By Ed Cara Published February 11, 2025 | Comments (0) | Trump's executive order has called for federal agencies to take down pages that purportedly promote "gender ideology." Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images The Trumpification of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other federal health agencies is not going completely unopposed. A federal judge has ordered these agencies to return webpages that were abruptly removed at the behest of the Trump White House. Judge John Bates, a district judge in Washington D.C., made the ruling on Tuesday in the midst of an ongoing civil lawsuit filed against the government by the advocacy group Doctors for America. Bates granted a temporary restraining order filed by the group that called for several health agencies to roll back their deletion of webpages and datasets in response to an executive order issued by President Donald Trump last month. The removed material identified by the group, which included information on HIV treatment, must be restored by midnight tonight, Bates added. On January 20, Trump issued an executive order commanding federal agencies to combat gender ideology extremism within their ranks. Soon after, Charles Ezell, the acting director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), issued a memo to the CDC and other health agencies that laid out more details. Ezell told these agencies to end programs that promote or inculcate gender ideology and to take down public-facing webpages and social media posts that supposedly did the same. By January 30, the CDC and others removed a wide selection of webpages and datasets that purportedly ran afoul of the order. These included pages that informed the public about testing, prevention, and treatment options for HIV; datasets from long-running surveys looking into trends in youth behavior and assisted reproductive technologies (including IVF); and advice for researchers on how to make sure their studies are including enough women or other underrepresented groups. Some of these pages had existed in one form or another for years.Last week, Doctors for America, a physician-led group advocating for more accessible healthcare, filed a civil lawsuit against the OPM and others over the removal of these pages (the complaint can be viewed here). The group is being represented by lawyers from Public Citizen, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization and think tank. On Monday, Bates held a 90-minute hearing regarding the groups push for a temporary restraining order to restore and prevent further manipulation by the OPM in relation to the executive order. Bates disagreed with the governments assertion that deleting the pages with no advance notice was within the normal confines of an agencys maintenance of their websites, Politico reported. His ruling took the side of testifying doctors who argued that the removals delayed patient care, particularly those related to HIV care.These doctors time and effort are valuable, scarce resources, and being forced to spend them elsewhere makes their jobs harder and their treatment less effective, he wrote. Bates, a George W. Bush appointee, ordered the agencies to restore pages flagged by the Doctors for America to their version previously up before January 30 by midnight today. He also ordered the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to work with Doctors for America to identify and restore other pages that doctors regularly rely on for their practice by February 14. The ruling doesnt guarantee that Trump wont eventually be able to reshape the CDC and other federal agencies to his liking over the objections of public health experts. But it is the latest indication that some judges arent buying the administrations arguments that it can make these and other changes unilaterally. Other recent court decisions have blocked, for the moment, attempts by the White House to slash funding to the National Institutes of Health, for instance.The judges order today is an important victory for doctors, patients, and the public health of the whole country. This order puts a stop, at least temporarily, to the irrational removal of vital health information from public access, said Zach Shelley, lead counsel for the DFA lawsuit, in a statement from Public Citizen.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Ed Cara Published February 7, 2025 By Matt Novak Published February 3, 2025 By Matt Novak Published February 1, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 31, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 29, 2025 By Ed Cara Published January 22, 2025

Barn at Windover / Material Design BuildNew York, United StatesArchitects: Material Design Build LLCAreaArea of this architecture projectArea:500 ftYearCompletion year of this architecture project Year: 2022 PhotographsPhotographs:MDB Lead Architects: Material Design Build LLC More SpecsLess SpecsText description provided by the architects. MDB was selected by a wonderful couple to preserve their circa 1860 timber-frame barn. The barn hadn't been touched in over 60 years but for the turkey vultures who had made it their home. Despite its rough condition, the barn is an integral part of the farmstead and demolishing and/or replacing it was quickly ruled out. We created a plan that would preserve its weathered character while stabilizing the structure and protecting it for the long term.Save this picture!The first phase was the selective removal of 20 years of trees and shrubs that had overgrown the building, careful grading to ensure drainage and a complete restoration of the original stone foundation. Next came structural repairs to the timber frame using the same timber species and joinery to minimize the visibility of these interventions. Then we reinstalled the original siding, filling in gaps with similar reclaimed boards wherever the originals were too deteriorated for re-use.In the third phase, we wrapped the entire structure in a layer of plywood a layer that is invisible from inside and out but adds crucial stiffness and shear resistance to the frame where the original mortise and tenon joinery had failed due to rot. Over this, we installed a new layer of siding in "rain screen" fashion: first a waterproof breathable membrane, then vertical wooden battens to create a drainage plane and air cavity. Over this, we installed the new, locally milled hemlock siding so it can dry and breathe. This system gives the siding and the building the longest possible lifespan with a classic reverse board-and-batten appearance.Lastly, we built new windows and doors to match their original style and location. We estimate that this is the fourth time the building has been rehabbed in its 150+ year life. This most recent intervention will put it well into its next century of life and beyond.Save this picture!Project gallerySee allShow lessProject locationAddress:Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.About this officeMaterialWoodMaterials and TagsPublished on February 11, 2025Cite: "Barn at Windover / Material Design Build" 11 Feb 2025. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1026237/barn-at-windover-material-design-build&gt ISSN 0719-8884Save!ArchDaily?You've started following your first account!Did you know?You'll now receive updates based on what you follow! Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors, offices and users.Go to my stream

Get all Revit Courses: https://balkanarchitect.com/?utm_source=youtube&amp ;amp;utm_medium=01YT25My Revit project files: https://www.patreon.com/balkanarchitect?utm_source=youtube&amp ;amp;utm_medium=01YT25Get my Personal Revit Template + Family Pack: https://balkanarchitect.com/p/balkan-architect-architecture-template-metric In this video, I'll show you how to create the iconic Spiral Tower of the Malwiya Mosque in Revit. First, we'll explore how to model it using Walls and then dive into the Swept Blend (Void) method for a more detailed design Youll learn step-by-step how to model this stunning feature with precision. Whether you're a beginner or looking to refine your Revit skills, this tutorial is perfect for adding complex geometry to your projects. Dont forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more!Subscribe for more!Please Like this Tutorial!Follow me on social media:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balkanarchitect/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Balkan-Architect-278024016289562/?modal=admin_todo_tour Twitter: https://twitter.com/ArchitectBalkan Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:49 - Creating arc01:26 - First approach - walls and void forms03:17 - Second approach - Swept Blend08:00 - Outro01YT25

The XB-1's 13th test flight was also its last. Credit: Boom SupersonicShareBoom Supersonic passed a major milestone last month when its XB-1 prototype became the first civil aircraft to break the sound barrier over the continental US. Less than a month later, Chief Test Pilot Tristan Geppetto Brandenburg has once again surpassed Mach 1 in the experimental plane while flying as high as 36,514 feet above the Mojave Desert. This time, however, the XB-1 demonstrated another important achievement during its 13th test flight: passing the Mach cutoff. While the planes engines were still audible on the ground, surpassing the Mach cutoff ensured no one heard a disruptive sonic boom.According to the companys February 10th announcement, Mondays test flight continued efforts to assess aircraft performance and data collection above Mach 1. This included measuring acoustic sonic boom data using strategically positioned sound pressure recording equipment and microphones. While Boom Supersonic engineers used similar methods during XB-1s last flight on January 28th, Mondays test also included capturing what are known as Schlieren images. These visualizations, taken by photographers at ground level under precise conditions, detail the air density changes around a plane, including any supersonic shock waves.Boom Supersonics mission crew was particularly focused on demonstrating that the XB-1 is capable of passing the Mach cutoff, a physics event that only occurs at sufficiently high altitudes. During a Mach cutoff, a sonic boom is refracted inside the atmosphere and prevented from ever reaching ground level. In theory, this would ensure nobody beneath a supersonic plane would hear the extremely disruptive (and sometimes dangerous) concussive burst.Mach cutoff flights ensure any sonic booms dont reach the ground. Credit: Pennsylvania State University / Boom Supersonic But aside from being a nuisance, audible sonic booms in the continental US are illegal thanks to longstanding FAA regulations. For Boom Supersonic to realize its end goal of reintroducing commercial flights faster than Mach 1, it needs to have aircraft engineered to achieve Mach cutoffs.The XB-1 is a one-third-sized proof-of-concept meant to demonstrate the aerodynamics involved in Overture, the companys proposed commercial supersonic jet. Overture is ultimately intended to ferry 64-80 passengers on both cross-continental and international trips at speeds as fast as Mach 1.7about twice as fast as modern subsonic jets. Because XB-1s design created a Mach cutoff on Monday, then it stands to reason Overture will be able to do the same during its Boomless Cruise flights. Get the Popular Science newsletter Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.Boom Supersonic also noted this weeks work officially concludes its multiyear flight test program. XB-1 will soon travel from the Mojave Air & Space Port near Barstow, California to its original home in Denver, Colorado. Once there, the company intends to focus its full efforts on scaling XB-1 learnings and technology to build the Overture supersonic airliner.But given its history of past delays, theres still a solid chance Overture wont make its currently scheduled 2029 debut. Thats not to say supersonic travel isnt ever coming back, but compared to an international Mach 1.7 flight, its probably going to take a little bit.

Mice with chronic stress appeared to become less sensitive to a range of 'mid-level' sounds between about 50dB and 70dB. Credit: Buena Vista Images via Getty ImagesShareWhile stress is an unfortunate fact of modern life, scientists are still learning how it affects us. Chronic stress, in particular, has been linked with many negative health outcomesand a new study published February 11 in PLOS Biology finds that in mice, at least, it can also affect the way in which the brain processes sound.The teams work investigated the effect of chronic stress on mices perception of sounds as being loud or quiet. The paper describes how two groups of mice were subjected to a number of noises, some loud and some soft. The mice were taught to choose one source of water in response to the quiet noises, and an alternative source in response to loud noises. Some mice were then placed in a state of chronic stress by repeated exposure to a mildly stressful situation (in this case, being restrained for half an hour).Both groups then played a variety of noises. For very loud and very quiet noises, the responses of the stressed and non-stressed mice were largely identical. However, as study co-author Jennifer Resnik explains to Popular Science, the mice experiencing chronic stress appeared to become less sensitive to a range of mid-level sounds between about 50dB and 70dB, reporting these sounds as quiet more often than their non-stressed peers. (A level of 50dB is roughly equivalent to quiet conversation or rainfall, while 70dB is comparable to a vacuum cleaner operating in the same room.)Physiological and behavioral evidence of stress. Left: Schematics of two-photon imaging during baseline and repetitive stress conditions. In repetitive stress sessions, the mice were placed in a 50 ml tube for 30 min to achieve mild stress. The imaging session started directly after the restraint. Individual cells were tracked over imaging days. Shown are examples of 2 imaging planes on day 1 and day 9 (scale bar, 50 m) and the noise-evoked responses of 3 exemplar cells (mean SE). Credit: Bisharat G et al., 2025, PLOS Biology, CC-BY 4.0 So does the stress affect the mices actual ability to hear? Or does it change the way in which their brains process the signals sent to it from their ears? Resnik explains that the answer seems to be the latter: while stress does not change the actual signal sent to a mouses brain by its ears in response to a given noise, it does seem to change how the animal perceives that noise.Resnik says that this effect is caused by the fact that stress induces an increased level of background noise within the brain. In the stressed mice, she explains, we observed an increase in baseline (spontaneous) activity in excitatory cells in the auditory cortex.In a brain without this increased baseline activity, a signal from the ears is relatively strong; in a stressed brain, however, theres less of a difference between the level of the signal and the ambient level of neural activity. The result, Resnik says, [is that] the brain becomes less sensitive to mid-level sounds. You can think of it this way: when youre under chronic stress, your kids might need to speak louder to get your attention.Very loud noises, however, appear to be able to break through this barrier: Responses to high sound levels appear to be preserved, says Resnik. No matter what, the brain still reacts when a sound is loud enough. So if your kids shout, youll hear them just as clearly, regardless of stress.Beyond its loudness, the actual nature of a noise doesnt appear to matter: Resnick says that chronic stress alters auditory processing in a way that primarily affects sensitivity to sound intensity, rather than particular frequencies or sound types. So the effect is the same whether its your kids speaking, the doorbell ringing or the bass frequencies from a passing cars stereo. All that matters is how loud the noise is.Resnik says that the implications of this work could reshape our understanding of how stress affects us: We often think of chronic stress as primarily influencing complex cognitive functions like decision-making and learning. However, our findings show that it also affects much more fundamental processes, such as the perception of sound. This raises an intriguing question: How much of our daily experience is shaped by chronic stress in ways we dont even realize?There are also many other questions raised by the studys findings. Resnik says that one particularly important subject of research is developing a better understanding of how long the effects of chronic stress can linger after the actual source of stress has been removed. The mice in this study, for instance, were not studied while actively stressed, but the stress they had experienced nevertheless had a material effect on their hearing. With regard to this particular effect, she says, Our current findings suggest that it persists for several days. However, she says, We are now conducting further experiments to determine whether these changes have longer-term consequences.Similarly, the way in which such effects take hold also remain the topic of ongoing research. A single exposure to stress had little impact, but as stress became chronic, we observed increasingly pronounced changes in auditory cortex activity. Does the effect continue to intensify as levels of stress increase? Resnik says this remains an open question.Either way, Resnik says, the creeping way in which the effects of stress take hold suggests its effects can be as subtle as they are pernicious. This gradual progression has important implications for daily life, she says. It suggests that prolonged stress doesnt just affect how we feelit can subtly alter how we perceive the world around us.

Large swaths of Earth may soon be too hot for humans to handle.As early as mid-century, roughly a billion hectares of land about the land area of the United States or more could hit temperatures hazardous for human health, scientists estimate February 4 in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment. Thats triple the land area that currently can experience these health-threatening heat levels, says Radley Horton, a climate scientist at the Columbia Climate School in New York City.When global temperatures average 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, massive stretches of South Asia and South America, parts of West Africa and spots across the U.S. Southeast, may become so hot and humid that even young, healthy people face extreme danger, Horton says.That 2-degree threshold is not far from current global temps. In 2024, Earths temperature was already 1.6 degrees higher than the preindustrial average of 13.5 C. Its sobering to see how close we already are to the brink, he says.To play out possible future scenarios, Hortons team used global climate models and linked real-world temperature and humidity data with heat mortality risk. That let the researchers estimate how much warming it would take for a place to become life-threateningly dangerous or unsurvivable.In many tropical and subtropical locations around the world, hitting the 2-degree threshold means experiencing an extreme heat event at least once every 30 years. In such an event, most people would not be able to bring down their core body temperature, putting them at risk of organ damage or death.Additional warming would make conditions even more grim. In Earths hottest places, 4 or more degrees over the preindustrial average could prompt extreme heat events that warm people up so fast that their body temperature exceeds 42 C, which is lethal for more or less everybody, Horton says.In both scenarios, people over 65 fare far worse than younger people. Older adults tend to be more vulnerable to heat, so a 2- or 4-degree global temperature rise will make vast regions of the world blisteringly dangerous or deadly. The teams work offers just one look at a possible future, not a certainty. Adaptations like air conditioning can offer protection. Theres also hope for a different path if we dramatically cut the amount of greenhouse gas huffed into the atmosphere each year, Horton says. Its a very compelling argument for the urgency of emissions reduction as if we didnt already have enough arguments.

Nature, Published online: 11 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00394-8The nation must lose its tight focus on individual disciplines if it is to keep pace with the evolving requirements of scientific enquiry.

Nature, Published online: 11 February 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08641-8Author Correction: High fatigue resistance in a titanium alloy via near-void-free 3D printing

The high value of the fifth-century-B.C. artifacts found in Kazakhstan indicates that wealthy or even "royal" Sarmatians were buried there.

Ten months of unrest at Mount Spurr could be a sign of an upcoming eruption from a side vent or, less likely, from the main crater.