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An asteroid about as long as the Great Pyramid of Giza is tall will make a “close” approach with Earth on Sunday (July 25), according to NASA calculations.

There is no worry that the space rock poses any threat to Earth, but NASA monitors such rocks to both learn more about the early solar system — asteroids are rocky fragments from that time — and because if their orbits were to change, the asteroid could pose a future risk to Earth.

A collaboration between documentary filmmaker Neil Halloran and Nobel Peace Prize — Research and Information, this short data-driven film simulates a nuclear blast in a major city in order to tally the estimated deaths that would result. Using data from leading researchers and highlighting present day technology developments, the film illustrates the very real danger nuclear weapons still pose to humanity and life on Earth.

3D Printing is gaining more momentum and popularity than ever! Designers and architects all over the world are now adopting 3D Printing for the creation of almost all types of products and structures. It’s a technique that is being widely utilized in product design, owing to its simple and innovative nature. But designers aren’t employing 3D printing only to create basic models, they’re utilizing this technique in mind-blowing ways as well! From 3D printed artificial coral reefs to a menacing two-wheeler design with 3D printed bodywork, the scope of this dependable technique is unlimited! Dive into this collection of humble yet groundbreaking 3D printed designs!

“Continents are sort of like icebergs,” says study author Keith Klepeis, a structural geologist at the University of Vermont. “What you see at the surface is not really the full extent of the beast.”

The discovery, described in the journal Geology, may help solve a riddle that’s long perplexed scientists. Most continents contain a core of rock known as a craton, a sort of geologic nucleus at least a billion years old that acts like a stable base upon which continents build. Until now, though, the oldest continental crust found on Zealandia was dated to roughly 500 million years ago—relatively youthful in geologic terms. So if Zealandia is a continent, why did its craton seem to be missing?

This newfound fragment of ancient rock may be part of the missing piece for Zealandia. The discovery “ticks the final box,” Turnbull says. “We are sitting on a continent.”

The renowned Mexican architect Miguel Ángel Aragonés presented ten years of research materialized in his most recent project entitled “Casa PI” whose acronym translates to a new “intelligent prefabricated” construction project. Patented in Switzerland, this system seeks to break the housing paradigm from an integral design that combines the structure of the house with the furniture and new automation technologies in architecture.

The origin of this innovation stems from the idea of creating a modular constructive system that was sustainable, in high quality, that would accelerate construction times, improve acoustic and thermal performance, as well as reduce construction costs and waste. It is based on implementing the technology, we currently live every day with, in an integral design (since conventional homes have had to adapt to these advances through facilities that hinder the design). However, “Casa PI” seeks to start from scratch by serving as a pavilion that shows the advances of this specific moment in history by offering a “piece of furniture to live in” that consumes as little energy as possible.

PI is a structure that works both vertically (as a column), horizontally (as a lock or chain), or mixed, and to which additional pieces are attached to integrate the final configuration. This modular construction system optimizes resources and reduces waste. The walls, based on overlapping paneling, are the final finish that covers the layers of thermal and acoustic insulation. The electrical and hydraulic installations are designed by means of screw-in and plug-in connections that avoid the work of welding and complicated connections. It guarantees the highest constructive quality in record time, providing a range of direct benefits: it does not require painting, waterproofing, or anti-corrosion coatings. It allows the adaptation of a thermal-acoustic system that reduces energy consumption to achieve an optimal level of comfort, whether or not, a central air conditioning system is used.

Making deepfakes is getting easier, and they’re more convincing than ever. Cybercriminals are using video and audio deepfakes to extort money from victims by adding a credible “fake authenticity” to their scams.

Ever since the first person said “the camera never lies,” there have been people out to prove otherwise. Creative photographers in the late 19th century used simple tricks to create faked images.

The “person in a bottle” gag enjoyed its moment of popularity. Take a photograph of yourself in a suitable pose. Develop and print the photograph at the appropriate size. Cut out your image, pop it into a glass bottle, and take another photograph of yourself holding the bottle. Hey presto, you have an image of yourself holding a bottle containing a miniature version of yourself.

Using high-powered imaging, the researchers were able to see, for the first time, that immune cells called microglia were not just removing damaged material after experimental seizures but actually appeared to be healing damaged neurons.


Summary: Microglia do not only remove damaged materials following a seizure, they also appear to heal damaged neurons.

Source: University of Virginia

University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have discovered a previously unknown repair process in the brain that they hope could be harnessed and enhanced to treat seizure-related brain injuries.

Summary: A novel helmet that generates a noninvasive oscillating magnetic field was able to reduce tumor mass by 31% in a glioblastoma brain cancer patient.

Source: Houston Methodist.

Houston Methodist Neurological Institute researchers from the department of neurosurgery shrunk a deadly glioblastoma tumor by more than a third using a helmet generating a noninvasive oscillating magnetic field that the patient wore on his head while administering the therapy in his own home. The 53-year-old patient died from an unrelated injury about a month into the treatment, but during that short time, 31% of the tumor mass disappeared. The autopsy of his brain confirmed the rapid response to the treatment.