Latest news with #Frontiers
Gizmodo
4 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
How Prehistoric Mammoth Tusks Could Help Bust Modern-Day Ivory Smugglers
Selling elephant ivory—a hard white material from elephant tusks, for which elephants are often killed—is illegal. Selling ivory collected from the remains of extinct Mammoths, however, is—somehow—not. Because the two are hard to tell apart, illegal traders are slipping under the radar by mixing elephant ivory with legally traded mammoth ivory. A new forensic tool, however, might soon put an end to this nefarious trick. Wildlife forensic scientists in China suggest that authorities can differentiate elephant ivory from mammoth ivory by analyzing stable isotopes (forms of an element that don't break down over time). If this approach becomes widely adopted, it could serve as a quick sample screening before the application of more expensive and time-consuming methods. 'Mammoth ivory costs a fraction of the price of elephant ivory, but the two are considered completely different materials by carvers and experts, because mammoth ivory usually lacks the deep, creamy white color of elephant ivory,' Pavel Toropov, a University of Hong Kong researcher and a co-author of the study published today in the journal Frontiers, said in a Frontiers statement. 'One trader compared them to a 'Lamborghini and a Ford.' Mammoth ivory cannot be a real substitute for elephant ivory, but its value may lie in providing a legal cover for elephant ivory.' Currently, the most accurate way to tell the two ivories apart is via molecular analysis (studying molecules) or radiocarbon dating (a technique to date organic material), both of which are expensive and time consuming. Isotope ratios vary depending on factors like environment. Since Ice Age mammoths preserved in high-latitude Siberian permafrost lived in a completely different habitat from today's tropical elephants, the isotope ratios in their tusks should be different. Within this context, Toropov and his team decided to investigate whether analyzing these differences could provide a better method to distinguish between the two types of ivory. The team conducted stable isotope analyses on 44 pieces of elephant ivory and 35 pieces of mammoth ivory, specifically studying the stable isotope ratios of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, and sulfur. While this approach revealed notable overlap for carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios between the two ivories, the researchers documented very little overlap in the elephant and mammoth isotope ratios for oxygen and none for hydrogen. 'This is because the elements of water drunk by mammoths in high-latitude regions such as Siberia have distinct isotope signatures compared to the elements of the water ingested by elephants in tropical latitudes,' explained first author Maria Santos, also a researcher from the University of Hong Kong. Simply put, analyzing the stable isotope ratios of oxygen and hydrogen in a suspected ivory object is an effective way to determine whether it came from an elephant or a mammoth. While more research is needed before this approach can be used in a court case, 'we hope that the protocol described in our study will be applied to screen large batches of supposedly mammoth ivory objects,' Santos added. 'Samples that have an isotopic signature of elephant ivory can then be tested with more expensive and time-consuming methods, such as radiocarbon dating. This could help combat the illegal ivory trade more effectively and close the potential laundering loophole.' The way I see it, there's an even simpler solution: Make all ivory illegal.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Science
- Scoop
From Safer Cities To Healthier Lives: The Top 10 Emerging Technologies Of 2025
Collaborative sensing, generative watermarking and batteries built into materials are among the ten breakthrough technologies to watch. All are expected to achieve real-world impact within 3-5 years, addressing risks from congestion, pollution, disease and climate stress. Innovations reflect four emerging trends: trust and safety, sustainable industry, human health, and energy-material convergence. For more information on the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2025, visit and share on social media using the hashtag #amnc25, or #2025#. Tianjin, People's Republic of China, 24 June 2025 –As cities become more connected, collaborative sensing is enabling vehicles, traffic systems and emergency services to coordinate in real time – improving safety and easing congestion. This is just one of the World Economic Forum's Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2025 that is expected to deliver real-world impact within three to five years and address urgent global challenges. In collaboration with Frontiers, the report spotlights breakthrough technologies at their inflection point where scientific progress meets real-world application. Chosen for their novelty, maturity and potential to deliver meaningful societal benefit, they reflect advances in both innovation and resilience. This year's cohort reveals four key trends: trust and safety in a connected world, next-gen biotechnologies for health, redesigning industrial sustainability, and integrating energy and materials. 'Scientific and technological breakthroughs are advancing rapidly, even as the global environment for innovation grows more complex,' said Jeremy Jurgens, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. 'The research provides top global leaders with a clear view of which technologies are approaching readiness, how they could solve the world's pressing problems and what's required to bring them to scale responsibly.' This year's list builds on past themes, reaffirming health, sustainability and urban resilience as top priorities. Technologies such as collaborative sensing, autonomous biochemical sensing and green nitrogen fixation demonstrate ongoing innovation in these fields where urgent challenges persist. They also signal growing momentum to develop scalable solutions to chronic disease, environmental impact and infrastructure strain. The report outlines what is needed to bring them to scale: investment, infrastructure, standards and responsible governance, and calls on business, government and the scientific community to collaborate to ensure their development serves the public good. This year's edition highlights a trend towards technology convergence. For example, structural battery composites combine energy with storage design, while engineered living therapeutics merge synthetic biology and precision medicine. Such integration signals a shift away from standalone innovations to more integrated systems-based solutions, reshaping what is possible. 'The path from breakthrough research to tangible societal progress depends on transparency, collaboration, and open science,' said Frederick Fenter, Chief Executive Editor, Frontiers. 'Together with the World Economic Forum, we have once again delivered trusted, evidence-based insights on emerging technologies that will shape a better future for all." The Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2025 Trust and safety in a connected world: 1. Collaborative Sensing Networks of connected sensors can help vehicles, cities and emergency services share information in real time. This can improve safety, reduce traffic and respond faster to crises. 2. Generative watermarking This technology adds invisible tags to AI-generated content, making it easier to tell what is real and what is not. It could help fight misinformation and protect trust online. Sustainable industry redesign: 3. Green nitrogen fixation New ways to make fertilizer using electricity instead of fossil fuels could cut pollution and carbon emissions. It also means a more sustainable way to grow food. 4. Nanozymes These lab-made materials act like natural enzymes, but are stronger, cheaper and easier to use. They could improve medical tests, clean up pollution and support safer manufacturing. Next-generation biotechnologies for health: 5. Engineered living therapeutics Scientists are developing new therapies using helpful bacteria that are carefully designed to deliver treatment from inside the body. This could make long-term care cheaper and more effective. 6. GLP-1s for neurodegenerative diseases Drugs originally used for diabetes and weight loss are now showing promise in slowing diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. These treatments could offer new hope where few options exist today. 7. Autonomous biochemical sensing These small, smart sensors can monitor health or environmental changes around the clock without needing wires or people to check them. They could help detect pollution or illness early, saving time and lives. Energy and material integration: 8. Structural battery composites Materials that store energy and support weight, like in cars or planes, can make electric vehicles lighter and more efficient. This helps reduce emissions and improve performance. 9. Osmotic power systems By capturing energy from where saltwater meets freshwater, these systems can produce clean electricity. They are a promising source of steady, low-impact power in coastal areas. 10. Advanced nuclear technologies New, smaller nuclear designs and alternative cooling systems offer safer, lower-cost clean energy. As energy demand grows with electrification and AI, these reactors could play a key role in building reliable, zero-carbon power systems. Each technology was evaluated through a rigorous process, including expert nominations, literature review, peer assessment and analysis of adoption conditions. The report also includes strategic outlooks, readiness assessments and pathways for real-world implementation. About the Top 10 Emerging Technologies Report Now in its 13th edition, the Top 10 Emerging Technologies report provides trusted foresight to help leaders navigate scientific and technological change. Drawing on the expertise of scientists, researchers and futurists, the report identifies ten innovations expected to scale within five years and deliver wide societal benefits. The 2025 report was produced in collaboration with Frontiers and selected through a global process involving over 300 experts from the World Economic Forum's Global Future Councils, the University and Research Network, the Frontiers editorial network, and co-chairs Mariette DiChristina and Bernard Meyerson. About the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2025 The 16th Annual Meeting of the New Champions will take place from 24 to 26 June 2025 in Tianjin, People's Republic of China, under the theme 'Entrepreneurship for a New Era'. The meeting will convene over 1,700 leaders from business, government, civil society, academia, international organizations, innovation and media to explore entrepreneurial solutions to global challenges.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Living with an anaconda? Understanding human and snake relationships in the Amazon Várzea
Source: Discover Wildlife The cultural connection between humans and snakes or more specifically, the mythical anaconda, is profound in the Amazon. These kinds of snakes are often seen not just as animals but as powerful symbols in local mythology. In a new study in Frontiers in Amphibian and Reptile Science , researchers Dr. Beatriz Cosendey and Professor Juarez Carlos Brito Pezzuti explored the interaction between local communities and species of snake in the várzea regions of the Lower Amazon River, seasonally flooded and biologically diverse areas. Lead author Dr. Cosendey dispels the anaconda myths, facts, and shifting attitudes and describes how conservation measures must shift to account for scientific as well as native knowledge. Humans and snakes: Understanding their Amazon connection through Ethnobiology Dr. Cosendey's route to ethnobiology was fueled early on in her life. She was captivated by field study documentaries and wondered why knowledge was being discovered remotely from city life. Later in life as an ecologist, she became drawn to science-linked research that reunited science with society, particularly studies that recognised humans as part of ecological systems rather than separate from them. This point of view brought her to ethnobiology, a field that unites ecology, conservation, and indigenous knowledge. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Novi ortopedski sandali za moške poletje 2025. Fiippy KUPITE ZDAJ Undo Her goal: to make science not only of intellectual value but of social significance. E thnobiology is not simply the biology of plants and animals; it looks at how local communities influence the biodiversity they live among. For the riverside communities of the Amazon, it is passed down through generations, enabling people to spot changes in the environment early on and encouraging good conservation practices. With Dr. Cosendey, the conservations are more effective when locally based communities are engaged as partners rather than as research subjects. Individuals are more committed and engaged when they consider themselves co-creators of the research. Source: Discover Wildlife The great snake still haunts the Amazon—but now it's over chickens, not legends One of the most powerful local legends concerns the Great Snake—a legendary anaconda supposedly lying beneath cities and churning the Amazon waters with every twitch. With glowing eyes and the ability to swallow cattle, even humans, this snake is both feared and admired. While fewer large anaconda sightings are reported, the legend persists. But the demeanor of these snakes is slowly shifting from spiritual concerns to secular issues mainly in relation to livestock. Now, anacondas are more likely to be seen as not mythical but as economic threats. "Chicken is her favorite dish. If one clucks, she comes," a resident said. This captures the degree to which the conflict has become entangled with local livelihood. It's not just bothersome to lose pigs or chickens to anacondas – it's also expensive. "You raise the chicken – you can't just let it be eaten for free," another resident continued. Others explained they had to rebuild coops multiple times or kill snakes to retrieve partially swallowed birds. This tension between living and surviving shows how practical circumstances are overshadowing traditional respect for anacondas. Source: Discover Wildlife Communities and researchers find real solutions through shared experience Research did not just stop with documenting stories. Researchers worked with residents to chart successful approaches to safeguarding livestock. They observed wire and nylon mesh coops—some of which worked, others that didn't. They eventually settled on a solution based on this local experience: two sheets of thin nylon mesh at the interior and exterior surfaces of wire mesh for excluding both small and large animals. This collaborative effort exemplifies the power of community-based conservation where experience feeds science and attention to real-world problems. Misconceptions regarding Ethnobiology Even though it is an established science, ethnobiology is still not trusted within some academic settings. Critics think that it cannot maintain the rigorous data collection of "hard sciences." Dr. Cosendey clarifies, though, that ethnobiology employs tried scientific procedures and generates robust outcomes—especially in complex ecological and social contexts. Notably, ethnobiology retains subtle aspects that may be lost in traditional ecological models and is, therefore, a critical instrument in inclusive and adaptive conservation. Building conservation through shared wisdom between snakes and humans Dr. Cosendey feels that the future of conservation rests with community engagement. She supports projects that engage local people not as passive recipients but as active participants. Their indigenous knowledge may be used to guide environmental planning and prove particularly valuable in regions susceptible to biodiversity decline. She also emphasises the necessity of documenting and valuing cultural traditions—such as the use of natural remedies—wherein there could be sustainable solutions that can be shared with other parts of the world. Also Read | Snake in Delhi Metro? Women scream and jump onto seats as ladies' coach sparks chaos amid unconfirmed scare| Watch
Time of India
20-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Algebra, philosophy and…: These AI chatbot queries cause most harm to environment, study claims
Representative Image Queries demanding complex reasoning from AI chatbots, such as those related to abstract algebra or philosophy, generate significantly more carbon emissions than simpler questions, a new study reveals. These high-level computational tasks can produce up to six times more emissions than straightforward inquiries like basic history questions. A study conducted by researchers at Germany's Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences, published in the journal Frontiers (seen by The Independent), found that the energy consumption and subsequent carbon dioxide emissions of large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI's ChatGPT vary based on the chatbot, user, and subject matter. An analysis of 14 different AI models consistently showed that questions requiring extensive logical thought and reasoning led to higher emissions. To mitigate their environmental impact, the researchers have advised frequent users of AI chatbots to consider adjusting the complexity of their queries. Why do these queries cause more carbon emissions by AI chatbots In the study, author Maximilian Dauner wrote: 'The environmental impact of questioning trained LLMs is strongly determined by their reasoning approach, with explicit reasoning processes significantly driving up energy consumption and carbon emissions. We found that reasoning-enabled models produced up to 50 times more carbon dioxide emissions than concise response models.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Americans Are Freaking Out Over This All-New Hyundai Tucson (Take a Look) Smartfinancetips Learn More Undo The study evaluated 14 large language models (LLMs) using 1,000 standardised questions to compare their carbon emissions. It explains that AI chatbots generate emissions through processes like converting user queries into numerical data. On average, reasoning models produce 543.5 tokens per question, significantly more than concise models, which use only 40 tokens. 'A higher token footprint always means higher CO2 emissions,' the study adds. The study highlights that Cogito, one of the most accurate models with around 85% accuracy, generates three times more carbon emissions than other similarly sized models that offer concise responses. 'Currently, we see a clear accuracy-sustainability trade-off inherent in LLM technologies. None of the models that kept emissions below 500 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent achieved higher than 80 per cent accuracy on answering the 1,000 questions correctly,' Dauner explained. Researchers used carbon dioxide equivalent to measure the climate impact of AI models and hope that their findings encourage more informed usage. For example, answering 600,000 questions with DeepSeek R1 can emit as much carbon as a round-trip flight from London to New York. In comparison, Alibaba Cloud's Qwen 2.5 can answer over three times more questions with similar accuracy while producing the same emissions. 'Users can significantly reduce emissions by prompting AI to generate concise answers or limiting the use of high-capacity models to tasks that genuinely require that power,' Dauner noted. AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Forbes
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Calculating How Many Players ‘Destiny 2: The Edge Of Fate' Will Launch With, Per Math
Destiny 2: Edge of Fate Destiny 2 is entering a much different new era in a month, one which will launch the next few years of the game. It's switching from an annual expansion and four seasons to two smaller expansions and four 'major updates' that are not seasons, and the entire project is called 'Frontiers.' Its first expansion is The Edge of Fate, which will be out on July 15, just under a month from now. One open question is just how many players Edge of Fate will launch with, namely, who will have stuck around since the launch of Destiny 2's The Final Shape a year ago, given the context of how the game will work now. I think we can use math to at least get a pretty good estimate of this, given the difference between the pre-expansion lows of the playerbase and then what they spiked to at actual launch. We will, of course, have to use Steam for this, as we don't have data elsewhere. We only have from Beyond Light forward for Steam, so no Forsaken or Shadowkeep. Pre-Beyond Light Month (Oct 2020) – 94,000 concurrents Beyond Light (Nov 2020) – 242,000 concurrents Increase – 2.57x Pre-Witch Queen Month (Jan 2022) – 78,000 concurrents FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder Witch Queen (Feb 2022) – 290,000 concurrents Increase – 3.71x Pre-Lightfall Month (Jan 2023) – 96,000 concurrents Lightfall (Feb 2023) – 316,000 concurrents Increase – 3.29x Pre-Final Shape Month (May 2024) – 116,000 concurrents The Final Shape (June 2024) – 314,000 concurrents Increase – 2.7x increase Destiny 2 So, what I'll do here is average the increases together, which would be a 3.01x increase Then, we take the current playercount figures for this month, the month before Edge of Fate release: 38,000 3.01 x 38,000 = a potential 114,000 peak. That would be below half of Beyond Light and Witch Queen and close to a third of Lightfall and Final Shape. I also think you might be able to say that this could be an over-estimate if the idea is that in the post-Light and Darkness era, a brand new, lower-profile, smaller-scale expansion may prove less attractive. I'm not trying to dunk on the game here, but I do think we have to be realistic about the new normal for Destiny 2 going forward. I've avoided reporting on the 'record lows' the game has hit almost every month since The Final Shape, but now reality is approaching as we try to see what level of surge we're getting for these smaller expansions. Then, of course, we'd have to see how the second expansion did six months later, the Star Wars-themed Renegades. The way this works out on the revenue side is if the cost of making less content with fewer employees works with the new lower, average playercount in a way that doesn't put the game deeply in the red. This is not a short-term experiment, this is the plan for a few more years at least with no Destiny 3 on the horizon. It will have to work at least to some degree, as at this point, I don't think it's a safe bet that Bungie can rely on the upcoming Marathon to be the huge boost the studio needs (we've talked that to death at this point). Maybe Edge of Fate will prove surprising, but it's a smaller expansion, offering less content, outside the long-term Light and Darkness saga. Expectations will have to be adjusted accordingly. Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
