Searching for a female partner for the world’s ‘loneliest’ plant

“Surely this is the most solitary organism in the world,” wrote palaeontologist Richard Fortey in his book about the evolution of life. He was talking about Encephalartos woodii (E. woodii), a plant from South Africa. E. woodii is a member of the cycad family, heavy plants with thick trunks and large stiff leaves that form […]

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AI in military applications – could a machine make life, death decisions

Recently, many articles and references have been published, most of them sinful to the truth, about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in military systems. in the article, we will present some of the current reality, within the limitations of classification. AI appears in military applications in two main categories: Utilities (Helping tools) in technical […]

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Why it’s less obvious in women than in men – but can be just as dangerous

The term narcissism may conjure up images of chest-pumping, arrogant, male self-promoters. The personality trait – with its hallmark features of overt grandiosity, assertiveness and superiority – is, in fact, more commonly observed in men. That is because these central features align closely with traditional masculine traits. In fact, up to 75% of people diagnosed […]

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Can underwater sound signals solve aviation’s greatest mystery?

Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 disappeared on March 8 2014 with 239 people on board. Despite extensive search efforts, the final location of the aircraft remains unknown. It has become one of aviation’s greatest mysteries. Our new research explores the possibility of detecting underwater acoustic signals generated by aircraft crashes, such as MH370’s presumed impact, to […]

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Why we’re so bad at spotting lies – most of us only perform slightly better than chance

You don’t have to be in the middle of an election campaign to be concerned about your ability to spot a lie. Psychology research suggests people lie at least once a day. A 2006 review of 206 papers found that we are little better then chance at guessing whether something is a lie or not, […]

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Simply looking at greenery can boost mental health – new research

It is becoming increasingly clear that spending time in nature can benefit our mental health and wellbeing. But a new study by my colleagues and me shows that you don’t have to actually be in nature to reap the rewards. Simply directing your gaze towards natural elements, even in the middle of a city, can […]

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our research shows how colonists could produce their own food

Humans can’t help being fascinated by space. And that interest seems to be making the possibility of moving humanity to another planet, like Mars or the Moon, more distinct, with Nasa hoping to set up colonies in the next few decades. But these missions will only be viable if astronauts can produce their own food. […]

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Deepfakes threaten upcoming elections, but ‘responsible AI’ could help filter them out before they reach us

Earlier this year, thousands of Democrat voters in New Hampshire received a telephone call ahead of the state primary, urging them to stay home rather than vote. The call supposedly came from none other than President Joe Biden. But the message was a “deepfake”. This term covers videos, pictures, or audio made with artificial intelligence […]

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Farming with a mixture of crops, animals and trees is better for the environment and for people – evidence from Ghana and Malawi

Farming just one kind of crop in a field at a time, and using a lot of chemicals, poses a risk to both people and nature. This simplified intensive agriculture often goes hand in hand with increased greenhouse gas emissions, land and water degradation, and loss of biodiversity. There’s another way to farm: increasing the […]

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The fascinating psychology behind ‘dine and dash’ and why it’s about so much more than a free meal

Sometimes when I read the newspapers, I think that going to a restaurant and leaving without paying has become something of an epidemic. My research into lying has taught me that the psychology behind acts of deception is often deeply complex. Let me start with a confession. I was guilty of dine and dash a […]

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