<p>Sperm donations initially made in the UK are being exported to other countries in violation of rules, creating a situation of children being 'mass-produced' in multiple countries in Europe and beyond, according to a report.</p>

<p>Rules limit each sperm donation to 10 families in Britain, but there's no such limit on sperm or eggs from the country being sent abroad. This legal loophole is being exploited in what appears to be an industrial-level practice.</p>

<p>Such exports lead to more donor-conceived children abroad, who "could have to navigate relationships with dozens of biological half-siblings across Europe," The Guardian newspaper said in an exclusive report.</p>

<h2><strong>Why is UK sperm donations abroad a cause of concern?</strong></h2>

<p>“I’m not against there being more than 10 families if some are outside the UK, but 75, which some of these banks have alighted on, is a heck of a lot of relatives," Sarah Norcross, director of the fertility charity Progress Educational Trust told The Guradian.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These days, donor anonymity is practically non-existent, and it's possible to track down biological parents using new DNA testing options proliferating online.</p>

<p>While making contact with biological half-siblings is viewed positively, but when their numbers grew, it "felt unmanageable to have contact and relationships with a growing and indeterminate number of people,” said Prof Lucy Frith of the University of Manchester.</p>

<p>“Once you’ve frozen sperm it doesn’t get any older,” said Prof Jackson Kirkman-Brown, chair of the Association for Reproductive and Clinical Scientists.</p>

<p>This means donor sperm can be used over years or decades.&nbsp;“You can end up with donor siblings older than your parents,” Kirkman-Brown said, giving a hypothetical scenario.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: UK: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-man-makes-partner-pregnant-by-mixing-his-own-sperm-with-fathers-escapes-paternity-test-690887">Man impregnates partner by mixing his sperm with father's, escapes paternity test</a></strong></p>

<p>Donations are "presented to donors as a beautiful gift to help someone create a family, not as, ‘We’re going to maximise the number of births from your gametes and make as much money as we can from that,’” said Prof Nicky Hudson, a medical sociologist at De Montford University.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Who is in control of sperm donation rules in the UK?</strong></h2>

<p>The rules in Britain regarding sperm and egg donations are controlled by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). “As the HFEA has no remit over donation outside of HFEA licensed clinics, there would be no monitoring of how many times a donor is used in these circumstances,” Rachel Cutting, director of compliance and information at the HFEA, was quoted as saying in the Guardian report.</p>

<p><br />
<strong>WATCH: 50% drop in sperm count globally</strong><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p>The Guardian report said Kirkman-Brown and other experts are asking HFEA to crack down.</p>

<p>“There is data showing that some of the children who find the really big families struggle with that,” Kirkman-Brown said. “If you believe that it’s necessary to enforce the 10-family limit in the modern world, then logically that should apply wherever the sperm are from.”</p>

<h2><strong>Britain's sperm donation 'industry'</strong></h2>

<p>Ironically, Britain was an importer of sperm till five years ago, mainly from the US and Denmark, the report pointed out. But between 2019 and 2021, UK exported 7,542 straws of sperm. The world’s largest sperm and egg bank Cryos opened a unit in Manchester this April.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australias-supreme-court-allows-62-year-old-woman-to-remove-sperm-from-her-dead-husband-676124">Australia's Supreme Court allows 62-year-old woman to remove sperm from her dead husband</a><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The European Sperm Bank, which accounted for 90% of exports, applies a worldwide limit of 75 families a donor and estimates that its donors help on average 25 families," the report said.</p>

<h2><strong>Egg donation also rising, but some feel it's like human trafficking</strong></h2>

<p>Besides the better-known sperm donations, there is growth in egg donations too in Britain.</p>

<p>Egg freezing technologies have grown in recent years, and egg donations are likely to increase as payments for the same is going to go up from £750 to £986 in October, the Guardian report said.</p>

<p>“The idea of a dad to loads of children already exists in our cultural imagination. We don’t have that for women,” noted Prof Nicky Hudson, a medical sociologist at De Montford University, Hudson, adding that it's not an idea encouraged by women. One of them told Hudson it 'felt like human trafficking'.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Sperm donations initially made in the UK are being exported to other countries in violation of rules, creating a situation of children being 'mass-produced' in multiple countries in Europe and beyond, according to a report.

Sperm donations initially made in the UK are being exported to other countries in violation of rules, creating a situation of children being 'mass-produced' in multiple countries in Europe and beyond, according to a report. Rules limit each sperm donation to 10 families in Britain, but there's no such limit on sperm or eggs from the country being sent abroad. This legal loophole is being exploited in what appears to be an industrial-level practice. Such exports lead to more donor-conceived children abroad, who "could have to navigate relationships with dozens of biological half-siblings across Europe," The Guardian newspaper said in an exclusive report. Why is UK sperm donations abroad a cause of concern? “I’m not against there being more than 10 families if some are outside the UK, but 75, which some of these banks have alighted on, is a heck of a lot of relatives," Sarah Norcross, director of the fertility charity Progress Educational Trust told The Guradian. These days, donor anonymity is practically non-existent, and it's possible to track down biological parents using new DNA testing options proliferating online. While making contact with biological half-siblings is viewed positively, but when their numbers grew, it "felt unmanageable to have contact and relationships with a growing and indeterminate number of people,” said Prof Lucy Frith of the University of Manchester. “Once you’ve frozen sperm it doesn’t get any older,” said Prof Jackson Kirkman-Brown, chair of the Association for Reproductive and Clinical Scientists. This means donor sperm can be used over years or decades. “You can end up with donor siblings older than your parents,” Kirkman-Brown said, giving a hypothetical scenario. Also read: UK: Man impregnates partner by mixing his sperm with father's, escapes paternity test Donations are "presented to donors as a beautiful gift to help someone create a family, not as, ‘We’re going to maximise the number of births from your gametes and make as much money as we can from that,’” said Prof Nicky Hudson, a medical sociologist at De Montford University. Who is in control of sperm donation rules in the UK? The rules in Britain regarding sperm and egg donations are controlled by Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). “As the HFEA has no remit over donation outside of HFEA licensed clinics, there would be no monitoring of how many times a donor is used in these circumstances,” Rachel Cutting, director of compliance and information at the HFEA, was quoted as saying in the Guardian report. WATCH: 50% drop in sperm count globally × The Guardian report said Kirkman-Brown and other experts are asking HFEA to crack down. “There is data showing that some of the children who find the really big families struggle with that,” Kirkman-Brown said. “If you believe that it’s necessary to enforce the 10-family limit in the modern world, then logically that should apply wherever the sperm are from.” Britain's sperm donation 'industry' Ironically, Britain was an importer of sperm till five years ago, mainly from the US and Denmark, the report pointed out. But between 2019 and 2021, UK exported 7,542 straws of sperm. The world’s largest sperm and egg bank Cryos opened a unit in Manchester this April. Also read: Australia's Supreme Court allows 62-year-old woman to remove sperm from her dead husband "The European Sperm Bank, which accounted for 90% of exports, applies a worldwide limit of 75 families a donor and estimates that its donors help on average 25 families," the report said. Egg donation also rising, but some feel it's like human trafficking Besides the better-known sperm donations, there is growth in egg donations too in Britain. Egg freezing technologies have grown in recent years, and egg donations are likely to increase as payments for the same is going to go up from £750 to £986 in October, the Guardian report said. “The idea of a dad to loads of children already exists in our cultural imagination. We don’t have that for women,” noted Prof Nicky Hudson, a medical sociologist at De Montford University, Hudson, adding that it's not an idea encouraged by women. One of them told Hudson it 'felt like human trafficking'. (With inputs from agencies)

Sperm from UK is being exported to other countries, leading to dozens of half-siblings: Report

<p>From <em>The Bible </em>to <em>The Satanic Verses</em>, several books were banned in parts of the world at various points in time due to the perception that they poison minds. But some books can be poisonous quite literally, as the chemicals used in their making are harmful to humans.</p>

<p>According to a study done by a team of researchers at Lipscomb University in the US, some of the bright-coloured, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era onwards might contain&nbsp;such chemicals.</p>

<p>These colours come from dyes that might be a health risk to readers, collectors or librarians, said a release on the study.</p>

<p>Chronic exposure to inhaled lead or chromium could lead to even cancer, lung damage or fertility issues, said the researchers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pigments from the cloth covers can be harmful if rubbed onto hands or become airborne and are inhaled, they added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH: Toxic chemicals found in clean energy batteries, threat of PFAS in Lithium-ion cells</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The study will be presented at American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting&nbsp;on August 18–22.</p>

<p>“These old books with toxic dyes may be in universities, public libraries and private collections,”&nbsp;Abigail Hoermann, a chemistry student at Lipscomb University, who was part of the study, was quoted as saying in the study.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/health-and-wellness/common-bandages-may-contain-harmful-chemicals-reveals-study-708288">Common bandages may contain harmful chemicals, reveals study</a></strong></p>

<p>“I find it fascinating to know what previous generations thought was safe, and then we learn, oh, actually, that might not have been a great idea to use these brilliant dyes,” the release quoted Joseph Weinstein-Webb, an assistant chemistry professor at Lipscomb, who did the study along with his students, as saying.</p>

<h2><strong>How poisonous books were detected&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The study examined some 19th- and early 20th-century fabric-covered books from the university’s Beaman Library.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The poisons were detected using three spectroscopic techniques: XRF or X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, ICP-OES or Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and XRD or X-ray diffraction technology.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/led-lights-in-room-temperature-can-clean-up-forever-chemicals-overnight-suggests-study-745516">LED lights in room temperature can 'clean up' forever chemicals overnight, suggests study</a></strong></p>

<p>XRF was used&nbsp;for checking arsenic or other heavy metals on the book covers. ICP-OES examined the concentration of those metals. XRD was used to identify the pigment molecules that contain those metals.</p>

<p>Researchers found lead and chromium present in some of the Lipscomb books.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In some instances, these heavy metals were in the form of lead (II) chromate, a compound that was used for the chrome yellow pigment by Vincent van Gogh in his sunflower paintings, said the release.</p>

<p>In some cases, metal concentrations were found to be above acceptable limits for chronic exposure as set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The lead was more than double the CDC limits, and chromium almost six times the cap.</p>

<p>Such poisonous and potentially harmful books were sealed in plastic bags for handling and storage or removed from public circulation.</p>

<h2><strong>How the 'Poison Book Project' was started</strong></h2>

<p>Earlier, the Winterthur Museum, Garden &amp; Library in Delaware found copper acetoarsenite, an arsenic compound, in some 19th-century books in its collection.</p>

<p>This emerald-green pigment was used in Victorian-era wallpaper, garments and cloth book covers.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This discovery led to the launch of the 'Poison Book Project', a crowdsourced research effort.&nbsp;The project uses various imaging and chemical processing techniques to trace the&nbsp;toxic pigments in books around the world.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The researchers at&nbsp;Lipscomb University hope to contribute their findings to the Poison Book Project.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


From The Bible to The Satanic Verses, several books were banned in parts of the world at various points in time due to the perception that they poison minds. But some books can be poisonous quite literally, as the chemicals used in their making are harmful to humans.

From The Bible to The Satanic Verses, several books were banned in parts of the world at various points in time due to the perception that they poison minds. But some books can be poisonous quite literally, as the chemicals used in their making are harmful to humans. According to a study done by a team of researchers at Lipscomb University in the US, some of the bright-coloured, cloth-bound books from the Victorian era onwards might contain such chemicals. These colours come from dyes that might be a health risk to readers, collectors or librarians, said a release on the study. Chronic exposure to inhaled lead or chromium could lead to even cancer, lung damage or fertility issues, said the researchers. Pigments from the cloth covers can be harmful if rubbed onto hands or become airborne and are inhaled, they added. WATCH: Toxic chemicals found in clean energy batteries, threat of PFAS in Lithium-ion cells × The study will be presented at American Chemical Society (ACS) meeting on August 18–22. “These old books with toxic dyes may be in universities, public libraries and private collections,” Abigail Hoermann, a chemistry student at Lipscomb University, who was part of the study, was quoted as saying in the study. Also read: Common bandages may contain harmful chemicals, reveals study “I find it fascinating to know what previous generations thought was safe, and then we learn, oh, actually, that might not have been a great idea to use these brilliant dyes,” the release quoted Joseph Weinstein-Webb, an assistant chemistry professor at Lipscomb, who did the study along with his students, as saying. How poisonous books were detected The study examined some 19th- and early 20th-century fabric-covered books from the university’s Beaman Library. The poisons were detected using three spectroscopic techniques: XRF or X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, ICP-OES or Inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and XRD or X-ray diffraction technology. Also read: LED lights in room temperature can 'clean up' forever chemicals overnight, suggests study XRF was used for checking arsenic or other heavy metals on the book covers. ICP-OES examined the concentration of those metals. XRD was used to identify the pigment molecules that contain those metals. Researchers found lead and chromium present in some of the Lipscomb books. In some instances, these heavy metals were in the form of lead (II) chromate, a compound that was used for the chrome yellow pigment by Vincent van Gogh in his sunflower paintings, said the release. In some cases, metal concentrations were found to be above acceptable limits for chronic exposure as set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The lead was more than double the CDC limits, and chromium almost six times the cap. Such poisonous and potentially harmful books were sealed in plastic bags for handling and storage or removed from public circulation. How the 'Poison Book Project' was started Earlier, the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library in Delaware found copper acetoarsenite, an arsenic compound, in some 19th-century books in its collection. This emerald-green pigment was used in Victorian-era wallpaper, garments and cloth book covers. This discovery led to the launch of the 'Poison Book Project', a crowdsourced research effort. The project uses various imaging and chemical processing techniques to trace the toxic pigments in books around the world. The researchers at Lipscomb University hope to contribute their findings to the Poison Book Project. (With inputs from agencies)

Some books are poisonous, quite literally, and can even cause cancer. Here is how

<p>A top boss of a News Corp company in Australia has apologised for making what appeared to be a Nazi salute following backlash from the Jewish community. Patrick Delaney, the CEO of Foxtel, a cable company majority owned by News Corp, found himself in a soup after an old picture of him doing the 'Nazi salute' resurfaced.</p>

<p>"This evening, a ten-year-old photograph of me making an inappropriate salute which is highly offensive to the Jewish community was published online. I am very sorry for my actions and sincerely apologise to people who have been hurt or offended espesially the members of the Jewish community," he said in an email dated Sunday (Aug 18), the text of which was released by Crikey.com, which first reported about the photo.</p>

<p>"Since becoming aware of this photo, I have been searching my mind for a circumstance, from over a decade ago, where a photo capturing me in this pose could ever be possible. The picture is completely inconsistent with my values and beliefs, and family connections," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/3-columbia-university-deans-who-sent-antisemitic-texts-at-event-on-jews-quit-what-is-textgate-scandal-748683">3 Columbia University deans who sent 'antisemitic' texts at event on Jews quit: What is 'textgate' scandal?</a></strong></p>

<p><br />
Delaney "unreservedly" apologised after trying to initially explain it out saying he thought he was showing the similarity between the Nazi salute and a gesture used by fans of an Australian soccer club.</p>

<p>"Regardless of the context, the fact I demonstrated this offensive salute was wrong," he said, according to a report in the BBC.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Gaza siege triggers rise in anti-antisemitism; France, Russia witness anti-Jew sentiment | WION</strong></p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The photo was taken a decade ago. His apology came as the Jewish Council of Australia condemned his actions as "deeply concerning", particularly given that he is leading a media company.</p>

<p>"It shouldn't need to be said that the salute is an offensive and violent act not only for Jews, but also for other racialised groups," said Sarah Schwartz, the council's executive officer, while adding that it's equally concerning that he operates in a media industry "where he felt this was somehow okay."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read</strong>: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-redefines-extremism-in-the-face-of-rising-hate-crimes-critics-call-it-a-threat-to-free-speech-699848">Britain redefines 'extremism' in the face of rising hate crimes, critics call it a threat to free speech</a></p>

<p>As per the Foxtel CEO, he was impersonating "a threatening gesture" made by some fans of Western Sydney Wanderers, a soccer club, during the 2014-15 season, while visiting the set of a Fox Sports television programme when he was the CEO of that channel.</p>

<p>In his apology, Delenay condemned "racism in all its forms", pointing to his commitment to the 'Say No to Antisemitism letter', the BBC said.</p>

<p>The letter was&nbsp; signed by him as well as some other influential Australians from all walks of life following the Hamas terror attack on Israel last October.</p>

<p>Delaney is no stranger to controversy. In 2022, he was in the news for calling the star of <em>Game of Thrones</em> star Emilia Clarke a "short, dumpy girl."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


A top boss of a News Corp company in Australia has apologised for making what appeared to be a Nazi salute following backlash from the Jewish community. Patrick Delaney, the CEO of Foxtel, a cable company majority owned by News Corp, found himself in a soup after an old picture of him doing the 'Nazi salute' resurfaced.

A top boss of a News Corp company in Australia has apologised for making what appeared to be a Nazi salute following backlash from the Jewish community. Patrick Delaney, the CEO of Foxtel, a cable company majority owned by News Corp, found himself in a soup after an old picture of him doing the 'Nazi salute' resurfaced. "This evening, a ten-year-old photograph of me making an inappropriate salute which is highly offensive to the Jewish community was published online. I am very sorry for my actions and sincerely apologise to people who have been hurt or offended espesially the members of the Jewish community," he said in an email dated Sunday (Aug 18), the text of which was released by Crikey.com, which first reported about the photo. "Since becoming aware of this photo, I have been searching my mind for a circumstance, from over a decade ago, where a photo capturing me in this pose could ever be possible. The picture is completely inconsistent with my values and beliefs, and family connections," he added. Also read: 3 Columbia University deans who sent 'antisemitic' texts at event on Jews quit: What is 'textgate' scandal? Delaney "unreservedly" apologised after trying to initially explain it out saying he thought he was showing the similarity between the Nazi salute and a gesture used by fans of an Australian soccer club. "Regardless of the context, the fact I demonstrated this offensive salute was wrong," he said, according to a report in the BBC. Watch: Gaza siege triggers rise in anti-antisemitism; France, Russia witness anti-Jew sentiment | WION × The photo was taken a decade ago. His apology came as the Jewish Council of Australia condemned his actions as "deeply concerning", particularly given that he is leading a media company. "It shouldn't need to be said that the salute is an offensive and violent act not only for Jews, but also for other racialised groups," said Sarah Schwartz, the council's executive officer, while adding that it's equally concerning that he operates in a media industry "where he felt this was somehow okay." Also read: Britain redefines 'extremism' in the face of rising hate crimes, critics call it a threat to free speech As per the Foxtel CEO, he was impersonating "a threatening gesture" made by some fans of Western Sydney Wanderers, a soccer club, during the 2014-15 season, while visiting the set of a Fox Sports television programme when he was the CEO of that channel. In his apology, Delenay condemned "racism in all its forms", pointing to his commitment to the 'Say No to Antisemitism letter', the BBC said. The letter was signed by him as well as some other influential Australians from all walks of life following the Hamas terror attack on Israel last October. Delaney is no stranger to controversy. In 2022, he was in the news for calling the star of Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke a "short, dumpy girl." (With inputs from agencies)

News Corp honcho apologises after pics of him doing 'Nazi salute' resurface

<p>A song about immigrants was among the top 50 on German music charts this month, but there's a twin problem: It is entirely AI-generated, and appears to use terms and expressions considered racist and stereotyping of immigrant communities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The song in question is “Verknallt in einen Talahon", meaning 'In Love with a Talahon'.</p>

<p>The song made by Josua Waghubinger, who goes by his artist name Butterbro, peaked at 48 this month in Germany, the world's fourth largest music market, before falling. It is still among top 100, having gone down to 83 at the time of writing this.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/grammys-ceo-issues-clarification-ai-generated-music-not-eligible-for-awards-633619">Grammys CEO issues clarification: AI-generated music not eligible for awards</a> </strong><br />
<br />
The music, vocals and artwork were entirely generated using artificial intelligence,&nbsp; using the AI platform Udio, reported The Guardian. Waghubinger said he made the song's chorus by feeding his own lyrics into Udio.</p>

<p>The song is conceived as a parody, using modern lyrics, and appears to stress on stereotypes about migrants, with beats reminiscent of Schlager pop. Schlager is a pop music genre that was popular in Europe in the 1960s.</p>

<p>Less than a month into its debut,&nbsp;the song&nbsp;has amassed 3.5 million streams on Spotify and went on to become third on its global viral hits chart. It's up on other streamers like Apple Music and Shazam too. Videos based on the song have gone viral on TikTok.</p>

<h2><strong>Why is German viral song Verknallt in einen Talahon seen as racist?</strong></h2>

<p>"'Talahon' is a term used variously with pride, with disdain, and also by far-right groups as a slur," said an article in Music Ally. "Very broadly, 'Talahon' describes young men with a migrant background, a specific clothing style, and who are stereotyped as having vulgar, aggressive behaviour, and a lack of respect towards women," it said.</p>

<p>"The song references a Germanised version of the Arabic expression “taeal huna”, meaning “come here” but now commonly used in Germany to describe groups of young men with immigrant backgrounds, often with derogatory overtones," The Guardian report said.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: AI-generated song 'Heart on my sleeve' submitted for Grammy consideration</strong></p>

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<p><br />
Sample some lyrics and their racial and stereotypical undertones: The lover in the song is described as having "a Louis belt, a Gucci bag and Air Max trainers” and “smells like an entire perfume shop”.</p>

<p>The woman says her lover is “as sweet as baklava” when he gets angry. Baklava is a Turkish-origin pastry dessert, and Turks are among the largest immigrant groups in Germany.</p>

<p>While speaking to a music podcast Die Klangküche, Waghubinger, a hobby musician and IT professional, said he wanted to make a song "that made fun of overtly macho behaviour with a twinkle in the eye and without discriminating.”</p>

<p>His main motivation was to make it go viral on social media, he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/artificial-intelligence-the-future-of-music-or-its-biggest-threat-586655">Artificial Intelligence: The future of music or its biggest threat? </a></strong></p>

<p>The Guaridan quoted music writer Felicia Aghaye as writing that the song’s popularity is "doubly problematic because 'talahon' was firmly established as an insult among young Germans and Austrians against migrants."</p>

<p>"Rightwing groups, for example, use the term to create a bogeyman and stoke Islamophobia and xenophobia,” it quoted Aghaye, who added that the artist appears not to have understood the negative connotations of the term.</p>

<h2><strong>Udio, the controversial AI music platform</strong></h2>

<p>Udio is a text-to-music generative AI tool that can create music - vocals and instruments - from text prompts. It is facing multiple lawsuits about copright violation by music labels.</p>

<p>Earlier this month, Udio and another AI platform Suno, responded to the lawsuits citing 'fair use'.</p>

<p>“The premise of their case is that musical styles – the characteristic sounds of opera, or jazz, or rap music – are somehow proprietary. Decades of judicial precedent establishes that no company controls a genre or style of music,” it said in a filing at a New York court on August 1.</p>

<p>“Under longstanding doctrine, what Udio has done—use existing sound recordings as data to mine and analyze for the purpose of identifying patterns in the sounds of various musical styles, all to enable people to make their own new creations – is a quintessential ‘fair use’ under copyright law,” it added.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A song about immigrants was among the top 50 on German music charts this month, but there's a twin problem: It is entirely AI-generated, and appears to use terms and expressions considered racist and stereotyping of immigrant communities.

A song about immigrants was among the top 50 on German music charts this month, but there's a twin problem: It is entirely AI-generated, and appears to use terms and expressions considered racist and stereotyping of immigrant communities. The song in question is “Verknallt in einen Talahon", meaning 'In Love with a Talahon'. The song made by Josua Waghubinger, who goes by his artist name Butterbro, peaked at 48 this month in Germany, the world's fourth largest music market, before falling. It is still among top 100, having gone down to 83 at the time of writing this. Also read: Grammys CEO issues clarification: AI-generated music not eligible for awards The music, vocals and artwork were entirely generated using artificial intelligence, using the AI platform Udio, reported The Guardian. Waghubinger said he made the song's chorus by feeding his own lyrics into Udio. The song is conceived as a parody, using modern lyrics, and appears to stress on stereotypes about migrants, with beats reminiscent of Schlager pop. Schlager is a pop music genre that was popular in Europe in the 1960s. Less than a month into its debut, the song has amassed 3.5 million streams on Spotify and went on to become third on its global viral hits chart. It's up on other streamers like Apple Music and Shazam too. Videos based on the song have gone viral on TikTok. Why is German viral song Verknallt in einen Talahon seen as racist? "'Talahon' is a term used variously with pride, with disdain, and also by far-right groups as a slur," said an article in Music Ally. "Very broadly, 'Talahon' describes young men with a migrant background, a specific clothing style, and who are stereotyped as having vulgar, aggressive behaviour, and a lack of respect towards women," it said. "The song references a Germanised version of the Arabic expression “taeal huna”, meaning “come here” but now commonly used in Germany to describe groups of young men with immigrant backgrounds, often with derogatory overtones," The Guardian report said. Watch: AI-generated song 'Heart on my sleeve' submitted for Grammy consideration × Sample some lyrics and their racial and stereotypical undertones: The lover in the song is described as having "a Louis belt, a Gucci bag and Air Max trainers” and “smells like an entire perfume shop”. The woman says her lover is “as sweet as baklava” when he gets angry. Baklava is a Turkish-origin pastry dessert, and Turks are among the largest immigrant groups in Germany. While speaking to a music podcast Die Klangküche, Waghubinger, a hobby musician and IT professional, said he wanted to make a song "that made fun of overtly macho behaviour with a twinkle in the eye and without discriminating.” His main motivation was to make it go viral on social media, he said. Also read: Artificial Intelligence: The future of music or its biggest threat? The Guaridan quoted music writer Felicia Aghaye as writing that the song’s popularity is "doubly problematic because 'talahon' was firmly established as an insult among young Germans and Austrians against migrants." "Rightwing groups, for example, use the term to create a bogeyman and stoke Islamophobia and xenophobia,” it quoted Aghaye, who added that the artist appears not to have understood the negative connotations of the term. Udio, the controversial AI music platform Udio is a text-to-music generative AI tool that can create music - vocals and instruments - from text prompts. It is facing multiple lawsuits about copright violation by music labels. Earlier this month, Udio and another AI platform Suno, responded to the lawsuits citing 'fair use'. “The premise of their case is that musical styles – the characteristic sounds of opera, or jazz, or rap music – are somehow proprietary. Decades of judicial precedent establishes that no company controls a genre or style of music,” it said in a filing at a New York court on August 1. “Under longstanding doctrine, what Udio has done—use existing sound recordings as data to mine and analyze for the purpose of identifying patterns in the sounds of various musical styles, all to enable people to make their own new creations – is a quintessential ‘fair use’ under copyright law,” it added. (With inputs from agencies)

An AI-generated song on immigrants is killin' it on German charts. But here's the problem

<p>In the last scene of the hit film <em>Barbie</em>, the titular character played by Margot Robbie goes to&nbsp;see a gynaecologist. It was supposed to be a joke or ironic statement, as the Barbie dolls on which the film is based are known to have no genitals.</p>

<p>Now, researchers who analysed internet data have found that after the film's release in 2023, there was a spike in online searches for gyneac appointments. This may be a sign of increased awareness about gynaecological health, they posited.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-netizens-declare-ryan-goslings-%E2%80%98i%E2%80%99m-just-ken%E2%80%99-performance-greatest-oscars-moment-ever-698884">Netizens declare Ryan Gosling's ‘I’m Just Ken’ performance 'greatest Oscars moment ever'</a></strong></p>

<p>The study, published in JAMA journal, warned however that&nbsp;searches for gynaecologists may have also been done by people who do not require gynecologic care. "Therefore, it remains unclear whether a 'Barbie effect'&nbsp;in awareness would translate to improved measurable health outcomes," the researchers said.</p>

<p><em>Barbie</em>, directed by Greta Gerwig and released in 2023 July, was one of the highest grossing films ever, with nearly 13 million tickets sold.</p>

<h2><strong>How gynaecology search trends increased after Barbie release</strong></h2>

<p>“I’m here to see my gynaecologist,” says Barbie, played by Margot Robbie in the final scene of the film which was released on 21 July 2023.</p>

<p>When analysing online search trends in the United States&nbsp;following <em>Barbie</em>’s release, the researchers looked at 34 queries related to gynecologic care, women’s health care, or broader medical care.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-mattel-launches-weird-barbie-doll-after-box-office-success-of-margot-robbie-movie-622628">Mattel launches Weird Barbie doll after box office success of Margot Robbie movie</a></strong></p>

<p>These search terms included gynaecologist, gynaecologist definition, gynaecologist appointment, women’s health, doctor, and doctor’s appointment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The search terms were divided into sub-categories, and the first three categories measured topics directly related to the language used in <em>Barbie</em>.</p>

<p>Weekly US online search trends in the year preceding and three months following the film's&nbsp;release date were obtained using Google Trends and Glimpse, said the study's authors.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When comparing the data, they found a 51 per cent rise in search terms on gynaecologists&nbsp;following <em>Barbie</em>’s release, and 154 per cent rise in searches on gynaecologist definition.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Celebrating 65 years of Barbie with 'Barbie: The exhibition'</strong></p>

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<p>"Our results suggest that Barbie’s closing line may have spurred interest in gyneacology, further suggesting the potential influence of popular films on health literacy and awareness," said the study done by&nbsp;Eva Senechal, Charles F&nbsp;Bray, Christopher M&nbsp;Worsham, and Anupam B&nbsp;Jena.</p>

<h2><strong>How films and stars can influence health behaviours</strong></h2>

<p>The research noted that Katie Couric’s live-streamed colonoscopy was associated with a 21 per cent&nbsp;rise in the procedure.</p>

<p>Angelina Jolie’s essay about her experience with breast cancer led to a 64 per cent&nbsp;increase in genetic testing.</p>

<p>On the negative side, there was a&nbsp;29 rise in suicide rates in the months after the controversial season finale of <em>13 Reasons Why</em>.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


In the last scene of the hit film Barbie, the titular character played by Margot Robbie goes to see a gynaecologist. It was supposed to be a joke or ironic statement, as the Barbie dolls on which the film is based are known to have no genitals.

In the last scene of the hit film Barbie, the titular character played by Margot Robbie goes to see a gynaecologist. It was supposed to be a joke or ironic statement, as the Barbie dolls on which the film is based are known to have no genitals. Now, researchers who analysed internet data have found that after the film's release in 2023, there was a spike in online searches for gyneac appointments. This may be a sign of increased awareness about gynaecological health, they posited. Also Read: Netizens declare Ryan Gosling's ‘I’m Just Ken’ performance 'greatest Oscars moment ever' The study, published in JAMA journal, warned however that searches for gynaecologists may have also been done by people who do not require gynecologic care. "Therefore, it remains unclear whether a 'Barbie effect' in awareness would translate to improved measurable health outcomes," the researchers said. Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig and released in 2023 July, was one of the highest grossing films ever, with nearly 13 million tickets sold. How gynaecology search trends increased after Barbie release “I’m here to see my gynaecologist,” says Barbie, played by Margot Robbie in the final scene of the film which was released on 21 July 2023. When analysing online search trends in the United States following Barbie’s release, the researchers looked at 34 queries related to gynecologic care, women’s health care, or broader medical care. Also Read: Mattel launches Weird Barbie doll after box office success of Margot Robbie movie These search terms included gynaecologist, gynaecologist definition, gynaecologist appointment, women’s health, doctor, and doctor’s appointment. The search terms were divided into sub-categories, and the first three categories measured topics directly related to the language used in Barbie. Weekly US online search trends in the year preceding and three months following the film's release date were obtained using Google Trends and Glimpse, said the study's authors. When comparing the data, they found a 51 per cent rise in search terms on gynaecologists following Barbie’s release, and 154 per cent rise in searches on gynaecologist definition. Watch: Celebrating 65 years of Barbie with 'Barbie: The exhibition' × "Our results suggest that Barbie’s closing line may have spurred interest in gyneacology, further suggesting the potential influence of popular films on health literacy and awareness," said the study done by Eva Senechal, Charles F Bray, Christopher M Worsham, and Anupam B Jena. How films and stars can influence health behaviours The research noted that Katie Couric’s live-streamed colonoscopy was associated with a 21 per cent rise in the procedure. Angelina Jolie’s essay about her experience with breast cancer led to a 64 per cent increase in genetic testing. On the negative side, there was a 29 rise in suicide rates in the months after the controversial season finale of 13 Reasons Why. (With inputs from agencies)

Barbie effect: Did Margot Robbie's last line in film spur search on gynaecological care? Study thinks so

<p>Researchers have decoded the largest animal genome, and it doesn't belong to giants like whales or elephants, but to a humble but strange-looking fish. The lungfish genome was found to be 30 times the size of the human genome.</p>

<p>The sequencing was carried out by an international team of researchers led by Konstanz evolutionary biologist Axel Meyer and Würzburg biochemist Manfred Schartl.</p>

<h2><strong>Why is lungfish so special? The living fossil</strong></h2>

<p>The lungfish is called so because it actually has lungs, unlike most other fish species, a characteristic it retained from its ancestors who could move and breathe on land. The freshwater fish come in mainly three varieties: South American, African and Australian.</p>

<p>Lungfish are known as 'living fossils' because they retain some of the traits of their ancient ancestors from hundreds of millennia ago.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjtwqOnqfmHAxVTjK8BHTyyAegQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/online-outrage-over-sexist-hostess-lampshade-outfits-indian-origin-ceo-responds-750657" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/trending/online-outrage-over-sexist-hostess-lampshade-outfits-indian-origin-ceo-responds-750657&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjtwqOnqfmHAxVTjK8BHTyyAegQxfQBKAB6BAgHEAE">Online outrage over `sexist` hostess lampshade outfits, Indian-origin CEO responds</a></strong></p>

<p>The Australian lungfish retain&nbsp;the limb-like structures that once enabled their ancestors to move on land. These are absent in their African and South American relatives, having evolved into fin-like structures for swimming.</p>

<p>Lungfish&nbsp;share ancestors with all other four-limbed vertebrates known as tetrapods.</p>

<h2><strong>Why does lungfish have such big genome?</strong></h2>

<p>According to a press release from the researchers, the South American lungfish breaks all records for size, with its DNA having more than&nbsp;90 gigabases. One gigabase is&nbsp;90 billion bases.</p>

<p>Earlier, the record was held by its cousin, the Australian lungfish, which had around half that number. "18 of the 19 chromosomes of the South American lungfish are each individually larger than the entire human genome with its almost 3 billion bases,” said Meyer, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Konstanz in Germany.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjtwqOnqfmHAxVTjK8BHTyyAegQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/video-13-year-old-chinese-girl-stuns-audience-with-bharatnatyam-debut-750111" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/trending/video-13-year-old-chinese-girl-stuns-audience-with-bharatnatyam-debut-750111&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjtwqOnqfmHAxVTjK8BHTyyAegQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">Video: 13-year-old Chinese girl stuns audience with Bharatnatyam debut</a></strong></p>

<p>The cause for such enlarged DNA is 'autonomous transposons'.&nbsp;Autonomous transposons are DNA sequences that “replicate” and then change their position in the genome, which in turn causes the genome to grow, said the study, with the South American lungfish showing the fastest rate of such expansion.<br />
<br />
The researchers estimated that the lungfish genome grew by the size of the entire human genome every million years.</p>

<p>“And it continues to grow. We have found evidence that the transposons responsible are still active,” said Meyer.</p>

<p>In spite of the expansion, the lungfish genome is remarkably stable, similar to their ancestral tetrapods, said a release on the study.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Researchers have decoded the largest animal genome, and it doesn't belong to giants like whales or elephants, but to a humble but strange-looking fish. The lungfish genome was found to be 30 times the size of the human genome.

Researchers have decoded the largest animal genome, and it doesn't belong to giants like whales or elephants, but to a humble but strange-looking fish. The lungfish genome was found to be 30 times the size of the human genome. The sequencing was carried out by an international team of researchers led by Konstanz evolutionary biologist Axel Meyer and Würzburg biochemist Manfred Schartl. Why is lungfish so special? The living fossil The lungfish is called so because it actually has lungs, unlike most other fish species, a characteristic it retained from its ancestors who could move and breathe on land. The freshwater fish come in mainly three varieties: South American, African and Australian. Lungfish are known as 'living fossils' because they retain some of the traits of their ancient ancestors from hundreds of millennia ago. Also read: Online outrage over `sexist` hostess lampshade outfits, Indian-origin CEO responds The Australian lungfish retain the limb-like structures that once enabled their ancestors to move on land. These are absent in their African and South American relatives, having evolved into fin-like structures for swimming. Lungfish share ancestors with all other four-limbed vertebrates known as tetrapods. Why does lungfish have such big genome? According to a press release from the researchers, the South American lungfish breaks all records for size, with its DNA having more than 90 gigabases. One gigabase is 90 billion bases. Earlier, the record was held by its cousin, the Australian lungfish, which had around half that number. "18 of the 19 chromosomes of the South American lungfish are each individually larger than the entire human genome with its almost 3 billion bases,” said Meyer, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Konstanz in Germany. Also read: Video: 13-year-old Chinese girl stuns audience with Bharatnatyam debut The cause for such enlarged DNA is 'autonomous transposons'. Autonomous transposons are DNA sequences that “replicate” and then change their position in the genome, which in turn causes the genome to grow, said the study, with the South American lungfish showing the fastest rate of such expansion. The researchers estimated that the lungfish genome grew by the size of the entire human genome every million years. “And it continues to grow. We have found evidence that the transposons responsible are still active,” said Meyer. In spite of the expansion, the lungfish genome is remarkably stable, similar to their ancestral tetrapods, said a release on the study. (With inputs from agencies)

This lungfish, known as 'living fossil', has largest-ever genome decoded, 30 times bigger than ours

<p>The Sun has had the largest number of sunspots in over 20 years this month, according to the US agencies observing the star.</p>

<p>The estimated Sunspot Number or SNN for 8 August may have reached 299, said the US Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colorado.</p>

<p>This is the largest number since at least July 2002, it said on its website.&nbsp;These sunspots occurred in a 24-hour period.</p>

<p>The current solar cycle, which is numbered as Solar Cycle 25, "likely reached its highest SSN thus far on August 8, a value of perhaps 299," it said. A solar cycle, estimated to last 11 years, is how the Sun alternates between its so-called solar minimum and solar maximum.</p>

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<p>The official SSN data is released by global agencies in September, though 299 appears to be a possible number. The final number will come from the World Data Center - Sunspot Index and Long-Term Solar Observations (WDC-SILSO).</p>

<p>In fact, the SWPC had recorded the SSN higher at 337, a value not observed since March 2001.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What are sun spots?</strong></h2>

<p>Each sunspot is the size of the whole earth. These are relatively darker areas on the Sun.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The rotations of the Sun in each solar cycle lead to areas of magnetic energy on the star. When these areas are very strong, they become visible as sunspots.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is the result of sunspots?</strong></h2>

<p>Sunspots have strong magnetic fields that cause coronal mass ejections or CMEs.&nbsp;CMEs release large amounts of plasma and magnetic fields&nbsp;from&nbsp;the Sun's corona region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These cause solar flares that send out electromagnetic radiation and are experienced as geomagnetic 'solar storms' on Earth.</p>

<p>As sunspots increase, a corresponding rise in solar flares&nbsp;is observed.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-strange-highway-formed-between-sun-and-earth-in-2023-nasa-says-747914">Aurora on Sun? It happened in 2023 when Earth spewed back particles</a></strong></p>

<p>Warnings were issued for geomagnetic storms&nbsp;in the August 11-12 period, around the time when sunspots were estimated at the highest since 2002.<br />
<br />
"Solar Cycle 25 is proving to be much more active than originally forecast by the scientist experts who predicted the cycle back in 2019 or so," Space.com quoted Shawn Dahl of SWPC as saying.</p>

<p>The Solar Cycle 25 has already caused intense geomagnetic storms, and auroras on Earth.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The Sun has had the largest number of sunspots in over 20 years this month, according to the US agencies observing the star. The estimated Sunspot Number or SNN for 8 August may have reached 299, said the US Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colorado.

The Sun has had the largest number of sunspots in over 20 years this month, according to the US agencies observing the star. The estimated Sunspot Number or SNN for 8 August may have reached 299, said the US Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Boulder, Colorado. This is the largest number since at least July 2002, it said on its website. These sunspots occurred in a 24-hour period. The current solar cycle, which is numbered as Solar Cycle 25, "likely reached its highest SSN thus far on August 8, a value of perhaps 299," it said. A solar cycle, estimated to last 11 years, is how the Sun alternates between its so-called solar minimum and solar maximum. Also read | Volcanic eruption in 536 spewed so much ash that Sun didn't shine for 18 months The official SSN data is released by global agencies in September, though 299 appears to be a possible number. The final number will come from the World Data Center - Sunspot Index and Long-Term Solar Observations (WDC-SILSO). In fact, the SWPC had recorded the SSN higher at 337, a value not observed since March 2001. What are sun spots? Each sunspot is the size of the whole earth. These are relatively darker areas on the Sun. The rotations of the Sun in each solar cycle lead to areas of magnetic energy on the star. When these areas are very strong, they become visible as sunspots. What is the result of sunspots? Sunspots have strong magnetic fields that cause coronal mass ejections or CMEs. CMEs release large amounts of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's corona region. These cause solar flares that send out electromagnetic radiation and are experienced as geomagnetic 'solar storms' on Earth. As sunspots increase, a corresponding rise in solar flares is observed. Also read | Aurora on Sun? It happened in 2023 when Earth spewed back particles Warnings were issued for geomagnetic storms in the August 11-12 period, around the time when sunspots were estimated at the highest since 2002. "Solar Cycle 25 is proving to be much more active than originally forecast by the scientist experts who predicted the cycle back in 2019 or so," Space.com quoted Shawn Dahl of SWPC as saying. The Solar Cycle 25 has already caused intense geomagnetic storms, and auroras on Earth. (With inputs from agencies)

The Sun probably just had the largest number of sunspots in over 20 years: What does it mean?

<p>A man in the US who suffers from the muscle degeneration disease ALS was able to 'speak' using a brain-computer interface, offering hope to thousands of people who are unable to speak because of such conditions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Casey Harrell, 45, used the brain-computer interface or BCI that interpreted his brain signals and turned them into text, which was then read by a computer, with 97 per cent accuracy, which makes this device the most accurate of its kind.</p>

<p>“Our BCI technology helped a man with paralysis to communicate with friends, families and caregivers,” said neurosurgeon David Brandman of University of California, Davis, where the experiment was conducted.</p>

<p>Brandman described it as "the most accurate speech neuroprosthesis (device) ever reported.”</p>

<p>Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-when-does-ageing-really-kick-in-scientists-find-two-specific-ages-when-signs-show-up-they-are-750381">When does ageing really kick in? Scientists find two specific ages when signs show up. They are...</a></p>

<p>Harrell used the system in both prompted and spontaneous conversational settings, a release from UC Davis said on Wednesday (Aug 15).</p>

<p>In both cases, speech decoding happened in real time, it said.</p>

<p>"The decoded words were shown on a screen and read aloud in a voice that sounded like Harrell’s before he had ALS. The voice was composed using software trained with existing audio samples of his pre-ALS voice," it said.</p>

<h2><strong>How the man with ALS was able to 'speak'</strong></h2>

<p>The 45-year's speech was hard to understand and he required others to help interpret for him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the experiment, sensors from the BCI were implanted in Harrel's&nbsp;brain in July 2023. These included four microelectrode arrays inserted in the part of his brain responsible for coordinating speech, which could record brain activity from 256 cortical electrodes.</p>

<p>The researchers essentially 'recorded' him from the part of the brain that’s trying to send commands to the muscles.</p>

<p>"We are basically listening into that, and we’re translating those patterns of brain activity into a phoneme — like a syllable or the unit of speech — and then the words they’re trying to say,” said neuroscientist Sergey Stavisky.&nbsp;“We’re really detecting their attempt to move their muscles and talk.”</p>

<p>The brain signals are then interpreted by machine-learning programmes in the device.</p>

<h2><strong>Why this is a breakthrough</strong></h2>

<p>The experiment offers hope for people who want to speak but can’t.</p>

<p>“Previous speech BCI systems had frequent word errors. This made it difficult for the user to be understood consistently and was a barrier to communication,” Brandman said. “Our objective was to develop a system that empowered someone to be understood whenever they wanted to speak.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The first time we tried the system, he cried with joy as the words he was trying to say correctly appeared on-screen. We all did," said neuroscientist Sergey Stavisky who was part of the study.</p>

<p><br />
“At this point, we can decode what Casey is trying to say correctly about 97 per cent of the time,” Brandman said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“It has been immensely rewarding to see Casey regain his ability to speak with his family and friends through this technology,” said the study’s lead author, Nicholas Card.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is ALS?</strong></h2>

<p>ALS is a progressive muscle degeneration disease. Also known as&nbsp;Lou Gehrig's disease, it inhibits the ability of nerve cells that control movement over a period of time, leading to the&nbsp;weakening of muscles.</p>

<p>Over time, patients become unable to stand, walk and use their hands.</p>

<p>In some cases, ALS can&nbsp;impair speech as it affects muscles and nerves that control speaking movements.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


A man in the US who suffers from the muscle degeneration disease ALS was able to 'speak' using a brain-computer interface, offering hope to thousands of people who are unable to speak because of such conditions.

A man in the US who suffers from the muscle degeneration disease ALS was able to 'speak' using a brain-computer interface, offering hope to thousands of people who are unable to speak because of such conditions. Casey Harrell, 45, used the brain-computer interface or BCI that interpreted his brain signals and turned them into text, which was then read by a computer, with 97 per cent accuracy, which makes this device the most accurate of its kind. “Our BCI technology helped a man with paralysis to communicate with friends, families and caregivers,” said neurosurgeon David Brandman of University of California, Davis, where the experiment was conducted. Brandman described it as "the most accurate speech neuroprosthesis (device) ever reported.” Also read:When does ageing really kick in? Scientists find two specific ages when signs show up. They are... Harrell used the system in both prompted and spontaneous conversational settings, a release from UC Davis said on Wednesday (Aug 15). In both cases, speech decoding happened in real time, it said. "The decoded words were shown on a screen and read aloud in a voice that sounded like Harrell’s before he had ALS. The voice was composed using software trained with existing audio samples of his pre-ALS voice," it said. How the man with ALS was able to 'speak' The 45-year's speech was hard to understand and he required others to help interpret for him. For the experiment, sensors from the BCI were implanted in Harrel's brain in July 2023. These included four microelectrode arrays inserted in the part of his brain responsible for coordinating speech, which could record brain activity from 256 cortical electrodes. The researchers essentially 'recorded' him from the part of the brain that’s trying to send commands to the muscles. "We are basically listening into that, and we’re translating those patterns of brain activity into a phoneme — like a syllable or the unit of speech — and then the words they’re trying to say,” said neuroscientist Sergey Stavisky. “We’re really detecting their attempt to move their muscles and talk.” The brain signals are then interpreted by machine-learning programmes in the device. Why this is a breakthrough The experiment offers hope for people who want to speak but can’t. “Previous speech BCI systems had frequent word errors. This made it difficult for the user to be understood consistently and was a barrier to communication,” Brandman said. “Our objective was to develop a system that empowered someone to be understood whenever they wanted to speak.” "The first time we tried the system, he cried with joy as the words he was trying to say correctly appeared on-screen. We all did," said neuroscientist Sergey Stavisky who was part of the study. “At this point, we can decode what Casey is trying to say correctly about 97 per cent of the time,” Brandman said. “It has been immensely rewarding to see Casey regain his ability to speak with his family and friends through this technology,” said the study’s lead author, Nicholas Card. What is ALS? ALS is a progressive muscle degeneration disease. Also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, it inhibits the ability of nerve cells that control movement over a period of time, leading to the weakening of muscles. Over time, patients become unable to stand, walk and use their hands. In some cases, ALS can impair speech as it affects muscles and nerves that control speaking movements. (With inputs from agencies)

Brain-computer interface helps man with ALS 'speak' again: 'He cried with joy, we all did'

<p>A woman in Britain&nbsp;has won a huge payout years after a rape case she had filed was dropped over so-called 'sexomnia'. Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott, a 32-year-old survivor and activist, was given £35,000 in compensation by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which admitted to its wrong handling of the case and apologised.</p>

<p>Sexomnia is a rare sleep disorder in which a person is unaware that sex is happening.</p>

<p>In a letter to Jade, CPS “apologised unreservedly” and expressed commitment "to improve every aspect of how life-changing crimes like rape are dealt with”.</p>

<p>Subject of a BBC documentary, Jade said it was a "big triumph" to hold CPS accountable, adding that it&nbsp;"took me to the darkest points of my life.”</p>

<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kolkata-horror-rape-miscreants-vandalise-rg-kar-hospital-disrupt-midnight-protest-video-750268">Kolkata horror rape: Miscreants vandalise RG Kar Hospital, disrupt midnight protest - VIDEO</a></strong></p>

<p>She said she sued CPS in search of accountability and to avoid future mistakes in similar rape cases. “For me it's not about the financial side of things. I'm very much wanting to push for systemic changes with the CPS and the legal system advocating for better training, policies, procedures and practices,” she was quoted as saying by BBC.</p>

<p>Centre for Women's Justice, which provided lawyers to Jade, noted that such a payout from CPS was &nbsp;"extremely rare," BBC reported.</p>

<h2><strong>The rape incident</strong></h2>

<p>The incident at the heart of the case happened in&nbsp;2017. Jade, who was 24 years old at the time, had been at a house party with friends and slept there. She woke up seminude, and found that her necklace was broken. There was a man in the room where Jade had slept.<br />
<br />
She felt she was violated. Police was called in, and a rape case was filed.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH: Kolkata rape-murder case: Doctors protest nationwide 'no safety, no duty' | WION Decodes</strong><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<h2><strong>What is sexomnia?</strong></h2>

<p>First approved as a clinical condition in 2003, sexomnia, or ‘sleep sex’ happens when victims who are sleeping appear to exhibit signs of consent for sexual activity, which is often forgotten by the time the person wakes up.</p>

<p>Accoridng to an article in The Independent, sexmonia has "become popular among lawyers as a defence for accused rapists."</p>

<p>"Medically, it is a type of parasomnia, an umbrella term for sleep disorders in which people experience or exhibit unusual behaviours during sleep, which also includes sleepwalking," said the article.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“In the case of sexsomnia, people engage in sexual behaviours such as masturbation, sexual movements, or initiating sex with another person,” it quoted &nbsp;clinical sexologist &nbsp;Marie Morice as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sexomnia happens during non-REM sleep. Non-REM (REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement), which is deeper form of sleep that occurs when your heart rate and body temperature decrease. Considered a form of sleepwalking, sexomnia happens when parts of the brain that control sexual behaviour stay awake while the rest is asleep.</p>

<p>There are very few known instances of sexsomnia, with only a few hundred cases documented worldwide, according to The Independent article.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/over-300-million-children-victimized-by-online-sexual-abuse-annually-725808">Over 300 million children victimised by online sexual abuse annually</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Why did CPS drop the case of Jade?</strong></h2>

<p>The case was dropped by CPS in 2020 just days before it was to go into trial. CPS cited two sleep experts who had said Jade was suffering from sexomnia when the incident happened.</p>

<p>That conclusion came after Jade was given a questionnaire about her sleep habits. She was not interviewed by the experts.</p>

<p>Jade said she did not have sexsomnia, however, sleep experts felt it may have been an isolated episode.</p>

<p>The accused was set free without even facing a jury. That made it impossible for the case to be reopened without compelling evidence.</p>

<h2><strong>Jade's legal battle</strong></h2>

<p>After the case was dropped, Jade said she felt more upset about it, than the incident itself.</p>

<p>She filed an &nbsp;appeal in 2021 through the CPS system that gives victims the right to review. The payout and apology letter from a chief crown prosecutor&nbsp;were given after that.</p>

<p>In the apology letter, the CPS admitted the case should have gone into trial, adding it was wrong for it to close it.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


A woman in Britain has won a huge payout years after a rape case she had filed was dropped over so-called 'sexomnia'. Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott, a 32-year-old survivor and activist, was given £35,000 in compensation by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which admitted to its wrong handling of the case and apologised.

A woman in Britain has won a huge payout years after a rape case she had filed was dropped over so-called 'sexomnia'. Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott, a 32-year-old survivor and activist, was given £35,000 in compensation by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which admitted to its wrong handling of the case and apologised. Sexomnia is a rare sleep disorder in which a person is unaware that sex is happening. In a letter to Jade, CPS “apologised unreservedly” and expressed commitment "to improve every aspect of how life-changing crimes like rape are dealt with”. Subject of a BBC documentary, Jade said it was a "big triumph" to hold CPS accountable, adding that it "took me to the darkest points of my life.” Also Read: Kolkata horror rape: Miscreants vandalise RG Kar Hospital, disrupt midnight protest - VIDEO She said she sued CPS in search of accountability and to avoid future mistakes in similar rape cases. “For me it's not about the financial side of things. I'm very much wanting to push for systemic changes with the CPS and the legal system advocating for better training, policies, procedures and practices,” she was quoted as saying by BBC. Centre for Women's Justice, which provided lawyers to Jade, noted that such a payout from CPS was "extremely rare," BBC reported. The rape incident The incident at the heart of the case happened in 2017. Jade, who was 24 years old at the time, had been at a house party with friends and slept there. She woke up seminude, and found that her necklace was broken. There was a man in the room where Jade had slept. She felt she was violated. Police was called in, and a rape case was filed. WATCH: Kolkata rape-murder case: Doctors protest nationwide 'no safety, no duty' | WION Decodes × What is sexomnia? First approved as a clinical condition in 2003, sexomnia, or ‘sleep sex’ happens when victims who are sleeping appear to exhibit signs of consent for sexual activity, which is often forgotten by the time the person wakes up. Accoridng to an article in The Independent, sexmonia has "become popular among lawyers as a defence for accused rapists." "Medically, it is a type of parasomnia, an umbrella term for sleep disorders in which people experience or exhibit unusual behaviours during sleep, which also includes sleepwalking," said the article. “In the case of sexsomnia, people engage in sexual behaviours such as masturbation, sexual movements, or initiating sex with another person,” it quoted clinical sexologist Marie Morice as saying. Sexomnia happens during non-REM sleep. Non-REM (REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement), which is deeper form of sleep that occurs when your heart rate and body temperature decrease. Considered a form of sleepwalking, sexomnia happens when parts of the brain that control sexual behaviour stay awake while the rest is asleep. There are very few known instances of sexsomnia, with only a few hundred cases documented worldwide, according to The Independent article. Also Read: Over 300 million children victimised by online sexual abuse annually Why did CPS drop the case of Jade? The case was dropped by CPS in 2020 just days before it was to go into trial. CPS cited two sleep experts who had said Jade was suffering from sexomnia when the incident happened. That conclusion came after Jade was given a questionnaire about her sleep habits. She was not interviewed by the experts. Jade said she did not have sexsomnia, however, sleep experts felt it may have been an isolated episode. The accused was set free without even facing a jury. That made it impossible for the case to be reopened without compelling evidence. Jade's legal battle After the case was dropped, Jade said she felt more upset about it, than the incident itself. She filed an appeal in 2021 through the CPS system that gives victims the right to review. The payout and apology letter from a chief crown prosecutor were given after that. In the apology letter, the CPS admitted the case should have gone into trial, adding it was wrong for it to close it. (With inputs from agencies)

'Sexomnia' case: UK woman whose rape trial was dropped over rare sleep disorder wins huge payout

<p>The Chinese internet is flooded with videos and posts about protests that took place this week after a delivery driver was made to kneel in front of security guards. Some reports said it was a female rider, but that could not be verified as the person had a helmet and mask on.</p>

<p>Incidentally, the whole episode happened as a Chinese movie about the life of gig workers becoming a big hit in the country.</p>

<p>The incident that took place in the eastern city of Hangzhou exposed chinks in the Chinese gig worker economy, where delivery drivers for apps are made to work long hours for poor pay, and virtually no medical or social protections.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/foreign-investors-withdraw-record-amounts-from-china-in-june-quarter-749772">Foreign investors withdraw record amounts from China in June quarter</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>What happened with the delivery driver in China?</strong></h2>

<p>The incident happened on Monday (Aug 12) when the delivery driver was caught by security guards, apparently after damaging a fence of a compound while delivering a food order.</p>

<p>The driver was held back by the security guards, who asked for payment for the damaged fence.</p>

<p>The rider kneeled before the guards, pleading to be allowed to go as other deliveries were getting delayed, according to local police.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Other delivery drivers in the area gathered, demanding the release of their fellow driver.</p>

<p>The whole thing was caught on camera.</p>

<p>Watch it here:<br />
<br />
<em><strong>Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of content shared on social media</strong></em></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On August 12th in Hangzhou, China, a food delivery worker was forced to kneel, which triggered widespread dissatisfaction among delivery workers in the area, leading to a protest event. <a href="https://t.co/66Ly94UqPM">pic.twitter.com/66Ly94UqPM</a></p>
— Real video from China. (@cz8921469_z) <a href="https://twitter.com/cz8921469_z/status/1823183253613814267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Soon, the episode snowballed into a larger protest in the city, with scores of gig workers taking to the streets and shouting slogans like 'apologise'.</p>

<h2><strong>China gig worker kneeling incident sparks online discussion</strong></h2>

<p>The incident led to a major discussion on China's much-censored internet on the economic woes of workers, and the rise in protests against President Xi Jinping's regime.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read&nbsp;: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/navigating-chinas-economic-crossroads-challenges-and-opportunities-ahead-737301">Navigating China's economic crossroads: challenges and opportunities ahead</a></strong><br />
<br />
"A massive protest broke out today in Hangzhou City, China, after a security guard forced a female delivery worker to kneel and pay a fine of 200 yuan," wrote Jennifer Zeng on X.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A massive protest broke out today in Hangzhou City, China, after a security guard forced a female delivery worker to kneel and pay a fine of 200 yuan.<br />
<br />
Hundreds of fellow delivery workers gathered to support her.<br />
<br />
In China's current economic downturn, the survival conditions… <a href="https://t.co/VtRl1YUOgA">pic.twitter.com/VtRl1YUOgA</a></p>
— Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferzeng97) <a href="https://twitter.com/jenniferzeng97/status/1823031323843272885?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<p>Another X user with the handle @DeepChinaDive wrote: "Bottled-up anger finally erupts. Delivery workers' protest reveals deeper issues: economic pressure, harsh working conditions, power imbalances. Is this just the beginning? Social tensions have been brewing for a while. More to come?"</p>

<p>One of the X users pointed out that amid the current economic downturn, delivery workers are facing tough living conditions.</p>

<p>They are forced to work desperately to ensure timely deliveries amid intense competition.</p>

<p>"They are also often bullied by the police or security guards. &nbsp;As a result, their resentment has been building up for a long time," wrote the social media user.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: China grapples with ageing population, 94 million workers above the age of 60</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Upstream, a Chinese film on gig worker life, is a top hit</strong></h2>

<p>The incident happened around the same time as <em>Upstream</em>, a Chinese film on the lives of gig workers, has emerged as a top hit.</p>

<p><em>Upstream </em>tackles several of China's biggest economic pain points, an uncertain job market, downward mobility and the hardscrabble life of millions working gig jobs, Reuters said in a report.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The Chinese internet is flooded with videos and posts about protests that took place this week after a delivery driver was made to kneel in front of security guards.

The Chinese internet is flooded with videos and posts about protests that took place this week after a delivery driver was made to kneel in front of security guards. Some reports said it was a female rider, but that could not be verified as the person had a helmet and mask on. Incidentally, the whole episode happened as a Chinese movie about the life of gig workers becoming a big hit in the country. The incident that took place in the eastern city of Hangzhou exposed chinks in the Chinese gig worker economy, where delivery drivers for apps are made to work long hours for poor pay, and virtually no medical or social protections. Also Read: Foreign investors withdraw record amounts from China in June quarter What happened with the delivery driver in China? The incident happened on Monday (Aug 12) when the delivery driver was caught by security guards, apparently after damaging a fence of a compound while delivering a food order. The driver was held back by the security guards, who asked for payment for the damaged fence. The rider kneeled before the guards, pleading to be allowed to go as other deliveries were getting delayed, according to local police. Other delivery drivers in the area gathered, demanding the release of their fellow driver. The whole thing was caught on camera. Watch it here: Disclaimer: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of content shared on social media On August 12th in Hangzhou, China, a food delivery worker was forced to kneel, which triggered widespread dissatisfaction among delivery workers in the area, leading to a protest event. pic.twitter.com/66Ly94UqPM — Real video from China. (@cz8921469_z) August 13, 2024 × Soon, the episode snowballed into a larger protest in the city, with scores of gig workers taking to the streets and shouting slogans like 'apologise'. China gig worker kneeling incident sparks online discussion The incident led to a major discussion on China's much-censored internet on the economic woes of workers, and the rise in protests against President Xi Jinping's regime. Also read : Navigating China's economic crossroads: challenges and opportunities ahead "A massive protest broke out today in Hangzhou City, China, after a security guard forced a female delivery worker to kneel and pay a fine of 200 yuan," wrote Jennifer Zeng on X. A massive protest broke out today in Hangzhou City, China, after a security guard forced a female delivery worker to kneel and pay a fine of 200 yuan. Hundreds of fellow delivery workers gathered to support her. In China's current economic downturn, the survival conditions… pic.twitter.com/VtRl1YUOgA — Inconvenient Truths by Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferzeng97) August 12, 2024 × Another X user with the handle @DeepChinaDive wrote: "Bottled-up anger finally erupts. Delivery workers' protest reveals deeper issues: economic pressure, harsh working conditions, power imbalances. Is this just the beginning? Social tensions have been brewing for a while. More to come?" One of the X users pointed out that amid the current economic downturn, delivery workers are facing tough living conditions. They are forced to work desperately to ensure timely deliveries amid intense competition. "They are also often bullied by the police or security guards. As a result, their resentment has been building up for a long time," wrote the social media user. Watch: China grapples with ageing population, 94 million workers above the age of 60 × Upstream, a Chinese film on gig worker life, is a top hit The incident happened around the same time as Upstream, a Chinese film on the lives of gig workers, has emerged as a top hit. Upstream tackles several of China's biggest economic pain points, an uncertain job market, downward mobility and the hardscrabble life of millions working gig jobs, Reuters said in a report. (With inputs from agencies)

Watch: Massive protests in China after delivery driver made to kneel for this reason

<p>When does ageing start? Is it a gradual process or is there a specific age in which we start to 'suddenly' age? According to a new study, there are two, not one, time periods in our lives when we show sudden signs of ageing.</p>

<p>There is a burst of ageing at 44, and then at 60, accoriding to research done at Stanford University in the US.</p>

<p>This busts the general notion that our bodies and minds decline in a slow process, referred to as 'linear ageing'.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: China's anti-ageing component isolated from blood</strong><br />
&nbsp;</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, the ageing in 40s was seen as part of onset of menopause in women, but the study has shown that men also show signs of decline in mid-40s onwards.</p>

<h2><strong>How did they reach the conclusion?</strong></h2>

<p>The study published in Nature Ageing journal tracked thousands of different molecules in people aged between 25 and 75.</p>

<p>It found two waves of age-related changes in the molecular composition of bodies: at around ages 44 and again at 60.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The findings could explain "why spikes in certain health issues including musculoskeletal problems and cardiovascular disease occur at certain ages," the researchers said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/new-study-reveals-that-your-bodys-cells-age-rapidly-within-a-day-719816">New study reveals that your body's cells age rapidly within a day</a></strong><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p>The researchers call these sudden spurts 'nonlinear' ageing. "The analysis revealed consistent nonlinear patterns in molecular markers of ageing, with substantial dysregulation occurring at two major periods occurring at approximately 44 years and 60 years of chronological age," said the study.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They found cardiovascular disease, lipid and alcohol metabolism changes at the 40-year transition, and shifts in "immune regulation and carbohydrate metabolism" during the 60-year transition.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/study-shows-strong-links-between-losing-loved-ones-and-ageing-745671">Study shows 'strong links' between losing loved ones and biological ageing</a></strong></p>

<p>Risk of diseases accelerate at specific points in human lifespan.</p>

<p>The study pointed out that in the US,&nbsp; atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attacks are are up 40% between the ages of 40 and 59. It rises to about 75% between ages 60 and 79 and reaches &nbsp;86% at 80 years and above.</p>

<p>Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s have distinct "turning points" around the ages of 40 and 65, respectively.</p>

<h2><strong>What is ageing?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Ageing is the decline in physical and cognitive abilities, as well as changes in&nbsp;appearance such as wrinkling skin. This is also the period in which people suffer from aches and pains, and diseases and wounds take longer to heal.</p>

<p>According to World Health Organization, ageing is on the rise globally.</p>

<p>"In 2019, the number of people aged 60 years and older was 1 billion. This number will increase to 1.4 billion by 2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050," it says on its Ageing website.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


When does ageing start? Is it a gradual process or is there a specific age in which we start to 'suddenly' age? According to a new study, there are two, not one, time periods in our lives when we show sudden signs of ageing.

When does ageing start? Is it a gradual process or is there a specific age in which we start to 'suddenly' age? According to a new study, there are two, not one, time periods in our lives when we show sudden signs of ageing. There is a burst of ageing at 44, and then at 60, accoriding to research done at Stanford University in the US. This busts the general notion that our bodies and minds decline in a slow process, referred to as 'linear ageing'. Watch: China's anti-ageing component isolated from blood × Earlier, the ageing in 40s was seen as part of onset of menopause in women, but the study has shown that men also show signs of decline in mid-40s onwards. How did they reach the conclusion? The study published in Nature Ageing journal tracked thousands of different molecules in people aged between 25 and 75. It found two waves of age-related changes in the molecular composition of bodies: at around ages 44 and again at 60. The findings could explain "why spikes in certain health issues including musculoskeletal problems and cardiovascular disease occur at certain ages," the researchers said. Also read: New study reveals that your body's cells age rapidly within a day The researchers call these sudden spurts 'nonlinear' ageing. "The analysis revealed consistent nonlinear patterns in molecular markers of ageing, with substantial dysregulation occurring at two major periods occurring at approximately 44 years and 60 years of chronological age," said the study. They found cardiovascular disease, lipid and alcohol metabolism changes at the 40-year transition, and shifts in "immune regulation and carbohydrate metabolism" during the 60-year transition. Also read: Study shows 'strong links' between losing loved ones and biological ageing Risk of diseases accelerate at specific points in human lifespan. The study pointed out that in the US, atherosclerosis, stroke and heart attacks are are up 40% between the ages of 40 and 59. It rises to about 75% between ages 60 and 79 and reaches 86% at 80 years and above. Neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s have distinct "turning points" around the ages of 40 and 65, respectively. What is ageing? Ageing is the decline in physical and cognitive abilities, as well as changes in appearance such as wrinkling skin. This is also the period in which people suffer from aches and pains, and diseases and wounds take longer to heal. According to World Health Organization, ageing is on the rise globally. "In 2019, the number of people aged 60 years and older was 1 billion. This number will increase to 1.4 billion by 2030 and 2.1 billion by 2050," it says on its Ageing website. (With inputs from agencies)

When does ageing really kick in? Scientists find two specific ages when signs show up. They are...

<p>The largest 'bluestone' of the ancient Stonehenge, a six-tonne rock, had been moved from some 750 kilometres away in Scotland to its current location in Salisbury, England, according to a new study that scientists found fascinating.</p>

<p>The study puts to question not only how ancient people were able to move such a big megalith for hundreds of kilometres, but also how human populations interacted in the Neolithic period.<br />
<br />
Neolithic period, also known as New Stone Age, ran from 10,000 BC to 2200 BC</p>

<h2><strong>How did scientists trace origin of Stonehenge bluestone&nbsp;to Scotland?</strong></h2>

<p>As per a study published in Nature journal, the scientists tested the chemical composition and age of minerals within the bluestone. Bluestone is the name given to rocks that are not native to the area.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The &nbsp;stone’s chemical composition and the age of minerals within it, when taken together, give an “age fingerprint”.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/lunar-standstill-illuminates-stonehenges-celestial-connections-734668">Lunar 'standstill' illuminates Stonehenge's celestial connections</a></strong></p>

<p>Based on the analysis, the scientists are now positing that the largest bluestone was moved by water from some 750km&nbsp;away in northeast Scotland.<br />
<br />
The area of its origin is probably around Orkney Islands, according to the study.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It assumes that the blue stone, which is called 'altar stone', was sourced from red sandstone deposits of northeast Scotland.</p>

<p>So far, the origin of blue stones in Stonehenge had been traced to Preseli hills in Wales. The larger sarsen stones - the ones that stand tall at the peripheral circle of Stonehenge, are from West Woods, near Marlborough.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH: Stonehenge to celebrate Summer Solstice: Movement of the sun to be live-streamed</strong></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p><br />
Sarsens stones are sourced relatively nearby, estimated to be 25 km.&nbsp;</p>

<h4><strong>Also read: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/experts-believe-rare-lunar-event-may-be-linked-to-stonehenges-alignment-711657">Experts believe rare lunar event may be linked to Stonehenge's alignment</a></strong></h4>

<h2><strong>What is the significance of the study?</strong></h2>

<p>"The difficulty of long-distance overland transport of such massive cargo from Scotland, navigating topographic barriers, suggests that it was transported by sea," said the study.</p>

<p><br />
"Such routing demonstrates a high level of societal organization with intra-Britain transport during the Neolithic period," it added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The largest 'bluestone' of the ancient Stonehenge, a six-tonne rock, had been moved from some 750 kilometres away in Scotland to its current location in Salisbury, England, according to a new study that scientists found fascinating.

The largest 'bluestone' of the ancient Stonehenge, a six-tonne rock, had been moved from some 750 kilometres away in Scotland to its current location in Salisbury, England, according to a new study that scientists found fascinating. The study puts to question not only how ancient people were able to move such a big megalith for hundreds of kilometres, but also how human populations interacted in the Neolithic period. Neolithic period, also known as New Stone Age, ran from 10,000 BC to 2200 BC How did scientists trace origin of Stonehenge bluestone to Scotland? As per a study published in Nature journal, the scientists tested the chemical composition and age of minerals within the bluestone. Bluestone is the name given to rocks that are not native to the area. The stone’s chemical composition and the age of minerals within it, when taken together, give an “age fingerprint”. Also read: Lunar 'standstill' illuminates Stonehenge's celestial connections Based on the analysis, the scientists are now positing that the largest bluestone was moved by water from some 750km away in northeast Scotland. The area of its origin is probably around Orkney Islands, according to the study. It assumes that the blue stone, which is called 'altar stone', was sourced from red sandstone deposits of northeast Scotland. So far, the origin of blue stones in Stonehenge had been traced to Preseli hills in Wales. The larger sarsen stones - the ones that stand tall at the peripheral circle of Stonehenge, are from West Woods, near Marlborough. WATCH: Stonehenge to celebrate Summer Solstice: Movement of the sun to be live-streamed × Sarsens stones are sourced relatively nearby, estimated to be 25 km. Also read: Experts believe rare lunar event may be linked to Stonehenge's alignment What is the significance of the study? "The difficulty of long-distance overland transport of such massive cargo from Scotland, navigating topographic barriers, suggests that it was transported by sea," said the study. "Such routing demonstrates a high level of societal organization with intra-Britain transport during the Neolithic period," it added. (With inputs from agencies)

A six-tonne stone in Stonehenge was transported from 750km away. Scientists wonder how

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Zee News Rajasthan

Editor

Vinod Janardhanan

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