Overnight News Digest, Saturday Science

Overnight News Digest – Welcome to Saturday Science. Since 2007, OND has been a regular community feature on Daily Kos, consisting of science stories from around the world, sometimes combined with daily themes, original research, and commentary. OND editors offer a unique presentation style and selection of content, typically published daily near 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time.

politiko

Written by Ben Lefebvre

‘A little bold and vulgar’: Oil industry drafts executive order for President Trump to sign

The U.S. oil industry is preparing to boost natural gas exports, reduce drilling costs and expand offshore oil leases in case Donald Trump wins a second term, according to energy executives with direct knowledge of the effort. It is said that preparations are being made to sign a presidential order for this purpose. .

The effort comes amid industry skepticism about whether the Trump campaign will be able to focus on energy issues as Election Day approaches and whether the former president is too preoccupied to prepare for the Biden administration’s swift change in environmental policy. This arises from concerns that there may be. Oil company executives also fear that a second Trump administration will not be able to assemble enough skilled staff to roll back President Joe Biden’s regulations or create new regulations favorable to the industry. , the officials added.
[…]
This effort is just one example of efforts being made by multiple advocacy groups with strong policy agendas. including those who oppose abortion rights -To fill a hole in Trump’s possible return to the White House.

vox

Written by Kenny Trella

“Climate friendly” beef may be hitting a meat counter near you. Don’t be fooled.

One species accounts for about 10%. all Global greenhouse gas emissions: cows.

Like clockwork, every few months, environmental scientists produce new reports about how global warming cannot be curbed unless people in rich countries reduce their intake of cows and other animals. I will publish a book. But meat giant Tyson Foods is working with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on another solution: “climate-friendly” beef.

Tyson is promoting its “Climate Friendly Beef” program, launched last year, and This company, supported by taxpayer dollars, was able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent from a small portion of its cattle herd. These cows are slaughtered and sold under the company’s “Brazen Beef” brand with a USDA-approved “climate-friendly” label, currently available in limited quantities but soon in the meat aisle of your local supermarket. There is a possibility that it will be lined up.

That’s a good story. Americans can continue to eat about 60 pounds of beef a year while the world burns. But this is just the latest salvo in the meat industry’s escalating war on climate science and its campaign to greenwash and retreat from the fight for a livable planet.

So what should we eat? I’m glad you asked!

cool down

Written by Kristen Lawrence

Replacing a single food in your diet with a substitute can extend your lifespan: ‘Significant health benefits’, says study

Meat is a staple in the diets of many people around the world, but new research shows that replacing red and processed meat with plant-based alternatives may help you live longer.

As SciTechDaily reported, a joint study by McGill University and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that replacing even half of your red and processed meat intake with plant protein could extend your lifespan by nearly nine months. It turns out.

The researchers attributed the increase in life expectancy to a lower risk of chronic disease. Additionally, they found that switching to a plant-based or plant-first diet was more beneficial for men, increasing life expectancy by twice as much as women.

vox

Written by Jacob Sweet

The real science behind billionaires pursuing immortality

Jonathan Ann tries to ignore the hype about a new life-prolonging treatment, but it catches up to him anyway.

He has heard the gospel of longevity influencers. Among them is a billionaire who has been involved in a media campaign for months claiming he can live forever by taking 111 pills every day. Anne, an assistant professor of oral science at the University of Washington, doesn’t buy it. But he recently found himself inadvertently caught up in the anti-aging craze, thanks to Mouse.

popular mechanisms

Written by Tim Newcombe

A staggering 19x energy jump over capacitors could be the beginning of the end for batteries

A battery’s best friend is a capacitor. Capacitors, which power everything from smartphones to electric cars, store energy from batteries in the form of electrical charges, allowing them to be charged and discharged at lightning speeds. However, their Achilles heel has always been limited energy storage efficiency.

Now, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have unveiled an innovative capacitor design that could overcome these energy storage challenges.

In a study published in science, Lead author Sang-Hoon Bae, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, said that reducing energy loss allows capacitors to store more energy and charge quickly without sacrificing durability. We have demonstrated a new heterostructure.

new atlas

Written by Bronwyn Thompson

Earth’s ‘Gate to Hell’ is increasing by 35 million cubic feet every year

Whether you’re a John Carpenter fan or a biology buff, it doesn’t take much convincing to know that melting permafrost beneath the polar regions is not a good thing. Last year, scientists gave us another night’s sleep, and not for the first time, by resurrecting a 48,500-year-old “zombie virus” unearthed from the Arctic permafrost. did. This is yet another sting in the tail of climate change and the threat of ancient diseases that have been frozen and dormant for thousands of years.

Now, a new study details the rate at which Siberia’s giant Batagaika crater is cutting into the earth’s surface and expanding at a rate of 35 million cubic feet every year. Today, it is approximately 1 km (0.6 mi) long and 800 m (0.5 mi) wide at its widest point. And it’s accelerating.

new atlas

Written by Joe Sabas

Groundbreaking spaceplane crashes before groundbreaking Aerospike rocket test

This was to be the world’s first flight test of the Aerospike rocket engine, but the MIRA I prototype crashed on takeoff before the most innovative part of the propulsion system could ignite. Still, Polaris has built two larger prototypes.

German aerospace startup Polaris Raumflugzeuge’s MIRA I was flying at about 105 mph (169 km/h) during takeoff when it suffered a “hard landing” due to “landing gear steering reactions” and crosswinds. ” occurred, rendering the spaceplane inoperable. The fiberglass fuselage was damaged beyond repair.

Its subsystems remained largely intact, but rather than attempt to repair the prototype spaceplane, Polaris retired the 4.25-meter (13.9-foot) long MIRA I and replaced the similarly shaped 5-meter (16-foot) Design of MIRA II and III. It is basically a large copy of MIRA I.

brighter side

Written by Joseph Shavitt

Archaeologists solve 4,500-year-old mystery of Stonehenge megaliths

Among the groundbreaking discoveries recorded in prestigious journals, Journal Science Directa research team led by geomorphologist Professor David Nash has solved the centuries-old mystery of Stonehenge’s giant sarsen stones.

These giant stones typically weigh an astonishing 20 tons each and reach heights of 7 meters, but their origins have long been shrouded in mystery. Now, thanks to modern science and technology and the fortuitous return of a core drilled from Stonehenge’s “Stone 58” during restoration efforts in the 1950s, the veil of uncertainty has been lifted.

This is an open thread that welcomes everyone, especially night owls and early risers, to share and discuss the day’s science news. Please share your articles and stories in the comments.