Occidental to Keep Oil Production Steady Even as Crude Prices Near $100
Occidental Petroleum Corp. plans to keep its production steady even as oil prices have surged in recent weeks
1970-01-01 08:00
Morgan Stanley’s Wilson Sees Risks Rising for US Consumer Stocks
Consumer stocks, one of the brightest corners of the market this year, are about to lose their shine
1970-01-01 08:00
US restarts supply of free at-home Covid testing
Americans will be able to request four free tests per address from the government starting on Monday.
1970-01-01 08:00
Some Lahaina residents will get to return to the torched remains of their historic town today. But dangers still loom in West Maui
More than a month after catastrophic flames raced across Lahaina, annihilating most of the historic town and killing 97 people in Maui, some residents will finally be able to return to the charred remains of their homes Monday.
1970-01-01 08:00
US hits Chinese, Russian firms over Moscow military aid
By David Shepardson and Alexandra Alper WASHINGTON U.S. President Joe Biden's administration on Monday imposed new trade restrictions
1970-01-01 08:00
Sophia Loren has surgery after fall
Oscar-winning Italian actress Sophia Loren, 89, was taken to hospital on Sunday for surgery after falling in her home in Geneva, Switzerland.
1970-01-01 08:00
The next scoring record in Erling Haaland's sights
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland scored the 44th Premier League goal his career over the weekend as the reigning champions beat Nottingham Forest at the E
1970-01-01 08:00
Family in 'unbearable pain' after alligator kills woman in Florida
Breauna Dorris says her mother may have been walking to or from a campsite when the animal attacked.
1970-01-01 08:00
US Officials Visit Armenia as Thousands Flee Karabakh Region
Senior US officials arrived in Armenia amid growing fears of an exodus from Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s military operation
1970-01-01 08:00
Scientists believe alien life could exist under 'impossible' conditions
Scientists have found that one of the key pillars of theory around how life works – that it depends on carbon – may not be the case on other planets. Here on Earth, life depends on organic compounds which are composed of carbon, and often involve other elements such as sulphur, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen and phosphorus. With organic compounds, life is partly sustained by chemical interactions called autocatalysis, which are self-sustaining. That means they produce molecules which then enable the reaction to happen again, and do not need any outside influence to keep going on. In the new study, scientists looked for autocatalysis in non-organic compounds. The theory is that if autocatalysis helps drive a process called abiogenesis – the origin process for life – then this origin process could also come from non-organic matter. Betül Kaçar, an astrobiologist, bacteriologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told news outlet Space.com: “It's important to explore these possibilities so that we have an idea of what all forms of life can look like, not just Earth life.” "One of the major reasons that origin-of-life researchers care about autocatalysis is because reproduction — a key feature of life — is an example of autocatalysis. “Life catalyses the formation of more life. One cell produces two cells, which can become four and so on. “As the number of cells multiply, the number and diversity of possible interactions multiplies accordingly.” The scientists searched in a huge trove of existing scientific documents for examples of autocatalysis, and found 270 different cycles of the reactions. Most of the 270 examples did not feature organic compounds, but rather elements which are rare in life forms such as mercury, or the radioactive metal thorium. “It was thought that these sorts of reactions are very rare,” Kaçar said in a statement. “We are showing that it's actually far from rare. You just need to look in the right place.” Now, it means scientists can test these cycles to get a better understanding of how autocatalysis can work. “The cycles presented here are an array of basic recipes that can be mixed and matched in ways that haven't been tried before on our planet,” said study author Zhen Peng, also an evolutionary biologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “They might lead to the discovery of completely new examples of complex chemistry that work in conditions where carbon- or even silicon-based cycles are too either combusted or frozen out.” The scientists published their findings in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
NBA 2K24 Update 1.3 Patch Notes: Full List of Changes
The NBA 2K24 update 1.3 patch notes are here with changes to MyCAREER mode, dunking, defense, and more, set to hit the game in October.
1970-01-01 08:00
New language discovered in ancient Bronze Age ruins
Ancient clay tablets unearthed from ancient ruins in Turkey by archaeologists have revealed a language lost to the passages of time. The new language was discovered in the ancient capital of the Hittite Empire at Hattusa (known as Boğazköy-Hattusha). The well-preserved tablets are among many incredible artworks found at the site - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over the past four decades, researchers have dusted off nearly 30,000 unique tablets - with most written in Hittite. New research, however, shows that some of the tablet haul shows that they are written in a language previously unknown to modern man. Of course, the meaning and words of this language have not been deciphered, but it appears from early inspection to branch off from languages used within the Hittite Empire - and is being referred to as Kalašma. Interestingly though, researchers from the Istanbul Department of the German Archaeological Institute have noted that the new language is found within a recitation in a 'cultic ritual text'. While that's usually the basis of a middling horror movie, we're certain that there's nothing to worry about - it stems from an ancient Hittite practice. Professor Daniel Schwemer explains that the discovery wasn't unexpected. "The Hittites were uniquely interested in recording rituals in foreign languages," he said. These ritual texts provide insight into little-known languages, and thanks to this discovery, one more has been added to the list. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
