Meta Plans World-Spanning Internet Cables, Elusive Orange Cat Gene Found, and If Humans Disappeared on Earth
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Deep Dive
Why is Meta investing $10 billion in a subsea cable network?
Meta aims to enhance global connectivity and reduce dependence on third-party networks by building its first exclusively owned undersea cable network, nicknamed 'W', spanning 40,000 kilometers.
What is the unique design of Meta's 'W' cable network?
The 'W' network connects the U.S. East Coast to India via South Africa, then to Australia, and back to the U.S. West Coast, avoiding high-risk geopolitical zones and critical points like the Red Sea and Straits of Malacca.
What genetic mutation causes orange fur in cats?
A 5 kb deletion in the Arhgap36 gene on the X chromosome is responsible for orange fur in cats, affecting pigment distribution and resulting in RNA levels 13 times higher than other cats.
Why are most orange cats male?
The orange fur gene is located on the X chromosome, and since males have only one X chromosome, they are more likely to express the orange fur trait, with approximately 80% of orange cats being male.
What would happen to urban areas if humans disappeared?
Within days, plants would grow through cracks in sidewalks and roads, and within decades, abandoned cities would be reclaimed by nature, with wildlife returning and ecosystems adapting to the new spaces.
How has nature reclaimed abandoned areas like Bulgaria's Tyurkmen region?
In Bulgaria's Tyurkmen region, abandoned farmlands have become thriving wildlife habitats, with species like pheasants and hoopoes returning in large numbers, showcasing nature's rapid reclamation of human-abandoned spaces.
What challenges would unattended industrial facilities pose if humans vanished?
Without human maintenance, nuclear power plants could face meltdowns, chemical storage tanks could fail, and oil refineries might experience fires or explosions, creating localized disasters that nature would adapt to over time.
How would wildlife adapt to a human-free Earth?
Wildlife would expand into urban areas, losing their fear of human spaces and altering their behavior and territory ranges, as seen in studies of coyotes and mountain lions infiltrating cities.
What evidence shows nature's resilience in recovering from human impact?
Studies in Chernobyl's exclusion zone and the recovery of humpback whales after the ban on commercial whaling demonstrate nature's ability to rebound when human pressures are removed.
- Meta's first exclusively owned undersea cable
- 40,000-kilometer network
- $10 billion investment
- W-shaped design to avoid geopolitical risks
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