Did you want a green planet? Think again! Will robots with artificial intelligence be able to fight loneliness? One of the greatest ancient treasures has just been discovered in Cyprus

Did you want a green planet? Think again!

Data and images obtained over the past 20 years from satellites show that the oceans are changing color, becoming greener. And if the green planet sounds quite good, the same cannot be said about the oceans.

why Because this green color, which from year to year becomes more and more noticeable, turns into a phytoplankton boom. And this is against the background of global warming. In principle, it is as simple as possible. More phytoplankton means less oxygen in the environment in which it grows. Less oxygen leads to anoxic zones. And from here to the disappearance of complex life forms from those territories is only one step. Domino effect.

And here, too, we have a paradox. Phytoplankton take oxygen through photosynthesis. In theory, this would be a good thing, as it absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, produces oxygen, and marine ecosystems should thrive. It does not. The huge number of microorganisms that form phytoplankton leads to a directly proportional number of microorganisms that die. And the decomposition of organic substances has the ability to significantly reduce the amount of oxygen in the seas and oceans. Hence the appearance of the anoxic zones mentioned earlier.

From the data provided by the British and American authors of the study published in Nature, it follows that the phytoplankton boom is more significant in the equatorial zone, but it is expanding rapidly. And this already affects the amount of solar radiation that reaches the ocean waters, implicitly affects the temperature and brightness. Then, as another domino effect, the amount of nutrients in the waters decreases.

In conclusion, these are not very pleasant times when marine ecosystems are undergoing drastic changes. Including protected areas and marine and ocean fisheries. And they are already visible.

Will robots with artificial intelligence be able to overcome feelings of loneliness?

Statistics conducted in the United States by a non-governmental organization called the Survey Center on American Life show that the number of people suffering from loneliness has increased fourfold from 1990 to today. And only in the USA, because that is where the mentioned statistics were conducted. Worldwide, it turns out that a third of the population suffers from loneliness.

Loneliness is known to be accompanied by numerous mental or physical ailments and ultimately leads to premature death. In fact, they even say that loneliness is as bad as smoking. And the fact that more and more people have been affected is a global certainty.

It is also likely that with age it becomes more and more difficult to make new friends. And now a group of researchers from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, claims to have a solution. Which? You guessed it, robots with artificial intelligence.

An interesting statistic based on the opinions of 307 doctors in North America and Europe shows that 69% of them believe that in the company of such a robot, lonely people can experience improved mental health and freedom. from the feeling of loneliness.

The problem with this statistic is that thoughts have always been seen. What matters is how you measure the impact of such an intelligent robot on a person’s life. And it can turn out to be more difficult than it seems at first glance.

Yes, in laboratory tests, patients who spent time in the company of such a robot showed a reduction in stress levels. But the tests are only at an early stage. It all sounds very nice in theory, and the authors hope to help create a healthier society. But whether robots can really replace human interaction and this will have a beneficial effect on health remains to be seen.

One of the greatest ancient treasures has just been discovered in Cyprus

These are two tombs discovered at the site of Hala Sultan Tekke, in southern Cyprus, not far from Larnaca. In fact, the said site, which covers approximately 50 hectares, represents one of the most important former trade centers in the Mediterranean region. So, in a way, it was expected that he would still pull off such surprises.

The discovery, made by a team of archaeologists from the University of Gothenburg, consists of more than 500 objects made of gold, precious stones, ivory and high-quality ceramics. What is special about this discovery, since the Swedish team has been excavating there since 2010 and this is not the first burial found, is the large number of luxury items and, above all, their place of origin.

The tombs date from 3,500 to 3,300 years ago and consist of two underground chambers, approximately 4 by 5 meters, accessible through a narrow passage leading to the surface. The dimensions of the burial chambers themselves and the care with which they were constructed would be sufficient to indicate the high status of the deceased who was placed there. But the extremely rich inventory undoubtedly confirms that the tombs belonged either to the royal family or to high dignitaries.

According to data provided by Swedish archaeologists, objects made of gold and ivory come from Egypt. Precious stones were brought from the region of Afghanistan, the Middle East or even from India. Amber jewelry and objects originate from the Baltic region, while ceramics were created in Turkey, Syria and Palestine, Egypt, Sardinia, or the area of ​​mainland or island Greece. In addition, motifs and decorations of the Minoan type are observed both on some jewelry and on ceramics.

Archaeologists believe that all these offerings belong to members of the same family, as the skeletons of several people, including a woman and a child, were discovered in the burial chambers. As I said, the family had a high status in that society, maybe even the ruling family.

There is no doubt that she had enormous influence and ran one of the most important trading centers of the time, which had connections throughout most of the known world at that time. It is no coincidence that the city was a major center for the trade of copper, a metal that came from Cyprus, mainly to Egypt and Greece.

The next step in the Swedes’ research plan is to carry out a genetic analysis of the skeletons excavated from the two morgues. This confirms not only the hypothetical blood relationship between the people, but also their place of origin, because it is quite likely that some of them could not have come from Cyprus, but even from exotic places. And this would be additional proof of the multiculturalism of that little-known period and, above all, of the connections that existed between the different civilizations of that time.

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