Science news this week: International blackouts and ‘T. rex skin’ handbags
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Introduction:
The news topic “Science news this week: International blackouts and ‘T. rex skin’ handbags” has drawn international attention, with various media outlets providing diverse insights, historical context, political stances, and on-the-ground developments. Below is a curated overview of how different countries and media organizations have covered this topic recently.
Quick Summary:
- An international blackout across Spain, Portugal and the south of France left millions without electricity early this week. Experts still unsure what caused the outage, with Portugal’s national electricity network blaming a rare atmospheric phenomenon. This week’s science news also brought positive updates for global energy production after scientists in China unveiled a new approach to safer nuclear energy using an old, abandoned U.S. technology. Three companies working across fashion and biotechnology announced plans to create luxury accessories out of Tyrannosaurus rex “leather” The companies argue that their product would offer a “cruelty-free” and “eco-friendly” alternative to traditional leather, but not everyone is convinced by this proposal. It has not been confirmed whether this particular outage was caused by such an event, but experts have warned that extreme temperature fluctuations that cause this phenomenon are expected to become more common due to climate change.
- Beer is one of the most popular beverages in the world, with nearly every country having its own local lager. In the U.S. alone, the overall beer market in 2023 totaled $116.9 billion. But the ice-cold, bubbly beverage we know today didn’t always exist. Researchers have found strong evidence of beer brewing as far back as the Neolithic period (10,000 to 4,000 years ago), in sites all around the world.”We don’t actually know exactly how [beer] was discovered,” said Tate Paulette, an associate professor of history at North Carolina State University. “Partly because of the kind of evidence we have, it’s unlikely that we’re going to get that kind of answer” in the near future, Paulette said.
- The James Webb Space Telescope found a possible sign of life on a distant planet. The planet, K2-18b, is located 124 light-years from Earth. But even if it does host life-forms, they would likely be little green men. A “useless” female organ that is anything but was found in a woman’s body. The discovery was made using the Mid-Infrared Instrument on the JWST, a different instrument than the one used in the first study of the planet. It’s not quite proof of extraterrestrials, but it could be a sign of things to come in the future.. The team found a spike that could only be explained by these two chemicals. On Earth, these chemicals are made only by certain microbes and algae, although, in theory, non-biological processes could make them, too.
Country-by-Country Breakdown:
Original Coverage
An international blackout across Spain, Portugal and the south of France left millions without electricity early this week. Experts still unsure what caused the outage, with Portugal’s national electricity network blaming a rare atmospheric phenomenon. This week’s science news also brought positive updates for global energy production after scientists in China unveiled a new approach to safer nuclear energy using an old, abandoned U.S. technology. Three companies working across fashion and biotechnology announced plans to create luxury accessories out of Tyrannosaurus rex “leather” The companies argue that their product would offer a “cruelty-free” and “eco-friendly” alternative to traditional leather, but not everyone is convinced by this proposal. It has not been confirmed whether this particular outage was caused by such an event, but experts have warned that extreme temperature fluctuations that cause this phenomenon are expected to become more common due to climate change. Read full article
When was beer invented?
Beer is one of the most popular beverages in the world, with nearly every country having its own local lager. In the U.S. alone, the overall beer market in 2023 totaled $116.9 billion. But the ice-cold, bubbly beverage we know today didn’t always exist. Researchers have found strong evidence of beer brewing as far back as the Neolithic period (10,000 to 4,000 years ago), in sites all around the world.”We don’t actually know exactly how [beer] was discovered,” said Tate Paulette, an associate professor of history at North Carolina State University. “Partly because of the kind of evidence we have, it’s unlikely that we’re going to get that kind of answer” in the near future, Paulette said. Read full article
Science news this week: Possible signs of life on another planet and a ‘useless’ female organ
The James Webb Space Telescope found a possible sign of life on a distant planet. The planet, K2-18b, is located 124 light-years from Earth. But even if it does host life-forms, they would likely be little green men. A “useless” female organ that is anything but was found in a woman’s body. The discovery was made using the Mid-Infrared Instrument on the JWST, a different instrument than the one used in the first study of the planet. It’s not quite proof of extraterrestrials, but it could be a sign of things to come in the future.. The team found a spike that could only be explained by these two chemicals. On Earth, these chemicals are made only by certain microbes and algae, although, in theory, non-biological processes could make them, too. Read full article
Amazfit GTR 3 review
The Amazfit GTR 3 offers 4-in-1 health measuring powered by BioTracker 3.0. It’s got all the health and fitness metrics you’d expect, from all-day heart rate monitoring, menstrual cycle tracking, ovulation prediction, sleep and stress tracking, blood oxygen levels and breathing rate. It comes with 150+ sports modes, eight of which are auto-detection. It also has a Personal Activity Intelligence (PAI) score – a science-backed health score, which measures the heart health impact of physical activity. Switch to Battery Saver mode and you can expect to enjoy 35 days without charge (it still counts your steps in this mode). Even with heavy use, the watch can last up to 21 days with typical usage or 10 days of heavy use. It’s a no-nonsense smartwatch with an impressive battery life. Read full article
Garmin Forerunner 955 review
The Garmin Forerunner 955 is Garmin’s best-value serious fitness watch. It’s a great alternative to the pricier Fenix 7 if you’re happy with its non-metal casing. The high-end Garmin features we most wanted to see – and that appear on the best fitness trackers – are here. We have issues with the Maps app (and found the Fenix7 heart-rate results better on occasion) These are elements Garmin will hopefully fix in a software update. The only issue with the “fiber reinfused” watch is that it doesn’t have a heart rate monitor. It’ll cost you £479.99 in the UK and $599.99/£549.99 for the solar version in the US. It has a 1.3in screen, 32GB storage and water resistance of 5ATM. Read full article
Global Perspectives Summary:
Global media portray this story through varied cultural, economic, and political filters. While some focus on geopolitical ramifications, others highlight local impacts and human stories. Some nations frame the story around diplomatic tensions and international relations, while others examine domestic implications, public sentiment, or humanitarian concerns. This diversity of coverage reflects how national perspectives, media freedom, and journalistic priorities influence what the public learns about global events.
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Sources:
- Original Article
- When was beer invented?
- Science news this week: Possible signs of life on another planet and a ‘useless’ female organ
- Amazfit GTR 3 review
- Garmin Forerunner 955 review
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/science-news-this-week-international-blackouts-and-t-rex-skin-handbags