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Sep 4, 2020

Nearly 100 common drugs linked to increased risk of thinking and memory problems

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, neuroscience

MINNEAPOLIS — A new study is sounding the alarm for patients taking dozens of common prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Researchers find that taking a particular class of drug, anticholinergics, increases the risk of developing mild thinking and memory problems.

The study shows there are about 100 of these types of drugs in widespread use. These medications treat everything from colds to high blood pressure to depression.

The research, published in the journal Neurology, finds that people with genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease are particularly susceptible to these issues. Overall, scientists reveal patients with no cognitive issues are 47 percent more likely to develop a mental impairment if they’re taking at least one anticholinergic drug.

Sep 4, 2020

Hubble Targets Tilted Galaxy

Posted by in category: cosmology

The blue and orange stars of the faint galaxy named NGC 2188 sparkle in this image taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Although NGC 2188 appears at first glance to consist solely of a narrow band of stars, it is classified by astronomers as a barred spiral galaxy. It appears this way from our viewpoint on Earth as the center and spiral arms of the galaxy are tilted away from us, with only the very narrow outer edge of the galaxy’s disk visible to us. Astronomers liken this occurrence to turning a dinner plate in your hands so you see only its outer edge. The true shape of the galaxy was identified by studying the distribution of the stars in the inner central bulge and outer disk and by observing the stars’ colors.

NGC 2188 is estimated to be just half the size of our Milky Way, at 50,000 light-years across, and it is situated in the constellation of Columba (the Dove). Named in the late 1500s after Noah’s dove in biblical stories, the small constellation consists of many faint yet beautiful stars and astronomical objects.

Text credit: ESA (European Space Agency) Image credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA, R. Tully.

Sep 4, 2020

Drone drops hundreds of bags of cannabis in Tel Aviv

Posted by in categories: drones, law

The bags of cannabis were dropped by the “green drone” Telegram group, which advocates for the legalization of cannabis in Israel, with “free love” being the group’s slogan.

Before dropping the cannabis over Tel Aviv, the group published a message on Telegram, hinting at the planned operation.

“It’s time my dear brothers. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s the green drone, handing out free cannabis from the sky… Enjoy my beloved brothers, this is your pilot brother, making sure we all get some free love,” the message read.

Sep 4, 2020

FBI investigating ‘guy in a jetpack’ near planes at LAX

Posted by in category: transportation

The FBI is conducting a probe after a pilot from American Airlines reported a man flying a jetpack above Los Angeles International Airport Sunday night.

“The FBI is aware of the reports by pilots on Sunday and is working to determine what occurred,” a spokesperson told FOX 11 Tuesday.

A second pilot from a separate airline company also reportedly spotted a man using a jetpack as the planes were approaching the airport at around 3,000 feet and 10 miles out for a landing.

Sep 4, 2020

Blockchain and Money

Posted by in categories: bitcoin, economics, finance, policy

This course is for students wishing to explore blockchain technology’s potential use—by entrepreneurs and incumbents—to change the world of money and finance. The course begins with a review of Bitcoin and an understanding of the commercial, technical, and public policy fundamentals of blockchain technology, distributed ledgers, and smart contracts. The class then continues on to current and potential blockchain applications in the financial sector.

Sep 4, 2020

Scientists Have Found a Way to Make Foldable Keyboards Out of Any Paper

Posted by in category: futurism

Scientists have unveiled a new printing process that can turn just about any piece of paper or cardboard into a waterproof keyboard that you can fold up and put in your pocket – and it doesn’t require a power source.

The tech makes use of a special coating that’s repellent to liquids and dust, which allows multiple circuit layers to then be printed on top of the paper without any smudging or degradation between the layers.

On the other side of the paper or cardboard, standard ink printing can then be used to point out where the pressure points (the buttons) are, and what they represent. These layers can be printed in any design you want, from numerical keypads to volume controls.

Sep 4, 2020

Take a Free Course on COVID-19 From MIT

Posted by in category: biotech/medical

Beginning September 1 at 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT), MIT is offering a course on “COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 and the Pandemic.” The course’s lectures will be livestreamed every Tuesday and are free to the public. (Only enrolled students can ask questions, but everyone can watch.)

Sep 4, 2020

Digital pregnancy tests are almost as powerful as the original IBM PC

Posted by in category: futurism

A Twitter teardown of digital pregnancy tests reveals the complicated 8-bit processor inside. These digital tests still use a paper strip to record the test, and literally read the result and convert it into an LCD display.

Sep 4, 2020

Amazon Gets Its Own 767 Cargo Plane for Prime Air

Posted by in category: transportation

This is the first time the e-commerce giant has registered a craft directly, rather than leasing it.

Sep 4, 2020

Scientists Start Building a Parts List for the Brain

Posted by in category: neuroscience

A new study provides an extraordinary close-up of the menagerie of neural cell types, yielding possible leads for neurological and psychiatric treatments.