Preview: New Scientist Magazine – July 2, 2022

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How readily should we swallow the idea of diets that delay ageing?

The promise of a new diet that can add as much as a decade to your life is certainly tempting – and might well be proven to work – but for now should be swallowed with a pinch of salt

  • FEATURES Ten years after the Higgs discovery, what now for particle physics?
  • NEWS 75 per cent of the world’s top websites allow bad passwords
  • NEWS Largest known bacteria in the world are visible to the naked eye
  • NEWS Was warfare responsible for the origin of complex civilisation?

Summer Walks: Venice In Northeastern Italy (2022)

Venice, the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region, is built on more than 100 small islands in a lagoon in the Adriatic Sea. It has no roads, just canals – including the Grand Canal thoroughfare – lined with Renaissance and Gothic palaces. The central square, Piazza San Marco, contains St. Mark’s Basilica, which is tiled with Byzantine mosaics, and the Campanile bell tower offering views of the city’s red roofs.

RECORDED On 23/JUNE/2022

Morning News: Philippines ‘Bongbong’ Marcos And Scotland Independence

It is a remarkable turnaround for a notorious family: the late dictator’s son just took the reins. But how will he govern? Scotland’s separatist party is again pushing for an independence referendum.

That will probably fail—and empower the very prime minister that many Scots love to hate. And, why pilots in Ukraine are using an outdated, inaccurate missile-delivery technique.

Front Page: Wall Street Journal – June 30, 2022

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Xi Jinping Visits Hong Kong to Mark Anniversary, Cap Crushing of Dissent

The visit to commemorate 25 years since Britain returned the city to Beijing, marked a milestone in the Chinese leader’s pledge to deliver a strong and unified nation as he moves to extend his rule.16 min ago8 min read

Science: Enteric Viruses Spread Via Saliva, Jupiter’s Rocks, Megalodon Teeth

Enteric viruses, such as norovirus, cause a significant health burden around the world and are generally considered to only spread via the faecal-oral route.

However, new research in mice suggests that saliva may also be a route of transmission for these viruses, which the authors say could have important public health implications.

Research Article: Ghosh et al.

08:59 Research Highlights

How devouring space rocks helped Jupiter to get so big, and what analysing teeth has revealed about the diet of the extinct super-sized megalodon shark.

Research Highlight: The heavy diet that made Jupiter so big

Research Highlight: What did megalodon the mega-toothed shark eat? Anything it wanted

11:24 Making the tetraneutron

For decades there have been hints of the existence of tetraneutrons, strange systems composed of four neutrons, and now researchers may have created one in the lab. This breakthrough could tell us more about the strong nuclear force that holds matter together.

Research article: Duer et al.

News and Views: Collisions hint that four neutrons form a transient isolated entity

18:46 After Roe v. Wade

Last Friday the US supreme court struck down the constitutional right to abortion. In the wake of this ruling, Nature has been turning to research to ask what we can expect in the coming weeks and months.

News: After Roe v. Wade: US researchers warn of what’s to come

Editorial: 

Views: Galerie d’Apollon In The Louvre Museum, Paris

King Louis XIV famously identified himself with the sun god Apollo and this splendid gallery was the first tangible representation of that image. To create this masterpiece of architectural decoration, he summoned the greatest painters, gilders and sculptors of the day, who later worked on the Hall of Mirrors at the Château de Versailles. Today, the Galerie d’Apollon is home to the royal collection of hardstone vessels and the French Crown Jewels.

The French Crown Jewels

The royal collection also includes the Crown Jewels. The so-called ‘Côte de Bretagne’ spinel, which once belonged to Anne de Bretagne, is the oldest of the gems to have survived a tumultuous history involving theft, dispersal and sale. Three historical diamonds – the Regent, the Sancy and the Hortensia – formerly adorned royal crowns or garments. The spectacular 19th-century jewellery sets in the collection include emerald and diamond pieces that once belonged to Empress Marie Louise.

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The French Crown Jewels

The 60-meter-long Apollo Gallery contains 105 extraordinary pieces, the most famous being the Crown Jewels of France. “This generic term covers not just the jewels that belonged to the kings of France but all the regalia as well: the precious stones and glyptic pieces,” says Pierre Rainero, director of style and heritage with the jeweler Cartier, which has sponsored the renovation work.

Preview: MIT Technology Review – July/August 2022

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The Urbanism issue

July/August 2022

Is technology making cities better—or worse? A deep dive into what we stand to lose in the pursuit of efficiency and convenience.

Read the issue

Summer Walks: Oslo In Southern Norway (4K)

Oslo, the capital of Norway, sits on the country’s southern coast at the head of the Oslofjord. It’s known for its green spaces and museums. Many of these are on the Bygdøy Peninsula, including the waterside Norwegian Maritime Museum and the Viking Ship Museum, with Viking ships from the 9th century. The Holmenkollbakken is a ski-jumping hill with panoramic views of the fjord. It also has a ski museum. 

Preview: Times Literary Supplement – July 1, 2022

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@TheTLS – July 1, 2022. Featuring Kenneth Rogoff on inflation; @KuperSimon on the Tour de France; @natsegnit on the ultrawealthy; Terry Eagleton on Geoff Dyer; @amyhawk_ on Hong Kong; @scheffer_pablo on climate change in medieval literature – and more.

News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious