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This NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image features a sprawling cosmic vista in the Large Magellanic Cloud, or LMC, the largest of the small galaxies that orbit our Milky Way galaxy. At just 160,000 light-years away, the LMC offers a close look at highly active star birth sites like the one in this image. This photogenic nebula, named LHA 120-N44, or N44, is in the constellation Dorado. N44 is dominated by two features: a vast central void and a shell of dense, dusty gas. The central void is a ‘superbubble’ spanning roughly 210 by 140 light-years across. The glittering stars at…

These three differences between male and female wiring in flies are driven by two key genes. Researchers have known about the genes for years, and how they’re linked to each of these behaviours. What they’ve never been able to see is the bit in the middle. Now, for the first time, they can see the actual wiring those genes produce.The primary aim of the research was not to discover the differences between male and female flies, and certainly not to find neurological explanations for certain alleged behavioural differences between men and women. Comparing two brains that have some slight wiring…

Australian energy giant Woodside is forging a path with Mexico’s state-owned petroleum heavyweight Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) to hunt for potential deepwater hydrocarbon plays in the Gulf of Mexico under a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU). Trion development concept; Source: Woodside This non-binding MOU will allow Woodside and Pemex to analyse potential prospects for hydrocarbon exploration and extraction in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, while facilitating the mutual exchange of technical knowledge, experience, and industry best practices in the oil and gas sector. Liz Westcott, Woodside’s CEO, commented: “This MOU builds on the strong relationship between Woodside and…

In August, Turkey’s parliament passed a law that will allow thousands of members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to lay down their weapons and thousands more political prisoners and exiles to return to normal life. Over the coming months, hundreds of PKK members are expected to travel to Turkey to take advantage of the new law and reintegrate into a country that they left behind to take up arms against. This was unimaginable only a few years ago, when Turkey and the PKK were locked in a conflict that stretched across Turkey, Iraq, and Syria. Now, for the first…

A shootout between two of Ukraine’s top intelligence agencies has wounded at least three security officials, highlighting internal divisions within Kyiv’s security establishment.On Wednesday morning, a gunfight broke out between Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), a military arm which handles foreign intelligence, and the State Security Service (SBU), which focuses on domestic intelligence and counterterrorism activities.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listUkraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the incident “an absolutely disgraceful situation”.What’s behind the feud between SBU and HUR, and how significant is it?What happened?According to Ukrainian media reports, the incident between Kyiv’s top intel agencies took place…

Liechtenstein’s parliament has narrowly backed a citizens’ initiative to legalise abortion during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.The initiative, led by a group of women, would also lift a nationwide ban on providing information about abortions and make the procedure eligible for health insurance.It was approved by 13 votes to 12 in the 25-seat parliament. However, it is unlikely to become law as the country’s all-powerful ruler, Hereditary Prince Alois, has previously said he will veto the legislation.Supporters of the bill say there is widespread backing in Liechtenstein to legalise abortion. However, MPs rejected a separate proposal to put the…

When the war with Iran began, officials at the Federal Reserve shied away from providing detailed forecasts about how the economy might be affected in all but one dimension. What they acknowledged, aside from the vast uncertainty, was that the longer the war lasted, the bigger the fallout would be.Six months later, with no end to the conflict in sight, policymakers at the central bank are contending with the mounting consequences.Growth has held up surprisingly well, a resilience that has continued to defy economists’ expectations. But elevated inflation, pushed up as well by a boom in artificial intelligence spending, has…

Badenoch repeated existing Conservative plans to fund an increase in defence spending, including by reimposing the two-child benefit cap. The cap, which was scrapped by Labour in April, meant parents could only claim universal credit or tax credits for their first two children.She said the final part of her party’s plans to reach the 3% spending figure on defence had now been completed.The Tories said this would include saving at least £4bn through reforms to housing benefit and removing the VAT exemption for Motability vehicles, saving £1bn.”Alongside savings from the disastrous Chagos deal and re-purposing money from the British Business…

Today, I’m talking with Tom Conrad, the CEO of Sonos. Tom and I have known each other for a long time — he was the chief technology officer of Pandora, VP of product at Snap, and the chief product officer of Quibi. He was also on the board at Sonos during its disastrous 2024 app redesign that threatened to crash the entire brand.Tom took over as interim CEO to right the ship during that period, and then took the permanent role just about a year ago. As you’ll hear him say, he thinks Sonos is fully out of that period…

TikTok’s comments section is getting an upgrade. The social network announced on Thursday that it’s rolling out new features for its comment sections, including voice comments, comment polls, photo carousel comments, and Live Photo comments. With the additions, the app is borrowing features from messaging apps as it looks to deepen engagement on its platform. By bundling voice, polls, and photo comments, the company aims to make comment sections places where people linger and interact with each other, rather than simply leave feedback underneath a video. “Sound and music have shaped TikTok from the very beginning, turning songs into trends…