Bad Batch gives a vision of a possible Star Wars story arc in the direction of a separate clone faction or clone clan. I immediately saw that this could be similar to the BattleTech world, but not as mech pilots, but as the Outer Rim Clans in this fantasy world. The ending of Bad Patch and the starting conditions for the new arc are:
- a large enough number of clones survived;
- Kamino's advanced genetic technology was destroyed by Lama Su, but perhaps some materials remained;
- Omega survived;
- Dr. Emerie Karr survived and joined the clone rebels;
- Pantorans and Senator Riyo Chuchi are allies of the clone rebels;
- Boba Fett is managing the Hutt legacy on Tatooine quite successfully.
Although Lama Su destroyed all of her genetic cloning work in her laboratory on Tantiss Base, it is likely that some materials, technology, and equipment survived the orbital bombardment on Kamino ordered by Imperial Vice Admiral Edmon Rampart. Since Emerie Karr and Omega have scientific cloning skills and are capable of conducting genetic experiments, it is possible that they can restore the cloning technology and preserve the clone faction and its reproduction.
Now, things get very similar to the Clans from the BattleTech world. In this fantasy world, most clan members are clones grown from selected best genetic materials. Constant warfare between clans is a natural means of selection, as the strongest survive. The best soldiers, military leaders, scientists, and technicians become the progenitors of a new generation of social groups that are part of the clan and are called "trueborn". Those who are born naturally are disdainfully called "freeborn".
It can be assumed that in the Star Wars universe, the clones manage to gain their own subjectivity, their own goals, and come to the conclusion that preserving their own identity and their correctness lies in preserving and improving the cloning program. They manage to restore the lost Kamino technology with the help of Dr. Emerie Karr and Omega, and they begin reproducing clones.
Further, there may be various plots about the formation of the clone society and their development. This can be quite entertaining.
пятница, 25 июля 2025 г.
Clone Faction
четверг, 17 июля 2025 г.
Rural Internet Market
An interesting observation about life in Russia. Internet market pick-up points appear in small settlements outside of cities, but near major transport routes. Of greatest interest are the supplies of building materials and tools. This may be a threat to regular building markets, which have large stores or pick-up points located only in cities.
среда, 2 июля 2025 г.
science.org: UV-C light kills nearly everything—except this unusual organism
An interesting note to me is about a lichen from the Nevada desert that is resistant to the sun's ultraviolet radiation. It is considered as a form of life that could survive beyond Earth, perhaps on Mars or other space objects. By other objects, I hope I mean small planets like Ceres or the Moon. Of course, the vacuum of space is dehydrating, but if hypothetical living organisms have an outer shell that can prevent dehydration due to evaporation in vacuum, then they could survive on small planets.
UV-C light kills nearly everything—except this unusual organism
Built-in Sun protection might be a blueprint for surviving in space
27 Jun 2025 3:10 PM ET By Hannah Richter
read more: https://www.science.org/content/article/uv-c-light-kills-nearly-everything-except-unusual-organism
вторник, 1 июля 2025 г.
Science.org: Trump cuts subscriptions to Springer Nature journals
Access to Science.org has been restored, I don't know for how long.
I was attracted by the news that the Trump administration is cutting federal agencies' subscriptions to scientific journals published by Springer, including Nature. Well, the direction of the Trump administration's vector is clear: militant ignorance and the destruction of scientific institutions.
ScienceInsider/Scientific Community
Trump cuts subscriptions to Springer Nature journals
Other publishers appear unscathed in recent actions
27 Jun 20257:41 PM ET By Jeffrey Brainard
read more: https://www.science.org/content/article/trump-cuts-subscriptions-springer-nature-journals
пятница, 20 июня 2025 г.
https://www.science.org is no longer available in Russia
Amid the deterioration of the Internet in Russia, the site https://www.science.org has stopped opening on Russian territory. Russia is creating its own separate segment of the Internet, similar to the "Great Firewall of China".
суббота, 14 июня 2025 г.
ScienceInsider: Israeli attack kills two of Iran’s top nuclear weapons scientists
I don't think that doing science gives moral indulgence. A researcher who does scientific work in the military field must understand that he is a target. On the other hand, authoritarian authorities may not give him a choice, as happened with Andrei Sakharov. Having created the most monstrous weapon in the world, a thermonuclear bomb, as I understand it, he spent the rest of his life atoning for his guilt, becoming a defender of human rights in the USSR and was persecuted (in the city of Gorky, now the city has returned to its old name Nizhny Novgorod) and tortured (forced feeding through a tube).
ScienceInsider/Asia/Pacific
Israeli attack kills two of Iran’s top nuclear weapons scientists
Bombing raids target uranium enrichment facility and key personnel
13 Jun 2025 4:25 PM ET By Richard Stone
ScienceInsider: Congress shows first signs of resisting Trump’s plans to slash science budgets
The Republican-controlled Congress is showing signs of resistance to Trump's plans to cut the research budget for agricultural research. I don't think this is unexpected. The U.S. agricultural industry is a powerful lobbyist and very likely relies on government-sponsored research. Expensive research can be afforded by large corporations and agricultural holdings, but many independent farmers cannot.
ScienceInsider/Science and Policy
Congress shows first signs of resisting Trump’s plans to slash science budgets
House panel rejects cuts to agricultural research, and Senators express doubts about cuts to NIH and forest research
13 Jun 2025 5:40 PM ET By Dan Charles
Read more: Congress shows first signs of resisting Trump’s plans to slash science budgets | Science | AAAS
среда, 11 июня 2025 г.
ScienceInsider: Trump’s proposed cut to giant physics experiment could snuff out new form of astronomy
The cuts in scientific spending in the United States under Trump are jeopardizing the gravitational wave astronomy project. It is planned to close one of the gravitational wave detectors, which are located in the States. There is still one left in Europe. The closure of one of the detectors means that the resolution of this complex of devices will be greatly reduced. The situation can be saved by the construction of a gravitational wave detector in Asia, by such large countries as China and India. But it seems that the new round of the arms race, provoked by Russia, puts an end to these wishes.
ScienceInsider/Physics
Trump’s proposed cut to giant physics experiment could snuff out new form of astronomy
Degrading LIGO’s observations of gravitational waves would amount to “killing a newborn baby,” one astrophysicist says
10 Jun 2025 5:35 PM ET By Adrian Cho
воскресенье, 8 июня 2025 г.
Trumpastrophe 12: References to phantom studies comes after White House pledge to practice “gold standard” science
It is important to understand that there is no "gold standard" in science. It is just a catchy word, because Trump loves everything golden. In fact, science is a very difficult and hard business, like any other human business, and there are no miracles in it, but there is hard and painstaking mental work. There is an old saying "there are no royal roads in science", which means that there are no easy steps even to simple scientific conclusions. The fact that the commission's report contains references to non-existent works only speaks of the incompetence of this commission and its harm to society (not only American).
Trump officials downplay fake citations in high-profile report on children’s health
References to phantom studies comes after White House pledge to practice “gold standard” science
30 May 2025 4:50 PM ET By Phie Jacobs
четверг, 5 июня 2025 г.
What was interesting at the beginning of this week, June 2-3
1. The Trump administration's policies are exacerbating the crisis in the US national academic community by causing job losses for scientists who receive government funding. I read how the economic crisis in the USSR began in the 70s, which began with an unpublicized reduction in scientific positions and departments at the institutes of the Academy of Sciences, in particular at Baykov's IMET [in the book "Baykov's IMET - 80 years", ed. by Academician Solntsev, "Interkontakt Nauka", 2018]. These events seemed similar to me. I hope the US can survive these difficulties.
National Academies, staggering from Trump cuts, on brink of dramatic downsizing
Plan for slashed units and mission to be presented at governor’s meeting next week
2 Jun 2025, 4:50 PM ET By Meredith Wadman
read here: https://www.science.org/content/article/national-academies-staggering-trump-cuts-brink-dramatic-downsizing
2. Experimental muon magnetism turns out to be exactly as predicted by theory.
Long-running physics experiment dashes hope of new particles and forces
Muon is just as magnetic as predicted, requiring no new theory to explain
3 Jun 2025, 12:00 PM ET By Adrian Cho
Read here: https://www.science.org/content/article/long-running-physics-experiment-dashes-hope-new-particles-and-forces
3. Octopus can grow two from one severed tentacle (video)
This octopus grew a ninth arm—which soon developed a mind of its own
Study highlights just how flexible cephalopod’s bodies are after injury and during recovery
2 Jun 2025, 3:30 PM ET By Sahas Mehra
Read here: https://www.science.org/content/article/octopus-grew-ninth-arm-which-soon-developed-mind-its-own
суббота, 31 мая 2025 г.
Chronicles of a Trumpastrophe 11: An attempt to revise nuclear safety standards (towards increasing the dose) and the abolition of scholarships for young scientists
1. Nuclear safety must be approached with great caution. Low doses of radiation are a deadly Russian roulette: some will be lucky, some will not. But if Trump, with his incompetence and chaos, interferes, then it is better not to change anything at all.
2. The abolition of scholarships means that graduates will not remain in universities, which can undermine continuous succession and scientific schools. Business will certainly benefit from the influx of young personnel, but in the short term (within a generation), and then it will also be difficult: quality students will be reduced due to the lack of good teachers. Do the administrations think in such long time intervals?
Read More: https://www.science.org/content/article/will-nsf-s-flagship-training-program-survive-under-trump
четверг, 29 мая 2025 г.
Science.org: Explorers of Ukrainian caves may have brought deadly bat fungus to U.S.
White-nose syndrome in bats is a strain of fungus that was unwittingly brought to North America by Ukrainian cave explorers. Mice become infected with it during hibernation. My imagination immediately ran wild and I imagined that such a fungus could be dangerous to space travelers who are in suspended animation during long-term space flight. Thus, this organism would be even more dangerous to Ripley than the Aliens:
Explorers of Ukrainian caves may have brought deadly bat fungus to U.S.
Study traces mysterious strain of white-nose disease to visits between American and European cavers
вторник, 27 мая 2025 г.
Science.org: What attracted me today 27 May 2025
Gamma-ray flashes from lightning on Earth. If lightning generates such high energies, maybe nuclear reactions occur in them?
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads6906
A scanning tunneling microscope for studying graphene. I have been looking at a scanning tunneling microscope for a long time and find this device quite valuable. It can be used to study not only the morphology of the surface, but also the electronic properties of the surface.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads0342
The role of shock plasma in the formation of magnetic anomalies on the Moon. Geologists and paleomagnetists have a place to turn around besides planet Earth.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adr7401
Nonlinear processes in transparent oxide films under intense pulsed laser irradiation, the role of electrons in energy relaxation from the laser to the substance. May be useful for considering pulsed annealing models.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adu8850
Logic gates on magnons, for computing.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adu9032
Magnons can be controlled with the frequency of light, this is very fast, much faster than modern computers. On the example of ErFeO3, which may also be interesting for the Mössbauer effect and gamma optics.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adv3757
China plans to sample near-Earth asteroid 469219 Kamo‘oalewa.
https://www.science.org/content/article/china-sets-out-sample-unusual-near-earth-asteroid
"War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength. Trump's science adviser says science cuts will benefit science."
https://www.science.org/content/article/trump-s-science-adviser-defends-funding-cuts-chance-revitalize-u-s-science
вторник, 20 мая 2025 г.
Science.org: Indian police are trying to ‘read minds' of suspects, over neuroscientists' objections
Mind reader?
A forensic technology developed in India sifts brain recordings for clues to a suspect’s guilt or innocence. Many neuroscientists are skeptical, but it is catching on in other countries
One day in 2021 an Indian student in her early teens came to her family with some distressing news: At school, a man in his 20s had called her into an empty classroom and raped her at knifepoint. Later, after the student found out she was pregnant and decided to abort, she filed a statement with the police.
The man accused of the crime, Surjaram, denied everything and sought to be released on bail. To prove his innocence, he asked to undergo three forensic science tests, including one called brain electrical oscillation signature profiling (BEOS).
During the test, he would likely have sat quietly in an empty room, listening to a series of short, first-person phrases recounting the crime scene—perhaps “I called the girl into the room,” “I closed the door,” and “I pulled a knife”—while a headset recorded his brain’s electrical activity. Meanwhile, a computer monitored how his brain responded to each phrase, looking for telltale signs that he had participated in the crime. In Surjaram’s case, the results were what he hoped for: His brain signals suggested he had no experience of these events, and was therefore innocent.
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суббота, 17 мая 2025 г.
Taliban in Kazan
On the sidelines of "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum," the Taliban are already holding business meetings and inspecting stands, a TASS correspondent reports. Among them are the heads of several ministries and industry departments, including those responsible for energy, industry, and agriculture.
science.org: Observation of edge supercurrent in topological antiferromagnet MnBi2Te4-based Josephson junctions
Abstract
пятница, 16 мая 2025 г.
ScienceInsider: Low-quality papers are surging by exploiting public data sets and AI
Low-quality papers are surging by exploiting public data sets and AI
Paper mills are also likely contributing to “false discoveries”
Last year, Matt Spick began to notice oddly similar papers flooding in for peer review at Scientific Reports, where he is an associate editor. He smelled a rat. The papers all drew on a publicly available U.S. data set: the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which through health exams, blood tests, and interviews has collected dietary information and other health-related measurements from more than 130,000 people. “I was getting so many nearly identical papers—one a day, sometimes even two a day,” says Spick, a statistician at the University of Surrey.
What he was seeing at his one journal is part of a larger problem, Spick has discovered. In recent years, there has been a drastic surge in poor-quality papers using NHANES, possibly spearheaded by illicit moneymaking enterprises known as paper mills and facilitated by the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated text, he and colleagues reported in PLOS Biology last week. The finding suggests large public health data sets are ripe for exploitation, they say.
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P.S. From me: It is necessary to develop methods for analyzing scientific texts based on AI in order to automatically filter out low-quality AI-synthesized texts before peer review. The Russian Dissernet has extensive experience in analyzing low-quality and borrowed scientific texts of dissertations from Russia and the former Soviet Union. It is necessary to use their developments to combat this new phenomenon.
вторник, 13 мая 2025 г.
Chronicles of a Trumpastrophe 10: Many worry about retribution. But for others, speaking out is worth the risk
Trump’s ‘fear factor’: Scientists go silent as funding cuts escalate
Many worry about retribution. But for others, speaking out is worth the risk
In February, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump was inaugurated, Rebekah Tromble launched a program to advise scientists and journalists targeted for intimidation and harassment. But she announced it quietly, fearing the very kind of attacks the initiative was meant to counter. “We were truly concerned that trying to draw too much attention to our work would jeopardize our funding,” says the George Washington University social scientist. “It’s a bit counterintuitive for a program that is actually trying to reach and help people.”
***
среда, 7 мая 2025 г.
Chronicles of a Trumpastrophe 9: Trump’s proposed budget would mean ‘disastrous’ cuts to science
Trump’s proposed budget would mean ‘disastrous’ cuts to science
Key research budgets would shrink by one-third to one-half in 2026 spending plan
President Donald Trump today asked Congress to make massive and unprecedented cuts to the 2026 budgets of major federal science agencies.
The request calls for cutting spending by 37% at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and more than 50% at the National Science Foundation (NSF), the country’s two major science funders. The White House also seeks to eliminate most federal spending on climate and ecological research and would cut NASA’s science budget by more than half, killing major planetary missions. Other agencies would face similarly harsh cuts.
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read more: https://www.science.org/content/article/trump-s-proposed-budget-would-mean-disastrous-cuts-science
воскресенье, 4 мая 2025 г.
Science.org: Shape and topology morphing of closed surfaces integrating origami and kirigami
Research Article
Shape and topology morphing of closed surfaces integrating origami and kirigami
