Science 2.0
No Goldilocks, Webb Telescope Didn't Discover Life On K2-18b
K2-18b, detected in 2015, orbits a star 124 light years away. Though it is over 800% as large as Earth, its space in the habitable zone of its star, like where we are, means the possibiliy that liquid water could exist on its surface.
The science community calls it The Goldilocks Zone. Like the character in the children's story who wanted porridge neither too hot nor too cold, a Goldilocks planet that might have life we could recognize would need to be in a similar narrow band.
The science community calls it The Goldilocks Zone. Like the character in the children's story who wanted porridge neither too hot nor too cold, a Goldilocks planet that might have life we could recognize would need to be in a similar narrow band.
Categories: Science 2.0
UK Supreme Court Rules On Biological Sex - But The Debate Won't End There
Under the Equality Act of 2010, 'woman' refers to individuals based on their biological sex at birth, according to a unanimous ruling at the UK Supreme Court.
The case has been a David vs. Goliath story. Three Scottish women up against the Scottish government, which had made policy stating that a gender recognition certificate could go anywhere that those deemed biologically female at birth could go. What got it to the Supreme Court was a 2018 law mandating gender balance on public sector boards. Women noted that gender included the trans community and that created a 'shackled man' competition.
The case has been a David vs. Goliath story. Three Scottish women up against the Scottish government, which had made policy stating that a gender recognition certificate could go anywhere that those deemed biologically female at birth could go. What got it to the Supreme Court was a 2018 law mandating gender balance on public sector boards. Women noted that gender included the trans community and that created a 'shackled man' competition.
Categories: Science 2.0
On A Roll
What? Another boring chess game?
Buzz off, this is my blog, and if I feel like posting a chess game, that's what is going to happen. But if you like the game, stay here - this is a nice game.
Again played after hiours today, and again on a 5' online blitz server (chess.com). What amazes me is that these days I seem to have a sort of touch for nice attacks and brilliant combinations. Let me show you why I am saying this.
The starting position arose after the following opening sequence:
tommasodorigo - UTOPII841, chess.com April 16 2025
Buzz off, this is my blog, and if I feel like posting a chess game, that's what is going to happen. But if you like the game, stay here - this is a nice game.
Again played after hiours today, and again on a 5' online blitz server (chess.com). What amazes me is that these days I seem to have a sort of touch for nice attacks and brilliant combinations. Let me show you why I am saying this.
The starting position arose after the following opening sequence:
tommasodorigo - UTOPII841, chess.com April 16 2025
Categories: Science 2.0
People Are Fine With AI But Rarely Fooled
Due to anti-vaccine hype from 1998 to 2021 which then flipped to the other major US political party, there is recurring rending of garments about science literacy. Add in a 9% difference between the left and right in acceptance of evolution and beliefs that fructose in honey is health food while fructose in corn syrup is poison, PFAS, and that GMOs cause lower grades in school, it's easy to see that US adult science literacy is only about 30%.
Categories: Science 2.0
foot and mouth disease in Europe will show them the expensive world of only organic food
Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europeans claimed they were successfully moving away from modern agriculture and conventional energy thanks to the organic™ manufacturing process and solar power.
What they left out was that the "organic" food they were buying was from Russia, where either Russia invented magic or they simply swapped fields to being called organic, or it was a lie.(1) The biggest hypocrisy of European culture is pretending that buying food through a European company that buys it from Russia is not giving money to Russia. They use the same trick to continue to be reliant on Russian energy
What they left out was that the "organic" food they were buying was from Russia, where either Russia invented magic or they simply swapped fields to being called organic, or it was a lie.(1) The biggest hypocrisy of European culture is pretending that buying food through a European company that buys it from Russia is not giving money to Russia. They use the same trick to continue to be reliant on Russian energy
Categories: Science 2.0
Climate Change Is Causing More Snowflakes
In a bizarre experiment, scholars declared that survivors of one of California's annual wildfires instead suffered PTSD due to climate change.
It was a small group, 27 who had been near a fire in 2018, 21 who had seen smoke, and 27 in the control group. Participants had EEG brain scans taken while they engaged in behavior which could provide monetary rewards. The scholars also subjectively scored their Win-Stay behavior, basically how often they sought the highest long-term rewards.
It was a small group, 27 who had been near a fire in 2018, 21 who had seen smoke, and 27 in the control group. Participants had EEG brain scans taken while they engaged in behavior which could provide monetary rewards. The scholars also subjectively scored their Win-Stay behavior, basically how often they sought the highest long-term rewards.
Categories: Science 2.0
When The Attack Plays Itself
After a very intense day at work, I sought some relaxation in online blitz chess today. And the game gave me the kick I was hoping I'd get. After a quick Alapin Sicilian opening, we reached the following position (diagram 1):
As you can see, black is threatening a checkmate with Qxg2++. However, the last move was a serious error, as it neglected the intrinsic power of my open files and diagonals against the black king. Can you find the sequence with which I quickly destroyed my opponent's position?
1. Qc2!
As you can see, black is threatening a checkmate with Qxg2++. However, the last move was a serious error, as it neglected the intrinsic power of my open files and diagonals against the black king. Can you find the sequence with which I quickly destroyed my opponent's position?
1. Qc2!
Categories: Science 2.0
Not So Elementary (the Cosmos, That Is)
Recently there are appeared a paper showing how Physics - Iron–Helium Compounds Form Under Pressure. which suggests that there might be helium from the original nebula from which the Sun and solar system formed still locked up in the Earth’s core.
This association of helium with iron might be connected with this item from Minnesota: UPDATE | High helium concentration buried deep in Iron Range - YouTube which opens the prospect of the USA being less dependent on other countries for its supply of helium, which is most often encountered in toy balloons but is essential in its liquid form for many of the body scanners use in medicine.
Categories: Science 2.0
In A Rebuke To Activists, FDA Removes Animal Models From Drug Approval
Among the 900 compounds that France's International Agency for Research on Cancer "suggests" are linked to cancer, nearly all have relied on studies in mice.
Scientists know mice are not little people but epidemiologists use animal models, very often at high doses, up to 10,000X realistic levels, to make their claims that everything causes cancer. Such abuse of animal models is why states like California, which abdicated science to IARC, has over 80,000 products with warnings about carcinogens yet no more or fewer cases of cancer.
Scientists know mice are not little people but epidemiologists use animal models, very often at high doses, up to 10,000X realistic levels, to make their claims that everything causes cancer. Such abuse of animal models is why states like California, which abdicated science to IARC, has over 80,000 products with warnings about carcinogens yet no more or fewer cases of cancer.
Categories: Science 2.0
Toponium Found By CMS!
The highest-mass subnuclear particle ever observed used to the the top quark. Measured for the first time by the CDF experiment in 1994, and subsequently confirmed by CDF and D0 in 1995, the top quark is the heaviest elementary particle we know of, and it is a wonderful physical system per se, which has been studied with momentum in the past thirty years at the Tevatron and at the LHC colliders.
The top quark
The top quark
Categories: Science 2.0
The Government Wants More Coal To Get Energy Costs Down - Is That Bad For The Air?
President Donald Trump is about to sign an executive order restarting coal leasing on federal lands while classifying coal as a critical mineral.
Social media critics, and academics being quoted in media, are declaring the end of the world due to American pollution. Are they correct?
Social media critics, and academics being quoted in media, are declaring the end of the world due to American pollution. Are they correct?
Categories: Science 2.0
How Proposition 65 Made Products More Expensive Even Outside California
When the Proposition 65 referendum, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, was being debated, concerns about abuse and high cost were dismissed by the lawyers behind it with the assurance that lawyers wouldn't decide what products would be deemed carcinogens, the state would abdicate that to France's International Agency for Research on Cancer.
Categories: Science 2.0
Duckweed Science May Lead To Food That Farms Itself
Duckweed split into different species 59 million years ago, when the climate was more extreme than even the most aggressive climate simulation produced now.
A new study, genome sequences for five duckweed species, reveals how duckweed can essentially farm itself, and because it can double in mass after two days what that might mean for the future of food science.
A new study, genome sequences for five duckweed species, reveals how duckweed can essentially farm itself, and because it can double in mass after two days what that might mean for the future of food science.
Categories: Science 2.0
French Chicks Impacted Most: Activists Set Their Sights On Banning Tebuconazole
A French team conducted experiments using sparrow chicks and write in Environmental Research that their tests led to slower growth, with females impacted most.
They targeted the common fungicide tebuconazole, popular on food crops because it can stop everything from necrotic ring spot to blights, mildews, and smuts. They compare it to the popular weedkiller glyphosate, which they claim has caused a decline in birds in Europe, despite scientists showing the top reason for bird population changes in various areas has been land use changes and not the use of pesticides lacking an Organic™ label.
They targeted the common fungicide tebuconazole, popular on food crops because it can stop everything from necrotic ring spot to blights, mildews, and smuts. They compare it to the popular weedkiller glyphosate, which they claim has caused a decline in birds in Europe, despite scientists showing the top reason for bird population changes in various areas has been land use changes and not the use of pesticides lacking an Organic™ label.
Categories: Science 2.0
Life-Size Sculptures Uncovered In Pompeii Debunk Myths About Ancient Women
Visitors to the site of Pompeii, the ancient Roman town buried (and so preserved for thousands of years) by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD, don’t often think to look beyond the city walls. And it’s easy to understand why: there’s plenty on offer within this monumentally well-preserved town, from jewel-like wall paintings of myths and legends like Helen of Troy, to the majestic amphitheater and sumptuously stuccoed baths.
But step outside the gates for a moment, and you’re in a very different – yet no less important – world.
Categories: Science 2.0
The Problem With Peer Review
In a world where misinformation, voluntary or accidental, reigns supreme; in a world where lies become truth if they are broadcast for long enough; in a world where we have unlimited access to superintelligent machines, but we prefer to remain ignorant; in this world we are unfortunately living today, that is, the approach taken by scientists to accumulate knowledge - peer review - is something we should hold dear and preserve with care. And yet...
Categories: Science 2.0
Mammals On The Ground Before The Dinosaurs Were Gone
For decades, natural history books have taught that when a catastrophic asteroid struck Earth 66 million years ago, it wiped out the dinosaurs and gave mammals – until then mostly small, tree-dwelling creatures – a chance to flourish on the ground. It’s the classic “mammals rise after dinosaurs fall” narrative.
Categories: Science 2.0
Interna
In the past few years my activities on this site - but I would say more in general, as the same pattern happened also on social media - have progressively shifted away from pure casual blogging and reporting of personal matters to a more focused discussion of scientific topics, always lingering around my research interests.
Categories: Science 2.0
Reporting Live From The SmartZero City Conference, Taipei
What are sustainable cities, and can we build them? I put my Institute Fellows’ decades of experience together with the content of this fine conference, and conclude: (1) A sustainable city will attend equally to innovation, to human opportunity and dignity, and to the Earth. (2) Cities are not yet doing that. (3) There are obstacles.
Categories: Science 2.0