Sci-Tech news

• Do Snakes Eat Birds?

  21-02-2023 17:00 via discovermagazine.com
  
  In general terms, scientists have a clear idea about what snakes eat, according to Bryan Maritz, senior lecturer at the Department of Biodiversity & Conservation Biology at the University of the Western Cape. For example, one rule of thumb is that there are no vegetarian snakes, since no species of snake eat any plant material at all, and every snake on the planet is a predator of other animals. What other animals they’re eating, though, ranges enormously depending on species, geograph
  
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• The best Yeti deals during Amazon Prime Day include water bottles, tumblers, coolers, bags, and more

  06-10-2026 23:03 via popsci.com
  
  I abuse my YETI water bottle and I’m always impressed when it survives. I appreciate a product that’s built to last. YETI’s Fall Deals page on Amazon right now aligns with the site’s Prime Big Deal Days, with price cuts running from 8% to 42%. The deepest is on the Rambler 14 oz Mug, which is $22 instead of $38, and the Rambler 42 oz Straw Mug follows at 40% off, $27 instead of $45 in Key Lime and in Lowcountry Peach. You can grab a free 30-day Prime trial if you’re
  
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• Elderly residents of tiny Scottish island just uncovered a medieval monastery

  06-10-2026 22:57 via popsci.com
  
  About 100 miles northwest of Edinburgh in a rural corner of Scotland sits a tiny island with only 190 residents. Mostly populated by fishermen and farmers, Lismore only measures nine square miles, just slightly bigger than Key West, Florida. The island doesn’t even have a local pub or coffee shop, but that doesn’t mean this rural community doesn’t have its share of excitement. Recently, residents of Lismore, alongside Dr. Clare Ellis of Argyll Archaeology, uncovered compel
  
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• Pikachu spent 67 days in space

  06-10-2026 20:00 via popsci.com
  
  Happy World Space Week! The European Space Agency (ESA) and Pokémon Company International are celebrating a very special plush toy’s adventures. Earlier this year, a Pikachu plush travelled to the International Space Station (ISS) with ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. The Pikachu spent 67 days in orbit (April 11 to June 17), completing about 1,040 orbits. The ISS circles the planet every 90 minutes, so crewmembers like Pikachu see 16 sunrises and sunsets per day. During the mission
  
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• We Let an A.I. Agent Get Lunch for Our Host

  06-10-2026 18:29 via nytimes.com
  Eli Tan, a technology reporter for The New York Times, gave Meta’s A.I. agent Muse access to his personal information to test its abilities. Then, he let it get lunch for Natalie Kitroeff, a host of “The Daily.” Here’s what happened.
  
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• Bullfrogs have a brain superpower

  06-10-2026 18:24 via popsci.com
  
  The brain runs on glucose—a sugar in blood and the body’s main energy source. When that fuel runs out, neural activity falls apart very quickly. But American bullfrogs (Aquarana catesbeiana) have a surprising biological backup. When glucose supplies dwindle, bullfrog brains can rely on another energy source to sustain important neural functions. This energy source is called ketone bodies, and most animals produce these energy molecules in the liver when fasting, starvation, or p
  
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• Vanilla could help heal wounds

  06-10-2026 17:03 via popsci.com
  
  A common baking ingredient could help heal wounds—and it’s pretty sweet. Vanillin (which comes from vanilla pods) has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antioxidant properties that could be used in wound-healing treatments. A study recently published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics details this food-to-function framework.
  Food-to-function frameworks provide a foundation for exploring how various foods can be used beyond providing nutrition. In this study, the team at
  
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• US Households Pay 62% More For Water Than They Did A Decade Ago

  06-10-2026 16:23 via technocracy.news
  
  Technocracy seeks to control all resources, especially those required for life itself: water, energy, food, and air. Now the UN has declared the world bankrupt of water, the language of which requires a receiver to oversee the proceedings. Yet humongous data centers get a free pass on both energy and water, as AI is set to take over metering of those same resources. ⁃ Patrick Wood, Editor.US households are paying 62% more for drinking water than they did a decade ago – outpacing
  
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• Amazon is blowing out portable power stations and solar generators during its Prime Big Deal Days sale

  06-10-2026 15:09 via popsci.com
  
  A power station (or solar generator) is a big battery with outlets on it, and it just might save your butt during an emergency of an off-grid adventure. These powerful banks can power lights, the fridge or a CPAP machine while your home’s electrical system is out of commission. The Prime Big Deal Days deals cover every size, from EcoFlow’s 286Wh RIVER 3 Plus for $246.05 to Anker’s SOLIX E10 whole-home system for $7,799. Most of them come from the brands’ own Amazon storef
  
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• At the 1904 Olympics, a marathoner took rat poison to win gold

  06-10-2026 15:03 via popsci.com
  
  When the gun blasted announcing the start of the 1904 Olympic marathon, 32 hopefuls bolted into action. However, the start was the only thing typical about the race. On a day of extreme heat and humidity, just 14 of the athletes were able to complete the hilly, dusty 24.85-mile course (26.2 miles only became standard in 1921). Aggressive dogs chased South Africa’s Len Taunyane, one of the first Black athletes to ever compete in the games, almost a mile off course. Cuban postman Felix
  
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• Prime Big Deal Days: 50+ actually good deals on stuff you really want (updating)

  06-10-2026 14:35 via popsci.com
  
  Top Prime Big Deal Days deals right now
  Apple AirPods Pro 3 $179 (was $249)KitchenAid 5.5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer $299.99 (was $499.99), for Prime membersShark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with Self-Emptying Base $249.99 (was $599), for Prime membersMicrosoft Surface Laptop (2026) $1,329.97 (was $1,699.99), for Prime membersDyson V8 Cordless Vacuum $269.99 (was $389.99), for Prime membersBeats Studio Pro $119 (was $299.99)Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet $72.99 (was $154.99), for Prime membersSony BRAVIA 6
  
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• Our editors hand-picked these Anker charging accessory and Soundcore headphone deals for Amazon Prime Day

  06-10-2026 14:17 via popsci.com
  
  Gadgets are worthless without battery life, which means charging is as important as anything else. Anker makes some of our very favorite charging accessories, and just about all of them are on sale during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale. The Anker Prime Charger (160W) is $99.99, and Anker says it can run a MacBook Pro and two more devices off one wall outlet. Anker’s eufy and Soundcore brands are in the sale too, with robot vacuums, security cameras, smart locks and earbuds. Every
  
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• In Race With U.S., China Struggles to Recruit Foreign A.I. Researchers

  06-10-2026 11:03 via nytimes.com
  China’s booming artificial intelligence sector has given local researchers good reason to remain in the country, but it has yet to lure overseas scientists despite a government push.
  
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• Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop is $300 off for Prime Big Deal Days

  06-10-2026 09:09 via popsci.com
  
  A slow laptop can ruin your entire day, especially if you need it for work or school. Amazon’s fall shopping event is a great time to upgrade without emptying your bank account. The lowest price Amazon has ever charged for Microsoft’s 13.8-inch Surface Laptop (2026) is the one it’s charging now: $1,399.99, which is $300 off. The Surface Pro (2026) is $1,649.99, within a dollar of its own low. Monitors make up most of the other strong deals. Samsung’s 27-inch Odyssey OLED
  
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• The best audio deals for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days: Headphones, speakers, soundbars, and more

  06-10-2026 09:07 via popsci.com
  
  Until this week, the least Amazon had ever charged for Beats Studio Pro headphones was $149.95. They’re $119 now, without Prime, which is less than half of Beats’ $299.99 list price. Sony’s WH-1000XM6 hit a new Amazon low as well, at $378. The rest of the page runs from $27.95 JBL earbuds to Sony’s $1,998 Theater Quad home theater system, and most of the deals that started with the sale on October 6 are Prime member prices.Beats Studio Pro: $119 (was $299.99) Beats Studio
  
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• Amazon is blowing out DeWalt power tools for clearance prices during the Prime Big Deal Days sale

  06-10-2026 09:03 via popsci.com
  
  There’s still time to grab a great tool deal and get your to-do list done before winter arrives. DeWalt’s 20V MAX 5-Tool Combo Kit (DCK540D1) is $449 for Prime members during Prime Big Deal Days, $100 less than the $549 Amazon was charging for it the night before the sale. It comes with a 5Ah battery and a charger to run all five tools. DeWalt deals are notoriously slippery during these shopping events as prices change and products sell out. If you see something you want for your too
  
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• I’m a professional photographer and these are the camera and creator deals I’d buy during Amazon Prime Day

  06-10-2026 09:01 via popsci.com
  
  You deserve an awesome camera. I’ve been a camera nerd for decades, so I know a good deal on one when I see one. Amazon’s Big Deal Days is a great opportunity to upgrade. Nikon’s Z8 is $3,296.95, $1,003 off its list price and $100 under the lowest price Amazon had charged for it before, going back to 2023. Nikon and DJI cut their camera and gimbal prices the night before the sale started, and the Nikon Z 6II and both DJI RS 4 gimbals are at record lows too. The drone, action ca
  
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• Grab rare deals on Apple MacBooks, AirPods, Mac Minis, and Apple Watch during Amazon Prime Day

  06-10-2026 09:00 via popsci.com
  
  A good sale can totally negate the “Apple tax” that you’ll usually pay for the company’s products. Amazon’s annual Big Deal Days sale is a great time to upgrade while saving some money. The deals run across just about every part of the Apple lineup. The Apple Watch Series 12 (42mm) is $349.99 and the 2026 Mac mini with the M6 chip is $949.99, and neither has sold for less there. Beats has the deepest cuts, though. Studio Pro headphones are $119, less than half their
  
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• AI Is Creating “Doom Loops” All Over the Economy

  06-10-2026 05:07 via technocracy.news
  
  Technocrats are stealing the world’s data for their own AI training advantage, while killing the golden goose in the process, as this article makes clear. That lack of ethics and morality is seen everywhere in the world of Technocracy. For instance, read the Crucible of Tokens to learn about the biggest heist of private property in world history. They have no conscience about doing anything wrong, and that is the problem. Read up on psychopathy! ⁃ Patrick Wood, Editor.Recently unreda
  
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• MAGA activists protest AI data centers at Big Tech headquarters in San Francisco

  06-10-2026 03:55 via nbcnews.com
  
  The group, called Humans First, advocates for better guardrails on data center construction and AI in general.
  
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• Aiming at fuel costs, Trump opens tax-exempt ‘red dye’ diesel to all drivers

  06-10-2026 03:48 via nbcnews.com
  
  Trump signed an executive order intended to help bring down sky-high diesel prices by allowing anyone to purchase tax-exempt “red dye” diesel.
  
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• Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days already has dozens of TVs for prices cheaper than Black Friday

  06-10-2026 02:21 via popsci.com
  
  You don’t have to wait until Black Friday to get a big TV on the cheap anymore. The Sony BRAVIA 6 65-inch OLED (K-65A60) is $1,298 on Amazon, $701.99 under its $1,999.99 list price. That’s the lowest it has been, though its price history only goes back about a month. It’s one of the early Prime Big Deal Days deals, which started a day before the sale begins on Tuesday, October 6, and it’s one of 21 TVs below from Sony, Samsung, LG, Roku, Hisense and Amazon’s own Emb
  
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• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says people need to 'accept some bad things' for the benefits of AI

  05-10-2026 23:58 via nbcnews.com
  When asked by Politico about the difference between OpenAI and other AI companies who seek more regulation, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said people need to "accept some bad things" for the benefits of the technology. NBC News' Brian Cheung reports.
  
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• Walmart is blowing out laptops from HP, Lenovo, Dell, and more during its annual Deal Days sale

  05-10-2026 21:49 via popsci.com
  
  The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 at $699 is the best laptop deal we found at Walmart Deal Days, which runs Oct. 5 through Oct. 11. It starts a day before Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days. The computers deals page has plenty of listings from brands you’ve never heard of, so this list sticks to names like Lenovo, HP, ASUS, MSI, Acer, LG, Corsair and Epson. Prices below are what each product’s Walmart page showed on Oct. 5, and the “was” prices are Walmart’s own, not a
  
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• Dead star likely birthed a new planet, in astronomical first

  05-10-2026 20:43 via popsci.com
  
  A star’s explosive death is often apocalyptic for its closest planets. In our solar system, the sun’s expansion into a red giant about five billion years from now will spell doom for Mercury, Venus, and possibly even Earth. But a dead star isn’t only capable of destruction. Astronomers suspect that gravity from highly magnetized, fast-spinning neutron stars known as pulsars can sometimes assemble enough material to form second-generation planets. But for the first time, scienti
  
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• 57 new species discovered in deep-sea canyon near Argentina

  05-10-2026 19:48 via popsci.com
  
  A mischievous sea cucumber and 56 other newly discovered marine species are making a splash in the South Atlantic Ocean. The new creatures were discovered during an expedition of the Mar del Plata Submarine Canyon off the coast of Argentina in August 2025. This expedition focused on the Brazil–Malvinas Confluence, a region where warm subtropical currents collide with cold, nutrient-rich sub-Antarctic waters. The result is an oceanographic crossroad bustling with biodiversity. The submarine
  
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• 4,000-Year-Old Moroccan Defense Structure May Be the Oldest Known in North Africa Beyond the Nile Valley 

  05-10-2026 19:40 via discovermagazine.com
  
  Learn about Oued Beht, an archaeological site reshaping our understanding of North Africa’s prehistory.
  
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• Apply to be a NASA flight director

  05-10-2026 18:00 via popsci.com
  
  If you find yourself navigating the job market, are a team player, and thrive under stress, then NASA may have a spot for you. The agency is currently accepting applications for a new class of flight directors to oversee some of the most consequential missions in the history of spaceflight. No pressure.“We are working in an exciting, pivotal time as we continue supporting operations to the International Space Station,” Johnson Space Center chief flight director Emily Nelson said in N
  
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• Extinct ice age bovine discovered in Siberian cave

  05-10-2026 17:00 via popsci.com
  
  A team working in a Siberian cave recently discovered a previously unknown bovine species that dates back to the last ice age and beyond. This species is related to modern yaks and likely went extinct around 27,000 years ago. A study published today in the journal Current Biology details the findings.The bones allowed an international team of researchers to generate 20 ancient genomes spanning 200,000 years. They then compared these genomes with other bovines and found that they belong to a prev
  
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• Chimpanzees steal less pineapple from their friends

  05-10-2026 15:00 via popsci.com
  
  How likely is a chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) to steal food from another chimp? It depends on whether they’re a friend or a foe. A team of biologists discovered that chimps pilfer less from their friends, and that the relationship between the victim and the thief influenced the emotional display of both parties. The findings are described in a study recently published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.The team conducted experiments with chimpanzees from Uganda’s Ngamba
  
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