NORWAY LAUNCHES 100 MILLION KRONER INITIATIVE TO ATTRACT TOP RESEARCHERS
Norway has introduced a new initiative to attract top international researchers, allocating 100 million kroner (£7.2 million) to ease recruitment efforts. This initiative, launched by the Research Council of Norway, is particularly aimed at scholars from countries facing academic freedom challenges, notably the US under the Trump administration. The fund, which focuses on areas like climate, health, energy, and AI, is set to be expanded due to recent cuts in US academic funding. Norway’s Minister for Research and Higher Education, Sigrun Aasland, emphasized the importance of supporting academic freedom in these uncertain times. This move aligns with similar actions by other European countries like France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, which have introduced schemes to attract US-based researchers facing restrictions. Norway’s initiative is part of a broader effort to safeguard academic freedom and knowledge production in a global context. (The Guardian)
CALIFORNIA STATE BAR FACES BACKLASH OVER AI-ASSISTED EXAM QUESTIONS
The State Bar of California revealed that it used AI to assist in developing 23 of the 171 multiple-choice questions on its February 2025 bar exam, sparking outrage among law faculty and test takers. The disclosure followed complaints about technical issues during the exam, including errors and system malfunctions. ACS Ventures, the company that helped create the AI-assisted questions, along with Kaplan Exam Services and a first-year law student exam, was involved in the question development. Despite the backlash, the State Bar defended the process, stating that all questions were reviewed by experts before being used. Critics, including legal education experts, expressed concerns about the quality of AI-generated questions and the role of non-lawyers in their creation. Additional problems, such as typos and unclear questions, led to a federal lawsuit and calls for an audit. The State Bar plans to seek adjustments to test scores but resists returning to the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ exams. (Ars Technica)
PHYSICIST APPLIES FLUID DYNAMICS TO OPTIMIZE POUR-OVER COFFEE
Physicist Arnold Mathijssen, along with his students, explored the optimal technique for pour-over coffee using fluid dynamics principles. Their research, published in Physics of Fluids, advises pouring water high, slowly, and steadily to maximize coffee flavor while minimizing grounds. This technique ensures better extraction by maintaining water contact with the grounds and enhancing mixing, preventing water from flowing along the filter sides. Their experiment involved simulating water pouring using silica beads, followed by real coffee brewing with varying pour heights. They found that slow pouring with a high pour height increased flavor extraction. The study also highlighted the broader connection between kitchen science and physics, with other experiments inspired by everyday culinary processes. Mathijssen, who primarily studies biological flows, has expanded his research to other kitchen phenomena, such as the behavior of egg yolks and pasta boiling, in his ongoing work on “Kitchen Flows.” (New York Times)
POPE FRANCIS PASSES AWAY AFTER COMA AND STROKE
Pope Francis was found unresponsive by his doctor, Dr. Sergio Alfieri, early Monday morning at the Vatican. Despite having his eyes open and breathing normally, the pope did not respond to calls or stimuli, leading Dr. Alfieri to determine he was in a coma. The pontiff had recently returned to the Vatican after a five-week hospital stay for double pneumonia and was under rest for recovery. Although it was too risky to move him back to the Gemelli hospital, the pope had expressed a wish to die at home. He passed away two hours later from a stroke, with Cardinal Pietro Parolin and the papal staff present. Vatican News reported that Francis managed a final gesture of farewell to his healthcare assistant. A state funeral will be held on Saturday, with world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in attendance. (AP)
MUMMIFIED “DRAGON” IDENTIFIED AS JAPANESE MARTEN FROM 11TH CENTURY
A mummified animal, resembling a “dragon,” previously kept in the Shosoin Repository, has been identified as an adult female Japanese marten through X-ray examination. The mummified body, called “Koryu,” was believed to be a mammal and was long regarded as a mythical creature. The identification was made after a more thorough analysis of its teeth and bones, with radiocarbon dating determining it dates from the mid-11th to mid-12th century. The Koryu mummy, which was previously thought to be a dragon-like creature, is believed to have either died inside the repository or been deliberately placed there. The study also revealed that other animal fossils kept in the repository, such as elephant teeth and deer antlers, were identified as belonging to extinct species, including the Namadicus elephant. Further analysis of items previously thought to be made from ivory and rhinoceros horn confirmed their true origins. (Asahi)
TERRACOTTA MUSICIANS UNEARTHED AT XI’AN AIRPORT MUSEUM
In 2020, construction at Xi’an’s Xianyang International Airport uncovered a remarkable archaeological discovery—28 terracotta musicians from the Sixteen Kingdoms period, sealed in a tomb for over 1,500 years. The musicians, part of a larger find of over 4,000 tombs and 20,000 artifacts, are now on display in a newly built museum in Terminal 5. The museum showcases over 100 artifacts, drawing more than 45,000 visitors in its first month. The airport, built on a floodplain once used as a burial ground, has revealed many significant findings during its expansion. A Tang-style pavilion museum highlights these discoveries, featuring relics like tea sets, ritual objects, and the Qin Gong Bo bronze bell. This museum represents a rare effort to integrate cultural heritage into urban development, with the goal of minimizing damage to archaeological sites while still fostering economic growth. The museum also emphasizes the importance of authentic relics over digital reproductions. (Sixthtone)
GENETIC STUDY CHALLENGES THEORY OF PHOENICIAN DESCENT FROM CANAANITES
A new genetic study of Phoenician remains challenges the long-held belief that the Phoenicians were direct descendants of the Canaanites. While Phoenician culture spread across the Mediterranean after 1000 BCE, archaeological evidence of mass migration had been unclear. The study, published in Nature, analyzed DNA from nearly 400 Phoenician graves spanning the final centuries of the Phoenician Empire. The results revealed that most Phoenician individuals lacked Levantine ancestry, suggesting that the spread of Phoenician culture was more a result of local populations adopting Phoenician practices rather than mass migration. The Phoenicians, originally from the Levant, were genetically diverse, with ancestry from regions including Sicily, Greece, and North Africa. This finding supports the theory that Phoenician settlers in places like Carthage attracted local populations, who integrated into Phoenician culture. The study also highlighted the Mediterranean’s role in connecting distant regions, showing how the Phoenicians’ maritime expertise facilitated cultural exchange and intermarriage. (Science)
ANCIENT REEFS SUGGEST ANIMAL EVOLUTION BEGAN 300 MILLION YEARS EARLIER
A recent study of ancient reefs in the Canadian Rockies, dating back 900 million years, may push back the timeline for animal evolution. These reefs, now preserved in limestone and shale, were once located near the equator but were later moved north due to tectonic activity. Geologist Elizabeth Turner’s 2021 discovery of possible sponge fossils within the Little Dal Group reefs suggests that animals, specifically sponges, may have evolved 300 million years earlier than previously thought—before the Snowball Earth period. This discovery could shift our understanding of the conditions necessary for complex life to evolve. The findings, which could also shed light on how microbial ecosystems evolved to support more complex organisms, were made during a recent field study in which scientists collected rock samples for analysis. The research team aims to determine whether these structures are indeed early sponges or microbial reef formations, both of which would have significant implications for the history of life on Earth. (Nautilus)
Thanks for reading. Let’s be careful out there.
WORDS: The Biology Guy.
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