Scientist propose reordering the periodic table to identify materials with useful properties

Two scientists in Moscow have proposed replacing the periodic table as the chief way to organize elements. Rather than ordering by atomic number (the number of protons in the nucleus) the chart lists elements by two fundamental properties— their atomic radius and how strongly its atoms attract electrons— known collectively as an element’s Mendeleev Number. … Read more

Police ask if anyone can identify fraud suspect wearing Covid visor 

Could YOU recognise this woman? Police ask if anyone can identify fraud suspect in blurry photo even though she is wearing an all-covering Covid visor West Midlands Police have appealed for help tracking a fraudster in Birmingham But suspect photo only gave blurry outline of woman wearing a Covid face visor It is believed she … Read more

Microsoft unveils new tools to identify deepfake videos

Microsoft has launched a new tool that can identify ‘deepfake’ videos that were designed to present false information and a quiz to help people spot them. There were at least 96 ‘foreign influenced’ deep fake campaigns on social media targeting people in 30 countries between 2013 and 2019, according to Microsoft. Deepfakes, also known as … Read more

Scientists identify the key enzyme behind the pungent smell of BO

Scientists identify the key enzyme behind the pungent smell of ‘BO’ – and it could lead to the development of a new generation of deodorants BO enzyme is created by Staphylococcus hominis bacteria which lives in armpits Enzyme turns odourless chemicals in sweat into pungent compounds  Believed the enzyme was inherited from now extinct ancient … Read more

Seniors who identify smells ‘half as likely to develop dementia’

Pensioners who can identify distinctive smells like roses, lemons, turpentine and paint-thinner are half as likely to develop dementia, a study has revealed.  In a study of nearly 1,800 participants tracked for a decade, US scientists found that a decline in the ability to smell was an early indicator of the syndrome.  A keen sense of … Read more

Chinese scientists finally identify mysterious green gel-like substance discovered on the moon

Chinese scientists explain the mystery of the dark green goo found on the moon in 2019, which they say is a glassy mix of minerals melted together by an asteroid impact Researchers in China analyzed a mysterious gel-like substance from the moon Originally found in 2019, it turns out to be a melted mixture of … Read more

Researchers identify bacteria in permafrost samples in the Swiss Alps that could break down plastics

Researchers identify 13-million-year-old bacteria in permafrost samples collected in the Swiss Alps, which could be used in bioreactors to break down plastic waste Swiss researchers have discovered a new species of bacteria in the Swiss Alps It was found in permafrost samples and is believed to be 13million years old The team describes permafrost as … Read more

Hummingbirds can identify at least eight colours that are invisible to humans

Hummingbirds can spot at least eight colours that are invisible to humans, a study has found. Humans have three types of light-sensitive cone in their eyes, enabling them to see red, green and blue. But birds have a fourth – ultraviolet – revealing colours we can’t even imagine. The difference means that while man can … Read more