Although there have been claims, including one by his fiancee Megan Fox, that he is even taller, Machine Gun Kelly's real height is 6 feet and 4 inches

Hidden inside a toy princess wand sold in dollar stores lurked a horrifying image—one that scared kids silly.

A US credit downgrade by Fitch was "entirely unwarranted," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday, pushing back against the second-ever decrease by a major ratings agency following...

Microsoft's Sept. 21 event in New York was all about the AI, but it also

Israel's manoeuvre has been described as "a tactical operation", meaning it was limited in scope.

Barcelona could have key defender Ronald Araujo back for their opening Champions League group game against Royal Antwerp.

Drivers are lining up at gas stations across Nigeria after the country's new leader scrapped a subsidy program that has helped reduce the price of fuel

Hong Kong, which is preparing to introduce a new regime for trading digital assets, is responding to concerns

A group of scientists and philosophers claim to have identified a “missing law of nature”, in a discovery which has huge implications for our understanding of how, basically, everything works. Most of us are familiar with the names – if not the intricacies – of many of the physical laws which govern the world and beyond, such as gravity and thermodynamics. And yet, no established physical law has been able to describe the behaviours of countless complex systems that exist across the universe – until now. In a paper published in the PNAS journal on 16 October, a multidisciplinary team from some of the US’s top institutes and universities, unveiled a new law claiming to do just that. In a nutshell, their law states that evolution is not limited to life on Earth, it also occurs in other massively complex systems – from planets to atoms. This means that these systems naturally “evolve” to states of greater diversity, and complexity. In other words, the researchers found evolution to be a common feature of the natural world's complex systems which, according to the Carnegie Institution for Science, comprise the following characteristics: “They are formed from many different components, such as atoms, molecules, or cells, that can be arranged and rearranged repeatedly “Are subject to natural processes that cause countless different configurations to be formed.” Only a small fraction of these configurations survive via a process of natural selection called “selection for function”. According to the researchers, regardless of whether the system is living or nonliving, when a new configuration works and function improves, evolution occurs. The authors' new law – which they have christened "the Law of Increasing Functional Information" – states that the system will evolve "if many different configurations of the system undergo selection for one or more functions." "An important component of this proposed natural law is the idea of 'selection for function,'" the study’s lead author, astrobiologist Dr Michael L. Wong, explained. The team’s research builds on Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection, which suggests the function exists to ensure the “survival of the fittest”. For their work, Dr Wong and his team expanded on this perspective, pointing to the existence of three types of this selection for function in nature. The first, most basic type, they claim, is stability – the stable arrangements of atoms or molecules which are selected to continue. Second, are dynamic systems which are selected for their ongoing supplies of energy. And the third, and most intriguing, function is "novelty" – the tendency of evolving systems to explore new configurations which can lead to surprising new behaviours or characteristics. Novelties are, ironically, nothing new. Indeed, life’s evolutionary history is rich with examples: photosynthesis evolved when single cells learned to harness light energy; multicellular life evolved when cells learned to cooperate; and species evolved thanks to advantageous new behaviours such as walking and thinking. The same type of evolution happens in the mineral kingdom, as the Carnegie Institution for Science notes in a release published by Phys.org. Indeed, Earth's minerals, which began with about 20 at the dawn of our solar system, now number almost 6,000 known today. This is thanks to the ever more complex physical, chemical, and biological processes which have occurred over the past 4.5 billion years. The paper also notes that just two major elements – hydrogen and helium – formed the first stars shortly after the big bang. Those earliest stars then used this hydrogen and helium to create around 20 heavier chemical elements, which was built upon by the next generation of stars. "Charles Darwin eloquently articulated the way plants and animals evolve by natural selection, with many variations and traits of individuals and many different configurations," co-author and research lead Robert M. Hazen explained. "We contend that Darwinian theory is just a very special, very important case within a far larger natural phenomenon. “The notion that selection for function drives evolution applies equally to stars, atoms, minerals, and many other conceptually equivalent situations where many configurations are subjected to selective pressure." The new law has a number of exciting implications, including a deeper understanding of how the Universe itself came to exist. It could also help explain how life differs from other complex evolving systems, and could help aid the search for life elsewhere. Furthermore, at a time when increasingly autonomous AI systems are of increasing concern, it’s very handy to have a law that characterises how both natural and symbolic systems evolve. It also offers insights into how we could artificially influence the rate of evolution of some systems which, again, could prove invaluable. The key point to remember, as Dr Wong put it, is that whilst life is the “most striking example of evolution”, it’s not the only one. Evolution, it transpires, is everywhere. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Gary Lineker admits he is concerned for Tottenham this season regardless of whether or not Harry Kane makes the “fantastic” move to Bayern Munich. Kane – Tottenham and England’s all-time record goalscorer – has been heavily linked with a move to the Bundesliga champions this summer and Bayern have already had two bids knocked back in their efforts to land the striker. Reports on Friday claimed the Bavarians had made a third and final bid for the striker of more than 100 million euros (£86m) and gave Spurs until midnight to accept or reject the offer – a deadline which passed with no comment from either club. The 30-year-old is out of contract at the end of the upcoming campaign and is reportedly keen on a move to Germany. Spurs finished eighth last season – their lowest placing in the Premier League since 2008 – despite Kane weighing in with 30 goals, second only to Erling Haaland. “I’m concerned for Spurs either way, whatever happens with Harry,” Lineker told the PA news agency. “I have been concerned about them for a while, I see where they ended last season and they are in the worst position they had been in for quite some time. “They have made an exceptional signing in James Maddison, he is a better player than a lot of people think, I think he is absolutely top class. Obviously, it is personal record versus a near-guarantee to win trophies at Bayern, so I think it will be an exciting move for him Gary Lineker “That is a good addition but they are a long, long way short. The new manager (Ange Postecoglou) could make a difference, but Harry, the goals he scores, take that away from any team it would be hugely difficult. It is time to rebuild for Tottenham – rebuild, rethink, re-plan.” One temptation for Kane to remain at Spurs is the tantalising prospect of becoming the Premier League’s all-time record goalscorer. He is currently on 213, second on the list to Alan Shearer, and needs 48 goals to surpass the former Southampton, Blackburn and Newcastle striker. However, Lineker – who is launching him own independent podcast, ‘The Rest is Football’, alongside Shearer – feels trophies would mean more to Kane than individual accomplishments. “Obviously, it is personal record versus a near-guarantee to win trophies at Bayern, so I think it will be an exciting move for him,” added Lineker. “It is a team game, I was as selfish as anybody and I’ve spoken to Alan Shearer as well, I asked him ‘what would you take, the Premier League record or your Premier League trophy?’ Straight away he said the trophy. “I have got three golden boots from three different clubs (Leicester, Everton and Tottenham) – a record in itself – but if I had to give one of those away or my FA Cup, I would give one of those away – it is a team game, you are in it to win the big prizes, personal records are wonderful but they are secondary.” Very few England players have opted to move abroad in the past but Lineker is someone who chose to do so – thriving on and off the pitch during a three-year stint at Barcelona, leaving in 1989 to sign for Tottenham. “Everybody is different but if you are of the mind of wanting to experience different things and enriching your life and learning different cultures, it is absolutely the right thing to do,” the 62-year-old said. “What Jude Bellingham has done at Borussia Dortmund and now with Real Madrid has been amazing, but obviously it is a personal choice. I don’t know what Harry is going to do, I suspect he will go. “I think it will be a fantastic move for him, he is guaranteed to score goals, German football is really attacking and it will suit him. “He would be going to one of the best clubs in world football, they win trophies every year, a beautiful city – my only advice would be try and learn German because it would be appreciated and help him settle in. If he goes.” :: Gary Lineker was talking to mark the launch of ‘The Rest is Football’ and independent podcast he will host alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Castleford coach Andy Last sacked after heavy home defeat to Huddersfield Andy Murray loses three-hour epic against top seed Taylor Fritz in Washington Jody Cundy wins 14th straight kilo world title as Britain’s para-cyclists shine

BlackRock’s flagship exchange-traded credit fund in Europe is on track to record its biggest monthly inflow since early

'RHOP' star Mia Thornton husband Gordon was reportedly blindsided by separation