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Recent reports reveal Google’s influence on public opinion through its search algorithms, which may reinforce users’ existing beliefs and contribute to societal divides. A comparison of Google searches related to Vice President Kamala Harris illustrates this phenomenon. When users searched for “Is Kamala Harris a good Democratic candidate,” they were met with articles highlighting positive aspects, including a Pew Research Center poll that found Harris “energizes Democrats” and an Associated Press article noting widespread support among Democrats for Harris as a potential president. However, when searching for “Is Kamala Harris a bad Democratic candidate,” users encountered more critical results, including a top article from Reason Magazine and several opinion pieces with negative views on her candidacy.

This divergence in search outcomes underscores a wider issue: Google’s algorithm often reflects user inclinations back to them, creating a “feedback loop” that reinforces their original queries. According to Varol Kayhan, assistant professor of information systems at the University of South Florida, search engines like Google heavily shape the information people see and the beliefs they form. “We’re at the mercy of Google when it comes to what information we’re able to find,” he said.

Sarah Presch, digital marketing director at Dragon Metrics, an SEO-focused platform, noticed the impact of Google’s approach in searches beyond politics, such as healthcare. Presch found that when searching “link between coffee and hypertension,” Google’s Featured Snippet quoted from the Mayo Clinic, suggesting caffeine could cause a temporary spike in blood pressure. However, searching “no link between coffee and hypertension” produced a snippet from the same article, stating that caffeine does not have long-term blood pressure effects. Presch notes this as evidence that Google surfaces content tailored to confirm user queries, regardless of the nuances in source material.

Google’s spokesperson defended the search giant’s practices, stating that the goal is to present high-quality, relevant information and allow users access to a range of perspectives. Google also pointed to research suggesting that user choices drive exposure to partisan information rather than algorithmic design alone.

Despite these assertions, some experts argue that Google’s algorithms play a central role in perpetuating echo chambers, particularly in politically charged queries. Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick, professor at Technische Universität Berlin, notes that even if users have some control over the information they engage with, the algorithms determine the options that appear before them.

Another issue lies in Google’s approach to search queries themselves. Mark Williams-Cook, founder of the SEO tool AlsoAsked, explained that Google’s algorithms prioritize user reactions to content rather than deep document analysis. A 2016 internal Google presentation stated that “we hardly look at documents. We look at people.” Williams-Cook argues that this reliance on user engagement to rank content creates a “feedback loop” that feeds users content matching their interests—potentially at the cost of objectivity.

Although Google says its algorithms have evolved significantly since 2016, Williams-Cook believes the underlying model persists. He likens Google’s system to “letting a kid pick out their diet based on what they like,” adding, “they’ll just end up with junk food.” As search engines continue to influence how people find and consume information, experts warn that algorithm-driven bias could amplify confirmation bias and limit exposure to diverse viewpoints.

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What We Can Learn From Communities That Carry Heavy Loads

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In rural Vietnam, farm workers carry loads that often exceed their body weight, walking miles daily with impressive ease. Their secret lies in the use of springy bamboo poles, which allow them to adjust their gait so that the weight oscillates with their strides. According to a study, this technique reduces the effort required to lift the load by about 18%.

While the bamboo poles play a key role, years of physically demanding labor have also made these workers exceptionally strong. For most people, carrying such heavy loads is unimaginable, but the methods and strength of these farm workers offer lessons for building strength and resilience in daily life.

Strength has fascinated humans for thousands of years. Evidence of early weightlifting competitions can be traced back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and China, with records of resistance lifting as early as 557 BCE. In modern times, weightlifting has evolved into an Olympic sport, showcasing feats like Georgian weightlifter Lasha Talakhadze’s record-breaking 267kg clean and jerk at the 2021 World Weightlifting Championships.

While such extreme displays of strength may be beyond reach for most, strength training offers tangible benefits for everyone. Regular strength training improves health and mobility, particularly in older adults, and is associated with lower mortality rates from conditions like cancer and heart disease. Research also suggests that strength training can benefit mental health, boosting overall well-being.

Developing the capacity to carry heavier loads starts with building muscle, particularly in the core and auxiliary muscles that stabilize the body. “Our bodies are adapted to carrying our own body mass, but adding extra weight requires consistent strength training to grow your load-carrying muscles,” explains Jeffrey Ackerman, a teaching professor of mechanical engineering at the Colorado School of Mines.

However, muscle size alone doesn’t guarantee strength. Training muscle activation—learning to maximize the efficiency of muscle use—is equally important. Experts caution against jumping straight into heavy lifting. Instead, they recommend focusing on proper technique and gradually increasing weights over time to build strength safely and effectively.

The lessons from Vietnam’s farm workers and other strength-building practices worldwide highlight the remarkable adaptability of the human body. With the right techniques and consistent effort, many of us can develop the strength to carry more—both physically and metaphorically.

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Google to Combat Fake Reviews with Major Process Changes in the UK

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Google has agreed to implement significant changes to its processes in an effort to combat fake reviews of UK businesses, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on Thursday. The move comes as part of a commitment to improve transparency and ensure consumers can trust online reviews.

Under the new measures, Google will attach warnings to businesses found to have artificially inflated their star ratings. The worst offenders will have their review function disabled, preventing them from receiving any new reviews. Additionally, individuals who repeatedly post fake or misleading reviews will face bans from posting, regardless of their location.

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, emphasized the importance of these changes in ensuring consumer trust. “The changes we’ve secured from Google ensure robust processes are in place, so people can have confidence in reviews and make the best possible choices,” she said in a statement.

The new rules specifically apply to business reviews on Google Search and Google Maps, but will not affect product reviews on the platform. Google’s spokesperson told the BBC, “Our longstanding investments to combat fraudulent content help us block millions of fake reviews yearly – often before they ever get published.” The company added that its collaboration with regulators like the CMA is part of ongoing efforts to combat fake content.

The CMA estimates that £23 billion of UK consumer spending each year is “potentially influenced” by online reviews, highlighting the significant impact that both real and fake reviews have on business success. The issue of fake reviews has grown more complex with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), which can generate highly convincing false reviews.

Google has already begun implementing the new restrictions, and the CMA has stated that the company will report its progress over the next three years to ensure the changes are effective. After this period, Google may adjust its approach to handling fake reviews based on technological developments.

“This is a matter of fairness – for both business and consumers – and we encourage the entire sector to take note,” Cardell added.

The investigation into fake reviews has been ongoing since June 2021, when the CMA began looking into both Google and Amazon for failing to adequately address the issue. The CMA’s investigation into Amazon remains ongoing.

With these new steps, Google aims to restore consumer confidence in online reviews and demonstrate its commitment to tackling the growing problem of fraudulent content.

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Seven-Planet Alignment to Be Visible on February 28, Offering a Celestial Spectacle and Scientific Insights

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Stargazers will be treated to a rare sight on February 28, when a seven-planet alignment graces the night sky. The alignment will feature Mercury joining six other planets—Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune—in a spectacle visible from Earth. While these events are a visual treat, they also hold scientific significance for astronomers.

Currently, six planets are visible to the naked eye on clear nights in January and February, forming a planetary parade across the sky. On February 28, the alignment will be complete when Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, becomes visible. The planets, while not perfectly aligned, will appear in an arc due to the flat plane of their orbits in the Solar System.

Jenifer Millard, an astronomer at Fifth Star Labs in the UK, emphasized the unique experience of witnessing such events firsthand. “There is something special about looking at the planets with your own eyes,” she said. “When you’re looking at these objects, these are photons that have traveled millions or even billions of miles through space to reach you.”

For scientists, planetary alignments like this one offer opportunities to explore the dynamics of our Solar System. The planets orbit the Sun at varying speeds, with Mercury completing an orbit in just 88 days, while Neptune takes about 165 years. These different speeds occasionally cause the planets to align in such a way that multiple planets appear in the night sky at once. While most of these alignments are visually striking, their potential to influence life on Earth remains a subject of debate.

In 2019, physicist Frank Stefani suggested that alignments of certain planets could impact solar activity, possibly influencing the Sun’s 11-year cycle. Stefani proposed that the gravitational pull of planets like Venus, Earth, and Jupiter could cause subtle internal rotations within the Sun, potentially driving solar events. However, not all scientists agree with this theory, with some arguing that solar cycles are primarily driven by internal processes within the Sun itself.

Regardless of their impact on solar activity, planetary alignments are valuable for space exploration. Alignments have been used to slingshot spacecraft to outer planets, dramatically reducing travel time. The Voyager spacecraft, for example, capitalized on a 1977 alignment of outer planets to visit Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, cutting decades off the journey time.

Additionally, alignments are essential in the study of exoplanets. By observing the transit of planets across stars, astronomers can gather valuable data about planetary atmospheres, identifying gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide. These alignments, both in our Solar System and beyond, help deepen our understanding of the cosmos.

As February 28 approaches, this rare seven-planet alignment promises to captivate both amateur stargazers and seasoned scientists alike, offering a reminder of the intricate and awe-inspiring nature of our place in the universe.

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