Latest news with #TexasAMUniversity
The Sun
12 hours ago
- General
- The Sun
B&M's £1 pantry staple will banish flying ants from home – as ‘tens of millions' of insects to swarm UK in just DAYS
THE B&M pantry staple that will keep pests out of your home, as experts warn this year's Flying Ant Day could be one of the biggest in recent years. This handy hack offers a low-cost, toxin free way of keeping the pesky insects away ahead of pest control experts' warnings. 2 Ground pepper can be used to deter ants from your home and is available for £1 at B&M. A study from Vanderbilt University says that ants have 400 smell receptors which allow them not only to smell their immediate surroundings, but also play a role in their communication and navigation. That is why putting down strong scents like pepper can help to deter them, as it will overload their receptors. Cheap trick to keep your home pest free There are a couple of different ways that you can use the pepper deterrent. The easiest is to simply sprinkle it in areas where you typically see ants in your home. However, you can also use it to mix up a makeshift bug spray, offering a cheaper alternative to forking out on insect repellent. By mixing one measure of pepper to ten measures of water you will create a spray which can then be used throughout your home. A Texas A&M University showed that water with pepper is more likely to kill ants than water alone. Where to spray the ingredient in your home However, be careful not to spray it near where your pets might be, as it could cause irritation to their respiratory system or cause an upset stomach. Pest control experts are anti a significant surge in flying ant activity this year, as a result of the ideal combination of altering wet and warm weather. Biggest flying ant day in recent memory This summer's particularly high humidity is perfect for swarming. Experts have suggested that year's Flying Ant Day - the annual mating flight where millions fill the skies in synchronised displays - could be one of the biggest in recent years. Paul Blackhurst, Head of the Technical Academy at Rentokil Pest Control, told Manchester Evening News: 'While flying ants may disrupt your picnic, barbeque, or pub garden pint, they play a vital role in the ecosystem.' He added: "This natural event, when vast numbers of winged ants, known as alates, take to the skies at once in search of mates from other colonies, could be one of the most prolific for years." Keep pests out all summer IF you want to ensure that your home is pest free this summer, here's what you need to know. Hornets and wasps - hate the smell of peppermint oil so spraying this liberally around your patio or balcony can help to keep them at bay. Moths - acidic household white vinegar is effective for deterring moths. Soak some kitchen roll in vinegar and leave it in your wardrobe as a deterrent. Flying ants - herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, mint, chilli pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, cloves, or garlic act as deterrents. Mosquitoes - plants, herbs and essential oil fragrances can help deter mozzies inside and out. Try eucalyptus, lavender and lemongrass.
Reuters
5 days ago
- Politics
- Reuters
US embassy in Qatar recommends sheltering in place, Qatar says situation stable
DOHA, June 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. embassy in Qatar emailed U.S. citizens in the Gulf country on Monday recommending that they shelter in place until further notice, triggering a slew of messages from various Doha-based institutions to employees and students while Qatar maintained the situation was stable. The embassy's advice comes as Iran repeated earlier threats to retaliate against the United States after strikes on its nuclear sites. The U.S. embassy message noted that the recommendation was "out of an abundance of caution" and offered no further information. Commenting on the message, Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said in a statement that the security situation in the country remained stable, adding that the embassy's advisory did not suggest any specific threat. Al Ansari said Qatar was ready to take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents. Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, which serves as the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command and accommodates approximately 10,000 troops. There was confusion among residents in Qatar over how to react to the mixed messages coming from Qatari and embassy authorities on Monday afternoon. The Qatar campuses of American universities offered differing advice to their staff and students, with Texas A&M University saying an evacuation of their building had been ordered, Northwestern University requesting that people go home and Georgetown University telling people they could go home if they wished. The American School, which is not in session, closed its campus and cancelled summer camps until further notice.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
A Cracked Piece of Metal Self-Healed in Experiment That Stunned Scientists
File this under 'That's not supposed to happen!'. In an experiment published in 2023, scientists observed a damaged section of metal healing itself. Though the repair was only on a nanoscale level, understanding the physics behind the process could inspire a whole new era of engineering. A team from Sandia National Laboratories and Texas A&M University was testing the resilience of a small piece of platinum suspended in a vacuum using a specialized transmission electron microscope technique to pull the ends of the metal 200 times every second. They then observed the self-healing at ultra-small scales in the 40-nanometer-thick wafer of metal. Cracks caused by the kind of strain described above are known as fatigue damage: repeated stress and motion that causes microscopic breaks, eventually causing machines or structures to break. Amazingly, after about 40 minutes of observation, the crack in the platinum started to fuse back together and mend itself before starting again in a different direction. "This was absolutely stunning to watch first-hand," said materials scientist Brad Boyce from Sandia National Laboratories when the results were announced. "We certainly weren't looking for it. What we have confirmed is that metals have their own intrinsic, natural ability to heal themselves, at least in the case of fatigue damage at the nanoscale." These are exact conditions, and we don't know yet exactly how this is happening or how we can use it. However, if you think about the costs and effort required for repairing everything from bridges to engines to phones, there's no telling how much difference self-healing metals could make. While the observation is unprecedented, it's not wholly unexpected. In 2013, Texas A&M University materials scientist Michael Demkowicz worked on a study predicting that this kind of nanocrack healing could happen, driven by the tiny crystalline grains inside metals essentially shifting their boundaries in response to stress. Demkowicz also worked on this study, using updated computer models to show that his decade-old theories about metal's self-healing behavior at the nanoscale matched what was happening here. That the automatic mending process happened at room temperature is another promising aspect of the research. Metal usually requires lots of heat to shift its form, but the experiment was carried out in a vacuum; it remains to be seen whether the same process will happen in conventional metals in a typical environment. A possible explanation involves a process known as cold welding, which occurs under ambient temperatures whenever metal surfaces come close enough together for their respective atoms to tangle together. Typically, thin layers of air or contaminants interfere with the process; in environments like the vacuum of space, pure metals can be forced close enough together to literally stick. "My hope is that this finding will encourage materials researchers to consider that, under the right circumstances, materials can do things we never expected," said Demkowicz. The research was published in Nature. An earlier version of this article was published in July 2023. A Fifth Force of Nature May Have Been Discovered Inside Atoms Strange Radio Signals Detected Emanating From Deep Under Antarctic Ice Light Squeezed Out of Darkness in Surprising Quantum Simulation
Yahoo
19-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas state Sen. Kelly Hancock to become acting comptroller, run for permanent job
Republican state Sen. Kelly Hancock launched his campaign for state comptroller Thursday shortly after taking a senior position at the comptroller's office. His appointment as chief clerk to Comptroller Glenn Hegar paves the way for Hanock, a North Richland Hill Republican, to become interim comptroller after Hegar leaves his office in June. And it gives Hancock an edge in a growing Republican primary race next year. 'Kelly is a great fit to serve as the chief financial officer of Texas,' Hegar said in a statement, who is stepping down to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. 'As a long-serving member of the Texas Legislature, he helped shape sound financial policy and authored the state's conservative spending cap legislation' Hegar added that Hancock is honest, trustworthy, and an 'all-around good guy.' Hancock, in a statement, cited his conservative bona fides on border security, noting he was one of the first Republican senators to call for ending in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants, which the state did earlier this month. "For over a decade, I've fought for Texas taxpayers in the Legislature, cutting red tape, passing conservative budget reforms, and holding government accountable," Hancock said in his campaign announcement. "As Comptroller, I'll make sure your tax dollars are spent wisely, transparently, and responsibly.' A quirk in state law prohibited Gov. Greg Abbott from directly appointing Hancock comptroller. Senators cannot be appointed to another position that requires Senate confirmation. The state comptroller is responsible for managing the state's money. Among the job's biggest tasks are collecting taxes, estimating state revenue, and awarding and managing state contracts. Entering the primary season as the interim will almost certainly give Hancock a leg up in a race that's already getting crowded. Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former state Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, are already in the race, and Huffines has been raking in endorsements — including one from U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. Abbott was quick to endorse Hancock, in the process throwing an elbow at Huffines, who as a state senator lost his reelection bid to Democrat Nathan Johnson in 2018. 'I endorse Kelly Hancock because I want a candidate who will actually win the election, not someone who has already lost an election to a Democrat,' Abbott said in a statement. Huffines also challenged Abbott in the 2022 Republican gubernatorial primary; Abbott drubbed him by 44 points. Prior to serving in the Legislature, Hancock was a member of his local school board. The state of Texas operates a $337 billion budget and rakes in more than a quarter trillion dollars of revenue from a variety of taxes, fees and assessments. Disclosure: Texas A&M University and Texas A&M University System have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Social Rundown: Moon dust, BlackBerry could make a comeback, and Bar Etiquette
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Welcome back to the Social Rundown, where you can learn about the online trends happening globally and in Texoma, too! Want to get the latest tea or news on what's trending on social media? Tune in daily! Mood Dust Scientists at Texas A&M University are working to grow crops for food production in a lunar simulant, which is the moon's equivalent of dirt. Now, moon dust lacks essential elements like nitrogen and microbes, which are necessary for crop growth. So who knows, maybe one day we'll have plants and crops outside of Earth. Blackberry phones Back in the day, in the 2010s, BlackBerry phones were the hype, and now Gen-Z is hopping on the trend to bring the nostalgic telephone back. Could smartphones soon be a thing of the past? Bar etiquette A story by The New York Times shows that Gen Z does not want to start a bar tab; instead, they would much rather pay as they order. Others, including bartenders, not so much, as they explain that it's more convenient to keep a tab open, especially if they are ordering a drink that takes multiple steps to make. What do you prefer doing? Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
