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As a college student, Daniell Koepke started experiencing irritable bowel syndrome symptoms including indigestion, stabbing pains from trapped gas, and severe constipation.

When nothing seemed to help after five years of doctors visits, Koepke decided to try an experimental treatment called a fecal microbiota (or DIY poop) transplant, where a healthy donor's feces is introduced into a patient's gut to repopulate it with "good" microbes. She used her brother and her boyfriend as donors, she told the Netflix documentary "Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut."

FMTs are only approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for C diff. bacterial infections, but scientists are looking into them as a potential treatment for many conditions, including depression, as growing research suggests there is a link between gut health and mental and physical health conditions.

While some of Koepke's symptoms got better, she said she also started experiencing acne like her brother, and later depression like her boyfriend.

A portal linking New York City to Dublin via a livestream has been temporarily shut down after inappropriate behavior ensued, according to the Dublin City Council.

Less than a week after the 24/7 visual art installation was put in place, officials have opted to close it down temporarily after people began to flash each other, grind on the portal, and one person even shared pictures of the twin tower attack to people in New York City. Alternatively, the portal had also been the site of reunions with old friends and even a proposal, with many documenting their experience with the installation online.

The Dublin City Council said that although those engaged in the inappropriate behavior were few and far between, videos of said behavior went viral online.

"While we cannot control all of these actions, we are implementing some technical solutions to address this and these will go live in the next 24 hours," the council said in a Monday statement. “We will continue to monitor the situation over the coming days with our partners in New York to ensure that portals continue to deliver a positive experience for both cities and the world.”


Why we can't have good things.

White House levy to protect US makers from cheap imports likely to inflame trade tensions

The US president, Joe Biden, has announced a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles as part of a package of measures designed to protect US manufacturers from cheap imports.

In a move that is likely to inflame trade tensions between the world’s two biggest economies, the White House said it was imposing more stringent curbs on Chinese goods worth $18bn.

Sources said the move followed a four-year review and was a preventive measure designed to stop cheap subsidised Chinese goods flooding the US market and stifling the growth of the American green technology sector.

As well as a tariff increase from 25% to 100% on EVs, levies will rise from 7.5% to 25% on lithium batteries, from zero to 25% on critical minerals, from 25% to 50% on solar cells, and from 25% to 50% on semiconductors.

A major mistake in setup caused Google Cloud and UniSuper to delete the financial service provider’s private cloud account.

This event has caused a lot of worry about the security and dependability of cloud services, especially for big financial companies.

The outage started in the blue, and UniSuper’s 620,000 members had no idea what was going on with their retirement funds.

Services didn’t start up again until Thursday, and the fund promised its members that investment account amounts would be updated as soon as possible, even though they were still showing numbers from the previous week.

One thing that did help UniSuper get services back up and running was using backups from another service provider.


Always make more than 1 backups in various places, even outside of the active cloud infrastructure service you are using.

TOKYO - As Japan embarks on a major military build-up, it's struggling to fill its ranks with the women that its forces need and its policymakers have pledged to recruit.

Following a wave of sexual harassment cases, the number of women applying to join the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) decreased by 12% in the year ending March 2023, after several years of steady growth. Some victims have said an entrenched culture of harassment could deter women from signing up.

But nine months after the defense ministry pledged to take drastic measures, it has no plans to take action on a key recommendation issued by an independent panel of experts - implementing a national system for reviewing anti-harassment training standards - according to two ministry officials responsible for training.

The government-appointed panel had identified in a report published in August that the military's superficial harassment education - which made only limited mention of sexual harassment - and a lack of centralised oversight of such training were contributing factors to cultural problems within the institution.

The head of the panel, Makoto Tadaki, said some training sessions - one of which Reuters attended - were at odds with the gravity of the situation.

Alabama has become the second U.S. state to say no to cultivated meat, an alternative protein made from animal cells.

The Alabama bill, proposed by Sen. Jack Williams, vice chair of the Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry Committee, and signed into of law on May 7 by Gov. Kay Ivy, prohibits "the manufacture, sale, or distribution of food products made from cultured animal cells."

The new law comes a week after Gov. Ron DeSantis made Florida the first state to ban the sale of so-called lab-grown meat. "We stand with agriculture, we stand with the cattle ranchers, we stand with our farmers, because we understand it's important for the backbone of the state," DeSantis said in a May 1 press conference, the start of National Beef Month.

"Today, Florida is fighting back against the global elite's plan to force the world to eat meat grown in a petri dish or bugs to achieve their authoritarian goals," the DeSantis added.

Apple and Google announced Monday that updated iPhones and Android phones will show alerts warning users that there is a wireless location tracking device nearby, in case the user was not aware they were being tracked and wants to stop it.

The move is the latest sign that the two major platforms are working to fix the downside of wireless trackers — such as Apple’s AirTag — that can be useful for finding lost or stolen objects by displaying their location on a digital map, but can also be used by criminals to track people.

IPhone and Android devices with up-to-date software will receive a message telling them that a Bluetooth tracker is “found moving with you.” Users can then have the tracker play a sound to make it easier to find, and access instructions on how to disable it.

When AirTags were first introduced by Apple in 2021, they quickly found an audience among users who would attach the tiny devices to their keys, luggage or even their car, allowing them to use Apple’s global network of devices and crowdsourced Bluetooth signals to quickly locate their lost objects, such as checked baggage that never arrived after a flight.

Model mustard plant uses the same signals as animals to relay distress

Plants may lack brains, but they have a nervous system, of sorts. And now, plant biologists have discovered that when a leaf gets eaten, it warns other leaves by using some of the same signals as animals. The new work is starting to unravel a long-standing mystery about how different parts of a plant communicate with one another.

Animal nerve cells talk to each other with the aid of an amino acid called glutamate, which—after being released by an excited nerve cell—helps set off a wave of calcium ions in adjacent cells. The wave travels down the next nerve cell, which relays a signal to the next one in line, enabling long-distance communication.

But scientists were investigating something else when they stumbled on their discovery: how plants react to gravity. They developed a molecular sensor that could detect increases in calcium, which they thought might play a role. They bred the sensor, which glows brighter as calcium levels increase, into a mustard plant called Arabidopsis. They then cut one of its leaves to see whether they could detect any calcium activity.


Report

Vessel measuring 15 metres in length sank after encounter with the animals, Spain’s maritime rescue service reports

An unknown number of orcas have sunk a yacht after ramming it in Moroccan waters in the strait of Gibraltar, Spain’s maritime rescue service has said, in the latest in a series of similar incidents involving the animals.

The vessel, Alboran Cognac, which measured 15 metres (49ft) in length and carried two people, encountered the highly social apex predators, also known as killer whales, at 9am local time on Sunday.

The passengers reported feeling sudden blows to the hull and rudder before the boat started taking on water. After alerting the rescue services, a nearby oil tanker took them onboard and transported them to Gibraltar. The yacht was left adrift and eventually sank.

The incident is the latest example of recurring orca rammings around the Gibraltar strait that separates Europe from Africa and off the Atlantic coast of Portugal and north-western Spain. Experts believe them to involve a subpopulation of about 15 individuals given the designation “Gladis”.

OpenAI on Monday launched a new AI model and desktop version of ChatGPT, along with an updated user interface, the company’s latest effort to expand use of its popular chatbot.

The update brings GPT-4 to everyone, including OpenAI’s free users, technology chief Mira Murati said in a livestreamed event. She added that the new model, GPT-4o, is “much faster,” with improved capabilities in text, video and audio. OpenAI said it eventually plans to allow users to video chat with ChatGPT.

“This is the first time that we are really making a huge step forward when it comes to the ease of use,” Murati said.

OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, has been valued by more than $80 billion by investors. The company, founded in 2015, is under pressure to stay on top of the generative AI market while finding ways to make money as it spends massive sums on processors and infrastructure to build and train its models.

GameStop stock (GME) soared as much as 110% Monday before paring gains, and it was halted for volatility numerous times after "Roaring Kitty," the person who is seen as the kick-starter of the meme stock frenzy during the pandemic, posted online for the first time since 2021.

The stock crossed above $30 per share on Monday to close up 75%. Shares had been on an upward trend, rising about 60% over the past two weeks.

"Roaring Kitty," who was identified that year as Keith Gill, became a prominent figure on the WallStreetBets subreddit and YouTube for his bullish stance on GameStop (GME).

Sunday's post on X, formerly known as Twitter, included a meme of a video gamer leaning forward, appearing to take the game seriously. The post received more than 81,000 likes and 9,000 comments. The last time Roaring Kitty posted on X was in June 2021.

Amazon’s self-driving robotaxi unit is being investigated by the U.S. government’s highway safety agency after two of its vehicles braked suddenly and were rear-ended by motorcyclists.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website Monday it will evaluate the automated driving system developed by Zoox.

Both crashes involved Toyota Highlander SUVs with autonomous driving technology. They happened during daytime hours, and the agency confirmed that each of the Amazon vehicles was operating in autonomous mode leading up to the crashes. In one crash a motorcyclist suffered minor injuries, and a Zoox driver reported minor injuries in the other, according to reports. Both happened last month, one in San Francisco and the other in Spring Valley, Nevada.

The agency said the probe will focus on the performance of the company’s automated driving system during the crashes, as well as how it behaves in crosswalks around pedestrians and other vulnerable road users.

WASHINGTON, May 13 (Reuters) - Major U.S. airlines are suing the U.S. Transportation Department over a new rule requiring upfront disclosure of airline fees, the latest clash between air carriers and the Biden administration.

Airlines for America, along with American Airlines (AAL.O), Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), United Airlines (UAL.O), JetBlue Airways (JBLU.O), Hawaiian Airlines (HA.O), and Alaska Airlines (ALK.N), filed suit against the department (USDOT) in the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals late on Friday, according to a copy of the suit seen by Reuters.

The USDOT issued final rules last month requiring airlines and ticket agents to disclose service fees alongside the airfare, saying it would help consumers avoid unneeded or unexpected fees.

The airline group said in a statement on Monday the department's rule would confuse consumers and that its "attempt to regulate private business operations in a thriving marketplace is beyond its authority."
The airlines' previously unreported lawsuit calls the rule "arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion and otherwise contrary to law."

Two “panda dogs” in a new exhibit are actually Chow Chows dyed black and white, state media reported, citing zoo officials.

HONG KONG — A zoo in China has been accused of trying to deceive visitors with a pair of dogs dyed black and white to look like panda bears.

Videos circulating on Chinese social media show the two “panda dogs” in an exhibit at Taizhou Zoo in the eastern province of Jiangsu that opened on May 1. Though the animals are patterned to look like pandas, which are endemic to China and an international symbol of the country, their wagging tails give them away.

Zoo officials told Chinese state media that they were Chow Chows — a fluffy dog breed originally from northern China — painted black and white to resemble giant pandas, adding that they had clearly advertised them as “panda dogs” and did not make any false claims.

The dogs are still at the zoo, officials told NBC News by phone on Friday, where the number of people coming to see them remained “at a normal level.”

A new catalyst made from an inexpensive, abundant metal and common table sugar has the power to destroy carbon dioxide (CO2) gas.

In a new Northwestern University study, the catalyst successfully converted CO2 into carbon monoxide (CO), an important building block to produce a variety of useful chemicals. When the reaction occurs in the presence of hydrogen, for example, CO2 and hydrogen transform into synthesis gas (or syngas), a highly valuable precursor to producing fuels that can potentially replace gasoline.

With recent advances in carbon capture technologies, post-combustion carbon capture is becoming a plausible option to help tackle the global climate change crisis. But how to handle the captured carbon remains an open-ended question. The new catalyst potentially could provide one solution for disposing of the potent greenhouse gas by converting it into a more valuable product.

The study will be published in the May 3 issue of the journal Science.

“Even if we stopped emitting CO2 now, our atmosphere would still have a surplus of CO2 as a result of industrial activities from the past centuries,” said Northwestern’s Milad Khoshooei, who co-led the study. “There is no single solution to this problem. We need to reduce CO2 emissions and find new ways to decrease the CO2 concentration that is already in the atmosphere. We should take advantage of all possible solutions.”

“We’re not the first research group to convert CO2 into another product,” said Northwestern’s Omar K. Farha, the study’s senior author. “However, for the process to be truly practical, it necessitates a catalyst that fulfills several crucial criteria: affordability, stability, ease of production, and scalability. Balancing these four elements is key. Fortunately, our material excels in meeting these requirements.”

The recall underscores the FDA's challenge in keeping pace with innovation in healthcare technology. While criticisms regarding the agency's slow processes are common, recent efforts indicate a commitment to enhance oversight of healthcare tech. This includes organizational changes within the Office of Strategic Partnerships and Technology Innovation. Yet, the question remains: Can new bureaucratic measures effectively address the FDA's shortcomings?

The US Food and Drug Administration has issued a Class 1 recall for an iOS app that interfaces with an insulin pump due to a software glitch causing the app to crash and automatically restart. This intermittent malfunction drains the pump's battery and may lead to premature shutdown. Such a shutdown halts insulin delivery, posing risks of hyperglycemia or diabetic ketoacidosis.

As of April 15, 2024, there have been no reported deaths, but 224 individuals have reported injuries. A Class 1 recall, the most severe, is initiated when injuries or fatalities are possible, as per the FDA's classification system.

The affected product, the t:slim X2 Insulin Pump Mobile App version 2.7, is manufactured by Tandem Diabetes Care. The company has issued a recall and advises customers to update to version 2.7.1 or later. The recalled version of the app was distributed between February 12 and March 13, 2024, affecting 85,863 devices in the US.

Healthcare apps for mobile devices and smartphones have become commonplace, with new applications released regularly.

Days ago, Steam was banned entirely in Vietnam, and it's unclear as to why.

Vietnamese players took to Steam forums, saying all of the country's internet providers blocked access to both Valve's app and browser. One commenter said they spoke to someone who claimed the order came "from above."

At time of writing, neither Valve or anyone from Vietnam's government have spoken on the matter.

Per a translated story from VietnamNet, the ban may be connected to domestic publishers. A representative for one domestic publisher claimed Steam can put out games in the country without having to seek permission from the local government like Vietnamese developers have to.

Genes inherited from Denisovans, extinct human relatives, may help Papua New Guineans in the lowlands fight off infection, while mutations to red blood cells may help highlanders live at altitude.

Papua New Guineans, who have been genetically isolated for millennia, carry unique genes that helped them fight off infection — and some of those genes come from our extinct human cousins, the Denisovans.

The research also found that highlanders and lowlanders evolved different mutations to help them adapt to their wildly different environments.

"New Guineans are unique as they have been isolated since they settled in New Guinea more than 50,000 years ago," co-senior study author François-Xavier Ricaut, a biological anthropologist at the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), told Live Science in an email.

Not only is the predominantly mountainous terrain of the island country particularly challenging, but infectious diseases are also responsible for more than 40% of deaths.

AC/DC have shared a photo of their new line-up ahead of their first tour in eight years.

The current incarnation of the legendary Australian rock band features classic members Brian Johnson (vocals) and Angus Young on vocals and lead guitar respectively alongside rhythm guitarist Stevie Young, drummer Matt Laug, and bassist Chris Chaney.

Stevie Young is the nephew of Angus and has been playing with the band for several years, initially filling in for Malcolm Young when he was diagnosed with dementia. After he passed away in 2017, Stevie remained with the band.

Laug, meanwhile, made his debut with AC/DC at Power Trip festival in Indio, California back in October after classic drummer Phil Rudd revealed he would not be performing at what was the band’s first live show in seven years.

Chaney is best known for his time playing in Jane’s Addiction and recently replaced Cliff Williams after he retired from touring.

Richard “Rick” Slayman had the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in March at the age of 62.

The first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died nearly two months after he underwent the procedure, his family and the hospital that performed the surgery said Saturday.

Richard “Rick” Slayman had the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in March at the age of 62. Surgeons said they believed the pig kidney would last for at least two years.

The transplant team at Massachusetts General Hospital said in a statement it was deeply saddened by Slayman’s passing and offered condolences to his family. They said they didn’t have any indication that he died as a result of the transplant.

The Weymouth, Massachusetts, man was the first living person to have the procedure. Previously, pig kidneys had been temporarily transplanted into brain-dead donors. Two men received heart transplants from pigs, although both died within months.