-Cola's marketing campaigns suggest Diet Coke is a healthier alternative to Coke. While its sugar content is lower, artificial sweeteners make the drink much worse for your health, experts warn. Diet Coke contains aspartame, an artificial sweetener that can cause adverse health effects when consumed on a regular basis. Fox 5 reported that research shows artificial sweeteners such as aspartame not only disrupt the balance of gut bacteria but also lead to increased risks of Type 2 diabetes, weight gain, and heart disease. "Another study showed that just one diet soda increases the risk of [atrial fibrillation], an irregular heartbeat that increases the risk of vascular events like stroke," Michelle Routhenstein, a New York-based registered dietitian who specializes in heart disease, said. "Many of my clients who have ditched Diet Coke mention how they never realized how addictive it can be." While the Food and Drug Administration says aspartame is safe for consumption, Routhenstein told Fox 5 that it "has been labeled as possibly carcinogenic by the World Health Organization and may negatively affect our gut microbiome." The new research offers more evidence that reinforces the health risks of consuming artificial sweeteners on a consistent basis. Along with the health concerns, these additives also negatively impact the environment. Researchers have identified artificial sweeteners as an "emerging source of pollution" since they are "resistant to wastewater treatment processes and are therefore continuously introduced into the water environments." Though Coca-Cola has tried to mitigate its environmental footprint through sustainable packaging initiatives, it is still the world's leading producer of branded plastic waste. The International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded in 2023 that aspartame could be a human carcinogen. While more research needs to be done, organizations are acknowledging the health risks associated with aspartame consumption. The best way to reduce these risks is to swap out Diet Coke for a healthier option. Routhenstein encourages people to try low-sugar kombucha, which is a good source of probiotics and thus has gut benefits. Other ways to get your sweet fix without harmful ingredients are to add lime or lemon juice to sparkling water. When you're choosing health and beauty products, which of these factors is most important to you? Cost Brand name Ingredients Packaging Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
