Category Archives: Chemistry

SBSs upcoming drama Woori the Virgin unveiled three new posters to amp up the anticipation for the exciting story!

Woori the Virgin (previously also known as Starting Today, We)isa Korean remake of the American rom-com Jane the Virgin, which is based on a Venezuelan telenovela. The dramais about a woman named Oh Woo Ri (Im Soo Hyang) who is strictly maintaining her chastity before marriage but ends up pregnant after an accident occurs during a medical exam.

The first poster gives a glimpse of Oh Woo Ri wearing a white wedding dress with a square neckline. She seems to have joined a group of marathon runners, and shes even wearing yellow sneakers as if shes a part of the race. Oh Woo Ri draws attention with her elegant and innocent beauty, and she races with a bright expression that hints shes enjoying the freedom.

The second poster features Oh Woo Ri andRaphael (Sung Hoon), the CEO of a cosmetics company. They gaze tenderly at each other in a warm and cozy atmosphere, and the text on the poster reads, The twist of fate has begun, raising expectations for their dynamic romance.

On the other hand, Oh Woo Ri and her boyfriend Lee Kang Jae (Shin Dong Wook) exude fresh and loving vibes as they pose together in front of the blue waves. Their expressions are glowing with joy as they stretch theirarms towards the sky. There are two images that represent pregnancy tests, and there is a check mark next to the one that reads pregnant.

Woori the Virgin will premiere on May 9 at 10 p.m. KST. Check out a teaser here!

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Im Soo Hyang Showcases Different Kinds Of Chemistry With Sung Hoon And Shin Dong Wook In Woori The Virgin Posters - soompi

Even the smallest organism can have a major influence on the evolution of life on Earth. Microscopic algae that inhabit the sunlit waters of the ocean surface are not only responsible for about half of the photosynthesis on the planet but are also valuable as a nutrient-rich food source sustaining the entire marine ecosystem. In their recently published study, Prof. Itay Halevy and Dr. Shlomit Sharoni from the Weizmann Institute of Sciences Earth and Planetary Sciences Department reveal the processes that made these miniscule organisms such a good source of nutrition for others higher up the food chain and how this in turn advanced evolutionary change over the past half a billion years.

Microscopic algae, also called phytoplankton, produce large amounts of life-sustaining compounds through photosynthesis. Other tiny creatures then graze on this bountiful smorgasbord, and larger organisms, such as fish and crustaceans, feed on the tiny grazers. Consequently, the essential nutrients ingested by the microalgae cascade across the food web to nourish all known marine life forms. But what determines the amount of nutrients the microalgae ingest and pass on to higher life forms? The answer to this question has remained elusive.

Halevy and his former doctoral student Sharoni have focused in recent years on the different geophysical and geochemical aspects that affect just how nutritious microalgae are. The scientists have shown in the past, for example, that the average nutrient content depends on the type of algae producing it: some algal species are nutrient-rich; others are nutrient-poor, having smaller amounts of the major nutrients important for biological systems, such as phosphate. It is no surprise, then, that wherever environmental conditions favor nutrient-rich algal species, the food chain as a whole will be nutrient-rich, and vice versa. The very cold and nutrient-rich waters near Antarctica sustain a population of fast-growing phytoplankton that harvest a lot of nutrients, more than in warmer parts of the ocean, and this results in a nutrient-rich marine ecosystem, says Sharoni.

In the present study the researchers were interested in assessing how these environmental conditions the temperature and nutrient concentrations of the ocean surface varied over Earths history, and more specifically, over the last 540 million years. This time interval is known as the Phanerozoic Eon, or the eon of visible life, which is characterized by a particular geological footprint: fossils trapped in sedimentary rocks. The petrified remains of long-gone organisms, fossils offer researchers a great way to track evolutionary events and then compare these events to geochemical measurements and models, thus producing a holistic image of the processes that shaped our planet.

To accomplish this the researchers developed a computational model that couples several biogeochemical cycles the constant exchange and turnover of chemical substances between Earths living and nonliving spheres. The scientists particularly focused on the interplay between the cycles of the four elements that define the chemistry of life: carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus. Their proposed model uses estimates of geological processes, from volcanic activity to precipitation patterns, to infer the fluxes of these elements into and out of the ocean. Together, these fluxes determine the evolving concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and thus Earths climate and the concentration of phosphate in seawater. With climate and phosphate availability computed in their model, the researchers were able to derive the overall nutrient content of microalgae over time.

By comparing their models predictions with relevant fossil records, Halevy and Sharoni were able to explain several key evolutionary patterns of the Phanerozoic Eon. While past estimates often regarded the nutrient content of microalgae to have been constant through the ages, this model suggests that the nutrient content of microalgae has, in fact, almost doubled over the past 540 million years. This prediction agrees with the succession of different microalgal groups in the ocean over this time interval, from early nutrient-poor species to present assemblages of faster-growing, nutrient-loving algae. It would seem that the quality of marine microalgae as a food source increased over time, says Halevy. This may be part of the reason for the progressive evolution of larger, more complex and more motile organisms that, needing greater amounts of readily available nutrients, fed on the algae.

Using this approach, the researchers were also able to point toward major evolutionary and tectonic events as the main drivers for the increase in algal nutrient content. Until about 350 million years ago, photosynthesis occurred almost exclusively in the ocean. Only around that time did plants begin to colonize the continents, setting up a massive-scale photosynthetic factory. Since terrestrial plants have long been recognized as making land more susceptible to chemical weathering, meaning the extraction of nutrients from rocks, the colonization of the continents significantly increased the flow of nutrients to the ocean. In addition, the breakup of the prehistoric supercontinent Pangaea, about 200 million years ago, further boosted this flux. Taken together, these events increased the availability of phosphate, which is naturally found in some rocks and minerals, in the ocean. Marine microalgae evolved to exploit these extra nutrients, explains Sharoni. As microalgae had more available nutrients to metabolize, they gradually became a more nutritious food source, sustaining and contributing to the accelerated development of marine fauna.

By accounting for both major geological and evolutionary events, we were able to reconstruct the geological history of nutrient availability in the ocean and the response of marine life to this history, concludes Halevy.

In addition to compiling a more accurate history of life on Earth, this approach could be used to better understand the response of life in the ocean to present and future human activity. The nutrient content of microalgae, still the basis of the entire marine ecosystem, is affected by the global increase in temperature, driven by greenhouse gas emissions. Humans are also affecting the marine availability of the essential nutrients phosphate and nitrate by spilling sewage and agricultural and industrial waste into the ocean. The effects of human activity on both temperature and nutrient availability may in turn have a direct effect on the activity and prosperity of different algal species, and consequently on all species further up the food chain.

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Breakfast of Champions - Weizmann Wonder Wander - News, Features and Discoveries - Weizmann Institute of Science

After winning its first pair of matches in over two years, the Summit High School boys rugby team went into another weekend of games eager to keep its streak alive.

The Summit Tigers traveled to Fort Collins on Saturday, April 9, to play two matches at Preston Middle School against Brighton-Fort Collins, a combined high school team, and North High School.

Brighton-Fort Collins was the second team Summit beat last weekend. They won that game 29-12.

Last week, Brighton-Fort Collins scored the majority of its points with help from three major players, so going into this matchup, Summit put a plan in place to make sure Brighton-Fort Collins most talented players were kept at bay.

Summits plan worked tremendously as Brighton-Fort Collins was not able to score in the first half while Summit attacked on offense to produce 19 points.

At halftime, the Tigers had a lot to feel good about, but that does not mean the team was error free. Despite the teams first half success, Summit, at times, tried to do too much and rushed its offensive rhythm, which resulted in about five turnovers that could have produced additional scores heading into halftime.

They are scoring easy, they are running them over, they are having a big day but then they just got a little too anxious, head coach Lance French said. Youve got to know tempo, when to slow it down, when to control it and when you are going too quick. They learned a big lesson there.

Summit was more attentive and patient in the second half, which led to 20 more points for the team in its 39-7 rout of Brighton-Fort Collins.

The second half was highlighted by Caleb Artherholt, who scored his first try in his first match ever played. Artherholts try marked the first by a Summit forward all season, which helped him win the title of Man of the Match, an award bestowed upon members of the team by French.

An hour later, the team faced North High School for the first time this season. Much like Summits match against Brighton-Fort Collins, the team played tough defense against North High School.

The Tigers had two tries in the first half from Jared Marcer, who displayed his ability to run into open space with ease.

Sam Daly also played well in the first half against North High School. He executed on kicks, registering a total of 29 kicking points between the two matches.

In the second half, the Tigers were very successful in running their new John Wayne play, despite the majority of the team not knowing who John Wayne was.

The offense executed on the new play as Summit drove the ball straight through the heart of the North High School defense to several scores.

The Tigers also had three more forwards score by the end of the game in Jake Boyle, John Weldon and Ryan Perkins.

Weldon and Boyle rushed through the North High School defense using strong, stiff arms to reach the Tigers goal line.

The Tigers shutout North High School, 45-0, to combine for a total of 84 points for the weekend. Summits pair of wins moves the team to 4-1 on the season as it prepares to face Brighton at Regis University on Saturday, April 16, at 4 p.m.

The chemistry is unbelievable, French said. These guys are taking care of each other and supportive of each other. The team chemistry couldnt be any better. Our culture is developing. Its in place, and its key.

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Summit boys rugby team uses chemistry as leverage in weekend full of dominating wins - Summit Daily

Immediately after Sacramentos 132-119 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kings point guard DeAaron Fox spotted then newly acquired big man Domantas Sabonis and wrapped his arms around him in a heartfelt embrace.

The emotion was palpable for everyone in the arena and watching on TV, but especially for Fox, who, in his five years in Sacramento, appeared to have the running mate he needed to help him end the franchises historic playoff draught.

Sabonis finished that game with 22 points, 14 rebounds and five assists while Fox added 27 points and eight boards in the duos first outing following the blockbuster trade at the deadline.

Fox gushed about his new teammate to the media afterwards, likening Sabonis strength to that of an Ox, immediately sparking a new nickname for the dynamic duo.

The Fox and the Ox followed that performance up with another 13-point win this time over the Washington Wizards that saw Sabonis record a near triple-double with 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists and Fox put up 26 points and four dimes.

It was just the sixth time this past season that the Kings won back-to-back games, and the team appeared to finally have the foundation to build something special in Sacramento.

Unfortunately, the duo was only able to log 11 more games together before injuries marred both their seasons, thus sinking Sacramentos hopes of snapping its playoff drought.

But it was clear in the just 13 games total they played together, that both players benefitted from the ability to play off the other. In the 11 games following the wins over Washington and Minnesota, Fox put up some of his best numbers of the season, averaging 28.1 points on 52% shooting to go with 6.8 assists.

Obviously, a guy like that, he takes a lot of pressure off of you because hes such a dynamic roller, a guy that can post up, Fox told the media in his end-of-season press conference. Ive always talked about how Im seeing the best defenders every night. But we talked about how he screens, the way he passes. He opens up a lot more opportunity.

I think I score pretty well off the dribble, but just being able to just have him out there and guys that know how to play and move, something we obviously need to do more of, but it just opens up and gives a wider range of opportunities to make plays and to score.

Sabonis was a walking double-double before he arrived in Sacramento and continued that trend in a Kings jersey. He put up 17.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and nearly six assists per game in his 13 outings with Fox.

And while their seasons were cut short, both players understand the magnitude of their pairing heading into next year.

I love playing with him. Those [13] games were great. We didnt get as much as we wanted to play together but were going to have a long offseason, see if we can get together and get some workouts in, have training camp. Im just excited for next year. Were going to go through the whole, normal process not getting traded in the middle of the season. So, Im excited for that.

This offseason will be pivotal for the development of Fox and Sabonis as the foundation of Sacramentos future, but even more so for a team that added six new players at the last years trade deadline.

Fox and Sabonis are the foundation, but two players cant do it alone. Theyll need continued support from Harrison Barnes and new additions Donte DiVincenzo and Trey Lyles, who both proved to be valuable over the second half of the season, as well as ever-improving rookie Davion Mitchell and up-and-coming role players Damian Jones and Chimezie Metu.

Its difficult to build that chemistry in-season though, so Fox has already started brainstorming ways to get the team together this summer so they can hit the ground running come October.

Probably half the NBA spends the offseason in LA. I think a guys will make their way there just to try to get some weeks in together, working out, Fox said. Just being around each other, I think thats what builds chemistry. Thats already [something] weve talked about from GMs down and players just trying to be around each other this summer. So those things are definitely in the works.

Sabonis, who has been a member of four playoff teams during his six-year NBA career, echoed the same sentiment as Fox when it comes to putting in the work to build chemistry on the court.

It still takes time to play off one another and we had six new players out there playing with everybody. Thats why Im excited for the summer, Sabonis said. Were going to get together as a group and try and build on things early before training camp even starts, and I think thats going to help a lot.

The more we play with one another, the more we get a feel for each other. We have a lot of time out there and everybody has that fire and passion that wants to play, so thats half of the job done. So, we just have to make it work together.

The Kings will undoubtedly be a different team when they step on the court for the 2022-23 season simply based off the fact theyll have a full Training Camp to set offensive and defensive principles.

But its clear this team will only go as far as Fox and Sabonis take them. That starts with the teams two best players developing chemistry and building a bond that brings out the best in one another on the court.

He already had the role of leader on this team but he kind of stepped up and had the ball more in his hands, Sabonis said. I was out there to help him get open and attract more attention and he just took advantage of it.

He was great at making shots, anytime we needed a bucket he was there to do it. Pushing the pace, talking on defense he really showed a side I didnt know he had and that makes me really excited for next year.

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Fox and Sabonis Eager to Build Chemistry in First Offseason Together | Sacramento Kings - NBA.com

The word used by multiple U.S. officials whove been involved in contingency planning for such an attack for at least a month is proportional, meaning America and its allies intend to respond in a manner befitting the potential war crime.

Instead, some suggested America and its allies could impose further sanctions on Moscow or further bolster Ukraines defenses with advanced weaponry. Biden aides have also speculated that the use of chemical weapons may be the final impetus for European nations to stop importing Russian energy, funds for which have fueled Putins war machine and filled his countrys coffers.

Before doing any of that, the first step is to confirm a Ukrainian military groups charge that Russia on Monday deployed a chemical substance in Mariupol. The Azov regiment, a frontline fighting unit that has fought Russia in the Donbas since 2014 and has been tied to neo-Nazi groups and white supremacists, said Russian troops dropped a chemical weapon from a drone and poisoned at least three people, though the group said the affected soldiers are not facing disastrous health effects. If true, thatd be the first known use of chemical weapons in the war since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.

U.S. and European officials have yet to substantiate the accusation. Experts say a preliminary assessment could be made using photos or videos, if they exist, while U.S. or Western officials on the ground collect samples for more conclusive verification. Ukraine could also invite the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, a global watchdog headquartered in the Netherlands, to send a rapid-response team to the site for investigation.

Officials cautioned Tuesday that such a determination may not be imminent. It may take some time to assess if chemical weapons were used, just as it did during the conflict in Syria back in 2013.

Theres no independent verification in that area, so its likely to be a long time, a European official told POLITICO. There are a host of difficulties in verifying the claims, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters Tuesday. These are difficult things to prove even when you are more proximate, and we are not.

Additionally, U.S. officials raised questions about the credibility of the Azov regiment, noting that the far-right group might be eager to provoke a larger confrontation. They also noted that Ukrainian officials, who have been quick to accuse Russia of atrocities, have not definitively declared that illicit weapons were used.

To that point, during his Monday address Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not confirm chemical weapons had been deployed, but did say he took the recent threat of their use in Mariupol by Russian-backed separatists as seriously as possible. But Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the minister of Internal Affairs in Ukraine, hours beforehand tweeted that Chemical weapons are used in Mariupol.

Ned Price, the State Department spokesperson, told CNN hours later that the U.S. is working with Ukraine to try and determine what exactly has transpired here. British foreign minister Liz Truss added on Twitter that, Any use of such weapons would be a callous escalation in this conflict and we will hold Putin and his regime to account.

The U.S. has long warned that Russia might launch chemical weapons in Ukraine, prompting Biden to tell reporters in Europe last month that his administration would act swiftly if Putins troops went that far. The nature of the response would depend on the nature of the use, he said, adding it would trigger a response in kind.

Its unclear as of now what the administration deems a proportional response to the alleged chemical weapons use in Mariupol. Publicly, Western officials condemn the use of all chemical weapons. But privately they acknowledge that there is a wide-range of lethality in such weapons in other words, that theres a big difference between a canister of chlorine and a sarin bomb dropped on a school. More severe consequences, they note, would be doled out in response to the potential use of more dangerous weapons.

What is clear, though, is that some response seems imminent were the international community to verify the Azov regiments accusation. Any confirmed use of prohibited chemical weapons would trigger severe consequences for Russia, said Andrew Weber, formerly the Pentagons top nuclear, biological and chemical weapons official during the Obama years.

The current moment echoes former-President Barack Obamas red line in Syria, in which he pledged that chemical weapons use by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would trigger a U.S. response.

A year after Obamas infamous remark, Assads forces killed more than 1,400 people with sarin gas. In response, then-Vice President Biden promised a crowd at the American Legion that those who use chemical weapons against defenseless men, women and children should and must be held accountable.

Ultimately, the Obama administration struck a deal with Russia to remove 600 metric tons of Syrias chemical stockpile. Biden praised that decision at the time, crediting the White House for moving the world to act in the face of a fundamental violation of human rights. But the merits of the deal were soon thrown into doubt when Syrian forces oversaw additional chemical attacks in 2017 and 2018.

In response to those assaults, then president Donald Trump authorized strikes on Syrian targets.

We cannot allow atrocities like that, he said ahead of the second response.

Those strikes were largely symbolic responses. In the first instance, the Trump administration fired missiles at a Syrian air base from which planes had dropped the chemical weapons but gave advance notice to Russia to keep assets away from the targets. In so doing, it didnt ignite a larger global conflict, but it also didnt destroy the entirety of Syrias chemical weapons program.

Current administration officials insist that the situation is dramatically different now and that Biden has made no such red-line declaration either.

Striking Russia would be far more dangerous than hitting Syrian government targets. Moscow, armed with the worlds largest nuclear arsenal and advanced cyber capabilities, could respond in a way that escalates the conflict outside of Ukraines borders. As such, what is being considered now as a response to a confirmed chemical weapons attack are new sanctions, more weapons shipments to Ukraine or even a cyberattack.

We will select the form and nature of our response based on the nature of the action Russia takes, and well do so in coordination with our allies. And weve communicated to the Russians that there will be a severe price if Russia uses chemical weapons, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters in March, backing Bidens comments.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the name of Anton Gerashchenko.

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Team Biden scrambles to respond to claims of Russia chemical weapon use - POLITICO

The No. 6 Michigan mens tennis team continued its streak of dominance with a 4-0 win over Purdue on Saturday. But within the excellence that led to yet another shutout match, something stood out. Something new.

Two players who previously hadnt played much freshmen Patorn Hanchaikul and Will Cooksey both shined. Cooksey was paired with graduate student Nick Beaty, and the duo secured a doubles win in a dominant 6-1 fashion. And while Hanchaikuls match was called off after the first set due to the Wolverines having already secured the victory, he showed tenacity and promise in his season debut.

And throughout these strong showings from the freshmen, those on the team not playing made their voices heard as they cheered for and with their teammates on the court.

Im sure theyre tired of hearing it from me, but (playing for each other), thats our identity, Michigan coach Adam Steinberg said. So thats what we emphasize on a daily basis.

That support continued into the singles matches. On court six, Hanchaikul battled in his first appearance of the season. After dropping the first two games, he fought back, forcing the set into a tiebreaker and ultimately winning. Hanchaikul didnt get to finish his match as the Wolverines secured the win before his second set began. But throughout his comeback, the support of his teammates was abundant.

When somebody goes in who hasnt played much like Patorn as a freshman it helps them so much to be around that team environment, Steinberg said. And you can tell the guys really helped him through the tiebreaker.

Its not just the young players that feel the support of their team its the leaders, too.

Playing singles on the court adjacent to Hanchaikul, senior Andrew Fenty got off to a slow start. But he too powered back, winning his first set in a tiebreaker as well.

Everyone was winning. And I was like I gotta win, Fenty said. Just not letting my teammates down, just keep competing, just trying to help us out.

Michigan is a team that plays for each other, and as it showed Saturday, it does so well.

As Hanchaikul battled, his teammates led cheers based around his name and cheered louder than they did for any other matchup.

But thats just part of the teams culture. Steinbergs expectation is that seniors will guide their younger teammates the same way their own former teammates guided them.

And when a team plays for each other and underclassmen follow suit, successes like the Wolverines current 12-game win streak emerge.

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Chemistry propels Michigan men's tennis over Purdue - The Michigan Daily