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Science

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Science

Ukraine’s new frontier: how space has become critical to balance of the war

In a war driven by drones and battlefield sensors, access to space is essential. After Starlink speed restrictions and Russian Oreshnik missile strikes, Kyiv is racing to develop its own space capabilities For people in the Russian industrial city of Samara on the banks of the Volga, the first they knew of the Ukrainian attack were detonations that sent a column of smoke into the air. If the Kremlin was vague about the target, video footage on social media soon made it clear what had been hit in the early hours of 15 August: the Progress Rocket and Space Centre, manufacturer of Russia’s Soyuz-

The Guardian
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Science

Thunderstruck: what does the future hold for lightning?

Humans have always been awed by the power and beauty of lightning. How does the experience and understanding of it change in a warming world? In a rock shelter in Kakadu national park in the north of Australia is an image of a being the Bininj people call Namarrkon. His flesh bleached away to reveal the bones beneath, he wears stone axes on his head, elbows and knees, and wields a great band of lightning that runs from his ankles up, over his head. Namarrkon is one of the most important of the Bininj creation ancestors: his journey from the coast to the Arnhem Land escarpment helped shape the

The Guardian
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Science

Want to have a better chat? Scientists say the secret is ‘pink noise’

The most enjoyable conversations strike a balance between exploring a topic and pulling in fresh ideas, study finds As an early stab at rules for conversation, Cicero did a fine job: watch your tone, never look bored, never lose your temper and never ramble on, particularly about yourself, he advised. Now scientists have followed in the great orator’s footsteps and discovered a telltale signature of an enjoyable chinwag. The secret of a mutually satisfying exchange is a healthy dose of pink noise, they say. Continue reading...

The Guardian
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