Could this mushroom one day replace plastic?
Researchers are studying the molecular structure of fomes fomentarius, a fungus with the remarkable ability to yield a wide range of materials with different properties. If you’re familiar with my writing, by now I’m sure you’re well aware of my deep-rooted obsession with all things mycelium. This is pretty understandable,...
Current in News
Spotify lays off 6% of work force in latest tech cuts
Music streaming platform Spotify is to cut 6% of its 10,000 employee work force, after hiring aggressively over the pandemic period. It is line with other tech companies who have stripped back their workforces. Spotify will be letting 6% of its work force go after major cuts to improve...
Scientists create ‘vagina on a chip’ to advance sexual health research
Medical conditions affecting people with vulvas are notoriously understudied, but recent developments in the field suggest that things might finally be about to change. Scientists at the Wyss Institute at Harvard University have created the world’s first ‘vagina on a chip,’ a development that could prove significant in bridging...
New study suggests vaping damages the immune system
Though scientists still know little about the long-term effects of e-cigarettes on the human body, they just found the devices to be causing significant cellular and molecular changes in the lungs. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ll know that vapes are all the rage. Replacing one of the leading...
Australia legalises therapeutic use of MDMA and psilocybin
In a world first, the country has officially recognised psychedelics as legitimate medicines. From July, authorised psychiatrists will be able to prescribe the drugs for treatment-resistant mental illnesses like post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. For decades, scientists and researchers have sought to prove the extraordinary medical potential of psychedelic...
The Sims 4’s latest update adds new diverse cosmetics
Last year, the game collaborated with two LGBTQ+ organisations on a feature enabling players to explore a fuller range of sexual and romantic identities. In a bid to promote even more inclusivity, its character creator now offers top surgery scars, binders, medical wearables, and more. Ever since The Sims...
‘ChatGPT Professional’ sparks industry scramble for commercial AI
OpenAI is gearing up to announce a premium version of its popular language generator tool ChatGPT3. Google is reportedly scrambling to break the market first, meaning this type of AI may be on the cusp of an early commercial explosion. Artificial intelligence is already hot property, but companies are vying to have their signature stamps all over the biggest projects of 2023. The same company that developed the gorgeous headline image above, OpenAI,...
The Earth’s inner core has started spinning in the opposite direction
This is according to a new study which probed the deepest reaches of our planet with seismic waves from earthquakes. The surprising finding might solve longstanding mysteries about the climate patterns that guide our local weather. According to a new study, the Earth’s inner core seems to have stopped spinning in the last decade and in even more surprising news, it may now be reversing the direction of its...
Is a breast cancer vaccine on the horizon?
Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine have been working on a jab to control the disease for two decades. The study’s latest results show a great deal of promise. At present, some seven million women across the globe suffer from breast cancer, making it one of the deadliest forms of the disease on Earth. In 2022 alone, the National Breast Cancer...
Scientists explore human waste as substitute for polluting fertilisers
New research has ascertained that yields from crops fertilised with human faeces and urine rival those produced by organic methods, with no risk of transmitting disease. If you’d told me a few years ago that human waste would eventually be used as a food-safe fertiliser, I likely would’ve found it impossible to hide my disgust. These days, with the threat of the climate crisis keeping me up almost every night, I’ll...
