What is the meaning of life? Even the best of us couldn’t hope to answer that question in a Universe Today article. But there are those who would try to “constrain” it, at least in terms of physics. A new paper from Pankaj Mehta of Boston University of Jané Kondev of Brandeis that was recently posted to the arXiv preprint server looks at how the fundamental constants of physics might be applied to life as we know it—and even life as we don’t know it yet. Their idea doesn’t necessarily give the answer to the ultimate question, but it does tie two seemingly disparate fields nicely together.
Defining life with constants from physics
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Researchers at the Virginia Tech National Security Institute recently used active open-source intelligence techniques to gain a better understanding of how presidential campaigns use email addresses.This post was originally published on this site
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Overwhelming evidence of genocide against Palestinians: A legal expert unpacks the UN report on Gaza
On September 16, 2025, the UN Independent Commission of Inquiry (COI) on the occupied Palestinian territory including East Jerusalem and Israel issued its third report on the situation in Gaza since October 7, 2023.This post [...] -
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in public administration is increasing worldwide—including in the allocation of social services such as unemployment benefits, housing benefits, and social welfare. However, an international research team from the Max [...]
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For 10 days in April 2025, Pakistan almost came to a standstill. No freight was moving from its only port city, Karachi, towards the population centers in the north. The cause was the government’s announcement [...]
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The UK’s new digital ID card scheme, announced by Keir Starmer on September 26, has two big questions swirling around it. Is it a solution to illegal immigration? And will it give the government too [...]
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When people think about politics, they often imagine elections, protests or politicians arguing on TV—but what if political processes are also shaped by the small, everyday feelings and moments that most of us might not [...]
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How can we get the majority to recognize the discrimination experienced by minorities? A new study examines this question. The results show that both cold facts and warm stories can change perceptions—but in different ways.This [...]
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People actively seeking conspiracy content involving anti-establishment sentiment—distrust in institutions like the media or health care—will find it regularly on TikTok and YouTube.This post was originally published on this site
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As of September 1, 2024, there are 17 states with clear deflection pathways articulated in state law, steering people with substance use and/or mental health disorders away from incarceration, according to new data published by [...]
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Youth protesters in Nepal are in the global spotlight for their angry response to the government’s sweeping social media ban in an apparent attempt to silence their dissent. The government’s actions ignited mass protests—led largely [...]
