As Clarence Thomas faces record unpopularity, Americans want an ethics code for the Supreme Court
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas ended a monthslong saga last week by officially disclosing trips paid for by GOP megadonor Harlan Crow.
2023-09-03 22:24
US Commerce Secretary says there are 'legitimate concerns' with Chinese investment in the US
US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said there are "legitimate concerns" with Chinese investments in the US as it relates to national security.
2023-09-03 22:22
The terrifying time our early ancestors almost became extinct
New research has shown that our early ancestors almost went extinct some 900,000 years ago. Using a new method called FitCoal (fast infinitesimal time coalescent process), researchers analysed the likelihood of present-day genome sequences to project current human genomic variation backwards in time. They applied the technique to the genomes of 3,154 people from 10 African and 40 non-African populations, and found a massive crash in genetic diversity during the transition between the early and middle Pleistocene. “Results showed that human ancestors went through a severe population bottleneck with about 1,280 breeding individuals between around 930,000 and 813,000 years ago,” the study authors wrote in the journal Science. “The bottleneck lasted for about 117,000 years and brought human ancestors close to extinction,” they say. Wiping out roughly 98.7 percent of the ancestral human population, “the bottleneck could also have increased the inbreeding level of our ancestors, thus contributing to the 65.85 percent loss in present-day human genetic diversity,” explained the researchers. This probably happened because of changes in the global climate as short-term glaciations became longer-lasting, triggering a drop in ocean temperatures, prolonged drought, and the loss of large numbers of species that humans might have relied on for food. Then, around 813,000 years ago, populations finally recovered, with a 20-fold increase in numbers because of fire combined with the return of warmer temperatures, researchers reckon. What a near miss, eh? Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-09-03 19:55
Congress poised for messy September as McCarthy races to avoid government shutdown
GOP hardliners in the House are eager to play a game of chicken over the end-of-the-month deadline to fund federal agencies, seeking to force the White House and Senate to make a choice: Accept a slew of conservative priorities or risk a debilitating government shutdown.
2023-09-03 19:27
Saudi’s PIF Takes Control of Country’s Top Steel Producers
Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund is set to create a new national steel giant with the acquisition of
2023-09-03 18:21
DeSantis looks for campaign momentum after leading Florida through Hurricane Idalia
Ron DeSantis is expected to turn his focus once again to his White House bid this week and kickstart a post-Labor Day push for the 2024 Republican nomination that will intensify throughout the fall.
2023-09-03 17:23
After 8 major hurricanes in 6 years, some Gulf Coast communities are hitting a 'tipping point'
Hurricane Idalia was the eighth major hurricane to hit the Gulf Coast in the last six years.
2023-09-03 16:47
Two injured, thousands left without power as Typhoon Haikui approaches Taiwan
Two people have been injured and nearly 10,000 households left without power as Typhoon Haikui approaches Taiwan, the island's official Central News Agency (CNA) reported on Sunday.
2023-09-03 15:48
AI Fused With Trade Data May Finally Smooth Clunky Supply Chains
The dawn of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT may revolutionize the way both the public and private sector
2023-09-03 14:51
Burning Man attendees are still stranded in ankle-deep mud after heavy rains force road closures in the Nevada desert
Tens of thousands of people still can't leave the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert after heavy rains inundated their campsites with ankle-deep mud Saturday -- and more showers are on the way.
2023-09-03 14:26
Taiwan billionaire Terry Gou resigns as Foxconn board member amid bid for presidency
Billionaire businessman Terry Gou has resigned from the board of directors of Foxconn, the world's largest electronics manufacturer, days after announcing his bid for Taiwan's presidency.
2023-09-03 10:19
Oil Industry Elite Hits Singapore to Debate Crude’s Next Twist
Oil’s having a rocky year, swung by jitters over China’s slowdown, OPEC+ supply cuts, and the fallout from
2023-09-03 09:59