Geologists turned to tiny bubbles to investigate the dynamics driving magma flow beneath Hawaii’s volcanoes as the country’s islands drift northwest on a tectonic plate. They found that, as the islands slip away from the hotspot that fuels Kiluaea on the “Big Island, magma flow not only slows, but shifts deeper underground," according to a report in the journal Science Advances.“This challenges the old idea that eruptions are fueled by magma stored in the Earth’s crust and suggests a new possibility that magma is stored and matures in the Earth’s mantle, and eruptions are fueled from this deep mantle reservoir,” Esteban Gazel, a Cornell University scientist and author of the paper, said in a press release.Understanding Volcano EruptionsTo reach this conclusion, scientists employed a technique that will help increase understanding of what causes eruptions and help them predict those events more accurately. They focused on tiny gas bubbles that become trapped inside crystals within magma — a phenomenon called “fluid inclusion.” Calculating the pressure and depth at which those bubbles are captured gives scientists more precise information about magma’s activity.“The technology allows us to measure pressure from depths with an uncertainty as small as just hundreds of meters, which is very, very precise for depths that are tens of kilometers below the surface,” Gazel said in the release. “Before this, measuring magma storage was much more difficult, with uncertainties that could span kilometers.”Read More: 5 of the Most Explosive Volcanic EruptionsLooking at Different Volcano Life StagesThe scientists applied the method to samples from three Hawaiian volcanoes that are at different stages of their “lives.” Kilauea’s magma was stored at relatively shallow depths of about a mile, as predicted. They found two magma storage areas beneath Haleakala — a shallow one just over a mile down, and a deeper one at 12 to 16 miles in the Earth’s mantle. Diamond Head on the island of O’ahu, showed magma storage around 13 to 18 miles deep, all within the Earth’s mantle.“Knowing these depths precisely matters, because to understand the drivers of eruptions, one of the most important constraints is where magma is stored,” Gazel said in the release. “That is fundamental for physical models that will explain eruptive processes and is required for volcanic risk assessment.”Article SourcesOur writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:Science Advances. Crustal to mantle melt storage during the evolution of Hawaiian volcanoesBefore joining Discover Magazine, Paul Smaglik spent over 20 years as a science journalist, specializing in U.S. life science policy and global scientific career issues. He began his career in newspapers, but switched to scientific magazines. His work has appeared in publications including Science News, Science, Nature, and Scientific American.

By Ed Cara Published May 15, 2025 | Comments (0) | By the time you reach your 30s, your lungs are already declining in function, new research finds. © CDC Our lungs may start to lose their steam earlier in life than we thought. Research out today suggests that lung function tends to peak in young adulthood and only gets worse from there. Scientists at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) led the study, published Thursday in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. After analyzing data from earlier population studies, the researchers found that peak lung function is usually reached by our early 20s and—contrary to current wisdom—continues to steadily decline as we age. According to lead author Judith Garcia-Aymerich, co-director of the Environment and Health over the Life Course program at ISGlobal, it’s been assumed that our lungs follow a specific trajectory: they gradually get stronger until our mid-20s, reach a steady plateau over the next few decades, then decline as we reach middle age. But this assumption was based on studies that only examined lung function at certain time periods, rather than over the course of an entire life. To bridge this knowledge gap, Garcia-Aymerich’s team combined and analyzed data from eight different population studies in Europe and Australia. These studies collectively involved around 30,000 people from the ages of four to 82, and lung function was measured through forced spirometry, a test where people blow out as much air as possible after taking a deep breath. The researchers first identified two broad stages of lung development: a phase of rapid growth in early childhood, followed by slower, steady growth through the early 20s. On average, this peak was reached around age 20 for women and age 23 for men. Unlike other research, they failed to find any evidence of a steady period of lung function following this peak. “Previous models suggested a plateau phase until the age of 40, but our data show that lung function starts to decline much earlier than previously thought, immediately after the peak,” said Garcia-Aymerich in a statement released by ISGlobal. The findings, somber as they are, might help improve how respiratory health is tracked and maintained, the researchers say. They found that certain risk factors for poor lung health, such as asthma and smoking, might affect lung function a bit differently than suspected, for instance. Chronic asthma appears to weaken lung health at an early age, a weakness that then persists throughout a person’s life. Smoking, on the other hand, seems to rapidly worsen a person’s lungs starting in the mid-30s. Equipped with this knowledge, it might be possible to intervene early on, the researchers say. “Early detection of low lung function may allow interventions to prevent chronic respiratory diseases in adulthood,” said Garcia-Aymerich. While our lungs might not stay in tip-top shape as long as hoped, there are things most anyone can do to keep them as healthy as possible, such as regular physical exercise. Daily Newsletter

Valve confirms Steam data leak but denies it’s a serious problem GameCentral Published May 15, 2025 12:07pm Updated May 15, 2025 12:07pm Valve says there’s nothing to worry about (Valve) Steam users are in a panic about a supposed data breach, but according to Valve nothing significant has actually happened. Data breaches at big companies are hardly a rarity, in the video game world or elsewhere, so when talk of a ‘massive’ breach at Steam started to appear online it wasn’t necessarily that surprising. Warnings spread that customers should immediately change their passwords, phone numbers, and payment details, with reports that personal data had been stolen by hackers. However, according to Steam owner Valve, the whole story is overblown and only ‘older text messages’ have been accessed, that are no help in breaking into Steam accounts. As such, they insist that this is ‘NOT a breach of Steam systems’ and nothing is at risk. The rumours of a breach started with a LinkedIn post which, for some reason, everyone decided to believe, even though the talk of a ‘dark web forum’ and the hacker demanding only $5,000 (£3,700) for ‘89 million user records’ sounded extremely made-up. Valve’s explanation of the situation is confusingly written but it does seem to confirm that text messages were acquired illegally, even if they’re of no use to anyone. The breach was supposedly achieved by getting access to two-factor authentication SMS logs, but as Valve points out those messages are only good for 15 minutes and according to them all the ones that have been leaked are old. ‘We’re still digging into the source of the leak, which is compounded by the fact that any SMS messages are unencrypted in transit and routed through multiple providers on the way to your phone,’ reads the statement on Steam. More Trending ‘The leaked data did not associate the phone numbers with a Steam account, password information, payment information or other personal data. Old text messages cannot be used to breach the security of your Steam account, and whenever a code is used to change your Steam email or password using SMS, you will receive a confirmation via email and/or Steam secure messages.’ Importantly, they insist that: ‘You do not need to change your passwords or phone numbers as a result of this event.’ Given the extreme bad publicity that would result if Valve were found to be underplaying the leak there doesn’t seem any reason not to take their comments at face value, especially given the more absurd elements of the initial LinkedIn post. As they point out though, you should always treat any security messages you have not requested as extremely suspicious. They also recommend the Steam Mobile Authenticator app for added security. It sounds like Dr Evil made the ransom demands (Valve) Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter, and sign-up to our newsletter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

IS IT REAL OR IS IT AI-GENERATED? FBI warns of ongoing scam that uses deepfake audio to impersonate government officials Warning comes as the use of deepfakes in the wild are rising. Dan Goodin – May 15, 2025 5:06 pm | 18 Credit: Getty Images Credit: Getty Images Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more The FBI is warning people to be vigilant of an ongoing malicious messaging campaign that uses AI-generated voice audio to impersonate government officials in an attempt to trick recipients into clicking on links that can infect their computers. “Since April 2025, malicious actors have impersonated senior US officials to target individuals, many of whom are current or former senior US federal or state government officials and their contacts,” Thursday’s advisory from the bureau’s Internet Crime Complaint Center said. “If you receive a message claiming to be from a senior US official, do not assume it is authentic.” Think you can’t be fooled? Think again. The campaign's creators are sending AI-generated voice messages—better known as deepfakes—along with text messages “in an effort to establish rapport before gaining access to personal accounts,” FBI officials said. Deepfakes use AI to mimic the voice and speaking characteristics of a specific individual. The differences between the authentic and simulated speakers are often indistinguishable without trained analysis. Deepfake videos work similarly. One way to gain access to targets' devices is for the attacker to ask if the conversation can be continued on a separate messaging platform and then successfully convince the target to click on a malicious link under the guise that it will enable the alternate platform. The advisory provided no additional details about the campaign. The advisory comes amid a rise in reports of deepfaked audio and sometimes video used in fraud and espionage campaigns. Last year, password manager LastPass warned that it had been targeted in a sophisticated phishing campaign that used a combination of email, text messages, and voice calls to trick targets into divulging their master passwords. One part of the campaign included targeting a LastPass employee with a deepfake audio call that impersonated company CEO Karim Toubba. In a separate incident last year, a robocall campaign that encouraged New Hampshire Democrats to sit out the coming election used a deepfake of then-President Joe Biden’s voice. A Democratic consultant was later indicted in connection with the calls. The telco that transmitted the spoofed robocalls also agreed to pay a $1 million civil penalty for not authenticating the caller as required by FCC rules. Thursday’s advisory provided steps people can take to better detect these sorts of malicious messaging campaigns. They include: Verify the identity of the person calling you or sending text or voice messages. Before responding, research the originating number, organization, and/or person purporting to contact you. Then independently identify a phone number for the person and call to verify their authenticity. Carefully examine the email address; messaging contact information, including phone numbers; URLs; and spelling used in any correspondence or communications. Scammers often use slight differences to deceive you and gain your trust. For instance, actors can incorporate publicly available photographs in text messages, use minor alterations in names and contact information, or use AI-generated voices to masquerade as a known contact. Look for subtle imperfections in images and videos, such as distorted hands or feet, unrealistic facial features, indistinct or irregular faces, unrealistic accessories such as glasses or jewelry, inaccurate shadows, watermarks, voice call lag time, voice matching, and unnatural movements. Listen closely to the tone and word choice to distinguish between a legitimate phone call or voice message from a known contact and AI-generated voice cloning, as they can sound nearly identical. AI-generated content has advanced to the point that it is often difficult to identify. When in doubt about the authenticity of someone wishing to communicate with you, contact your relevant security officials or the FBI for help. The guidance is helpful, but it doesn't take into account some of the challenges targets of such scams face. Often, the senders create a sense of urgency by claiming there is some sort of ongoing emergency that requires an immediate response. It's also not clear how people can reliably confirm that phone numbers, email addresses, or URLs are authentic. The bottom line is that there is no magic bullet to ward off these sorts of scams. Admitting that no one is immune to being fooled is key to defending against them. Dan Goodin Senior Security Editor Dan Goodin Senior Security Editor Dan Goodin is Senior Security Editor at Ars Technica, where he oversees coverage of malware, computer espionage, botnets, hardware hacking, encryption, and passwords. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, cooking, and following the independent music scene. Dan is based in San Francisco. Follow him at here on Mastodon and here on Bluesky. Contact him on Signal at DanArs.82. 18 Comments

As the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill continues its progress through the Wetsminster system, NHS digital leaders have called for their suppliers to sign up to a voluntary cyber security charter as it works to build up its resilience against threats such as ransomware, and better secure its supply chain. The NHS has a long and sorry history of cyber breaches, perhaps most famously its systems came under sustained fire during the 2017 WannaCry incident. More recently, health services across south London were impacted by a cyber attack on Synnovis, a supplier of pathology lab services to various NHS trusts in the region. In light of the growing and ever-changing threat landscape, and the growing frequency and severity of incidents, the NHS said there has been a step change in recent months In an open letter to suppliers, Phil Huggins, national CISO for health and care at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Mike Fell, director of cyber operations at NHS England, and Vin Diwakar, national director of transformation at NHS England, said: “As valued partners to the NHS, it is important to us that we work together and defend as one.” The NHS is asking suppliers that where reasonably necessary – such as in the case of organisations that support clinical systems or process confidential patient data – they commit to keeping their IT systems in support and patched, to achieve and maintain at least ‘Standards Met’ under the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPOT), apply multifactor authentication alongside NHS England’s existing MFA policies, deploy always-on cyber monitoring and logging of critical infrastructure, and put in place immutable backups of critical data alongside appropriate business continuity and recovery plans. The charter also requires suppliers to conduct board level exercising on incident response, report cyber attacks affecting NHS customers in a timely manner and work with them to resolve, and only supply software produced in adherence to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) software code of practice. Huggins, Fell and Diwakar asked suppliers to commit to being an “outstanding and trusted partner” by agreeing to sign the charter. “This voluntary charter will contain the asks outlined above and show your commitment to being a trusted and secure partner to the health and care system. We will be launching a self-assessment form in the autumn, whereby suppliers can sign the charter. This will allow time for suppliers to work through the eight statements and be ready to commit,” they said. In recognition that making continuous improvements in cyber resilience in the present threat environment is a significant challenge, the NHS leaders also said they were ready and willing to ensure the health service plays its own part through, for example, developing bespoke tools that suppliers can use to audit their own supply chains in accordance with NHS needs, and defining requirements for a national supplier management platform and risk assurance model. The NHS will also review the contractual frameworks that its own organisations use to enter contracts to ensure appropriate security schedules and expectations. This piece is part of a wider government initiative in this regard. The health service plans to run a series of webinars in the coming months, and hopes to launch a supplier cyber security forum in the autumn. “For threat actors, sensitive data is the ultimate target and NHS suppliers are custodians of vast volumes of highly confidential information. In Q1 alone, healthcare was the most targeted sector by ransomware attacks globally, with 57 recorded incidents,” said BlackFog founder and CEO Darren Williams. “It’s no surprise, then, that the NHS is urging its suppliers to step up their cyber security practices in response to escalating threats across the supply chain.  “Given the spate of ransomware attacks that has impacted both public and private sector, initiatives which incentivise providers are a necessary step. It’s not only about safeguarding patient data but also ensuring the continuity of critical services.” Read more about NHS cyber incidents The ICO has issued a £3m fine to software provider Advanced in the wake of security failings that led to significant disruption to NHS customers in a ransomware attack. T and security teams at Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust continue to work around the clock following a major cyber incident, with services disrupted and no timeline for resolution. Clinicians warn that the NHS England Outcome Registries Platform has poor security and is vulnerable to cyber attack, putting critical patient data at risk of being exposed.

Achieving peace is a team effort. And there is no I in Team.  DC Studios has dropped the official teaser for Peacemaker Season 2, which streams August 21 on Max. Eagly returns... and hope springs eternal. In Season 1 of the R-rated action-adventure-comedy series, which explores the origins of The Suicide Squad character played by John Cena, mercenary Christopher Smith returns home after recovering from his encounter with Bloodsport. Per the logline, the upcoming season follows the vigilante “as he struggles to reconcile his past with his newfound sense of purpose while continuing to kick righteous evil-doer butt in his misguided quest for peace at any cost.” Hopefully, his incredibly animated friend Eagly can keep him grounded in his ongoing search for purpose. Returning cast includes Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick. New Season 2 cast members include Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodriguez, and Tim Meadows. James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of Peacemaker Season 2 and directed three, including the first episode. Gunn, Peter Safran, and Cena serve as executive producers. Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Althea Jones also direct. Gunn’s Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company produce in association with Warner Bros. Television. VFX for Season 1 were crafted by Clear Angle Studios, Crafty Apes, Mr. Wolf, Peerless, Proof Inc, Rodeo FX, and Wētā FX. For Season 2, we know Wētā FX is involved, we’re guessing at least for the work on Eagly. You can read about their incredible first season raptor work here. Check out the teaser now: Source: DC Studios Journalist, antique shop owner, aspiring gemologist—L'Wren brings a diverse perspective to animation, where every frame reflects her varied passions.

As Dyson home tech enthusiasts, users—dare we say—experts, we’re keeping a close eye on all the Best Dyson Memorial Day sales popping up ahead of the long weekend. While we hope to be out grilling and getting sunburnt, same as you, we think Dyson deals like $300 off a wishlist-worthy cordless vacuum will be a welcome treat for the holiday. Before shopping, feel free to familiarize yourself with our catalog of tested favorites—from air purifiers to humidifiers to cordless vacuums.We’ve assembled all early bird discounts in advance of the official Memorial Day sale drop, where we’re expecting an even wider spread of deals at all our favorite Dyson retailers, including Amazon. Watch this space—we’ll be updating as more Memorial Day deals on our beloved V8’s and V15’s roll in!Our top picksBest deal overall: Dyson V8 Plus Cordless Vacuum, $470 $350Staff-approved purifier: Dyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04, $1,000 $800A versatile floor cleaner: Dyson V15s Detect Submarine Wet and Dry Vacuum, $950 $800Dyson V8 Plus Cordless VacuumThis Dyson V8 stick vacuum is a longtime favorite of ambitious cleaners the world over. It’s suited for all your basic nightmares: dust, debris, and pet hair. It offers 40 minutes of cordless cleaning and two power modes, plus a hair-screw tool so it doesn’t overheat, as those of us with many years of vacuuming under our belts have come to normalize. Global editorial operations director Diane Dragan speaks emphatically in favor of her V8: “Before, it was exhausting to see dust and willfully ignore it. Now it’s immensely satisfying to grab the unit, zap the filth, and easily dispense of it. To those who walked with old-timey canisters and uprights so this Dyson could run, I thank you.”Rachel FletcherRachel FletcherDyson Purifier Humidify+Cool Formaldehyde PH04In an age of micro-pollutants, germophobes can rest easy knowing this combo air purifier/humidifier/fan not only performs to the caliber of regular Dyson products, but this model in particular sucks up formaldehyde, a colorless gas which can be emitted by paint, furniture, carpets, household cleaners, fireplaces, and even plywood. Commerce director Rachel Fletcher has owned this model for several years and finds that it still functions up to snuff, humidifying and cooling the air to her liking. Plus, the app (yes, the app) is easy to use. “After lighting a candle or cooking, the purifier went to work straight away on cleaning the air and the air quality returned to its usual after about 10 minutes,” Fletcher says.Photo: Terri WilliamsDyson V15s Detect Submarine​ Wet-Dry VacuumUnlike most vacuums—thanks to its combination of hardwood and carpet cleaning capabilities as well as and mopping functionality—this Dyson technology is what state-of-the art home cleaning dreams are made of. Contributor Terri Williams was beyond impressed with its versatility and efficiency. “The beauty of this design is that all of the water is contained in the separate wet roller head, so I can remove it, attach one of the other roller heads, and dry vacuum in other parts of my home,” she says. The top portion can be removed to use for a handheld vacuum for peskier, smaller corners, and handy attachments for handheld vacuuming are also supplied.Dyson Cool Gen1 TP10 Purifier$130 off this air purifier has a person reconsidering her air-quality needs. If you don’t already know, Dyson’s trademark brag is that their two-stage HEPA H13 filtration captures 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns. That means: basically everything. This model includes a purifying fan that also cools you, so you can knock out two purchases with one.Dyson V7 Advanced VacuumIf you’re hoping for a strong and affordable Dyson model, this V7 is $250 and delivers on the basics we love: cordless, long charge time, powerful suction, and detangling technology. This is a great vacuum for those who aren’t looking for the cusp of tech, who might not be off put by older models—anyone with an iPhone 12 or earlier-type people; the corded headphone crowd.Dyson Gen5 Detect Cordless VacuumWhile it’s just 6% off, any discount on this highly coveted vacuum is worthwhile, according to Williams. “This is one of the best Dysons, one of the best vacuum cleaners, and one of the best cordless stick vacuums out there,” she says. Dyson’s most powerful cordless vacuum has 70 minutes of run time off a single charge, and it intelligently adapts its power based on debris and floor type. The LCD screen shows particles sucked up, charge time left, and the amount of power used. Last but not least, the HEPA filtration traps 99.99% of particles as small as 0.1 microns, and it expels clean air in return.Dyson Ball Animal 3 Upright VacuumEverything you love about Dyson’s cordless stick vacuums still comes in this upright vacuum cleaner, down 25% from retail price. This model is designed with pet owners in mind with unrivaled detangling technology and multiple attachments to help you reach every crevice of your home, especially where hair balls like to accumulate. Its whole-machine filtration ensures that particles are trapped inside the machine, not expelled back into the house to force another run-through.Dyson Hot+Cool HP07 Air Purifier, Heater, and FanAnother air purifier high on our list is this HP07 model, which commerce editor Audrey Lee says “works like a dream, and I noticed within a week of use that I felt noticeably less congested.” The purifier uses a 360 degree filtration system that implements a combination of activated carbon, to remove potentially harmful gases and odors from the air, and its HEPA filter, which catches 99.7% of particles. Its auto mode continuously monitors room temperature and indoor air quality while also running the fan or heat to the degree of your choosing. You can control the device with an included remote or from your app.Dyson Solarcycle Morph CF06 Floor LightDyson makes its foray into lighting gear with its Solarcycle Morph line—clean, modern, extended lines give it an ultracontemporary look. Its four-in-one lighting adapts to the atmosphere to create a light that best suits a space, featuring four modes: task, indirect, feature, and ambient. It is formulated with LED lights with glare control and low optical flicker for eye care.

May 15, 20253 min readNewly Discovered Fossil Tracks May Rewrite Early History of ReptilesFossilized claw tracks discovered in Australia show that the animal group that includes reptiles, mammals and birds formed earlier than expectedBy Rita Aksenfeld & Nature magazine Illustration of an amniote animal thought to have left fossilized claw prints in Victoria, Australia. Marcin AmbrozikFossil claw prints found in Australia were probably made by the earliest known members of the group that includes reptiles, birds and mammals, according to a study published in Nature today. The findings suggest that this group — the amniotes — originated at least 35 million years earlier than previously thought.Early amniotes evolved to lay eggs on land, because they were encased in an amniotic membrane that stopped them drying out. Before this study, the earliest known amniote fossils had been found in Nova Scotia, Canada, and were dated to the mid-Carboniferous period, about 319 million years ago. The latest findings suggest that amniotes also existed in the early Carboniferous period, around 355 million years ago.“This discovery is exciting, and if the tracks have been interpreted the right way, the findings have important implications for our understanding of tetrapod evolution,” says Steven Salisbury, a palaeontologist at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The tracksThe claw tracks were found in a sandstone block on the bank of the Broken River at Barjarg in the state of Victoria, by two co-authors of the paper who are not professional scientists. This area of the river is known as Berrepit to the Indigenous Taungurung people who own the land.The sandstone block is part of a larger structure that had already been dated to the early Carboniferous on the basis of radiometric and tectonic evidence. Fossilized tracks of aquatic invertebrates and fish found in the same layer were also dated to this time period.The Snowy Plains Formation trackway slab with footprints and trackways highlighted. Manus (front foot) prints are shown in yellow; pes (hind foot) prints are shown in blue.Grzegorz NiedzwiedzkiThe three sets of tracks in the study have clear footprints with indentations from claws, a feature of reptiles but not of amphibians. “Having these hooked claws on the trackways indicates they’re definitely a reptile-like animal,” says John Long, a palaeontologist at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia.There are no marks of dragging bellies or tails, and the authors suggest that the amniotes that left the tracks were able to keep their bodies and tails off the ground while they walked on land. But Salisbury questions that interpretation, because it would mean the animals had developed sophisticated structures for complex locomotion, which would be surprising given how early they are. “It seems more likely that the tracks were made by an animal that was ‘punting’ in shallow water, rather than walking on land,” he says.Common ancestorUntil now, evidence suggested that the last common ancestor of modern amphibians and amniotes lived around 352 million years ago. But if the ancestors of reptiles existed during the early Carboniferous, their split from amphibians must have occurred even earlier, says Long. Dating by the team suggests that the groups diverged in the Devonian period, about 380 million years ago.To estimate the probable time of divergence, Long and his colleagues used several dating methods. One included geological evidence from radioactive decay in volcanic rock layers above and below the fossil tracks. They also used molecular phylogenetics, which compares similarities and differences in the DNA of living species to estimate their evolutionary relationships and how recently their last common ancestor lived.The discovery could also shift the origin of amniotes to the Gondwana landmass. This formed the southern portion of the Pangaea supercontinent and gave rise to multiple current landmasses, including Africa and Australia. Previously, the earliest known amniotes were found in North America, leading palaeontologists to think that the group originated in the Northern Hemisphere. But more evidence from Australian fossils is needed before definitively shifting their origin site, says Long. “Australia is a vast area with fewer palaeontologists on the ground,” Long says. “We’ve got a lot more unexplored fossil sites where new things like this keep turning up.”This article is reproduced with permission and was first published on May 14, 2025.

🚀What's the position?We're looking for a dedicated Support Representative to join our growing team. This is full-time, remote position to help us provide great support for our two mobile apps.💫What will I be working on?We have two apps Pillow (https://pillow.app) and Today (https://neybox.com/today). These are two well-established, health and fitness mobile apps with millions of users worldwide. Our customers will reach out to us for help via email, our dedicated customer support service or social media. As a Support Representative for our team, you will be the front-line contact for our users, helping them navigate our applications, troubleshoot issues, and make the most of their features.🤹‍What will be my role and responsibilities?Respond to customer support requestsMaintain and update the content of our knowledge base.Coordination with the rest of the team to escalate issues to the right people or teams where necessary.Reply to reviews on App Store Connect.Help customers reaching out on Social Media.🌍 Can I work remotely?Of course! Our team is 100% remote. To ensure maximum availability of our support team, your working days and hours may include weekends or holidays.🙌 What is it like working at Neybox?Our team is smal and collaborate closely on a daily basis. Not everyone joins that the same time but we ensure a good overlap of our working hours. Our communication is mainly asynchronous using Slack and other communication tools and we keep meetings at a minimum. We work closely together and we encourage open communication and transparency.Requirements💼 What are the requirements?At least one year of experience in similar customer support positionsExcellent written and verbal communication skillsFamiliarity with customer support softwareProficient use of the English language.Good copywriting skills.Proficient in usage of MacOS and iOSReferences from previous employers in written or spoken form may be required.⚡️ Bonus skillsAn academic background or experience in software development is a plus.Benefits😌 BenefitsWorking as part of a small word-class friendly team to help people around the world live a better life.Being part of a growing multi-cultural team that values and supports each member.Access to many learning resources and sponsored learning opportunities.Great salary with bonuses.24 days of paid leave + public holidays.❌ Who should not apply?We don't work with outsourcing companies, HR agencies or headhunters. Please apply directly as an individual interested in the position.📥 Great! How can I apply?Just hit the button "Apply" button below!⚠️ Please note that this is the only acceptable way to apply. All other ways of contacting Neybox about the position (social media, LinkedIn, email etc.), will result in immediate rejection.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Meet JobCopilot: Your Personal AI Job HunterAutomatically Apply to Remote Customer Support JobsJust set your preferences and Job Copilot will do the rest-finding, filtering, and applying while you focus on what matters. Activate JobCopilot

The daughter, son-in-law, and grandson of French crypto mogul Pierre Noizat were the victims of a botched kidnapping attempt in Paris earlier this week.The trio were walking near Square de la Roquette in the French capital early Tuesday morning when a van bearing a Chronopost logo — something like the French UPS — pulled up next to them.Three masked individuals then jumped out, and a brief struggle ensued as they attempted to drag the mother and son into the back of the van. The woman's husband intervened and was hit with "blunt objects," according to The Telegraph.During the struggle, the woman appears to disarm one of the attackers and throw a handgun aside (it would later turn out to be an airsoft gun.) The would-be kidnappers fled in the vehicle, before abandoning it on a nearby street.The victims were treated for minor injuries, according to the Telegraph.It's a horrifying attack, but unfortunately par for the course for the cryptocurrency industry. Criminals have been some of crypto's biggest adopters throughout its short history, drawn to the decentralized currency as a way to move huge sums of money quietly, without ever alerting a centralized bank or financial authorities.Had the kidnappers succeeded, the ensuing ransom could have been virtually untraceable.A longtime crypto magnate, Pierre Noizat is the co-founder of Paymium, one of the world's first cryptocurrency exchanges. Though his exact fortune isn't known, at the time of writing, his business processed over $132 million in Bitcoin in the last week alone — making him and his family an attractive target, to say the least.While rich executives have long been targeted by criminals — there's literally a cottage industry called Kidnap, Ransom, and Extortion Insurance — crypto bigwigs and their associates are becoming prized trophies in violent crime circles.In November of last year, Dean Skurka, CEO of crypto platform WonderFi, was nabbed off the streets of Toronto and held for a $1 million ransom. That same month, three teenagers kidnapped one of the executives behind Tokenize 2025, a Las Vegas-based crypto event, driving him out to the desert where they demanded his crypto passwords at gunpoint. Though the group has since been identified, they made out with an estimated $4 million worth of crypto and NFTs.Similar incidents involving high-net-worth crypto traders have been reported in Pakistan, Spain, Australia, and Bali. Back in France, this is the fourth high-profile kidnapping case involving crypto whales recorded in recent months.One particularly stunning incident involved David Balland, the co-founder of Ledger, along with his wife, who were abducted from their home back in January. The couple was freed following a massive raid by French national police, but not before Balland had his finger cut off and mailed to his co-founder as part of his kidnappers' $11.2 million ransom attempt.On Wednesday, the French interior minister announced a meeting with high-value cryptocurrency magnates to "work with them on their security, and so that they can become aware of the risks."Whether it will stymie the huge upswing in crypto kidnappings is anyone's guess. Financial analysts have found that more millionaires than ever are placing their fortunes on the blockchain — meaning crypto-conscious criminals are spoiled for choice.Share This Article