
No Writer
Apr 17
Strongest evidence of life yet found on planet beyond solar system, scientists say
Using the James Webb Space Telescope, scientists found traces of two gases - dimethyl sulfide (DMS) and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) - on a planet named K2-18b. On Earth, those gases are generated primarily by living organisms including algae, suggesting K2-18b could be teeming with microbial life. Researchers have stressed the findings are not an announcement of the discovery of actual living organisms, but rather an indicator of a biological process. K2-18b, located about 124 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo, is 8.6 times as massive as Earth and has a diameter about 2.6 times as large as our planet. It orbits in the "habitable zone" - a distance where liquid water, a key ingredient for life, can exist on a planetary surface. Nikku Madhusudhan of the University of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy, said it was a "transformational moment in the search for life beyond the solar system". "We have entered the era of observational astrobiology," Professor Madhusudhan said. Earlier observations by Webb, which was launched in 2021 and became operational in 2022, had identified methane and carbon dioxide in K2-18b's atmosphere, the first time that carbon-based molecules were discovered in the atmosphere of an exoplanet in a star's habitable zone. "The only scenario that currently explains all the data obtained so far from JWST (James Webb Space Telescope), including the past and present observations, is one where K2-18b is a hycean world teeming with life," Professor Madhusudhan said. Read more from Sky News:Northern Lights could be visible above UK tonightWhy are Birmingham bin workers striking and could it spread? Other scientists not involved in the study urged caution. "The rich data from K2-18b make it a tantalising world," said Christopher Glein, principal scientist at the Space Science Division of the Southwest Research Institute in Texas. "These latest data are a valuable contribution to our understanding. "Yet, we must be very careful to test the data as thoroughly as possible. I look forward to seeing additional, independent work on the data analysis starting as soon as next week."

No Writer
Apr 17
US markets fall as AI chipmakers mourn new restrictions on China exports
Nvidia fell 6.87% - and was at one point down 10% - after revealing it would now need a US government licence to sell its H20 chip. Rival chipmaker AMD slumped 7.35% after it predicted a $800m (£604m) charge due to its MI308 also needing a licence. Dutch firm ASML, which makes hardware essential to chip manufacturing, fell more than 5% after it missed order expectations and said US tariffs created uncertainty. The losses filtered into the tech-dominated Nasdaq index, which recovered slightly to end 3% down, while the larger S&P 500 fell 2.2%. Such losses would have been among the worst in years were it not for the turmoil over recent weeks. It comes as China remains the focus of Donald Trump's tariff regime, with both countries imposing tit-for-tat charges of over 100% on imports. The US commerce department said in a statement it was "committed to acting on the president's directive to safeguard our national and economic security". Nvidia's bespoke China chip is already deliberately less powerful than products sold elsewhere after intervention from the previous Biden administration. However, the Trump government is worried the H20 and others could still be used to build a supercomputer in China, threatening national security and US dominance in AI. Nvidia said the move would cost it around $5.5bn (£4.1bn) and the licensing requirement would be in place for the "indefinite future". Nvidia's recently announced a $500bn (£378bn) investment to build infrastructure in America - something Mr Trump heralded as a victory in his mission to boost US manufacturing. However, it appears to have been too little to stave off the new restrictions. Pressure has also come from the Democrats, with senator Elizabeth Warren writing to the commerce secretary and urging him to limit chip sales to China. Meanwhile, the head of US central bank also warned on Wednesday that US tariffs could slow the economy and raise inflation more than expected. Jerome Powell said the bank would need more time to decide on lowering interest rates. "The level of the tariff increases announced so far is significantly larger than anticipated," he said. "The same is likely to be true of the economic effects, which will include higher inflation and slower growth." Predictions of a recession in the US have risen significantly since the president revealed details of the import taxes a few weeks ago. However, he subsequently paused the higher rates for 90 days to allow for negotiations.

No Writer
Apr 16
Millions tune in to see Sweden's annual moose migration
Nine million people watched Sweden's Great Moose Migration last year, despite not much happening for hours at a time. From now until May 4, remote cameras track dozens of the animals as they swim across the Angerman River, some 187 miles northwest of Stockholm. The 24-hour live stream began airing on Sweden's national broadcaster SVT on Tuesday, a week ahead of schedule due to warm weather and early moose movement. It's a 20-day slow TV event that's become a phenomenon, and its fans say the lack of action is one of the attractions. Ulla Malmgren, 62, said she stocked up on coffee and prepared meals in advance so as not to miss a moment of the event. "Sleep? Forget it. I don't sleep," she said. Nearly a million people watched some or all of its first year in 2019, rising to nine million in 2024. Slow TV began in 2009 when Norwegian public broadcaster NRK showed a seven-hour train trip across the southern part of the country and it has since spread to the UK, China and elsewhere. Annette Hill, a professor of media and communications at Jonkoping University in Sweden, said slow TV has roots in reality television but feels more authentic as unstaged productions allow the audience to relax and watch the journey unfold. Professor Hill said viewers enjoy the show because "nothing catastrophic is happening, nothing spectacular is happening. But something very beautiful is happening in that minute-by-minute moment". She called it a chance for her to have "a calm, atmospheric setting in my own home, and I really appreciate it". Read more:Gazans 'dying slowly under rubble'Rare colossal squid captured on cameraMixed UK weather over Easter Up to 15 SVT staff work on the broadcast and enjoy lower stress levels, according to project manager Johan Erhag, who said it's cheap, given it delivered more than 500 hours of footage last year. The moose have walked the route for thousands of years, making it easy for the crew to know where to lay almost 12 miles of cable and position 26 remote cameras and seven night cameras. A drone is also used. Around 300,000 of the typically shy and solitary herbivores live in Sweden's woods. The Scandinavian country's largest animal is known as the 'King of the Forest'. A bull moose can reach 6ft 10in at shoulder height and weigh 450kg (992lbs).

Victoria Seabrook, climate reporter
Apr 17
Scientists create lab-grown chunks of chicken in 'breakthrough' that could pave way for larger cuts of meat
In the quest to cultivate meat without the climate impact of farmed animals, scientists have so far only been able to grow tiny chunks of animal cells that have been used to recreate minced meat products like pork meatballs. But a Japanese team has pioneered a new method to grow larger pieces of chicken in a lab, which they say recreates the texture and structure of a piece of meat that has so far proved so elusive. Independent experts have hailed it a "breakthrough" and a "meaningful technical achievement". The researchers involved believe it paves the way for whole cuts of chicken, beef, and fish to be grown in the lab. "Cultured meat offers a sustainable, ethical alternative to conventional meat," said Shoji Takeuchi from Tokyo University, senior author of the paper published this week in peer-reviewed journal Trends in Biotechnology. "However, replicating the texture and taste of whole-cut meat remains difficult. Our technology enables the production of structured meat with improved texture and flavour." Their method used fine hollow fibres that mimic blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients to living chicken muscle cells, growing them into lumps of meat up to 2cm long and 1cm thick, weighing 10 grams. "These fibres are already commonly used in household water filters and dialysis machines for patients with kidney disease. "It's exciting to discover that these tiny fibres can also effectively help create artificial tissues and, possibly, whole organs in the future." Overcoming the 'ick factor' Prof Derek Stewart from The James Hutton Institute, told Sky News: "I'd class this as a technical breakthrough". Dr Rodrigo Amaro-Ledesma from Imperial College London called it a "meaningful technical achievement that they have produced a cultivated chicken meat several centimetres thick". This, combined with other work on fine-tuning flavours and reducing costs, puts us "comfortably on track towards an exciting and appealing new range of products", he said. But in order for cultivated meat products to "hit the supermarket shelves in a big way, they need to also be a hit with consumers". The industry prefers the term "alternative protein" to "lab-grown meat" because it is worried the former gives people the "ick". One survey by the Food Standards Agency found a third of UK consumers would be willing to try lab-grown meat. Although the science has advanced rapidly in recent years, no products have yet been authorised for humans to eat, though they have for pets. But the government wants to change that, last year announcing £15m of funding, topping up £23m from other sources, to try to get them onto our plates in the next two years. That includes speeding up the approvals process so that it can keep up with the evolving science, and lowering currently high input costs. Dr Amaro-Ledesma added: "Cultivated meat is a promising alternative to conventional meat because it offers the potential to reduce environmental impacts (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use), eliminate the need for animal slaughter, and improve food safety by avoiding the use of antibiotics and reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases, amongst other advantages." Lydia Collas, head of natural environment at Green Alliance, said: "We keep seeing exciting breakthroughs towards more sustainable sources of protein, and with decisive action this can be a real opportunity for the UK. "We already have a lead, thanks to our world-leading biotech industry and high food quality and safety standards. "The government's forthcoming industrial strategy must include measures to grow the UK industry, which, according to our research, could add £6.8bn to the UK economy every year and create 25,000 new jobs by 2035."

Mickey Carroll, science and technology reporter
Apr 16
'The end of 4chan as we know it': Why hacking attack could kill notorious internet forum
The concept of 4Chan is simple: anonymous users share pictures and text in forums. Moderators monitor conversations, but the forum is infamous as a place for gory videos, non-consensual pornography and extremist views. The website got mainstream attention in 2014 during Gamergate - a harassment campaign against women in gaming that resulted in bomb threats, death threats and women fleeing their homes. Read more: Why gaming still has a women problem The harassment spread on 4Chan before the discussions were banned and moved to other similar message boards. On Monday, a message appeared on parts of the site with the words: "U GOT HACKED", according to Wired magazine. As the website went down, reports began circulating saying the hackers were a rival internet faction and were releasing the personal details of moderators. "What we're seeing looks like a classic case of cybercriminals turning on each other - a digital turf war," Graeme Stewart, head of public sector at Check Point, told Sky News. "This isn't new. Just as organised crime groups fight for ownership, power, and control in the real world, online gangs splinter, clash, and compete for status and influence." Alon Gal, co-founder of Israeli cybercrime monitoring company Hudson Rock, said the claim of a hack "looks legit" and cited screenshots purporting to show 4chan's backend infrastructure. "What makes this dangerous is that these internal battles can be just as disruptive as external hacks," said Mr Stewart. "When a splinter group goes rogue, it's not just reputation at risk - credentials, communication logs, and access to systems can all be thrown into the fire." Read more from Sky News:Could Meta be forced to sell Instagram and WhatsApp?Sue the government, Sir Alan Bates tells Post Office victimsHow did one of UK's most shocking paedophile rings get away with it? The fact that people's identities are reportedly being leaked could be a particular concern for 4Chan moderators. Emiliano De Cristofaro, a computer science and engineering professor at UC Riverside, told Wired: "There might be some 'high profile' users exposed as moderators - traditionally, 4chan users hate them, so they might be targeted." Although the site appears to be slowly and stutteringly coming back online, it may have suffered fatal damage, according to Mr De Cristofaro. "It might be hard or at least painfully slow and costly for 4chan to recover from this, so we might really see the end of 4chan as we know it," he said.