Search

ABSTRACTIn 2023, an average of 2.5 local newspapers shut down each week. This year seems to be following a similar trend. With fewer professional journalists keeping watch over politicians and the process of voting—and an information landscape that is rife with falsehoods and propaganda—democracy is under threat. An evolving digital media landscape and the loss of trust in journalism has brought the industry to a reckoning point. In addition to charitable interest in supporting local news and legislation to protect the industry, journalists and key players are experimenting with different structures and business models. However, it’s unclear which, if any, of these efforts will ultimately prove successful. But for journalism to continue standing as an essential pillar of democracy, one or more of these endeavors will need to emerge as viable—or at least lay the groundwork for other models that can succeed.

ABSTRACTSince ChatGPT’s release in November 2022, artificial intelligence has come into the spotlight. Inspiring both fascination and fear, chatbots have stirred debates among researchers, developers, and policy makers. The concerns range from concrete and tangible ones—which include replication of existing biases and discrimination at scale, harvesting personal data, and spreading misinformation—to more existential fears that their development will lead to machines with human-like cognitive abilities. Understanding how chatbots work and the human labor and data involved can better help evaluate the validity of concerns surrounding these systems, which although innovative, are hardly the stuff of science fiction.

This investigation examines the thermophysical properties of N-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) and various short-chain alcohols, ranging from 1-propanol to 1-hexanol, within the temperature range of 293.15 to 323.15 K and 0.1 MPa pressure. Furthermore, the research delineates the impact of alkyl chain elongation in 1-alkanols on the diminution of intermolecular forces, providing valuable implications for understanding molecular structures. Additionally, the researchers have employed the principles of Free Volume Theory (FVT) principles to facilitate a nuanced understanding of viscosity variations in the individual components and their composite mixtures. The close alignment between the FVT predictions and the empirical findings, as exemplified by the mere 1.91% deviation observed in the viscosity measurements of the MDEA and 1-butanol mixture, underscores the precision of this theoretical approach in modeling mixture behaviors relevant to the molecular structures. By leveraging the combined strengths of Density Functional Theory (DFT) and experimental methodologies, this investigation has elucidated the molecular interactions and thermodynamic characteristics that govern the behavior of MDEA and 1-alkanol mixtures under diverse conditions. The DFT analyses have shed light on the electronic configurations and intermolecular forces. At the same time, the experimental observations have illustrated how temperature and molecular composition influence the physicochemical properties of these mixtures.

The article discusses how anthrax began sweeping across the Yamal Peninsula-a cold, remote region of northwestern Siberia, a part of Russia, with animals and people having begun exhibiting strange symptoms.

This section offers news briefs relating to science as of February 4, 2013, including the launch of the SpaceX Dragon space capsule in October 2011, the computer model created by U.S. National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) scientists to determine the movement of aerosols around the globe, and a virtually indestructible ball called the One World Futbol created by California businessman Tim Jahnigen.

This section offers news briefs related to science as of January 14, 2013, including the identification of a fossil of a tiny dinosaur named Pegomastax africanus by paleontologist Paul Sereno, new ingredients for the face paint used by soldiers developed by chemists at the University of Southern Mississippi, and an artificial cornea developed by German researcher Joachim Storsberg.

This section offers news briefs related to science as of November 19, 2012, including the changing landscape of the Earth as caught by the Landsat program, a disaster-proof school desk created by designers from Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Israel, and the color-changing skin of squid.

This section offers news briefs on science, including a project wherein scientists sent a garden gnome named Kern around the world to show why there is a need to calibrate scales, a photo of the entire universe created by astronomers from the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the screeching sound produced by tarsiers that are well above the range of human hearing.

The article presents science updates which include the formation of an iceberg the size of New York City in Antarctica, the discovery of the two of the biggest blackholes in the universe and the discovery of a roach in South Africa that jumps like a grasshopper.

The article presents information on the exploration of Lechuguilla Cave in Carlsbad, New Mexico as well as other caves around the world and discusses scientists' findings from inside the caves which help provide information on past climatic changes. INSETS: words to know;Cave Creation.

This section offers news briefs related to science, including the plan of British scientist to use a balloon to hoist a 19-kilometer long hose that would spray particles in the stratosphere to help cool the Earth, the study which found that seals use their whiskers and not their eyes or ears to track down fish in murky waters, and the creation by graphic designer Christian Boer of Dyslexie font to aid people with dyslexia.

The article offers tips on how to choose a science project, and presents three science projects by students, which won top honors at national and state competitions.

This section offers news briefs related to science as of October 2011, including the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) plan to launch into space its newest Mars rover, named Curiosity, an attempt of a ship called the Tûranor to sail around the world powered only by the sun, and the first-ever Google Science Fair.

The article offers information on space tourism and discusses how Virgin Atlantic will offer space adventurers for tourists through its spaceship known as SpaceShipTwo.

The article presents several developments in science as of February 14, 2011, including the discovery of the black holes that could be the cause of the big burst of electromagnetic radiation in the form of gamma rays in the center of the Milky Way, the fully functioning sets of rat lungs that were successfully grown in a laboratory, and a study on the way a cat drinks.

The article features several animals whose unattractive features are their means of adaptations that help them survive in an environment, including the proboscis monkey, the leaf-tailed gecko and the wrinkle-faced bat.

The article focuses on several science facilities in the world as of January 2011 including the Super-Kamiokande (Super-K) neutrino observatory in Japan, the Steward Observatory Mirror Laboratory in Tucson, Arizona and the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Spitsbergen, Norway.

This section offers news briefs concerning science, including Nonja the orangutan, effect of warm water on sea turtles and shoeless runners.

This section presents an update on issues related to science including the use of goats to help prevent wildfires.

This section offers news briefs concerning science, including whinnies of horses, moods on the Internet and candles polluting the air.

This section offers news briefs concerning the field of science as of October 5, 2009, including the discovery of an association between tree shrews and pitcher plants and the policy in four U.S. states to discourage smiles in the driver's license photo.

This section offers news briefs on science, including the decision of several countries to enforce a set of tourism guidelines designed to protect Antarctica's ecosystem.

This section offers news briefs on issues related to science in the U.S.

This section offers news briefs related to science including a study which found that heat, cold and storm were by far more dangerous to U.S. citizens, the ability of dogs to detect unfairness, and the hazard posed by coal ash.

The article presents information related to science, including the effect of noise pollution on marine animals.

Long-duration spaceflight (LDSF) crews experience significant physiological and psychological demands that can degrade performance and produce stress. Previous models to predict crew reactions to stress illustrate how demands influence performance, but not the underlying cognitive processes governing why combinations of events produce stress. The present paper describes a theoretical model of the relationship between spaceflight stressors, cognitive appraisal processes, and crew performance outcomes for LDSF. The model posits that during 5 stages, crewmembers undergo an appraisal process to first evaluate the threat imposed by the combined environmental stressors (e.g., workload, noise, crowding), and then evaluate their own capacity to manage the threat, resulting in either positive (capacity > threat) or negative (capacity < threat) performance expectations. Expectations then produce positive or negative physiological and psychological effects with direct implications for overall crew performance. This model is offered as a framework for continued study of the stress-cognition-performance relationship in spaceflight.

The article discusses how Japan is recovering from the March 2011 earthquake.

This article discusses the effect of a mind-controlling parasite called Toxoplasma gondii on rats.

An interview with Victoria Jensen, virologist at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center in Fort Detrick, Maryland, is presented including her methods to staying safe from deadly viruses, a description of the laboratory suit she uses, and some viruses being studied by Jensen.

An interview with Xavier Amatriain, a computer scientist at online movie rental service Netflix, who develops the recommendation system for the company's online streaming service is presented, wherein he discusses how he became interested in this work, how the recommendation algorithms work, and the most fun about his job.

The article explains the geometry behind the sparkle of diamonds. Topics discussed include the 5.16-carat diamond find of 12-year-old Michael Dettlaff at the Crater of Diamonds State Park, the need for diamonds to be cut and shaped, the control of light depending on the variations of the angles between the facets on the crown and pavilion, and the dispersion of a diamond.

An interview with fire-protection engineer Lee McCarthy of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), is presented, wherein he discusses how he studies fires in the laboratory, why it is important to study fires in the laboratory, and what he likes best about his job.

The article features the solar powered aircraft Solar Impulse which flew from San Francisco, California to New York City beginning in May 2013 and ending in July. Made mostly of carbon fiber, the plane weighs 3,500 pounds and equipped with 12,000 solar cells that transforms the sun's energy into electricity. A quiz regarding the Solar Impulse is also presented.

The article discusses the plan of researchers at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to capture an asteroid to learn how to prevent it from colliding into the Earth. Information on an asteroid that exploded in Chelyabinsk, Russia in February 2013 is presented. It is said that the plan of NASA to capture an asteroid will start by identifying and targeting a specific asteroid that weighs 500 tons and then an unpiloted spacecraft will be launched in 2017 to grab it.

The article discusses the efforts of food scientists at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to develop food for astronauts who are headed to Mars. It is said that the distance between the Earth and Mars is approximately 140 million miles. Factors considered in developing space food include preservation, packaging and nutrient content. A description of the difference in atmospheric pressure in Mars and its impact on the amount of time needed in cooking food is presented.

The article offers information on the excitement that people feel whenever they ride thrill rides. It mentions that the g-forces in the body cause the body to be excited. According to the author, g-forces are known to be the forces in the human body that are responsible for the way the body responses to a result of gravity.

A quiz concerning the number of malaria cases around the world in 2010 is presented.

The article features ClearWater Initiative, a charity based in New Haven, Connecticut, that aims to provide drinkable water to people in need. ClearWater was founded by Benjamin Sklaver in 2007 when he returned to Connecticut after serving in the U.S. Army in Uganda. As of March 25, 2013, ClearWater already brought clean water to more than 20,000 people in 30 villages in northern Uganda.

The article focuses on a roundup being made by the U.S. government to manage wild horses called mustangs on government-owned lands.

A quiz is presented about the pH scale and the powers of 10 to see how the acid levels of acidic and basic solutions compare with the acidic waters of Dallol, Ethiopia.

A quiz about formulas and graphs using a baseball's trajectory and path is presented.

A quiz about birds is presented.

The article offers information on veterinarian Bryan Grieg and his fascination for toxins and venomous animals.

The article offers information on the launch of the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car by pilot Andy Green in 2012 with an overlook on its special features. It informs that the car can run at a great speed of 1,000 miles per hour which is faster than the speed of sound and thus making it world's fastest car. It further focuses on special features of the car in brief.

The article reports on efforts by scientists to study the geologic history of India using amber deposits containing thousands of bees, termites, spiders and plants that lived more than 50 million years ago.

The article focuses on efforts by scientists to develop environmentally friendly fireworks.

The article reports on the explorations made by the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft since they were launched by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1977.

The article invites readers to participate in a shark photography project implemented by marine biologist Michael Scholl of the South-African-based White Shark Trust.

The article focuses on the efforts by U.S. zoologist Estefanía Rodríguez to travel the world to study sea anemones.

The article offers information on the features and characteristics of sea anemones in Antarctica. It states that scientist Estefanía Rodríguez is one of the five experts who is studying anemones. It notes that the sea creatures looks like colorful, exotic flowers that sway on the current on the seafloor. In addition, the mouth of the creature has tentacles, which are narrow and flexible.