New view of old light adds twist to debate over universe’s age

Observations of the cosmic microwave background by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope in Chile suggest that the universe is 13.8 billion years old. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/new-view-old-light-twist-debate-universes-age…

CDC: Most COVID-19 Cases In New York City In March Traced To Europe

schwit1 shares a report from UPI: Up to 75% of the coronavirus strains circulating in New York City in early March shared genetic similarities with those seen in Europe and other areas of North America, according to an analysis published Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings are significant, given that they are based on samples…

7th Former eBay Employee Charged In Cyberstalking Campaign Targeting Natick Couple

A seventh former eBay employee is now facing federal charges in connection with a cyberstalking campaign that allegedly targeted a Natick couple who wrote critical content about the company in its newsletter. From a report: Philip Cooke, 55, of San Jose, Calif. is charged with conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses. Cooke, who was a former Santa…

When is the next Great Comet?

There’s a nice binocular comet – Comet NEOWISE – in the early morning sky now. Some experienced observers are catching it with the eye alone. It’s nice … but not great. When will we see our next Great Comet? Source: https://earthsky.org/space/northern-hemisphere-overdue-for-a-great-comet…

Sprint 5G is No More, as T-Mobile Focuses On its Own Network

A day after formally completing the sale of Boost, Virgin and other Sprint prepaid networks to Dish, T-Mobile is pulling the plug on Sprint 5G. From a report: The move is one in a long list of issues that need sorting out in the wake of April’s $26.5 billion merger. And like a number of other moves, it’s set to leave…

New York Times Investigates How in America ‘the Virus Won’

“Invisible outbreaks sprang up everywhere. The United States ignored the warning signs,” writes the New York Times, in a detailed interactive data visualization. “We analyzed travel patterns, hidden infections and genetic data to show how the epidemic spun out of control.” By mid-February, there were only 15 known coronavirus cases in the United States, all with direct links to China… The…

CRISPR Gene Editing In Human Embryos Wreaks Chromosomal Mayhem

A suite of experiments that use the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 to modify human embryos have revealed how the process can make large, unwanted changes to the genome at or near the target site. Nature reports: The first preprint was posted online on June 5 by developmental biologist Kathy Niakan of the Francis Crick Institute in London and her colleagues. In that…

Unsubscribe: The $0-Budget Movie That ‘Topped the US Box Office’

An anonymous reader shares a report: In normal times, blockbuster movies usually dominate the box office charts. The big-budget productions, directed by the likes of James Cameron, Steven Spielberg and Ridley Scott, regularly draw the biggest crowds at cinemas across the US and beyond. But on 10 June, one box office-topping movie was watched by just two people, in one cinema….

Gizmodo Reports Airbnb ‘Agrees to Rat Out Its Hosts Like NYC Wants It To’

In New York City, Airbnb “has agreed to hand over personal data about its hosts — like their phone numbers and email addresses, along with a full list of every home they’re putting on the platform — in order to help city authorities track down those that flout the city’s regulations,” reports Gizmodo. The city is Airbnb’s largest market in the…

Amazon, Pushing Fashion, Opened Photo Studio As a ‘Warehouse’ Exemption

The New York Times reports that Amazon was playing fast and loose with the rules by opening up a fashion photo studio, claiming it could open under state rules that allowed warehouses and fulfillment operations to operate as essential businesses. From the report: A few days after The Times asked the state about the open studio, Amazon closed it. A manager…