Phys.org, Author at Spotlight Magazine

Cavity-based underwater lens focuses sound while cutting weight by 40%

In the underwater world, sound is the primary means of communication, as light quickly fades. A Korean research team has developed an underwater acoustic lens capable of focusing sound precisely at a desired point while […]

Why turning off screens is so hard for children—and four tips to make it easier

The challenges and consequences surrounding children’s screen use are a leading concern for UK families.This post was originally published on this site

AI-generated debate replies outscore real politicians on authenticity and coherence

AI-generated impersonations of political figures are judged by members of the public to be more authentic, relevant and coherent than the speakers’ actual debate responses, according to a study appearing in PLOS One, written by […]

Meditation and speaking in tongues: The surprising similarities between two spiritual practices

Do the world’s religions and contemplative traditions send people to the same place—compassion, bliss, awe, a sense of God, awareness or the universe?This post was originally published on this site

Data center fights pit social values, democracy and capitalism against each other

Data center projects continue to generate controversy around the country. In part, that’s because a variety of groups have competing interests—some in favor, some opposed and others with no direct view on data centers themselves […]

The universe is less uniform than we thought—cosmology may need a radical rethink

Modern cosmology rests on a simple assumption: If we look on large enough scales, matter should be distributed evenly, with no preferred direction within the cosmos. This is known as the cosmological principle.This post was […]

XMM-Newton and Chandra help revise distance to Milky Way’s outer spiral arms

The European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton and NASA’s Chandra X-ray space telescopes have spotted the aftermath of three bright explosions echoing through the outer spiral arms of our galaxy, the Milky Way. By measuring the distance […]

Australia wants a ‘digital duty of care.’ But how will we check what big tech is doing?

You expect to be safe when you go to work or when your kids play at the school playground. When you go to the doctor or get financial advice from the bank, you expect they’ll […]

‘I hate you!’: What little kids really mean when they say this

“I hate you. You’re the worst mum in the world!” It’s a sentence that can feel heartbreaking to parents. You try to set a boundary with your little one, and they lash out with “I […]

Orbit overload could devastate astronomy if 1.7 million proposed satellites brighten night sky

A new European Southern Observatory (ESO) study has found that current proposals to launch more than 1.7 million satellites into orbit, including extremely bright ones, would have “devastating consequences for astronomy.” According to the study, […]