Science News

[SYZ]

A not exactly scientifically supported, convincing viewpoint about
the purported "smartness" of AI, but I play online Scrabble
against the computer, and I win the game probably nine times
out of 10 played.   Not a good look for AI.  

No? How often would you play if you consistently lost?

The AI's objective isn't to win every Scrabble game, it's to keep you clicking.

I would've assumed that an AI-driven game such as Scrabble would have
a better winning record than only one game out of ten.  After all, a lot of
commentators are now claiming that AI-driven platforms are often a lot
smarter than humans.     Whereas I differ in that opinion totally.

AI is merely glorified machine learning, ML.  Nothing more, nothing less.

[Dānu]

No? How often would you play if you consistently lost?

The AI's objective isn't to win every Scrabble game, it's to keep you clicking.

I would've assumed that an AI-driven game such as Scrabble would have
a better winning record than only one game out of ten.  After all, a lot of
commentators are now claiming that AI-driven platforms are often a lot
smarter than humans.     Whereas I differ in that opinion totally.

AI is merely glorified machine learning, ML.  Nothing more, nothing less.

Many games adjust their playing conditions relative to the player's performance to retain interest rather than to defeat the player.

[Paleophyte]

No? How often would you play if you consistently lost?

The AI's objective isn't to win every Scrabble game, it's to keep you clicking.

I would've assumed that an AI-driven game such as Scrabble would have
a better winning record than only one game out of ten.  After all, a lot of
commentators are now claiming that AI-driven platforms are often a lot
smarter than humans.     Whereas I differ in that opinion totally.

AI is merely glorified machine learning, ML.  Nothing more, nothing less.

You don't need AI to beat a human at Scrabble. It's a pretty simple game relying on some very basic combinations. We've had computers that could consistently beat the best humans at Scrabble for a couple of decades. What you're playing is a machine that's savvy enough to adjust it's playing style so that you keep coming back for more. That takes a lot more wits than rearranging some letters on the board.

[brewerb]

Translocation of bacteria from the gut to the brain in mice

(from the abstract)

Recent advances suggest a correlation between gut dysbiosis and neurological diseases, however, relatively little is known about how gut bacteria impact the brain. Here, we reveal that bacteria can translocate directly from the gut to the brain in small numbers when mice are fed an atherogenic, high-fat diet (Paigen diet) that causes alterations in gut microbiome composition and gut barrier permeability. The bacteria were not found in other systemic sites or the blood, but were detected in the vagus nerve. Right cervical vagotomy reduced bacterial burden in the brain, implicating the vagus nerve as a conduit for bacterial translocation from the gut to the brain. Antibiotic treatment perturbed the composition of the gut microbiome and correspondingly changed the bacteria that localized to the brain in the setting of Paigen diet feeding. To further establish the gut as the origin of bacterial translocation to the brain, we gavaged exogenous Enterobacter cloacae into Paigen diet-fed mice, subsequently detecting the E. cloacae in the gut and brain. In addition, we monocolonized germ-free mice with E. cloacae and only cultured the bacteria from the brains of mice fed Paigen diet, but not those fed standard diet. Localization of bacteria to the brain in Paigen diet-fed mice was reversible with return to normal diet. Bacteria were also detected in the brain of murine models of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and autism spectrum disorder fed standard diet. These data reveal a bacterial translocation axis from the gut to the brain, impacted by environmental (diet) and genetic factors, and warrant further investigation to determine if this phenomenon also occurs in humans and to elucidate whether it may play a role in diverse neurological conditions.

https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/ar...io.3003652

[brewerb]

A de-extinction company has hatched live chicks from an artificial eggshell

A biotech company that aims to resurrect lost creatures said Tuesday it has hatched live chicks in an artificial environment — a development that was met with mixed reviews from scientists and critics of its de-extinction mission.

Twenty-six baby chickens — ranging from a few days to several months old — were born from a 3D printed lattice structure that mimics an eggshell, according to Colossal Biosciences.

Colossal previously announced it had genetically engineered living animals to resemble extinct species, including mice with long hair like the woolly mammoth and wolf pups that take after dire wolves.

Colossal’s CEO Ben Lamm said the artificial egg technology could one day be scaled up to genetically tweak living birds to resemble New Zealand’s extinct South Island giant moa, whose eggs are 80 times the size of a chicken’s and would be difficult for any modern bird to lay.

https://apnews.com/article/deextinction-...fcfbb95239

[Gawdzilla Sama]

No moa about Big Bird, please.

[Rizen]

A de-extinction company has hatched live chicks from an artificial eggshell

A biotech company that aims to resurrect lost creatures said Tuesday it has hatched live chicks in an artificial environment — a development that was met with mixed reviews from scientists and critics of its de-extinction mission.

Twenty-six baby chickens — ranging from a few days to several months old — were born from a 3D printed lattice structure that mimics an eggshell, according to Colossal Biosciences.

Colossal previously announced it had genetically engineered living animals to resemble extinct species, including mice with long hair like the woolly mammoth and wolf pups that take after dire wolves.

Colossal’s CEO Ben Lamm said the artificial egg technology could one day be scaled up to genetically tweak living birds to resemble New Zealand’s extinct South Island giant moa, whose eggs are 80 times the size of a chicken’s and would be difficult for any modern bird to lay.

https://apnews.com/article/deextinction-...fcfbb95239

It seems like a better use for that technology would be to feed people or grow artificial organs.

[SYZ]

A de-extinction company has hatched live chicks from an artificial eggshell
         [...]
https://apnews.com/article/deextinction-...fcfbb95239

Independent scientists say the technology, while impressive, lacks
some components to be truly considered an artificial egg... to hatch
the chicks, Colossal scientists poured fertilised eggs into the
artificial system and placed them in an incubator... they might be able
to use this technology to help them make a genetically modified bird,
but that’s just a genetically modified bird.

 —ABC News, 19 May 2026.

The point is, exactly this sort of thing's been done before—with less fanfare.
In decades past, scientists created transparent eggshells that hatched chicks
from plastic films or sacks.

[brewerb]

Restoring rapid natural bimanual typing with a neuroprosthesis after paralysis

Abstract:
Here, recognizing keyboard typing as a familiar, high information rate communication paradigm, we developed an intracortical brain–computer interface (iBCI) typing neuroprosthesis providing bimanual QWERTY keyboard functionality for people with paralysis. Typing with this iBCI involves only attempted finger movements, which are decoded accurately with as few as 30 calibration sentences. Sentence decoding is improved using a 5-gram language model. This typing neuroprosthesis performed well for two iBCI clinical trial participants with tetraplegia—one with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and one with spinal cord injury. Typing speed is user-regulated, reaching 110 characters per minute, resulting in 22 words per minute with a word error rate of 1.6%. This resembles able-bodied typing accuracy and provides higher throughput than current state-of-the-art hand motor iBCI decoding. In summary, a typing neuroprosthesis decoding finger movements, provides an intuitive, familiar and easy-to-learn paradigm for individuals with impaired communication due to paralysis.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-026-02218-y

[Paleophyte]

Restoring rapid natural bimanual typing with a neuroprosthesis after paralysis

It's getting pretty spooky. Welcome to all that science fiction.

[brewerb]

Hackers trick Meta AI support bot to infiltrate Obama White House Instagram account

Hackers used Meta’s AI-powered support chatbot to infiltrate high-profile Instagram accounts, the company has confirmed, saying it resolved the problem after researchers exposed it.The targets ranged from Barack Obama’s White House account to the beauty retailer Sephora and the US Space Force chief master sergeant, John Bentivegna, according to reporting from 404 Media. Everyday users complained of similar hijackings on Reddit and X over the weekend.

Security researchers and hacking groups posted videos and screenshots of how to steal an account on Telegram, and a video shared on X appears to show a hacker telling Meta’s AI assistant to link the account to a new email address. The bot assures the hacker a verification code has been sent to that new email and asks the hacker to input the numbers in the chat interface. Once the hacker pastes the correct number, they are shown a button to reset the targeted account’s password.

In at least one video, the hacker used a virtual private network to spoof the account holder’s location and avoid Meta’s safeguards. Meta said in a statement on Monday: “This issue has been resolved, and we are securing impacted accounts.” It is unclear how many accounts were affected. The breach raises concerns about just how safe it is to rely on AI for essential security measures such as passwords. Stolen account handles were listed for sale on the Telegram messaging platform, according to reports.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2...-instagram

[brewerb]

Energy Department says advanced nuclear reactor first to reach critical milestone

The Energy Department says a small nuclear reactor under development at a national lab has reached a crucial milestone that could allow it to produce electricity within a few years. The microreactor being developed by Antares Nuclear Inc. at the Idaho National Lab reached “criticality” on Thursday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. The milestone occurs when a nuclear reactor achieves a self-sustaining chain reaction capable of producing a steady release of energy.

Antares is the first private company to bring an advanced reactor to criticality under a pilot program begun last year by the Trump administration meant to supercharge nuclear energy production in the U.S. The demonstration was conducted in partnership with the Energy Department and other contractors with support from the U.S. Army. “We are very excited by this news today,” Wright said Friday on a call with reporters. “I think June 4th will be a historic day in the American nuclear renaissance.”

https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-power...bb2c706865

[SYZ]

How I created Rosie's mRNA Vaccine Protocol

https://x.com/paul_conyngham/status/2036940410363535823

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Energy Department says advanced nuclear reactor first to reach critical milestone

The Energy Department says a small nuclear reactor under development at a national lab has reached a crucial milestone that could allow it to produce electricity within a few years. The microreactor being developed by Antares Nuclear Inc. at the Idaho National Lab reached “criticality” on Thursday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. The milestone occurs when a nuclear reactor achieves a self-sustaining chain reaction capable of producing a steady release of energy.

Antares is the first private company to bring an advanced reactor to criticality under a pilot program begun last year by the Trump administration meant to supercharge nuclear energy production in the U.S. The demonstration was conducted in partnership with the Energy Department and other contractors with support from the U.S. Army. “We are very excited by this news today,” Wright said Friday on a call with reporters. “I think June 4th will be a historic day in the American nuclear renaissance.”

https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-power...bb2c706865

Small craft applications? Tug boats, crab boats, etc. Depending on the cost, of course. Military applications are intriguing.

[pattylt]

Energy Department says advanced nuclear reactor first to reach critical milestone

The Energy Department says a small nuclear reactor under development at a national lab has reached a crucial milestone that could allow it to produce electricity within a few years. The microreactor being developed by Antares Nuclear Inc. at the Idaho National Lab reached “criticality” on Thursday, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said. The milestone occurs when a nuclear reactor achieves a self-sustaining chain reaction capable of producing a steady release of energy.

Antares is the first private company to bring an advanced reactor to criticality under a pilot program begun last year by the Trump administration meant to supercharge nuclear energy production in the U.S. The demonstration was conducted in partnership with the Energy Department and other contractors with support from the U.S. Army. “We are very excited by this news today,” Wright said Friday on a call with reporters. “I think June 4th will be a historic day in the American nuclear renaissance.”

https://apnews.com/article/nuclear-power...bb2c706865

Small craft applications? Tug boats, crab boats, etc. Depending on the cost, of course. Military applications are intriguing.

I vote for starships.  I want off this planet.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Okay, Grace, we have a slot for youi.

[SYZ]

Australia's top neurologists say they have been ignored by the
chemical regulator as it considers the future of a controversial
weedkiller linked to Parkinson's disease.

Dozens of the country's top movement disorder specialists say
the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority
(APVMA) has failed to engage with them during its review.  It's
raised fears "real-world data" on paraquat's link to Parkinson's
disease is being overlooked.

(Branded "Paraquat" in Australia, it's  N,N′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridinium dichloride.)

According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global
Burden of Disease study, Parkinson's disease is "the fastest
growing neurological disorder in the world in terms of disability
and death".

Vermont (F. green mountain) is the first US state to ban the weed
killing pesticide paraquat, backed by lawmakers who cited concerns
about research showing the chemical substantially increases the
risk of Parkinson’s disease—although some lawmakers expressed
concern that a ban will hurt the competitiveness of Vermont farmers
if the chemical is still allowed for use in other states.

[Dānu]

Honeybees and shrimp are the latest species undergoing vaccinations, with what could be big benefits for agriculture and aquaculture. A Georgia-based company, Dalan Animal Health, has begun rolling out what the USDA conditionally cleared three years ago as the first honeybee vaccine in the US—and it's now reporting early lab success with a shrimp version unveiled at April's World Vaccine Congress. Both aim to shield high-value farmed species from devastating diseases while cutting reliance on antibiotics, per Science News.

The science breaks from the traditional vaccination playbook. Invertebrates lack the adaptive immune system that human vaccines tap to produce antibodies, so "to come up with a vaccine for an animal that is not producing these antibodies is literally a paradigm shift," zoological medicine specialist Jörg Mayer tells the AAHA's Trends. What invertebrates do have is an innate immunity that research suggests can form a kind of "memory" via heritable epigenetic changes.

Dalan's bee vaccine, made from killed Paenibacillus larvae bacteria, is fed to queens; their offspring emerge more resistant to American foulbrood and a mite-linked virus. For shrimp, brood stock are fed an inactivated bacterial mix; their young are effectively born pre-armed and in lab tests survived some lethal infections at a 50% higher rate, per Science News. Outside experts want peer-reviewed data and real-world trial results, and Dalan plans field tests in Indonesia that could determine whether invertebrate vaccines move from curiosity to a new agribusiness tool.

https://www.newser.com/story/390618/vacc...shift.html

[brewerb]

Have we finally worked out how Venus flytraps snap shut?

It has been widely thought that the mechanism involves water being pumped from one side of the trap to the other through the tissue. This would cause one side to shrink and the other to swell, generating the curvature needed to close the trap. o test this hypothesis, Yoël Forterre at Aix-Marseille University in France and his colleagues measured how long it takes for water to move through the trap, both through the individual cells and the plant’s tissue. It took 30 to 60 seconds for water to move from one side to the other. At this rate, the team concluded that such a mechanism would be too slow, given an insect is typically trapped in less than a second.

Next, they noticed that the trap surface became bumpier after being triggered – a change that they say could only happen with a decrease in cell-wall stiffness. So, they examined whether some kind of softening in the cell wall may be responsible for closing the trap, by using tiny probes to measure the mechanical forces inside the epidermal cells. “We found that, when the trap is triggered, the cell walls of the outer epidermal layer rapidly soften,” says Forterre.

Once the hairs are triggered, an electric signal and a wave of calcium ions are sent across the leaf. “These signals act as the plant’s equivalent of a nervous signal,” he says. “They allow information about the touch to be transmitted from the trigger hair to distant cells across the trap within a fraction of a second.”
When it receives the signal, the outer surface of the trap quickly becomes mechanically less rigid, releasing the internal stresses stored in the tissue and allowing the pressurised inner cells to expand more on that side. As a result, the outer edges lengthen while the interior surface remains stiff, causing the trap to bend and close.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/253...snap-shut/

The post feels incomplete without this.

[SYZ]

From The Guardian UK...

Men’s average testosterone levels have halved over the
past 50 years, according to scientists, who say society
is facing a male fertility crisis.  Total testosterone levels
declined by 54% between 1972 and 2019, according to
data presented at the annual meeting of the European
Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in London.

Rising levels of obesity and diabetes are expected to play
a part, but the team suggested that environmental factors
such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which can be found
in various household items, and global heating could also
be factors in the apparent striking decline.

   But...

Prof Allan Pacey, a professor of andrology at the University
of Manchester says; "The solution that’s being promoted is
that we give you testosterone... but if you give a man
testosterone, you switch off his sperm production. I’ve seen
that in the clinic".

   I had the snip 44 years ago, so I guess I haven't helped, ha, ha.

[pattylt]

We used to have a group of firemen that all did the testosterone gel applications to become beefy manly men. Some of their testosterones became so high, we had to dilute the samples to get a measurement. They were under a doctors care from another city. Since we never saw the patients, we were often curious what other issues developed from those high levels….never found out but wouldn’t be surprised if many of them developed problems. After about two years, no more specimens came our way. They’re either discontinued or went to another lab. High T is not an answer. Low T can be treated but most doctors are very cautious with it.

[brewerb]

We used to have a group of firemen that all did the testosterone gel applications to become beefy manly men.  Some of their testosterones became so high, we had to dilute the samples to get a measurement.  They were under a doctors care from another city.  Since we never saw the patients, we were often curious what other issues developed from those high levels….never found out but wouldn’t be surprised if many of them developed problems.  After about two years, no more specimens came our way.  They’re either discontinued or went to another lab. High T is not an answer.  Low T can be treated but most doctors are very cautious with it.

That's not what the TV tells me. 

[pattylt]

Yeah, most of those “low T” treatments are zinc and some made up name to sound like it’s testosterone(ish). Likely a few vitamins mixed together…

[Paleophyte]

From The Guardian UK...

Men’s average testosterone levels have halved over the
past 50 years, according to scientists, who say society
is facing a male fertility crisis.  Total testosterone levels
declined by 54% between 1972 and 2019, according to
data presented at the annual meeting of the European
Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in London.

Rising levels of obesity and diabetes are expected to play
a part, but the team suggested that environmental factors
such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which can be found
in various household items, and global heating could also
be factors in the apparent striking decline.

   But...

Prof Allan Pacey, a professor of andrology at the University
of Manchester says; "The solution that’s being promoted is
that we give you testosterone... but if you give a man
testosterone, you switch off his sperm production. I’ve seen
that in the clinic".

   I had the snip 44 years ago, so I guess I haven't helped, ha, ha.

Alternately, testosterone in men was twice as high as it ought to have been back in the 70s, courtesy of all of the lead, cadmium, atmospheric testing, etc. The fact that something has declined is not evidence that it has gotten worse.

[SYZ]

...Alternately, testosterone in men was twice as high as it ought to have been back in the 70s, courtesy of all of the lead, cadmium, atmospheric testing, etc. The fact that something has declined is not evidence that it has gotten worse.

Interesting comment.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2823119/

The general population is exposed to metals at trace concentrations either voluntarily through supplementation or involuntarily through intake of contaminated food and water or contact with contaminated soil, dust, or air. Some metals, such as cadmium, lead, arsenic and mercury, are non-essential xenobiotics that are known to be harmful to human health.    Several other metals, such as chromium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc, are essential for good health but may be harmful above certain levels.    A number of metals are reproductive toxicants and suspected endocrine disruptors.    Although exposure to several of these toxic metals is prevalent, human studies of exposure to metals and altered hormone levels to date are quite limited. Alterations in reproductive hormone levels, even at degrees that are considered subclinical, may be associated with or lead to declined fertility and reproductive health, increased risk of endocrine-related cancers, or other adverse effects...

More recently, studies focusing on cadmium exposure outside the workplace have reported positive associations between low-level cadmium exposure and increased testosterone, with some also reporting increased estradiol and/or FSH*, in men.

   *  Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is a hormone
       that plays a significant role in sexual development
       and reproduction by affecting the function of the testes.