Photo Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images

Buzz Aldrin Shares What Happened To Him After Landing On The Moon

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency showcases the striking beauty of the planetary nebula NGC 2899, which resembles a moth in flight. The photo was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.



“The planetary nebula NGC 2899 is shaped like a single macaroni noodle, with its edges pointed up, but its edge-on central torus is semi-transparent in the middle,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



“The top and bottom edges are thick and orange. The center is semi-transparent blue and green. The wider central region looks roughly like a moth, also filled with semi-transparent blue and green.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-defining-features-of-the-planetary-nebula">Defining features of the planetary nebula</h2>



According to ESA, the nebula features a bipolar, cylindrical outflow of gas extending diagonally. The gas is driven by intense radiation and stellar winds from a central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-planets-are-more-habitable-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white dwarf</a> with a scorching temperature of nearly 22,000 degrees Celsius. 



“In fact, there may be two companion stars that are interacting and sculpting the nebula, which is pinched in the middle by a fragmented ring or torus - looking like a half-eaten donut,” said ESA.



Streams of gaseous “pillars” extend outward, all pointing back toward the central source of energy. The vibrant colors in the image come from glowing hydrogen and oxygen gases.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-discovery-and-significance-of-ngc-2899">Discovery and significance of NGC 2899</h2>



NGC 2899 was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel on March 2, 1835, during his survey of the southern skies from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. 



Herschel cataloged many deep-sky objects in the southern hemisphere, contributing significantly to the New General Catalogue (NGC) compiled later by John Louis Emil Dreyer.



NGC 2899 is located approximately 4,500 light-years from Earth in the southern constellation Vela, which is part of the larger Vela-Puppis-Carina region of the Milky Way known for its rich <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star-forming activity</a> and remnants of past stellar explosions.&nbsp;



Vela, whose name means "sails" in Latin, represents the sails of the ancient Greek mythological ship Argo Navis. This region of the sky is particularly abundant in nebulae, star clusters, and other deep-sky objects, making it a focal point for astronomical observations.&nbsp;



The nebula’s distance places it well within our galaxy, offering astronomers a valuable glimpse into the later stages of stellar evolution and the processes that sculpt and illuminate planetary nebulae.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-planetary-nebula">What is a planetary nebula?</h2>



Nebulae are vast clouds of gas and dust in space, often serving as the birthplaces or remnants of stars.&nbsp;



They come in various types, including emission nebulae that glow due to ionized gases energized by nearby stars, reflection nebulae that shine by scattering starlight, and dark nebulae that obscure light from background <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/runaway-star-may-be-dragging-a-planet-along-with-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a>.&nbsp;



Planetary nebulae form when dying stars shed their outer layers, creating colorful, often symmetrical shapes. Nebulae can span light-years across and are key to understanding the life cycles of stars and the structure of galaxies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-fate-of-dying-stars">The fate of dying stars</h2>



Not all dying stars become planetary nebulae. In fact, stars much more massive than the Sun follow a very different and far more violent path.&nbsp;



These massive stars end their lives in dramatic supernova explosions, releasing tremendous energy and scattering heavy elements into space, which enriches the interstellar medium.&nbsp;



What remains after the explosion depends on the star’s mass. The collapsed core can form a neutron star - an incredibly dense object composed mostly of neutrons. Or, if the star was even more massive, it may create a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-confirm-lone-black-hole-wandering-through-our-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black hole</a>, where gravity is so intense that not even light can escape.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-examples-of-winged-nebulae-nbsp">Examples of “winged” nebulae&nbsp;</h2>



Several well-known nebulae are noted for their "winged" or symmetrical, wing-like appearances, often earning them evocative nicknames.&nbsp;



One of the most famous is the Butterfly Nebula, located in the constellation Scorpius. This planetary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dragons-egg-nebula-is-a-truly-stunning-sight-to-behold/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nebula</a> displays two expansive lobes that resemble butterfly wings, shaped by fast stellar winds from a dying star.



The Omega Nebula (also known as the Swan Nebula) in the constellation Sagittarius is a bright star-forming region that has been said to resemble a swan in flight. It has broad, glowing "wings" formed by clouds of ionized hydrogen gas.&nbsp;



Similarly, the Eagle Nebula has an overall shape reminiscent of a bird with outstretched wings, which inspired its name. It is located in the constellation Serpens and home to the iconic "Pillars of Creation."



Image Credit: ESA



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Planetary nebula with ethereal wings captured by Hubble

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features NGC 5335 - a barred spiral galaxy located in the constellation Virgo. 



The photo was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. According to <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/04/Barred_Spiral_Galaxy_NGC_5335" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>, thousands of distant galaxies are speckled throughout the image in a variety of colors.&nbsp;



Hubble is revealing how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-galaxies-discovery-would-upend-current-understanding-of-universe/">galaxies</a> form, grow, and evolve over cosmic time by capturing detailed images of galaxies at various stages of development, from the nearby universe to billions of light-years away.



Hubble images have shown us that galaxies collide and merge, that star formation varies across different types of galaxies, and that supermassive black holes often lie at their centers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-ngc-5335">Studying NGC 5335</h2>



The galaxy NGC 5335 lies approximately 160 million light-years from Earth. It is classified as an SB(s)bc type galaxy, indicating a well-defined bar structure across its center. 



Like many galaxies of its type, NGC 5335 features active <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-formation-reignited-in-the-galaxy-leo-p-after-billions-of-years/">star formation</a>, especially in its spiral arms, where interstellar gas and dust provide the raw material for new stars. 



Observations in different wavelengths, including infrared and ultraviolet, help astronomers study the galaxy’s stellar population and the dynamics of its central bar.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-s-view-of-the-spiral-galaxy-nbsp">Hubble’s view of the spiral galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



“NGC 5335 is categorized as a flocculent spiral galaxy with patchy streamers of star formation across its disk. There is a striking lack of well-defined spiral arms that are commonly found among galaxies, including our Milky Way,” noted ESA.



“A notable bar structure slices across the center of the galaxy. The bar channels gas inwards toward the galactic center, fueling star formation.”&nbsp;



“Such bars are dynamic in galaxies and may come and go over two-billion-year intervals. They appear in about 30 percent of observed galaxies, including our Milky Way.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galactic-bar-in-the-milky-way-nbsp">Galactic bar in the Milky Way&nbsp;</h2>



The bar in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-found-something-strange-at-core-of-milky-way-galaxy-webb-meerkat/">Milky Way</a> is a vast, elongated structure composed mostly of stars, stretching across the galaxy’s central region. It is a key feature of our galaxy’s architecture, spanning about 27,000 light-years and oriented at an angle relative to the galaxy’s spiral arms. 



Astronomers believe the bar plays a crucial role in the dynamics and evolution of the Milky Way by funneling gas inward toward the galactic center. This can feed star formation and fuel the supermassive black hole at the core.&nbsp;



The bar is thought to have formed from instabilities in the galactic disk and continues to influence the motion of stars and the overall gravitational balance of the galaxy.&nbsp;



Observations in infrared and radio wavelengths, which can pierce through the dust in the galactic plane, have helped scientists map the bar’s size, shape, and orientation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-constellation-virgo-nbsp">The constellation Virgo&nbsp;</h2>



Virgo is one of the most prominent and well-known constellations in the night sky, both astronomically and mythologically. It is the second-largest constellation by area and lies along the zodiac, making it one of the twelve constellations through which the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/team-creates-video-showing-the-sun-in-gamma-rays-over-a-14-year-period/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sun</a> appears to move during the year.&nbsp;



Virgo is most visible in the evening sky in the Northern Hemisphere during spring, particularly in April and May. Its name means “virgin” in Latin.



Virgo is traditionally associated with various fertility and agriculture goddesses across different cultures, including the Greek goddess Demeter and her daughter Persephone, as well as the Roman goddess Ceres.&nbsp;



In some myths, Virgo represents Astraea, the virgin goddess of justice who fled to the heavens during the corruption of mankind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-astronomical-significance-of-virgo">Astronomical significance of Virgo</h2>



Astronomically, Virgo is situated between Leo to the west and Libra to the east. One of its most notable stars is Spica, the brightest star in Virgo and one of the brightest in the night sky.&nbsp;



Spica is a blue-white giant, located approximately 250 light-years from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/was-early-earth-a-purple-planet-scientists-say-its-possible/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>. It has been important for navigation and agriculture for centuries, marking planting and harvest times in ancient calendars.



Virgo is also of great interest to astronomers because it hosts the Virgo Cluster, a massive cluster of galaxies about 65 million light-years away.&nbsp;



This cluster contains more than 1,000 galaxies, and it's part of the larger Virgo Supercluster, which also includes our own Local Group of galaxies. This makes Virgo a key area for studying large-scale structures in the universe.



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Spiral galaxy glows in the constellation Virgo

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features Lake Chad in central Africa. The photograph was taken by an astronaut on the International Space Station.



According to <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154407/lake-chads-water-wetlands-and-dunes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>, Lake Chad once ranked among the largest natural lakes in the world. It was a critical resource for millions of people and animals, supporting agriculture and fishing across the region.&nbsp;



Lake Chad straddles the borders of Chad, Nigeria, Niger, and Cameroon. The shallow <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/lakes-are-warming-toward-the-point-of-no-return/">lake</a> is primarily fed by the Chari River, which brings water from the Central African Republic. 



The water levels are also influenced by seasonal rainfall. The rainfall patterns vary significantly across the basin but generally follow a wet-dry seasonal cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-decline-and-shrinkage-nbsp">Environmental decline and shrinkage&nbsp;</h2>



From the 1960s to the early 2000s, the lake lost more than 90 percent of its surface area. It transformed from a vast expanse of open water into a patchwork of wetlands, reed beds, and scattered pools.&nbsp;



This environmental decline has had severe consequences for local communities, leading to food and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-water-security-relies-on-the-origins-of-rainfall/">water insecurity</a>, loss of livelihoods, and increasing competition over scarce resources.



“Ongoing droughts and the rising demand for fresh water have shrunk the lake to less than a tenth of the area it covered in the middle of the last century,” noted NASA.



“Although the lake has experienced dry and wet periods for thousands of years, there has been a significant decline in the amount of lake water available since the 1960s.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conflict-culture-and-economy">Conflict, culture, and economy</h2>



Lake Chad is a geopolitical hotspot. The region has been affected by conflict, including the insurgency led by Boko Haram, which has displaced millions and further complicated efforts to manage and protect the lake’s fragile ecosystem.&nbsp;



Despite these challenges, regional governments and international organizations are working to restore and sustain the lake, including ambitious proposals to divert water from the Congo River basin.



Culturally and economically, Lake Chad remains vital. It is a hub for trade and social exchange among diverse ethnic groups and continues to provide fish and fertile land despite its reduced size.&nbsp;



The future of Lake Chad hinges on sustainable water management, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-extremes-alter-how-sunlight-travels-through-clear-lakes/">climate</a> resilience, and political cooperation across national boundaries.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-lake-chad-nbsp">Evolution of Lake Chad&nbsp;</h2>



According to NASA, the evolution of Lake Chad has been documented by astronaut photography over the past 60 years.&nbsp;



“During the Apollo 7 mission in 1968, an astronaut acquired an oblique <a href="https://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/SearchPhotos/photo.pl?mission=AS07&amp;roll=8&amp;frame=1932" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">photograph</a> of the lake as one large body of water. In 1982, another photo from the space shuttle mission STS-5 recorded receding water levels and encroaching sand dunes.”



“A photo taken in 2015 during space station Expedition 42 captured the lake’s remaining waters and wetlands in dark green, blue, and brown, contrasting with the sandy shades of the surrounding land.” 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-of-lake-chad">Wildlife of Lake Chad</h2>



Lake Chad still supports wildlife, though species diversity and abundance have declined significantly due to ecosystem degradation



The lake and its surrounding wetlands are home to several species of fish, including tilapia, catfish, and Nile perch, which are important both ecologically and economically.&nbsp;



These fish support a major regional fishing industry, although overfishing and changes in water conditions have put pressure on fish populations.



Birds are another key component of the ecosystem. The lake serves as a crucial habitat and stopover point for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-may-be-using-quantum-physics-for-migration/">migratory birds</a> traveling along the African-Eurasian flyway. 



Species such as herons, storks, ducks, and geese can be found in the region, especially during the wet season when parts of the lake flood and create rich feeding grounds.



Mammals that depend on the surrounding floodplains and wetlands include hippos and various antelope species, yet their numbers have declined.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conservation-efforts-and-challenges">Conservation efforts and challenges</h2>



Reptiles like Nile crocodiles and turtles also inhabit the lake's waters and marshy areas. In the past, larger wildlife such as elephants and lions may have roamed the wider Lake Chad basin, but they are now mostly gone from the immediate lake area due to habitat loss and human activity.



Despite these challenges, Lake Chad remains an important, yet increasingly fragile, refuge for wildlife in a region where water and natural habitats are becoming more scarce.&nbsp;



Conservation efforts aim to balance the needs of people and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-freshwater-species-are-threatened-with-extinction/">wildlife</a>, but the success of such efforts depends on managing the lake’s limited resources in the face of climate change, political instability, and population growth.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Lake Chad: A vanishing lifeline in Central Africa

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a clear view of a stunning stellar nursery captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.



Captured in extraordinary detail, Webb’s latest image shows not a mountain range, but a wall of cosmic dust sculpted by fierce radiation and winds. 



This landscape looks tranquil from a distance, yet it is a turbulent region where giant stars shape their surroundings and new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-formation-reignited-in-the-galaxy-leo-p-after-billions-of-years/">stars</a> continue to form.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-vibrant-stellar-nursery-nbsp">A vibrant stellar nursery&nbsp;</h2>



The universe is far from static. Clouds of gas and dust collapse, stars ignite, and entire regions blaze with fresh energy. One such place is the Lobster Nebula, sitting about 5,500 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius.&nbsp;



At its core lies Pismis 24, a vibrant cluster filled with some of the hottest, youngest stars ever seen.&nbsp;



Pismis 24-1 was once thought to be a single behemoth. It has since been revealed to be at least two stars, weighing in at 74 and 66 times the mass of the Sun.&nbsp;



Even separated, they rank among the most massive and luminous stars known. Their combined brilliance dominates the cluster, carving out surrounding gas and dust while igniting new rounds of star birth in their wake.&nbsp;



Nearby stars, some almost eight times hotter than the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-our-sun-is-unusually-calm-and-what-that-means-for-earth/">Sun</a>, pour out streams of scorching energy. These powerful forces hollow out cavities in the nebula, sweep up dense ridges of material, and create striking spires that stretch across light-years of space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-thousands-of-stars-unveiled-nbsp">Thousands of stars unveiled&nbsp;</h2>



Webb used its infrared vision to peer past veils of dust that once obscured regions like this. The <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/09/Glittering_glimpse_of_star_birth#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=c429878b-a758-4049-b2e4-1f4b83910300" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">image</a>, captured by the telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), reveals thousands of stars scattered across the scene. 



The most brilliant ones, marked with six-pointed diffraction spikes, are the cluster’s largest members. Smaller stars, tinted white, yellow, or red depending on their type and the dust around them, fill in the tapestry.&nbsp;



Behind them, tens of thousands more stars belonging to the Milky Way shine through, giving a sense of the cluster’s place within our galaxy.



The tallest spire in the image stretches some 5.4 light-years from base to tip. Its width is immense - wide enough to fit more than 200 solar systems laid end to end, each extending out to Neptune’s orbit.&nbsp;



These structures are not permanent. Radiation and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/silent-storms-experts-identify-the-mysterious-source-of-solar-wind/">stellar winds</a> gnaw at their edges, compressing pockets of gas until new stars ignite deep inside them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-colors-that-tell-a-story">Colors that tell a story</h2>



The Webb image isn’t just striking - it carries information coded in color. Cyan traces ionized hydrogen gas, heated to extremes by the cluster’s massive stars. Orange represents fine dust grains, made of molecules similar to smoke on Earth. 



“Red signifies cooler, denser molecular hydrogen. The darker the red, the denser the gas. Black denotes the densest gas, which is not emitting light. The wispy white features are dust and gas that are scattering starlight,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



These colors reveal how stars interact with their surroundings. They show where winds are strongest, where new stars are forming, and where raw material is being stripped away.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-closer-look-at-stellar-nurseries">A closer look at stellar nurseries</h2>



Studying clusters like Pismis 24 helps scientists answer long-standing questions about the birth of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/massive-stars-shape-planetary-systems-like-ours-with-ultraviolet-radiation/">massive stars</a>. 



These giants are rare, short-lived, and shape their galaxies more than smaller stars ever could. Their radiation and explosions seed space with heavy elements that later become planets, atmospheres, and even life.&nbsp;



Yet the earliest years of star clusters remain difficult to observe because they form deep within thick clouds of dust.



That is where Webb’s sharp infrared vision makes all the difference. By cutting through the obscuring layers, it exposes the full story of how stars as large as Pismis 24-1 grow, interact, and ultimately transform their environment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stellar-nursery-in-the-lobster-nebula-nbsp">Stellar nursery in the Lobster Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



Massive stars influence everything around them. They trigger new waves of star formation while also tearing regions apart. Their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dead-stars-reveal-the-hidden-physics-of-the-universe/">deaths</a> in violent supernovae scatter elements like carbon, oxygen, and iron - the building blocks of rocky planets and living organisms. 



Understanding the origins of massive stars isn’t just about distant astronomy. It connects directly to how our own Sun and solar system came to be.



The Lobster Nebula is one of the nearest and most accessible sites where this process is happening on a grand scale. By studying it, researchers gain rare insight into a stage of cosmic evolution that set the stage for countless solar systems across the galaxy.



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI



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Sparkling stellar nursery in the Lobster Nebula

Today’s Image of the Day from the European Space Agency...

Today's Image of the Day from the James Webb Space Telescope features the planetary nebula NGC 6072, located about 3,200 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius.&nbsp;



The nebula was formed from the outer layers of a dying star and shaped by complex interactions that likely involved a hidden companion star.



When stars like our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/widest-high-resolution-photo-of-the-sun-ever-captured-solar-orbiter/">Sun</a> reach the end of their lives, they don’t go quietly. They erupt - slowly, over thousands of years - shedding their outer layers into space and creating glowing shells of gas and dust called planetary nebulae.&nbsp;



These dramatic displays are not only visually striking but also packed with information about how stars live and die. Thanks to NASA’s <a href="https://webbtelescope.org/contents/news-releases/2025/news-2025-124.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a>, astronomers are now getting a much closer look at stellar life cycles in remarkable detail.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-your-typical-nebula">Not your typical nebula</h2>



NGC 6072 doesn’t look like the neat, symmetrical nebula that many might imagine. Instead, Webb’s image shows what looks like a cosmic splatter painting: a tangled web of gas, dust, and glowing rings shooting out in different directions.



While some planetary nebulae are spherical or have two clear lobes - what astronomers call "bipolar" shapes - this one breaks the mold. Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) reveals that NGC 6072 is “multi-polar,” with at least three separate lobes extending in different directions.&nbsp;



One pair stretches from roughly 11 o’clock to 5 o’clock, another from 1 to 7, and possibly a third from 12 to 6. It’s like watching a fountain spew in several directions all at once.



These lobes likely didn’t form by chance. Instead, astronomers think they’re being sculpted by the powerful influence of a second star orbiting the one that’s dying.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-partner-in-the-chaos">A partner in the chaos</h2>



The idea of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/red-supergiant-star-betelgeuse-has-a-companion-finally-found-after-100-years/">companion star</a> adds a layer of complexity to the story. The star at the center of NGC 6072 is nearing the final stages of its life and shedding its outer layers - a common fate for low- to intermediate-mass stars like the Sun. But when there’s a second star nearby, things can get messy.



Astronomers believe that this companion is interacting with the main star’s ejecta, shaping the outflows and possibly compressing material into a disk that appears perpendicular to the lobes. Webb’s high-resolution data suggests this dynamic duo is responsible for NGC 6072’s odd shape.



The central area has a light blue glow in near-infrared light, showing the hot core that remains. Dark orange wisps of gas and dust curve around it, interrupted by deep blue openings.&nbsp;



These shapes may have been carved out by fast stellar winds blowing through the earlier, slower-moving halo of gas the star expelled long ago.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mysterious-rings-of-ngc-6072">Mysterious rings of NGC 6072</h2>



In the mid-infrared view from Webb’s <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/mid-infrared-instrument-miri/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIRI instrument</a>, the picture becomes even more intriguing. One tiny pinkish-white dot, likely the main star, sits at the center, surrounded by a faint bullseye of concentric rings. These rings hint at a story that spans thousands of years.



One explanation is that the orbiting companion star may have carved out these rings as it passed through the outer layers of the primary star’s expanding envelope, leaving behind a pattern much like ripples in a pond.&nbsp;



Another possibility is that the main star itself may have gone through pulsations, shedding material in evenly spaced intervals, each separated by millennia.



The red areas in the near-infrared and blue areas in the mid-infrared both highlight cold molecular gas - most likely molecular hydrogen.&nbsp;



Closer to the center, astronomers see hot, ionized gas glowing brightly. This layered combination of temperatures and gases offers insight into how the star has evolved over time and what forces are at work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cycle-of-life">The cycle of life</h2>



Eventually, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebula</a> will fade. The hot central core will cool and shrink into a white dwarf, and the glowing gas will disperse into the interstellar medium. But it doesn’t just vanish. That material - now enriched with heavier elements forged inside the star - will go on to seed future <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/hubble-captures-a-stunning-stellar-nursery/">stars</a>, planets, and maybe even life.



This is part of a larger cosmic cycle, and NGC 6072 is helping scientists understand it better. The fact that it doesn’t follow a simple, symmetrical pattern is actually a big deal.&nbsp;



The more astronomers study these oddly shaped nebulae, the more they can learn about the role of companion stars, stellar winds, and other forces in shaping the final acts of stellar life.



Astronomers studying NGC 6072 with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-galaxies-revealed-in-a-single-webb-image/">Webb</a> want to learn more about the full life cycle of stars and how they impact their surrounding environments. That includes understanding how stars lose up to 80 percent of their mass in these final stages and how that material gets recycled into the universe.



Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI



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What we can learn from dying stars and their stunning light shows

Today's Image of the Day from the James Webb Space...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1559, located around 35 million light-years away in the southern constellation Reticulum. The image was captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.&nbsp;



"The data featured in this portrait make use of two of Webb’s instruments: the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) and Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam)," noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



"Here MIRI captures the glow of interstellar dust grains, which trace out the interstellar medium, the fuel for future star formation. NIRCam shows the light from stars, even young stars hidden behind prodigious amounts of dust. NIRCam also captures emission from ionized nebulae around young stars."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-reveals-galaxies-in-new-light">Webb reveals galaxies in new light</h2>



The data was collected by the <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/phangs/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PHANGS team</a> as part of a program in which Webb will observe 55 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/james-webb-captures-galaxies-that-are-too-old-to-exist/">galaxies</a> that have also been mapped by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope. 



ESA said that by combining Webb’s unprecedented view of the dust and stars with data from these other facilities, the team aims to obtain a new, highly detailed view of how stars are born, live, and die in galaxies across the Universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ngc-1559-a-loner-in-space">NGC 1559: A loner in space</h2>



Although NGC 1559 appears to sit close to one of our nearest neighbors in the sky - the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) - this is just a trick of perspective, noted ESA.



While it is part of the Reticulum constellation, NGC 1559 is not part of the Local Group of galaxies but instead resides in a more distant region of space.



"In reality, NGC 1559 is physically nowhere near the LMC in space; in fact it truly is a loner, lacking the company of any nearby galaxies or membership of any galaxy cluster," said ESA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-formation-in-ngc-1559">Star formation in NGC 1559</h2>



NGC 1559 is notable for its active star formation and strong magnetic fields. It has also been the site of several <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernovae</a>, making it of particular interest to astronomers who study the life cycle of stars.



The structure of NGC 1559 includes well-defined spiral arms that contain young, hot stars and regions of ionized gas, indicative of ongoing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-is-starving-its-host-galaxy-of-star-forming-fuel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-extragalactic-wonder">An extragalactic wonder</h2>



Despite being relatively small compared to larger galaxies like the Milky Way, NGC 1559 is an important object for understanding how barred spiral galaxies evolve and the processes that trigger supernovae.



The galaxy’s remote location and active nature make it a fascinating subject of study in the field of extragalactic astronomy. 



The isolation of NGC 1559 allows for a clearer view of its structure without much interference from neighboring galaxies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-barred-spiral-galaxies">Barred spiral galaxies</h2>



Barred spiral galaxies are a type of spiral galaxy characterized by a central bar-shaped structure composed of stars. This bar extends out from the core and connects to the galaxy's spiral arms, which swirl outward in a graceful pattern.



Scientists believe that the bar plays a crucial role in the evolution of the galaxy, funneling gas towards the core and potentially triggering star formation or feeding a central black hole. 



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newly-discovered-stars-milky-way-are-old-as-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>, our own galaxy, is an example of a barred spiral. These galaxies are quite common in the universe, making up about two-thirds of all observed spiral galaxies.



The bar itself is thought to be a temporary feature, developing as the galaxy matures and possibly disappearing over time as the dynamics of the stars change. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-reticulum-constellation">The Reticulum constellation</h2>



Reticulum is a small, faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name means "the reticle" in Latin, which refers to the crosshairs in an eyepiece of a telescope.



The constellation was named in the 18th century by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille to honor the reticle he used in his scientific instruments. It is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union.



Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA, A. Leroy, J. Lee and the PHANGS Team



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Spiral galaxy glows with young stars and interstellar dust

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a stunning transformation across the western Barents Sea on August 5, 2025. 



Tiny, plant-like organisms known as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-phytoplankton-that-feed-ocean-life-are-rapidly-disappearing/">phytoplankton</a> surged near the ocean’s surface, forming a colorful bloom visible from space.&nbsp;



Captured by NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite, the bloom swirled around Bear Island, part of Norway’s Svalbard archipelago. 



Bear Island lies roughly halfway between Spitsbergen, the archipelago’s largest island, and mainland Norway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phytoplankton-s-seasonal-rhythm">Phytoplankton’s seasonal rhythm</h2>



Phytoplankton, though microscopic, play a major role in the marine ecosystem. Their seasonal blooms support countless species of fish and zooplankton.



Phytoplankton also contribute to the global carbon cycle and produce a significant portion of the oxygen we breathe. These tiny organisms are vital for both local and planetary health.



The Barents Sea experiences two main phytoplankton bloom seasons each year. Diatoms, which are a type of single-celled algae with silica shells, appear first in May and June.&nbsp;



Later, in August, coccolithophores emerge. These organisms thrive as nutrients are depleted and the surface waters warm and stratify.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forces-behind-phytoplankton-blooms">Forces behind phytoplankton blooms</h2>



The striking turquoise color of the recent bloom likely comes from coccolithophores, specifically Gephyrocapsa huxleyi. These organisms are encased in calcium carbonate plates, which reflect sunlight and give the water its distinctive color. 



Other shades visible in the bloom may come from floating sediment and different phytoplankton <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/">species</a>. Diatoms, for example, often tint the water green.



Researchers have long studied how environmental factors influence phytoplankton blooms. Water flowing in from North Atlantic currents plays a major role in shaping the location and extent of G. huxleyi blooms in this area. 



According to <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154651/bloom-time-in-the-barents-sea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>, scientists are particularly interested in how “Atlantification” - the warming and changing circulation of Arctic waters - could alter the marine food web and biogeochemical cycles of the region.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-base-of-the-food-web-nbsp">The base of the food web&nbsp;</h2>



Coccolithophores and other phytoplankton form the base of the marine food web, supporting small zooplankton that are themselves a key food source for fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.&nbsp;



In the Barents Sea, this web is the lifeline for commercial fisheries and species such as cod, capelin, and herring. Any change in phytoplankton abundance or composition can ripple through the ecosystem, affecting species from the tiniest shrimp to large predatory fish.



Beyond their role as a food source, coccolithophores contribute to carbon cycling. When they die, their calcium carbonate shells sink to the ocean floor, sequestering carbon in deep waters.&nbsp;



This natural process helps regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide, linking Arctic phytoplankton <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/">blooms</a> to broader climate systems. They also produce oxygen through photosynthesis, reinforcing the ocean’s role as a life-support system for Earth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-blooms-from-space">Tracking blooms from space</h2>



The August 2025 bloom highlights how modern technology allows scientists to monitor marine ecosystems in near real-time.&nbsp;



MODIS, the sensor aboard NASA’s Aqua satellite, detects the color and extent of phytoplankton blooms from orbit, providing crucial data for understanding seasonal patterns and ecological shifts.&nbsp;



Satellite observations, combined with in-water measurements, provide a comprehensive picture of how phytoplankton respond to environmental changes.



Experts emphasize that phytoplankton are not just passive indicators of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-marine-heatwaves-impact-ocean-health/">ocean health</a>. Their blooms reflect the underlying dynamics of water movement, temperature, and nutrient availability. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impacts-of-atlantification">Impacts of Atlantification</h2>



As Arctic waters continue to warm and Atlantic currents penetrate further north, the region’s marine ecosystems may experience significant shifts.&nbsp;



Coccolithophore blooms, for example, could become more frequent or widespread, altering food web dynamics and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/a-weaker-ocean-will-release-more-carbon-into-the-atmosphere/">carbon cycling</a>.&nbsp;



Scientists are closely monitoring these trends to predict how fisheries, nutrient distribution, and ecosystem health might change in coming decades.



For now, the August 2025 bloom serves as a vivid reminder of the Arctic Ocean’s intricate web of life.&nbsp;



From microscopic algae to commercial fish stocks, these seasonal blooms shape the rhythms of life in one of Earth’s most extreme environments. They are both a signal of ecological change and a testament to the delicate balance of life in Arctic waters.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Phytoplankton bloom transforms the Barents Sea 

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a stunning view of the spiral galaxy NGC 1309 captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. 



The galaxy, located about 100 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Eridanus, shines with bluish stars and trails of dusty gas.



The real fascination lies not just in how NGC 1309 looks - it’s what happened there that keeps astronomers coming back.



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thousands-of-galaxies-revealed-in-a-single-webb-image/">galaxy</a> has been a familiar subject for Hubble, appearing in images released in both 2006 and 2014. That continued interest isn’t just because it’s photogenic.&nbsp;



NGC 1309 is a site of rare astronomical events that have helped researchers understand what happens when stars die, and in one case, what happens when they don't quite finish the job.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hundreds-of-galaxies-surround-ngc-1309">Hundreds of galaxies surround NGC 1309</h2>



Hubble’s newest look at NGC 1309 captures more than just one galaxy. As ESA noted, countless distant galaxies are visible in the background of the image.&nbsp;



But one sharp point of light stands out near the top of the frame. It’s not a galaxy, but a nearby star from our own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-galaxy-may-be-inside-a-giant-void-in-the-universe-explains-hubble-tension/">Milky Way</a>, just a few thousand light-years away.



“This stunning Hubble image encompasses NGC 1309’s bluish stars, dark brown gas clouds and pearly white centre, as well as hundreds of distant background galaxies,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2025/08/A_supernova-rich_spiral#msdynmkt_trackingcontext=8d9474de-58be-45fd-9fca-2f9985620200" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



“Nearly every smudge, streak and blob of light in this image is an individual galaxy. The only exception to the extragalactic ensemble is a star, which can be identified near the top of the frame by its diffraction spikes.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-unusual-story-of-ngc-1309">The unusual story of NGC 1309</h2>



Even though the view is crowded, all eyes are on NGC 1309. This galaxy gained attention after two significant explosions lit it up in the past few decades. The first, a textbook Type Ia supernova named SN 2002fk, occurred in 2002.&nbsp;



These types of supernovae are known for being reliable “standard candles” that help astronomers measure cosmic distances. They happen when a white dwarf - the leftover core of a dead star - gets pushed past its limit and explodes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-supernova-that-left-something-behind">Supernova that left something behind</h2>



In 2012, Hubble detected a second <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernovae-explosions-seem-to-have-altered-earths-climate-in-the-past-and-could-do-so-again-at-any-time/">supernova</a> in NGC 1309 - SN 2012Z. This one threw scientists a curveball. On the surface, it looked like another Type Ia event, but its brightness didn’t quite measure up. It turned out to be part of a lesser-known category called Type Iax supernovae.



Unlike typical Type Ia explosions, SN 2012Z didn’t tear the white dwarf completely apart. What was left behind surprised astronomers: a “zombie star.”&nbsp;



Instead of fading into the background, the star remained - and it actually became brighter after the explosion. That’s not something astronomers were expecting to see.



This discovery made NGC 1309 the site of something that had never been captured before: the exact white dwarf that triggered a supernova, seen in images taken before the explosion.&nbsp;



Usually, supernovae are identified after the fact, based on the light they release. But in this case, the star was already in Hubble’s earlier images of the galaxy. That allowed scientists to link the before-and-after views in a way they’d never been able to do.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-these-explosions-matter">Why these explosions matter</h2>



Studying supernovae helps astronomers learn about the life cycles of stars, and how the elements created in those explosions spread through galaxies.&nbsp;



Type Ia supernovae, in particular, have been crucial for measuring how fast the universe is expanding. But Type Iax <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-travels-back-in-time-to-better-understand-supernovae-science/">events</a> like SN 2012Z add a wrinkle to that story.



These smaller explosions don’t follow the usual rules. They’re dimmer, take longer to unfold, and - as SN 2012Z revealed - they might not mark the end of a star’s life. 



Ultimately, weaker explosions are less reliable for measuring distances in space. But they offer something different: a look at what could happen when a supernova doesn’t finish the job.



Observing a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hungry-white-dwarf-stars-eat-heavy-metals/">white dwarf</a> that somehow survives its own explosion gives scientists a chance to rethink their models. Maybe some stars don’t die as completely as once thought. Maybe there’s a middle ground between a full explosion and a quiet fade.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-s-long-memory-pays-off">Hubble’s long memory pays off</h2>



Thanks to its sharp vision and longevity, the Hubble Space Telescope has been able to watch NGC 1309 across decades. The long record made it possible to notice changes and connect the dots between past and present.&nbsp;



Even though newer telescopes like the <a href="https://webbtelescope.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a> are joining the game, Hubble still has a key role.&nbsp;



Hubble's deep image of NGC 1309 is a map of astronomical history - and in this case, a rare chance to catch a supernova before and after its big moment.



Image Credit: ESA



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Hubble captures a star that survived its own explosion 

The MODIS instrument, short for Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, is a key instrument aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites. MODIS is playing a vital role in the development of Earth ecosystem models, able to predict global changes, which then assist policy makers in making informed decisions about the protection of the global environment.

Heavy snow and cloud cover in the Alps are seen in this Image of the day&nbsp;from the <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> and features a look at heavy snow and low clouds in the Alps. Wildlife such as ibex live in the higher peaks to elevations of 3,400 m (11,155 ft), and plants such as Edelweiss grow in rocky areas in lower elevations as well as in higher elevations.

Heavy snow and cloud cover in the Alps

Monitoring Earth Changes with MODIS

Aqua is a NASA scientific research satellite that studies precipitation, evaporation, and water cycles. Terra and Aura make up the Earth Observing System. It's the second component of the system.

A frozen Lake Erie in February Today’s Image of the Day comes from the <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> and features a look at a frozen <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/icy-lake-erie/">Lake Erie</a>, which is currently 93.3 percent iced over. A frozen Lake Erie in February
This false-color image was created using data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on board the Aqua satellite to differentiate between snow, ice, and clouds.
Lake Erie /ˈɪəri/ (French: Lac Érié) is the fourth-largest lake (by surface area) of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the eleventh-largest globally if measured in terms of surface area.It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. At its deepest point Lake Erie is 210 feet (64 metres) deep. 
Situated on the International Boundary between Canada and the United States, Lake Erie&#8217;s northern shore is the Canadian province of Ontario, specifically the Ontario Peninsula, with the U.S. states of Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York on its western, southern, and eastern shores. These jurisdictions divide the surface area of the lake with water boundaries. 
The lake was named by the Erie people, a Native American people who lived along its southern shore. The tribal name &#8220;erie&#8221; is a shortened form of the Iroquoian word erielhonan, meaning long tail
&#8212;
By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Image Credit: <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a>

A frozen Lake Erie in February

Aqua Earth Observing Satellite

This beautiful photo gallery contains 50 incredible images of Earth from Space. These images were taken by astronauts onboard the International Space Station, as well as by a multitude of NASA satellites orbiting the earth.

Today’s Image of the Day comes thanks to the <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=90654&amp;eocn=home&amp;eoci=iotd_readmore">NASA Earth Observatory</a> and features a look at Super Typhoon Noru in the Pacific Ocean just south of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/first-blue-chrysanthemums-created/">Japan</a>.
This image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite on July 31, 2017. 
At the time the photo was taken, Typhoon Noru was located just 250 kilometers south of Iwo Jima. Maximum sustained winds hit 150 miles per hour.
The storm briefly became a category 5 on July 30, before being downgraded to a category 4 one day later.
&#8211;
By <a href="mailto:rarnold@earth.com">Rory Arnold</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer
Source: <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=90654&amp;eocn=home&amp;eoci=iotd_readmore">NASA Earth Observatory</a>

Super Typhoon Noru in the Pacific Ocean

Incredible Images of Earth from Space

Photos from the International Space Station are found in this awesome Earth.com image gallery. Flat-earthers won't agree, but these incredible photos of the Earth were taken by astronauts onboard the International Space Station. The International Space Station is a modular space station in low Earth orbit.

Northern Italy from the space station is seen here in this Image of the Day from the <a href="http://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> (ESA). The view includes the top half of the Italian Peninsula, along with <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/wildfires-burn-northern-corsica/">Corsica</a> and Sardinia off the coast. This image was captured by ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli on his third and final mission to the Space Station.

Northern Italy from the Space Station

Photos from the International Space Station

After nearly four decades of stubbornly clinging to life, one of the largest icebergs ever recorded is entering its final act. A23a - the trillion-ton "megaberg," which once sprawled over an area more than twice the size of Greater London - has drifted into the warmer waters of the South Atlantic and has begun to disintegrate rapidly.



In recent weeks, satellite images show vast slabs calving away - some measuring hundreds of square miles - while a blizzard of smaller bergy bits spreads around it, posing hazards to ships as the giant wastes away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iceberg-freed-after-30-years">Iceberg freed after 30 years</h2>



A23a’s story stretches back to 1986, when it calved from Antarctica’s Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf and promptly ran aground in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-is-sea-ice-loss-affecting-biodiversity-in-the-weddell-sea/">Weddell Sea</a>, pinned to the seafloor for more than 30 years.



Freed at last in 2020, it joined “iceberg alley,” the conveyor belt of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-circumpolar-current-speed-increasing-rising-sea-levels/">Antarctic Circumpolar Current</a> that sweeps big bergs toward the South Atlantic.



By early 2025, it had loomed into view near South Georgia, raising fears it could block the island’s penguins and seals from their feeding grounds. The berg briefly grounded on shallow banks, then worked loose in late May and accelerated north.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-seas-speed-its-demise">Warming seas speed its demise</h2>



Heat and waves are now doing what gravity and time could not. According to an analysis of Copernicus satellite data, megaberg A23a is down to roughly 683 square miles, with a maximum width of about 37 miles - less than half its size at the start of the year. 



Its drift speed has jumped too, at times topping 12 miles per day as it rides stronger currents and increasingly rough seas.



“It’s breaking up fairly dramatically,” said Andrew Meijers, a physical oceanographer at the <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">British Antarctic Survey</a> (BAS). “I’d say it’s very much on its way out - it’s basically rotting underneath." 



"The water is way too warm for it to maintain. It’s constantly melting…It won’t be really identifiable within a few weeks.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-made-megaberg-a23a-so-unusual">What made megaberg A23a so unusual</h2>



Iceberg calving is part of the normal life cycle of polar ice, and giant bergs are not unprecedented. But A23a’s persistence and path are striking.



“Most icebergs don’t make it this far,” Meijers said. “This one’s really big, so it has lasted longer and traveled farther than others.”



When BAS researchers sailed alongside it in late 2023 aboard the RRS Sir David Attenborough, the experience was otherworldly.



“It looked like a towering wall emerging from the ocean, stretching from horizon to horizon,” Meijers said. “Some portions were quite pitted and undercut by the action of waves and melt.”



That undercutting is the giveaway. As the berg moves into warmer, saltier water and meets heavier swell, melting hollows its base while cracks propagate through the plate-like ice. Running aground - whether at South Georgia or now on patches of the continental shelf - adds extra stress that hastens the breakup.



“Large bergs have made it a long way north before - one got within 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of Perth, Australia - but they all inevitably break up and melt quickly afterward,” Meijers said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-danger-and-opportunity-collide">Danger and opportunity collide</h2>



Icebergs of this size can reshape local ecosystems as they pass. They can temporarily block straightforward routes from island rookeries to offshore feeding grounds, forcing adult <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/penguins-are-threatened-by-mercury-contamination/">penguins</a> and seals to detour and burn energy while chicks and pups wait ashore.



“Potentially, it could interrupt their pathway to feeding sites and force the adults to expend more energy to travel around it,” Meijers said of the South Georgia colonies, which is why the grounding in March drew concern. The berg’s drift around the island reduced that immediate risk.



There may also be benefits. As megabergs like A23a melt, they stir stratified waters and leak micronutrients such as iron into the sunlit surface layer - fertilizer for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/">phytoplankton blooms</a> that can feed krill and fish, and ultimately seabirds and mammals.



BAS researchers sampled waters around A23a in December 2023 to gauge its biogeochemical “footprint.” They paired these results with past deployments of robotic ocean gliders around similar bergs. 



Together, the data show how iceberg-borne nutrients and upwelling can boost productivity and even enhance carbon sequestration as organic matter sinks to depth.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-iceberg-s-collapse-tracked-by-satellites">Iceberg's collapse tracked by satellites</h2>



A23a’s decay has unfolded in near-real time thanks to daily satellite imagery, which captures both its changing outline and the swarms of fragments it sheds.



“It is easily observed from space, and daily visual-spectrum satellite snapshots make it easy to track its progress,” Meijers said. 



Ocean current maps - also derived from satellites - help project its likely path, though the precise route always depends on winds, waves, and where the berg next snags the seafloor.



For shipping, vigilance is everything. A single monster is easy to avoid; a broken field of smaller floes is not. “As it breaks up over time, the smaller bergs are much harder to track,” Meijers said. Fishing operators may temporarily write off entire regions until the ice debris disperses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-icebergs-in-a-warming-world">Icebergs in a warming world</h2>



Scientists are careful to distinguish between calving - a natural release valve for ice shelves - and the broader, climate-driven changes transforming Antarctica.



“Icebergs, including megabergs like this one, are a completely normal part of the lifecycle of the Antarctic (and Greenland) ice sheets,” Meijers said. But the context has shifted.



“Observations show that the ice shelves have lost around 6,000 giga (billion) tons of their mass since the year 2000.” 



It is a loss “roughly matched by an increase in straight-up melt of the ice shelves” and aligned with measured mass loss from grounded Antarctic ice.



That matters for global sea level - because thinning shelves buttress <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-glaciers-are-reshaping-landscapes-and-national-borders-around-the-world/">glaciers</a> less effectively - and for ocean circulation, as freshwater input alters density and flow. Scientists are especially concerned about potential “tipping points” in West Antarctica, where retreat could become self-sustaining.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-final-days-of-a-giant">Final days of a giant</h2>



No one can say exactly how A23a’s last weeks will play out, only that the megaberg's direction is one-way. Grounding events, wave attacks, and heat from above and below guarantee a cascade of fractures until the berg is a memory and a field of bergy bits.



“Now it’s grounded, it is even more likely to break up due to the increased stresses,” Meijers noted earlier; whether or not it’s currently snagged, the outcome is the same.



For scientists, though, this isn’t just spectacle. It’s a chance to watch, measure, and model how a true giant interacts with the Southern Ocean - how it fertilizes, how it freshens, how it fragments - and to fold those insights into a bigger picture of a warming world.



As Meijers put it, icebergs provide interesting natural laboratories for studying ocean physics, chemistry, and ecosystems. A23a’s long journey is nearly over. The lessons it leaves behind won’t melt away.



Image Credit: MODAPS at NASA/GSFC



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Antarctica’s megaberg faces its final days in the South Atlantic

After nearly four decades of stubbornly clinging to life, one...

Earth may have started recycling its crust and forming continents far earlier than many scientists expected. A new study links chemical clues inside ancient crystals to short, intense bursts of early subduction and rapid crust growth.



The team analyzed tiny pockets of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-volcanic-clues-hint-at-ancient-life-on-mars/">ancient magma</a> sealed inside green olivine crystals and paired the chemistry with computer models of early Earth. The results point to active plate behavior in the Hadean - not a quiet planet capped by a still outer shell.



Lead author Adrien Vezinet, from <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=4VD_J64AAAAJ&amp;hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grenoble Alpes University</a>, led the international collaboration that combined high precision geochemistry with geodynamic simulations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-recycles-its-crust">Earth recycles its crust</h2>



Subduction happens when one <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/north-american-continent-is-dripping-from-below-into-earths-mantle/">tectonic plate</a> sinks beneath another into the mantle. This process drives earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building.



It is a cornerstone of how our planet reshapes its surface and cycles materials from the crust back into the interior, as explained by the U.S. Geological Survey’s overview of subduction.



This conveyor belt also helps make a buoyant continental crust. Without it, continents would be smaller, thinner, and far less stable.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-very-few-clues-from-early-earth">Very few clues from early Earth</h2>



The Hadean is the earliest slice of Earth's history, from about 4.6 to 4.0 billion years ago, and it left precious few rocks we can hold in our hands. 



A USGS fact sheet summarizes how little survives from that time and why it is often treated as an informal interval in geological time.



Because the Hadean rock record is sparse, scientists turn to indirect clues locked inside younger rocks that preserve older signals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-lava-locks-early-secrets">Ancient lava locks early secrets</h2>



South Africa’s Barberton Greenstone Belt preserves <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-volcanic-clues-hint-at-ancient-life-on-mars/">volcanic rocks</a> more than 3.2 billion years old, offering a rare window into early Earth. 



This UNESCO site is especially valuable for reconstructing the planet’s earliest conditions because its rocks include lava called komatiite, which erupted at extremely high temperatures. 



That lava crystallized into olivine capable of trapping tiny droplets of the original melt.



These droplets, known as melt inclusions, are sealed pockets of magma that can record a magma’s composition before later alteration. When carefully screened, they serve as powerful archives of magmatic processes.



Building on this archive, researchers recently examined inclusions from 3.27-billion-year-old komatiites. 



The Grenoble group measured strontium isotopes and trace elements within the inclusions. The Potsdam group developed geodynamic models to test what kinds of tectonic behavior could explain those chemical fingerprints.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crystals-and-continent-formation">Crystals and continent formation</h2>



The melt inclusions revealed an exceptionally low 87Sr/86Sr value of 0.69932 ± 0.00024, a model age of 4.31 ± 0.19 billion years, and canonical trace element ratios of Nb/U 36.9 ± 1.5 and Ce/Pb 16.7 ± 1.1. 



These numbers indicate a mantle source that had been stripped of certain elements by earlier crust extraction.



“We report an unprecedented, unradiogenic Sr mantle source component,” wrote Adrien Vezinet, lead author at ISTerre, Université Grenoble Alpes.



From these values and mass balance, the authors estimate that up to 80 percent ± 16 percent of the mass of today’s continental crust - and much of the continents that formed from it - may have been extracted by the late Hadean. That is a startlingly high fraction for such an early time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reading-earth-s-early-chemistry">Reading Earth’s early chemistry</h2>



Geochemists use two “steady” ratios to track how Earth’s crust formed over time. These ratios, Nb/U and Ce/Pb, usually stay constant in mantle melts but shift whenever continental material is created and recycled.



The elevated Nb/U and Ce/Pb seen in these inclusions fit the pattern expected if large volumes of continental crust had already formed and the residues had been pushed back into the mantle.



The strontium isotopes add timing, pointing to sources isolated since around 4.31 billion years ago. Together, the isotope and trace element signals argue for a much livelier early mantle than many models assumed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-models-simulate-early-tectonics">Models simulate early tectonics</h2>



The geodynamic side of the work explored different tectonic styles. The model that best matched the geochemical data produced 40 to 70 percent of the present <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/melting-ice-can-speed-up-continental-drift-and-fuel-volcanic-eruptions/">continental</a> crust mass during the Hadean.



It also required repeated episodes of short, intense subduction. The preferred scenario describes “a fluctuating mobile-lid tectonic regime,” wrote Vezinet. 



In the simulations, large mantle plume upwellings repeatedly weakened the lid and kicked off subduction for tens of millions of years at a time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-continents-formed-relatively-fast">Continents formed relatively fast</h2>



This picture challenges the idea that early Earth was stuck in a rigid, stagnant lid for hundreds of millions of years. 



Instead, slabs likely sank and were recycled in pulses, seeding the mantle with the chemical signals the team captured in the inclusions.



It also reframes how quickly continents can form when the mantle is hot and wet enough to encourage subduction. 



If much of the continental mass was already in place by the end of the Hadean, that affects models of early climates and ocean chemistry. It also changes how scientists view the settings where life’s building blocks assembled.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-caution-in-early-earth-estimates">Caution in early Earth estimates</h2>



The authors are clear about limits. The highest crustal fraction estimates assume the whole <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/north-american-continent-is-dripping-from-below-into-earths-mantle/">mantle</a> participated, so the true value may sit lower. Even so, it would still be high enough to favor active recycling very early.



Even so, the convergence of the inclusion chemistry and the models provides a coherent story. Early Earth was not quiet, and the fingerprints of that vigor survived inside crystals that formed billions of years later.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-59024-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Formation of Earth's continents began much earlier than scientists had proposed

Earth may have started recycling its crust and forming continents...

You’ve probably heard of PFAS “forever chemicals” - synthetic chemicals used to resist water, grease, and heat. They’ve been in nonstick coatings, stain-repellent fabrics, and older firefighting foams for decades. 



They don’t break down easily, and that staying power means they can build up in soil, water, wildlife, and people.



A recent and disturbing analysis links <a href="https://www.epa.gov/pfas/pfas-explained" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">polyfluoroalkyl substances</a> (PFAS) detections in public drinking water to higher cancer rates in certain parts of the United States. 



The headline number is blunt: exposure to these chemicals in tap water is associated with up to a 33 percent higher cancer risk. That statistic sets off alarms, as it should, but the details matter for what we do next.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-pfas-to-cancer">Linking PFAS to cancer</h2>



After years of debate about how to regulate PFAS, researchers at the <a href="https://keck.usc.edu/">Keck School of Medicine</a> at the University of Southern California (USC) looked for patterns across the country. 



Their core question was practical: in places where public drinking water systems detect PFAS, do those places also report higher rates of certain cancers?



The scientist leading the work is careful about what the data can and cannot show. He warns that additional restrictions may be necessary to protect public health. 



“When people hear that PFAS is associated with cancer, it’s hard to know how it’s relevant,” Dr. Li said. “These findings allow us to draw an initial conclusion about the link between certain rare cancers and PFAS.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-study-was-done">How the study was done</h2>



This was an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-that-eat-forever-chemicals-discovered-in-contaminated-soil/">ecological study</a>, which means the unit of analysis was the place, not individual people. 



The team pulled county-level cancer incidence - new cases per year, adjusted for age - then matched those figures with water-testing results from federal monitoring programs.



One program in the 2010s tested thousands of public water systems for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/migratory-birds-reveal-alarming-new-clues-about-the-spread-of-pfas/">various PFAS</a>. A newer, more sensitive round of testing has been rolling out, providing sharper detection. 



Using both datasets, the researchers marked counties where specific PFAS showed up in public water and noted where any measurements exceeded today’s strict national limits. 



They then ran statistical models that controlled for other forces known to influence cancer rates, including smoking, obesity, income, urban-rural differences, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/air-pollution-confirmed-as-a-major-risk-factor-for-dementia/">air pollution</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sex-cancers-and-pfas">Sex, cancers, and PFAS</h2>



Counties with PFAS detections generally had higher incidence rates for several cancer groups. 



Patterns were seen in digestive system cancers, thyroid and other hormone-related cancers, respiratory cancers, and some head-and-neck cancers. 



The increases weren’t massive jumps, but they appeared often enough to raise concern. When the data were split by sex, some differences emerged. 



In men, associations leaned toward kidney and bladder cancers, certain nervous system cancers, leukemia, and soft tissue cancers. In women, the clearest signal was thyroid cancer, along with oral cavity and soft tissue cancers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-biology-fits-pfas-traits">Cancer biology fits PFAS traits</h2>



PFAS are a large chemical family, but several members share traits that could connect to cancer biology. 



Some interfere with hormone signaling, especially in the thyroid. Others stress the liver and disrupt how the body manages fats. 



There’s evidence that certain PFAS promote <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493173/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chronic inflammation</a> and influence how genes are switched on and off over time. 



None of these mechanisms, on their own, prove causation, but they make the observed associations plausible rather than random.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-numbers-mean">What the numbers mean</h2>



The study offers national, population-level estimates: if the associations reflect real effects, the number of cancer cases per year linked to PFAS in drinking water could reach very high numbers in the US alone. 



Treat those figures as ballpark, not precise counts. They’re most useful for policy: where to prioritize treatment, how fast to upgrade systems, and which communities need the most attention.



The policy context is shifting. The United States now sets <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/strict-pfas-limits-will-make-drinking-water-safer-for-100-million-americans/">strict legal limits</a> for several PFAS in drinking water, and utilities are ramping up compliance. 



As Dr. Li notes, those limits may still be too lenient, and further tightening could be warranted as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-detects-toxic-pfas-forever-chemicals-in-menstrual-products-available-worldwide/">evidence grows</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-removing-pfas-at-the-root">Removing PFAS at the root</h2>



Utilities must publish water quality reports, and many now include PFAS monitoring results. 



Check your local report and see what’s been measured, how often, and what actions are underway. If your system is upgrading treatment, look for timelines and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/common-dietary-fiber-supplement-could-remove-pfas-forever-chemicals-from-the-body/">interim steps</a>.



At home, point-of-use filters can help if they are certified to reduce PFAS. Activated carbon and reverse osmosis units are the most common options. 



Maintenance matters; filters that aren’t replaced on schedule lose effectiveness. If you rely on a private well, consider testing through a certified lab and consult your health department about options if PFAS appear.



Technologies exist and keep improving. Granular activated carbon, ion exchange resins, and high-pressure membranes can capture or remove many PFAS. 



Each comes with trade-offs in cost, energy, and waste handling. Systems need steady monitoring because PFAS mixtures vary by source and season. 



The right design for a small rural system may differ from that for a large urban plant, but both can get results with careful engineering and oversight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pfas-cancer-and-the-future">PFAS, cancer, and the future</h2>



To sum it all up, this study directly linked PFAS in public drinking water with higher rates of several cancers at the county level - up to 33% higher. 



The study stops short of proof for individuals, but the pattern is consistent with how these chemicals <a href="https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">behave in the body</a>. 



Keeping up strong testing, enforcing modern limits, upgrading treatment where needed, and pushing for targeted, person-level studies will help turn a broad signal into clear guidance. 



Communities deserve to know what’s in their water and what’s being done about it - and they deserve steady progress that reduces risk over time.



The full study was published in the <a href="https://www.nature.com/jes" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Exposure Science &amp; Environmental Epidemiology</a>.



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Chemicals in home tap water linked to a 33% increase in cancer rates

You’ve probably heard of PFAS “forever chemicals” - synthetic chemicals...

Coral reefs are under heavy strain. Heatwaves, pollution, and overfishing chip away at their health year after year. Some hardy corals still hang on, but there’s a catch: survival isn’t the same as thriving.



A new study tracked how a heat-tolerant Red Sea coral copes when warm water sticks around for months. The short answer: it survives. The longer answer: it pays for that survival with slower growth and higher metabolic costs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-months-of-heat-exposure">Months of heat exposure</h2>



The research focused on a northern <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-reveals-the-value-of-coral-reefs-in-the-red-sea/">Red Sea</a> species, Stylophora pistillata - often seen as resilient during hot spells. The team tested how this coral handles elevated temperatures not for days, but for 26 weeks, then watched what happened after a month back at 77°F.



Ann Marie Hulver is the lead author of the study and a former graduate student and postdoctoral scholar in Earth sciences at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ohio State University</a>.



“In theory, if corals in the wild at these temperatures are smaller, reefs might not be as diverse and may not be able to support as much <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-impacting-marine-life-more-than-we-realized/">marine life</a>,” she said. “This could have adverse effects on people that depend on the reef for tourism, fishing, or food.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-coral-survival-costs">Measuring coral survival costs</h2>



Corals lived at three steady temperatures: 77°F (baseline), 81.5°F, and 86°F - levels expected in many tropical seas by 2050 and 2100. 



The team looked at surface area growth, metabolism, energy reserves, feeding, and the makeup of their algal partners over six months.



Stylophora pistillata survived at both warmer settings, but shrank compared to controls. At 81.5°F, corals were 30 percent smaller.



At 86°F, they were 70 percent smaller. Growth slowed, respiration rose, and energy budgets tightened, even though overall <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fossils-reveal-500-million-years-of-changes-in-ocean-life/">biomass</a> and reserves were maintained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-survival-over-reef-growth">Survival over reef growth</h2>



For the first 11 weeks, warm-water stress barely registered, but by week 26 at 86°F, corals showed higher metabolic demand and reduced growth. 



The symbiotic algae community remained stable, indicating the stress wasn’t caused by swapping partners. Encouragingly, recovery was possible - after four weeks back at 77°F, both metabolic demand and growth rebounded, though previously heated corals stayed darker in color than those that had never been warmed.



The findings suggest a clear threshold: corals can endure extended, sub-bleaching heat, but they sacrifice skeletal accretion in favor of tissue maintenance to survive. 



“Survival is certainly the number one important thing for coral, but when they’re physiologically compromised, they can’t do that forever,” said Andrea Grottoli, study co-author and professor of Earth sciences at Ohio State. 



“So there’s a limit to how long these resilient corals can cope with an ever-increasing warming ocean.”



This trade-off carries real consequences. Reefs support fisheries, tourism, and coasts, but slower coral growth risks flattening structures, disrupting ecosystems, and local economies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-reefs-under-threat">Global reefs under threat</h2>



The challenges these corals face aren’t isolated - they reflect a global pattern. As the planet warms, oceans absorb most of the excess heat, driving more frequent and intense <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-heatwaves-are-expanding-their-reach-across-the-globe/">marine heatwaves</a>. What used to be temporary stress events are becoming persistent conditions.



This shift raises the stakes for coral reefs. Long-term exposure to warmer water - even below bleaching thresholds - can weaken reef growth, shrink habitat complexity, and reduce biodiversity. 



Without serious cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, many reefs may survive in name only, stripped of the structure and life they once supported.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-conserving-coral-strongholds">Conserving coral strongholds</h2>



“Conservation efforts could focus on areas where resilient coral are present and create protected sanctuaries so that there are some ecosystems that grow as high-probability-success reefs for the future,” Grottoli said.



That matches the study’s takeaway: target protection toward proven strongholds while acknowledging the costs corals pay to endure chronic heat.



Ocean temperatures are expected to climb about 5°F by 2100. The study’s six-month exposure shows that even tough corals survive but do not thrive under elevated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-are-rising-faster-than-expected-and-likely-to-accelerate/">temperatures</a>, with growth taking the hit. 



The research also highlights a vital lifeline: a cool-down period can restore metabolic balance and restart growth. For reefs, time at cooler temperatures may make all the difference.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969725018741?via%3Dihub">Science of The Total Environment</a>.



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Corals trade growth for survival as oceans warm

Coral reefs are under heavy strain. Heatwaves, pollution, and overfishing...

On a late August night in Chile, the Gemini South telescope swiveled toward a traveler from deep space - a true outsider passing through on a one-time visit. The target was Comet 3I/ATLAS, only the third confirmed interstellar comet ever seen. 



Then, the images rolled in - showing a brighter, puffier coma and a newly lengthened tail streaming away from the Sun.



In astronomical terms, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/comet-3i-atlas-shows-unusual-dust-patterns-as-it-zips-through-our-solar-system/">3I/ATLAS</a> had “switched on,” warming enough for sunlight to lift gas and dust off its surface and turn a dim speck into a classic comet.



The images were captured by the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on Gemini South, part of the International Gemini Observatory operated by <a href="https://noirlab.edu/public/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF NOIRLab</a>. 



The photos reveal a broad, glowing coma and a tail about 1/120th of a degree wide in the sky. It looks tiny to the eye - yet it’s a clear sign of a comet gaining speed and heat as it cuts inward through the solar system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-watching-the-comet-in-real-time">Watching the comet in real time</h2>



This wasn’t a closed-door observing run. As the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/einstein-telescope-will-revolutionize-cosmic-observations/">telescope</a> gathered photons, students and curious sky watchers logged into the Gemini South control room over Zoom. 



The session, organized by NOIRLab with <a href="https://shadow.ucsc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shadow the Scientists</a>, turned a two-hour block of cutting-edge observing into a live, guided field trip.



Participants from Hawaii, La Serena, and far beyond watched the comet come into focus and filled the chat with questions. They witnessed the messy, exhilarating reality of real-time science: choosing filters, adjusting exposures, and celebrating the first clean spectrum.



Project lead Karen Meech, an astronomer at the <a href="https://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy</a>, established clear goals. The team wanted precise colors - clues to dust sizes and composition in the coma - and, crucially, a spectrum, the rainbow barcode that reveals a comet’s chemistry.



“We were excited to see the growth of the tail, suggesting a change in the particles from the previous Gemini images, and we got our first glimpse of the chemistry from the spectrum,” said Meech.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chasing-color-and-chemistry">Chasing color and chemistry</h2>



Comets are icy, dusty leftovers from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-formation-new-insights-mechanics-physics/">planet formation</a>. When they heat up, ices sublimate, lofting dust and gas that build a hazy atmosphere (the coma) and a tail pushed away by sunlight and the solar wind.



In the new data, 3I/ATLAS’s coma looks broader and brighter than before. Its tail, a neat sliver pointing directly away from the Sun, reveals that the comet is actively shedding material.



Those changes aren’t just pretty; they’re a physical record of what happens as a frozen body from the void gets its first serious blast of sunshine in who knows how long.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-images-reveal-comet-shedding">Images reveal comet shedding</h2>



Alongside the images, the team captured the comet’s spectrum. By breaking light into its component wavelengths, spectra reveal the fingerprints of molecules and the properties of dust grains - information that images alone cannot provide.



Bin Yang, an assistant professor at <a href="https://diegoportalesuniversity.udp.cl/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Universidad Diego Portales</a> in Santiago, walked the audience through what to look for. Broad color trends can flag dust size, sharp features can betray gases like CN or C₂, and together they show how everything evolves as the comet brightens.



Early indications are that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-map-reveals-that-the-milky-ways-dust-has-very-unusual-properties/">dust</a> and ices of 3I/ATLAS look a lot like those in homegrown comets. This hints that planet-forming disks around other stars may cook up comet ingredients in ways familiar to us.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-interstellar-comets-matter">Why interstellar comets matter</h2>



Interstellar objects are the definition of rare. Before 3I/ATLAS, there was 1I/ʻOumuamua in 2017 and 2I/Borisov in 2019.



Unlike solar system comets that return on predictable loops, 3I/ATLAS is on a hyperbolic path: it will flare briefly and then slide back into interstellar space. That makes the timing urgent and the science precious.



The material we see fizzing off its surface formed around another star long ago. Catching and decoding it is one of the few ways to sample the chemistry of faraway planet nurseries without leaving home.



“As <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/comet-3i-atlas-shows-unusual-dust-patterns-as-it-zips-through-our-solar-system/">3I/ATLAS</a> speeds back into the depths of interstellar space, this image is both a scientific milestone and a source of wonder,” Meech said.



“It reminds us that our solar system is just one part of a vast and dynamic galaxy - and that even the most fleeting visitors can leave a lasting impact.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hands-on-cosmic-learning">Hands-on cosmic learning</h2>



If you’ve never watched a spectrum appear line by line on a monitor at two in the morning, this session delivered the next best thing.



Viewers saw how astronomers center a faint, moving target in a narrow slit and how they check focus and tracking. They also saw how raw frames - streaked with cosmic rays and dotted with calibration lines - become clean, interpretable data.



The back-and-forth with the team demystified a process that, from the outside, can feel like magic. It’s not magic; it’s patience, practice, and a lot of careful decisions made on the fly.



“These observations provide both a breathtaking view and critical scientific data,” said Bryce Bolin of <a href="https://eurekasci.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eureka Scientific</a>, who joined the run.



“Every interstellar comet is a messenger from another <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vega-star-system-discovery-forces-us-to-rethink-planet-formation/">star system</a>, and by studying their light and color, we can begin to understand the diversity of worlds beyond our own.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-preparing-for-comet-s-return">Preparing for comet’s return</h2>



3I/ATLAS was first flagged on July 1, 2025 by the <a href="https://atlas.fallingstar.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ATLAS</a> (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System) survey. Since then, it’s been a race to grab photometry and spectroscopy before the comet disappears behind the Sun. The Gemini South data add carefully calibrated colors and a first cut at chemistry.



Come November, when 3I/ATLAS emerges from solar glare, Bolin will host a follow-up session from Gemini North on Maunakea. It will give the public another live window into how scientists chase a fast-moving target.



There’s a reason this effort resonates. It blends the thrill of discovery with a hands-on lesson in how discovery actually happens. 



Programs like this knock down the wall between the control room and the classroom and, in the process, show a new generation that they belong in both. The comet will be gone soon enough. The know-how - and the sense of wonder - stick around.



Image Credit: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA



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Interstellar comet 'switches on,' gaining speed from a blast of sunlight

On a late August night in Chile, the Gemini South...

Every winter, countless people step onto icy sidewalks and suddenly find themselves sliding. For generations, the explanation was simple: pressure from shoes or skis melted a thin layer of ice, making it slippery. Friction was also thought to play a role. 



This idea, taught for more than a century, seemed convincing enough. But new science shows a very different story.



Researchers at <a href="https://www.uni-saarland.de/en/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Saarland University</a> have uncovered that ice slipperiness is not caused by pressure or friction. Instead, it’s the interaction between molecular dipoles in the ice and those in materials like shoe soles. 



The study challenges a belief rooted in the 19th century, when James Thomson, Lord Kelvin’s brother, first proposed the old theory.



"It turns out that neither pressure nor friction plays a particularly significant part in forming the thin liquid layer on ice," said Professor Martin Müser, who led the research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dipoles-make-ice-slippery">Dipoles make ice slippery</h2>



So what are dipoles? A dipole forms when a molecule has partial positive and negative charges, creating polarity. Water molecules naturally have this polarity, and in ice they align in a crystalline <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-survived-when-earth-was-covered-in-ice-but-how/">lattice</a>. 



When someone steps onto ice, it is not the force of weight but the orientation of dipoles in the shoe sole disrupting the ordered structure of ice molecules. This disturbance causes disorder at the surface.



"In three dimensions, these dipole-dipole interactions become 'frustrated,'" said Müser. 



The result is that the once-orderly lattice breaks down into an amorphous, liquid-like film. This process explains why ice remains treacherously slippery.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-old-explanations-overturned">Old explanations overturned</h2>



The new theory also challenges long-standing explanations involving pressure melting and frictional heating. For decades, scientists debated whether <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/skiers-are-spreading-pfas-forever-chemicals-around-the-worlds-mountains/">skiers</a> glide because pressure lowers the melting point or because frictional heat generates a thin water film.



But simulations show that ice can liquefy without significant heating or pressure. Instead, displacement-driven amorphization occurs. 



The crystalline surface becomes disordered purely through sliding motion, with molecules shifting from their fixed lattice positions into unstable, fluid-like arrangements that mimic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ice-melt-is-main-driver-of-earths-sea-level-rise-surge-that-is-happening-today-gmsl/">melting</a> yet arise entirely from motion-induced disruptions rather than thermal energy.



In fact, ice at extremely low temperatures can amorphize faster than ice closer to its melting point. This shows that slipperiness does not depend only on thermal effects but on molecular disorder created during sliding. It highlights a deeper physical mechanism that rewrites how scientists understand everyday icy surfaces.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-slippery-even-in-extreme-cold">Slippery even in extreme cold</h2>



The research also refutes another long-standing belief. "Until now, it was assumed that skiing below -40°C (-40°F) is impossible because it’s simply too cold for a thin lubricating liquid film to form beneath the skis. That, too, it turns out, is incorrect," Müser said.



"Dipole interactions persist at extremely low temperatures. Remarkably, a liquid film still forms at the interface between ice and ski - even near absolute zero."



At such extremes, the film is thicker than honey, making skiing impractical, but the layer still exists.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-surface-materials-matter">Surface materials matter</h2>



The Saarland study highlights how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-polar-bears-get-traction-on-ice/">ice friction</a> depends not only on molecular dipoles but also on surface properties. Hydrophobic surfaces, which repel water, reduce friction more effectively than hydrophilic ones, which attract it.



This suggests that the material of skis, skates, or shoes plays a major role in how slippery ice feels. Even with disorder-induced films, friction remains small only if the surfaces allow water to slip easily. 



As a result, design choices in sporting equipment, footwear, and transportation materials can directly affect performance, safety, and stability on frozen surfaces during winter and beyond everyday human movement.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-slippery-ice">Rethinking slippery ice</h2>



For everyday life, whether pressure, friction, or dipoles are responsible may not change much for someone who slips on a sidewalk. But in physics, this distinction matters deeply.



The work of Müser and his colleagues Achraf Atila and Sergey Sukhomlinov overturns nearly two centuries of accepted understanding. 



It reveals that slipperiness comes from disorder, not just melting, and that cold ice can lubricate itself by forming amorphous films, reshaping how scientists think about motion, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ordinary-ice-generates-electricity-when-bent-or-twisted/">energy</a>, and structural changes under stress at the most fundamental molecular scale.



The implications stretch beyond icy sidewalks and ski slopes. They open a new window into how materials deform, how friction works at the molecular level, and why even the coldest ice can still betray our balance, inspiring further research into novel materials and practical safety solutions.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/1plj-7p4z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physical Review Letters</a>.



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Why ice is slippery: Scientists overturn 200 years of assumptions

Every winter, countless people step onto icy sidewalks and suddenly...

Heat keeps pushing people indoors, raising electric bills and straining power grids. A new fabric created for cooling suggests there is another way to stay comfortable without flipping on the air conditioner.



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.uchicago.edu/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Chicago</a> report a fabric that stayed about 4.1 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than a sports cooling textile, and about 16 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than silk under full sun. It's designed to work on both buildings and cars.



<a href="https://pme.uchicago.edu/faculty/po-chun-hsu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Po Chun Hsu</a> of the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering at the University of Chicago led the work.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-city-heat-and-cooling-fabric">City heat and cooling fabric</h2>



Urban neighborhoods soak up heat and radiate it back out. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (<a href="https://www.epa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPA</a>) defines the urban heat island as a city area that runs hotter than nearby places because surfaces like roads and buildings absorb and re-emit energy, an effect that intensifies heat waves.



This matters for a lot of people. By 2050, about 68 percent of the world’s population are <a href="https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">expected</a> to live in cities.



Every warm object gives off invisible light that carries heat away. Scientists call this <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiative_cooling" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">radiative cooling</a> (RC), and it is most effective when a material lets heat escape in the mid infrared band while reflecting sunlight.



Two other terms help here. <a href="https://www.npl.co.uk/resources/q-a/why-is-emissivity-important" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Emissivity</a> describes how well a surface emits heat as light, and the atmospheric transmission window (ATW) is a part of the sky’s transparency that lets mid infrared energy pass through to space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-cooling-fabric-works">How the cooling fabric works</h2>



The team built a layered textile that balances these optical tricks. 



A top layer scatters sunlight strongly, a middle layer with silver nanowires reflects unwanted infrared from hot pavement and walls, and an inner wool layer pulls body heat into the fabric for release.



The textile reflects 97 percent of sunlight and emits strongly in the mid infrared window, which is why it stays cooler even next to hot urban surfaces. 



The group tested samples under clear skies in Arizona and around Chicago. They tracked temperature with sensors, minimized stray <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-pushing-parts-of-earth-beyond-human-survival/">heat</a>, and compared against common clothing materials.



The results line up with the physics. The textile beat a broadband emitter used in sports gear by about 4.1 degrees Fahrenheit and beat silk by about 16 degrees Fahrenheit at midday, with additional on-skin tests confirming cooler readings on a volunteer’s arm.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-it-could-help">Where it could help</h2>



Clothing is an obvious first step, but the team is also developing thicker sheets for vehicles and buildings. That approach could cut air conditioner run time on hot afternoons by passively blocking heat gain.



“We need to reduce carbon emission and make our cities carbon negative or carbon neutral, but meanwhile, people are feeling the impact of these high temperatures,” said Hsu.



Many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cool-roofs-on-city-buildings-secret-to-beating-urban-heat/">cooling</a> shirts work well in open fields because they reflect harsh sunlight. City streets are different, because heat also arrives from sidewalks and walls that warm up far past skin temperature on sunny days.



A textile that emits heat at all mid infrared wavelengths will also absorb that sideways and upward heat. 



The new fabric focuses its emission into the sky window and blocks the rest, so it avoids soaking up warmth from buildings and asphalt.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-practical-design-of-cooling-fabric">Practical design of cooling fabric</h2>



A material for everyday wear must breathe, stretch, wash, and last. The fabric’s porous structure allows water vapor to pass, and the layers hold up under bending and machine washing.



The outer surface resists wetting, which helps it stay clean and maintain its optical performance. The inner layer can be swapped for other common fabrics without changing how the outer layers control heat.



There has been steady progress on passive cooling textiles. In 2021, a study reported that nanoprocessed silk kept artificial skin about 12.5 degrees Celsius cooler than cotton under sunlight.



Other teams explored active control of body heat with thin film devices. In 2023, researchers demonstrated a kirigami enabled, electrochromic wearable that tunes mid-infrared emission, a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10263260/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">WeaVE paper</a> that points to future smart garments which can warm or cool with small bursts of power.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energy-equity-and-comfort">Energy, equity, and comfort</h2>



Air conditioning is effective, yet it pulls a lot of electricity on the hottest days. Passive materials that lower temperatures by design can trim that demand without adding gadgets or noise.



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-diamond-dust-reverse-global-warming-and-cool-the-planet/">Cooling</a> access is not equal within or across countries. A fabric that reduces indoor and personal heat in simple ways gives people another option when they do not have, or cannot afford to run, a powerful cooling system.



Turning lab textiles into everyday products requires scale, cost control, and safety checks. The patent pending design suggests it can be produced with electrospinning and standard coating steps.



If thicker versions of the sheet can be manufactured at low cost, they could wrap parked cars, shade windows, or line delivery containers for food. Those uses would cut heat without adding electrical parts.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl0653" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Young scientists create fabric capable of cooling interiors without air conditioning

Heat keeps pushing people indoors, raising electric bills and straining...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the opposite.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-contrasting-climate-response">A contrasting climate response</h2>



Most coastal towns are <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sinking-land-will-intensify-the-effects-of-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preparing for higher sea levels</a>, but <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/greenland-no-longer-has-to-worry-about-rising-sea-levels/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Greenland presents</a> a different scenario during climate change. The ground there is rising at a remarkable rate. Over the past decade, some areas have lifted about 20 centimeters, which translates to roughly 2 meters per century. This rate significantly exceeds current projections for sea level rise.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-geological-rebound-process-through-climate-change">Geological rebound process through climate change</h2>



The mechanism behind this phenomenon is straightforward. As the ice sheet melts, the immense weight is removed from the bedrock, causing the land to rebound upward. This process resembles the way compressed material springs back when pressure is released.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientific-monitoring-networks">Scientific monitoring networks</h2>



Researchers at the <a href="https://www.dtu.dk/english/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Technical University of Denmark</a> are documenting this uplift using the GNET network, consisting of 61 GPS stations positioned around Greenland's coast. These sensors can detect movement with millimeter precision, providing detailed measurements of the ongoing changes.



The data reveal that current uplift rates exceed the gradual rebound occurring since the last ice age ended approximately 12,000 years ago. This acceleration corresponds directly with increased ice sheet melting rates.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coastal-transformation">Coastal Transformation</h2>



This uplift is actively reshaping Greenland's coastline. New islands and rocky formations, called "skerries," are emerging as previously submerged land surfaces rise above the water level. This represents a notable contrast to global concerns about rising seas.



The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, demonstrates the varied regional impacts of climate change. While many locations face rising water levels, Greenland's bedrock is literally rising above the surrounding seas.



The full study was recently published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2023GL104851" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>.



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Greenland's ground rises while coasts worldwide face higher seas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXXGGiynIjs Greenland is not sinking. In fact, it is the...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to implement the latest AI Agent building platform.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ai-agent-training-transforms-the-workplace-fear-factor-into-a-competitive-advantage">AI agent training transforms the workplace 'fear factor' into a competitive advantage</h2>



Organizations that offer comprehensive artificial intelligence training to their workers find remarkable value that extends well beyond basic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mind-wandering-might-be-more-productive-than-you-think/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">productivity improvements</a>. Emerging research demonstrates that carefully crafted AI training programs <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-does-not-replace-human-creativity-but-enhances-it/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhance</a> corporate performance, lower operational costs, and dramatically improve employee psychological well-being by turning workplace uncertainty into professional empowerment.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-addressing-the-widespread-ai-anxiety-crisis-among-us">Addressing the widespread 'AI anxiety' crisis among us</h2>



A staggering 53% of employees expressed concern that the use of AI tools to automate work tasks could make them appear disposable to their employers, according to <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>'s 2024 workplace survey. Such pervasive worry about being substituted by machines has caused what researchers have termed "AI technostress" – a psychological state that can result in occupational burnout and poorer mental well-being.



Data published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a> showed that belief in AI learning ability was a moderator in the link between technology adoption and work pressure, and higher confidence significantly lowered negative psychological responses. Workers provided ample training to become competent with AI software have significantly lower stress.



Companies like <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a> have platforms for building what are known as "AI Agents". In essence, AI Agents are simply tools that employees can build for themselves or their teams quickly and inexpensively. MindStudio will even train entire companies, from the CEO on down, at no cost. By letting MindStudio empower employees, companies avoid hiring more IT staff, buying more software, and implementing solutions to problems that do not exist.



MindStudio even has partners locally for companies, like <a href="http://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dominnus</a> with offices in the Carolinas, California, and Denver, to help build AI Agents and support employees as they become resident AI experts for their organization. The training provided by MindStudio is applicable across other AI Agent building platforms as well.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-productivity-through-focused-learning">Revolutionary productivity through focused learning</h2>



Organizations that implement large-scale AI training programs achieve dramatic outcomes. Employees performed tasks significantly better when they utilized AI support compared to when they didn't, according to <a href="https://www.nngroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nielsen Norman Group</a> research findings. Their study documented productivity increases of 66% for a variety of professional tasks.



Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis research finds workers record 33% higher productivity in time working with generative AI tools. The benefit is equivalent to 5.4% of work time savings for AI users – around 2.2 hours per week for full-time workers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-well-being-benefits-through-ai-competence">Psychological well-being benefits through AI competence</h2>



The emotional transformation when employees are provided with proper technology training is a fundamental transformation from fear to professional confidence. A survey of 600 employees across industries, carried out by ScienceDirect, proved that AI capabilities strengthen work environment commitment and improve job satisfaction.



A <a href="https://www.lut.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">LUT University</a> study discovered that AI adoption has no direct effect on workers' well-being but does so indirectly through working conditions like task optimization and safety protocols. Strategically deployed AI that involves correct training can actually increase workplace mental well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-replacement-anxiety-to-partnership-confidence">From 'replacement anxiety' to 'partnership confidence'</h2>



Although 35% of those interviewed in recent McKinsey studies were concerned about workforce displacement, firms with large-scale training initiatives witness such fears dissipate quickly. The World Economic Forum found that two out of three respondents believe AI competencies will enhance their career prospects and job marketability.



This shift from fear to trust has measurable implications for job satisfaction. Applied Sciences research indicates AI can create tailored wellness programs based on individual employee requirements.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-financial-benefits-of-increased-retention">Financial benefits of increased retention</h2>



The mental health advantages of AI learning have a direct impact on organizational bottom lines in the form of a positive feedback cycle with high retention of employees. Recent ROI research validates that artificial intelligence learning has a beneficial impact on employee turnover and satisfaction levels.



PriceWaterhouseCoopers' research documents 20% to 30% improvements in productivity, market speed, and revenue in organizations that attempt systematic AI adoption through comprehensive training.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-environmental-advantages-of-ai-enabled-teams">Environmental advantages of AI-enabled teams</h2>



AI training has unforeseen environmental benefits as it makes the work environment more efficient. According to a study in Scientific Reports, the carbon footprint in writing and illustrating work is significantly lower when AI performs it compared to humans. AI software produces 130 to 1,500 times less CO2 equivalent per page of text created than human authors.



In addition, AI-driven remote work functionality significantly reduces environmental impact. Research by Cornell University and Microsoft indicates that remote workers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 54% by not commuting daily to offices. Hybrid workers working remotely two to four days a week can reduce their carbon footprint by 11% to 29%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cumulative-organizational-advantages">Cumulative organizational advantages</h2>



The compounding gains of better mental well-being, reduced turnover, increased productivity, and environmental benefits flow to enterprises from the pairing. McKinsey analysis estimates the long-term AI potential at $4.4 trillion in incremental productivity growth opportunity from business use cases.



As of now, 75% of knowledge workers globally utilize generative AI, mirroring widespread adoption patterns. Organizations that provide organized training and assistance see the most favorable results in productivity, worker satisfaction, and ecological sustainability.



The research overwhelmingly indicates that companies that invest in proper AI education, like that offered through <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MindStudio</a>, establish win-win scenarios where employees are both more empowered and less stressed, and companies enjoy the gains of increased productivity, reduced turnover, and improved mental health outcomes throughout their workforce.



For more on MindStudio's free AI training for companies, visit the website's of MindStudio and Dominnus from the links below.



The research was published across a variety of peer-reviewed journals, including <a href="https://www.nature.com/palcomms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humanities and Social Sciences Communications</a>, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence</a>, and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci">Applied Sciences</a>.



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MindStudio.AI: <a href="https://www.mindstudio.ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.mindstudio.ai</a>



Dominnus: <a href="https://www.dominnus.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.dominnus.com</a>

AI agent training boosts mental health and profits

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSM3EVeGHJU Companies like MindStudio help companies train their employees to...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-natural-solution-to-disease-through-crop-modification">A natural solution to disease through crop modification.</h2>



The agricultural industry stands at a crossroads between productivity and environmental responsibility, and crop modification often carries a negative connotation. While chemical pesticides have long been the go-to solution for crop protection, their harmful effects on ecosystems and human health have prompted scientists to seek alternatives. The recent breakthrough by <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a> researchers offers a promising path forward through the precise manipulation of plant-associated microbial communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-science-behind-microbial-partnerships">The science behind microbial partnerships</h2>



Plants naturally harbor diverse ecosystems of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that function as biological allies. These microscopic partners contribute to disease resistance, nutrient absorption, and stress tolerance. However, until now, scientists lacked the tools to deliberately reshape these communities to enhance crop protection.



The Southampton team's approach centered on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/engineered-plant-microbiomes-the-future-of-crop-protection/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">modifying lignin biosynthesis genes in rice plants</a>. This strategic intervention altered the plant's metabolic output, creating conditions that favored beneficial bacterial populations while suppressing harmful ones. The result was a living defense system embedded within the plant itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-implications-for-global-food-security">Implications for global food security</h2>



The successful demonstration against Xanthomonas oryzae, the pathogen responsible for bacterial blight in rice, represents more than a laboratory achievement. Rice feeds nearly half the world's population, and bacterial blight causes devastating crop losses annually. Traditional control methods rely heavily on pesticides that contaminate soil and water systems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-looking-beyond-disease-resistance">Looking Beyond Disease Resistance</h2>



While disease protection represents the immediate application, the research framework opens doors to broader agricultural improvements. Future developments could engineer microbiomes to enhance nutrient uptake, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. This dual benefit addresses both crop productivity and environmental sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-path-forward">The path forward</h2>



As this technology advances from laboratory to field applications, it promises to reshape sustainable agriculture. The ability to program plants with their own biological defense systems could herald a new era where crops protect themselves naturally, reducing chemical inputs while maintaining yields necessary for global food security.



The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-44335-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.



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Revolutionizing agriculture through microbiome engineering

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDXqTGEmi4 Scientists give plants superpowers against bacterial disease A natural...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Some children read facial expressions when making food choices.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-other-people-s-reactions-influence-children-s-eating-habits">Other people's reactions influence children's eating habits</h2>



Many children are finicky eaters, but research explains how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-have-learned-why-so-many-kids-dislike-vegetables/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">watching others eat and social modeling</a> influence the eating habits of children.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Study Methodology Demonstrates Social Learning Impact</h2>



Researchers at <a href="https://www.aston.ac.uk/hls/school-of-psychology" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aston University School of Psychology</a> have published findings in Frontiers in Psychology that illuminate the neurobiological foundations of food preference development through observational learning. The investigation employed controlled video stimuli featuring adults consuming raw broccoli while displaying systematically varied facial expressions to measure participant responses.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Asymmetrical Response Patterns Identified</h2>



The research, conducted with 204 female participants, revealed a pronounced asymmetry in social modeling effects. Negative facial expressions during vegetable consumption significantly diminished observer food preference ratings, while positive expressions failed to produce corresponding increases in vegetable appeal. This finding challenges conventional assumptions about the bidirectional nature of social influence in dietary behavior formation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Evolutionary Psychology Framework Applied</h2>



Dr. Katie Edwards and her research team propose that these results reflect adaptive mechanisms developed through evolutionary processes. The heightened sensitivity to disgust expressions likely functions as a protective system, enabling individuals to identify potentially harmful foods through social cues without direct risk exposure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Clinical and Educational Implications</h2>



These findings carry substantial implications for pediatric nutrition interventions and family meal dynamics. The research suggests that parental expressions of distaste during vegetable consumption may inadvertently reinforce children's existing food aversions through unconscious social transmission pathways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Future Research Directions</h2>



The study establishes a foundation for expanded investigation into real-time social modeling effects and cross-demographic applicability. Researchers emphasize the necessity for longitudinal studies examining actual consumption behaviors rather than preference ratings alone, particularly within family contexts where social learning occurs most frequently.



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Social modeling affects our food choices

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVywlgRJXsc Some children read facial expressions when making food choices....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynHpMaNO8A
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cancer-causing-protein-bound-and-blocked">Cancer-causing protein bound and blocked</h2>



In a discovery that can one day revolutionize cancer treatment, researchers at the <a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Riverside</a> have successfully developed a means of controlling MYC, a notoriously slippery protein that causes approximately <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chaotic-protein-that-fuels-75-of-cancers-can-be-controlled/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">75% of all cancers in humans</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-makes-myc-different">What makes MYC different</h2>



MYC presents a unique challenge when studying cancer. Normally, this protein plays a vital role in healthy cells. It carefully controls transcription - the process that converts genetic information from DNA and RNA into proteins.



However, cancer changes everything. In cancer cells, MYC becomes a destructive force. It operates in overdrive mode with no regulation whatsoever.



Professor Min Xue, who led the research team, explains it simply: "MYC is less like food for cancer cells and more like a steroid. It drives cancer's aggressive growth." This superactive behavior makes MYC involved in three out of every four cancer cases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-myc-is-hard-to-target">Why MYC is hard to target</h2>



Despite its clear role in cancer, targeting MYC has been one of medicine's biggest challenges. The main problem lies in MYC's unusual structure - or rather, its complete lack of structure.



Professor Xue describes the protein as "basically a glob of randomness." This means conventional drug discovery methods don't work. These traditional approaches rely on sharply defined protein structures. MYC simply doesn't have one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A New Approach to Fighting MYC</h2>



The UCR research team developed a clever solution. They designed a special peptide molecule that could selectively bind to MYC. More importantly, this peptide could block MYC's destructive activity.



The key was fine-tuning two specific features: the peptide's stiffness and its shape. Through careful adjustments, researchers achieved something remarkable. They reached "sub-micro-molar affinity" - meaning their peptide binds as strongly as antibodies do.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-results">Breakthrough results</h2>



This accomplishment represents a major leap beyond previous attempts. The researchers enhanced their peptide's binding strength by two orders of magnitude. This dramatic improvement brings the work significantly closer to practical drug development goals.



The research opens new possibilities for treating the vast majority of cancers where MYC plays a destructive role.



The researchers are presently optimizing peptide-delivery systems based on lipid nanoparticles that deliver the peptide effectively into cancer cells. The<a href="https://www.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> National Institutes of Health</a> and the <a href="https://www.defense.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Department of Defense</a> funded the study, which appeared in the Journal of the <a href="https://www.acs.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Chemical Society</a>. This research offers renewed hope against cancer, and it can potentially open a door to more effective cancer therapies for most cancer patients worldwide.



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The protein that fuels 3 out of 4 cancers has been controlled

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JynHpMaNO8A Chaotic cancer protein finally controlled after decades of mystery...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE
</div></figure>



On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop and sunlight barely penetrates through the polar winter. It was here, however, that an international team of scientists found <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/predatory-worms-were-terror-beasts-half-a-billion-years-ago/#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence of sea monsters</a> that would change our understanding of ocean life in the past.



This video captures the discovery of Timorebestia fossils that had been hidden for more than 500 million years in the Sirius Passet formation. The "terror beasts," as they are called, are a hidden chapter in the evolutionary history of <a href="https://www.earth.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Earth</a>, showing that sophisticated predator-prey interactions occurred much earlier than previously envisioned.



Dr. Jakob Vinther and his research team at the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a>, in collaboration with researchers at the <a href="https://eng.kopri.re.kr/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Korean Polar Research Institute</a>, braved extreme weather conditions at 82.5 north latitude to locate these giant creatures. Using sophisticated electron microprobe analysis, they revealed the detailed anatomy of the animals, including their muscle and nerve tissues.



The find upsets the traditional timeline of sea predators. Although we've long appreciated that Cambrian oceans were at one time ruled by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWI3-UgA3_o&amp;list=PL1QLQMW9MWDwpkFOnvgAmu7wT6rZmYqdJ&amp;index=19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arthropods</a>, these discoveries indicate that relatives of arrow worms were first to dominate the seas. These worms were building sophisticated food webs several million years before other predator groups arose.



Each fossil is a story of ancient hunger, with fossil stomach contents revealing these meter-long beasts dined on heavily armored arthropods regularly, cementing their place as the ocean's first apex predators.



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Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y4eLFNYrKE On the unforgiving landscape of North Greenland, temperatures drop...

News coming your way