Squire1039

Summary

A new study suggests that writing down your anger and then throwing the paper away can significantly reduce anger levels. Researchers believe the act of throwing away the paper with your written anger on it symbolically throws away the anger itself.

The study involved participants writing about a social problem and then receiving negative feedback designed to make them angry. They were then asked to write about their anger and either throw the paper away, shred it, or put it in a folder. Throwing the paper away and shredding it resulted in a significant reduction in anger compared to putting the paper in a folder.

The researchers believe this technique may work because we associate objects with our feelings and destroying the object feels like destroying the feeling itself. They acknowledge that this technique may not work for very serious anger issues.

Link to the study

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-57916-z

Summary:

• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) detected the incident in February 2024.
• Hackers compromised 11 email accounts, but no evidence suggests access to other systems.
• The IMF uses Microsoft 365 for email and is investigating the incident with cybersecurity experts.
• This is not the first IMF cyberattack; a major breach occurred in 2011.
• Connection to recent Microsoft 365 breaches by a Russian hacking group is unclear.

Summary

An experiment is underway in the Arctic to save its sea ice from vanishing due to global warming. Scientists are pumping seawater onto the ice to thicken it, aiming to reduce the amount of solar energy absorbed by the dark ocean surface. This approach, part of the controversial field of geoengineering, faces skepticism from many experts who argue it could have unforeseen consequences and distract from the urgent need to cut carbon emissions. While the researchers stress that their efforts are still in the experimental stage, they acknowledge that geoengineering is not a standalone solution and that reducing emissions remains paramount. Despite the challenges, they believe innovative approaches are necessary to address the rapid decline of Arctic sea ice, which poses serious threats to the planet's ecosystems and climate.

This article discusses a new study on the link between gut bacteria and diet, particularly the ability to digest cellulose, a major component of plants.

Key Points:

• Humans have gut bacteria that can break down cellulose, but the amount varies depending on diet.
• Rural populations and hunter-gatherers have more of these bacteria compared to urban dwellers.
• The decline is likely due to modern, processed diets low in fiber.
• Some cellulose-digesting bacteria may have come from our primate ancestors, while others were acquired from domesticated herbivores like cows.
• These bacteria, though digesting cellulose for themselves, may provide benefits to human health through byproducts and immune system interaction.

The study identified:

• Four distinct groups of cellulose-digesting bacteria in humans.
• A historical decline in these bacteria with dietary changes.
• Potential benefits to gut health from these bacteria, even if they contribute minimally to direct food processing.

Researchers presented new techniques to fight sophisticated hacking at a tech conference. Here are the highlights:

Self-destruct chips:

• A team from Vermont and Marvell created chips with unique fingerprints that can destroy themselves (through increased voltage) if tampered with. This prevents both counterfeiting and unauthorized access to information.
• Probe detection: Columbia and Intel researchers developed a circuit that detects probes attached to a circuit board, preventing hackers from gaining physical control of a system.
• Signal Obscuring: Researchers from Texas and Intel created a method to hide a chip's power and electromagnetic signals, making it harder for attackers to steal information.

These innovations could improve chip security and save businesses billions from chip counterfeiting.

Comments

NGL. After I saw "Self-destruct chips", I was just overwhelmed by Mission Impossible theme song.

https://youtu.be/PeKW0stTThk

Tiny worms living in the radioactive Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) surprisingly show no signs of radiation damage in their genes. Researchers compared the worms' genomes to those from non- irradiated areas and found no mutations caused by radiation.

This doesn't mean the zone is safe, but suggests these worms have remarkable resilience to radiation. Studying these worms might provide insights into DNA repair mechanisms that could benefit human health research, such as understanding why some people are more susceptible to cancers caused by DNA damage.

Summary

Hackers are compromising WordPress sites to inject malicious scripts. These scripts can either steal cryptocurrency from visitors' wallets or hijack their browsers to launch brute-force attacks against other websites. The hackers are likely building a larger pool of compromised sites to launch more extensive attacks in the future.

The article discusses the mysterious nature of large language models and their remarkable capabilities, focusing on the challenges of understanding why they work. Researchers at OpenAI stumbled upon unexpected behavior while training language models, highlighting phenomena such as "grokking" and "double descent" that defy conventional statistical explanations. Despite rapid advancements, deep learning remains largely trial-and-error, lacking a comprehensive theoretical framework. The article emphasizes the importance of unraveling the mysteries behind these models, not only for improving AI technology but also for managing potential risks associated with their future development. Ultimately, understanding deep learning is portrayed as both a scientific puzzle and a critical endeavor for the advancement and safe implementation of artificial intelligence.

A trial program conducted by Pornhub in collaboration with UK-based child protection organizations aimed to deter users from searching for child abuse material (CSAM) on its website. Whenever CSAM-related terms were searched, a warning message and a chatbot appeared, directing users to support services. The trial reported a significant reduction in CSAM searches and an increase in users seeking help. Despite some limitations in data and complexity, the chatbot showed promise in deterring illegal behavior online. While the trial has ended, the chatbot and warnings remain active on Pornhub's UK site, with hopes for similar measures across other platforms to create a safer internet environment.

Fasting for a week:

• Causes significant changes in protein levels across various organs.
• May have health benefits beyond weight loss, but only after 3 days.
• Switches energy source from glucose to fat after 2-3 days.
• Average weight loss of 5.7 kg (fat and muscle), with most fat loss sustained after 3 days of eating.

Implications:

• Provides insights into the molecular basis of fasting's health effects.
• Paves the way for developing alternative treatments based on fasting benefits.
• Confirms historical use of fasting for specific health conditions.

A rare event was documented: a single killer whale, or orca, successfully hunted and killed a juvenile great white shark. This "astonishing" attack, filmed in 2023, showcased the orca's exceptional predatory skills. It's the first recorded instance of a solo orca hunting a great white, highlighting the animal's adaptability and learning abilities.

Previously, scientists had observed orcas working together to target and consume the livers of great white sharks. This new observation raises questions about the impact of killer whale behavior on shark populations and potential consequences for the ecosystem. The scientists emphasize that further research is needed to understand the motivations behind this behavior and its broader ecological implications. The discovery also highlights the remarkable hunting skills and intelligence of killer whales.

Summary:

• US courts have received over 130 requests from law enforcement to access push notification data from phones, reported the Washington Post.
• This data can reveal a user's location, device details, IP address, and more, even if they use encrypted messaging apps.
• This raises concerns about privacy, as prosecutors and foreign governments could potentially access this data for various reasons.
• While Apple and Google are promising more transparency regarding data requests, security experts highlight the potential for abuse by governments and marketing organizations.

Key Points:

• Push notification metadata includes information like the app receiving the notification, timestamp, and network details.
• This data is not encrypted and can be used to track user movements and activity.
• Law enforcement can use this data for investigations, but it also raises concerns about potential misuse by other parties.
• Experts recommend increased awareness about the information users share through push notifications and the potential privacy risks involved.