Era la fine del secolo, anzi del millennio. Eravamo nella grande aula magna dell’Università Tecnica di Stoccarda, in Keplerstraβe. Molti i partecipanti ad una delle ultime “Photogrammetrische Woche” biennali, governate da Carl Zeiss sin dall’origine.

Accanto a me c’era Friedrich Ackermann, che sino al ’92 era stato direttore dell’Istituto di Fotogrammetria ed ora ne era felice pensionato, Ci si dava del “tu” (duzen, in tedesco) sin da quando era stato, ospite del professor Luigi Mussio e mio, nel Politecnico milanese (ne parlo nel mio librino “Topografi e fotogrammetri fra cronaca e storia”, edito da Maggioli. “Fritz” aveva due anni meno di me). Sul palco vi era un nuovo oratore ed improvvisamente si alzò per aria una specie di giocattolo con motori ad elica, un vero ma piccolissimo elicottero, fra lo stupore dei presenti ma non di Fritz che ne era ben a conoscenza. 

Oggi purtroppo tutti parlano di droni, senza saperne la storia ma ben consci che si tratta di strumenti letali, che giungono a frotte sui fronti ucraini e del Libano recandovi morte e distruzione. Ne dirò qualcosa, ma di quelli fotogrammetrici soltanto; ne ho già parlato molto nei miei articoli e nei miei libri. 

Noti negli ambienti militari USA sin dalla metà del

The transportation planning world has had various bogeymans — unsafe streets, urban highways, and lately Project 2025. The latter is a report officially called “Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise” published by the Heritage Foundation, a famous conservative think tank in the United States. The document has a detailed plan, to “save” America, touching all areas in our society — which, of course, includes transportation. But do not let the name hinder its content, as a simple reading of its ideas will reveal concerning issues. 

The report proposes various plans with very questionable arguments. For instance, one of the most notable proposals is to limit or cut funding for mass transit. Chapter 19 of the report, which is dedicated to all things transportation, proposes to abolish the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program. An article published by the Center for American Progress does a great job analyzing what this would mean for our nation; in their words the proposals on Project 2025 “could devastate local transit systems, hurt families, and undermine economic growth,” cutting off billions of federal dollars to major transit agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City or the other 2,147 active transit agencies that also receive funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

The attack on America’s transit does not stop there. The paper blames investments in transit for the Highway Trust Fund’s insolvency. Consequently, proposing to cut transit from the Trust Fund.

This is problematic for two reasons. The first is the belief that transit should provide profit, like a business. The key difference is that mass transit is not a business; it is a public good that provides enormous benefits. This can be seen in the way funding is provided. The funding for transit is given through various core programs such as the “Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program,” which provides funding for projects that may reduce emissions of transportation-related air pollutants, or the “Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT formula program),” which provides funding for transportation infrastructure resiliency projects. Mass transit checks all these boxes, making it a single solution for various issues. 

It is also important to note that highways are not the prodigal son in our transportation system, as the government also subsidizes roads. According to a report by the Frontier Group, “Since 1947, the amount of money spent on highways, roads and streets has exceeded the amount raised through gasoline taxes and other so-called ‘user fees’ by $600 billion (2005 dollars).” The big bucks are spent to save highways (that can’t seem to pay for themselves either), but the authors do not seem to care. This shows a double standard. Roads can’t pay for themselves but transit always should? The authors also don’t account for a key difference: transit is better for public health, and efficiency, and takes vehicles off the road by promoting a more sustainable mode of transportation at a time when climate change is looming. Transit makes America’s big metropolises work and makes communities more resilient.

Before we get to the second point, some context on how the Trust Fund budget is organized is necessary. The Trust Fund has two main accounting mechanisms: the highway and the transit account. Historically, the transit portion has always been smaller than the highway portion, specifically 4 to 1 (even though, in practice, it receives even less than that). For instance, for the year 2022, the total revenue of the Trust Fund was $48 billion. From this amount, $42 billion went to the highway account and $6 billion to the transit account (a ratio of 7 to 1).

According to a publication from the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to addressing America’s long-term fiscal challenges by 2034, the Trust Fund will be in a deficit of $280 billion. Hence, let’s say we took transit out of the budget (and for calculation purposes, we are going to assume each year $6 billion on transit is spent), that would mean that by 2034 there would still be a $220 billion deficit left.

This means that even if we take transit spending from the budget, most of the deficit would still be there, but millions of Americans would be negatively affected by the lack of funding for transit.

If the Project 2025 authors would like to actually help solve the deficit, they should look at something more problematic: the fact that the federal gas tax has not kept up with inflation. Since 1993, the gas tax has not been raised from 18.4 cents a gallon. If the gas tax had kept up with inflation it would almost be around 40 cents a gallon, and if we take into consideration that 80 percent of the Highways Trust Fund comes from the gas tax, then a big shortfall can be discovered. According to the Congressional Research Service (CRS), a single penny added to the federal gas tax would provide the trust fund between $1.7 billion and $1.8 billion a year.

Once again, motorists are not paying their fair share, yet transit is still to blame? It is also important to note that, as more vehicles abandon fossil fuels as their main energy source, the gas tax will stop being effective and a new way of funding the trust fund will be needed. For example, a great one is a vehicle miles traveled (or VMT) tax, which would charge all vehicles for their travel, regardless of the energy source.

The paper also highlights the need to stop recent goals set by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). It calls for the abolishment of Vision Zero as federal policy, calling it a Biden administration tactic to cause congestion for automobiles. It also argues to stop equity goals, saying it is a “nebulous concept” and that both Vision Zero and this are only  “goals of progressive activists” and implying they are both not “practical goals.” That is simply untrue. In 2022, there were 42,514 deaths from motor vehicle crashes. Policies such as Vision Zero recognize that a significant portion of these are preventable and that traffic-related deaths are not a fact of life.

Calling reducing traffic deaths a non-practical goal is insulting to the hundreds of thousands of families who have lost someone because of mistakes that could have easily been fixed with basic traffic calming measures. While Vision Zero sometimes reduces speeds, it is not done at the expense of inconveniencing motorists, but rather for the sake of saving lives, which far outweighs any five- or ten-minute delay in a motorist’s commute.

Additionally, the abolition of equity goals would not be concerning if the country’s past were not so problematic. But the built environment is long-lived, and any action made 50 or 70 years ago is still alive and well today. Practices such as redlining or the highways constructed in the name of urban renewal that displaced and destroyed minority communities might not be legal now, but their effects are still clearly felt in communities today.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) passed under the Biden Administration in 2021 included plans such as the Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Program, which aims to fix mistakes from the past by reversing transportation policies that were used to divide communities, emphasizing principles of equity and justice in our system. For the fiscal year of 2023, the program has provided hundreds of millions of dollars of financial support to more than 130 communities across the country. The BIL has also provided the resources for the creation of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program which provides, for five years, billions of dollars to address the rise of preventable deaths in our nation and improve safety on our roads. The program so far has been a success, with funds provided to hundreds of communities across all U.S. and Puerto Rico — with half of the funds specifically benefiting underserved communities.

Calling for the abolition of equity and Vision Zero goals could endanger programs like these, taking us backward and keeping our communities divided and our roads lethal. Ignoring  these issues, which is what the authors of chapter 2019 of the Mandate document are trying to do, will not change the past (or present), and will only create a future where our communities are still damaged.

The paper also critiques Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and new calls by the Biden Administration to increase fuel economy requirements. It calls them unrealistic goals for most internal combustion engine automakers and calls for loosening the standards.

When arguing for this, the authors suddenly comically care about traffic deaths and air pollution (despite clear efforts to abolish programs such as Vision Zero and Reconnecting Communities), blaming CAFE standards for the rise in traffic deaths, arguing that increased vehicle prices — caused by fuel efficiency requirements — have forced people to drive older, less safe cars. In reality, roads have become more dangerous because of the continued investment in car-dependent infrastructure, making our country’s roads into hostile environments (even for people inside other motor vehicles). The bigger issue here is not older vehicles, but car dependency and road designs that prioritize speed over human safety.

Our roads are also dangerous because of a loophole exploited by automakers inside CAFE standards. Originally CAFE standards worked as intended, but automakers found a way to avoid these restrictions.

CAFE standards required vehicles to gradually increase fuel efficiency annually, yet at the time there was a big push from car lobbyists that SUVs and trucks should have less stringent restrictions than sedans and station wagons. Back then (1970s), SUVs and trucks represented less than a quarter of new cars sold; hence, it did not seem like a big issue. However, automakers took advantage of this by producing larger, heavier cars — often SUVs and trucks — that could bypass these regulations, which in turn made roads more dangerous.

If the Project 2025 authors really cared about road safety and air pollution it would call for the correction of this loophole, finally obligating automakers to properly comply with the standards and to invest and support Vision Zero and transportation equity-related policies. It would not idolize ICE-powered vehicles — fantasizing about some sort of utopian future in which we still use highly polluting finite resources such as fossil fuels. Loosening CAFE standards would be a step in the wrong direction. Controlling emissions is still primordial to our climate goals, and further investing in outdated technologies will set us back on the path of a leading nation in a changing future.

Clearly Project 2025’s authors envision a future where car usage is nonbothered and prioritized over all forms. A future where road users are not equal but rather ranked by their ability to own a motor vehicle or stand out of a motorist's way. A future where the safety of vulnerable road users is considered impractical and where the mistakes of the past remain uncorrected. They also envision a future in which we are still dependent on fossil fuels, ignoring the looming threat of climate change. 

Despite the fact that former president Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, this document is still relevant to current politics and has a big influence in the national conversation. It is favored and developed by various members of the conservative party (including many of Trump’s closest policy advisers, people who would likely have high-ranking positions in a future conservative administration, regardless of the outcome of the 2024 election), which makes its possible future impact still a possibility. 

As working professionals in the transportation industry, citizen advocates, or anyone interested in the future of America’s transportation system, we need to make sure to protect it, and ensure its future is not deterred by backward,misguided policies that will destroy the progress of the last few decades.

• Project 2025
• Transportation Policy
• Transportation Politics
• Gas Tax
• Highway Trust Fund
• Vision Zero
• Federal Transit Administration
• CAFE standards
• Public Transit Funding

In the wake of a court ruling that invalidated a Los Angeles law that would have phased out oil production in the city, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a trio of state laws that clarify local governments’ ability to regulate and prohibit oil extraction. The law, AB3233, “the law acknowledges the traditional role of local governments in exercising land use controls to protect the public health and safety of their residents.”

According to an article by Julia Smith on Legal Planet, “The other two laws in this package will have important effects as well, most especially for disadvantaged communities that are overburdened by pollution from oil and gas production activities.”

Assembly Bill 1866 increases fees on idle wells — uncapped wells that are not producing oil or gas but emit harmful pollutants into the surrounding air and soil — and calls on producers to cap these wells. AB 2716 requires the operator of the Inglewood Oil Field, California’s largest urban oilfield, to identify and cap low-producing wells by 2026 and shut down the entire field by 2030.

• Oil Extraction
• Inglewood Oil Field
• Oil Drilling
• Fossil Fuels

New York City’s Planning Commission approved the proposed ‘City of Yes’ zoning reform package that would promote more housing development in the city, putting it one step closer to being implemented. But as Ethan Stark-Miller notes in AM NY, the proposal still faces opposition in City Council, primarily from council members representing low-rise outer-borough neighborhoods. “Yet a survey of 1,733 registered city voters released Wednesday told a different story — with 72% of those polled approving of the plan and only 22% opposing it.”

Dan Garodnik, chair of the commission, said the plan “is designed to maintain the character of various neighborhoods around the city, despite concerns that it would do the opposite.”

According to Stark-Miller, “The zoning text amendment contains eight core proposals including eliminating a requirement that new residential buildings add off-street parking, allowing developers who build affordable units in their projects to increase the number of dwelling units by 20% and over depending on the zoning district and authorizing small apartment buildings near all train stations.” The plan also supports office conversion and accessory dwelling units (ADUs).

On Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who has been a staunch supporter of the City of Yes plan,  was indicted on five federal counts, throwing the rest of his administration into question.

• New York City
• City of Yes
• Zoning
• Zoning Reform
• Housing Supply
• Density
• housing affordability
• Affordable Housing
• Accessory Dwelling Units
• Office Conversion
• Adaptive Reuse

If you’re a gamer who craves variety, new releases, and non-stop action, we’ve got the perfect deal for you. Get 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for just $36.49 (regularly $50) and unlock access to over 500 high-quality games across console, PC, and even mobile devices. And here’s the kicker: You can stack up to 5 codes, giving you a whopping 15 months of gaming goodness.

With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you’ll never run out of games to play. Be the first to dive into day-one releases from top studios like Bethesda Softworks and Xbox Game Studios. You’ll have access to major titles like Starfield, Forza Motorsport, and Minecraft Legends the moment they drop—no waiting.

One of the coolest perks of Game Pass Ultimate is its flexibility. Whether you’re at home on your Xbox Series X, working from your PC, or chilling on your couch with your mobile device, you can take your gaming with you. Thanks to cloud gaming, you don’t even need to download anything. Just fire up your favorite game on the Xbox app or xbox.com and start playing.

Game Pass Ultimate isn’t just about Xbox games. You’ll also get access to EA Play, which means more games from franchises like Madden, Battlefield, and The Sims. You can even enjoy 10-hour trials of select new EA games, giving you a sneak peek before committing to a full purchase.

Want to lock in your gaming for longer? No problem! You can buy up to 5 stackable codes, giving you up to 15 months of non-stop access to everything Xbox Game Pass Ultimate has to offer. It’s perfect for new users and existing subscribers alike, and the codes are global, so they work no matter where you are.

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The post Epic gaming awaits with 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for $36.49 appeared first on Popular Science.

As extreme heat continues to be the leading cause of climate-related deaths in the U.S., experts emphasize the need for improved tracking, response strategies, and community awareness. While the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported 2,300 heat-related deaths last year, studies suggest the actual toll may be much higher, with California among the hardest-hit states. Efforts are underway to create more effective heat warning systems, including a new pilot program in California aimed at improving the availability of real-time data on how heat affects individuals, potentially guiding more immediate protective measures in homes, schools, and workplaces.

Communities are exploring various strategies to combat extreme heat, such as planting more trees, increasing access to air conditioning, and establishing cooling centers. However, experts argue that more targeted information is needed to ensure people can make informed decisions about their exposure to heat. Researchers are now studying how individual physiological differences affect responses to heat, which could lead to personalized heat warnings. For example, mobile apps could provide tailored recommendations based on current weather conditions and personal health data to help individuals avoid dangerous heat exposure.

California has already begun implementing its Extreme Heat and Community Resilience Program, which allows local governments and organizations to apply for grants to develop cooling strategies such as increasing shade and making buildings more heat-reflective. In addition, UCLA's new Center for Heat Resilient Communities is spearheading efforts to develop a comprehensive blueprint for building heat-resilient communities. Over the next three years, the program will collaborate with 30 communities nationwide to field-test practical solutions, aiming to help local areas adapt to increasing heat risks and improve public health outcomes.

• Extreme Heat
• Heat Deaths
• Climate Change
• Climate Resilience
• Cooling Centers

Although penicillin was discovered on September 28, 1928 by Andrew Fleming, a British physician and professor of bacteriology at St. Mary’s Hospital in London, it took fourteen years for the first civilian patient to receive treatment. Such a long delay to deliver what Popular Science called one of 1943’s top ten “triumphs in medicine” of all time seems unconscionable. In the decades since, it has been estimated that penicillin has saved more than 500 million lives. But word of Fleming’s discovery was slow to spread, the therapeutic implications weren’t entirely clear, and penicillin turned out to be quite difficult to manufacture. 

Fleming, who admittedly discovered penicillin by chance, is reported to have said, “When I woke up just after dawn on September 28, 1928, I certainly didn’t plan to revolutionize all medicine by discovering the world’s first antibiotic, or bacteria killer. But I guess that was exactly what I did.” 

He had been conducting experiments with common staphylococcal bacteria, or staph, but left an uncovered petri dish by an open window during a vacation in Scotland. When he returned, the dish looked different. It had the usual clusters of bacterial colonies, except for one spot covered in mold. “In the broth,” Fleming later wrote, “the mould grows on the surface as a white fluffy growth changing in a few days to a dark green felted mass.” Around the “felted mass” the broth was clear—nearby bacterial colonies seemed to have been killed by mold secretions.

Fleming continued to experiment with what he called “mold juice,” eventually isolating the Penicillium fungus as the bacteria slayer. He published his findings in 1929 in the British Journal of Pathology with only passing reference to the ramifications penicillin might have to treat patients suffering from serious infections such as pneumonia, scarlet fever, gonorrhea, or meningitis. Fleming seemed more focused on its implications for helping scientists who study bacteria. “In addition to its possible use in the treatment of bacterial infections,” he wrote, “penicillin is certainly useful to the bacteriologist for its power of inhibiting unwanted microbes in bacterial cultures so that penicillin insensitive bacteria can be readily isolated.” 

A decade after Fleming published his work, Howard Florey, Ernst Chain and others at Oxford University sought ways to manufacture penicillin at scale, which meant cultivating massive quantities of Penicillium. But they struggled to grow enough mold. Their production was so scant, in fact, that they ran out of penicillin while treating their first patient, Albert Alexander, in 1941. Without the medication, Alexander, who had been improving, ultimately died. It wasn’t until Florey recruited help from the US Department of Agriculture and US-based pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, Lilly, and Merck that mass production began in earnest. 

When, in 1943, Popular Science named penicillin as one of the top ten medicines in history, the contributing writer and physician, Iago Galdston, cited its superior infection-fighting performance when compared with the leading antibacterial treatment, sulfa drugs: “Penicillin operates, as the sulfonamides do not, in the presence of pus and tissue fluids.” Until then, no drugs existed that could fight “long-established infections,” which, as Galdston wrote, made penicillin particularly valuable. But even in 1943, penicillin was hard to come by. Galdston lamented, “Unfortunately we cannot as yet produce penicillin in large quantities, and what is being produced has been preempted by the Government for military use.” At the time, a single dose of penicillin cost $20 ($364 in 2024). By the time World War II ended in 1945, a dose of penicillin cost $.55 ($10 today) and was readily available in the US. 

Looking back, Popular Science’s 1943 Top Ten List seems particularly prescient. In addition to penicillin, the new and emerging treatments that Galdston cited included vitamins and the importance of nutrition, hormone therapy to treat cancer and other disorders, and psychosomatic treatment, or the growing awareness that psychiatric disorders could manifest in physical symptoms and vice versa. Despite such medical blockbusters, it may be Galdston’s final item that has had the most profound effect on medicine: “Biological Thinking.” Galdston defined biological thinking as an acknowledgment that “the basis of well-being lies in achieving the best possible adjustment between the individual and his physical and emotional environment.” Today, we take for granted that excess stress from factors such as jobs, relationships, and finances, can make us sick, but in 1943 the idea was novel.

Penicillin remains one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics. And producing penicillin still requires growing mold, but pharmaceutical companies have perfected the manufacturing process, growing Penicillium in deep fermentation tanks not unlike those used in breweries. But these tanks produce something even more valuable than beer—Fleming’s “mold juice.” 

MAGIC DRUGS, INGENIOUS INSTRUMENTS, WIDER KNOWLEDGE MARK THE RAPID ADVANCEMENT OF THE LAST THREE DECADES
By IAGO GALDSTON, M. D. Author of “Progress in Medicine” and “Behind the Sulfa Drugs”

Within the short span of the past 30 discoveries have developed in the field of medicine than in any comparable period during the entire history of the science. In times past, important discoveries often were followed by long periods of little or no progressive medical thinking. Today, discoveries of the utmost importance are following quickly on each other’s heels.

Among these inventions and discoveries is an instrument with a moving pen, which can “take dictation” from a patient’s brain. The record of electrical brain waves that this amazing secretary takes down is read by the surgeon for indications of brain disorders. Another is a drug so powerful that one part in 25 million parts of water will stop the growth of bacteria. Still another has revolutionized the science of diagnosis, and has completely recast the modern physician’s approach to the problem of healing.

In this writer’s judgment, 10 of the greatest medical discoveries and inventions of recent years are: The sulfonamides; penicillin; the vitamins; the sex hormones; the relation of the sex hormones to cancer; the electro-encephalograph; the electron microscope; psychosomatic medicine; brief therapy; and biological thinking.

The sulfonamides are without doubt the best known of the recent medical discoveries. And justly so, for no single group of com- pounds has proved as effective as this one in preventing and treating such a large number of diseases. Pneumonia, gonorrhea, erysipelas, childbed fever, many forms of bloodstream infection, trachoma, septic sore throat, urinary infections, meningococcus meningitis, chancroid, gas gangrene, actinomycosis, anthrax, scarlet fever, impetigo -these are but some of the conditions effectively treated with one or another of the sulfonamide compounds.

Equally remarkable and numerous are the applications of the sulfonamides in the prevention of infection. Since their first use in this respect, the lives of countless men wounded in battle have been saved. The sulfonamides have also extended the scope of surgery, heretofore limited by the threat of infection supervening upon operations in contaminated regions. They are reducing the incidence of serious complications which in times past frequently followed on simple infections. There is, however, one particular aspect of the discovery of the sulfonamides which overshadows even its great practical results. The sulfonamides have given new life to the science of chemotherapy-the treatment of internal disease with chemicals. Chemotherapy got off to a great start when Paul Ehrlich discovered Salvarsan in 910 although for the next 25 years little new appeared on the chemotherapeutic scene. Then in 1935 came Prontosil, and later the sulfonamides, and the whole picture changed. But what changed most was the concept of chemotherapy itself. Paul Ehrlich and practically all of his followers thought of chemotherapy in terms of “magic bullets,” that is, in terms of protoplasmic poisons which would kill germs, but not the human body. Unfortunately few such selective poisons were found. Most of the protoplasmic poisons proved as likely to injure the victim as the at- tacking germs. Then when Prontosil and the sulfonamides were found to be so amazingly effective against bacteria, the old theories of chemotherapy had to be recast, for the sulfonamides do not belong to the class of protoplasmic poisons. In fact, the sulfonamides are not even bactericidal, that is, they do not directly kill germs. They are, however, bacteriostatic: they arrest the development of germs by interfering with their metabolism. By thus weakening the germs, they make it possible for them to be overcome by the body’s own defenses.

Today, research follows the path of germ metabolism, and seeks to discover how that metabolism may be adversely affected by means of chemical agents. It is this new rational basis for chemotherapy that warrants our hope of finding chemicals with which to cure tuberculosis, leprosy, malaria, and other germ and virus diseases not affected by the sulfonamides.

Hot on the heels of the sulfonamides came the discovery of penicillin, a chemotherapeutic agent in many respects superior to the sul- fonamides. This powerful new drug is derived from a fungus called Penicillium notatum. In 1929, this fungus, or mold, was an unwelcome in- truder into some staphylococcus cultures with which the English bacteriologist Prof. A. Fleming had been experimenting for quite some time. Fleming acutely observed then that wherever the fungus grew, the germs did not, and he reasoned that the fungus and the germs did not get along well together. He studied the matter further and found his reasoning correct.

However, since the fungus was not antagonistic to all germs, but only to certain ones, he employed it to eliminate from groups of mixed germs those to which penicillin was antagonistic. But that was as far as the matter went at the time.

With the discovery of the sulfonamides it was natural for the scientists to turn their attention once again to the penicillium mold. Another English scientist, Prof. H. W. Florey, in 1940 extracted from the penicillium mold a brown powder-like substance. He found it to be an extraordinarily powerful drug, effective against a larger variety of infections than are the sulfonamides.

Though but recently discovered, penicillin has already been subjected to numerous trials. Unlike the sulfonamides, which operate by diminishing the growth of bacteria, it has been found to kill bacteria or stop their growth entirely. But it will work in many cases where the sulfa drugs have proved useless or only partially effective. Penicillin operates, as the sulfonamides do not, in the presence of pus and tissue fluids. This renders it particularly valuable in the treatment of such conditions as osteomyelitis, empyema, infected compound fractures, and wounds and burns with long-established infections. Penicillin is superior in undermining the yellow pus-producing bacteria, the staphylococcus aureus, and many infections caused by cocci. And the user of penicillin suffers no toxic effects such as are sometimes experienced when sulfa drugs have been employed.

Unfortunately we cannot as yet produce penicillin in large quantities, and what is being produced has been preempted by the Government for military use. There is, however, no reason to doubt that the chemists will before long succeed in crystallizing it and reproducing it artificially.

The vitamins represent a major medical discovery of an order different from any of those thus far described. Biology and medicine have been radically affected by their discovery. Until vitamins were discovered, the conviction prevailed among medical men that there wasn’t much one could do about health except to prevent disease. Doctors preached personal hygiene in terms of rest, cleanliness, exercise, fresh air, and good food. But they did so in the belief that they could only preserve health, which for any given individual was more or less fixed. For the rest, attention was focused on “fighting infection” by such means as vaccines, serums, antiseptics, and so forth.

With the development of the modern science of nutrition, of which the vitamins are an important segment, we learned that one could be not sick, but at the same time not healthy, as in the case of “subclinical conditions,” in which the patient is not manifestly ill, but also is far from well. We also discovered that susceptibility to many types of disease, including infections, was due to malnutrition, and that growth, de- velopment, and aging were profoundly influenced by the quantity and quality of the foods eaten.

As our knowledge of nutrition increases, and as that knowledge is applied to the everyday diet of people, we are bound to see a reduction in the incidence of disease, and an improvement in physical growth and wellbeing.

The discovery of the sex hormones is one of the achievements of modern medicine on which the public is comparatively unin- formed. Yet it is truly a tremendous accomplishment.

It was a bright hunch that led to the discovery of the female sex hormone. When an ovum (egg) ripens in the ovary, it is surrounded by a minute quantity of a yellowish fluid, known as the liquor folliculi. No one thought to investigate the function of that fluid until 1922, when Edgar Allen, Ph.D., of St. Louis, and his wife obtained buckets of ovaries from a meat-packing plant and, working on their kitchen table, carefully drew off the fluid from the follicles. Soon they had enough of it to enable their coworker, Dr. E. A. Doisy, to purify it and determine its chemical constitution. This made possible the crystallization of the female hormone in 1929. In 1936 it was reproduced artificially. The discovery of the male hormone, which is credited to L. C. McGee, of Chicago, took place in 1927.

The sex hormones have proved enormously useful in the treatment of a variety of disturbances, including those of the sexual and reproductive functions. From this discovery was derived the original Aschheim-Zondek test for pregnancy.

The most important result of the discovery of sex hormones, however, is the light it has thrown upon the complicated structures and operations of the glands of internal secretion. These glands affect growth, development, metabolism, sexual function, reproduction; in fact, all phases of the “inner activities” of the human body.

Cancer of the prostate is one of the most common types of malignancy affecting men. This type of cancer is difficult to discover in its early stages, and tends to spread so work of uniformly close tolerances is performed rapidly that, in actual experience, less than five percent of such cases can be successfully treated surgically.

In 1941, Dr. C. Huggins, of the University of Chicago, advanced the idea that the prostate cancer cells require the male hormone for their continued existence, even as the normal prostate cells do. He and his associates reasoned from this that castration or else the “neutralization” of the male hormone by means of the female hormone should adversely affect the prostate cancer growths. He, and others after him, tried the latter treatment. The results were astonishing. Although the cancer is not cured, most of the patients benefit enormously. Pain disappears, nutrition improves, appetite returns, and strength is regained. The original cancer growth in the prostate, and those that have spread to other parts of the body, regress so that many sufferers are enabled to carry on their normal activities in comfort. This treatment of prostatic cancer is vastly superior to any previously available. But the greatest value of the discovery is that it has stimulated many scientists to study the relation of the sex hormones to cancer in general.

This recent invention is a sleuthing machine for tracking down the mysterious ways of the brain. Working by means of vacuum tubes similar to those used in a radio, it picks up “brain waves”-electrical impulses generated in the head by brain function. These currents, which have distinguishing characteristics, are visibly recorded by a moving pen. Since a brain suffering from some organic ailment sends out waves differing from those generated by a normal one, the record set down by the electro-encephalograph can be read by the brain surgeon for indications of such dis- orders as brain tumors and epilepsy. This useful diagnostic instrument promises to be of great value in the study of the physiology of the nervous system, and of the dynamics of drugs employed for their effects on the nervous system.

The electron microscope likewise promises to prove a great research instrument. The ordinary microscope cannot magnify an object beyond approximately 2,000 diameters, this limitation being imposed by the wavelength of light. The electron microscope, however, can magnify objects from 50,000 to a 100,000 diameters. It can, therefore, be readily seen how this extremely powerful instrument has opened up new and vast fields of research in bacteriology and biochemistry. We are now able to obtain a really intimate insight into the structure of both living and nonliving matter, and, most interestingly, of that “in-between” matter known as the viruses, which are responsible for such destructive diseases as smallpox, influenza, and infantile paralysis.

One of the more interesting developments of psychiatry goes by the name of psychosomatic medicine. It represents the fusion of orthodox clinical medicine with the best in psychiatric knowledge. It teaches the important lesson, in an irrefutable way, that there is no disorder of the soma (the body) without some involvement of the psyche (the mind and the emotions), and conversely, that psychiatric disorders have their somatic (physical) components. In some instances, indeed, physical symptoms are the only tangible manifestations of what is primarily a psychiatric condition. This insight into the interplay of psyche and soma has made possible a much more effective treatment of many conditions which in times past could be treated only superficially. It also enables the physician to anticipate, and by appropriate action to prevent, the development of a variety of physical and emotional strains and disorders.

Related to psychiatry is the new experimental development of brief therapy. The objective of these experiments is, simply, brevity of treatment. Most of the techniques of psychiatric therapy as practiced today are lengthy and therefore costly. Far too many persons who require treatment cannot afford it. And there are not enough trained psychiatrists available to meet the needs. To correct these deficiencies, studies, conferences, and experiments are being conducted to develop techniques of psychotherapy that will be effective but less time-consuming.

Finally we come to that development in present-day medicine which blankets all others: the ability to think biologically. Today the physician thinks of his patient in terms of his many environmental relationships–his job, his marriage, his friends, his education, his degree of success, and so forth. A short while ago, however, the physician thought of his patient only in terms of his complaints, of the symptoms or disorders he discovered and of the specific remedies he could use in the treatment of “the case.” In fact, the physician was more concerned with the “case”-with the disease afflicting the patient-than with the patient himself.

Today, we know that to effect a permanent cure, the contributory as well as the primary factors must be considered and dealt with; that, in substance, the basis of well-being lies in achieving the best possible adjustment between the individual and his physical and emotional environment.

The post In 1928, the discovery of ‘mold juice’ would go on to save 500 million lives appeared first on Popular Science.

Most of us have planned parties before, so we know the detail and work that can go into them. Have you ever realized that during a party, your TV sits there like a lump, providing nothing to the overall atmosphere?

If so (and even if not), you might like the idea of transforming that black rectangle into a 4K art gallery. You can do that with Dreamscreens, and it’s currently on sale for just $32.97 (reg. $49).

Whether you’re hosting a party, a holiday gathering, or just want to feel fancy on a Tuesday night, you can transform your TV into a beautiful display of over 500 iconic paintings.

With Dreamscreens, you’ll have The Starry Night by Van Gogh, The Last Supper by da Vinci, and The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo rotating on your screen like you’ve got your very own private museum. These aren’t your average JPEGs either—these paintings are in ultra high definition 4K, showing every brushstroke in crystal-clear detail. P

And getting it set up couldn’t be easier. Simply plug in the Dream Art Collection USB drive into your smart TV’s USB slot, and you’re ready to entertain your guests with an artsy vibe.

But it’s not just about throwing random pictures up on the screen. You can display each painting individually, set up a slideshow to rotate through the collection, or even play the art as a video with background music to give your event that extra bit of ambiance.

You can also choose between standard screen mode (keeping the artwork’s original dimensions) and widescreen mode (filling the entire TV screen for maximum impact).

Terrific for parties, holiday gatherings, or even your next wine and cheese night, Dreamscreens makes your TV the center of attention—but in the most elegant way.

Dreamscreens is currently on sale for just $32.97 (reg. $49) through Sept. 29.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The post This classy party upgrade turns your TV into an art gallery appeared first on Popular Science.

Central and South America’s sloth populations may face a dire existential threat from climate change by the end of the century. New research published on September 27 in the journal PeerJ indicates that simply from a metabolic standpoint, Earth’s rising temperatures could pose a severe threat to the overall species’ health and long-term survival rates.

Led by Rebecca Cliffe, a zoologist and founder of The Sloth Conservation Foundation, experts focused their most recent investigation on two-fingered sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni), which live in both high- and lowland areas that feature a spectrum of average ambient temperatures. By employing a methodology known as indirect calorimetry, Cliffe’s team analyzed the sloths’ oxygen consumption and core body temperatures in situations that mirrored the warming rates projected for their habitats by 2100—somewhere between 2-to-6 degrees Celsius (3.6-to-10.8 degrees Fahrenheit). According to their study, the consequences “are expected to be profound.”

[Related: Sloth schedules are surprisingly flexible.]

 “Sloths are inherently limited by their slow metabolism and unique inability to regulate body temperature effectively, unlike most mammals,” Cliffe explained in an accompanying statement. “Our research shows that sloths, particularly in high-altitude regions, may not be able to survive the significant increases in temperature forecast for 2100.”

The biggest issues for higher altitude sloths stem from a sharp increase in resting metabolic rate (RMR) when faced with warmer temperatures. This is especially problematic given their limited metabolic adaptability and difficulty finding any cooler habitats. In contrast, while low-altitude sloths may potentially be able to move to higher altitudes to find cooler homes, they still displayed a biological survival trait called “metabolic depression” that limits any further increase in RMR. This alone would pose its own threats to their health.

It’s not just sloth metabolisms that are worrisome, either. The animal’s digestion rate can be as much as 24-times slower than similarly sized herbivores. This means that they can’t simply eat more food as both global temperatures and sloth metabolic rates rise.

Cliffe’s team concedes in the study that their climate model was “rudimentary in its omission of error and uncertainty considerations.” Despite this, they “predict that a comparatively small increase in ambient temperature could see high-altitude sloths pushed into a situation where it is impossible to make their energy consumption tie in with their energy budget.” It’s this delicate balance between metabolism, digestion, and habitat temperatures that make the slow-moving species especially susceptible to climate change fallout.

The post Sloths may be in danger by the end of the century appeared first on Popular Science.

There are many reasons to take a closer look at electric mountain bikes. Maybe you’re into mountain biking, but you’ve never had much love for the uphill battle that comes before the rush of bombing down a trail. Maybe you simply want to exercise and figure that an electric bike can give you a little extra support for an off-road scramble. Or maybe you’re just a real ebike head and want to try some of the latest tech-laden bikes coming out right now. Whatever box you fit into, the best electric mountain bikes—like our best overall, the Canyon Neuron:ONfly CF 7—offer cyclists state-of-the-art features and unrivaled all-terrain capability.

• Best overall: Canyon Neuron:ONfly CF 7
• Best value: Aventon Ramblas
• Best fat tire: Juiced RipRacer
• Best step-through: Rad Power Bikes RadRover 6 Plus Step-Through
• Best hybrid: Ride1Up Prodigy XC
• Also consider: Salsa Tributary Apex 1 Eagle

As a die-hard outdoorsman and general bike enthusiast, I’ve provided a wide range of gear and tech coverage across a wide array of publications, including Popular Science, the Daily Beast, Runner’s World, Thrillist, The Manual, Popular Mechanics, and more. Electric bikes have become a key part of that coverage in the past few years.

As a result, I’ve spent many, many hours riding dozens of electric bicycles, spanning every specialization and price point from fat tire to full-suspension, and I’ve come to recognize true greatness from hype. In some cases, those tests were bolstered with additional research and observations drawn from expert and customer reviews.

Our favorite electric mountain bikes are made to handle a wide range of experiences. Some are made for serious mountain trails. Others are for more moderate off-road endeavors. There are options on this list for every kind of rider.

What it made the cut: Lightweight, powerful, and tech-savvy, the Canyon Neuron:ONfly CF 7 delivers an outstandingly thrilling downhill experience.

Specs

• Battery capacity: 400Wh (650Wh with optional range extender)
• Motor power/torque: 600W peak/55Nm
• Suspension travel: 140mm
• Weight: 44.76 lbs.

Pros

• Great motor/battery combo
• Natural feel
• Agile handling

Cons

• Motor can be loud at low speeds

The Neuron:ONfly CF7 is the latest eMTB offering from Canyon, filling the gap between its more underpowered and overpowered trail bikes, and in doing so, it strikes a near-perfect balance between the two. On one hand, its motor provides plenty of oomph for charging uphill and navigating technical features, but on the other, it’s not so e-fueled that it takes you out of the driver’s seat. In other words, this is an ideal ebike for serious downhillers who want the support of a motor but still enjoy riding a bike.

Equipped with a Bosch Performance Line SX drive unit, it produces peaks of 600W and 55Nm of torque, and while those numbers are somewhat moderate these days, the lightweight frame allows it to make the most of that output while rewarding a high cadence and allowing for a more natural feeling ride. Eco, Tour, eMTB, and Turbo modes tailor performance to your needs, with the latter two providing Extended Boost, which continues to deliver power to the rear wheel for an extra couple of meters after you’ve stopped pedaling so you can focus on navigating the terrain. There’s also a Walk mode that can be activated to drive the bike when you’re dismounted. The 400Wh battery is plenty for most athletic riding, but if you’re looking for additional range a 250Wh extender can be attached to the downtube. 

All in all, the bike feels fantastic on trails of any type. While the motor and battery have somewhat modest stats, their trimmed-down weight is befitting of the featherlight carbon frame, all of which translates into a quick, agile ride. The suspension is outstanding, and the whole setup even looks sharp and modern. What’s more, you can set an alarm, track its location, and monitor performance and maintenance needs via a handy app. The motor can drone a bit loud at lower speeds, but beyond that, it’s hard to find fault with this genuinely excellent eMTB.

Why it made the cut: Delivering impressive specs at a reasonable price, the Aventon Ramblas is a surprisingly capable ride.

Specs

• Battery capacity: 708Wh
• Motor power/torque: 250W sustained, 500W Peak/100Nm
• Suspension travel: 130mm
• Weight: 54 lbs.

Pros

• Solid performance specs
• Versatile 
• Good app

Cons

• So-so suspension
• Relatively heavy

Aventon is known more for affordability than high performance, so the Ramblas turned out to be an impressive surprise. While its sub-$3000 price is fairly low for an eMTB, its specs are that of a much more expensive ride. At a glance the 250W/500W peak motor may seem somewhat standard, but its 100Nm of torque makes it an absolute beast of a hill climber. And its 708Wh battery translates into all-day riding range. 

In terms of the riding experience and geometry, here you find the sort of versatility that Aventon is typically known for. Multiple frame sizes make it easy to find one suitable for any rider, its stance feels ergonomic and comfortable, and the dropper seat is a nice touch. All in all it’s decently maneuverable, though it is a few pounds heavier than more expensive eMTBs, which you can feel in tight turns, but is still relatively light for the price. It also has an app that allows you to tailor elements like Assistance, Pedaling Response, and Max Torque. 

Its most notable issue is the lack of a rear suspension and the inability to adjust the compression on the front suspension. While the front suspension performs well, heavier riders may experience a lot of sag due to the lack of adjustability. And while the decision to make it a hardtail definitely helped the price, it will feel a bit bumpy over the course of long or technical trails. That being said, at $2K less than our top pick, this is an outstanding option for anyone shopping for a budget bike or riders new to electric MTBs. 

Why it made the cut: Compact, surefooted, and powerful, the Juiced RipRacer is the perfect bike to pack along for any form of off-roading.

Specs

• Battery capacity: 811Wh
• Motor power/torque: 750W sustained, 1,300W Peak/80Nm
• Weight: 66 lbs.

Pros

• Outstanding performance
• Compact 
• AirTag compartment

Cons

• Inconsistent availability
• Relatively heavy

The Juiced RipRacer is a fun, zippy ride no matter where you take it, but it’s especially perfect for offroad surfaces thanks to its wide, nobby, surefooted tires and low center of gravity. Compact enough to load into a large car trunk—though a bit heavy with its massive battery in place—it’s a great option for anyone who wants a portable ebike to pack along for weekend outdoor jaunts. And thanks to its slight stature, it’s an ideal bike for shorter riders, though its seat and handlebars can be raised to suit taller riders, too. 

And for a smaller bike, it sure does have monstrous performance numbers. That big battery I mentioned has a whopping 811Wh, which means you can easily ride it all day long. And its motor is one of the most powerful out there, churning out a massive 750W and 1,300W peaks. The cadence pedal assist has a natural feel, and the motorcycle-style twist throttle leaps up to speed. Reliable hydraulic disc brakes help reign all that power in, integrated head and taillights boost safety, and there’s even a hidden AirTag compartment so you can track it in case of theft.

Its biggest issue is its popularity. The RipRacer tends to sell out faster than Juiced can produce it, so you may have to sign up for stock alerts. It’s worth the wait, however, because this is a seriously fun ebike.

Why it made the cut: Powerful and capable, the Rad Power Bikes RadRover 6 Plus Step-Through delivers hyper-customizable performance.

Specs

• Battery: 672Wh
• Motor power/torque: 750W/80Nm
• Suspension travel: 60mm
• Weight: 73 lbs.

Pros

• Outstanding power
• Solid range
• Twist throttle
• Some suspension travel

Cons

• Limited suspension
• Too small for some riders

Rad Power Bikes has exploded onto the ebike scene with an expansive range of highly capable, highly customizable ebikes. The latest version of its RadRover fat tire ebike perfectly represents why the brand has garnered so much acclaim. With outstanding power and off-road capability, the RadRover 6 delivers an all-around fun riding experience.

With well-balanced performance, the RadRover 6 Plus is fast, especially when you rev it up with the throttle, and offers a solid range. It even has light suspension, making it a bit more capable on uncertain surface conditions. That said, at 73 pounds, it is the heaviest bike on our list, so it isn’t made for steep climbs. In fact, it may be too heavy to fit on your car’s bike rack.

Like all of Rad’s bikes, the RadRover 6 Plus is extremely customizable. You can add front and rear baskets or cargo carriers, bags, center consoles, water bottles, integrated locks, mirrors, passenger seating, fenders, and a whole lot more. You can even upgrade the tires with Tannus Armour for more off-road reliability. You can build the perfect bike for your needs.

Why it made the cut: If you’re looking for an around-town commuter that can handle the occasional off-road excursion, the Ride1Up Prodigy XC delivers.

Specs

• Battery: 504Wh
• Motor power/torque: 250W, 90Nm
• Suspension travel: 120mm
• Weight: 50 lbs

Pros

• Solid performance
• Surprisingly good suspension
• Ergonomic stance
• Relatively affordable

Cons

• No throttle
• No rack or taillights
• Slow charging

After a few rides, I began to see Ride1UP’s Prodigy XC as wish fulfillment for anyone interested in checking out a daily commuter bike that delivers a surprising level of off-road capability thanks to its front fork suspension. The bicycle arrived almost fully assembled, and the company’s video instructions provided a step-by-step set of directions to complete the job. One person can handle assembly, but asking a friend to help will expedite the process. The only accessory that isn’t provided is an air compressor to fill its tires.

Once the bike was put together, the only thing left to do was ride the “cross-country” bike, which delivers admirable performance with a motor that provides plenty of uphill propulsion. If you’ll use the Prodigy XC as a commuter (hence our “hybrid” designation), you’ll appreciate its ergonomic, comfortable design. However, it could benefit from the addition of taillights and a throttle. This is the sort of bike that you ride to work all week, then pedal over mild-to-moderate off-road trails for some weekend fun.

Arguably, the biggest downside to the Prodigy is its relatively lazy recharging time. At five hours, it’s the slowest recharge on our list. Barring that, however, this is a nicely versatile ride.

If you’re more into rugged fire roads than solely single track, but you want to be able to tackle mixed terrain, Salsa’s TOTL gravel ebike is our best premium pick. “This one is a beast,” the bike mechanic said when he rolled out the Salsa Tributary SUS Apex Eagle. And man, he was right. This monster is a Class 3 ebike with pedal assistance up to 28 mph and a massive 85 Nm of torque that absolutely flattens hills. The 120mm suspension fork and vibration-reducing technology float over gravel, rocks, and all sorts of squirrely terrain without punishing your wrists. This is the bike my riding partner and I fought over during a test ride with a stupidly steep climb on soft, squishy mulch. Let’s just say the loser had to push their bike up.⁠ The e-version of the brand’s Cutthroat frame is powered by a Bosch Performance Line Speed mid-drive system that takes advantage of the smooth-shifting 12 gears. But for more control, riders can use the Ebike Flow app to customize assistance levels, check metrics, or plan routes. This gravel bike feels mountain-bike lite. There’s no rear suspension, but a dropper post was handy when things got a little bouncier on a downhill than expected. Make that many downhills. The 625Wh battery offers an estimated range of up to 72 miles, and an optional range extender can ⁠bump it up to 875Wh, which means it can go as long as you can.⁠ Sure, it’s expensive at $5,499 to $5,999, depending on options, but you’ll know where that money went when you feel the rush but not the rocks.

There are a number of core concerns that you should consider when shopping for any electric bike, but certain elements are especially important in electric mountain bikes. You aren’t just looking for an ebike, after all. To provide superior off-road performance, a great electric mountain bike needs superior suspension, a strong motor, and a crazy durable yet lightweight frame, all of which tend to make them more expensive than your typical ebike.

More than anything, an electric mountain bike needs a strong motor. To literally power up steep mountain trails, you will need a motor that delivers unwavering propulsion, as well as plenty of torque, or rotational force, to pull your bike uphill over obstacles.

To make sure your bike can push you up really steep hills, we recommend a motor that churns out at least 500 watts (W) of power and 60 Newton-meters (Nm) of torque. That’s about double what we look for in a standard electric touring bike.

One thing you absolutely want to avoid is having your battery give out on you halfway up a big hill. That means finding an electric mountain bike with a larger-than-average battery, capable of tackling long uphill and downhill rides that require more energy than the average ebike.

Keep in mind that while you would use a formula for a normal commuter ebike to determine how a specific model’s battery would translate into travel range, you can’t really measure how an electric mountain bike will perform off-road. There are a lot of factors that impact range—rider weight, ground conditions, and “elevation climb,” to name a few—that determining range is already a ballpark estimate that may change from ride to ride. Add in the unpredictable nature of trail riding and pinning down even a rough idea of the range becomes next to impossible.

That said, there is a direct correlation between the size of your battery and how long your ebike will be able to assist you. Bigger is better if you want a bike that will keep you on the trails all day long.

Quality suspension, which absorbs the force of your bike hitting the ground after bumping over uneven terrain, is essential to any mountain bike, electric or otherwise. Solid suspension can make even a rocky uphill climb feel safe and relatively comfortable. Without it, any bump could jolt you off your bike.

Suspension is noted in millimeters of “travel,” which measures how far the suspension components allow the frame to move and absorb shock upon impact. We recommend looking for at least 140mm for hard riding.

Please remember that not all the bikes on our list include suspension, as some of our picks are intended for more moderate, off-road riding rather than rugged trails.

Your electric mountain bike might be powered, but you still need a quality transmission with a wide gearing range to make it up steep inclines. Simply put, the more gears you have, the more you can reduce the force necessary to pedal up an incline. If you expect to be hitting the trails hard, you want at least eight gears if you’ll be doing any serious climbing.

Having a lightweight bike is key for trail riding. It makes it easier to pedal the bike uphill and provides more control when you’re zipping back down. For hill-climbers, you’ll want to shoot for a frame that weighs under 50 pounds. We have included a couple of heavier options here, but they’re oriented toward off-roading on level ground rather than steep inclines.

It’s always a smart idea to wear a helmet while cycling, and it’s especially important when you’re mountain biking. In fact, you should make sure to get a special helmet for off-road or extreme biking, as a typical bike helmet doesn’t necessarily provide enough protection for falling off your biking uphill, off-road, at motor-powered speeds. Always look for a helmet with MIPS (Multi-directional Impact Protection), and preferably with some form of face/eye protection like a visor or even a full face guard. Smith, POC, Trek, and Fox all make some outstanding electric mountain bike helmets.

With the right motor and transmission, electric bikes are outstanding for climbing hills. In fact, extra torque power, which allows for better climbing, is the best reason to spend the extra money on an electric mountain bike.

There are formulas for calculating the approximate range of an individual electric bike, but they are just approximations. Even one specific bike’s range can vary from ride to ride based on the rider, terrain, and even the weather. This is particularly true with electric mountain bikes as you’ll usually be riding them through extremely diverse, unpredictable conditions.

The biggest hurdle to buying an electric bike is the price. Even so-so ebikes cost around $1,000. As you can see from our top picks, the best of the best feature price tags well over $10,000. There’s a lot of tech that goes into an ebike and that tech tends to be expensive. 

Once you own the bike, the most common downside is potentially running out of power. Electric bikes tend to be very heavy. If your ebike runs out of juice mid-ride, it can be extremely difficult to pedal under your own strength.

• Best overall: Canyon Neuron:ONfly CF 7
• Best value: Aventon Ramblas
• Best fat tire: Juiced RipRacer
• Best step-through: Rad Power Bikes RadRover 6 Plus Step-Through
• Best hybrid: Ride1Up Prodigy XC
• Also consider: Salsa Tributary Apex 1 Eagle

Personally, I think riding the trails on an electric mountain bike is significantly more pleasurable than going sans power. Pedal assist practically eliminates the uphill struggle, allowing you to focus all your energy and enjoyment on negotiating technical features and taking in the trail’s natural beauty. So whether you’re looking for a serious bike for extreme trail riding, or simply want to flow over easy gravel or dirt paths, powering up with one of the best electric mountain bikes is worth your consideration. 

The post The best electric mountain bikes for 2024, tested and reviewed appeared first on Popular Science.

• What's the deal? Take $10 off AirPods 4


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Researchers from the University of Montreal have created a first-of-its-kind electrode-lined crochet beanie that can be used to measure a cat’s brain activity. Aside from being adorable, the custom-made wool caps also let researchers, for the first time, conduct EEG brain scans on felines without having to sedate them. These electrode-filled winter caps are already being used to help determine how cats experiencing chronic pain may respond when exposed to pleasant sounds and smells. The findings were published this month in the ​​Journal of Neuroscience Methods.

The crocheted cat hat originated as a practical solution to a laboratory dilemma. Initially, the researchers wanted to see if they could feasibly use EEG, or electroencephalogram, to identify brain signals in cats living with osteoarthritis, a chronic, painful condition that affects around a quarter (25.6%) of feelings worldwide. To do that, researchers needed to find a way to attach the EEG machine, which is essentially a bouquet of connected electrodes, to the test cats’ scalps. Past studies have successfully applied EEG machines to heavily sedated cats. In this case, though, researchers wanted the EEG to monitor cats in their ordinary, conscious states. That proved challenging. 

Anyone who has had their cell phone charger or shoelaces fall victim to a cat attack knows felines and wires don’t really pair well together. When the researchers initially tried to place the electrodes on the cat’s heads, they would either shrug the devices off or use their paws to swipe at them. Exacerbated by having to constantly replace the wires, the researchers reportedly turned to this YouTube tutorial breaking down how to crochet a hat for the cat as inspiration. With the help of some graduate students and plenty of patience, the researchers eventually created custom-made wool caps and slipped the electrodes inside of them so that the cats could not see them. The researchers claim this marks the first known example of E​​EG recording in conscious cats. 

That’s not to say all the cats immediately loved their new accessory. The study looked at 11 cats with osteoarthritis, six female and one male. They were each housed in a dimly lit, temperature-controlled room filled with perches, beds, and scratching posts. At least one of the cats was still able to shake the EEG off even when it was embedded in the crochet beanie. Another cat appeared to fall asleep entirely during the test. 

Minor complications aside, the hats were largely deemed a success. Armed with the non-invasive ability to measure cat cats’ brainwaves, researchers took the next step and investigated whether exposure to certain calming stimuli appeared to show any changes in the cat brain scans associated with pain. The cats were briefly exposed to blue and green lights as well as grapefruit scent. 

Whether or not exposure to those stimuli effectively reduces pain in cats long still isn’t entirely clear and will likely require further study. Still, researchers empathized that this particular experiment represents a “first stage of feasibility,” in terms of EEG use on awake, alert cats. Broadly, the researchers argue, these findings “​opens new avenues for investigating feline chronic pain and its potential modulation through sensory interventions.”

The post Researchers put little hats on cats to measure their brainwaves appeared first on Popular Science.

Los Angeles County's Puente Hills Regional Park project has received a $15 million federal grant. The funding comes from the Land and Water Conservation Fund’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, part of a larger $254.68 million initiative supporting parks across 24 states. This project, which involves the transformation of what was formerly the second-largest landfill in the country into a regional park, will provide much-needed space for recreation and respite for numerous park-poor communities, advancing environmental justice and sustainability.

Plans for the park include a range of features, such as a panoramic overlook, trails, an amphitheater, and a children’s nature play area, creating a "community core" in the Western Deck. Additionally, the Eastern and Western Horn areas will be developed to include ceremonial spaces, gardens, meadows, and walkways honoring indigenous and early inhabitants. The park is set to enhance biodiversity and provide a sanctuary for wildlife, while offering residents a vibrant space to connect with nature.

The restoration and regeneration of the former landfill is also designed to protect biodiversity, restore wildlife habitats, and address the impacts of climate change. By providing both recreational space and multiple benefits, the Puente Hills Regional Park will be a valuable asset to community members for generations to come.

• Parks and Recreation
• Los Angeles County
• Puente Hills
• Landfills
• Landfill Reclamation