When astronomers look out into the cosmos, they see supermassive black holes (SMBH) in two different states. In one state, they’re dormant. They’re actively accreting only a tiny amount of matter and emit only faint, weak radiation. In the other, they’re more actively accreting matter and emitting extremely powerful radiation. These are normally called active galactic nuclei (AGN).
Intermittent black hole jets are like a ‘cosmic volcano’
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Engineering and the quest for peace: Experts challenge profession to move beyond weapons and defense
Engineering can create weapons systems or systems for defense and well-being. But can engineering create peace? In a Perspective, Guru Madhavan and colleagues propose an expansive mode of engineering practice that seeks to reduce conflict. [...] -
Estimates of unlicensed online gambling in the Nordic countries vary widely and are often based on non-transparent data sources. This is shown by a new scoping review published in PLOS ONE. Led by researchers from, [...]
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When people encounter racism or discrimination, they don’t all respond in the same way. Some calmly challenge the remark, some file a complaint, others confront the offender aggressively—and many say nothing at all.This post was [...]
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There’s been much published about the Cambridge-Somerville Youth Study, which looked at the impact of intervention on delinquency in young Massachusetts boys. The groundbreaking research followed up with study participants for decades after the fact [...]
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Generative deep learning models are artificial intelligence (AI) systems that can create texts, images, audio files, and videos for specific purposes, following instructions provided by human users. Over the past few years, the content generated [...]
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Academic freedom is often described as a cornerstone of democratic society. Politicians regularly claim to defend it, universities invoke it in mission statements and most members of the public say they support it in principle.This [...]
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Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing our society and economy. A new study shows that the majority of people believe that artificial intelligence is displacing more human labor than it is creating new opportunities. Scientists at [...]
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The House of Lords has voted to back a ban on social media for under-16s, putting pressure on the government ahead of its own upcoming consultation on the matter.This post was originally published on this [...]
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Career pressure—not ideology—causes military officers to protect or overthrow dictators. New research from the Department of Political Science shows that ambition and anxiety can transform “ordinary men” into the regime’s ruthless henchmen—or into those who [...]
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Information that we select for ourselves, such as things we click online, has a stronger impact than passively acquired information on our perception of truth and falsehood.This post was originally published on this site
