He said, more than 3.5 million cases of Covid-19 and almost 250,000 deaths have now been reported to WHO.

There was an earthquake in Gwynedd yesterday - but you probably didn't feel the earth move  Daily Post

Now that astronomers are finding rocky worlds orbiting distant stars, they're asking the next logical questions: Do any of those worlds have volcanoes? And if so, could we detect them? Work by theorists at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics suggests that the answer to the latter is a qualified "Yes."

The post Can we spot volcanoes on alien worlds? Astronomers say yes appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Roses, carnations and lilies are today among the most popular flowers people use to express sympathy and condolence. The simple act of sending flowers to […]

The post Funeral flowers in the Stone Age: Q&A with Smithsonian anthropologist Reuven Yeshurun appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

The report card is in for the state of the birds in the USA. So how did we do? Certainly not an A+ or even […]

The post Our birds are in real trouble. Can we fix it? Yes we can! appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Have you ever had a pet that seemed just a little bit crazy or odd? Can you be sure that it was in control of […]

The post Crazy eyes and mind control – the power of parasites appeared first on Smithsonian Insider.

Single-wavelength X-ray anomalous diffraction (SAD) is a frequently employed technique to solve the phase problem in X-ray crystallography. The precision and accuracy of recovered anomalous differences are crucial for determining the correct phases. Continuous rotation (CR) and inverse-beam geometry (IBG) anomalous data collection methods have been performed on tetragonal lysozyme and monoclinic survivin crystals and analysis carried out of how correlated the pairs of Friedel's reflections are after scaling. A multivariate Bayesian model for estimating anomalous differences was tested, which takes into account the correlation between pairs of intensity observations and incorporates the a priori knowledge about the positivity of intensity. The CR and IBG data collection methods resulted in positive correlation between I(+) and I(−) observations, indicating that the anomalous difference dominates between these observations, rather than different levels of radiation damage. An alternative pairing method based on near simultaneously observed Bijvoet's pairs displayed lower correlation and it was unsuccessful for recovering useful anomalous differences when using the multivariate Bayesian model. In contrast, multivariate Bayesian treatment of Friedel's pairs improved the initial phasing of the two tested crystal systems and the two data collection methods.

Circus of Books storefront.; Credit: Netflix/Circus Of Books (2020)

Rachel Mason had, to a certain extent, the normal upbringing you’d imagine a family of five with small business owner parents would have. But in her documentary, ‘Circus of Books’, she pulls the curtain on the double-life her parents led as modest business owners and pillars of the LGBTQ community.

Karen and Barry Mason established West Hollywood’s Circus of Books on Santa Monica Boulevard in the 1980s. What seemed like an unassuming bookstore was actually a gay porn shop that became an institution in the LGBTQ community during a time when homosexuality was still largely unaccepted. The store was far from being a “bookstore with a circus theme”. The Los Angeles-based shop was the central hub for gay pornography around the country, once one of the main distributors for adult films. 

While the store was becoming a home for gay culture and pride, the Masons largely kept their business a secret from colleagues, friends, family, even their own children. It’s a central conflict that Rachel Mason explores throughout the film as the daughter of two shop owners caught between the pressures of maintaining a traditional family image and making a living as gay pornography distributors.

Today on FilmWeek, we’re joined by ‘Circus of Books’ director Rachel Mason for a conversation on her documentary and the experience of creating a film with her parents and their secret as the subject.

‘Circus Of Books’ is currently streaming on Netflix. For more on the film from LAist’s Mike Roe, click here.

Guest:

Rachel Mason, director of the Netflix documentary ‘Circus of Books’ and daughter of Circus of Books owners Karen and Barry Mason; she tweets @RachelMasonArt

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

Tiny polyester fibres, which are washed into rivers, lakes and seas every time we do our laundry could cause more harm to animals than plastic microbeads, finds a new study. The researchers looked at the effect of microbeads and fibres on a small crustacean called Ceriodaphnia dubia, which lives in freshwater lakes. They found that although both types of plastic were toxic, microfibres caused more harm. Both microplastics stunted the growth of the animals, and reduced their ability to have offspring; microfibres, however, did this to a greater degree, and also caused noticeable deformities in the crustacean’s body and antennae.

When it comes to the subject of iconic Russian empress Catherine the Great – her alter ego in the upcoming TV series, The Great - Elle Fanning isn’t so different from the rest of us.

Though childbirth is frequently spoken of in terms of pain and punishment, some women do experience what are known as orgasmic or ecstatic births.

North Dakota and Montana are preparing to tap into a pipeline that will link the Alberta oil sands with refineries on the Gulf Coast.

New York City unveils a disaster housing plan centered around retrofitted shipping containers that boast interiors that are like 'CB2 meets Motel 6' and that ar

Pools of water on Earth's moon might have teemed with simple organisms.

Researchers have unearthed fossils of an extinct spider family that contain reflective material in the eyes that gave them superior night vision.

We've given far too much of our lives to Facebook to give up on the relationship now.

With huge eyes in tiny bodies, baby jumping spiders have high-quality vision.

The red brittle star appears to use its color-changing powers for vision.

They help you see the world, but how much do you really know about the windows to your soul? Test your knowledge.

For rewards-seekers, the trick is to find the right card: one that best fits both your travel style and your spending habits.

Eco prankster activists pull a fast one on the world when they send out a flurry of press releases that seem to indicate big cuts and climate reparation payment

Three Leaves (finally) brings men's eco fashion to online shoppers.

Feel free to leave your heart in San Francisco, but don't forget to drop those old boxer shorts and blouses in one of the city's new textile recycling bins.

Actress Leslie Jones' experience on social media service Twitter can be a reflection of all that's right and horribly wrong with our species.

Spoiler alert: Everyone's talking about 'Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, but for those who have remained unspoiled, this review lets some of its secrets out.

A new study reveals mosquito DNA in the guano of two widespread North American bat species.

Photographer documents the sublime landscape of a bubbling Andean geyser field.

Artist Amy Guidry uses dreamlike and unusual images to make a statement about the relationship between humans and the world.

Monaco is a tiny, independent city-state on the Mediterranean, surrounded by the French Riviera. It is famous for its glitzy casinos, Grand Prix race and imposs

The chiton is a marine mollusk built like a tiny tank can see with eyes made of the same material as its armor.

Examining the eyes is an easy way for doctors to have a look at blood vessels' health.

The brain's impulsivity switch could be key to fighting obesity as well addiction and disease.

Research suggests that man's best friend has learned to capitalize on our preference for big, sad eyes.

Studies reveal what cat owners have suspected all along: Your cat hears you when you call — he just chooses not to respond.

Four students have developed Google Glass image-recognition app called ThirdEye that verbally identifies objects for visually impaired people.

Vidcode is challenging stereotypes and turning more girls into techies.

Could virtual reality change our relationship with the natural world?

If you watched the Great American Eclipse of 2017, here's how you can tell if you hurt your eyesight in the process.

Studies show we emit chemicals that communicate emotion, and whether we realize it or not, our brain responds to fear alarms.

A husky turned in by a breeder for her 'weird' eyes is adopted after a rescue group shares her story.

New report finds "gradual, long-term changes in climate can also surface a number of different emotions, including, fear, anger, feelings of powerlessness."

Point Reyes offers visitors much to explore and enjoy.

Blackcurrant, indigo and henna can color and strengthen your hair naturally and avoid some of the controversial ingredients in traditional dyes.

Polyester fabric is not biodegradable. To understand why, it helps to know how it's made and why it sticks around so long.

Mr. Young has been endorsed by Marquis Who's Who as a leader in the fields of mechanical design, higher education and family counseling

John Tucker, the Director of Claims Management at Kaplan Lawyers PC, said that McGregor might not be the only party who could be held liable for injuries suffered in the incident.

Founder Dr. K.P. Yohannan says 'so much more yet to do' as missions agency celebrated their anniversary July 3

Stephen K. Hayes has been recognized for excellence in martial arts.

Resolution Physiotherapy & IMS Clinic is a second year Consumer Choice Award winner in the category of Physiotherapists in the region of Barrie. The company has been in business since 2010 and is Barrie's leading Physiotherapy Service Provider.

Mrs. Hayes celebrates nearly 20 years of professional excellence