Science

Inner Workings of AI an Enigma - Even to its Creators
Inner Workings of AI an Enigma - Even to its Creators

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 ...

Essential Oils: Potent Natural Remedies with Hidden Risks
SpotlightEssential Oils: Potent Natural Remedies with Hidden Risks

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

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
Wolf Protection Downgrade Gets Green Light in EU

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 ...

The Healing Power of Tears: Nature’s Own Painkiller
SpotlightThe Healing Power of Tears: Nature’s Own Painkiller

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 ...

Detox: Miracle Cure or Marketing Illusion?
SpotlightDetox: Miracle Cure or Marketing Illusion?

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 ...

Multiple Sclerosis in Lebanon: A Crisis Beyond the Disease
SpotlightMultiple Sclerosis in Lebanon: A Crisis Beyond the Disease

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 ...

Shaken Baby Syndrome: A Devastating Form of Abuse
SpotlightShaken Baby Syndrome: A Devastating Form of Abuse

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
Study Links Chemicals In Plastic To Cardiovascular Deaths

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
ChatGPT Adds Shopping Help, Intensifying Google Rivalry

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 ...

Less-Thirsty Rice Offers Hope in Drought-Stricken Chile
Less-Thirsty Rice Offers Hope in Drought-Stricken Chile

A cold, dry part of Chile might not sound like the best place to grow rice, a famously thirsty grain that thrives in tropical conditions. But a new strain of the world's favorite cereal developed by scientists in the drought-plagued South American country has generated hope that rice can be grown in seemingly inhospitable conditions. Using ...