What is more efficient and professional? Another fishing expedition?
Saturday, October 10, 2026
Google Search/AI fails to provide correct and useful information on specialized German law firms
This was my recent experience!
Caution when using Google AI for legal advice or finding the right attorney!
New technique holds promise for improved gene editing
Good news!
"A new engineered gene editing system, proven in bacteria and with promise for use in plants, animals and humans, addresses some of the limitations of current gene editing tools with the hope of improving their applications for research, for better crops or to treat diseases. ...
A new study describes how scientists fused together components in bacteria that do not naturally occur together, thereby creating the potential for important design opportunities that the group is currently exploring. These components include RNA-guided enzymes believed to represent the evolutionary origins of CRISPR-Cas systems. ...
Previous gene editing methods enabled researchers to change a single base pair of DNA (called base editing) or even a few of them (called prime editing), while this new technique joins a group of new technologies that can introduce whole sections of DNA to correct a disorder without complications. That’s important, because many diseases involve stretches of DNA, making it necessary to change large sections of DNA at once. ..."
From the highlights and abstract:
"Highlights
• TnpB-family proteins can be engineered for RNA-guided transposition
• TniQ-TldR fusion systems achieve efficient, unidirectional DNA insertion
• TniQ-TldR fusions allow a minimal, three-component, programmable integration system
• Changes at the TniQ-TnsC interface in wild-type V-K CAST attenuate off-site insertion
Summary
Programmable DNA integration using CRISPR-associated transposase elements (CASTs) offers powerful capabilities for genome engineering. The large single effector Cas12k CAST examples evolved from a minimal TnpB nuclease protein. Here, we engineer a de novo RNA-guided transposition systems in bacteria, where the single guide RNA effector components are repurposed nuclease-dead TnpB-family proteins.
These compact systems mediate high-efficiency guide-RNA-directed DNA insertion with preserved orientation control, target immunity, and release of a host factor requirement and can be paired with an exonuclease domain to mediate cut-and-paste transposition.
In this engineered context, the TnpB derivatives show features not predicted from the original enzymes, suggesting untapped avenues for improvement.
In parallel, we show that mutations at the TniQ-TnsC interface in the Cas12k CAST system selectively attenuate off-site insertions while enhancing on-site activity.
These results establish how Cas12 proteins and antecedent TnpB proteins can be engineered for high performance and specificity with guide-RNA-directed systems."
Graphical abstract
Morocco’s new female Prime Minister: ‘We Are Muslims, Not Islamists’
The new Prime Minister of Morocco is already coming out and making headlines!
The first female Prime Minister in the Arab world!
It does not hurt to remind that there is a difference between Islam and Islamism!
Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri
Is AI the End of Math As We Know It? You bet!
Any doubts! What computers have not been able to accomplish for several decades, AI will advance Math faster and further!
'Navi' Pillay, who recently accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, wins Nobel Peace Prize
This seems to be another controversial Nobel Peace Prize!
I did not have time to look more into this subject.
"In September last year, Pillay oversaw the publishing of a report by the UN Commission of Inquiry that concluded that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza and that top Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, incited these acts — accusations that Israel called scandalous. ..."
The bus driver’s daughter "A child at the time of the Nuremberg Trials, Navanethem Pillay now carries their legacy forward"
U.S. sanctions ICC shortly after former ICC judge wins Nobel Peace Prize "Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the sanctions, saying the Trump administration is seeking to curb the court’s operations, arguing it has overreached its authority"
In first, Israeli firms, delegation display at Morocco’s Marrakech Airshow
Good news! And Morocco now has the first female Prime Minister in the Arab world! Blessed are the peacemakers!
The Abraham Accords keep on givving!
The Israeli pavilion at the Marrakech Air Show.
Wasserstoff-Lkw ohne Brennstoffzelle: Was BMW jetzt in Leipzig testet
Es müssen ja nicht immer Sportwagen sein oder! Wird das ein Erfolg oder ein Flop für BMW?
Einem deutschen Ingenieur ist nichts zu schwör (auch nicht Wasserstoff)! 😊
Vergesst nicht die Luftschiff Hindenburg Katastrophe von 1937!
"Seit dieser Woche fährt im Werk Leipzig ein 18-Tonner, der die Fertigung für Stoßfänger und Spoiler mit Teilen beliefert. Sein Kolbenmotor stammt aus der Dieseltechnik. Im Tank ist aber Wasserstoff. „Erstmalig in der deutschen Automobilproduktion setzen wir einen Lkw mit Wasserstoffverbrennungsmotor im Regelbetrieb ein“, erklärt BMW-Logistikchef Dirk Wiedmann. ..."
Double edged lipids: How routine cellular stress can fuel chronic inflammation
This could be an interesting review article (unfortunately no public access)!
"Oxidized lipids—fats structurally altered by enzymes, oxygen or free radicals—are double-edged swords that can both quell and ignite systemic inflammation, according to a new comprehensive review aimed at sharpening the overall understanding of an intricate class of highly reactive molecules. ...
The research joins a growing body of analyses that have zeroed in on the impact of oxidized lipids in disorders marked by chronic inflammation. Lipids undergoing enzymatic or nonenzymatic oxidation play critical roles in regulating inflammation ...
Historically, oxPLs were viewed merely as benign byproducts of oxidative stress. But, as the two scientists underscore, oxPLs are now regarded as potent, bioactive molecules that can bind to specific receptors on immune cells, triggering intracellular signaling pathways.
This, in turn, disrupts cellular homeostasis, promotes chronic inflammation and actively drives the progression of various physiological conditions, such as aging, and—of greater concern—certain life-threatening disease processes. ..."
From the abstract:
"Host-derived lipids undergoing enzymatic or nonenzymatic oxidation play critical roles in regulating inflammation.
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, and cholesterol intermediates can be enzymatically oxidized and serve as signaling mediators controlling tissue homeostasis and immunity.
Spontaneously generated oxidized lipids, including nonenzymatically oxidized phospholipids (oxPLs), result from oxidative stress and accumulate during inflammation, affecting cellular metabolism, immune cell functions, and cell fate. These distinct classes of oxidized lipids not only share overlapping inflammatory roles but also exhibit divergent effects depending on their molecular structures and cellular targets.
This Review highlights the double-edged nature of oxPLs: Although their transient production triggers protective responses, their accumulation sustains inflammation, contributing to tissue damage.
We also discuss the emerging roles of oxPLs in cell death programs, immune cell activation, and stromal cell functions, which are critical processes favoring tumor growth. Overall, we highlight how oxidized lipids orchestrate immune responses and explore their contribution to infectious diseases and cancer."
Regulation of inflammation by oxidized lipids (review article, no public access)
Giant tortoises now outnumber the human population in the Seychelles
Amazing stuff! From almost extinction to overpopulation! Or a plague of tortoise?
Yesterday, I blogged here about a 194 year old giant tortoise.
"Giant tortoises now outnumber people in the Seychelles. A new survey puts the Aldabra Atoll tortoise population at nearly 183,000, up from fewer than 1,000 in the 1800s."
The Bank of England will put a hedgehog, a barn owl, a bumblebee, and a puffin on its redesigned banknotes. Really!
Is this some form of British (bad) humor or infantile silliness? Looks like toy money!
So much naivete! Incredible! The regrettable decline of the UK obviously continues!
Will the new British PM Burnham have the guts to stop this?
"The Bank of England will put a hedgehog, a barn owl, a bumblebee, and a puffin on its redesigned banknotes, replacing historical figures like Winston Churchill after a public vote drew 2.5 million ballots."
It appears, the Yemeni and Saudi government are defeating the Houthi terrorists
This and other reports are indicating that the heavy bombardment and the advances of the Yemeni government-aligned forces take their toll on the terrorists!
Friday, October 09, 2026
Thailand’s Queen Suthida Flies A Fighter Jet Solo For The First Time with Palki Sharma
Not bad for a queen! She looks nice with her helmet!
Here is another, longer video of her
Wall Street Journal: France’s Bonfire of Inanities
Recommendable! France is financially broke for years! What did President Macron (with his rich old wife) do about it? Apparently nothing!
Cancer Drug Prices May Fall By 70%: Can India Make Treatment Cheaper? with Palki Sharma. Really!
Government price controls usually don't work and have never worked! Why should it be different in India. This report does not bother to investigate the downsides like volume restrictions, reduced availability, preventing of new drugs and much more!
President Trump awards Big Tech CEOs with nation's highest science prizes
Good news! Well deserved!
Notice the latest smear campaign against President Trump: He was just rewarding his biggest donors! Disgusting! Again Trump Derangement Syndrome!
"... On Thursday, at the Golden Age of American Innovation Summit, President Trump awarded Elon Musk, Jensen Huang, Sergey Brin, and AMD’s Lisa Su the National Medal of Science, the nation’s top science prize. Dell Technologies’ Michael Dell and Microsoft’s Satya Nadella also received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. ..."
43% of Young Voting Age Adults in America Support Sharia. Really!
Most of these young age adults probably do not even know what Sharia law is!
I suspect some serious flaws here!
"... But a new poll finds a disturbing trend among young Americans, that they support the Sharia in even greater numbers than Muslims themselves. “Poll: 4 In 10 Young Americans Support Sharia Law,” by Sarah Lee, The Federalist, October 6, 2026: ..."
"A set of polls released this week by Our Republic and Rasmussen show a concerning trend among American youth, especially in light of recently revealed immigration numbers under [46th President]: A quarter of 18-35 voters polled would support a community implementing Sharia law as the legal code for the entire town, city, or state if the majority of residents living there desired its adoption. ..."
Poll: 4 In 10 Young Americans Support Sharia Law "‘Groups perceived as marginalized are often treated sympathetically without much scrutiny of what those groups or their belief systems actually teach.’"
A blind giant tortoise lives and mates to age 194
Amazing stuff! This tortoise also survived European discoverers, explorers and seafarers stopping by at Saint Helena since 1502 AD.
"Current theory suggests that Aldabra tortoises dispersed “out of Africa,” first from the eastern African coast to Madagascar, then to Granitic Seychelles, and lastly to the Aldabra atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site now harboring around 100,000 tortoises ..."
"On an island in the South Atlantic Ocean, the world’s oldest known land animal spends his days munching on fresh fruit and veggies, sunbathing, napping, and getting frisky with the other members of his bisexual throuple.
At the ripe age of 194 years old, with an estimated hatching date of 1832, an Aldabra giant tortoise named Jonathan ... Old age has not come without challenges, however. Today, Jonathan is blind from cataracts and has lost his sense of smell. But the years do not appear to have diminished his libido: He still regularly mates with Emma and Frederik, two other, much younger, giant tortoises that reside with him on the island of Saint Helena.
What on Earth is Jonathan’s secret?
To find out, scientists decided to take a look at the old tortoise’s genome, as well as his epigenome—the collection of chemical changes on DNA that act like “on/off” switches for genes. ..."
From the abstract:
"Aldabra giant tortoises (Aldabrachelys gigantea) are exceptionally long-lived. We sequenced the genome and methylome of Jonathan, a 194-year-old Aldabra, to explore the molecular basis of his longevity.
Relative to other giant tortoises (A. gigantea and Chelonoidis abingdonii), Jonathan has unique gene variants in most aging pathways.
Moreover, Jonathan has substantial DNA methylation and methylation entropy changes compared to four other Aldabras ranging in age from a 5-year-old juvenile to older adults.
Notably, we found that lower-entropy regions in Jonathan’s methylome were enriched for the promoters of genes involved in the mitochondrial electron transport chain, and RNA metabolism. This suggests that high-fidelity transcription of the genes in these pathways may be crucial for long-lived species.
Our findings support a model for aging wherein the maintenance of low methylation entropy in gene promoters is coupled to efficient mitochondrial energy production, efficient RNA processing, and efficient genomic repair."
Jonathan, the tortoise
The development of mammal embryos, cell by cell
Amazing stuff!
I am not sure I like the expression "DNA typewriter". Obviously, a bad choice! When was the last time any of the involved researchers used a typewriter if ever?
"Decades ago, biologists traced the history of the thousand or so cells that create a nematode from single, fertilized cell.
Documenting such a developmental map for a mammalian embryo is much, much harder for various reasons. Two teams, however, have used genome editing tools in mouse embryonic stem cells or mouse zygotes to create the most comprehensive cell lineage maps so far for early mammalian development.
As the cells of a mouse embryo divided, the editors inserted DNA sequences that let researchers later discern their lineages. Revealed in parallel papers in Cell and Science , the studies chart cell relationships up to the point where the embryonic rodents’ organs begin to form. “ ...
The ultimate goal, a family tree tracing the ancestry of every cell in the mammalian body, could clarify how organs arise, probe the origins of birth defects, help grow better replacement cells for patients, and improve evolutionary studies."
"... To generate lineage maps for mice, both research teams used a DNA-modifying technique known as prime editing to insert distinctive marker sequences into the genomes of embryonic cell as development proceeded. From the modifications that descendant cells accumulated, the researchers could reconstruct how they were related. ..."
From the highlights and abstract (1):
"Highlights
• PEtracer resolves fate dynamics throughout early mouse embryogenesis
• >1.4 million deeply sequenced cells with ∼75% of cell divisions marked
• Quantitative view of lineage biases, restriction timing, and clonal outputs by tissue
• Highly reproducible lineage architecture across independent replicate embryos
Summary
A comprehensive cell fate map of mammalian embryogenesis has remained out of reach given the scale, cellular diversity, and non-deterministic nature of development in utero.
Here, we use PEtracer to continuously install heritable genetic marks as development progresses, reconstructing lineage trees that resolve ∼75% of cell divisions across >1.4 million cells from 16 replicate embryos.
We pair these trees with deep transcriptional profiling to resolve cell fate biases, restriction timing, progenitor pool sizes, and lineage relationships throughout embryogenesis.
Using this quantitative reference, we uncover strikingly reproducible lineage architecture between replicate embryos and chart the lineage dynamics driving fate specification across diverse tissues.
Specific biological insights include the progressive restriction of neural crest fate, the relative contributions of distinct mesodermal origins to endothelium, and the dynamics of axial elongation. This work provides a foundation for a quantitative and predictive understanding of mammalian development."
From the abstract (2):
"Mammalian biology unfolds over time, within tissues and organs opaque to our eyes and instruments.
We applied DNA Typewriter, a sequential molecular recorder, to record the cell lineage of a mouse over nearly two weeks of development.
From one embryo, we reconstruct a time-calibrated, parsimony-supported, zygote-rooted phylogeny of 1.28 million transcriptionally profiled cells.
A burst of editing unequivocally marks the daughters of the first cleavage, which serve as inline replicates.
We quantify clonal dominance arising during gastrulation.
Tree siblings share cell type far above chance; heterotypic siblings mark terminal differentiations. Temporal sweeps of clade co-occurrence recover a dated hierarchy of cell-type couplings; imputed labels for internal nodes recapitulate known state paths. A lineage-anchored ontogeny of mammalian development, long out of reach, is coming into view."
Comprehensive lineage tracing maps the landscape of cell fate decisions in mouse embryogenesis (1, open access)
A DNA Typewriter records the cell lineage history of a mouse, from zygote to late organogenesis (2, no public access)
A DNA Typewriter records the cell lineage history of a mouse, from zygote to late organogenesis (2, preprint, open access)
Graphical abstract (1)
Figure 1 Embryonic-scale cell fate mapping of mouse development with PEtracer (1)
Figure 1. Pronuclear zygotic injection (PNI) of DNA Typewriter components identifies an E13.5 embryo with robust levels of sequential editing. (2)
BMW steigt in die Politik ein: Kein Dienstwagen für die AfD
Typisch Bananenrepublik D! Unglaublich, wenn bestätigt! Sehr peinlich!
"Der bayerische Autobauer riskiert in seiner wirtschaftlichen Krise nun auch eine offene Gegnerschaft zur AfD: Der eben gewählte Landtagspräsident von Sachsen-Anhalt, Tobias Rausch, soll keinen Dienst-BMW fahren dürfen. Aktuell leben fast 20 Millionen AfD-Sympathisanten in Deutschland.
die BMW Group hat am 6. Oktober ein zuvor abgegebenes Leasingangebot an den Landtag zurückgezogen. An genau diesem Tag war der 35-jährige AfD-Politiker Tobias Rausch im ersten Wahlgang zum Parlamentspräsidenten gewählt worden. ..."
China agrees to slash EU hybrid car exports in half, putting brake on trade war
China is not a free market economy! How much has the communist government of China pushed EV production and exports?
"China and EU reach ‘understanding’ on hybrid vehicles after crunch trade talks
The European Union and China “reached an understanding” on trade in hybrid electric vehicles during marathon negotiations in Beijing on Friday, China’s commerce ministry said in a statement."
How do AI chatbots and large language models ‘reason’ like humans?
This could be an interesting new research paper by Tal Linzen and Paul Smolensky
"... The study provides evidence that the internal representations of neural networks implicitly realize symbolic structure. ...
For the new study, ... analyzed the internal functions of several high-profile LLMs. They found that neural networks implicitly grasp symbolic structure within the numeric lists that drive them.
“Our analysis demonstrates that, despite appearances, the vectors powering LLMs are organized in a way that is equivalent to the symbolic structures that drive much of human cognitive function,” ...
“With LLMs, we show that vectors are organized in a very particular way that gives rise to emergent symbolic structure — symbolic structure that is present at a high level despite not being apparent at a low level.” ...
The researchers found that they could replace an LLM’s entire representation-generating process with “role-filler” approximations embodying symbolic structures and the AI system’s behavior would remain largely unchanged. The finding held for small-scale neural networks trained to manipulate lists as well as for seven large-scale LLMs operating in four domains that have long been central in research on symbolic intelligence: language, arithmetic, logic, and computer coding. ..."
From the abstract:
"Modern systems in artificial intelligence (AI) somehow excel in domains for which they seem poorly suited.
Intelligence has traditionally been modeled as operating over structured combinations of symbols, such as logical formulas.
However, the strongest modern AI systems are based on neural networks, which instead represent information in continuous vectors. Vectors seem inadequate for capturing the structure of language, logic, and other cognitive domains, yet neural networks achieve impressive performance in these areas.
How do they do it? In this work, we propose a potential answer: Despite appearances, perhaps the internal representations of neural networks implicitly realize symbolic structure.
In support of this hypothesis, we show that the vector representations of a variety of neural networks can be closely approximated with symbolic structures: we can replace the network's entire representation-generating process with a closed-form equation instantiating a symbolic structure, and the network's behavior remains largely unchanged.
This finding holds for both small-scale neural networks trained to manipulate lists as well as large language models (LLMs) operating in four domains that are central in symbolic traditions: arithmetic, logic, computer code, and language.
Further, our symbolic approximation allows us to modify an LLM's behavior in targeted ways via precise interventions on its internal representations, showing that the LLM's behavior is reliant on the symbolic structures we have identified. This work provides a potential way to reconcile longstanding symbolic conceptions of intelligence with the vector-based nature of modern AI."
The Emergent Symbolic Structure of Artificial Neural Networks (preprint, open access)
Feds Suspect Arizona State University (ASU) of Visa Fraud plus 8 other elite universities
Bad news! Is the Vice President on to something or are these just allegations?
"Vice President JD Vance on Thursday named Arizona State University among nine schools facing a federal investigation into suspected visa fraud involving foreign researchers.
J-1 visa holders account for about 61% of researchers on federally funded grants at ASU and the eight other schools, compared with a national average of 38%, Vance said.
The practice undercuts wages for American graduate students and researchers, he said. Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and MIT are among the other universities named.
ASU denied wrongdoing, saying it educates more STEM majors than any other university and follows U.S. laws and policies in its hiring."
Much improved mind-Reading from fMRI
Amazing stuff!
"... A “mind-reading” AI model called Brain-IT ... can reconstruct [a visual] scene based solely on the brain activity of a person viewing it ...
Brain-IT, by contrast, recognizes patterns of brain activity that are shared by all of us, and translates them into images. ...
“There exist nowadays models that translate brain activity into images, and they can even produce impressive reconstructions that preserve the semantic meaning of the image reasonably well,” ... “However, they tend to make mistakes in basic features such as composition and color.
The new model we developed outperforms them in reconstructing both the content of the image and its details. What’s more, while every other model requires dozens of hours of brain scans to learn to ‘read’ a new person, our model needs only one hour.” ..."
From the abstract:
"Reconstructing images seen by people from their fMRI brain recordings provides a non-invasive window into the human brain. Despite recent progress enabled by diffusion models, current methods often lack faithfulness to the actual seen images.
We present ``Brain-IT'', a brain-inspired approach that addresses this challenge through a Brain Interaction Transformer (BIT), allowing effective interactions between clusters of functionally-similar brain-voxels. These functional-clusters are shared by all subjects, serving as building blocks for integrating information both within and across brains.
All model components are shared by all clusters & subjects, allowing efficient training with limited amount of data.
To guide the image reconstruction, BIT predicts two complementary localized patch-level image features:
(i) high-level semantic features which steer the diffusion model toward the correct semantic content of the image; and
(ii) low-level structural features which help to initialize the diffusion process with the correct coarse layout of the image.
BIT's design enables direct flow of information from brain-voxel clusters to localized image features.
Through these principles, our method achieves image reconstructions from fMRI that faithfully reconstruct the seen images, and surpass current SotA approaches both visually and by standard objective metrics.
Moreover, with only 1-hour of fMRI data from a new subject, we achieve results comparable to current methods trained on full 40-hour recordings."
Brain-IT: Image Reconstruction from fMRI via Brain-Interaction Transformer (preprint, open access)
The Viral Tipping Point of Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection
Amazing stuff!
"scientists ... have discovered that the fate of an individual infected cell, too, depends on the number of virions that enter it. ...
the researchers reveal that the cellular infectious dose determines whether a virus will become active in the cell or enter a dormant state. These findings pave the way for therapies that could control the outcome of infection. ...
While most viruses invade a living cell and immediately exploit its machinery to replicate, herpesviruses and HIV have another option: They can wait patiently in a dormant state inside the cell until conditions become favorable. For example, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), a member of the herpesvirus family, infects most of the world’s population, usually without causing disease, but when the immune system is weakened, the dormant virus can reawaken and cause severe infections. Moreover, HCMV is one of the most common infections passed from mother to fetus, and in a minority of cases it can cause serious harm, including developmental delays and hearing loss.
Among the hiding places for dormant cytomegalovirus in the body are blood-system cells called monocytes. ..."
From the abstract:
"Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection results in either productive or latent infection, the latter enabling life-long viral persistence. Monocytes support latent infection but become permissive to productive infection upon differentiation into macrophages.
These differentiation-driven differences have been largely attributed to chromatin-mediated repression of the viral genome. Using metabolic labeling of newly synthesized RNA, we observe markedly lower viral transcription at early stages of infection in monocytes compared to macrophages.
Unbiased comparison reveals that this difference is partly explained by inefficient viral entry in monocytes: fewer viruses enter, and correspondingly, fewer genomes reach the nucleus. Indeed, ectopic expression of known HCMV entry receptors in monocytes enhances viral entry and enables productive infection, demonstrating that these cells can support full lytic replication if entry is efficient. We further identify integrin β3 as a differentiation-induced surface protein playing an important role in HCMV entry into macrophages, partially accounting for the observed differences in entry efficiency.
Finally, we show that cells receiving fewer viral genomes are the ones that establish latent infection and have the capacity to reactivate. Overall, our findings reveal that entry is a previously unrecognized factor contributing to latent infection in monocytes, adding a critical layer to the paradigm of HCMV latency."
Viral entry shapes HCMV latency establishment (open access)
Monocytes (left) and macrophages (right) one hour after exposure to cytomegalovirus virions (green), showing only a few individual virions in monocytes versus extensive viral entry into macrophages. Cell boundaries are shown in red and nuclei in blue
Fig. 1: HCMV infection and viral gene expression in monocytes and macrophages.
Japanese ship Sets Record with Hydrogen-Powered Coastal Tanker
Good news!
Notice it is a hybrid ship which still needs diesel!
"The Kikou Maru didn’t just break waves—it broke through a long-standing ceiling in maritime decarbonisation. In a world first for coastal tankers, the 4,800 DWT vessel completed sea trials powered by a four-stroke hydrogen engine, electric propulsion motors, and lithium-ion batteries, logging a two-hour run in Osaka Bay. The trial cut CO₂ emissions by 1.2 tonnes and marked the first time a coastal tanker of this size operated on a hydrogen-diesel hybrid cycle at sea. ..."
Neanderthals were skilled woodworkers, first-of-its-kind tool trove in Spain reveals
Amazing stuff!
"Home decorating isn’t unique to Homo sapiens. More than 40,000 years ago, bands of Neanderthals turned a spacious rock shelter in the mountains of Spain into a cozy home, fashioning wood into tools and windbreaks and burning it for heat and light. That picture comes from a first-of-its-kind trove of Neanderthal wooden artifacts from a domestic space, found at a cliffside site called Abric Romaní, 50 kilometers west of Barcelona. ...
Added to even older evidence from sites in Germany and Italy, the tools from Abric Romaní provide strong evidence that our ancient hominin cousins were craftspeople roughly on par with our own species ..."
From the abstract:
"Wood technology likely played a key role in human evolution, yet it remains poorly documented because organic materials rarely preserve in archaeological contexts.
The Middle Palaeolithic site of Abric Romaní (Capellades, Barcelona) provides exceptional evidence of Neanderthal woodworking preserved through travertine incrustation.
We document 597 wooden imprints and charred wood remains recovered from 16 archaeological levels dated between ∼62,000 and 40,000 years ago.
The assemblage includes wood imprints, charred wood imprints, and charred macroremains, among which several anthropogenic objects can be identified.
These include tools and weapons, domestic artifacts, and structural elements, revealing a wide range of woodworking activities.
Key discoveries include wooden spears, pointed sticks, and domestic objects such as trays and tripods. A club-like artifact recovered from level P represents a unique object with no clear parallel in the prehistoric record. The Abric Romaní assemblage highlights the importance of wood within Neanderthal technological systems and provides previously unknown insights into the role of organic materials in Middle Palaeolithic societies."
Exploring the Wood Technology of the Neanderthals of the Abric Romaní (Capellades, Barcelona) (original news release)
Més enllà de la pedra: l’Abric Romaní mostra un univers neandertal fet també de fusta (original news release)
Neanderthal woodworking at Abric Romaní: Insights into the role of wood in a Middle Palaeolithic domestic context (open access)
Fig. 1. Trays crafted from bark that have been preserved in a carbonized state, recovered from levels H and O.
'The Orange Plague': Naked Trump statue on display at European Parliament in Strasbourg
Disgusting! Incredible! What are they thinking! Again Trump Derangement Syndrome!
The Orange Plague': Naked Trump statue on display at European Parliament in Strasbourg | Euronews "A gold statue depicting Donald Trump fully naked and crushing a smaller man’s shoulders has been unveiled in the European Parliament building in Strasbourg, France."
US bars Microsoft, Adobe, and major IT firms from green card program for skilled foreign workers
Serious stuff! President Trump means business! How will India or Indians respond?
"... H-1B visas are designed for highly skilled positions that employers may struggle to fill with qualified U.S. workers. Tech companies are among the largest users of the program, with nearly three-quarters of approved visas going to workers from India ..."
Thursday, October 08, 2026
The Nixon and Kissinger Dynamic - Frost/Nixon Interviews
How smart a cookie was President Nixon? How much did he know about history?
Just the fact that he chose another smart cookie, Henry Kissinger, as his secretary of state speaks well of him!
‘You Destroyed Europe’: Fierce EU Parliament Attack on Ursula von der Leyen by Polish MEP Ewa Zajączkowska-Hernik
Recommendable! The attack is actually only about 2 minutes long!
Belgium Hits Boiling Point; Student Protest Storm Grips Cities; 100+ Arrested in Liege
Are the French protests spreading? Which other country will be next?
The Impossible Equation Behind String Theory's 26 Dimensions with Matt O'Dowd
Very recommendable as usual, but not easy to follow!
„Trans-Polizistin“ verurteilt: Wenn ein Mann als Frau ein Mädchen vergewaltigt
Schlagzeile des Tages!
Bananenrepublik D: Und wieder mal Kuschelstrafen und Kuscheljustiz in diesem Fall! Nur 3 Jahre und 3 Monate!!!! Wie bitte! Unglaublich!
Alleine die Tatsache, dass eine Polizistin die Vergewaltigung verübt hat sollte mindestens 3 Jahre Knast bedeuten! Und dann noch eine Minderjährige, nochmal 3 Jahre zusätzlich mindestens!
"Maja S. wurde als Mann geboren und hieß Heiko. Im Prozess gegen die Transfrau wird deutlich, wie problematisch der Geschlechterwechsel ist, der auf Betreiben von FDP und Grünen so stark vereinfacht wurde.
Am Dienstag hat das Landgericht Traunstein die 55 Jahre alte Bundespolizistin Maja S. zu drei Jahren und drei Monaten Haft ohne Bewährung verurteilt – wegen Vergewaltigung, Missbrauchs, Körperverletzung und des Besitzes von Kinderpornografie. ...
Maja S. hatte im August 2025 die 15 Jahre alte Tochter einer Freundin vergewaltigt ..."
Sharing AI progress in mathematics by released more than 700 AI-generated papers | OpenAI
This is only the beginning! What an avalanche! Breathtaking!
How fast will mathematics (the queen of the sciences according to Carl Friedrich Gauss) now advance going forward? Maybe in the coming months/quarters we will see more progress than in the past 1000 years or so.
"OpenAI released more than 700 AI-generated papers presenting results related to more than 370 previously unsolved mathematical problems, including some of the field’s hardest. The massive dump marks yet another landmark in the use of AI to attack complex math—but experts are split over whether such releases are good for the field. Learn about what’s in the papers—and how researchers are reacting."
The Danes, the Dutch, the Swedes and the feasibility of walking away from pay-as-you-go pensions
This could be an interesting working paper!
"This paper examines whether the pension systems of Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden outperform predominantly pay-as-you-go (PAYG) systems, and whether their development provides a replicable reform path for other European Union countries.
We find that Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden have developed multi-pillar systems combining public pensions with large, prefunded components. These systems deliver comparatively high final-wage replacement rates and low old-age poverty, while limiting long-term fiscal pressures and supporting higher national savings, deeper capital markets and the supply of long-term risk capital. The experience of these three countries demonstrates that a substantial shift towards prefunded, predominantly defined-contribution pensions need not undermine retirement income security and can strengthen long-term fiscal sustainability.
However, other EU countries will struggle to replicate the historical transitions seen in Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden. In the three countries, prefunded pension assets accumulated gradually over decades, supported by favourable demographic and economic conditions and strong social-partner institutions. ..."
First Fully Implantable Cochlear Implant Launches allows hearing 24 hours a day
Good news!
"... A new, fully implanted cochlear implant from Austrian company Med-El now offers the prospect of round-the-clock hearing without any visible sign. ...
The device has received European regulatory approval and the first four commercial implantations were carried out on the morning of the announcement, though it’s not yet available in the United States. ..."
"
- The world's first and only commercially available cochlear implant with all components, including the microphone, implanted beneath the skin
- Provides people with severe-to-profound hearing loss with continuous access to sound throughout daily life, including during sleep
- Combines complete invisibility with hearing performance designed to be comparable to established cochlear implant solutions
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MED-EL Launches TICI UNICO, the World's First and Only Totally Invisible Cochlear Implant (original news release)
Med-El’s new cochlear implant places its microphone, sound processor, rechargeable battery, and receiver coil beneath the scalp.
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