Small "toy" breeds, as per new research, often have doubled-up teeth similar to sharks' mouths. New research published in the journal 'Research in Veterinary Science' shows that seven per cent of pet dogs, mostly smaller breeds, exhibit the condition known as persistent deciduous teeth.&nbsp;

<h2>Shark teeth</h2>

This occurs when a dog's baby teeth remain in the jaw, close to the adult teeth, instead of falling out, creating rows of teeth resembling those of sharks.

To explore this weird phenomenon, Corrin Wallis and her team at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute in Leicestershire, UK, analysed records from 2.8 million pure-bred dogs in the US from veterinary visits between January 2010 and December 2014.&nbsp;

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Upon categorising 60 breeds into six size groups, ranging from extra-small (less than 6.5 kg) to extra-large (over 40 kg), they found that around 15 per cent of extra-small dogs had shark teeth, compared to less than one per cent of dogs in categories heavier than 15 kg.&nbsp;

Among toy breeds, Yorkshire terriers, toy poodles, Malteses, and chihuahuas showed the highest prevalence of these "shark teeth" — Yorkshire terriers had the highest at 25 per cent.&nbsp;

In comparison, Greyhounds had the lowest incidence across all breeds at just 0.1 per cent.

<h2>Why do dogs have 'shark teeth'?</h2>

According to the team of researchers, the higher prevalence of shark teeth in smaller breeds could be due to their smaller mouths.

Dan O'Neill at the Royal Veterinary College in London suggested that very short-nosed dogs were nearly three times as likely to have shark teeth as those with average nose lengths.

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Deciduous teeth "is a disorder that's heavily related to breed, and that's key, because that means we can change that if we wish," he said.

Wallis and her team also found a connection between obesity and shark teeth, which were 11 per cent more common in overweight dogs. However, as per O'Neill, the reason for this link is unclear.

Further research in dogs is necessary to understand this new finding. Wallis and her colleagues, as per New Scientist, stress that it is important to get your pet&nbsp;regular veterinary care to check for persistent deciduous teeth. They recommend the removal of "shark teeth" to prevent complications.

(With inputs from agencies)

Small "toy" breeds, as per new research, often have doubled-up teeth similar to sharks' mouths. New research published in the journal 'Research in Veterinary Science' shows that seven per cent of pet dogs, mostly smaller breeds, exhibit the condition known as persistent deciduous teeth.

Small "toy" breeds, as per new research, often have doubled-up teeth similar to sharks' mouths. New research published in the journal 'Research in Veterinary Science' shows that seven per cent of pet dogs, mostly smaller breeds, exhibit the condition known as persistent deciduous teeth. Shark teeth This occurs when a dog's baby teeth remain in the jaw, close to the adult teeth, instead of falling out, creating rows of teeth resembling those of sharks. To explore this weird phenomenon, Corrin Wallis and her team at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute in Leicestershire, UK, analysed records from 2.8 million pure-bred dogs in the US from veterinary visits between January 2010 and December 2014. Also read | ‘Wake up call’: First-of-its-kind UN report finds 22% migratory animals face extinction, thanks to humans Upon categorising 60 breeds into six size groups, ranging from extra-small (less than 6.5 kg) to extra-large (over 40 kg), they found that around 15 per cent of extra-small dogs had shark teeth, compared to less than one per cent of dogs in categories heavier than 15 kg. Among toy breeds, Yorkshire terriers, toy poodles, Malteses, and chihuahuas showed the highest prevalence of these "shark teeth" — Yorkshire terriers had the highest at 25 per cent. In comparison, Greyhounds had the lowest incidence across all breeds at just 0.1 per cent. Why do dogs have 'shark teeth'? According to the team of researchers, the higher prevalence of shark teeth in smaller breeds could be due to their smaller mouths. Dan O'Neill at the Royal Veterinary College in London suggested that very short-nosed dogs were nearly three times as likely to have shark teeth as those with average nose lengths. Also read | Who’s the dad? Stingray pregnant without any male companion of her species in aquarium Deciduous teeth "is a disorder that's heavily related to breed, and that's key, because that means we can change that if we wish," he said. Wallis and her team also found a connection between obesity and shark teeth, which were 11 per cent more common in overweight dogs. However, as per O'Neill, the reason for this link is unclear. Further research in dogs is necessary to understand this new finding. Wallis and her colleagues, as per New Scientist, stress that it is important to get your pet regular veterinary care to check for persistent deciduous teeth. They recommend the removal of "shark teeth" to prevent complications. (With inputs from agencies)

New research suggests your Chihuahua or other toy breed dog may have 'shark teeth'.  Here's what it means

For millennia, humans have adorned themselves with personal ornaments. These serve as a connection to their communities and help in establishing a cultural identity that endures even after their lives, as proven by a recent archaeological find that points to multiple cultural groups among our ancient ancestors.&nbsp;

<h2>Early humans</h2>

A recent study examining thousands of pendants from the ice age in Europe, dating between 34,000 and 24,000 years ago, has revealed the presence of at least nine distinct cultural groups within the broader Gravettian population. As per a study published in Nature Human Behavior, each of these groups exhibited relatively unique ornament styles.

The study, led by Jack Baker, an archaeology doctoral student at the University of Bordeaux, pointed out that these cultural associations do not always align with familial ties. Genetic analyses revealed that, in some cases, despite different ancestries, individuals shared cultural embellishments.

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"We've shown that you can have two [distinct] genetic groups of people who actually share a culture," said Baker, in a conversation with Scientific American.

<h2>Wearing beads: The practice</h2>

As per Science Alert, the practice of adorning oneself with beads traces back approximately 140,000 years, with shell beads discovered in modern-day Morocco. However, the widespread use of beads intensified around 45,000 years ago, marking a period when ornamental traditions proliferated across Europe.

"This is the moment when personal ornaments acquire a degree of diversity, enabling researchers to more precisely investigate their role as cultural markers," explained&nbsp;the researchers in their paper.

As part of their investigation, Baker and his team compiled records of hand-chiselled beads and pendants from 112 sites across Europe. Most of these trinkets were discovered in Gravettian dwellings, with some excavated from burial sites where DNA samples were collected.&nbsp;

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These ornaments, previously categorised under one culture, the Gravettian people, exhibited remarkable diversity when considered collectively. The researchers identified 134 different types of beads crafted from materials such as animal bones, teeth, shells, amber, and stone. Some resembled fishtails, while others took the form of owls.

Comparing ornaments across geographical distances revealed nine distinct cultural groups, each demonstrating unique preferences for specific bead types based on their locations.

Baker emphasised that these differences were crystalised in the artifacts found in graves, potentially serving as quick identifiers among people. However, the analysis also indicated fluid cultural boundaries, with neighbouring groups occasionally adopting each other's styles.

"The sense of belonging felt by all humans today is deeply rooted in our shared history and played an important role in determining how Gravettian people adorned themselves," concluded the team.

Archaeologist Peter Jordan lauded the study as a landmark, highlighting the importance of examining ancient artifacts and DNA in tandem to unveil intricate cultural behaviours and group relations.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

For millennia, humans have adorned themselves with personal ornaments. These serve as a connection to their communities and help in establishing a cultural identity that endures even after their lives, as proven by a recent archaeological find that points to multiple cultural groups among our ancient ancestors.

For millennia, humans have adorned themselves with personal ornaments. These serve as a connection to their communities and help in establishing a cultural identity that endures even after their lives, as proven by a recent archaeological find that points to multiple cultural groups among our ancient ancestors. Early humans A recent study examining thousands of pendants from the ice age in Europe, dating between 34,000 and 24,000 years ago, has revealed the presence of at least nine distinct cultural groups within the broader Gravettian population. As per a study published in Nature Human Behavior, each of these groups exhibited relatively unique ornament styles. The study, led by Jack Baker, an archaeology doctoral student at the University of Bordeaux, pointed out that these cultural associations do not always align with familial ties. Genetic analyses revealed that, in some cases, despite different ancestries, individuals shared cultural embellishments. Also read | 'Some things shouldn't breed': US based shelter lets jilted lovers 'neuter' their ex for Valentine's Day "We've shown that you can have two [distinct] genetic groups of people who actually share a culture," said Baker, in a conversation with Scientific American. Wearing beads: The practice As per Science Alert, the practice of adorning oneself with beads traces back approximately 140,000 years, with shell beads discovered in modern-day Morocco. However, the widespread use of beads intensified around 45,000 years ago, marking a period when ornamental traditions proliferated across Europe. "This is the moment when personal ornaments acquire a degree of diversity, enabling researchers to more precisely investigate their role as cultural markers," explained the researchers in their paper. As part of their investigation, Baker and his team compiled records of hand-chiselled beads and pendants from 112 sites across Europe. Most of these trinkets were discovered in Gravettian dwellings, with some excavated from burial sites where DNA samples were collected. Also read | Astronomers spot 18 black holes devouring stars in cosmic feast These ornaments, previously categorised under one culture, the Gravettian people, exhibited remarkable diversity when considered collectively. The researchers identified 134 different types of beads crafted from materials such as animal bones, teeth, shells, amber, and stone. Some resembled fishtails, while others took the form of owls. Comparing ornaments across geographical distances revealed nine distinct cultural groups, each demonstrating unique preferences for specific bead types based on their locations. Baker emphasised that these differences were crystalised in the artifacts found in graves, potentially serving as quick identifiers among people. However, the analysis also indicated fluid cultural boundaries, with neighbouring groups occasionally adopting each other's styles. "The sense of belonging felt by all humans today is deeply rooted in our shared history and played an important role in determining how Gravettian people adorned themselves," concluded the team. Archaeologist Peter Jordan lauded the study as a landmark, highlighting the importance of examining ancient artifacts and DNA in tandem to unveil intricate cultural behaviours and group relations. (With inputs from agencies)

Researchers find proof of at least 9 hidden cultural groups during Ice Age Europe

In a serendipitous twist of cosmic fortune, a celestial anomaly named J0613+52, situated approximately 270 million light-years away, is challenging the conventional definition of a galaxy.&nbsp;

In a daring departure from the norm, this colossal entity defies what we know and appears to have no stars — or at least none that are visible. The galaxy, instead, presents itself as an enigmatic expanse of interstellar gas, meandering through the cosmic expanse in isolation, reports Science Alert.

<h2>Why is this important?</h2>

What's curious about this galaxy is the fact that if you ignore the absence of stars, or rather extracted stars from galaxies like the Milky Way, J0613+52 is pretty much what you would expect from a galaxy.

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This cosmic revelation, unveiled by astronomers led by astrophysicist Karen O'Neil from the Green Bank Observatory, is akin to stumbling upon the cosmic equivalent of a lone renegade—it could be the first discovery of a primordial galaxy in the nearby Universe. A primordial galaxy is mostly made up of gas and is estimated to have formed at the beginning of time.

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<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/its-all-in-the-name-astronomers-clash-over-renaming-galaxies-for-a-more-inclusive-cosmos-659401/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2>How the discovery was made</h2>

This was completely a happenstance discovery. It was a consequence of an unintentional misalignment of the Green Bank Telescope.

While showcasing the discovery at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society, O'Neil said: "The GBT was accidentally pointed to the wrong coordinates and found this object."&nbsp;

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"It's a galaxy made only out of gas—it has no visible stars. Stars could be there, we just can't see them."

The Green Bank Observatory team was on the hunt for low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies. These dimly illuminated galactic entities are characterised by low starlight emissions. Yet, during their cosmic exploration, a typo led the telescope to uncharted celestial coordinates, revealing the unexpected spectacle of J0613+52.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a serendipitous twist of cosmic fortune, a celestial anomaly named J0613+52, situated approximately 270 million light-years away, is challenging the conventional definition of a galaxy.

In a serendipitous twist of cosmic fortune, a celestial anomaly named J0613+52, situated approximately 270 million light-years away, is challenging the conventional definition of a galaxy. In a daring departure from the norm, this colossal entity defies what we know and appears to have no stars — or at least none that are visible. The galaxy, instead, presents itself as an enigmatic expanse of interstellar gas, meandering through the cosmic expanse in isolation, reports Science Alert. Why is this important? What's curious about this galaxy is the fact that if you ignore the absence of stars, or rather extracted stars from galaxies like the Milky Way, J0613+52 is pretty much what you would expect from a galaxy. Also read | 'Extra hot and young' Earth-sized exoplanet with a ‘lava hemisphere’ discovered This cosmic revelation, unveiled by astronomers led by astrophysicist Karen O'Neil from the Green Bank Observatory, is akin to stumbling upon the cosmic equivalent of a lone renegade—it could be the first discovery of a primordial galaxy in the nearby Universe. A primordial galaxy is mostly made up of gas and is estimated to have formed at the beginning of time. Watch | Are Peruvian Alien Mummies Real or a Clever Hoax? Expert Weighs In! How the discovery was made This was completely a happenstance discovery. It was a consequence of an unintentional misalignment of the Green Bank Telescope. While showcasing the discovery at the 243rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society, O'Neil said: "The GBT was accidentally pointed to the wrong coordinates and found this object." Also read | 'Big Ring' with staggering diameter of 1.3 bln light years defies cosmic theories "It's a galaxy made only out of gas—it has no visible stars. Stars could be there, we just can't see them." The Green Bank Observatory team was on the hunt for low surface brightness (LSB) galaxies. These dimly illuminated galactic entities are characterised by low starlight emissions. Yet, during their cosmic exploration, a typo led the telescope to uncharted celestial coordinates, revealing the unexpected spectacle of J0613+52. (With inputs from agencies)

A galaxy without any stars! Scientists stumble upon one 270 million light-years away

Women have for years borne the burden of work around the house. Now, a survey from Japan has revealed that a majority of women in the nation are "dissatisfied" with the amount of domestic work their husbands do. More than 15 per cent of the women reported that their partners do not do any household chores.

<h2>Unhappy in marriage</h2>

The annual survey by Japan's Shufu Job Shoken, a private research institute, found that more than half or 55.3 per cent of married women were unhappy with the amount of work their partners did at home.&nbsp;

As per South China Morning Post (SCMP), nearly 40 per cent voiced their displeasure over their husbands only extending "a little help". Not only that, 15.5 per cent reported that their spouses never cooked, cleaned or even took care of their children.

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This is the highest level of dissatisfaction recorded since the research institute started undertaking the survey three years ago.

<h2>Men fail to meet standards</h2>

The level of content was the lowest ever recorded. Men continued to fail to meet their wives' standards.

Of the 510 survey respondents, only about 16.7 per cent of the women said their husbands did "enough" and that they were satisfied by their partners' efforts. Another 28 per cent said that while their partners did "a little" they had "no complaints".

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The grievances by women ranged from very specific to general. As per the SCMP report specific complaints included those about men not even taking care of their own mess.

"He doesn’t unroll his balled-up socks and leaves them on the floor instead of putting them in the washing machine," said a woman.

Others complained that their husbands seemed to lack awareness of what household chores needed to be, and their tasks were overlooked until their wives stepped in.

(With inputs from agencies)

Women have for years borne the burden of work around the house. Now, a survey from Japan has revealed that a majority of women in the nation are "dissatisfied" with the amount of domestic work their husbands do.

Women have for years borne the burden of work around the house. Now, a survey from Japan has revealed that a majority of women in the nation are "dissatisfied" with the amount of domestic work their husbands do. More than 15 per cent of the women reported that their partners do not do any household chores. Unhappy in marriage The annual survey by Japan's Shufu Job Shoken, a private research institute, found that more than half or 55.3 per cent of married women were unhappy with the amount of work their partners did at home. As per South China Morning Post (SCMP), nearly 40 per cent voiced their displeasure over their husbands only extending "a little help". Not only that, 15.5 per cent reported that their spouses never cooked, cleaned or even took care of their children. Also read | Texas: Man arrested for filming himself, six others gang-raping two toddlers in mall bathroom This is the highest level of dissatisfaction recorded since the research institute started undertaking the survey three years ago. Men fail to meet standards The level of content was the lowest ever recorded. Men continued to fail to meet their wives' standards. Of the 510 survey respondents, only about 16.7 per cent of the women said their husbands did "enough" and that they were satisfied by their partners' efforts. Another 28 per cent said that while their partners did "a little" they had "no complaints". Also read | Archaeologists uncover lost cities which existed 2,000 years ago in Ecuadorian Amazon The grievances by women ranged from very specific to general. As per the SCMP report specific complaints included those about men not even taking care of their own mess. "He doesn’t unroll his balled-up socks and leaves them on the floor instead of putting them in the washing machine," said a woman. Others complained that their husbands seemed to lack awareness of what household chores needed to be, and their tasks were overlooked until their wives stepped in. (With inputs from agencies)

Japanese men continue to disappoint their wives; most women say husbands don't do 'enough' around home

In a digital era marked by technological leaps, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) comes with both opportunities and challenges. On Tuesday, in a stark warning, top US law enforcement and intelligence officials raised concerns about the dark potential of AI. Speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security at Fordham University in Manhattan they suggested that artificial intelligence's evolution could amplify the risks associated with hacking, scamming, and money laundering.&nbsp;

<h2>AI can help scams</h2>

Speaking at the cyber security conference, Rob Joyce, the Director of Cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, said that AI is now being employed by less technically savvy individuals to execute hacking operations that would have been beyond their reach otherwise.&nbsp;

Joyce, as reported by Reuters,&nbsp;emphasised the worrisome development and said, "It's going to make those that use AI more effective and more dangerous."&nbsp;

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However, on a somewhat optimistic note, he acknowledged that AI advancements are aiding US authorities in uncovering malicious activities.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is already witnessing a surge in cyber intrusions attributed to the diminished technical barriers facilitated by AI, revealed James Smith, the Assistant Director in charge of the FBI's New York field office, during the conference.

<h2>More than just hacking</h2>

The potential implications extend beyond hacking, reaching into the realm of financial crimes, according to top federal prosecutors. Damian Williams, the US Attorney in Manhattan, pointed out that AI could empower individuals who do not speak English to craft convincing messages, to scam unsuspecting victims.

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Breon Peace, the US Attorney in Brooklyn, delved into the unsettling territory of AI-generated "deepfake" images and videos. He expressed concern that such sophisticated content could deceive banks' identity verification systems, that are designed to prevent money laundering. Peace cautioned that this could enable criminals and terrorists to exploit the financial system at scale, "undermining the system of controls that we have developed for decades".

(With inputs from agencies)

In a digital era marked by technological leaps, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) comes with both opportunities and challenges. On Tuesday, in a stark warning, top US law enforcement and intelligence officials raised concerns about the dark potential of AI.

In a digital era marked by technological leaps, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) comes with both opportunities and challenges. On Tuesday, in a stark warning, top US law enforcement and intelligence officials raised concerns about the dark potential of AI. Speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security at Fordham University in Manhattan they suggested that artificial intelligence's evolution could amplify the risks associated with hacking, scamming, and money laundering. AI can help scams Speaking at the cyber security conference, Rob Joyce, the Director of Cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, said that AI is now being employed by less technically savvy individuals to execute hacking operations that would have been beyond their reach otherwise. Joyce, as reported by Reuters, emphasised the worrisome development and said, "It's going to make those that use AI more effective and more dangerous." Also read | Terror Beasts: 500-million-year old 'giant' predator worms unearthed in Greenland However, on a somewhat optimistic note, he acknowledged that AI advancements are aiding US authorities in uncovering malicious activities. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is already witnessing a surge in cyber intrusions attributed to the diminished technical barriers facilitated by AI, revealed James Smith, the Assistant Director in charge of the FBI's New York field office, during the conference. More than just hacking The potential implications extend beyond hacking, reaching into the realm of financial crimes, according to top federal prosecutors. Damian Williams, the US Attorney in Manhattan, pointed out that AI could empower individuals who do not speak English to craft convincing messages, to scam unsuspecting victims. Also read | NASA announces 13 ideas that won $175,000 under prestigious NIAC programme Breon Peace, the US Attorney in Brooklyn, delved into the unsettling territory of AI-generated "deepfake" images and videos. He expressed concern that such sophisticated content could deceive banks' identity verification systems, that are designed to prevent money laundering. Peace cautioned that this could enable criminals and terrorists to exploit the financial system at scale, "undermining the system of controls that we have developed for decades". (With inputs from agencies)

AI's double-edged sword: Technology making hacking easy for non-tech-savvy people, warn US officials

Most people get the ick from worms. These small, slimy creatures are no one's favourite. But what if they were as big as a cat? That would have made things much worse actually.

But in a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have unearthed the fossils of a previously unknown group of animal predators. The fossils have been discovered in North Greenland's Early Cambrian Sirius Passet fossil locality.&nbsp;

Named Timorebestia, meaning 'terror beasts' in Latin, these large creatures may represent some of the earliest carnivorous animals to inhabit the water more than 518 million years ago. The discovery sheds light on a previously unknown dynasty of predators.

<h2>Timorebestia</h2>

Timorebestia, as per the paper published in Science Advances, reached lengths of over 30cm. The giant worm sported fins along its body, had a distinctive head with long antennae, and formidable jaw structures inside its mouths.&nbsp;

These features, coupled with their swimming prowess, made them one of the largest predators in the Early Cambrian era, about half a billion years ago.

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Highlighting the significance of this discovery, senior author Dr Jakob Vinther from the University of Bristol said, "Timorebestia were giants of their day and would have been close to the top of the food chain. That makes it equivalent in importance to some of the top carnivores in modern oceans, such as sharks and seals back in the Cambrian period."

The Timorebestia is a close relative of arrow worms, minuscule predators of today, primarily feeding on tiny zooplankton.&nbsp;

The researchers found remnants of a common, swimming arthropod called Isoxys inside the fossilised digestive system of Timorebestia.&nbsp;

Isoxys, equipped with long protective spines, were a staple in the diet of Timorebestia, further emphasising their role at the top of the food chain.

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"They are very common at Sirius Passet and had long protective spines, pointing both forwards and backwards. However, they clearly didn't completely succeed in avoiding that fate, because Timorebestia munched on them in great quantities," said Morten Lunde Nielsen, a former Ph.D.&nbsp;student at Bristol.

As per the University of Bristol website, this groundbreaking find provides crucial insights into the evolution of jawed predators and their connections to ancient organisms.&nbsp;

"Timorebestia is a really significant find for understanding the evolution of arrow worms. Today, arrow worms have menacing bristles on the outside of their heads for catching prey, whereas Timorebestia had&nbsp;jaws inside its head," said Luke Parry from Oxford University.

The fossils discovered in Sirius Passet offer remarkable preservation, revealing anatomical details of the digestive system, muscle anatomy, and nervous systems of these ancient creatures, said Tae Yoon Park from the Korean Polar Research Institute, the other senior author and field expedition leader.

"We have found this preserved in Timorebestia and another fossil called Amiskwia. People have debated whether or not Amiskwia was closely related to arrow worms as part of their evolutionary stem lineage. The preservation of these unique ventral ganglia gives us a great deal more confidence in this hypothesis," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Most people get the ick from worms. These small, slimy creatures are no one's favourite. But what if they were as big as a cat? That would have made things much worse actually.

Most people get the ick from worms. These small, slimy creatures are no one's favourite. But what if they were as big as a cat? That would have made things much worse actually. But in a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have unearthed the fossils of a previously unknown group of animal predators. The fossils have been discovered in North Greenland's Early Cambrian Sirius Passet fossil locality. Named Timorebestia, meaning 'terror beasts' in Latin, these large creatures may represent some of the earliest carnivorous animals to inhabit the water more than 518 million years ago. The discovery sheds light on a previously unknown dynasty of predators. Timorebestia Timorebestia, as per the paper published in Science Advances, reached lengths of over 30cm. The giant worm sported fins along its body, had a distinctive head with long antennae, and formidable jaw structures inside its mouths. These features, coupled with their swimming prowess, made them one of the largest predators in the Early Cambrian era, about half a billion years ago. Also read | Debate settled: Teenage T. Rex skulls unearthed in 1942 belonged to a different dinosaur species Highlighting the significance of this discovery, senior author Dr Jakob Vinther from the University of Bristol said, "Timorebestia were giants of their day and would have been close to the top of the food chain. That makes it equivalent in importance to some of the top carnivores in modern oceans, such as sharks and seals back in the Cambrian period." The Timorebestia is a close relative of arrow worms, minuscule predators of today, primarily feeding on tiny zooplankton. The researchers found remnants of a common, swimming arthropod called Isoxys inside the fossilised digestive system of Timorebestia. Isoxys, equipped with long protective spines, were a staple in the diet of Timorebestia, further emphasising their role at the top of the food chain. Also read | A 3D-printed chip mimics medicine’s effect on human patient’s body, could end need for animal testing "They are very common at Sirius Passet and had long protective spines, pointing both forwards and backwards. However, they clearly didn't completely succeed in avoiding that fate, because Timorebestia munched on them in great quantities," said Morten Lunde Nielsen, a former Ph.D. student at Bristol. As per the University of Bristol website, this groundbreaking find provides crucial insights into the evolution of jawed predators and their connections to ancient organisms. "Timorebestia is a really significant find for understanding the evolution of arrow worms. Today, arrow worms have menacing bristles on the outside of their heads for catching prey, whereas Timorebestia had jaws inside its head," said Luke Parry from Oxford University. The fossils discovered in Sirius Passet offer remarkable preservation, revealing anatomical details of the digestive system, muscle anatomy, and nervous systems of these ancient creatures, said Tae Yoon Park from the Korean Polar Research Institute, the other senior author and field expedition leader. "We have found this preserved in Timorebestia and another fossil called Amiskwia. People have debated whether or not Amiskwia was closely related to arrow worms as part of their evolutionary stem lineage. The preservation of these unique ventral ganglia gives us a great deal more confidence in this hypothesis," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Terror Beasts: 500-million-year old 'giant' predator worms unearthed in Greenland 

Researchers in northern Germany have unearthed a 'curse tablet,' which is nothing short of a symbol of love and jealousy in ancient times.&nbsp;

On the cryptic artefact that dates back to the 15th century, there's a curse that researchers believe was meant to break up a couple.&nbsp;

<h2>The curse tablet</h2>

The medieval "curse tablet" was found rolled up and "inconspicuous," hidden beneath a latrine at a construction site in Rostock, a coastal city where construction for a town hall building was underway.

Upon unrolling the package, they found a piece of metal, a small slab made of lead that had a handwritten message on it. The Gothic script, were words hard to see with the naked eye.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/database-behind-ai-image-generators-found-hiding-a-dark-secret-child-sexual-abuse-content-672081">Database behind AI-image generators found hiding a dark secret: Child sexual abuse content</a>

According to archaeologists, it read: "sathanas taleke belzebuk hinrik berith," which they've intercepted as a curse directed at a woman named Taleke and a certain Hinrik (Heinrich).

The curse they said was "obviously supposed to be dealing with the devils Satan, Beelzebub and Berith".

Attempting to decipher the reason behind the summoning of devilish forces, the researchers postulate, "Did someone want to break up Taleke and Heinrich's relationship? Was this about spurned love and jealousy, should someone be put out of the way?"

<h2>What is a curse tablet?</h2>

Curse tablets, as the name suggests, were a means to curse or hex someone. The statement on the ROSTOCK website says that even in ancient times, curse tablets were placed in locations where they were difficult or impossible to find.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-spot-recent-volcanic-activity-on-earths-neighbour-mars-671825">Scientists spot recent volcanic activity on Earth’s neighbour Mars</a>

"The cursed ones shouldn't find out about the impending disaster," it said, adding, "The damaging magic could therefore unfold in peace."

As per the excavation leader Dr. Jörg Ansorge "Curse tablets are actually known from ancient times in the Greek and Roman regions, i.e. from the period from 800 BC to 600 AD. Our discovery, on the other hand, can be dated to the 15th century. This is really a very special find." Ansorge also said that similar finds from the Middle Ages were unknown.

(With inputs from agencies)

Researchers in northern Germany have unearthed a 'curse tablet,' which is nothing short of a symbol of love and jealousy in ancient times. On the cryptic artefact that dates back to the 15th century, there's a curse that researchers believe was meant to break up a couple.

Researchers in northern Germany have unearthed a 'curse tablet,' which is nothing short of a symbol of love and jealousy in ancient times. On the cryptic artefact that dates back to the 15th century, there's a curse that researchers believe was meant to break up a couple. The curse tablet The medieval "curse tablet" was found rolled up and "inconspicuous," hidden beneath a latrine at a construction site in Rostock, a coastal city where construction for a town hall building was underway. Upon unrolling the package, they found a piece of metal, a small slab made of lead that had a handwritten message on it. The Gothic script, were words hard to see with the naked eye. Also read | Database behind AI-image generators found hiding a dark secret: Child sexual abuse content According to archaeologists, it read: "sathanas taleke belzebuk hinrik berith," which they've intercepted as a curse directed at a woman named Taleke and a certain Hinrik (Heinrich). The curse they said was "obviously supposed to be dealing with the devils Satan, Beelzebub and Berith". Attempting to decipher the reason behind the summoning of devilish forces, the researchers postulate, "Did someone want to break up Taleke and Heinrich's relationship? Was this about spurned love and jealousy, should someone be put out of the way?" What is a curse tablet? Curse tablets, as the name suggests, were a means to curse or hex someone. The statement on the ROSTOCK website says that even in ancient times, curse tablets were placed in locations where they were difficult or impossible to find. Also read | Scientists spot recent volcanic activity on Earth’s neighbour Mars "The cursed ones shouldn't find out about the impending disaster," it said, adding, "The damaging magic could therefore unfold in peace." As per the excavation leader Dr. Jörg Ansorge "Curse tablets are actually known from ancient times in the Greek and Roman regions, i.e. from the period from 800 BC to 600 AD. Our discovery, on the other hand, can be dated to the 15th century. This is really a very special find." Ansorge also said that similar finds from the Middle Ages were unknown. (With inputs from agencies)

Love, hexes, and devilish forces: Researchers unearth 'curse tablet,' a symbol of jealousy in ancient times 

Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered&nbsp;thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators.&nbsp;

The discovery was made among the dataset of the LAION AI database. Researchers reportedly found over 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse hidden within the AI database, and more than 1,000 images were confirmed as child sexual abuse material.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/european-research-flags-ai-chatbots-for-providing-false-answers-particularly-on-elections-670063">European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections</a>

The analysis was done in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and other anti-abuse charities.&nbsp;

"We find that having possession of a LAION‐5B dataset populated even in late 2023 implies the possession of thousands of illegal images," said the researchers.&nbsp;

<h2>Which AI image generators used this database?</h2>

As per The Guardian, the database was used to train&nbsp;leading AI image-makers like Stable Diffusion.&nbsp;

The report states that many text-to-image generators are in some way derived from the LAION database. However, it goes on to say that exactly which ones use&nbsp;it isn't always clear.

Popular Artificial Intelligence maker OpenAI — behind DALL-E and ChatGPT, denied the use of LAION and said that it had fine-tuned its models to refuse any requests that may involve sexual content involving minors.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/alphabet-says-will-restrict-election-related-queries-on-bard-and-ai-based-search-671759">Alphabet says will restrict election-related queries on Bard and AI-based search</a>

Imagen, a text-to-image model built by Tech giant Google, was built using LAION dataset, however, the company decided against making it public in 2022. This was because an audit of the dataset "uncovered a wide range of inappropriate content, including pornographic imagery, racist slurs, and harmful social stereotypes," reports the publication.&nbsp;

<h2>LAION's response</h2>

LAION, or Large-scale Artificial Intelligence Open Network, a non-profit, swiftly responded by temporarily removing its datasets, emphasising it&nbsp;"has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal content."&nbsp;

It said that "in an abundance of caution, we have taken down the LAION datasets to ensure they are safe before republishing them."&nbsp;

The more than 3,200 images make up merely a fraction of the 5.8 billion images contained in the dataset. However, as per the Stanford researchers, their presence probably influences AI generators' ability to generate harmful outputs.&nbsp;

Such images, they say, facilitate the creation of realistic, explicit imagery, and enable the transformation of social media photos of clothed teens into nudes. In recent days, the latter has been a cause of concern among schools and law enforcement globally.

The Stanford Internet Observatory has advocated for drastic measures, urging those using LAION-5B datasets (containing over 5 billion image-text pairs) to delete or cleanse the material. Additionally, they suggest making older versions, like Stable Diffusion, less accessible, especially if used to generate abusive images without adequate safeguards.

(With inputs from agencies)

Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators.

Artificial Intelligence-based image generators are very popular across the internet. Throughout 2023, AI-generated images went viral, entertaining people. However, in a startling revelation, a study by the Stanford Internet Observatory uncovered thousands of child sexual abuse images hidden inside a depository used to train these AI generators. The discovery was made among the dataset of the LAION AI database. Researchers reportedly found over 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse hidden within the AI database, and more than 1,000 images were confirmed as child sexual abuse material. Also read | European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections The analysis was done in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Child Protection and other anti-abuse charities. "We find that having possession of a LAION‐5B dataset populated even in late 2023 implies the possession of thousands of illegal images," said the researchers. Which AI image generators used this database? As per The Guardian, the database was used to train leading AI image-makers like Stable Diffusion. The report states that many text-to-image generators are in some way derived from the LAION database. However, it goes on to say that exactly which ones use it isn't always clear. Popular Artificial Intelligence maker OpenAI — behind DALL-E and ChatGPT, denied the use of LAION and said that it had fine-tuned its models to refuse any requests that may involve sexual content involving minors. Also read | Alphabet says will restrict election-related queries on Bard and AI-based search Imagen, a text-to-image model built by Tech giant Google, was built using LAION dataset, however, the company decided against making it public in 2022. This was because an audit of the dataset "uncovered a wide range of inappropriate content, including pornographic imagery, racist slurs, and harmful social stereotypes," reports the publication. LAION's response LAION, or Large-scale Artificial Intelligence Open Network, a non-profit, swiftly responded by temporarily removing its datasets, emphasising it "has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal content." It said that "in an abundance of caution, we have taken down the LAION datasets to ensure they are safe before republishing them." The more than 3,200 images make up merely a fraction of the 5.8 billion images contained in the dataset. However, as per the Stanford researchers, their presence probably influences AI generators' ability to generate harmful outputs. Such images, they say, facilitate the creation of realistic, explicit imagery, and enable the transformation of social media photos of clothed teens into nudes. In recent days, the latter has been a cause of concern among schools and law enforcement globally. The Stanford Internet Observatory has advocated for drastic measures, urging those using LAION-5B datasets (containing over 5 billion image-text pairs) to delete or cleanse the material. Additionally, they suggest making older versions, like Stable Diffusion, less accessible, especially if used to generate abusive images without adequate safeguards. (With inputs from agencies)

Database behind AI-image generators found hiding a dark secret: Child sexual abuse content

We know that dogs have evolved particular facial muscles to appear more cute to humans, but have we unknowingly affected our canine friends' eyes? Apparently, yes.

New research suggests that ever since humans domesticated canines some 15,000 to 50,000 years ago, we have selected particular traits in dogs...eye colour included.

<h2>Impacting evolution: The human way</h2>

Writing in the journal Royal Society Open Science, researchers from Japan say that humans seem to have a penchant for puppy eyes, especially dark ones.

They found that among domesticated dogs, dark eyes are more common than their wild relatives. It was also observed that humans perceive dogs with a darker eye colour as more friendly and, thus, more desirable.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/empathy-with-our-closest-living-cousins-humans-and-apes-share-remarkable-social-memory-traits-study-finds-671294">‘Empathy with our closest living cousins’: Humans and apes share remarkable social memory traits, study finds</a>

Akitsugu Konno, the first author of the research, as quoted by The Guardian, said: "I speculate that lighter irises have some evolutionary advantage for wolves, but domestication has lost this selective pressure and darker eyes have emerged in some primitive dogs."

They believe that darker eyes may have been favoured by humans — consciously or unconsciously, during the domestication of canines from wolves to dogs.

"We speculate that a darker iris makes it more difficult to distinguish the size of the pupil and thus gives the illusion of a large pupil, which is associated with our perception of being more infant-like," adds Konno, from Teikyo University of Science.

A comparison of the iris colour of 22 images of grey wolves from different locations, with 81 images of domestic dogs, revealed that the domesticated canines had darker, reddish eyes.

<h2>Light colour or dark, which is cuter?</h2>

To give weight to their theory, the researchers conducted an experiment, where they created 12 pairs of images. Each pair showed a domestic dog with light eyes, and the same dog with dark eyes.&nbsp;

A selection of these pictures was shown to two groups of 76 and 66 people. The humans were asked to rate the dogs for various personality traits. They were also asked to rate how much they would like to interact with a dog or keep it.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/its-beginning-to-look-a-lot-like-cosmos-nasa-releases-breathtaking-image-of-a-cosmic-christmas-tree-671532">'It's beginning to look a lot like cosmos': NASA releases breathtaking image of a cosmic Christmas tree</a>

Results showed that dogs with darker eyes earned higher ratings. A higher number of people deemed them more easy-going, sociable and dependent, and less aggressive, intelligent and mature than their light-eyed counterparts.

"Overall, dogs with dark eyes may have evolved the trait largely as means to send non-threatening gaze signal to humans," said the researchers.

They found that eye colour was not directly related to the participant's desire to interact with or keep a dog. However, they speculate that the association of dark eyes with immaturity could be an influencing factor behind a human's desire to protect and care for a dog.

(With inputs from agencies)

We know that dogs have evolved particular facial muscles to appear more cute to humans, but have we unknowingly affected our canine friends' eyes? Apparently, yes.

We know that dogs have evolved particular facial muscles to appear more cute to humans, but have we unknowingly affected our canine friends' eyes? Apparently, yes. New research suggests that ever since humans domesticated canines some 15,000 to 50,000 years ago, we have selected particular traits in dogs...eye colour included. Impacting evolution: The human way Writing in the journal Royal Society Open Science, researchers from Japan say that humans seem to have a penchant for puppy eyes, especially dark ones. They found that among domesticated dogs, dark eyes are more common than their wild relatives. It was also observed that humans perceive dogs with a darker eye colour as more friendly and, thus, more desirable. Also read | ‘Empathy with our closest living cousins’: Humans and apes share remarkable social memory traits, study finds Akitsugu Konno, the first author of the research, as quoted by The Guardian, said: "I speculate that lighter irises have some evolutionary advantage for wolves, but domestication has lost this selective pressure and darker eyes have emerged in some primitive dogs." They believe that darker eyes may have been favoured by humans — consciously or unconsciously, during the domestication of canines from wolves to dogs. "We speculate that a darker iris makes it more difficult to distinguish the size of the pupil and thus gives the illusion of a large pupil, which is associated with our perception of being more infant-like," adds Konno, from Teikyo University of Science. A comparison of the iris colour of 22 images of grey wolves from different locations, with 81 images of domestic dogs, revealed that the domesticated canines had darker, reddish eyes. Light colour or dark, which is cuter? To give weight to their theory, the researchers conducted an experiment, where they created 12 pairs of images. Each pair showed a domestic dog with light eyes, and the same dog with dark eyes. A selection of these pictures was shown to two groups of 76 and 66 people. The humans were asked to rate the dogs for various personality traits. They were also asked to rate how much they would like to interact with a dog or keep it. Also read | 'It's beginning to look a lot like cosmos': NASA releases breathtaking image of a cosmic Christmas tree Results showed that dogs with darker eyes earned higher ratings. A higher number of people deemed them more easy-going, sociable and dependent, and less aggressive, intelligent and mature than their light-eyed counterparts. "Overall, dogs with dark eyes may have evolved the trait largely as means to send non-threatening gaze signal to humans," said the researchers. They found that eye colour was not directly related to the participant's desire to interact with or keep a dog. However, they speculate that the association of dark eyes with immaturity could be an influencing factor behind a human's desire to protect and care for a dog. (With inputs from agencies)

Humans can't resist puppy eyes, so much so that we have impacted their eye colour

Apes have the astonishing ability to recognise long-lost companions, found new research. If you're wondering why this is astonishing, it's because this challenges the conventional understanding of social memory in non-human animals. This actually happens to be the longest-lasting social memory to be documented outside the human species.

<h2>The research</h2>

Research published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that chimpanzees and bonobos could recall and respond positively to images of former group mates over 25 years after their last encounter.

The research was conducted by Christopher Krupenye, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University, and lead author Laura Lewis from the University of California, Berkeley.

In conversation with CNN, Krupenye revealed that the inspiration for the study arose from his personal experiences with apes. He said he could sense that the apes recognised him even years after their last interaction.&nbsp;

To test this, the researchers used high-quality photographs of deceased or departed apes from various zoos, presenting them alongside images of strangers to participating apes at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, Planckendael Zoo in Belgium and Kumamoto Sanctuary in Japan.&nbsp;

Photos of apes ranged from nine months to 26 years. They then used noninvasive eye-tracking technology to measure the apes' gaze duration on each photo.

Beyond the study's scientific implications, the authors said that they hope it will help spread awareness of the impact of poaching and deforestation on ape communities, emphasising the importance of conservation efforts.&nbsp;

"We hope that these results will provide people more empathy with our closest living cousins," said Lewis.

<h2>Humans and apes aren't that different after all</h2>

The results were striking, demonstrating that the apes looked "significantly longer" at familiar faces, regardless of the time that had elapsed since their last meeting. The gaze was even more extended for those with whom they had shared a friendly relationship.&nbsp;

As per Krupenye, this phenomenon parallels human experiences, akin to unexpectedly encountering a long-lost high school friend.

"It's a very familiar experience for humans too," he said.

Notably, one bonobo named Louise exhibited a "robust bias" towards her sister Loretta and nephew Erin, whom she hadn't seen in 26 years.&nbsp;

As per a news release, she "showed a strikingly robust looking bias toward both of them over eight trials."

The researchers speculate that apes' social memory might surpass 26 years, possibly rivalling the human capacity to remember individuals for up to 48 years. The release also points out that humans start forgetting people after 15 years.

As per CNN, the study sets a new benchmark for the longest social memory documented in non-human animals. Previously, dolphins were known for remembering individuals after 20 years. This challenges the notion that social memory is a uniquely human trait and emphasises that it may be a characteristic we share with our closest relatives: apes.

(With inputs from agencies)

Apes have the astonishing ability to recognise long-lost companions, found new research. If you're wondering why this is astonishing, it's because this challenges the conventional understanding of social memory in non-human animals.

Apes have the astonishing ability to recognise long-lost companions, found new research. If you're wondering why this is astonishing, it's because this challenges the conventional understanding of social memory in non-human animals. This actually happens to be the longest-lasting social memory to be documented outside the human species. The research Research published on Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that chimpanzees and bonobos could recall and respond positively to images of former group mates over 25 years after their last encounter. The research was conducted by Christopher Krupenye, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins University, and lead author Laura Lewis from the University of California, Berkeley. In conversation with CNN, Krupenye revealed that the inspiration for the study arose from his personal experiences with apes. He said he could sense that the apes recognised him even years after their last interaction. To test this, the researchers used high-quality photographs of deceased or departed apes from various zoos, presenting them alongside images of strangers to participating apes at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, Planckendael Zoo in Belgium and Kumamoto Sanctuary in Japan. Photos of apes ranged from nine months to 26 years. They then used noninvasive eye-tracking technology to measure the apes' gaze duration on each photo. Beyond the study's scientific implications, the authors said that they hope it will help spread awareness of the impact of poaching and deforestation on ape communities, emphasising the importance of conservation efforts. "We hope that these results will provide people more empathy with our closest living cousins," said Lewis. Humans and apes aren't that different after all The results were striking, demonstrating that the apes looked "significantly longer" at familiar faces, regardless of the time that had elapsed since their last meeting. The gaze was even more extended for those with whom they had shared a friendly relationship. As per Krupenye, this phenomenon parallels human experiences, akin to unexpectedly encountering a long-lost high school friend. "It's a very familiar experience for humans too," he said. Notably, one bonobo named Louise exhibited a "robust bias" towards her sister Loretta and nephew Erin, whom she hadn't seen in 26 years. As per a news release, she "showed a strikingly robust looking bias toward both of them over eight trials." The researchers speculate that apes' social memory might surpass 26 years, possibly rivalling the human capacity to remember individuals for up to 48 years. The release also points out that humans start forgetting people after 15 years. As per CNN, the study sets a new benchmark for the longest social memory documented in non-human animals. Previously, dolphins were known for remembering individuals after 20 years. This challenges the notion that social memory is a uniquely human trait and emphasises that it may be a characteristic we share with our closest relatives: apes. (With inputs from agencies)

‘Empathy with our closest living cousins’: Humans and apes share remarkable social memory traits, study finds

Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has&nbsp;warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions.

Research conducted by the European non-profit organisation&nbsp;found that AI chatbots gave false answers to basic questions, particularly while providing information related to elections.

<h2>Inaccuracies galore</h2>

The study focused on Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot, now known as Microsoft Copilot, revealing that it provided inaccurate answers to one in three basic questions about candidates, polls, scandals, and voting in recent election cycles in Germany and Switzerland.&nbsp;

Similar inaccuracies were observed for questions about the 2024 US elections.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explained-beginning-of-an-end-human-activity-on-moon-shows-sign-of-lunar-anthropocene-669613">Explained | Humans are on the Moon and it might be the beginning of the end for our satellite</a>

Sharing their findings with The Washington Post, researchers stressed that these findings don't assert that Bing's misinformation influenced election outcomes. However, they said it does highlight concerns that AI chatbots could potentially contribute to confusion and misinformation around future elections.&nbsp;

Especially, as tech giants like Microsoft integrate chatbots into various products, including internet search, concerns rise about their impact on public access to reliable and transparent information.

"As generative AI becomes more widespread, this could affect one of the cornerstones of democracy: the access to reliable and transparent public information," says the researchers, as quoted by The Washington Post.

<h2>Is big tech doing anything about this?</h2>

Despite efforts by companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google to enhance reliability by allowing chatbots to search the web and cite sources, issues persist.&nbsp;

Bing, even after providing sources, frequently gave answers that deviated from the information in the cited links, as per Salvatore Romano, head of research for AI Forensics.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/jeff-bezos-says-space-colonisation-ultimately-means-to-preserve-the-planet-669969">Bezos wants humans to colonise the solar system, while Musk has his sight set on Mars</a>

The study focused on Bing because it was among the first to include sources and is widely integrated into services available in Europe.&nbsp;

Preliminary testing on OpenAI’s GPT-4 revealed similar inaccuracies. Notably, errors in Bing's answers were more common in languages other than English, raising concerns about the performance of US-based AI tools globally.

The researchers discovered factual errors in responses to questions asked in German 37 per cent of the time, compared to a 20 per cent error rate for the same questions in English.&nbsp;

<h2>What's the solution?</h2>

While Microsoft is working to address these issues ahead of the 2024 US elections, the researchers emphasise the need for users to verify information obtained from chatbots.&nbsp;

"The problem is systemic, and they do not have very good tools to fix it," said Romano.

Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s head of communications, said: "We are continuing to address issues and prepare our tools to perform to our expectations for the 2024 elections."

"As we continue to make progress, we encourage people to use Copilot with their best judgment when viewing results. This includes verifying source materials and checking web links to learn more."

However, the impact of these AI chatbots on democracy, if any, is unclear. These AI chatbots all carry disclaimers, noting that they can make mistakes and encouraging users to double-check the answers.

(With inputs from agencies)

Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions.

Amid the surge in popularity of AI chatbots, European non-profits AI Forensics and AlgorithmWatch has warned that the technology gives inaccurate answers to one of every three questions. Research conducted by the European non-profit organisation found that AI chatbots gave false answers to basic questions, particularly while providing information related to elections. Inaccuracies galore The study focused on Microsoft’s Bing AI chatbot, now known as Microsoft Copilot, revealing that it provided inaccurate answers to one in three basic questions about candidates, polls, scandals, and voting in recent election cycles in Germany and Switzerland. Similar inaccuracies were observed for questions about the 2024 US elections. Also read | Explained | Humans are on the Moon and it might be the beginning of the end for our satellite Sharing their findings with The Washington Post, researchers stressed that these findings don't assert that Bing's misinformation influenced election outcomes. However, they said it does highlight concerns that AI chatbots could potentially contribute to confusion and misinformation around future elections. Especially, as tech giants like Microsoft integrate chatbots into various products, including internet search, concerns rise about their impact on public access to reliable and transparent information. "As generative AI becomes more widespread, this could affect one of the cornerstones of democracy: the access to reliable and transparent public information," says the researchers, as quoted by The Washington Post. Is big tech doing anything about this? Despite efforts by companies like Microsoft, OpenAI, and Google to enhance reliability by allowing chatbots to search the web and cite sources, issues persist. Bing, even after providing sources, frequently gave answers that deviated from the information in the cited links, as per Salvatore Romano, head of research for AI Forensics. Also read | Bezos wants humans to colonise the solar system, while Musk has his sight set on Mars The study focused on Bing because it was among the first to include sources and is widely integrated into services available in Europe. Preliminary testing on OpenAI’s GPT-4 revealed similar inaccuracies. Notably, errors in Bing's answers were more common in languages other than English, raising concerns about the performance of US-based AI tools globally. The researchers discovered factual errors in responses to questions asked in German 37 per cent of the time, compared to a 20 per cent error rate for the same questions in English. What's the solution? While Microsoft is working to address these issues ahead of the 2024 US elections, the researchers emphasise the need for users to verify information obtained from chatbots. "The problem is systemic, and they do not have very good tools to fix it," said Romano. Frank Shaw, Microsoft’s head of communications, said: "We are continuing to address issues and prepare our tools to perform to our expectations for the 2024 elections." "As we continue to make progress, we encourage people to use Copilot with their best judgment when viewing results. This includes verifying source materials and checking web links to learn more." However, the impact of these AI chatbots on democracy, if any, is unclear. These AI chatbots all carry disclaimers, noting that they can make mistakes and encouraging users to double-check the answers. (With inputs from agencies)

European research flags AI chatbots for providing false answers, particularly on elections

Wildfires wreak havoc on forests and vegetation, but as per a new study, they can also release a toxic, cancer-causing chemical into the air we breathe.&nbsp;

New research released on Wednesday found that wildfires in the US may be transforming a benign form of chromium into a cancer-causing 'Erin Brockovich' chemical.

<h2>Hazards of wildfire smoke</h2>

Research published in British journal Nature Communications gives new insight into how wildfire smoke can harm firefighters and first responders, and why wildfire smoke is more hazardous than other forms of air pollution.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-lets-rewind-2023-to-medical-breakthroughs-that-gave-world-hope-668897">Explained | Let's 'Rewind 2023' to medical breakthroughs that gave the world hope</a>

In a statement, study lead Alandra Lopez, a postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability said: "Our study suggests far more attention should be paid to wildfire-modified chromium, and we presume additional metals as well, to more thoroughly characterise the overall threats wildfires pose to human health."

Scientists identified a high level of hexavalent chromium or chromium 6. It is popularly known as the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical.

<h2>Wildfire smoke, an overlooked hazard</h2>

As per a report on the Stanford University website, wildfires are known to carry dangerous air pollutants including gases, organic aerosols, and fine particulate matter, which can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks, and early death.

However, not much attention has been paid to the potential harm from metals found in soils. Across the western United States, Australia, Brazil, Europe, Indonesia, and South Africa, Chromium is one such common chemical.

Wildfires can turn the benign chromium into its carcinogenic counterpart, chromium-6.&nbsp;

Researchers caution that as climate change and global warming heat up the earth, triggering more and more wildfires, health risks posed by airborne chromium need to be better understood.

"In the complex mixture of gasses and particles that wildfires spew out as smoke and leave behind as dust, heavy metals such as chromium have largely been overlooked," said senior study author Scott Fendorf, the Terry Huffington Professor in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability.

<h2>What is the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical?</h2>

The so-called 'Erin Brockovich' chemical was made popular by the 2000 film Erin Brockovich.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/your-anxiety-is-lying-to-you-saying-no-to-plans-isnt-all-that-bad-finds-study-668806">Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study</a>

In nature, chromium mostly occurs in a form known as trivalent chromium or chromium 3. This is an essential nutrient used by our bodies to break down glucose.

However, its counterpart, hexavalent chromium or chromium 6, is often a result of industrial processes. This is known as the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical and is known to increase cancer risk when inhaled or ingested via contaminated drinking water. In 2019, researchers at Australia’s Southern Cross University found that chromium 6 can form rapidly when surface soils containing chromium 3 are heated by wildfires.

(With inputs from agencies)

Wildfires wreak havoc on forests and vegetation, but as per a new study, they can also release a toxic, cancer-causing chemical into the air we breathe. New research released on Wednesday found that wildfires in the US may be transforming a benign form of chromium into a cancer-causing 'Erin Brockovich' chemical.

Wildfires wreak havoc on forests and vegetation, but as per a new study, they can also release a toxic, cancer-causing chemical into the air we breathe. New research released on Wednesday found that wildfires in the US may be transforming a benign form of chromium into a cancer-causing 'Erin Brockovich' chemical. Hazards of wildfire smoke Research published in British journal Nature Communications gives new insight into how wildfire smoke can harm firefighters and first responders, and why wildfire smoke is more hazardous than other forms of air pollution. Also read | Explained | Let's 'Rewind 2023' to medical breakthroughs that gave the world hope In a statement, study lead Alandra Lopez, a postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability said: "Our study suggests far more attention should be paid to wildfire-modified chromium, and we presume additional metals as well, to more thoroughly characterise the overall threats wildfires pose to human health." Scientists identified a high level of hexavalent chromium or chromium 6. It is popularly known as the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical. Wildfire smoke, an overlooked hazard As per a report on the Stanford University website, wildfires are known to carry dangerous air pollutants including gases, organic aerosols, and fine particulate matter, which can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks, and early death. However, not much attention has been paid to the potential harm from metals found in soils. Across the western United States, Australia, Brazil, Europe, Indonesia, and South Africa, Chromium is one such common chemical. Wildfires can turn the benign chromium into its carcinogenic counterpart, chromium-6. Researchers caution that as climate change and global warming heat up the earth, triggering more and more wildfires, health risks posed by airborne chromium need to be better understood. "In the complex mixture of gasses and particles that wildfires spew out as smoke and leave behind as dust, heavy metals such as chromium have largely been overlooked," said senior study author Scott Fendorf, the Terry Huffington Professor in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. What is the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical? The so-called 'Erin Brockovich' chemical was made popular by the 2000 film Erin Brockovich. Also read | Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study In nature, chromium mostly occurs in a form known as trivalent chromium or chromium 3. This is an essential nutrient used by our bodies to break down glucose. However, its counterpart, hexavalent chromium or chromium 6, is often a result of industrial processes. This is known as the 'Erin Brockovich' chemical and is known to increase cancer risk when inhaled or ingested via contaminated drinking water. In 2019, researchers at Australia’s Southern Cross University found that chromium 6 can form rapidly when surface soils containing chromium 3 are heated by wildfires. (With inputs from agencies)

Beware! Scientists have uncovered a previously unknown threat posed by wildfires

Once upon a time, 72 million years ago, the Pacific seas were terrorised by a giant monster, called the "blue dragon".

As per research published in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology, researchers have named the monster Wakayama Soryu, which means Blue Dragon.

<h2>Mind-blowing discovery</h2>

The apex predator was a mosasaur, an extinct, large marine reptile from the Late Cretaceous period. It has been named after Japan's Wakayama Prefecture&nbsp;where its fossil was found.

University of Cincinnati Associate Professor Takuya Konishi, along with a team of international co-authors, described the amazing discovery in the Palaeontology journal.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-lets-rewind-2023-to-medical-breakthroughs-that-gave-world-hope-668897">Explained | Let's 'Rewind 2023' to medical breakthroughs that gave the world hope</a>

Explaining the name, Konishi&nbsp;in a statement on the University of Cincinnati website&nbsp;said: "In China, dragons make thunder and live in the sky. They became aquatic in Japanese mythology."

The nearly complete fossil of the mosasaur was discovered by co-author Akihiro Misaki back in 2006.&nbsp;

At the time, Misaki was looking for fossils of invertebrates called ammonites&nbsp;when he stumbled upon an intriguing dark fossil in the sandstone.

The Wakayama Soryu fossil specimen is the most complete skeleton of a mosasaur ever found in Japan or the northwestern Pacific, said Konishi.&nbsp;

"In this case, it was nearly the entire specimen, which was astounding," said Konishi.

<h2>Wakayama Soryu: What it looked like</h2>

The apex predator, which haunted prehistoric waters, had unique features which made simple classification difficult.&nbsp;

As per researchers, it had a crocodile-like head and enormous paddle-shaped flippers. Its rear flippers were bigger than the front ones. Researchers speculate that "the large front fins might have helped with rapid manoeuvring, while its large rear fins might have provided pitch to dive or surface."&nbsp;

They also presume that, like other mosasaurs, the blue dragon's tail would have generated powerful and fast acceleration as it hunted fish and was used for propulsion.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/ancient-fossil-shows-teenager-tyrannosaur-feasted-on-two-baby-dinos-before-dying-study-668463">As a teenager, the tyrannosaur only ate baby dinosaurs, and a fossil is proof</a>

"It’s a question just how all five of these hydrodynamic surfaces were used. Which were for steering? Which for propulsion?" said Konishi.

"It opens a whole can of worms that challenges our understanding of how mosasaurs swim," he remarked.

Konishi, who has been studying mosasaurs for 15 years, said that the apex predator had a nearly binocular vision which made it a lethal hunter. The monstrous creature also had a dorsal fin similar to the great white shark and was as big as the modern predator — more than five feet long.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Once upon a time, 72 million years ago, the Pacific seas were terrorised by a giant monster, called the "blue dragon". As per research published in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology, researchers have named the monster Wakayama Soryu, which means Blue Dragon.

Once upon a time, 72 million years ago, the Pacific seas were terrorised by a giant monster, called the "blue dragon". As per research published in the Journal of Systematic Paleontology, researchers have named the monster Wakayama Soryu, which means Blue Dragon. Mind-blowing discovery The apex predator was a mosasaur, an extinct, large marine reptile from the Late Cretaceous period. It has been named after Japan's Wakayama Prefecture where its fossil was found. University of Cincinnati Associate Professor Takuya Konishi, along with a team of international co-authors, described the amazing discovery in the Palaeontology journal. Also read | Explained | Let's 'Rewind 2023' to medical breakthroughs that gave the world hope Explaining the name, Konishi in a statement on the University of Cincinnati website said: "In China, dragons make thunder and live in the sky. They became aquatic in Japanese mythology." The nearly complete fossil of the mosasaur was discovered by co-author Akihiro Misaki back in 2006. At the time, Misaki was looking for fossils of invertebrates called ammonites when he stumbled upon an intriguing dark fossil in the sandstone. The Wakayama Soryu fossil specimen is the most complete skeleton of a mosasaur ever found in Japan or the northwestern Pacific, said Konishi. "In this case, it was nearly the entire specimen, which was astounding," said Konishi. Wakayama Soryu: What it looked like The apex predator, which haunted prehistoric waters, had unique features which made simple classification difficult. As per researchers, it had a crocodile-like head and enormous paddle-shaped flippers. Its rear flippers were bigger than the front ones. Researchers speculate that "the large front fins might have helped with rapid manoeuvring, while its large rear fins might have provided pitch to dive or surface." They also presume that, like other mosasaurs, the blue dragon's tail would have generated powerful and fast acceleration as it hunted fish and was used for propulsion. Also read | As a teenager, the tyrannosaur only ate baby dinosaurs, and a fossil is proof "It’s a question just how all five of these hydrodynamic surfaces were used. Which were for steering? Which for propulsion?" said Konishi. "It opens a whole can of worms that challenges our understanding of how mosasaurs swim," he remarked. Konishi, who has been studying mosasaurs for 15 years, said that the apex predator had a nearly binocular vision which made it a lethal hunter. The monstrous creature also had a dorsal fin similar to the great white shark and was as big as the modern predator — more than five feet long. (With inputs from agencies)

A giant blue dragon mosasaur roamed the Pacific waters 72 million years ago

Meta Platforms used thousands of pirated books to train its AI models, alleges a new copyright lawsuit filed on Monday (Dec 11) night.&nbsp;

The tech giant reportedly did this despite warnings from their lawyers about the legal peril of doing so. The lawsuit as per Reuters was initially brought this summer.

<h2>Skipping permissions</h2>

Monday's filing consolidates two separate lawsuits brought against Facebook and Instagram by comedian Sarah Silverman, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon and other prominent authors. They allege that Meta has used their works to train its artificial intelligence language model, Llama, without permission.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/epic-games-epic-win-jury-finds-google-guilty-of-monopolistic-practices-in-antitrust-trial-668853">Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial</a>

Previously, their claims also said that the AI model's output also violates their copyrights. However, in November, US District Judge Vince Chhabri criticised the claim that the text generated by Llama copies or resembles the author's work. Dismissing the claim, Chhabri allowed the authors to amend most of their claims.&nbsp;

As evidence, the authors have submitted Discord chat logs of a Meta-affiliated researcher, who can be seen discussing the procurement of the dataset. This, as per the news agency, can be a potentially significant piece of evidence that could prove that Meta knew that its use of the books may not be protected by US copyright law.

<h2>What is there in the chat logs?</h2>

In the chat logs, as quoted in the complaint, researcher Tim Dettmers, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, describes his back-and-forth with Meta's legal department. In it, he talks about whether the use of book files as training data would be "legally OK".

"At Facebook, there are a lot of people interested in working with (T)he (P)ile, including myself, but in its current form, we are unable to use it for legal reasons," Dettmers wrote in 2021.&nbsp;

Here, The Pile refers to an open-source language modelling data set Meta has acknowledged it was using to train its first version of Llama.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-to-ban-use-of-ai-biometric-surveillance-by-police-without-judicial-authorisation-report-668888">EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report</a>

According to the complaint, a month before this, Dettmers wrote that Meta lawyers told him "the data cannot be used or models cannot be published if they are trained on that data."

Here, the researcher refrains from describing the specific concerns voiced by lawyers, however, his counterpart makes mention of "books with active copyrights," and says they are the biggest likely source of worry. They also say that training on the data should "fall under fair use."

As per the US Copyright Office, the fair use doctrine allows for the use of "limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports".

<h2>Llama</h2>

Llama is Meta's large language model (LLM). The tech giant released its first version in February 2023. At the time, it published a list of datasets used to train the language model. The list included "the Books3 section of ThePile," which, as per the complaint quoting the person who assembled the dataset, contains 196,640 books.

A second version, dubbed Llama 2 was made available for commercial use this summer. It is free for use for companies with monthly active users of less than 700 million.

<h2>AI and copyrights</h2>

As Artificial Intelligence drives a craze, artists across art forms have come forward alleging unlawful use of their content. In 2023, big tech companies were met with a slew of lawsuits that accuse them of ripping-off copyright protected works. IF successful, these lawsuits would not only generate significant compensation for the content creators, but also drive up the cost of building the data dependent models, somewhat dampening the generative AI craze.

 
&nbsp;

Meta Platforms used thousands of pirated books to train its AI models, alleges a new copyright lawsuit filed on Monday (Dec 11) night. The tech giant reportedly did this despite warnings from their lawyers about the legal peril of doing so.

Meta Platforms used thousands of pirated books to train its AI models, alleges a new copyright lawsuit filed on Monday (Dec 11) night. The tech giant reportedly did this despite warnings from their lawyers about the legal peril of doing so. The lawsuit as per Reuters was initially brought this summer. Skipping permissions Monday's filing consolidates two separate lawsuits brought against Facebook and Instagram by comedian Sarah Silverman, Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Chabon and other prominent authors. They allege that Meta has used their works to train its artificial intelligence language model, Llama, without permission. Also read | Epic Games' 'epic' win: Jury finds Google guilty of monopolistic practices in antitrust trial Previously, their claims also said that the AI model's output also violates their copyrights. However, in November, US District Judge Vince Chhabri criticised the claim that the text generated by Llama copies or resembles the author's work. Dismissing the claim, Chhabri allowed the authors to amend most of their claims. As evidence, the authors have submitted Discord chat logs of a Meta-affiliated researcher, who can be seen discussing the procurement of the dataset. This, as per the news agency, can be a potentially significant piece of evidence that could prove that Meta knew that its use of the books may not be protected by US copyright law. What is there in the chat logs? In the chat logs, as quoted in the complaint, researcher Tim Dettmers, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, describes his back-and-forth with Meta's legal department. In it, he talks about whether the use of book files as training data would be "legally OK". "At Facebook, there are a lot of people interested in working with (T)he (P)ile, including myself, but in its current form, we are unable to use it for legal reasons," Dettmers wrote in 2021. Here, The Pile refers to an open-source language modelling data set Meta has acknowledged it was using to train its first version of Llama. Also read | EU to ban use of AI biometric surveillance by police without judicial authorisation: Report According to the complaint, a month before this, Dettmers wrote that Meta lawyers told him "the data cannot be used or models cannot be published if they are trained on that data." Here, the researcher refrains from describing the specific concerns voiced by lawyers, however, his counterpart makes mention of "books with active copyrights," and says they are the biggest likely source of worry. They also say that training on the data should "fall under fair use." As per the US Copyright Office, the fair use doctrine allows for the use of "limited portions of a work including quotes, for purposes such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, and scholarly reports". Llama Llama is Meta's large language model (LLM). The tech giant released its first version in February 2023. At the time, it published a list of datasets used to train the language model. The list included "the Books3 section of ThePile," which, as per the complaint quoting the person who assembled the dataset, contains 196,640 books. A second version, dubbed Llama 2 was made available for commercial use this summer. It is free for use for companies with monthly active users of less than 700 million. AI and copyrights As Artificial Intelligence drives a craze, artists across art forms have come forward alleging unlawful use of their content. In 2023, big tech companies were met with a slew of lawsuits that accuse them of ripping-off copyright protected works. IF successful, these lawsuits would not only generate significant compensation for the content creators, but also drive up the cost of building the data dependent models, somewhat dampening the generative AI craze.

Meta flouted copyrights to train its AI 'Llama' despite warning from lawyers, claims lawsuit by authors

The atmospheric drama of a red sprite is often accompanied by a green ghostly glow if you only look close enough to spot it.

Colloquially dubbed as "mesospheric ghosts," this phenomenon have been observed in last few years. But, till date, it had puzzled the scientific community. However, now, a study has an explanation that may tell us how these 'green ghosts' are formed.

<h2>Sprites and ghosts</h2>

As per Astronomy, high up in the atmosphere, near the edge of space, sometimes, before a thunderstorm evaporates away, a dazzling flash of red appears briefly. These are called sprites and have been properly observed in the last few years.&nbsp;

Since 2019, scientists discovered that one in 100 sprites, which fall under the umbrella of transient luminous events (TLEs) is accompanied by an elusive, mysterious 'green ghost'.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-giant-blue-dragon-monster-haunted-prehistoric-waters-of-the-pacific-ocean-72-million-years-ago-669185">This giant 'blue dragon' monster haunted prehistoric waters of the Pacific Ocean 72 million years ago</a>

Writing in Nature Communications, study author María Passas-Varo said: "TLEs are generated as a result of the intense electrical activity associated with lightning discharges."

These happen in the mesosphere, Earth's layer of atmosphere that extends from about 31 to 53 miles (50 to 85 kilometres) above ground and is located above the stratosphere.

Passas-Varo, a space scientist at the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia in Spain, explains that "the specific type of TLE that forms depends on factors such as the altitude, the type of lightning discharge, and the characteristics of the atmospheric layers involved."

<h2>What they found</h2>

The scientist and her team spent more than four years&nbsp;gathering data of around 2,000 sprites to determine which elements or atmosphere are responsible for the unique hue of these 'green ghosts'.

Using an instrument called the Granada Sprite Spectrograph and Polarimeter, or GRASSP, they examined the light from sprites.&nbsp;

"To record these rare phenomena, you have to aim the spectrograph … at the altitude where the ghost is likely to appear, which becomes a matter of luck combined with expertise," says Passas-Varo.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/watch-on-anniversary-of-orions-historic-return-to-earth-nasa-shared-its-fiery-reentry-video-669159">Watch | NASA video shows Orion re-entering Earth at 32 times the speed of sound</a>

"In almost four years of recording, from more than 2,000 spectra, we have just 42 spectra from the top of a sprite," she said, adding that out of those, only one, which occurred Sept 21, 2019, was a strong enough signal to study.

What they found was a surprise. As per Astronomy, the researchers found that metals like iron and nickel are located high up in the atmosphere, much higher than they expected to find them.

This study lays the groundwork for future atmospheric research by providing a rare, yet valuable glimpse into the mesosphere. There's "still a lot of work to do," says María Passas-Varo.

(With inputs from agencies)

The atmospheric drama of a red sprite is often accompanied by a green ghostly glow if you only look close enough to spot it. Colloquially dubbed as "mesospheric ghosts," this phenomenon have been observed in last few years.

The atmospheric drama of a red sprite is often accompanied by a green ghostly glow if you only look close enough to spot it. Colloquially dubbed as "mesospheric ghosts," this phenomenon have been observed in last few years. But, till date, it had puzzled the scientific community. However, now, a study has an explanation that may tell us how these 'green ghosts' are formed. Sprites and ghosts As per Astronomy, high up in the atmosphere, near the edge of space, sometimes, before a thunderstorm evaporates away, a dazzling flash of red appears briefly. These are called sprites and have been properly observed in the last few years. Since 2019, scientists discovered that one in 100 sprites, which fall under the umbrella of transient luminous events (TLEs) is accompanied by an elusive, mysterious 'green ghost'. Also read | This giant 'blue dragon' monster haunted prehistoric waters of the Pacific Ocean 72 million years ago Writing in Nature Communications, study author María Passas-Varo said: "TLEs are generated as a result of the intense electrical activity associated with lightning discharges." These happen in the mesosphere, Earth's layer of atmosphere that extends from about 31 to 53 miles (50 to 85 kilometres) above ground and is located above the stratosphere. Passas-Varo, a space scientist at the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia in Spain, explains that "the specific type of TLE that forms depends on factors such as the altitude, the type of lightning discharge, and the characteristics of the atmospheric layers involved." What they found The scientist and her team spent more than four years gathering data of around 2,000 sprites to determine which elements or atmosphere are responsible for the unique hue of these 'green ghosts'. Using an instrument called the Granada Sprite Spectrograph and Polarimeter, or GRASSP, they examined the light from sprites. "To record these rare phenomena, you have to aim the spectrograph … at the altitude where the ghost is likely to appear, which becomes a matter of luck combined with expertise," says Passas-Varo. Also read | Watch | NASA video shows Orion re-entering Earth at 32 times the speed of sound "In almost four years of recording, from more than 2,000 spectra, we have just 42 spectra from the top of a sprite," she said, adding that out of those, only one, which occurred Sept 21, 2019, was a strong enough signal to study. What they found was a surprise. As per Astronomy, the researchers found that metals like iron and nickel are located high up in the atmosphere, much higher than they expected to find them. This study lays the groundwork for future atmospheric research by providing a rare, yet valuable glimpse into the mesosphere. There's "still a lot of work to do," says María Passas-Varo. (With inputs from agencies)

How are atmospheric 'green ghosts' formed? We might finally have an answer

2023 was a year of medical breakthroughs. As science progresses, scientists around the world are working hard to improve the quality of human life. This year, several notable, exciting medical advancements made headlines. From successful pig kidney transplant&nbsp;into humans to the world's first whole eye transplant, let's rewind to the year's most notable medical breakthroughs.

<h2>World's first whole eye transplant</h2>

In the United States, in November, surgeons performed the world's first transplant of an entire eye. The patient, a 46-year-old military veteran from Arkansas, had survived a work-related high-voltage electrical accident that destroyed the left side of his face, nose, mouth and left eye. In addition to the eye, a partial-face transplant was also done by the team from NYU Langone Health.&nbsp;

"The mere fact that we transplanted an eye is a huge step forward, something that for centuries has been thought about, but it's never been performed," the team lead Dr Eduardo Rodriguez, said at the time.

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/entertainment/bollywood/yearender-2023-actors-who-made-their-ott-debut-this-year-1701022719315" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/entertainment/bollywood/yearender-2023-actors-who-made-their-ott-debut-this-year-1701022719315&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj0-N-S3omDAxUyR2wGHchDDjYQFnoECAcQAg&amp;usg=AOvVaw3KT-rKPi5BeVr_3M1gLU7z" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/web-stories/entertainment/bollywood/yearender-2023-actors-who-made-their-ott-debut-this-year-1701022719315" target="_blank">Yearender 2023: Actors Who Made Their OTT Debut This Year</a>

<h2>First no-rejection kidney transplant</h2>

In September, in the United Kingdom, an eight-year-old Indian-origin girl, Aditi Shankar, became the first child to have gone through a special type of kidney transplant. The transplant was a breakthrough, as it didn't require the little girl&nbsp;to take long-term drugs to stop the potential rejection of the newly transplanted&nbsp;organ.&nbsp;

The little girl's immune system was reprogrammed using stem cells from the donor, Aditi's mother Divya.

<h2>Genetically modified pig kidney survives one month in human body</h2>

In the United States, in August, surgeons transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient. The organ worked for a record 32 days and could help bridge the significant organ donation gap.

<h2>A kill switch for cancer</h2>

Scientists from UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento in California discovered a "kill switch" that could be used to trigger the death of cancer cells. It is called the CAR T-cell therapy, and it involves genetically modifying T cells collected from a patient's blood.&nbsp;

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The therapy showed promising results in leukaemia and other 'liquid' cancers, but showed "meagre" success against solid tumours, and breast, bowel, and lung cancers.

<h2>Blood test for detecting depression</h2>

A study by McGill University in Canada analysed blood samples from more than 60 teenagers to identify specific molecules which can be used as markers for depression. This can help in the early detection of teenagers at risk of psychological diseases like depression.

<h2>World's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine</h2>

In May, the US Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. The medicine that took 60 years to develop can safeguard patients 60 years of age and older from lower respiratory tract sickness brought on by RSV.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/yearender-2023-the-fabulous-year-that-taylor-swift-has-had-667924">Yearender 2023: The fabulous year that Taylor Swift has had</a>

<h2>New plant toxin-based antibiotic</h2>

As the world grapples with antibiotic resistance, a group of British, German and Polish scientists discovered a plant toxin that has a unique method of attacking bacteria. The potential new antibiotic has been named albicidin and works differently than existing antibiotic medicines.

<h2>3D printing to rid of invasive surgeries</h2>

In March, researchers from Australia announced that they had invented a snake-like soft robot that can print living cells from the inside of a patient's body. 3D bio-printing is already used for medical procedures. However, this can help eliminate the need for invasive surgeries.

<h2>World's first Alzheimer's treatment</h2>

In June, the US FDA approved Lecanemab (Leqembi), a drug that significantly helped combat the progression of Alzheimer's during clinical trials. It is the first drug that targets the underlying cause of Alzheimer's, slowing down the disease's progress.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/your-anxiety-is-lying-to-you-saying-no-to-plans-isnt-all-that-bad-finds-study-668806">Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study</a>

<h2>CRISPR gene editing for sickle cell disease</h2>

The world's first CRISPR-based gene therapy for sickle cell disease was given the green light in the UK (in November) and in the US (in December). The therapy called CASGEVY works by correcting faulty haemoglobin genes in a patient's bone marrow stem cells so that they can produce normal, functioning HB cells.

<h2>Artificial liver</h2>

In September, China made the headlines for reportedly developing a stem-cell-based 'artificial liver' that can work outside the human body. A boon for thousands suffering from liver failure, the bio-artificial liver can perform functions such as detoxification and protein synthesis typically carried out by the liver.&nbsp;

<h2>Tiny robot surgeon</h2>

The University of Leeds has developed a tiny robot that can travel deep into the lungs and detect early signs of cancer. It is only 2 millimetres in diameter and is transported into the smallest bronchial tubes using magnets. As per researchers, during testing on a cadaver, the magnetic tentacle robot travelled 37 per cent deeper than standard equipment, that too with significantly less tissue damage.

In 2024, the global community looks forward to many more significant medical advancements, many of which are expected to involve Artificial Intelligence (AI).&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

2023 was a year of medical breakthroughs. As science progresses, scientists around the world are working hard to improve the quality of human life. This year, several notable, exciting medical advancements made headlines.

2023 was a year of medical breakthroughs. As science progresses, scientists around the world are working hard to improve the quality of human life. This year, several notable, exciting medical advancements made headlines. From successful pig kidney transplant into humans to the world's first whole eye transplant, let's rewind to the year's most notable medical breakthroughs. World's first whole eye transplant In the United States, in November, surgeons performed the world's first transplant of an entire eye. The patient, a 46-year-old military veteran from Arkansas, had survived a work-related high-voltage electrical accident that destroyed the left side of his face, nose, mouth and left eye. In addition to the eye, a partial-face transplant was also done by the team from NYU Langone Health. "The mere fact that we transplanted an eye is a huge step forward, something that for centuries has been thought about, but it's never been performed," the team lead Dr Eduardo Rodriguez, said at the time. Also read | Yearender 2023: Actors Who Made Their OTT Debut This Year First no-rejection kidney transplant In September, in the United Kingdom, an eight-year-old Indian-origin girl, Aditi Shankar, became the first child to have gone through a special type of kidney transplant. The transplant was a breakthrough, as it didn't require the little girl to take long-term drugs to stop the potential rejection of the newly transplanted organ. The little girl's immune system was reprogrammed using stem cells from the donor, Aditi's mother Divya. Genetically modified pig kidney survives one month in human body In the United States, in August, surgeons transplanted a genetically modified pig kidney into a brain-dead patient. The organ worked for a record 32 days and could help bridge the significant organ donation gap. A kill switch for cancer Scientists from UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center in Sacramento in California discovered a "kill switch" that could be used to trigger the death of cancer cells. It is called the CAR T-cell therapy, and it involves genetically modifying T cells collected from a patient's blood. Also read | Rewind 2023: Top 5 Sporting Moments For India The therapy showed promising results in leukaemia and other 'liquid' cancers, but showed "meagre" success against solid tumours, and breast, bowel, and lung cancers. Blood test for detecting depression A study by McGill University in Canada analysed blood samples from more than 60 teenagers to identify specific molecules which can be used as markers for depression. This can help in the early detection of teenagers at risk of psychological diseases like depression. World's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine In May, the US Foods and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world's first respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. The medicine that took 60 years to develop can safeguard patients 60 years of age and older from lower respiratory tract sickness brought on by RSV. Also read | Yearender 2023: The fabulous year that Taylor Swift has had New plant toxin-based antibiotic As the world grapples with antibiotic resistance, a group of British, German and Polish scientists discovered a plant toxin that has a unique method of attacking bacteria. The potential new antibiotic has been named albicidin and works differently than existing antibiotic medicines. 3D printing to rid of invasive surgeries In March, researchers from Australia announced that they had invented a snake-like soft robot that can print living cells from the inside of a patient's body. 3D bio-printing is already used for medical procedures. However, this can help eliminate the need for invasive surgeries. World's first Alzheimer's treatment In June, the US FDA approved Lecanemab (Leqembi), a drug that significantly helped combat the progression of Alzheimer's during clinical trials. It is the first drug that targets the underlying cause of Alzheimer's, slowing down the disease's progress. Also read | Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study CRISPR gene editing for sickle cell disease The world's first CRISPR-based gene therapy for sickle cell disease was given the green light in the UK (in November) and in the US (in December). The therapy called CASGEVY works by correcting faulty haemoglobin genes in a patient's bone marrow stem cells so that they can produce normal, functioning HB cells. Artificial liver In September, China made the headlines for reportedly developing a stem-cell-based 'artificial liver' that can work outside the human body. A boon for thousands suffering from liver failure, the bio-artificial liver can perform functions such as detoxification and protein synthesis typically carried out by the liver. Tiny robot surgeon The University of Leeds has developed a tiny robot that can travel deep into the lungs and detect early signs of cancer. It is only 2 millimetres in diameter and is transported into the smallest bronchial tubes using magnets. As per researchers, during testing on a cadaver, the magnetic tentacle robot travelled 37 per cent deeper than standard equipment, that too with significantly less tissue damage. In 2024, the global community looks forward to many more significant medical advancements, many of which are expected to involve Artificial Intelligence (AI). (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | Let's 'Rewind 2023' to medical breakthroughs that gave the world hope

Skipping that party you're dreading may not be as bad as your anxiety is making it out to be. As per research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology on Dec 11, people tend to overestimate the negative fallouts of declining social plans.&nbsp;

<h2>Saying 'No' can be hard</h2>

Researchers write that "saying no can be hard, leading invitees to accept invitations when they would rather not."

"Invitees have exaggerated concerns about how much the decline will anger the inviter, signal that the invitee does not care about the inviter, make the inviter unlikely to offer another invitation in the future, and so forth."

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However, after conducting a series of experiments, they found that hosts aren't as bothered when people cancel or decline their invites.&nbsp;

<h2>The data</h2>

More than three quarters of respondents, or about 77 per cent, confessed to accepting an invitation to an activity they weren't interested in attending. All because they were concerned about the consequences of declining. Many assumed that saying no will upset the person who invited them and damage their relationship.&nbsp;

Researchers conducted a series of five experiments with over 2,000 participants.

In one experiment, researchers asked participants to imagine up a scenario where some were the invitees declining the invitation to stay at home. They found that those told to imagine they had declined the invitation believed it would have negative ramifications.

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Another experiment involved couples, where one person would make plans only to be declined by the other. The partners rejecting the plan were found to care more.

"While there have been times when I have felt a little upset with someone who declined an invitation, our research gives us quite a bit of good reason to predict people overestimate the negative ramifications for our relationships," said lead author Julian Givi, PhD.

<h2>Saying 'No' can be good</h2>

As per Givi,&nbsp;an assistant professor at West Virginia University, declining an invitation can have its benefits.

"Burnout is a real thing, especially around the holidays when we are often invited to too many events," he said, adding, "Don't be afraid to turn down invitations here and there."&nbsp;

"But, keep in mind that spending time with others is how relationships develop, so don't decline every invitation," he said as quoted by Phys.org.

However, the authors caution that this is true only for small plans, missing milestone occasions like weddings, baby showers etc&nbsp;may take a larger toll on relationships.

(With inputs from agencies)

Skipping that party you're dreading may not be as bad as your anxiety is making it out to be. As per research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology on Dec 11, people tend to overestimate the negative fallouts of declining social plans.

Skipping that party you're dreading may not be as bad as your anxiety is making it out to be. As per research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology on Dec 11, people tend to overestimate the negative fallouts of declining social plans. Saying 'No' can be hard Researchers write that "saying no can be hard, leading invitees to accept invitations when they would rather not." "Invitees have exaggerated concerns about how much the decline will anger the inviter, signal that the invitee does not care about the inviter, make the inviter unlikely to offer another invitation in the future, and so forth." Also read | Australian teen narrowly escapes death after bite from one of Earth's most toxic animals However, after conducting a series of experiments, they found that hosts aren't as bothered when people cancel or decline their invites. The data More than three quarters of respondents, or about 77 per cent, confessed to accepting an invitation to an activity they weren't interested in attending. All because they were concerned about the consequences of declining. Many assumed that saying no will upset the person who invited them and damage their relationship. Researchers conducted a series of five experiments with over 2,000 participants. In one experiment, researchers asked participants to imagine up a scenario where some were the invitees declining the invitation to stay at home. They found that those told to imagine they had declined the invitation believed it would have negative ramifications. Also read | Space gas stations: American startup aims to revolutionise space technology Another experiment involved couples, where one person would make plans only to be declined by the other. The partners rejecting the plan were found to care more. "While there have been times when I have felt a little upset with someone who declined an invitation, our research gives us quite a bit of good reason to predict people overestimate the negative ramifications for our relationships," said lead author Julian Givi, PhD. Saying 'No' can be good As per Givi, an assistant professor at West Virginia University, declining an invitation can have its benefits. "Burnout is a real thing, especially around the holidays when we are often invited to too many events," he said, adding, "Don't be afraid to turn down invitations here and there." "But, keep in mind that spending time with others is how relationships develop, so don't decline every invitation," he said as quoted by Phys.org. However, the authors caution that this is true only for small plans, missing milestone occasions like weddings, baby showers etc may take a larger toll on relationships. (With inputs from agencies)

Your anxiety is lying to you! Saying 'no' to plans isn't all that bad, finds study

Can mislabelling things ever be good? Evidently yes. In Colombia, a mislabelled fossil has fascinated scientists. Two ancient plant fossils collected by a Colombian priest around half a century ago turned out to be rare hatchling turtles from when mighty dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

<h2>Extinct plant fossils</h2>

Between the 1950s and the 1970s, Colombian priest Padre Gustavo Huertas collected the leaf-shaped fossils near the town of Villa de Leyva. Later, he identified them as fossils of an extinct plant.

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He described them as Sphenophyllum colombianum, a group of plants that flourished during the Late Devonian—419.2 million to 358.9 million years ago and the Permian — 298.9 million to 251.9 million years ago.&nbsp;

However, a new study published on Dec 7 in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica, has now revealed that they are actually tiny turtle shells.

<h2>Tiny turtles from the time of dinosaurs</h2>

These fossils belong to the Cretaceous period — around 145 million to 66 million years ago. They measure just two inches (five centimetres) wide and 2.4 inches (6.1 centimetres) long.

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What's even more fascinating is that they are officially the first hatchling marine turtles on record in Northern South America from that age.

In a statement released by the Field Museum in Chicago, the study's lead author, Héctor Palma-Castro, a palaeobotany student at the National University of Colombia, said the find was "truly surprising".

<h2>How did they realise that the fossils have been mislabelled?</h2>

The fossils, their unusual age and the location where they were found sparked curiosity in the minds of Palma-Castro and his supervisor, co-author Fabiany Herrera.

"As soon as we photographed them, we thought, 'this is weird,'" said Hererra, the assistant curator of fossil plants at the Field Museum.

They deduced that the shape and margins of the supposed leaves did not resemble a plant, and the lines in it looked like bones.

With the help of another co-author Edwin-Alberto Cadena, a palaeontologist at the University of Rosario in Bogotá, they finally realised that the fossils came from the upper shells of marine turtles. They estimate that the turtles were one year or younger when they died.&nbsp;

"We resolved a small palaeobotanical mystery, but more importantly, this study shows the need to re-study historical collections in Colombia," said Herrera.

(With inputs from agencies)

Can mislabelling things ever be good? Evidently yes. In Colombia, a mislabelled fossil has fascinated scientists. Two ancient plant fossils collected by a Colombian priest around half a century ago turned out to be rare hatchling turtles from when mighty dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Can mislabelling things ever be good? Evidently yes. In Colombia, a mislabelled fossil has fascinated scientists. Two ancient plant fossils collected by a Colombian priest around half a century ago turned out to be rare hatchling turtles from when mighty dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Extinct plant fossils Between the 1950s and the 1970s, Colombian priest Padre Gustavo Huertas collected the leaf-shaped fossils near the town of Villa de Leyva. Later, he identified them as fossils of an extinct plant. Also read | Ancient Egypt's sacred baboons were not treated right, and we have proof He described them as Sphenophyllum colombianum, a group of plants that flourished during the Late Devonian—419.2 million to 358.9 million years ago and the Permian — 298.9 million to 251.9 million years ago. However, a new study published on Dec 7 in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica, has now revealed that they are actually tiny turtle shells. Tiny turtles from the time of dinosaurs These fossils belong to the Cretaceous period — around 145 million to 66 million years ago. They measure just two inches (five centimetres) wide and 2.4 inches (6.1 centimetres) long. Also read | In a first, pregnant megamouth shark spotted on Philippines beach What's even more fascinating is that they are officially the first hatchling marine turtles on record in Northern South America from that age. In a statement released by the Field Museum in Chicago, the study's lead author, Héctor Palma-Castro, a palaeobotany student at the National University of Colombia, said the find was "truly surprising". How did they realise that the fossils have been mislabelled? The fossils, their unusual age and the location where they were found sparked curiosity in the minds of Palma-Castro and his supervisor, co-author Fabiany Herrera. "As soon as we photographed them, we thought, 'this is weird,'" said Hererra, the assistant curator of fossil plants at the Field Museum. They deduced that the shape and margins of the supposed leaves did not resemble a plant, and the lines in it looked like bones. With the help of another co-author Edwin-Alberto Cadena, a palaeontologist at the University of Rosario in Bogotá, they finally realised that the fossils came from the upper shells of marine turtles. They estimate that the turtles were one year or younger when they died. "We resolved a small palaeobotanical mystery, but more importantly, this study shows the need to re-study historical collections in Colombia," said Herrera. (With inputs from agencies)

Mislabelled fossil reveals 'truly surprising' secrets from the time of dinosaurs

Pornography is freely available on the internet, and is often accessed by children. To protect the young ones from accessing inappropriate porn content online, Britain has now proposed a new age-check guidance that may use artificial intelligence.

<h2>How will AI do that?</h2>

As per a Reuters report, Artificial Intelligence will evaluate if a viewer looks of age. It would do so by analysing the viewer's feature. This, as per the report, would likely require the user to click and upload a selfie.

This comes as Britain on Tuesday (Dec 5th) recommended a new age-check guidance to protect children from accessing pornography online. The nation recently passed the Online Safety Act that requires websites and applications that display and/or publish pornographic material to ensure that children under the age of 18 years do not stumble across pornography on their service.

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"Regardless of their approach, we expect all services to offer robust protection to children from stumbling across pornography, and also to take care that privacy rights and freedoms for adults to access legal content are safeguarded," said media regulator Ofcom CEO Melanie Dawes, as reported by the news agency.

Among its guidance are other proposals like photo identification matching, making it mandatory for users to upload a photo ID such as passport or driving licence to prove their age, and even credit card checks. Further suggestions include open banking — where to confirm that they are over 18, users can authorise their bank to share information with online porn sites.

The regulator, as per Reuters, spoke against weak verification methods like self-declaration of age, online payment methods that do not have any age restrictions, and disclaimers or warnings. It said that these would no longer meet the standards in its new guidance, which is expected to be published in early 2025.

<h2>Britain and pornography</h2>

In Britain, the legal age to watch porn is 18 years or more. However, as per a 2021-2022 study by the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England, on average, children first access pornographic content online at the young age of 13. Nearly a quarter of children actually stumble across porn at an even younger age — around 11 years. Shockingly, one in 10 people reported seeing their first porn content at the tender young age of nine years.

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In spite of that, not everyone is in favour of mandatory age verification. The Institute of Economic Affairs, a free-market think tank, contends that it threatens user privacy and that by increasing the amount of sensitive data held by third parties, this could potentially expose users to breaches and abuse.

(With inputs from agencies)

Pornography is freely available on the internet, and is often accessed by children. To protect the young ones from accessing inappropriate porn content online, Britain has now proposed a new age-check guidance that may use artificial intelligence.

Pornography is freely available on the internet, and is often accessed by children. To protect the young ones from accessing inappropriate porn content online, Britain has now proposed a new age-check guidance that may use artificial intelligence. How will AI do that? As per a Reuters report, Artificial Intelligence will evaluate if a viewer looks of age. It would do so by analysing the viewer's feature. This, as per the report, would likely require the user to click and upload a selfie. This comes as Britain on Tuesday (Dec 5th) recommended a new age-check guidance to protect children from accessing pornography online. The nation recently passed the Online Safety Act that requires websites and applications that display and/or publish pornographic material to ensure that children under the age of 18 years do not stumble across pornography on their service. Also read | 350-year-old steamy, 'explicit' sketch expected to sell for half million dollars. See it here! "Regardless of their approach, we expect all services to offer robust protection to children from stumbling across pornography, and also to take care that privacy rights and freedoms for adults to access legal content are safeguarded," said media regulator Ofcom CEO Melanie Dawes, as reported by the news agency. Among its guidance are other proposals like photo identification matching, making it mandatory for users to upload a photo ID such as passport or driving licence to prove their age, and even credit card checks. Further suggestions include open banking — where to confirm that they are over 18, users can authorise their bank to share information with online porn sites. The regulator, as per Reuters, spoke against weak verification methods like self-declaration of age, online payment methods that do not have any age restrictions, and disclaimers or warnings. It said that these would no longer meet the standards in its new guidance, which is expected to be published in early 2025. Britain and pornography In Britain, the legal age to watch porn is 18 years or more. However, as per a 2021-2022 study by the Office of the Children's Commissioner for England, on average, children first access pornographic content online at the young age of 13. Nearly a quarter of children actually stumble across porn at an even younger age — around 11 years. Shockingly, one in 10 people reported seeing their first porn content at the tender young age of nine years. Also read | How young is too young to watch porn? In spite of that, not everyone is in favour of mandatory age verification. The Institute of Economic Affairs, a free-market think tank, contends that it threatens user privacy and that by increasing the amount of sensitive data held by third parties, this could potentially expose users to breaches and abuse. (With inputs from agencies)

AI to determine if the person watching porn is too young. Here's how

Canada is facing a problem that is increasingly getting more and more drastic: homelessness.

Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has predicted that by the end of this decade, the problem is going to almost triple in terms of numbers.

<h2>Homelessness and Canada</h2>

In Canada, currently, as per estimates by the Homeless Hub, a research organisation run by York University, there are somewhere between 150,000 to 300,000 people experiencing homelessness.

As per a prediction by an Artificial Intelligence algorithm, by 2030, the number of homeless in Canada will grow to about 550,000 to 570,000.

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The prediction has been made by HelpSeeker, a Calgary-based technology company's predictive AI.&nbsp;

Speaking at a press conference on Monday (Dec 4th), Alina Turner, CEO of HelpSeeker, said that the prediction "doesn't mean that we're going to be looking at visible homelessness."

"We have layers of visibility, we have rough sleeping, an encampment, we've got people that are in those unsafe situations (and) we have people that are couch surfing," CTV News quotes her as saying.

<h2>How did the AI predict this?</h2>

HelpSeeker's AI prediction used a variety of data sourced from municipalities across Canada. This included the country's shelter usage, hidden homelessness estimates, inflation trends, unemployment numbers and other factors like housing and rental stock.

The prediction also factored in the expected population growth, which, as per Statistics Canada, could reach between 42.9 million and 52.5 million in 2043.

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Compounding the variety of factors, the AI predicted that homelessness will increase by around 83 per cent by the end of this decade.

Overall, close to a million Canadians are at risk of homelessness. This includes hidden homelessness — those couch-surfing and not enrolling in shelters — that, as per the AI, could number around 300,000 people by 2030.

It predicted that those living in absolute homelessness conditions, i.e., without a physical home and spending nights in emergency shelters, could reach around 200,000 by 2030.

<h2>How can the problem be dealt with?</h2>

Researchers as per the CTV News report say that increasing beds with medical care by 103,000, and an additional 50,000 recovery and transitional care beds, 30,000 emergency shelter beds and 1.3 million non-market housing units could help tackle the issue.&nbsp;

As per HelpSeeker estimates, this would cost Canada more than $169 billion to build. A further $16 billion each year would be needed for the maintenance.

However, Turner warns that "If we're not able to build these systems now, these trajectories are going to go unchanged."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Canada is facing a problem that is increasingly getting more and more drastic: homelessness. Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has predicted that by the end of this decade, the problem is going to almost triple in terms of numbers.

Canada is facing a problem that is increasingly getting more and more drastic: homelessness. Now, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has predicted that by the end of this decade, the problem is going to almost triple in terms of numbers. Homelessness and Canada In Canada, currently, as per estimates by the Homeless Hub, a research organisation run by York University, there are somewhere between 150,000 to 300,000 people experiencing homelessness. As per a prediction by an Artificial Intelligence algorithm, by 2030, the number of homeless in Canada will grow to about 550,000 to 570,000. Also read | UK discloses immigration reforms: Stricter visas aim to curb soaring migration The prediction has been made by HelpSeeker, a Calgary-based technology company's predictive AI. Speaking at a press conference on Monday (Dec 4th), Alina Turner, CEO of HelpSeeker, said that the prediction "doesn't mean that we're going to be looking at visible homelessness." "We have layers of visibility, we have rough sleeping, an encampment, we've got people that are in those unsafe situations (and) we have people that are couch surfing," CTV News quotes her as saying. How did the AI predict this? HelpSeeker's AI prediction used a variety of data sourced from municipalities across Canada. This included the country's shelter usage, hidden homelessness estimates, inflation trends, unemployment numbers and other factors like housing and rental stock. The prediction also factored in the expected population growth, which, as per Statistics Canada, could reach between 42.9 million and 52.5 million in 2043. Also read | Landmark Stability AI vs Getty Images copyright lawsuit to move ahead to trial Compounding the variety of factors, the AI predicted that homelessness will increase by around 83 per cent by the end of this decade. Overall, close to a million Canadians are at risk of homelessness. This includes hidden homelessness — those couch-surfing and not enrolling in shelters — that, as per the AI, could number around 300,000 people by 2030. It predicted that those living in absolute homelessness conditions, i.e., without a physical home and spending nights in emergency shelters, could reach around 200,000 by 2030. How can the problem be dealt with? Researchers as per the CTV News report say that increasing beds with medical care by 103,000, and an additional 50,000 recovery and transitional care beds, 30,000 emergency shelter beds and 1.3 million non-market housing units could help tackle the issue. As per HelpSeeker estimates, this would cost Canada more than $169 billion to build. A further $16 billion each year would be needed for the maintenance. However, Turner warns that "If we're not able to build these systems now, these trajectories are going to go unchanged." (With inputs from agencies)

AI paints shocking picture of the future of homelessness in Canada

A new poll found that England and Wales are 'living in the dark ages'. The 'shocking poll'&nbsp;found that nearly one in seven HRs (Human Resource executives) believe that compared to women, men are better suited to management roles.

<h2>The 'shocking' study findings</h2>

A survey of personnel managers in England and Wales found that nearly one in seven HRs rate men as more suitable for top jobs. The poll for&nbsp;Young Women's Trust (YWT), a charity, also&nbsp;revealed that almost 20 per cent, or one in five,&nbsp;human resource personnel also admitted to being hesitant to hire women who they thought may start families.

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YWT has labelled these figures a "travesty" and said that Wales and England were "living in the dark ages".

What's more?&nbsp;The poll found that it is not the older generation that has this bias against women. Younger HR managers, as per The Guardian, were more likely to be prejudiced against women employees' capabilities to tackle tough, big roles.

<h2>From a time bygone</h2>

YWT chief executive Claire Reindorp called these biases a 'travesty',&nbsp;and said: "You might think views like this died with the dinosaurs, but they're still alive and having a very real and lasting effect."

"We know it's hard for young women to get the jobs that they want because of barriers such as a lack of flexible working and affordable childcare, but then when they do enter the workplace, discrimination and a lack of support to progress creates this broken rung on the career ladder."

"It's a travesty that in 2023 young women still aren't being given the same chances in life as young men," she added.

Alesha De-Freitas, the head of policy at the Fawcett Society, UK's leading charity campaigning for gender equality, said that the results were 'shocking',&nbsp;and the reason gender pay gap persists.

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"It is shocking that HR managers still believe that men are better suited to senior management than women," she said.

"This then funnels through to all of women's experiences at work, from pay discrimination to unfair treatment around contracts. No wonder there is no prospect of the gender pay gap closing for at least another 28 years."

For the poll, 907 human resource managers were asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with the statement "men are better suited to senior management jobs than women". 15 per cent agreed with the statement, 79 per cent disagreed, and the rest said they didn't know.

(With inputs from agencies)

A new poll found that England and Wales are 'living in the dark ages'. The 'shocking poll' found that nearly one in seven HRs (Human Resource executives) believe that compared to women, men are better suited to management roles.

A new poll found that England and Wales are 'living in the dark ages'. The 'shocking poll' found that nearly one in seven HRs (Human Resource executives) believe that compared to women, men are better suited to management roles. The 'shocking' study findings A survey of personnel managers in England and Wales found that nearly one in seven HRs rate men as more suitable for top jobs. The poll for Young Women's Trust (YWT), a charity, also revealed that almost 20 per cent, or one in five, human resource personnel also admitted to being hesitant to hire women who they thought may start families. Also read | One man infects 5 women with rare eye syphilis following sexual intercourse YWT has labelled these figures a "travesty" and said that Wales and England were "living in the dark ages". What's more? The poll found that it is not the older generation that has this bias against women. Younger HR managers, as per The Guardian, were more likely to be prejudiced against women employees' capabilities to tackle tough, big roles. From a time bygone YWT chief executive Claire Reindorp called these biases a 'travesty', and said: "You might think views like this died with the dinosaurs, but they're still alive and having a very real and lasting effect." "We know it's hard for young women to get the jobs that they want because of barriers such as a lack of flexible working and affordable childcare, but then when they do enter the workplace, discrimination and a lack of support to progress creates this broken rung on the career ladder." "It's a travesty that in 2023 young women still aren't being given the same chances in life as young men," she added. Alesha De-Freitas, the head of policy at the Fawcett Society, UK's leading charity campaigning for gender equality, said that the results were 'shocking', and the reason gender pay gap persists. Also read | Strong winds knock over the National Christmas Tree outside White House "It is shocking that HR managers still believe that men are better suited to senior management than women," she said. "This then funnels through to all of women's experiences at work, from pay discrimination to unfair treatment around contracts. No wonder there is no prospect of the gender pay gap closing for at least another 28 years." For the poll, 907 human resource managers were asked to what extent they agreed or disagreed with the statement "men are better suited to senior management jobs than women". 15 per cent agreed with the statement, 79 per cent disagreed, and the rest said they didn't know. (With inputs from agencies)

England and Wales 'living in dark ages,' poll finds 1-in-7 HRs says men better suited to top jobs

A recent study has challenged the pre-existing assumption that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are inherently more appealing than less processed options.&nbsp;

The research by the University of Bristol, as per The Guardian, aimed to investigate whether calories and processing levels are the primary factors influencing taste perception and food desirability.

<h2>Study methodology</h2>

The study, as per the report, involved 224 adult volunteers who were presented with colour images of 24 to 32 familiar foods. These ranged from avocado and grapes to blueberry muffins and ice cream and varied in calories, processing levels (including UPFs), and carbohydrate-to-fat ratio.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/neanderthals-were-able-to-produce-human-like-speech-claims-study-662800">How did Neanderthals speak? Study points to human-like speech</a>

Participants were then asked to rate the foods for taste pleasantness, desire to eat, sweetness, and saltiness while imagining tasting them.

<h2>Study results</h2>

Contrary to expectations, the results published in the journal Appetite revealed that, on average, UPFs were no more liked or desired than processed or unprocessed foods.&nbsp;

The study found that foods with more intense flavours, particularly related to sweetness and saltiness, were generally more liked and desired.

Lead author Prof Peter Rogers noted, "While ultra-processing didn’t reliably predict liking (palatability) in our study, food carbohydrate-to-fat ratio, food fibre content and taste intensity did – actually, together, these three characteristics accounted for more than half of the variability in liking across the foods we tested".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-fully-intact-fly-found-in-mans-intestine-during-routine-screening-leaves-him-stumped-662741">US: Fully intact fly found in man's intestine during routine screening, leaves him stumped</a>

The findings as per Rogers suggest that "humans are programmed to learn to like foods with more equal amounts of carbohydrate and fat, and lower amounts of fibre, because those foods are less filling per calorie. In other words, we value calories over fullness."

The study comes as concern about the rising consumption of UPFs globally grows. As per the Guardia report, in the UK and the US, these foods now constitute over half of the average diet. Furthermore, UPFs such as ice cream, fizzy drinks, and ready meals have been associated with health issues, including an increased risk of cancer, weight gain, and heart disease.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A recent study has challenged the pre-existing assumption that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are inherently more appealing than less processed options. The research by the University of Bristol, as per The Guardian, aimed to investigate whether calories and processing levels are the primary factors influencing taste perception and food desirability.

A recent study has challenged the pre-existing assumption that ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are inherently more appealing than less processed options. The research by the University of Bristol, as per The Guardian, aimed to investigate whether calories and processing levels are the primary factors influencing taste perception and food desirability. Study methodology The study, as per the report, involved 224 adult volunteers who were presented with colour images of 24 to 32 familiar foods. These ranged from avocado and grapes to blueberry muffins and ice cream and varied in calories, processing levels (including UPFs), and carbohydrate-to-fat ratio. Also read | How did Neanderthals speak? Study points to human-like speech Participants were then asked to rate the foods for taste pleasantness, desire to eat, sweetness, and saltiness while imagining tasting them. Study results Contrary to expectations, the results published in the journal Appetite revealed that, on average, UPFs were no more liked or desired than processed or unprocessed foods. The study found that foods with more intense flavours, particularly related to sweetness and saltiness, were generally more liked and desired. Lead author Prof Peter Rogers noted, "While ultra-processing didn’t reliably predict liking (palatability) in our study, food carbohydrate-to-fat ratio, food fibre content and taste intensity did – actually, together, these three characteristics accounted for more than half of the variability in liking across the foods we tested". Also read | US: Fully intact fly found in man's intestine during routine screening, leaves him stumped The findings as per Rogers suggest that "humans are programmed to learn to like foods with more equal amounts of carbohydrate and fat, and lower amounts of fibre, because those foods are less filling per calorie. In other words, we value calories over fullness." The study comes as concern about the rising consumption of UPFs globally grows. As per the Guardia report, in the UK and the US, these foods now constitute over half of the average diet. Furthermore, UPFs such as ice cream, fizzy drinks, and ready meals have been associated with health issues, including an increased risk of cancer, weight gain, and heart disease. (With inputs from agencies)

Are ultra-processed foods more appealing than less processed options? Here's what a study found

Authentic is the "word of the year" 2023, as per America's oldest dictionary, Merriam-Webster.

Driven by high traffic of stories and conversations around Artificial Intelligence, celebrity culture, identity and social media, the word 'Authentic' topped the charts.

<h2>What does 'authentic' mean?</h2>

As per Merriam-Webster, 'authentic' is the "term for something we're thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more than ever."

The dictionary describes authentic as a word with manifold meanings including "not false or imitation," a synonym of real and actual; and also "true to one's own personality, spirit, or character."

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However, a blog post announcing the word of the year also says that while authenticity is a "desirable quality", the word is "hard to define and subject to debate", these two reasons it said, "sends many people to the dictionary."

<h2>Why were people searching for 'authentic'?</h2>

In America, as per the US' oldest dictionary, the rise of artificial intelligence and its impact in terms of the increasingly common deep fake videos, actors' contracts, academic honesty, and a vast number of other topics drove the searches.&nbsp;

As "the line between 'real' and 'fake' has become increasingly blurred," brands, celebrities and social media influencers all aspire to be 'authentic', it says.

Pushing the search were celebrities like Taylor Swift and Elon Musk.

<h2>What other words were popular?</h2>

Other contenders for 'Word of the Year' included 'deepfake' — "an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said."

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Also on the list was "indict" thanks to the indictment of former US President Donald Trump in four separate cases.

'Rizz' a trending internet-driven slang was one of the major runner-ups. The word that means "romantic appeal or charm" was added to the dictionary in September. 'Coronation' thanks to British King Charles III taking over as monarch also saw a spike. Furthermore, as record-high temperatures plagued the world, 'dystopian' also topped the search.

(With inputs from agencies)

Authentic is the "word of the year" 2023, as per America's oldest dictionary, Merriam-Webster. Driven by high traffic of stories and conversations around Artificial Intelligence, celebrity culture, identity and social media, the word 'Authentic' topped the charts.

Authentic is the "word of the year" 2023, as per America's oldest dictionary, Merriam-Webster. Driven by high traffic of stories and conversations around Artificial Intelligence, celebrity culture, identity and social media, the word 'Authentic' topped the charts. What does 'authentic' mean? As per Merriam-Webster, 'authentic' is the "term for something we're thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more than ever." The dictionary describes authentic as a word with manifold meanings including "not false or imitation," a synonym of real and actual; and also "true to one's own personality, spirit, or character." Also read | Artificial Intelligence dominates conversations in 2023, named 'Word of the Year' by Collins Dictionary However, a blog post announcing the word of the year also says that while authenticity is a "desirable quality", the word is "hard to define and subject to debate", these two reasons it said, "sends many people to the dictionary." Why were people searching for 'authentic'? In America, as per the US' oldest dictionary, the rise of artificial intelligence and its impact in terms of the increasingly common deep fake videos, actors' contracts, academic honesty, and a vast number of other topics drove the searches. As "the line between 'real' and 'fake' has become increasingly blurred," brands, celebrities and social media influencers all aspire to be 'authentic', it says. Pushing the search were celebrities like Taylor Swift and Elon Musk. What other words were popular? Other contenders for 'Word of the Year' included 'deepfake' — "an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said." Also read | Bangladeshi couple's research paper cum wedding invitation leaves internet in splits Also on the list was "indict" thanks to the indictment of former US President Donald Trump in four separate cases. 'Rizz' a trending internet-driven slang was one of the major runner-ups. The word that means "romantic appeal or charm" was added to the dictionary in September. 'Coronation' thanks to British King Charles III taking over as monarch also saw a spike. Furthermore, as record-high temperatures plagued the world, 'dystopian' also topped the search. (With inputs from agencies)

Merriam-Webster selects 'authentic' as word of the year 2023

Amid the rising clamour over weight-loss drugs and their side effects, new experimental drugs that supposedly reduce bad cholesterol levels have shown promising effects.

Presented at Sunday's (Nov 12) annual meeting of the American Heart Association, two groundbreaking researches have reportedly showcased drugs that are both safe and effective.

<h2>Reducing cholesterol the medical way</h2>

These medications, as per NBC News, are not meant as a weight loss drug, rather, these are meant for people with certain genetic predisposition.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/found-some-real-use-for-passport-internet-left-in-splits-over-this-unusual-use-of-a-passport-watch-658486">'Found some real use for passport!' Internet left in splits over THIS unusual use of a passport. Watch!</a>

People that have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol can make use of these drugs in combination with diet and exercise to manage their risk for heart attack and stroke.

<h2>How do these medications work?</h2>

One of the treatments makes use of gene-editing, while the other uses mRNA.

The first one, a medication from Verve Therapeutics, using an approach called base editing,&nbsp;targets the PCSK9 gene.

This gene is behind the production of LDL, often known as "bad" cholesterol.&nbsp;

As per Verve's co-founder and CEO Dr Sekar Kathiresan, the medication works like a permanent eraser, removing the gene's ability to raise cholesterol.

The second medication, as per NBC news report, is a novel therapy that could be the first treatment for lipoprotein(a) aka Lp(a) — a dangerous type of cholesterol.

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People with high levels of this cholesterol are extremely vulnerable to having fats build up in their arteries. This genetic condition is "essentially untreatable," says Dr Steven Nissen, the study's author.&nbsp;

"The only way to target such a genetic risk factor is to find a way to interfere with the product of the gene," adds Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular &amp; Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic.

Nissen's team has developed a drug called lepodisiran, that like COVID-19 vaccines, targets mRNA, to prompt our body into developing antibodies.

<h2>When will these drugs be available for public use?</h2>

It may be some time before these are available for public use. Neither treatment has been tested in humans, and they require additional research and testing before they are even considered for approval by the Food and Drug Administration.

Despite that, experts at the meeting were impressed by the research findings. As Dr Hugh Cassiere, director of critical care services at South Shore University Hospital, Northwell Cardiovascular Institute in New York puts it, "There is no way to categorise this other than revolutionary". Cassiere was not a part of either research.

(With inputs from agencies)

Amid the rising clamour over weight-loss drugs and their side effects, new experimental drugs that supposedly reduce bad cholesterol levels have shown promising effects.

Amid the rising clamour over weight-loss drugs and their side effects, new experimental drugs that supposedly reduce bad cholesterol levels have shown promising effects. Presented at Sunday's (Nov 12) annual meeting of the American Heart Association, two groundbreaking researches have reportedly showcased drugs that are both safe and effective. Reducing cholesterol the medical way These medications, as per NBC News, are not meant as a weight loss drug, rather, these are meant for people with certain genetic predisposition. Also read | 'Found some real use for passport!' Internet left in splits over THIS unusual use of a passport. Watch! People that have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol can make use of these drugs in combination with diet and exercise to manage their risk for heart attack and stroke. How do these medications work? One of the treatments makes use of gene-editing, while the other uses mRNA. The first one, a medication from Verve Therapeutics, using an approach called base editing, targets the PCSK9 gene. This gene is behind the production of LDL, often known as "bad" cholesterol. As per Verve's co-founder and CEO Dr Sekar Kathiresan, the medication works like a permanent eraser, removing the gene's ability to raise cholesterol. The second medication, as per NBC news report, is a novel therapy that could be the first treatment for lipoprotein(a) aka Lp(a) — a dangerous type of cholesterol. Also read | Astronomers want to give space a socially conscious makeover, push for renaming Magellan galaxies People with high levels of this cholesterol are extremely vulnerable to having fats build up in their arteries. This genetic condition is "essentially untreatable," says Dr Steven Nissen, the study's author. "The only way to target such a genetic risk factor is to find a way to interfere with the product of the gene," adds Nissen, chief academic officer of the Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Nissen's team has developed a drug called lepodisiran, that like COVID-19 vaccines, targets mRNA, to prompt our body into developing antibodies. When will these drugs be available for public use? It may be some time before these are available for public use. Neither treatment has been tested in humans, and they require additional research and testing before they are even considered for approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Despite that, experts at the meeting were impressed by the research findings. As Dr Hugh Cassiere, director of critical care services at South Shore University Hospital, Northwell Cardiovascular Institute in New York puts it, "There is no way to categorise this other than revolutionary". Cassiere was not a part of either research. (With inputs from agencies)

'Revolutionary': Scientists have developed two promising medications for 'bad' cholesterol

Back in June of this year, a team of researchers made sensational claims about a small-brained ancient hominid known as Homo naledi. The alleged discovery by the research team led by Professor Lee Berger of the University of Witwatersrand excited the scientific community to no end.&nbsp;

The findings, if proven accurate, could overturn much of what we know about human evolution. However, a recent paper has ridiculed the "discovery".&nbsp;

<h2>What the team claimed to have discovered</h2>

Dr Berger and his team claimed to have found evidence that the long-extinct species buried its dead and decorated their graves with abstract markings.

Given that the species had a brain no larger than a chimpanzee's, this finding at the time suggested intelligence similar to modern humans.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/not-homo-sapiens-but-this-extinct-human-species-buried-their-dead-first-601963">Not homo sapiens but this extinct human species buried their dead first</a>

This could be the oldest evidence of burials by the human species. The discovery as reported by the team was made in South Africa's Rising Star Cave System.

<h2>New research rebuts Berger's findings</h2>

A new study has pooh-poohed the Homo naledi-mania and suggests that the small-brained human ancestors may have nothing to do with the burials or marking of graves.

The research which has been published in the Journal of Human Evolution suggests that instead of it being chalked up to a deliberate disposal of the dead, some natural processes may explain the findings better.

Researchers from Spain and Australia suggest that things like a natural death trap or the bones being transported inside the narrow cave via flowing or flood waters may be a better explanation. According to them, an ancient member of the species may also have carried the remains into the cave or they could be there because of carnivore activity.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/trouble-in-space-soaring-costs-of-nasas-mars-sample-return-mission-risks-other-projects-657819">Trouble in space: Soaring costs of NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission risk other significant projects</a>

To back their hypothesis, they cite geological, taphonomic and paleontological evidence.

They also say that the caves where the bones of more than 15 Homo naledi individuals representing all age groups were found were too unreachable. This meant that other researchers could not enter the caves and verify Berger's findings.

It also pours cold water on the alleged centuries-old engravings and says that Berger's teams have used any scientific methods to date them. They conclude that the Rising Star team has built a "persuasive discourse" which is "misleading" and that "they do not test their hypothesis but selectively report the evidence that supports their preferred scenario."

(With inputs from agencies)

Back in June of this year, a team of researchers made sensational claims about a small-brained ancient hominid known as Homo naledi. The alleged discovery by the research team led by Professor Lee Berger of the University of Witwatersrand excited the scientific community to no end.

Back in June of this year, a team of researchers made sensational claims about a small-brained ancient hominid known as Homo naledi. The alleged discovery by the research team led by Professor Lee Berger of the University of Witwatersrand excited the scientific community to no end. The findings, if proven accurate, could overturn much of what we know about human evolution. However, a recent paper has ridiculed the "discovery". What the team claimed to have discovered Dr Berger and his team claimed to have found evidence that the long-extinct species buried its dead and decorated their graves with abstract markings. Given that the species had a brain no larger than a chimpanzee's, this finding at the time suggested intelligence similar to modern humans. Also read | Not homo sapiens but this extinct human species buried their dead first This could be the oldest evidence of burials by the human species. The discovery as reported by the team was made in South Africa's Rising Star Cave System. New research rebuts Berger's findings A new study has pooh-poohed the Homo naledi-mania and suggests that the small-brained human ancestors may have nothing to do with the burials or marking of graves. The research which has been published in the Journal of Human Evolution suggests that instead of it being chalked up to a deliberate disposal of the dead, some natural processes may explain the findings better. Researchers from Spain and Australia suggest that things like a natural death trap or the bones being transported inside the narrow cave via flowing or flood waters may be a better explanation. According to them, an ancient member of the species may also have carried the remains into the cave or they could be there because of carnivore activity. Also read | Trouble in space: Soaring costs of NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission risk other significant projects To back their hypothesis, they cite geological, taphonomic and paleontological evidence. They also say that the caves where the bones of more than 15 Homo naledi individuals representing all age groups were found were too unreachable. This meant that other researchers could not enter the caves and verify Berger's findings. It also pours cold water on the alleged centuries-old engravings and says that Berger's teams have used any scientific methods to date them. They conclude that the Rising Star team has built a "persuasive discourse" which is "misleading" and that "they do not test their hypothesis but selectively report the evidence that supports their preferred scenario." (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists pooh-pooh claims that extinct ancient hominid 'Homo naledi' buried its dead

Is feeling "rich" a thing? Apparently so, and the feeling is getting elusive.&nbsp;

This may come as a surprise, but a recent study has found that 92 per cent of the millionaires actually consider themselves to be 'middle class'.&nbsp;

<h2>What it means to be wealthy</h2>

A recent survey of more than 3,500 wealthy Americans people found that only about eight per cent of people with wealth of $1 million or more said they consider themselves wealthy.&nbsp;

The survey by Ameriprise Financial found that 31 per cent of the millionaires say they are part of the middle class.&nbsp;

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A further six in ten or about 60 per cent of the millionaires conceded that they had wealth but limited the narrative to calling themselves part of the "upper middle class".&nbsp;

The survey which had a total of 3,518 participants also found that in comparison to the millionaires, two per cent of those with $25,000-$999,000 in assets 'felt' rich.

<h2>Feeling rich</h2>

As per Marcy Keckler, Senior Vice President of Financial Advice Strategy at Ameriprise, "There is no standard definition of what it means to be wealthy, but in general, investors associate it with having the means to live life on their terms."

People "feel squeezed," a private wealth adviser at Ameriprise told CNBC. Kim Maez, a certified financial planner, said that "Many people feel squeezed between higher prices and lower asset prices".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/trouble-in-space-soaring-costs-of-nasas-mars-sample-return-mission-risks-other-projects-657819">Trouble in space: Soaring costs of NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission risk other significant projects</a>

With persistent inflation, high interest rates and geopolitical and economic turbulence adding to the uncertainty, fewer Americans, even millionaires, said they feel confident about their standing. This is according to the recent Global Wealth Report from the Credit Suisse Research Institute.

Furthermore, as per a Natixis Investment Managers data, a whopping 36 per cent of American millionaires said that they worry retirement may not even be an option.

35 per cent of millionaires in the US — which has the highest number of millionaires — were worried that their ability to be financially secure in retirement is "going to take a miracle".

(With inputs from agencies)

Is feeling "rich" a thing? Apparently so, and the feeling is getting elusive. This may come as a surprise, but a recent study has found that 92 per cent of the millionaires actually consider themselves to be 'middle class'.

Is feeling "rich" a thing? Apparently so, and the feeling is getting elusive. This may come as a surprise, but a recent study has found that 92 per cent of the millionaires actually consider themselves to be 'middle class'. What it means to be wealthy A recent survey of more than 3,500 wealthy Americans people found that only about eight per cent of people with wealth of $1 million or more said they consider themselves wealthy. The survey by Ameriprise Financial found that 31 per cent of the millionaires say they are part of the middle class. Also read | Elon Musk claims 'world record' for SpaceX delivering over 1,000 tonnes to orbit in 2023 A further six in ten or about 60 per cent of the millionaires conceded that they had wealth but limited the narrative to calling themselves part of the "upper middle class". The survey which had a total of 3,518 participants also found that in comparison to the millionaires, two per cent of those with $25,000-$999,000 in assets 'felt' rich. Feeling rich As per Marcy Keckler, Senior Vice President of Financial Advice Strategy at Ameriprise, "There is no standard definition of what it means to be wealthy, but in general, investors associate it with having the means to live life on their terms." People "feel squeezed," a private wealth adviser at Ameriprise told CNBC. Kim Maez, a certified financial planner, said that "Many people feel squeezed between higher prices and lower asset prices". Also read | Trouble in space: Soaring costs of NASA's Mars Sample Return Mission risk other significant projects With persistent inflation, high interest rates and geopolitical and economic turbulence adding to the uncertainty, fewer Americans, even millionaires, said they feel confident about their standing. This is according to the recent Global Wealth Report from the Credit Suisse Research Institute. Furthermore, as per a Natixis Investment Managers data, a whopping 36 per cent of American millionaires said that they worry retirement may not even be an option. 35 per cent of millionaires in the US — which has the highest number of millionaires — were worried that their ability to be financially secure in retirement is "going to take a miracle". (With inputs from agencies)

Feeling of 'rich' getting elusive, survey finds 92% millionaires consider themselves 'middle class'

Artificial Intelligence is all the rage these days. It is in our phones, on our computers, and now you can even wear it on your lapel&nbsp;on your clothes.

Humane, a Silicon Valley startup firm, on Thursday released a device called the AI Pin that can be worn on clothing.

<h2>AI Pin</h2>

The device that is designed to be worn on clothing uses a virtual assistant that is powered by the GPT 4 technology from OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.

In a market overrun by products boasting an AI-based system, what's unique about this device is that it has no traditional screen. Instead, it relies almost entirely on Artificial Intelligence to interact with the user.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/fluff-up-feathers-perform-a-dance-humans-also-engage-in-mating-calls-reveals-study-656536">Boys in all-male choirs lift up singing several notches when girls are in audience, finds study</a>

"Ai Pin is the embodiment of our vision to integrate AI into the fabric of daily life, enhancing our capabilities without overshadowing our humanity," said Humane co-founder and President Imran Chaudhri in a statement. Chaudhri has previously worked with Apple.&nbsp;

<h2>AI Pin features</h2>

The AI Pin has been priced at $699 (around 58,000 INR) and in the United States, it will be available for order starting November 16.

Designed to reduce dependency on smartphones, the AI pin offers a laser beam scanning projection system that beams content onto a user's palm.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mexican-congress-deems-three-fingered-mummies-real-but-refrains-from-confirming-alien-origins-656555">Mexican congress deems three-fingered mummies 'real,' but refrains from confirming alien origins</a>

It comes with a 13-megapixel camera that offers a 120-degree field of view and an f/2.4 aperture, and comes with 4&nbsp;GB RAM and 32&nbsp;GB of eMMC storage.

For connectivity, it has 4G (eSIM technology), dual-band Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, and GPS.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Artificial Intelligence is all the rage these days. It is in our phones, on our computers, and now you can even wear it on your lapel on your clothes. Humane, a Silicon Valley startup firm, on Thursday released a device called the AI Pin that can be worn on clothing.

Artificial Intelligence is all the rage these days. It is in our phones, on our computers, and now you can even wear it on your lapel on your clothes. Humane, a Silicon Valley startup firm, on Thursday released a device called the AI Pin that can be worn on clothing. AI Pin The device that is designed to be worn on clothing uses a virtual assistant that is powered by the GPT 4 technology from OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT. In a market overrun by products boasting an AI-based system, what's unique about this device is that it has no traditional screen. Instead, it relies almost entirely on Artificial Intelligence to interact with the user. Also read | Boys in all-male choirs lift up singing several notches when girls are in audience, finds study "Ai Pin is the embodiment of our vision to integrate AI into the fabric of daily life, enhancing our capabilities without overshadowing our humanity," said Humane co-founder and President Imran Chaudhri in a statement. Chaudhri has previously worked with Apple. AI Pin features The AI Pin has been priced at $699 (around 58,000 INR) and in the United States, it will be available for order starting November 16. Designed to reduce dependency on smartphones, the AI pin offers a laser beam scanning projection system that beams content onto a user's palm. Also read | Mexican congress deems three-fingered mummies 'real,' but refrains from confirming alien origins It comes with a 13-megapixel camera that offers a 120-degree field of view and an f/2.4 aperture, and comes with 4 GB RAM and 32 GB of eMMC storage. For connectivity, it has 4G (eSIM technology), dual-band Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.1, and GPS. (With inputs from agencies)

Silicon Valley company launches AI pin that can beam content onto your palm

Saturn, the giant planet known for its rings, will soon lose its crowning glory. As per NASA, the gas planet's famous interstellar hoops will soon disappear — thankfully they are not going out of existence, we just won't be able to see them any more.

<h2>Why are Saturn's rings disappearing?</h2>

Saturn's rings will vanish from our planet's view because of its tilting within its axis of orbit. Basically, the planet, as it makes its way around the sun once more, will tilt and the face we are used to — the one with the famous rings, will go out of view.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/explained-nasa-to-send-nuclear-powered-dragonfly-to-saturns-moon-titan-heres-all-you-need-to-know-651572">Explained: NASA to send 'nuclear-powered' Dragonfly to Saturn's moon Titan. Here's all you need to know</a>

Saturn makes the journey around the sun in about 30 Earth years. Throughout this journey, based on the planet's tilt, its rings are more or less visible, according to NASA.

"For nearly half of Saturn's orbit, the sun shines on the south side of the rings. For the other half, it shines on the north side," notes a NASA transcript as quoted by USA Today.

<h2>When will Saturn's rings disappear?</h2>

Stargazers should try to enjoy the view while they can. As per NASA estimates, the rings will disappear in about 18 months, around March 2025.&nbsp;

Currently, Saturn's tilt is angled downwards at nine degrees and in 2024, this will decrease to a barely visible 3.7 degrees. Finally, in March 2025, it will hit zero degrees, which as per Earth.com will be akin to seeing "a sheet of paper edge-on when it’s positioned at the far end of a soccer field."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-curiosity-rover-finds-evidence-mars-was-once-a-planet-of-rivers-651444">Life on Mars? Curiosity rover discovers that it was once a 'planet of rivers'</a>

However, we need not worry, the rings will return soon. By 2032, Saturn's angle of tilt will once again be 27 degrees, which will offer the optimal view of its rings.

<h2>Do Saturn's rings vanish often?</h2>

They go out of view every few years, but experts estimate that they may eventually disappear out of existence. However, this won't happen in our lifetimes, or in our children's. It will actually take a few hundred million years.&nbsp;

Saturn has seven distinct rings, that are made up of ice, rocky debris and dust. As per NASA, it is believed that these are the remains of comets, asteroids and moons that were pulled apart by the planet's powerful gravitational pull. These celestial hoops extend some 70,000 to 140,000 kilometres — the equivalent of the width of 30 Earths. Yet, in most places they are very thin — only 90 metres.

(With inputs from agencies)

Saturn, the giant planet known for its rings, will soon lose its crowning glory. As per NASA, the gas planet's famous interstellar hoops will soon disappear — thankfully they are not going out of existence, we just won't be able to see them any more.

Saturn, the giant planet known for its rings, will soon lose its crowning glory. As per NASA, the gas planet's famous interstellar hoops will soon disappear — thankfully they are not going out of existence, we just won't be able to see them any more. Why are Saturn's rings disappearing? Saturn's rings will vanish from our planet's view because of its tilting within its axis of orbit. Basically, the planet, as it makes its way around the sun once more, will tilt and the face we are used to — the one with the famous rings, will go out of view. Also read | Explained: NASA to send 'nuclear-powered' Dragonfly to Saturn's moon Titan. Here's all you need to know Saturn makes the journey around the sun in about 30 Earth years. Throughout this journey, based on the planet's tilt, its rings are more or less visible, according to NASA. "For nearly half of Saturn's orbit, the sun shines on the south side of the rings. For the other half, it shines on the north side," notes a NASA transcript as quoted by USA Today. When will Saturn's rings disappear? Stargazers should try to enjoy the view while they can. As per NASA estimates, the rings will disappear in about 18 months, around March 2025. Currently, Saturn's tilt is angled downwards at nine degrees and in 2024, this will decrease to a barely visible 3.7 degrees. Finally, in March 2025, it will hit zero degrees, which as per Earth.com will be akin to seeing "a sheet of paper edge-on when it’s positioned at the far end of a soccer field." Also read | Life on Mars? Curiosity rover discovers that it was once a 'planet of rivers' However, we need not worry, the rings will return soon. By 2032, Saturn's angle of tilt will once again be 27 degrees, which will offer the optimal view of its rings. Do Saturn's rings vanish often? They go out of view every few years, but experts estimate that they may eventually disappear out of existence. However, this won't happen in our lifetimes, or in our children's. It will actually take a few hundred million years. Saturn has seven distinct rings, that are made up of ice, rocky debris and dust. As per NASA, it is believed that these are the remains of comets, asteroids and moons that were pulled apart by the planet's powerful gravitational pull. These celestial hoops extend some 70,000 to 140,000 kilometres — the equivalent of the width of 30 Earths. Yet, in most places they are very thin — only 90 metres. (With inputs from agencies)

Stargazers beware! Saturn's rings will vanish soon. Here's when

The Animal Kingdom is full of myriad mating practices, where the males of the species attempt to woo the females. We humans are hairless primates after all, and recent study has shown that our species too, in a matter of speaking, fluff out our feathers and perform a dance for the females.

As per a research article published in The Royal Society, boys in all-male choirs tend to boost their vocals when girls are in the audience.

<h2>Mating call&nbsp;</h2>

Researchers based their observation on a renowned boys' choir group. They noticed that the basses — the oldest boys with the deepest boys — "boosted their acoustic prominence by increasing energy in a high-frequency band of the vocal spectrum when girls were in an otherwise male audience".

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/stargazers-beware-saturns-rings-will-vanish-soon-heres-when-656374">Stargazers beware! Saturn's rings will vanish soon. Here's when</a>

The effect, as per the report, was particularly seen in the oldest boys, aged between 16 and 19.&nbsp;

Researchers pose that this behaviour may be similar to that observed in "non-human animals" like flashing fireflies, chorusing crickets and frogs. In such species, the "simultaneous cooperation and competition is manifest in rhythmically coordinated communal displays produced by groups of males to attract female mates," write the researchers.

They further say that such displays "can be a side effect of sexually motivated competition, whereby individual males produce earlier or more intense signals that mask rival signals."

<h2>But do the girls like it?</h2>

Apparently they do. For the purpose of this research, male and female listeners were given recordings of an all-male choir. These recordings were from shows where the audience was all male, and another where female members were in the audience.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/hundreds-of-girls-fall-victim-to-ai-generated-deep-fake-porn-images-656492">'Hundreds' of girls fell victim to AI-generated deepfake porn images,&nbsp;says&nbsp;a victim's&nbsp;mother</a>

Listeners either reported which audio they believed had this mating call behaviour, or which one they preferred. It was found that while male listeners could "eavesdrop" on the behaviour, female listeners were both sensitive to it and also displayed a preference for it.

"It's really subtle and probably something that's subconscious," said Peter Keller, one of the authors behind this research while talking to The Guardian.

"The boys' singing sounds more brilliant and has a more attractive, ringing quality when girls are in the audience, but it is subtle," said Keller, a professor of neuroscience at Aarhus University in Denmark.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Animal Kingdom is full of myriad mating practices, where the males of the species attempt to woo the females. We humans are hairless primates after all, and recent study has shown that our species too, in a matter of speaking, fluff out our feathers and perform a dance for the females.

The Animal Kingdom is full of myriad mating practices, where the males of the species attempt to woo the females. We humans are hairless primates after all, and recent study has shown that our species too, in a matter of speaking, fluff out our feathers and perform a dance for the females. As per a research article published in The Royal Society, boys in all-male choirs tend to boost their vocals when girls are in the audience. Mating call Researchers based their observation on a renowned boys' choir group. They noticed that the basses — the oldest boys with the deepest boys — "boosted their acoustic prominence by increasing energy in a high-frequency band of the vocal spectrum when girls were in an otherwise male audience". Also read | Stargazers beware! Saturn's rings will vanish soon. Here's when The effect, as per the report, was particularly seen in the oldest boys, aged between 16 and 19. Researchers pose that this behaviour may be similar to that observed in "non-human animals" like flashing fireflies, chorusing crickets and frogs. In such species, the "simultaneous cooperation and competition is manifest in rhythmically coordinated communal displays produced by groups of males to attract female mates," write the researchers. They further say that such displays "can be a side effect of sexually motivated competition, whereby individual males produce earlier or more intense signals that mask rival signals." But do the girls like it? Apparently they do. For the purpose of this research, male and female listeners were given recordings of an all-male choir. These recordings were from shows where the audience was all male, and another where female members were in the audience. Also read | 'Hundreds' of girls fell victim to AI-generated deepfake porn images, says a victim's mother Listeners either reported which audio they believed had this mating call behaviour, or which one they preferred. It was found that while male listeners could "eavesdrop" on the behaviour, female listeners were both sensitive to it and also displayed a preference for it. "It's really subtle and probably something that's subconscious," said Peter Keller, one of the authors behind this research while talking to The Guardian. "The boys' singing sounds more brilliant and has a more attractive, ringing quality when girls are in the audience, but it is subtle," said Keller, a professor of neuroscience at Aarhus University in Denmark. (With inputs from agencies)

Boys in all-male choirs lift up singing several notches when girls are in audience, finds study

More than a month after the world was shocked by AI-generated images of schoolgirls from Spain making the rounds on the internet, the mother of one victim has spoken out.

Miriam Al Adib, whose daughter was one of the many underage victims of the fake nude images scandal, says hundreds of parents have told her their children were also victims.&nbsp;

<h2>AI a 'weapon of destruction'</h2>

Talking to Wales Live, Al Adib, said that the combination of access to social media, pornography, and artificial intelligence was a "weapon of destruction".

In September, Al Adib's hometown, the small Spanish village Almendralejo made news after more than 20 underage girls — aged 11 to 17, fell victim to a transgression involving indecent images. These images were shared online without their knowledge.

hese images were created using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool application using which users can 'take clothes off' of anyone they have a picture of, that too, for prices as low as&nbsp;€10.

You can read all about the deepfakes incident here.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/spain-minor-girls-fall-victim-to-deepfake-porn-ai-generated-nudes-shock-the-nation-638019">Spain: Minor girls fall victim to deepfake porn, AI-generated nudes shock the nation</a>

Al Adib, whose 14-year-old daughter was one of the victims at the time, had described how her distraught daughter told her about it.

"When I came home, one of my daughters, who was really upset, told me: 'look what they did'. It turns out they took a photo of her, and they made it seem as if she was naked with the aid of artificial intelligence."

<h2>Hundreds reach out</h2>

The mother had posted the whole incident on Instagram, where she has thousands of followers. Now, more than a month later, she has revealed that due to a support group, she and a few other parents had created, she got to know that such deepfake porn incidents are not that rare.&nbsp;

"Hundreds of people have written to me saying 'how lucky you have been (for the support she received) because this same thing has happened to us, it happened to my daughter, or it happened to me, and I haven't had any support'," she said talking to Wales Live.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/stargazers-beware-saturns-rings-will-vanish-soon-heres-when-656374">Stargazers beware! Saturn's rings will vanish soon. Here's when</a>

"If any girl is affected, please tell your parents."

She stated that the support group helped many other victims in Almendralejo come forward.&nbsp;

"This helped many girls to come forward to also say what had happened to them. It is important to know, because many girls are not able do not dare to talk about this with their parents."

<h2>AI a friend or foe?</h2>

AI has been making headlines for more than a year. While there are countless positives, there are some major negatives: Deepfakes top the list.

Recently, in India, popular actress Rashmika Mandanna became a victim of such AI-generated deepfakes. A morphed video in which Rashmika's face was imposed on another woman's video went viral. The original video shows the woman wearing an outfit with a plunging neckline and posing for a photo.

(With inputs from agencies)

More than a month after the world was shocked by AI-generated images of schoolgirls from Spain making the rounds on the internet, the mother of one victim has spoken out.

More than a month after the world was shocked by AI-generated images of schoolgirls from Spain making the rounds on the internet, the mother of one victim has spoken out. Miriam Al Adib, whose daughter was one of the many underage victims of the fake nude images scandal, says hundreds of parents have told her their children were also victims. AI a 'weapon of destruction' Talking to Wales Live, Al Adib, said that the combination of access to social media, pornography, and artificial intelligence was a "weapon of destruction". In September, Al Adib's hometown, the small Spanish village Almendralejo made news after more than 20 underage girls — aged 11 to 17, fell victim to a transgression involving indecent images. These images were shared online without their knowledge. hese images were created using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool application using which users can 'take clothes off' of anyone they have a picture of, that too, for prices as low as €10. You can read all about the deepfakes incident here. Also read | Spain: Minor girls fall victim to deepfake porn, AI-generated nudes shock the nation Al Adib, whose 14-year-old daughter was one of the victims at the time, had described how her distraught daughter told her about it. "When I came home, one of my daughters, who was really upset, told me: 'look what they did'. It turns out they took a photo of her, and they made it seem as if she was naked with the aid of artificial intelligence." Hundreds reach out The mother had posted the whole incident on Instagram, where she has thousands of followers. Now, more than a month later, she has revealed that due to a support group, she and a few other parents had created, she got to know that such deepfake porn incidents are not that rare. "Hundreds of people have written to me saying 'how lucky you have been (for the support she received) because this same thing has happened to us, it happened to my daughter, or it happened to me, and I haven't had any support'," she said talking to Wales Live. Also read | Stargazers beware! Saturn's rings will vanish soon. Here's when "If any girl is affected, please tell your parents." She stated that the support group helped many other victims in Almendralejo come forward. "This helped many girls to come forward to also say what had happened to them. It is important to know, because many girls are not able do not dare to talk about this with their parents." AI a friend or foe? AI has been making headlines for more than a year. While there are countless positives, there are some major negatives: Deepfakes top the list. Recently, in India, popular actress Rashmika Mandanna became a victim of such AI-generated deepfakes. A morphed video in which Rashmika's face was imposed on another woman's video went viral. The original video shows the woman wearing an outfit with a plunging neckline and posing for a photo. (With inputs from agencies)

'Hundreds' of girls fell victim to AI-generated deepfake porn images, says minor victim's mother

In Spain, authorities are currently looking into a distressing case that has sent shockwaves across the nation. Several underage girls have become the victims of a fake nude images scandal.

These images which were created using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool have caused distress to the victims, who in some cases found themselves facing bullying and/or distressing comments from their classmates.

<h2>Deepfake porn</h2>

In the town of Almendralejo which is situated in the southwestern reaches of Spain, local law enforcement is dealing with 11 complaints from victims, all of whom are minors.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-push-to-save-flower-that-smells-like-dead-bodies-heres-all-you-need-to-know-637981">Why are scientists pushing to save a flower that smells like dead bodies? Here's all you need to know</a>

Speaking to AFP, a spokesperson from the local police said that those responsible for these abhorrent deeds employed a sinister method. They "manipulated photos of underage girls", superimposing their innocent faces onto the "bodies of other people" in other images.&nbsp;

<h2>Small price, huge ramifications</h2>

As per EuroNews, these images were created using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool application using which users can 'take clothes off' of anyone they have a picture of, that too, for prices as low as&nbsp;€10.

The app boasts the capability of crafting eerily realistic photo montages, has the slogan "Undress anybody, undress girls for free," reports EuroNews.&nbsp;

As per reports from Spanish media outlets, an estimated 20 girls may have tragically become the victims of these deep fake porn images.

One concerned parent, Miriam Al Adib, a mother of a 14-year-old victim, underscored the gravity of the situation. Talking to the press, she said: "This is very serious."&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/breakthrough-google-develops-ai-tool-capable-of-predicting-harmful-genetic-mutations-637699">Breakthrough? Google develops AI tool capable of predicting harmful genetic mutations</a>

Taking to Instagram, she recounted how her distraught daughter had showed her one such photo.

"When I came home, one of my daughters, who was really upset, told me: 'look what they did'. It turns out they took a photo of her, and they made it seem as if she was naked with the aid of artificial intelligence."

"Girls, don't be afraid to report such acts. Tell your mothers. Affected mothers, tell me, so that you can be in the group that we created," she added.

Another mother revealed that using these fake nude images, someone had attempted to extort her daughter. Allegedly, the creators of these images demanded monetary payment in exchange for their silence.

Furthermore, it has come to light that these manipulated images may have been disseminated on various platforms, including OnlyFans, an online subscription service notorious for adult content, and explicit websites.

(With inputs from agencies)

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In Spain, authorities are currently looking into a distressing case that has sent shockwaves across the nation. Several underage girls have become the victims of a fake nude images scandal.

In Spain, authorities are currently looking into a distressing case that has sent shockwaves across the nation. Several underage girls have become the victims of a fake nude images scandal. These images which were created using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool have caused distress to the victims, who in some cases found themselves facing bullying and/or distressing comments from their classmates. Deepfake porn In the town of Almendralejo which is situated in the southwestern reaches of Spain, local law enforcement is dealing with 11 complaints from victims, all of whom are minors. Also read | Why are scientists pushing to save a flower that smells like dead bodies? Here's all you need to know Speaking to AFP, a spokesperson from the local police said that those responsible for these abhorrent deeds employed a sinister method. They "manipulated photos of underage girls", superimposing their innocent faces onto the "bodies of other people" in other images. Small price, huge ramifications As per EuroNews, these images were created using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool application using which users can 'take clothes off' of anyone they have a picture of, that too, for prices as low as €10. The app boasts the capability of crafting eerily realistic photo montages, has the slogan "Undress anybody, undress girls for free," reports EuroNews. As per reports from Spanish media outlets, an estimated 20 girls may have tragically become the victims of these deep fake porn images. One concerned parent, Miriam Al Adib, a mother of a 14-year-old victim, underscored the gravity of the situation. Talking to the press, she said: "This is very serious." Also read | Breakthrough? Google develops AI tool capable of predicting harmful genetic mutations Taking to Instagram, she recounted how her distraught daughter had showed her one such photo. "When I came home, one of my daughters, who was really upset, told me: 'look what they did'. It turns out they took a photo of her, and they made it seem as if she was naked with the aid of artificial intelligence." "Girls, don't be afraid to report such acts. Tell your mothers. Affected mothers, tell me, so that you can be in the group that we created," she added. Another mother revealed that using these fake nude images, someone had attempted to extort her daughter. Allegedly, the creators of these images demanded monetary payment in exchange for their silence. Furthermore, it has come to light that these manipulated images may have been disseminated on various platforms, including OnlyFans, an online subscription service notorious for adult content, and explicit websites. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Spain: Minor girls fall victim to deepfake porn, AI-generated nudes shock the nation