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AI models fall for the same scams that we do

Large language models can be used to scam humans, but AI is also susceptible to being scammed – and some models are more gullible than others




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Earth is now gaining less heat than it has for several years

The recent surge in warming led to fears that climate change may be accelerating beyond model projections, but a fall in how much heat Earth is gaining makes this less likely




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Meditation seems to improve our empathy for strangers

In a small study, women experienced more empathy for strangers who were experiencing pain after an eight-week meditation training programme




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Flu viruses have evolved proteins that let them break through mucus

Computer simulations of how influenza A moves through human mucus found it is ideally configured to slide through the sticky stuff on its way to infecting cells




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Quantum 'Schrödinger's cat' survives for a stunning 23 minutes

A typically fragile quantum superposition has been made to last exceptionally long, and could eventually be used as a probe for discovering new physics




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The Amazon is teetering on the edge of a climate tipping point

In some recent years, the Amazon biome released more carbon than it absorbed, and further degradation could make it a permanent shift




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Quantum batteries could give off more energy than they store

Simulations suggest that when a quantum battery shares a quantum state with the device it is powering, the device can gain more charge than was stored in the battery to begin with




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Oldest tadpole fossil known to science dates back 161 million years

A fossil of a tadpole from Argentina is 161 million years old - and isn't that different from some modern species




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Cancer atlas reveals how tumours evolve inside the body

A massive undertaking to map cancer tumours is providing new insights into how the disease forms, evolves and develops resistance to treatments




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Simple fix could make US census more accurate but just as private

The US Census Bureau processes data before publishing it in order to keep personal information private – but a new approach could maintain the same privacy while improving accuracy




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Spies can eavesdrop on phone calls by sensing vibrations with radar

An off-the-shelf millimetre wave sensor can pick out the tiny vibrations made by a smartphone's speaker, enabling an AI model to transcribe the conversation, even at a distance in a noisy room




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Lakes are losing winter ice cover at an astonishing rate

Fewer lakes are freezing over each winter compared with past years, posing environmental and economic consequences around the world




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War-era sugar rationing boosted health of UK people conceived in 1940s

People conceived during the UK's 1940s and 50s sugar rationing have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure than those conceived after rationing ended




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Data centres may soon burn as much extra gas as California uses daily

In support of their AI ambitions, tech companies are rapidly expanding US data centres, and this growth is on track to significantly increase US gas demand by 2030




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Cloud-inspired material can bend light around corners

Light can be directed and steered around bends using a method similar to the way clouds scatter photons, which could lead to advances in medical imaging, cooling systems and even nuclear reactors




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Bird flu was found in a US pig – does that raise the risk for humans?

A bird flu virus that has been circulating in dairy cattle for months has now been found in a pig in the US for the first time, raising the risk of the virus evolving to become more dangerous to people




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We've seen particles that are massless only when moving one direction

Inside a hunk of a material called a semimetal, scientists have uncovered signatures of bizarre particles that sometimes move like they have no mass, but at other times move just like a very massive particle




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COP29: Clashes over cash are set to dominate the climate conference

The focus is on finance at the UN climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, this month, but countries are a long way from any kind of consensus




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The COP16 biodiversity summit was a big flop for protecting nature

Although the COP16 summit in Colombia ended with some important agreements, countries still aren’t moving fast enough to stem biodiversity loss




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Heat can flow backwards in a gas so thin its particles never touch

A surprising reversal of our usual understanding of the second law of thermodynamics shows that it may be possible for heat to move in the “wrong” direction, flowing from a cold area to a warm one




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Spraying rice with sunscreen particles during heatwaves boosts growth

Zinc nanoparticles, a common sunscreen ingredient, can make plants more resilient to climate change – in a surprising way




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Natural fibres in wet wipes may actually be worse for soil and animals

Fibres in wet wipes and clothes often make their way into soil - and natural versions could be more damaging than synthetic ones




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Dazzling images illuminate research on cardiovascular disease

The British Heart Foundation’s Reflections of Research competition showcases beautiful images captured by researchers studying heart and circulatory disease




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Vampire bats run on a treadmill to reveal their strange metabolism

Experiments where vampire bats were made to run on a treadmill have revealed how they extract energy from protein in their latest blood meal




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Cancer deaths expected to nearly double worldwide by 2050

Experts predict that the number of cancer cases around the world will skyrocket, resulting in millions more fatalities by 2050




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2024 is set to be the first year that breaches the 1.5°C warming limit

This year’s average global temperature is almost certain to exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial times – a milestone that should spur urgent action, say climate scientists




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Carbon emissions from private jets have exploded in recent years

The climate impact of flights taken by the super-rich rose sharply from 2019 to 2023, fuelling calls for a carbon tax on private aviation




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Marmots could have the solution to a long-running debate in evolution

When it comes to the survival of animals living in the wild, the characteristics of the group can matter as much as the traits of the individual, according to a study in marmots




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Slick trick separates oil and water with 99.9 per cent purity

Oil and water can be separated efficiently by pumping the mixture through thin channels between two semipermeable membranes




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Quantum Rubik's cube has infinite patterns but is still solvable

Allowing for moves that create quantum superpositions makes a quantum version of a Rubik’s cube incredibly complex, but not impossible to solve




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Watch elephants use a hose to shower themselves – and prank others

Asian elephants at Berlin Zoo show impressive skill when using a hose as a tool, and even appear to sabotage each other by stopping the flow of water




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Chimps do better at difficult tasks when they have an audience

An analysis of thousands of cognitive tests carried out by chimpanzees finds that the number of spectators influenced their performance in different ways depending on the difficulty of the task




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AI helps robot dogs navigate the real world

Four-legged robot dogs learned to perform new tricks by practising in a virtual platform that mimics real-world obstacles – a possible shortcut for training robots faster and more accurately




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Any delay in reaching net zero will influence climate for centuries

Reaching net-zero emissions is essential for halting climate change - but even after we achieve this goal, parts of the planet will continue to warm. Delaying net zero will worsen these effects




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How a single gopher restored a landscape devastated by a volcano

Never underestimate what a single gopher can achieve in a day: one of the burrowing mammals helped boost soil fungi in an area blanketed by ash from the explosive eruption of Mount St Helens in Washington state




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Audio AIs are trained on data full of bias and offensive language

Seven major datasets used to train audio-generating AI models are three times more likely to use the words "man" or "men" than "woman" or "women", raising fears of bias




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Our only visit to Uranus came at an unusual time for the planet

Voyager 2 flew by Uranus in 1986, giving us our only up-close look at the planet – but unusual space weather just before the craft arrived has given us a misleading idea about the planet’s magnetic field




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Lights on surfboards and wetsuits could deter shark attacks

Experiments show that illuminating the underside of a decoy seal reduces attacks by great white sharks, revealing a possible strategy to protect surfers and swimmers




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Red kites and buzzards are being killed by misuse of rat poisons

Campaigners are calling for stricter controls on rodenticides after finding that birds of prey in England are increasingly being exposed to high doses of rat poison




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Migratory birds can use Earth's magnetic field like a GPS

Eurasian reed warblers don’t just get a sense of direction from Earth’s magnetic field – they can also calculate their coordinates on a mental map




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24 Purrfectly Hissterical Cat Memes to Warm Up This Cold Caturday Morning

Caturday morning. Usually, we are excited about this. Finally getting to this day after a long, difficult week of work. But today, it's not excitement that we feel. It's contentment. Yes. Waking up on a Caturday during this cold weather, with the blankets heavy on top of us, with the knowledge that our morning coffee will be hot and comforting, with our snuggly cats by our sides enjoying the warm blankets as much as we do… this is the life. The only thing that could possibly be missing from this picture is our morning Caturday memes, and when it comes to that, we have got you covered. 

Every Caturday morning, we make sure to bring you the funniest cat memes that we could find. We do it in every season, and it's impurrtant every week that we do, but enjoying cat memes is especially important right meow. It is. Because we want this time of year - this coziness and contentment to fuel us as much as possible for as long as pawssible. 




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20 Of The Cutest Itty Bitty Kitties That Can Easily Fit In The Palm Of Your Hand (November 9, 2024)

Good morning, cat people, and welcome back to the most dangerous, spooky listicle that will shake you to your core and leave you trembling. Do not be fooled by the title. While it is indeed true that this listicle is full of itty bitty kitties that can fit in the palm of your hand, that does not mean that it is not dangerous. In fact, it's much more dangerous than you think. These teeny weeny kitties have incredible powers of meownipulation. They can make us do all kinds of things, whether we want to or not. 

They even force us to write this listicle every single week, showcasing the tiniest kittens - i.e. the biggest criminals of the week. Beware of their powers when you start scrolling down, because before you know it, you may end up walking to a shelter in search of your fourth kitten to adopt. Trust us, we have been there, continue with caution. 




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24 Funniest Feline Posts for Meme-Loving Cat Pawrents to Meow Caturday Cheer Throughout the Holiday Season

Hey, I Can Has-ers. Now that Meowlloween is over, it's officially time for us to start prepping for the meowlidays. Every Caturday is a holiday for us, and the fact that we get to have tasty meals and days off from work on other holidays is just an added bonus. Heck, even Christmas could use some Caturday energy. How should we do that, you ask? Well, by adding cat memes to our meowlidays and enjoying the best of both worlds while remaining chonky, cheery, and pawsitively ameowzing.

These funny feline posts are for meme-loving cat pawrents, and meme-loving cat pawrents only! If you're not one of these, you can just close the screen. Be gone!

Okay, now that it's just us, let's scroll through these hisstercal kitties in the form of digital delights. Are you in your jammies? Are you purrfectly snuggled under a blankie? Are you ready to meow Caturday cheer for the next two months? Good. Now let's get to work! And by work, we mean giggling. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it! 




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24 Cute Chonky Cats Celebrating a Cheerful Carbs Season By Impurrsonating Your Round Thanksgiving Turkey

'Tis the season to get chonky, fa la la la la, la la la la. We love almost every holiday, but Thanksgiving and Christmas are the best ones because we get to eat as much delicious food as we want and no one can tell us otherwise. From pumpkin pie to turkey, to stuffing and cranberry sauce, we can't wet to get our chonk on and eat as many plates as we can. We also like to spread some of he holiday cheer to our cats by giving them a little extra treat on the holidays, if we can get chonky, why can't they?

These cheerful chonkers are celebrating carbs season in the cutest way pawssible. They are large and in charge, chunky yet funky, and purrfectly round for all the belly rubs you desire. The more belly there is, the more belly rubs to be had, and then, everyone is happy. So, embrace the chonk this holiday season, eat all the turkey, and remember to wear stretchy pants during holiday meals. Enjoy!




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21 Terrific Tweets by Cat Pawrents Benefitting From the Bond With Their Fluffy Feline Friend

Hello all you cat pawrents, how are you doing this Caturday? Do you want to tell us about your cat child? Do you wish you could chit-chat about your fluffy feline friend all day long? Do you think any other humble hooman would want to hear about your kitty cat? If you answered "Yes" to the first two questions - know that you are very much not alone. A lot, and we mean a lot of cat pawrents just wait for an opportunity to talk about their beloved cat children. And if you've wondered about the answer to the third question - it's always a loud, resounding, meowing "Yes". There will always be cat pawrents who want to hear everything about other pawrents' cats, because cats are ameowzing.

Some cat pawrents do it all the time - they tweet a lot about their lovely cats like the true feline fanatic fans they are - and it's a delight for every one of us to read about their experiences and adventures. Here are a few of the funniest, for your cat-filled viewing pleasure.




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24 Blissfully Blepping Brainless Cat Memes Never Thinking, There's Nothing There, Not Even One Thought

Have you ever looked at a cat blepping? It might not happen often, but when it does it's hard to miss - because the cat gets stuck. The blep position is a brain draining cat position that makes the cat forget its tongue out… and everything else. They just forget. What is looking around at the world? They don't know, they forget, they will stare into the vast horizons of space with not one single thought going through their mind. Do they even have a mind to have thoughts in? No, they do not. Cats blepping have no thoughts in the tiny space between their ears.

Cat memes of blepping brain drain are very common - a lot of cat pawrents and feline fanatic fans love them. We gathered some and lost around 60 IQ points in the process, but they're so funny. Scroll down at your own risk. You can show your cat and you'll blep together while watching these cat memes.




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A Wholesome Helping Of Cool Cats Who Call The Shots In Their Respective Households

Hey there, cat lovers. We would like to make a statement. Cats are the coolest species to ever exist in the history of the world. A dramatic statement, yes, but an accurate one, definitely. We think it has to do largely with the feline inclination to dominate, but in a cute way. Our cats run our households, and they weigh around 12 pounds each. It seems absurd when you think about it, but that's the reality that we cat appreciators live in. 

Being cool is about not giving a hoot and marching to the beat of your own drum, that's why we think cats take the cool cake. Also, can we talk about how they can dictate the entire lives of us humans, swindle us into financing their suspicious pyramid schemes, and feed them half of our rations every time we open a tuna can? There needs to be some discussion around this topic. In the meantime, enjoy a silly series of cool cats being their goofy selves. 




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Celebrate Caturday in Style with 26 Moments from the Magical Life of Panko the Chonky Cat Child and All Her Hilarious Feline Friends

Spending Cautrday with a cat, let alone a clouder of cats is a truly special experience. There is almost a slight sense of religion to it in how regimented and celebratory the day is. There are specific feeding times for different kinds of treats, each one representing a different feline quality that we love and cherish. There are specific zoomie times that must be observed and much to our dismay there are the clawminal times that must be observed and not interfered with. So if you are spending your Caturday with cats, or simply want to see what it would be like we made this list to help you celebrate Caturday in style with marvelous moments from the magical life of Panko the chonky cat and all her hilarious feline friends.

From the cute kitten whose favorite part of Caturday is the fish smoothie feeding, to the clawminal catto who is all about the chaos of Caturday, to the flabbergasted feline who cannot believe that treat time is over and that he missed it due to indulging in too many zoomies.




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25 Pawsitive Energy Meowtivation Memes of Fierce Felines for Fending off Fall Fatigue

Unfortunately, life offers a myriad of buzzkillers throughout the day. Sometimes they pounce on you with some alarming news, but most of the time they creep in, luring you to slouch on the couch like snoozy sirens, and you can't find the will to fight back. 

It can be the cold weather, a grouchy boss, or even current events - negative thoughts and low energy tend to spread like a bad odor.  
 

Well, that's just not going to happen, fellow I Can Has-ers! We got your back. All you need is an energy boost of fierce feline funnies, furrociously pumping their paws. True, there are plenty of meownching photos in our content menu. We don't deny it! For everything, there is a season, a time to munch, and a time to crunch. 
 

For days of gloomy clouds, boring work, or just when your boss doesn't get your priorities (cats first, obviously), our Paw Power Practice is just the thing for you. The method we developed is both refreshing AND as old as time: the secret is to laugh until your abs strengthen, and your frown is upside down. Feline Fitness Fun, Try it! Fending off fall fatigue has never been so easy.