From the article: New research published in Behavioral Sciences investigates the role emotional regulation strategies may play in preventing post-traumatic stress disorder after pet loss. The findings indicate that those who engage in adaptive strategies tend to have increased attachment to their pet and decreased pain after their passing.

Pets have been a component of the human experience for thousands of years. However, we have only recently begun studying these unique relationships’ physiological and psychological consequences. According to the research team, 67% of Americans own pets, while the pet industry in China has increased by 2000% in the last ten years.

From the article: In the study, 112 healthy volunteers between the ages of 18 and 40 took part. Their guilt was measured at the beginning using questionnaires including the state shame and guilt scale (SSGS). This questionnaire asks people whether they feel remorse or bad about something they’ve done. Next, the participants did an exercise intended to make them feel more guilty. The exercise involved writing a story about a time they had treated someone they loved unfairly.

The participants were then divided into three groups. One group received a “deceptive placebo”: a blue pill they were told was a real drug. Specifically, they were told that the pill contained phytopharmacon, a substance designed to reduce the feeling of guilt by making whoever took it feel calmer.

Another group received an “open-label placebo” – the same blue pill, but this group was told it was a placebo. They were told that placebos benefit many people through mind-body self-healing mechanisms.

The third group did not receive any treatment at all. This was the “control” group.

After getting the treatment, the guilty feelings were measured using the same questionnaires to see whether the deceptive placebo or open-label placebo was more effective than no treatment.

From the article: A new paper published in Science describes the chemistry behind a novel lithium-air battery, an innovative design which could potentially provide way more energy density than traditional li-ion battery technology. It could serve as a real breakthrough for the battery market and a possible revolution for transportation and heavy-duty vehicles such as airplanes, trains and even submarines.

The new battery can sustain more than 1,000 recharge cycles with just a small five percent drop in energy efficiency and zero impact on coulombic efficiency. This means that all the initial battery material was still active, with no irreversible side reactions during the charge/recharge cycles.

The design conceived by researchers at the Illinois Institute of Technology uses a solid electrolyte based on a ceramic-polyethylene oxide composite, which is safer and more efficient compared to liquid electrolytes. Ceramic and polymer materials used as solid electrolytes have their own downsides when used separately but when combined, they can provide both the high ionic conductivity of ceramic and the high stability of the polymer.

From the article: As many as 15 million people live in areas that could be flooded by a natural dam failing at a glacial lake, according to the first global analysis of the hazard.

Tom Robinson at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand and his colleagues identified glacial lakes in satellite imagery. They then determined the number of people living within 50 kilometres of each lake, and within 1 kilometre of the river where water would flow in the event of a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF). These floods can happen when an ice or rock dam holding back a glacial lake fails, or a rock slide sends water sloshing over a natural dam.

The researchers found up to 15 million people could be affected, with 9 million in the Himalayas, 2.5 million in the Andes and 2.2 million in the Alps. More than half of the 15 million live in either India, Pakistan, Peru or China.

Outburst floods are unlikely at many glacial lakes, and the study presents a simplified view of the areas any flooding would affect, says Simon Allen at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, but he says the global view helps draw attention to vulnerable and understudied regions.

From the article: Apple plans to introduce new 13-inch MacBook Air, 11.1-inch iPad Pro, and 13-inch iPad Pro models with OLED displays in 2024, according to display industry analyst Ross Young, who has a proven track record with Apple rumors. Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also expects the first MacBook with an OLED display to launch next year.

Young previously said the new MacBook Air and iPad Pro models would use "two-stack" OLED displays with two red, green, and blue emission layers for increased brightness. He also said all of the devices would support ProMotion for up to a 120Hz refresh rate.

All existing iPads and MacBooks are equipped with backlit LCD displays, whereas OLED displays have self-emitting pixels and do not require backlighting, allowing for higher contrast ratio, greater color accuracy, and lower power consumption. Apple already uses OLED displays for the latest Apple Watch and iPhone models, excluding the iPhone SE.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Ultra is expected to switch to a microLED display in 2024, and other Apple products will likely follow over the course of several years. microLED will be the next display technology that Apple adopts after OLED, paving the way for even higher contrast ratio, increased brightness, and lower power consumption.