Science

SpotlightProtection Racket? Asian Semiconductor Giants Fear Looming Tariffs

This is Beirut 14/05 12:15 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump United States USA Washington

Inside one of South Korea's oldest semiconductor research institutes, the cleanrooms and workshops are calm and immaculate, but outside the Seoul National University campus, a chip storm is brewing. Last month, Washington announced a national security probe into imports of semiconductor technology, which could put the industry in the crosshairs ...

Ubisoft Dispatches Gloomy Year with 'Assassin's Creed' Rescue

This is Beirut 14/05 09:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

USA Ubisoft

Earnings data from French games giant Ubisoft is set to show on Wednesday that historic cash-cow series "Assassin's Creed" has saved it from a disastrous year with multiple setbacks. The full results for Ubisoft's 2024-25 financial year, set for release after the Paris stock market closes at 1530 GMT, will be closely watched following a near ...

Inner Workings of AI an Enigma - Even to its Creators

This is Beirut 13/05 11:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

USA AI

Even the greatest human minds building generative artificial intelligence that is poised to change the world admit they do not comprehend how digital minds think. "People outside the field are often surprised and alarmed to learn that we do not understand how our own AI creations work," Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei wrote in an essay posted ...

SpotlightEssential Oils: Potent Natural Remedies with Hidden Risks

Bélinda Ibrahim 11/05 17:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Essential Oils Health Wellness

Lavender, peppermint, tea tree, lemon and ravintsara—essential oils have taken over natural medicine cabinets. They prominently feature in skincare rituals, cosmetic products and home remedies for everything from winter ailments to stress and pain relief. As concentrated extracts from aromatic plants, they embody a return to nature in a world ...

Allergies and Climate: A Ticking Time Bomb for Lebanon’s Public Health

Karl Hajj Moussa 10/05 10:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Allergies Pollen polution Lebanon

Climate change and air pollution are exacerbating seasonal allergies in Lebanon, transforming them into a mounting public health crisis. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts and deteriorating air quality are not only worsening symptoms for allergy sufferers, but also increasing the number of people affected. Experts warn that urgent action is ...

Wolf Protection Downgrade Gets Green Light in EU

This is Beirut 08/05 15:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Wolf Protected Status Downgrade Biodiversity

EU lawmakers on Thursday gave the green light to downgrading wolf protections in the bloc, which will allow hunting to resume under strict criteria. Members of the Bern Convention, tasked with the protection of wildlife in Europe as well as some African countries, agreed in December to lower the wolf's status from "strictly protected" to ...

SpotlightThe Healing Power of Tears: Nature’s Own Painkiller

Bélinda Ibrahim 07/05 12:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Tears Healing Health

Crying. This universal gesture, so often confined to the private sphere or burdened with shame, is in fact one of the most powerful signals the human body can send. We cry in response to pain, loss, injustice or overwhelming emotion – not only to express what words cannot, but also, biologically, to find relief. Emotional tears – distinct ...

SpotlightDetox: Miracle Cure or Marketing Illusion?

Bélinda Ibrahim 04/05 18:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Detox Health Body

At the beginning of each year, following the indulgences of the holidays, or as summer approaches, the concept of “detox” resurfaces with renewed vigor. Celery juice, detoxifying herbal teas, crash diets and supplements with enticing names all promise a purified and lighter body, prepared to embrace the new season. The premise is simple and ...

SpotlightMultiple Sclerosis in Lebanon: A Crisis Beyond the Disease

Makram Haddad 02/05 15:05 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

LAU Multiple Sclerosis

MS is a chronic disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It happens when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the protective layer around nerves, causing communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. This leads to symptoms like trouble walking, vision problems, numbness, bladder issues, fatigue, and sometimes ...

SpotlightShaken Baby Syndrome: A Devastating Form of Abuse

Bélinda Ibrahim 30/04 15:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Shaken Baby Syndrome Damage Child Abuse Baby Health

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is one of the most extreme and tragic forms of child abuse worldwide. Often triggered by a moment of anger or helplessness in response to persistent crying, a single violent shake can cause catastrophic brain injuries in infants – altering the course of a life before it has even begun. Behind this tragic reality lies a ...

Study Links Chemicals In Plastic To Cardiovascular Deaths

This is Beirut 30/04 12:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Plastic Pollution Health Chemicals

Daily exposure to chemicals used for many plastic household items, could be linked to more than 356,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease worldwide in 2018, according to a study published on Tuesday. The study published in the Lancet eBioMedicine journal, led by researchers at NYU Langone Hospital in New York, focused on a phthalate chemical ...

ChatGPT Adds Shopping Help, Intensifying Google Rivalry

This is Beirut 29/04 18:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

US Internet AI CHATGPT Technology

OpenAI announced Monday that ChatGPT is now helping users find products online, enhancing its challenge to Google amid regulatory pressure on the search giant's market dominance. The new shopping capability further blurs the line between AI chatbots and search engines, signaling OpenAI's ambition to compete with Google in a market the ...