869 shaares
THE AI MILITARY COMPLEX
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/27/the-ai-military-complex-which-are-the-main-companies-in-it
Billions of dollars is flowing into a handful of companies now leading the AI transformation of the military.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/27/the-ai-military-complex-which-are-the-main-companies-in-it
Billions of dollars is flowing into a handful of companies now leading the AI transformation of the military.
THE 2026 FIELDS AND ABACUS MEDALS
https://www.quantamagazine.org/series/fields-and-abacus-medals-2026/
Every four years, the math world’s preeminent awards are given to the finest minds of a generation. The young winners — all under 40 on the first day of the year — have reshaped mathematics and theoretical computer science. Here are their stories.
https://www.quantamagazine.org/series/fields-and-abacus-medals-2026/
Every four years, the math world’s preeminent awards are given to the finest minds of a generation. The young winners — all under 40 on the first day of the year — have reshaped mathematics and theoretical computer science. Here are their stories.
NASA ASTRONAUT AND TWO RUSSIAN COSMONAUTS RETURN TO EARTH AFTER 241 DAYS ON SPACE STATION
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/nasa-astronaut-two-cosmonauts-return-to-earth-soyuz-ms-28
The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft undock from the ISS at 3:03 a.m. ET on Sunday (July 26) and landed on Earth about 3 hours and 24 minutes later.
A U.S.-Russian crew returned to Earth from the International Space Station early Sunday morning (July 26), after 241 days in orbit.
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos undocked from the orbiting lab on Sunday at 3:03 a.m. EDT (0703 GMT).
The Soyuz, known as MS-28, landed on the steppe of Kazakhstan 3 hours and 24 minutes later, at 6:27 a.m. EDT (1027 GMT).
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/nasa-astronaut-two-cosmonauts-return-to-earth-soyuz-ms-28
The Soyuz MS-28 spacecraft undock from the ISS at 3:03 a.m. ET on Sunday (July 26) and landed on Earth about 3 hours and 24 minutes later.
A U.S.-Russian crew returned to Earth from the International Space Station early Sunday morning (July 26), after 241 days in orbit.
A Soyuz spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev of the Russian space agency Roscosmos undocked from the orbiting lab on Sunday at 3:03 a.m. EDT (0703 GMT).
The Soyuz, known as MS-28, landed on the steppe of Kazakhstan 3 hours and 24 minutes later, at 6:27 a.m. EDT (1027 GMT).
AN AMATEUR ASTRONOMER USING GOOGLE MAPS SPOTTED A STRANGE INDENTATION. IT TURNED OUT TO BE A METEORITE CRATER FROM 390 MILLION YEARS
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-amateur-astronomer-using-google-maps-spotted-a-strange-indentation-it-turned-out-to-be-a-meteorite-crater-from-390-million-years-ago-180989158/
Scientists confirmed the astronomer’s suspicions with an expedition to the site in Quebec. The discovery offers a rare case of a reported new crater turning out to be real.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/an-amateur-astronomer-using-google-maps-spotted-a-strange-indentation-it-turned-out-to-be-a-meteorite-crater-from-390-million-years-ago-180989158/
Scientists confirmed the astronomer’s suspicions with an expedition to the site in Quebec. The discovery offers a rare case of a reported new crater turning out to be real.
TROIA È ESISTITA DAVVERO? LE TAVOLETTE ITTITE SVELANO LA STORIA DI “WILUSA” E I VERI NOMI DEI SUOI RE
https://www.scienzenotizie.it/2026/07/27/troia-e-esistita-davvero-le-tavolette-ittite-svelano-la-storia-di-wilusa-e-i-veri-nomi-dei-suoi-re-44127102
I resti del livello Troia VIIa e gli archivi segreti dell'Impero Ittito spazzano via due secoli di scetticismo: l'antica Ilio è esistita davvero e fu rasa al suolo dal fuoco.
Pubblicato il 27 Luglio 2026
A lungo considerata soltanto uno scenario mitologico nato dalla fantasia di Omero, la città di Troia (l’antica Ilio) esiste ed è stata identificata con certezza scientifica nel sito archeologico di Hissarlık, situato nell’attuale Turchia nord-occidentale.
Le ricerche storiche, archeologiche e filologiche condotte negli ultimi due secoli — dagli scavi ottocenteschi fino ai moderni rilevamenti geofisici e alle analisi dei testi ittiti — confermano che il luogo non solo è reale, ma è stato teatro di frequenti conflitti armati durante l’Età del Bronzo.
https://www.scienzenotizie.it/2026/07/27/troia-e-esistita-davvero-le-tavolette-ittite-svelano-la-storia-di-wilusa-e-i-veri-nomi-dei-suoi-re-44127102
I resti del livello Troia VIIa e gli archivi segreti dell'Impero Ittito spazzano via due secoli di scetticismo: l'antica Ilio è esistita davvero e fu rasa al suolo dal fuoco.
Pubblicato il 27 Luglio 2026
A lungo considerata soltanto uno scenario mitologico nato dalla fantasia di Omero, la città di Troia (l’antica Ilio) esiste ed è stata identificata con certezza scientifica nel sito archeologico di Hissarlık, situato nell’attuale Turchia nord-occidentale.
Le ricerche storiche, archeologiche e filologiche condotte negli ultimi due secoli — dagli scavi ottocenteschi fino ai moderni rilevamenti geofisici e alle analisi dei testi ittiti — confermano che il luogo non solo è reale, ma è stato teatro di frequenti conflitti armati durante l’Età del Bronzo.
550 years later, scientists claim to have solved what killed Botticelli’s muse | Scientific American
550 years later, scientists claim to have solved what killed Botticelli’s muse
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/550-years-later-scientists-claim-to-have-solved-what-killed-botticellis-muse/
July 26, 2026
Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli painted Simonetta Vespucci as Venus rising from the waves. Now, scientists think they’ve solved how she died.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/550-years-later-scientists-claim-to-have-solved-what-killed-botticellis-muse/
July 26, 2026
Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli painted Simonetta Vespucci as Venus rising from the waves. Now, scientists think they’ve solved how she died.
A QUANTUM HEAT ENGINE THAT SIMULTANEOUSLY PROVIDES WORK AND REFRIGERATION
https://phys.org/news/2026-07-quantum-simultaneously-refrigeration.html
The laws of thermodynamics state that heat naturally flows from hotter systems or regions to colder systems or regions until a state of thermal equilibrium is reached. This simple principle underpins the operation of numerous technologies, ranging from refrigerators to power plants.
Yet quantum systems, which are governed by quantum mechanics, can exhibit unusual behaviors that cannot be explained by classical physics. These behaviors could be used to create innovative thermal devices.
Researchers at Qufu Normal University, the University of Hong Kong and the University of Palermo recently observed an anomalous thermal effect that allows a quantum system to absorb heat from colder thermal reservoirs. This unusual effect was leveraged to develop a new quantum heat engine that simultaneously produces work and refrigeration.
https://phys.org/news/2026-07-quantum-simultaneously-refrigeration.html
The laws of thermodynamics state that heat naturally flows from hotter systems or regions to colder systems or regions until a state of thermal equilibrium is reached. This simple principle underpins the operation of numerous technologies, ranging from refrigerators to power plants.
Yet quantum systems, which are governed by quantum mechanics, can exhibit unusual behaviors that cannot be explained by classical physics. These behaviors could be used to create innovative thermal devices.
Researchers at Qufu Normal University, the University of Hong Kong and the University of Palermo recently observed an anomalous thermal effect that allows a quantum system to absorb heat from colder thermal reservoirs. This unusual effect was leveraged to develop a new quantum heat engine that simultaneously produces work and refrigeration.
How does a spacecraft launched in 1977, now more than 24 billion kilometres away, still transmit data to Earth on less electrical power than a household hallway bulb?
https://marsdaily.com/md-q-how-does-a-spacecraft-launched-in-1977-now-more-than-24-billion-kilometres-away-still-transmit-data-to-earth-on-less-electrical-power-than-a-household-hallway-bulb/
Voyager 1 is still talking to Earth on roughly 22 watts of radiated radio power — less than the bulb burning in most hallway fixtures — from a distance so vast that a simple two-word message takes about 23 hours to arrive. The spacecraft, launched on September 5, 1977, is now hurtling away at 61,100 kilometres per hour and sits more than 24 billion kilometres from home, closing in on the milestone of one full light-day from Earth in November 2026, according to NASA figures reported by ScienceAlert.
https://marsdaily.com/md-q-how-does-a-spacecraft-launched-in-1977-now-more-than-24-billion-kilometres-away-still-transmit-data-to-earth-on-less-electrical-power-than-a-household-hallway-bulb/
Voyager 1 is still talking to Earth on roughly 22 watts of radiated radio power — less than the bulb burning in most hallway fixtures — from a distance so vast that a simple two-word message takes about 23 hours to arrive. The spacecraft, launched on September 5, 1977, is now hurtling away at 61,100 kilometres per hour and sits more than 24 billion kilometres from home, closing in on the milestone of one full light-day from Earth in November 2026, according to NASA figures reported by ScienceAlert.
Science Corporation's vision-restoring chip wins EU approval
https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/22/science-corporations-vision-restoring-chip-wins-eu-approval/
Science Corporation, a startup developing novel brain-computer interfaces (BCI), won approval from Europe’s medical device regulator to begin selling a device that restores vision lost from age-related macular degeneration.
The company said the device, called PRIMA, also received a designation from the US Food and Drug Administration that is the first step toward an expedited regulatory review, which could see the device used to treat two rare kinds of blindness.
Millions of people around the world suffer from age-related macular degeneration, which destroys the light-sensitive cells at the back of the eyes, making it difficult to read and recognize faces.
To use the device, patients suffering from this loss of vision undergo an hour-long outpatient procedure that plants a small chip in back of their eye. Then they wear camera-equipped glasses that transmit a view of the world to the chip. Max Hodak, Science Corp.’s founder and CEO, says the product gives functional vision to people who have lost it.
https://techcrunch.com/2026/07/22/science-corporations-vision-restoring-chip-wins-eu-approval/
Science Corporation, a startup developing novel brain-computer interfaces (BCI), won approval from Europe’s medical device regulator to begin selling a device that restores vision lost from age-related macular degeneration.
The company said the device, called PRIMA, also received a designation from the US Food and Drug Administration that is the first step toward an expedited regulatory review, which could see the device used to treat two rare kinds of blindness.
Millions of people around the world suffer from age-related macular degeneration, which destroys the light-sensitive cells at the back of the eyes, making it difficult to read and recognize faces.
To use the device, patients suffering from this loss of vision undergo an hour-long outpatient procedure that plants a small chip in back of their eye. Then they wear camera-equipped glasses that transmit a view of the world to the chip. Max Hodak, Science Corp.’s founder and CEO, says the product gives functional vision to people who have lost it.
Third form of magnetism earns Europe's top physics prize
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/321612/20260726/third-form-magnetism-earns-europes-top-physics-prize-could-reshape-ai-hardware.htm
For 120 years, physics students learned that every magnetic material falls into one of two fundamental classes. That lesson is now obsolete. The European Physical Society announced Saturday that its 2026 Europhysics Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Condensed Matter Physics — one of Europe's most prestigious awards in the field, with a track record of preceding Nobel Prizes — has gone to the trio who proved that a third, long-hidden class of magnetism exists. Dr. Libor Šmejkal, Prof. Jairo Sinova, and Prof. Tomas Jungwirth discovered altermagnetism: a magnetic phase that eliminates the central design constraint holding back spintronic AI chips while operating naturally at terahertz speeds.
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/321612/20260726/third-form-magnetism-earns-europes-top-physics-prize-could-reshape-ai-hardware.htm
For 120 years, physics students learned that every magnetic material falls into one of two fundamental classes. That lesson is now obsolete. The European Physical Society announced Saturday that its 2026 Europhysics Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Condensed Matter Physics — one of Europe's most prestigious awards in the field, with a track record of preceding Nobel Prizes — has gone to the trio who proved that a third, long-hidden class of magnetism exists. Dr. Libor Šmejkal, Prof. Jairo Sinova, and Prof. Tomas Jungwirth discovered altermagnetism: a magnetic phase that eliminates the central design constraint holding back spintronic AI chips while operating naturally at terahertz speeds.
Nuvem já chegou a Sines. O que é o cabo da Google que liga Portugal às Bermudas e aos EUA
https://zap.aeiou.pt/nuvem-ja-chegou-a-sines-o-que-e-o-cabo-da-google-que-liga-portugal-as-bermudas-e-aos-eua-756361
Quase três anos depois de ter sido anunciado, o cabo submarino Nuvem, da Google, já está amarrado em Sines.
A infraestrutura percorre cerca de 7’000 km desde a Carolina do Sul, com pontos de amarração intermédios nas Bermudas e em São Miguel, e foi projetada para transportar 384 terabits de dados por segundo.
A chegada do cabo a Portugal foi assinalada na passada terça-feira, numa cerimónia no Oceanário de Lisboa. O projeto é financiado pela Google e tem a Meo como parceira nacional.
https://zap.aeiou.pt/nuvem-ja-chegou-a-sines-o-que-e-o-cabo-da-google-que-liga-portugal-as-bermudas-e-aos-eua-756361
Quase três anos depois de ter sido anunciado, o cabo submarino Nuvem, da Google, já está amarrado em Sines.
A infraestrutura percorre cerca de 7’000 km desde a Carolina do Sul, com pontos de amarração intermédios nas Bermudas e em São Miguel, e foi projetada para transportar 384 terabits de dados por segundo.
A chegada do cabo a Portugal foi assinalada na passada terça-feira, numa cerimónia no Oceanário de Lisboa. O projeto é financiado pela Google e tem a Meo como parceira nacional.
CIECA VEDE DOPO AUTOTRAPIANTO SEGMENTO ANTERIORE OCCHIO E PARTE RETINA
https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2026/07/molinette-donna-cieca-torna-a-vedere-dopo-un-autotrapianto-di-occhio-02f94c71-b619-4111-9170-b306408f6710.html
Elena, 67 anni, ha recuperato la vista dopo oltre cinque anni di cecità. INTERVENTO SENZA PRECEDENTI ALLE MOLINETTE DI TORINO: TRASFERITI DA UN OCCHIO ALL’ALTRO CORNEA, TESSUTI OCULARI E PER LA PRIMA VOLTA ANCHE LA PARTE CENTRALE DELLA RETINA.
https://www.rainews.it/articoli/2026/07/molinette-donna-cieca-torna-a-vedere-dopo-un-autotrapianto-di-occhio-02f94c71-b619-4111-9170-b306408f6710.html
Elena, 67 anni, ha recuperato la vista dopo oltre cinque anni di cecità. INTERVENTO SENZA PRECEDENTI ALLE MOLINETTE DI TORINO: TRASFERITI DA UN OCCHIO ALL’ALTRO CORNEA, TESSUTI OCULARI E PER LA PRIMA VOLTA ANCHE LA PARTE CENTRALE DELLA RETINA.
THE MYSTERY OF LINEAR B, GREECE'S ENIGMATIC SCRIPT
https://greekreporter.com/2026/07/25/mystery-linear-b-greece-enigmatic-script/
Linear B, the enigmatic script of ancient Greece used by the Mycenaean civilization, has long captivated the minds of experts and enthusiasts alike.
For decades, historians, linguists, and archaeologists have been debating over this fascinating writing system that dominated the Greek world thousands of years ago. Its discovery in the early 20th century in many different archaeological sites across Greece opened a new chapter in understanding the ancient Greek world.
This script, also found in the famous palace of Knossos on Crete, was initially an archaeological riddle, wrapped in the mystery of the Aegean Bronze Age. However, it was eventually deciphered. This revealed its position as the earliest form of written Greek.
https://greekreporter.com/2026/07/25/mystery-linear-b-greece-enigmatic-script/
Linear B, the enigmatic script of ancient Greece used by the Mycenaean civilization, has long captivated the minds of experts and enthusiasts alike.
For decades, historians, linguists, and archaeologists have been debating over this fascinating writing system that dominated the Greek world thousands of years ago. Its discovery in the early 20th century in many different archaeological sites across Greece opened a new chapter in understanding the ancient Greek world.
This script, also found in the famous palace of Knossos on Crete, was initially an archaeological riddle, wrapped in the mystery of the Aegean Bronze Age. However, it was eventually deciphered. This revealed its position as the earliest form of written Greek.
IS THIS GIANT CELESTIAL BODY A MOON, A PLANET OR SOMETHING IN BETWEEN?
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-this-giant-celestial-body-a-moon-a-planet-or-something-in-between-the-strange-object-calls-astrononomical-labels-into-question-180989183/
A newly discovered celestial object seems to blur the line between planet and moon, leaving some astronomers puzzled over what to call it.
Scientists have found thousands of exoplanets—those beyond our solar system—since the first two were discovered in 1992. But moons orbiting those distant planets have remained elusive, even though astronomers suspect that many exist. Now, they’ve found something that might be even stranger.
Astronomers have spotted an object estimated to be roughly as massive as Jupiter. Oddly, it orbits a brown dwarf—a “failed star”—which in turn orbits a small star. This unusual three-tiered hierarchy was seen in a star system called CD-35 2722 that’s located about 73 light-years from Earth. The findings, reported in the journal Nature on July 22, highlight the diversity of objects in the universe and forces some astronomers to rethink astronomical labels.
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/is-this-giant-celestial-body-a-moon-a-planet-or-something-in-between-the-strange-object-calls-astrononomical-labels-into-question-180989183/
A newly discovered celestial object seems to blur the line between planet and moon, leaving some astronomers puzzled over what to call it.
Scientists have found thousands of exoplanets—those beyond our solar system—since the first two were discovered in 1992. But moons orbiting those distant planets have remained elusive, even though astronomers suspect that many exist. Now, they’ve found something that might be even stranger.
Astronomers have spotted an object estimated to be roughly as massive as Jupiter. Oddly, it orbits a brown dwarf—a “failed star”—which in turn orbits a small star. This unusual three-tiered hierarchy was seen in a star system called CD-35 2722 that’s located about 73 light-years from Earth. The findings, reported in the journal Nature on July 22, highlight the diversity of objects in the universe and forces some astronomers to rethink astronomical labels.
WE ARE LIVING IN THE MOST CORRUPT DEMOCRACY THAT COULD BE IMAGINED
https://www.globalresearch.ca/living-most-corrupt-democracy-imagined/5934366
In August 1977 the New York Times wrote that the objective of the MKUltra project from the 1950’s was to find methods to “get control of an individual to the point where he will do our bidding against his will and even against such fundamental laws of nature such as self preservation.“
On June 30th 2026, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representative of the American Congress held a Hearing entitled Mind Control and Accountability: Uncovering the Truth of the CIA’s MKULTRA Project. The hearing was led by republican Anna Paulina Luna.
https://www.globalresearch.ca/living-most-corrupt-democracy-imagined/5934366
In August 1977 the New York Times wrote that the objective of the MKUltra project from the 1950’s was to find methods to “get control of an individual to the point where he will do our bidding against his will and even against such fundamental laws of nature such as self preservation.“
On June 30th 2026, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representative of the American Congress held a Hearing entitled Mind Control and Accountability: Uncovering the Truth of the CIA’s MKULTRA Project. The hearing was led by republican Anna Paulina Luna.
Trump orders Smithsonian to post warnings about 'inaccurate' US history
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1w10gwnj74o
President Donald Trump has ordered signs to be placed outside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, to caution visitors about exhibits his administration views as "inaccurate".
The order directs the Department of Interior to issue the warnings, and also to direct people about where they can find "accurate information regarding America's history".
The Trump administration has often accused the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest research museum, as well as other academic organisations of harbouring an anti-American bias.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1w10gwnj74o
President Donald Trump has ordered signs to be placed outside the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, to caution visitors about exhibits his administration views as "inaccurate".
The order directs the Department of Interior to issue the warnings, and also to direct people about where they can find "accurate information regarding America's history".
The Trump administration has often accused the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest research museum, as well as other academic organisations of harbouring an anti-American bias.
DarkSky International opposes Reflect Orbital’s proposed orbital illumination system
https://darksky.org/news/organizational-statement-reflect-orbital/
FCC approves Reflect Orbital demonstration satellite
Despite more than 12,200 signatures from over 100 countries and 1,800 formal public comments opposing the proposal, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved Reflect Orbital’s application to launch its Earendil-1 demonstration satellite.
The FCC concluded that it lacks the authority to evaluate the environmental impacts of an orbital solar reflector, limiting its review to radiofrequency spectrum. This leaves critical concerns—including impacts on wildlife, astronomy, public safety, and the nighttime environment—largely unaddressed and highlights a significant gap in how emerging space technologies are regulated.
https://darksky.org/news/organizational-statement-reflect-orbital/
FCC approves Reflect Orbital demonstration satellite
Despite more than 12,200 signatures from over 100 countries and 1,800 formal public comments opposing the proposal, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved Reflect Orbital’s application to launch its Earendil-1 demonstration satellite.
The FCC concluded that it lacks the authority to evaluate the environmental impacts of an orbital solar reflector, limiting its review to radiofrequency spectrum. This leaves critical concerns—including impacts on wildlife, astronomy, public safety, and the nighttime environment—largely unaddressed and highlights a significant gap in how emerging space technologies are regulated.
California startup wants to send thousands of mirrors to orbit for the dumbest reason ever
https://gizmodo.com/california-startup-wants-to-launch-thousands-of-mirrors-to-space-for-the-dumbest-reason-ever-2000732370
A new startup has come up with a way to sell sunlight on demand, proposing a constellation of satellites that would reflect beams of light onto Earth.
Reflect Orbital wants to deploy up to 50’000 in-space mirrors mounted on satellites to create sunlight after dark, The New York Times reported. The California-based startup has applied to launch a 59-foot-long (18 meters) prototype satellite named Earendil-1 later this year to test its idea, with hopes to be able to illuminate dark areas at a steep price.
Astronomers are deeply concerned that the proposed constellation poses significant risks to the night skies, which have been severely compromised by the thousands of satellites already in Earth orbit.
https://gizmodo.com/california-startup-wants-to-launch-thousands-of-mirrors-to-space-for-the-dumbest-reason-ever-2000732370
A new startup has come up with a way to sell sunlight on demand, proposing a constellation of satellites that would reflect beams of light onto Earth.
Reflect Orbital wants to deploy up to 50’000 in-space mirrors mounted on satellites to create sunlight after dark, The New York Times reported. The California-based startup has applied to launch a 59-foot-long (18 meters) prototype satellite named Earendil-1 later this year to test its idea, with hopes to be able to illuminate dark areas at a steep price.
Astronomers are deeply concerned that the proposed constellation poses significant risks to the night skies, which have been severely compromised by the thousands of satellites already in Earth orbit.
FCC approves launch of satellite designed to reflect sunlight back to Earth
https://www.jpost.com/science/space/article-902636
July 23, 2026
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a satellite launch on Thursday to test a reflector designed to direct sunlight towards points on Earth.
The Earendil-1 satellite, created by startup Reflect Orbital, contains a highly specular thin-film reflector that can direct “abundant sunlight” to specific locations at specific times, including night, extending usable hours for solar cells to collect energy and providing illumination for critical operations, according to the FCC application.
https://www.jpost.com/science/space/article-902636
July 23, 2026
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a satellite launch on Thursday to test a reflector designed to direct sunlight towards points on Earth.
The Earendil-1 satellite, created by startup Reflect Orbital, contains a highly specular thin-film reflector that can direct “abundant sunlight” to specific locations at specific times, including night, extending usable hours for solar cells to collect energy and providing illumination for critical operations, according to the FCC application.
A houseplant changed everything we thought we knew about consciousness
https://x.com/thedarshakrana/status/2079192922491420753
In 1966, Cleve Backster, a CIA interrogation specialist with a polygraph machine, was looking for ways to time how long it took different substances to travel up through plant tissue.
So, he attached electrodes to a dracaena plant in his office and watered it, expecting to see the electrical conductivity change as water moved up the stem.
Instead, the polygraph needle started tracing the exact pattern it makes when a human experiences an emotional response.
Backster stared at the readout. Plants don't have nervous systems. They don't have brains. The signal made no biological sense. So he decided to test something that made even less sense. He walked across the room, looked at the plant, and thought about burning one of its leaves with a match.
The instant the thought formed in his mind, before he moved toward the plant, before he struck a match, before he did anything physical, the polygraph exploded into frantic activity.
The plant was responding to his intention.
What happened next launched thousands of experiments and split the scientific community for decades.
Backster discovered that plants reacted to direct threats and to threats against other living things in their environment. When he dropped live brine shrimp into boiling water in another room, plants throughout the building registered distress responses at the exact moment of death. Distance didn't matter. Shielding the plants in lead containers didn't matter. The response was instantaneous and consistent.
https://x.com/thedarshakrana/status/2079192922491420753
In 1966, Cleve Backster, a CIA interrogation specialist with a polygraph machine, was looking for ways to time how long it took different substances to travel up through plant tissue.
So, he attached electrodes to a dracaena plant in his office and watered it, expecting to see the electrical conductivity change as water moved up the stem.
Instead, the polygraph needle started tracing the exact pattern it makes when a human experiences an emotional response.
Backster stared at the readout. Plants don't have nervous systems. They don't have brains. The signal made no biological sense. So he decided to test something that made even less sense. He walked across the room, looked at the plant, and thought about burning one of its leaves with a match.
The instant the thought formed in his mind, before he moved toward the plant, before he struck a match, before he did anything physical, the polygraph exploded into frantic activity.
The plant was responding to his intention.
What happened next launched thousands of experiments and split the scientific community for decades.
Backster discovered that plants reacted to direct threats and to threats against other living things in their environment. When he dropped live brine shrimp into boiling water in another room, plants throughout the building registered distress responses at the exact moment of death. Distance didn't matter. Shielding the plants in lead containers didn't matter. The response was instantaneous and consistent.