ICYMI: A handful of science and technology updates from November 4 to November 10, 2018.
Mislatel Consortium becomes provisional 3rd PH telco player
Mislatel Consortium has been named the provisional new major player in the Philippine telecommunications market. The consortium is comprised of Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corporation and its logistics arm (Chelsea Logistics Holdings), the state-owned China Telecommunications, and the Mindanao Islamic Telephone Corporation, Inc. (Mislatel). Read the full story.
Study: Wind farms have unexpected impact on wildlife
A team of researchers studied the impact of wind turbine use in the Western Ghats in India. Their findings revealed that the presence of the wind turbines disrupted the local food chain, which likely accounts for the 75% decrease in the presence of predatory raptor birds in the region. Read the full story.
Four base metric system units to be redefined
The General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) have announced four of the base units used in the metric system will be reassessed and redefined: the ampere, kelvin, kilogram, and mole. This will be done to improve measurement stability and precision of measuring devices; however, researchers said that the public likely wouldn’t understand or notice any changes. Read the full story.
Scientists find “lost continent” remnants under Antarctica
Using gravity-mapping satellite data and seismological information, researchers detected a “patchwork of ancient key geological features on the Earth’s lithosphere” under Antarctica’s massive ice sheets. “These gravity images are revolutionizing our ability to study the least understood continent on Earth, Antarctica,” said Fausto Ferraccioli, co-author and science leader of geology and geophysics at the British Antarctic Survey. Read the full story.
Where did the world’s oldest natural mummy come from?
The results of an international DNA study may have finally solved a longstanding, controversial mystery: the famous Spirit Cave mummy – the oldest natural mummy in the world – was a Native American. These findings also dispel the theory that prior to the Native Americans, a group called Paleoamericans occupied North America. Read the full story.
Rainforests in Peru damaged by years of gold mining
New research reveals the devastating impact of small-scale gold mining on Peru’s environment. According to the new analysis, five years of mining activity in the region have resulted in the destruction of over 170,000 acres of primary rainforest in the Peruvian Amazon. Read the full story.
The origin of Earth’s water: solar gas and dust?
According to a new study, Earth’s water may have come from a cloud of gas and dust surrounding the sun. In addition to rocky asteroids that scientists believe may have carried hydrogen to the planet billions of years ago, the solar nebula may have also contributed significantly to Earth’s hydrogen. Read the full story.
Experimental “vaccine” for celiac disease scheduled for testing
Nexvax2, an experimental “vaccine” for celiac disease developed by biotech company ImmusanT Inc., will undergo a new clinical trial. The treatment is said to be a kind of immunotherapy geared towards reprogramming the immune system and improve gluten tolerance. Read the full story.
Cover photo: Raman Deep/Pexels
