How this common cockroach took over the world Australian and international research has reconstructed the spread of the common German cockroach from an ancestor in Asia to every inhabited continent in the world. The researchers compared the DNA of 281 cockroaches collected from 17 countries around the world and found that this common kitchen pest species probably started out in India or Myanmar around 2,100 years ago. It then spread out through two global routes, one which went west through the Middle East around 1,200 years ago and another route through Europe during the colonial period around 390 years ago. The research found that industrial advances in long-distance travel and indoor heating and plumbing were probably important for the more recent global spread.
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More research needed on airborne ultrasound health effects Airborne ultrasound exposure guidelines from 1984 are being revisited by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection due to their use in emerging technology.
https://www.scimex.org/newsfee....d/more-research-need

Annoying interruptions reduce productivity in the workplace A team of researchers from The University of Queensland has found employees experience more stress at work when interrupted with requests for unnecessary or unreasonable tasks.
https://www.scimex.org/newsfee....d/illegitimate-inter

EXPERT REACTION: Will greenhouse gases be ruled 'pollution' when it comes to the Law of the Sea? On Tuesday 21 May, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) is expected to deliver an advisory opinion on what the 'United Nations Convention Law of the Sea' says about the obligations of countries to combat climate change. The tribunal is expected to decide whether greenhouse gas emissions absorbed by the ocean should be considered marine pollution, and what obligations countries, including Australia, have to protect the marine environment. Below an Australian expert comments on the upcoming ruling.RULING EXPECTED AT 8PM AEST TUESDAY 21 MAY
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How do we manage the 'extreme risks' posed by advanced AIs? We've heard warnings that the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generalist AI systems that match or exceed human abilities, poses extreme risks to humanity, but how do we manage those risks? International researchers say there's currently no consensus on how to manage the risks, so they recommend directions for proactive and adaptive governance to mitigate risk, call on big tech and public funders to invest more in risk assessment and mitigation, and encourage global legal institutions and governments to enforce standards to prevent AI misuse. Advanced AI systems pose grave risks to society, they say, such as amplifying social injustice, eroding social stability, enabling cybercriminals, and facilitating automated warfare, customised mass manipulation, and pervasive surveillance. And perhaps the biggest risk of all is losing control of autonomous AIs altogether. "There is a responsible path - if we have the wisdom to take it," the authors say.
https://www.scimex.org/newsfee....d/how-do-we-manage-t