The new Willow chip performed a computation in under five minutes that would take a supercomputer 10 septillion years. That’s longer than the universe has been around.
(00:14) Nick Sciple and Ricky Mulvey discuss:
- The potential futures and lingering questions for quantum computers.
- A restructuring at Warner Bros. Discovery that’s pleasing its investors.
- Why the media conglomerate may be a falling knife.
Then, (18:42) Motley Fool Contributor Lou Whiteman joins Mary Long for a look at FedEx, and holiday shipping season.
Heatwaves in the pacific ocean have had a devastating effect on seabird populations in the north eastern US. Julia Parrish and colleagues publish this week 4 million deaths of Alaskan common murres attributable to rising water temperatures during 2014-16, representing half the population. One idea is that the fish on which the birds feed swim at deeper depths to find cooler temperatures, taking them below the depth the birds can dive. Worse, the reduced population numbers have endured almost ten years later.
Pre-eclampsia affects up to 5 percent of pregnancies across the world. It reduces blood flow through the placenta, endangering mother, and even hindering the development of the foetus. But a promising approach to a possible therapy is described by Kelsey Swingle and colleagues this week. Much like some covid vaccines, by using a sort of lipid nanoparticles to deliver mRNA directly to the placenta in pregnant mice has resulted in healthier outcomes by widening the placental capillaries, allowing blood to flow more normally.
Angie Rasmussen updates Roland on some of the work reported at a conference in Japan this week, pointing more directly to the covid-19 pandemic originating from wild animals at the Wuhan market.
And in two coordinated papers published in the journals Science and Nature this week, scientists have narrowed down the period of time in history that modern humans and neanderthals interbred, leading to nearly everyone outside of sub-Saharan Africa sharing up to 2% of European Neanderthal DNA today. The question remains as to whether it was a benefit or not to the resulting hybrid population. Co-author Manjusha Chintalapati and colleagues describe how not all the neanderthal crossovers went on to survive pre-history to count as our direct ancestors. But one period of time, around 47,000 years ago is stamped on (nearly) all of us.
Presenter: Roland Pease
Producer: Alex Mansfield
Production Coordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth and Josie Hardy
(Image: Group of common murres on a breeding colony in Alaska. Credit: Sarah Schoen/USGS)
Russia continues to pound Ukraine with missile strikes, often targeting infrastructure like power plants. That has caused Ukrainians to endure power cuts even during the harsh winter. Our correspondent visits a power plant to see what it takes to keep the lights on in war.
Pasteurization is the process that rids milk of bacteria. But more people are opting for unpasteurized milk, also known as raw milk. In May, sales of raw milk rose more than 20 percent compared to the year before. That's according to Nielson IQ, a market research firm.
But consuming raw milk comes with significant risks.
In late November, California regulators recalled some raw milk products after detecting bird flu virus. And last week, the USDA ordered testing across the nation's milk supply over bird flu concerns — an issue that began back in March.
Although both the CDC and FDA caution against the consumption of raw milk, the product is being pushed by some right-wing conservatives. One of the most prominent proponents of raw milk is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — President-elect Donald Trump's pick to serve as secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services.
We discuss why people are drinking raw milk despite the risks.
On this episode of "The Federalist Radio Hour," Tristan Justice, correspondent at The Federalist and author, joins The Federalist's Senior Elections Correspondent Matt Kittle to discuss how America became so unhealthy. From government subsidies for certain food industries to the hidden ingredients in some of America's favorite snacks, learn why Americans are suffering from chronic health issues and what can be done to change that.
You can find Justice’s book, Fat And Unhappy: How 'Body Positivity' Is Killing us, here.
If you care about combatting the corrupt media that continue to inflict devastating damage, please give a gift to help The Federalist do the real journalism America needs.
The origins of the Democratic party's current malaise include ineffective messaging on climate and economic policy, too rigid a tent on cultural issues, and Dem politicians just too scared to speak their mind. Like, Kamala could've turned the trans youth in sports convo into one about parents spending boatloads on sports camps so their kids can get into a good college. Plus, Christopher Wray chose the worst option.
Matt Yglesias and Tyler Austin Harper join Tim Miller to hash it out. show notes:
Earlier this year the guys traced the rise of the enigmatic financier and child abuser Jeffrey Epstein, discovering a quagmire of crime, corruption and cover-ups implicating some of the world’s most powerful individuals. It seemed Epstein’s connections effectively placed him above the law - at least, that is, until renewed public scrutiny and criminal investigations found Epstein arrested once again and, this time, placed in a real prison. Many speculated Epstein would never go to trial. On August 10th, he was found dead in what the media described as an “apparent suicide”. So what happened?
Host Christine Lee breaks down the latest news in the crypto industry as BlackRock recommends 1% to 2% of portfolio allocation towards bitcoin.
Asset management giant BlackRock, with over $10 trillion AUM, recommends investors allocate 1% to 2% of their portfolio towards bitcoin. Plus, wallets connected to President-elect Donald Trump's World Liberty Financial project purchased millions of dollars worth of altcoins, and Vancouver wants to become a "bitcoin-friendly city." "CoinDesk Daily" host Christine Lee breaks down the biggest headlines in the crypto industry today.
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Imagine a blockchain built for you. No wallets, no keys, no hassle—just innovation. Welcome to XION, the first walletless layer-one blockchain purpose-built for consumer adoption.
With XION, developers can build, launch, and scale products that are ready for the masses—no technical barriers for users, thanks to groundbreaking Chain Abstraction. All it takes to join the crypto revolution? An email.
Say goodbye to complexity and hello to possibility. Ready to take the leap? Explore XION today at xion.burnt.com
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This episode was hosted by Christine Lee. “CoinDesk Daily” is produced by Christine Lee and edited by Victor Chen.
Turkey's Syria connection, Finland prepares itself for Russian aggression, a football school in mafia country and Paris’ Notre Dame is back! Later in the show: a Freedom of Expression Special, and the untold stories of the female painters of the Italian renaissance.
