☕️ There's Something Very Strange About Our Galaxy.

Good morning. Another week, another physics conference for me. The AIP (Australian Institute of Physics) 2024 Congress just started and will be on all week. Super excited about this one as I get to see talks from a wide array of physics.

QAL VPN is back to full functionality!! If you’d like to sign up and test it out for free, you should be able to. Oh yeh it’s cyberweek — good deals incoming.

Dylan J. Dance

SCIENCE

🦴 Homo juluensis: Possible New Ancient Human Species Uncovered by Researchers. A University of Hawaiʻi researcher says he may have found a new human species called Homo juluensis, which includes mysterious groups like the Denisovans—ancient human relatives whose histories are still being uncovered. Professor Christopher J. Bae from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has been studying human ancestors across Asia for over 30 years. His recent research helps clear up some of the confusion about the different types of ancient human-like species that co-existed in the region.

🌌 There's Something Very Strange About Our Galaxy. Researchers from the SAGA survey found that the Milky Way has surprisingly few satellite galaxies compared to its peers. “Now we have a puzzle," said Stanford astrophysics professor Risa Wechsler, questioning why half of the Milky Way’s satellites have stopped forming stars while others remain active. This discovery forces scientists to reconsider models of galaxy formation and highlights the unique history of our galactic home.

😸 Gene Behind Orange Fur in Cats Found at Last. Scientists have finally found the gene responsible for orange fur in cats after 60 years of research. Carolyn Brown, a University of British Columbia geneticist, said, “It’s a question I’ve always wanted the answer to.” The gene, called Arhgap36, plays a role in the patchy orange-black fur of calicos and tortoiseshells, showing a unique X-inactivation mechanism that leads to the distinctive patterns.

🔋 New Spin Quantum Battery Can Be Charged Without an External Field. Researchers at the University of Genova have developed a new spin quantum battery that can be charged without an external field. This innovation, described in Physical Review Letters, leverages quantum spin chains to improve the charging process. "We think that this will open new and interesting perspectives in the study of quantum batteries," said lead researcher Riccardo Grazi.

🌀 Cosmological Model Proposes Dark Matter Production During Pre-Big Bang Inflation. A new cosmological model suggests that dark matter was produced before the Big Bang, during an inflationary phase where the universe expanded rapidly. Katherine Freese, lead author, said, "In most models, anything created during inflation is 'inflated away,' but in our model, dark matter survives." This “WIFI model” suggests dark matter could have formed in this pre-Big Bang era, offering a novel perspective on dark matter's origin.

TECH

🔓 Leak: What Law Enforcement Can Unlock With the 'Graykey' iPhone Hacking Tool. Leaked documents reveal that Graykey, a forensic tool used by law enforcement, has limited capability with Apple’s latest iOS 18 updates, only retrieving partial data. Andrew Garrett, CEO of Garrett Discovery, stated, "These documents align with Graykey's known limitations." The tool's struggles highlight the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between Apple’s security updates and forensic technologies.

🌐 Meta Plans to Build a $10B Subsea Cable Spanning the World. Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, plans to build its own 40,000-kilometer-long subsea cable, aiming to secure reliable infrastructure for its internet services. Sunil Tagare, a subsea cable expert, said, "This cable would allow Meta to bypass geopolitical tensions and ensure its data traffic is more secure." The project is expected to take years, with the company planning to reveal more in early 2025.

🛰️ In the New Space Race, Hackers Are Hitching a Ride into Orbit. Cyber threats in space are becoming increasingly dangerous, with state actors targeting satellite systems. William Russell from the U.S. Government Accountability Office noted, “Loss of control of space vehicles is a real possibility due to sophisticated cyberattacks." With AI integrated into space missions, cybersecurity risks are heightened, as AI-driven decisions can be manipulated by adversaries.

HEALTH

🍽️ On the Rise: Stomach Cancer in Younger People. Rates of stomach cancer among younger people are rising, while rates among older individuals have been declining for decades. Dr. Travis Grotz from the Mayo Clinic describes this trend as alarming, noting that younger patients are often diagnosed late, when treatment is less effective. Symptoms such as reflux, indigestion, and anemia are frequently misattributed to less severe causes.

🐘 The Pink Elephant Test: What Your Visual Imagination Predicts About Your Ability to Control Your Thoughts. New research reveals that the pink elephant test, which challenges people not to think of a pink elephant, can provide insights into their visual imagination and thought control. The study found that people with vivid visual imaginations find it harder to suppress visual thoughts, whereas individuals with aphantasia—a lack of visual imagery—are better at keeping such intrusive thoughts at bay.

🦠 Global Review Charts Lethal Impact of Fungal Infection After Lung Disease
A major global review has found that about 32% of people who have had prior damage from lung diseases will die within five years if they also contract a common fungal infection. The international study of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA), led by Professor David Denning from The University of Manchester, was published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

SPACE

🌞 'Cataclysmic' Solar Storm Hit Earth Around 2,687 Years Ago, Ancient Tree Rings Reveal. Researchers from the University of Arizona found evidence in ancient tree rings that a massive solar storm hit Earth roughly 2,687 years ago. The colossal storm, known as a Miyake Event, was detected through sharp increases in radioactive carbon isotopes in tree rings, which serve as natural time capsules recording Earth's history.

🛰️ Declassified Spy Satellite Images Reveal 1,400-Year-Old Battle Site in Iraq That Set Off the Muslim Conquest. Declassified spy satellite images have helped researchers find the historic Islamic battlefield of al-Qadisiyyah in Iraq. The Battle of al-Qadisiyyah, fought between the Arab Muslim army and the Sasanian Empire, marked the beginning of the Muslim conquest of Persia.

CLIMATE

🌊 Oceans Emit Sulfur and Cool the Climate More Than Previously Thought. A study led by scientists from ICM-CSIC and the University of East Anglia found that the oceans emit a sulfur gas, methanethiol, which cools the climate more effectively than previously known. “This is the climatic element with the greatest cooling capacity, but also the least understood," said Dr. Charel Wohl. The discovery suggests that marine sulfur emissions could increase known cooling effects by 25%, helping refine climate models.

WORLD

💸 Warren Buffett Announces Plans to Give Away $147 Billion. 94-year-old Warren Buffett plans to give away his $147.4 billion fortune upon his death, under the management of his three children. Buffett wrote, "Father time always wins," acknowledging that even his children’s expected life spans are diminishing, and adding a contingency plan for distributing his wealth.

💀 Man Busted Dumping Toxic Waste in Human Cemetery. A 36-year-old man, Damian Barr, was jailed for illegally dumping asbestos waste in a UK cemetery. Security footage showed Barr disposing of the toxic material just feet away from headstones, causing outrage. Cheri Leach, a relative of an affected family, commented, “Some people don't care that there's a graveyard there. It's disgusting.”

🐋 Scientists Gather to Decode Puzzle of the World's Rarest Whale in 'Extraordinary' New Zealand Study. Scientists have gathered in New Zealand to study the world's rarest whale, the spade-toothed whale, of which only seven individuals have ever been seen. Anton van Helden, a marine science adviser, expressed his excitement at this opportunity, stating, "I can't tell you how extraordinary it is." The dissection and study are being conducted in partnership with local Māori, who view the whale as a gift from Tangaroa, deity of the ocean.