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Evening Standard
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Jon Weeks

Ancient Egyptians were ‘trying to treat cancer 4,000 years ago’ - Tech & Science Daily

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Scientists believe the ancient Egyptians were trying to understand, and possibly treat, cancer 4,000 years ago.

Researchers have found evidence of cut marks on a skull around a large lesion thought to have been caused by a cancerous growth.

They said the cut marks are likely to have been made with a sharp object, suggesting these ancient Egyptians may have tried to operate on the tumour, or they could be from a medical autopsy to learn more about the disease after death.

A satellite designed to look inside the clouds and make more accurate weather forecasts has been launched into orbit.

Björn Frommknecht is the mission manager of the EarthCARE mission, which stands for ‘Earth Cloud Aerosol and Radiation Explorer’, a joint mission by the European and Japanese space agencies.

Björn told Tech & Science Daily that the probe will help scientists understand how clouds and aerosols like dust and smoke play a role in heating and cooling the Earth’s atmosphere.

It’s hoped data from the probe’s scientific instruments will help us better understand how to mitigate the threats posed by global warming.

Following last year’s Oceangate tragedy, which saw a small submersible implode during an expedition to the wreck of the Titanic, a US billionaire wants to send a new submersible there to prove that it is safe.

Five people died onboard the Titan after it imploded during an expedition to see the wreck of the Titanic in June last year.

Ohio investor Larry Connor hopes another expedition will restore confidence in the safety of submersibles.

He told the Wall Street Journal “I want to show people worldwide that while the ocean is extremely powerful, it can be wonderful and enjoyable and really kind of life-changing if you go about it the right way.”

Research by The Alan Turing Institute’s Centre for Emerging Technology and Security, or ‘Cetas’ suggests AI-generated deepfakes could be used to create fake political endorsements, or create confusion among voters.

It said the Electoral Commission and Ofcom should create guidelines, ask political parties to agree on how they should use AI for campaigning, and require AI-generated election material to be clearly marked.

In its study, Cetas said it could be used to undermine the reputation of candidates, falsely claim that they’ve withdrawn or use disinformation to shape voter attitudes on a particular issue.

The study also said misinformation around how, when or where to vote could be used to undermine the electoral process.

Also in this episode:Feeding babies peanuts protects from allergy into adolescence, action needed to protect election from AI disinformation, study says, one in five professional footballers using snus or tobacco-free nicotine pouches, and AI enlisted in the hunt for female partner for lonely ancient plant.

Listen above, find us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you stream your podcasts.

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