EU's Gorilla Glass Investigation, Algebra's Representation Theory Breakthrough, and a Supervolcano is Waking Up
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Welcome to Discover Daily by Perplexity, an AI-generated show on tech, science and culture. I'm Alex. And I'm Sienna. Today we're exploring a concerning situation in Italy, where Europe's largest supervolcano is showing unprecedented signs of activity near Naples, with over 150 earthquakes recorded in just five hours. But first, let's dive into some significant developments in tech and science.

The European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation into Corning's Gorilla Glass business practices. The probe focuses on alleged anti-competitive behavior through exclusive supply agreements with mobile phone manufacturers and glass refiners. At issue are contractual requirements that limit manufacturers from sourcing glass from competitors unless Corning cannot match the competing price.

Corning has responded proactively by proposing a nine-year commitment plan that includes removing exclusivity clauses from contracts with phone manufacturers and raw glass processors worldwide. The implementation of these commitments would be monitored by a trustee who reports to the Commission. The European Commission is currently seeking feedback from stakeholders who have six weeks to submit their views on the proposed commitments.

If found in violation of EU antitrust rules, Corning could face potential fines of up to 10% of their global revenue. The investigation, which formally began earlier in November, aims to address concerns about competition in the specialised glass market for mobile devices.

In mathematics, Rutgers professor Pham Thiep and collaborators have achieved a remarkable breakthrough in solving the height-zero conjecture, a problem that has puzzled mathematicians since 1955. The height-zero conjecture predicts that certain algebraic structures called blocks in group representations have specific properties when they contain elements whose order is divisible by a prime number.

TEEP proved this by developing a new method to analyze these blocks using character theory. Character theory looks at how abstract groups can be represented by matrices and their numerical properties.

Additionally, Tiep and Thiem made significant advances in delinear Lustig theory. Their work centers on representation theory, a powerful mathematical framework that makes abstract concepts concrete by expressing them through familiar linear algebra, much like using matrices to understand complex patterns and symmetries.

These theoretical breakthroughs in representation theory have potential applications across multiple fields.

While the immediate impact is in pure mathematics, these solutions could eventually influence our understanding of molecular symmetries and contribute to developments in cryptography. The work represents a significant advance in representation theory of finite groups, laying groundwork that could benefit future research in physics, chemistry, and computer science.

Thanks, Alex. Speaking of real-world impact, let me tell you about what's happening in Italy.

The Phlegrin Fields near Naples is experiencing significant volcanic activity. Ground deformation, gas emissions, and seismic activity have prompted authorities to enhance monitoring and update evacuation plans. The area experienced its most powerful earthquake in decades earlier this year, in May 2024, when a magnitude 4.4 event occurred at a depth of 2.6 kilometers beneath the Solfatara.

The Phlegrin Fields, or Campi Phlegrin, is classified as a supervolcano due to its massive 12-kilometer-wide caldera formed by a catastrophic eruption 39,000 years ago. This historic eruption ejected hundreds of cubic kilometers of magma. It was so significant that some researchers have suggested it may have contributed to the extinction of Neanderthals in Europe.

And the caldera's most recent eruption in 1538 created a new mountain, Monte Nuovo, in just one week. Now, since 2007, the ground in Pozzuoli's Rione Terra has risen approximately 1.3 meters, with magma movement being the primary driver. The source of deformation has become progressively more shallow, moving from about 6 kilometers to approximately 4 kilometers deep since 2015.

The Solfatara crater continues to emit significant amounts of carbon dioxide daily. The INGV Vesuvius Observatory, which serves as the primary scientific institution monitoring the active volcanoes in the Neapolitan area, maintains sophisticated round-the-clock surveillance through an integrated network of monitoring systems.

Their comprehensive monitoring includes seismic networks with fixed and mobile stations that detect ground motion, ground deformation monitoring through GNSS networks and satellite technology, continuous measurement of gas emissions and composition, and thermal surveillance using both fixed stations and drone technology.

The observatory conducts monthly video conferences to assess alert levels with various scientific institutions and the Civil Protection Department. The area remains at a yellow alert level, indicating heightened attention.

Naples has implemented a comprehensive evacuation plan with three operational phases. The attention phase involves intensified monitoring and plan testing. During the pre-alarm phase, authorities would relocate hospital patients and secure cultural heritage. The final alarm phase would involve the complete evacuation of the Red Zone within 72 hours.

In October 2024, authorities conducted a large-scale evacuation drill to test emergency procedures. The exercise involved simulating the evacuation of residents from high-risk areas, including several Naples neighborhoods and nearby towns.

Scientists continue to monitor the situation closely through multiple parameters. While magma movement is confirmed as the main driver of current activity, there are currently no signs of an imminent eruption. The comprehensive monitoring network, described as the most extensive in the world, ensures early detection of any significant changes in volcanic activity.

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