Top Stories
TOP STORY
TOP STORY
NATO poised to unveil more Ukraine aid
President Joe Biden and other NATO leaders are set to unveil more aid for Ukraine at their annual summit in Washington today.
After calling the 32-member collective security alliance "stronger than it's ever been" in a forceful speech on Tuesday, Biden and the other NATO leaders turn to their difficult work.
The two-plus-year standoff between the West and Russia over Ukraine leads their agenda.
The summit gives leaders a chance to address other vexing security issues, including the Israel-Gaza war and deepening bonds between Russia, Iran, China and North Korea.
On the sidelines, Biden is expected to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for their first face-to-face talks since his Labour Party won a landslide election victory on July 4.
Running Stories
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Families of Ethiopia crash victims slam Boeing’s US plea deal.EDUCATION
EDUCATION
Virginia pushes to cut phone use at school
Virginia on Tuesday joined a growing number of states pushing for cellphone restrictions in public schools.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order to establish state guidance and model policies for local school systems to adopt by January.
“Studies indicate that students who use their phones during class learn less and achieve lower grades,” Youngkin's order stated, also citing an “alarming mental health crisis” among adolescents.
Last year, Florida became the first state to crack down on phones in schools with a new law. Indiana and Ohio passed their laws this year, while several other states have recently introduced what is becoming known as “phone-free schools” legislation.
Bubbling Under
Diego Garcia migrants
US blocks British court from territory leased from British.Food contamination suspected
Frozen chicken recalled over listeria fears.United Airlines
Plane loses wheel on takeoff in Los Angeles, marking latest incident for the airline.Subscribe to our newsletter
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TECHNOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
Low-light laser might solve plastic problem
A method has been devised for blasting molecules in plastics and other materials into small parts for reuse.
Researchers used low-power light to break the chemical bonding in plastics and create new bonds that turned the materials into luminescent carbon dots.
The dots, carbon-based nanomaterials in high demand for their many capabilities, could be used as memory storage devices in next-generation computer devices.
The specific reaction is called C-H activation, where carbon-hydrogen bonds in an organic molecule are selectively broken and transformed into a new chemical bond.
Millions of tons of plastic waste accumulate in landfills and oceans each year. Researchers envision that the discovery may lead to efficient plastic recycling technologies.
SOCIETY
SOCIETY
Competitive behavior over breast size
Breast size can influence women’s competitive behavior, shedding light on the dynamics of intrasexual competition, a study finds.
The researchers focused on breast morphology, specifically breast size and firmness—given its significance in male mate choice—and how women perceive and react to these traits.
The researchers recruited 114 predominantly Hispanic women, single and married, from a Texas university. Their average age was 24, and all were identified as heterosexual.
Participants were shown 12 images of women of varying breast sizes and ptosis (sagging, firmness) and asked to rate their likelihood of verbal and indirect aggression toward the women.
Women were most likely to feel hostile toward women with D-cup breasts, followed closely by those with C-cups. Ptosis did not have a significant influence.
The researchers note their study’s limitations. Their sample was mainly Hispanic, from a university population, and omitted potential influences like cleavage exposure or clothing.
OTHER NEWS
OTHER NEWS
35 nations say China affects their economy
People worldwide feel China’s economic influence, says a Pew Research Center survey of 44,166 people in 35 countries.
In the 17 middle-income countries surveyed, a median of 47% of adults say China positively influences their country’s economy, while 29% say it has a negative impact.
In the 18 high-income countries surveyed, a median of 57% of adults say China’s economic influence is negative, while 28% say it’s positive. Around 75% of Americans say China’s influence on the US economy is negative.
According to the World Bank, middle-income economies have a gross national income per capita of $1,136–$13,845; high-income economies have $13,846 or more.
A Bloomberg analysis of data from China’s Ministry of Commerce says its investments overseas are at their highest point in the last eight years, estimated at nearly $3 trillion.
HEALTH
HEALTH
Voice regained after larynx transplant
A Massachusetts man regained his voice after surgeons removed his cancerous larynx and replaced it with a donated one.
Transplants of the so-called voice box are rare and usually not an option for cancer patients. Marty Kedian is only the third person in the US ever to undergo a total larynx transplant.
Kedian enrolled in a study at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona aimed at making the operation available to more people, including those with cancer, the most common way to lose a larynx.
“People need to keep their voice," Kedian, 59, said. He phoned his 82-year-old mother soon after the surgery. “She could hear me—that was important for me to talk to my mother.”
Apart from the voice, the larynx is used for breathing and swallowing. Muscular tissue flaps open to let air into the lungs and close to prevent food or drink from going the wrong way.
The American Cancer Society estimates over 12,600 diagnoses of laryngeal cancer this year. Typically, the larynx is removed with a tracheostomy tube inserted in the neck for breathing.
OFFBEAT
OFFBEAT
Guard geese on the alert for jailbreaks
A prison in Brazil that swapped guard dogs for guard geese to alert guards of jailbreaks has never looked back.
For 15 years, sentinel geese have ambled daily alongside the Sao Pedro de Alcantara penitentiary walls containing around 1200 prisoners. Sentinel geese are known for their loud vocal alerts.
Marcus Coroneti, a prison guard, has worked with the geese for 10 years. “If someone tried to escape, the geese would go crazy. They would attract our attention.”
Coroneti says the geese are perfect for surveillance. “Hounds need training, attention, and regular visits to the vet. The geese are not expensive. They are far better prepared.”
Still, the geese are not the only line of defense. The prison has nearly 200 cameras and surveillance at each tower. “But they are key for around-the-clock surveillance,” Coroneti said.
Otherweb Editorial Staff
Alex FinkTechie in Chief
David WilliamsEditor in Chief
Angela PalmerContent Manager
Dan KriegerTechnical Director