The World Health Organization estimates that contaminated drinking water causes 485,000 deaths globally each year. Clean H2O is also not a given across the US, as shown by the long-running Flint water crisis. As one potential solution, experts from Montana Technological University and Arizona State University repurposed SCOBYs to see if they could work as effective, sustainable filters. Their results were published in the American Chemical Society journal ACS ES&T Water in December....

The WHO reported it’s highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases. Additionally, half of US states have announced rises in coronavirus infections. On Sunday, the World Health Organization announced a total of 183,000 new cases of the novel virus, according to Al Jazeera, which marks the highest 24-hour spike yet. Brazil, with 54,771 cases, had the most, followed by the United States with 36,617, and India came after with a daily count of 15,400....

Warning: DIY projects can be dangerous, even for the most experienced makers. Before proceeding with this or any other project on our site, ensure you have all necessary safety gear and know how to use it properly. At minimum, that may include safety glasses, a face mask, and/or ear protection. If you’re using power tools, you must know how to use them safely and correctly. If you do not, or are otherwise uncomfortable with anything described here, don’t attempt this project....

Retinitis pigmentosa is caused by an inherited genetic mutation that causes the retina to degrade over time. Now researchers might have found a way to repair those damaged cells using the gene-editing enzyme CRISPR, according to a study published yesterday in the journal Scientific Reports. 90 percent of retinitis pigmentosa cases are caused by a single mutation on a gene called RGPR. The researchers hypothesized that, if they could insert functional cells without the mutation into patients’ retinas, they could slow—or even eliminate—the retina’s decaying function....

You’re reading this on a computer? How retro. The book industry will soon be far more sophisticated.You might want to think again before you ask for that new camera or computer or cell phone for Christmas once you learn about the environmental havoc your old electronics will wreak — even if you think you’ve recycled them properly.The “water monsters” that survived in polluted canals in Mexico City now could be gone within five years....

Well, uh, making a connection isn’t as easy as it seems. And this is exactly why there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. We’ll walk you through some possible answers, but know that the farther you scroll on this page, the more likely it is that your problem requires a professional fix or a call to your internet service provider. First, make sure you’re reading every character correctly—this is especially important when someone shares a password with you on a handwritten note....

Research out of the University of Helsinki in Finland has found that dogs can pinpoint threatening facial expressions in humans, and the way they look at those angry faces is quite different from how they look at neutral or pleasant faces. The researchers showed 31 domesticated dogs (who are experienced in eye tracking tests and were trained to watch a screen) pleasant, neutral, and threatening human and dog facial expressions....

SelectTV Streaming App makes it easier than ever to see exactly what you want when you want to as the world’s most comprehensive digital media guide. It collects and organizes millions of shows, movies, and clips from all over the web and multiple streaming services, so you spend less time searching and more time just relaxing on the couch. No matter what Dad is looking for: live match of his favorite team, rewatching a childhood classic, or even helping stop wildfires out west, SelectTV Streaming has it all....

With DroneBox, a quadcopter lives most of its life inside a landing pad. The top of the box has solar panels to charge the drone, and it can be connected to the grid too. When the drone wants to fly, the roof retracts and the platform elevates, letting the quadcopter fly free. Or not free, if instead the quadcopter is tethered to its home like a dog leashed in the hard, an alert sentry over a very small area....

But don’t say they’re on a lark. Their funky behavior might look like harmless fun, but that’s only from our unusual perspective. Humans are one of a very small number of animals that regularly, intentionally use toxins to mess with our own mental functions. Despite widespread anecdotes of elephants buzzed on marula fruit, moose smashed on rotting apples, and Carribean monkeys three sheets to the wind after too many piña coladas, most animals refuse hooch under laboratory conditions....

Like all mammals, the platypus nourishes its young with milk. But platypus babies hatch from eggs, a characteristic usually associated with birds and reptiles. By comparing the platypus genome with the genomes of other animals—including the human, mouse, dog, chicken and green anole lizard—the scientists hope to pinpoint which genes are common to all mammals, and when various traits have appeared or disappeared in the mammalian lineage. For example, unlike chickens and lizards, all mammals have a good sense of smell—thanks to a large number of genes that code for odor receptors in the nose....

Despite much-needed rain on this early-October afternoon, only the slimmest sheen of water glistens where the lake should be—and it will disappear within days. The patches of bare earth it will leave behind can easily turn into dust that blows straight into Utah’s largest urban area, Salt Lake City, about 30 miles to the east. Making matters worse, that sediment is full of arsenic. Kevin Perry, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, has covered nearly every inch of this sandy terrain riding (sometimes pushing) a fat-tired bicycle to sample and identify the most erodible patches....

1. Exhumed fumes The scariest entity to emerge from the melt so far is methane, a greenhouse gas 30 times more potent than CO2. Released when formerly frozen matter decomposes in thawed tundra, the gas boosts atmospheric temperatures, defrosting more acreage—a spine-chilling feedback loop. 2. Tiny but tenacious Bacteria that form protected spores, such as tetanus and botulism, are the most likely to pose a threat once defrosted. No one knows how long microbes can survive a hard freeze, but in 2007, scientists reported signs of cellular life in 8-​­million-​year-​old Antarctic ice....

That’s the conclusion of a new study, published Thursday in Science, which quantified the global death toll of the amphibian-killing fungus. “Everyone knew [chytridiomycosis] was terrible, but we didn’t know the exact numbers,” says lead author Ben Scheele, an applied ecologist with the Australian National University. “Our paper quantified the impact as well as pieced together the when and where.” The B. dendrobatidis pathogen species, the main cause of chytridiomycosis, originated in the Korean peninsula, according to a genome study from last year....

If you haven’t picked up weights or taken up running in a while, it may seem impossible to execute a deadlift or run 5 miles without feeling like dying. The best way to approach this, as with all things, is through baby steps, and not forcing yourself to ham it out at the gym right away. You may even want to start by working out while sitting, which FlexStride Pedal Exerciser can help you do....

Ever since my first job—as a paperboy—bikes and bike commuting have been a big part of my professional life. I took that first gig delivering newspapers because it was something I could do on my Mongoose. Since then, I’ve worked as a bike messenger in New York City, a test rider in Connecticut, and gear tester all over the country. I’ve also commuted via two wheels through the burbs of New York, the mountains of Mammoth Lakes, and all over Boston....

And speaking of investments, during our Your Bundle, Your Way event, you can receive an additional 20% off the already discounted price of $119 when you purchase Tykr Stock Screener together with one other product from our collection of apps, software, or online courses with code YOURWAY20. If you opt to buy two or more additional products you will receive 30 percent off with code YOURWAY30. But back to the stock market—it should not be viewed as a get-rich-quick solution....

Microphone A knob on the back of Blue’s Yeti USB mic ­­adjusts the sensitivity of the device’s ­internal ­sensors to let you pick one of four ­recording patterns. Cardioid ­focuses on one person, while bidirectional, stereo, and omni­directional accommodate people anywhere nearby. There are also many other choices when it comes to the best podcast microphone, so check them all out. Pop filter Consonant sounds like buh and puh can create bursts of air called ­plosives that really boom into listeners’ ears....