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<p>Walk through any African rainforest at the height of fruit season, and you will eventually stumble upon a surprising scene: apes foraging not in the treetops but on the forest floor, scooping up fallen figs or overripe marulas that have begun to ferment.</p>



<p>Until now, primatologists have documented the behavior but lacked a word that sets it apart from ordinary fruit eating. </p>



<p>A new paper led by <a href="https://home.dartmouth.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dartmouth College</a> anthropologist Nathaniel Dominy and <a href="https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of St Andrews</a> primatologist Catherine Hobaiter fixes that linguistic oversight by proposing a single, evocative term - “scrumping.”</p>



<p>“It’s not that primatologists have never seen scrumping - they observe it pretty regularly. But the absence of a word for it has disguised its importance,” Dominy explained.</p>



<p>By naming the habit, the authors hope to inspire more systematic data collection. This simple ground-level snack could hold outsized clues to why human beings tolerate <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drunk-animals-may-explain-humans-love-of-alcohol/">alcohol</a> so well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-medieval-word-for-a-modern-puzzle"><a></a>A medieval word for a modern puzzle</h2>



<p>Scrumping originates from the Middle English rendering of the German “schrimpen.” The word described “shriveled” or “shrunken” fruit that had fallen off the tree. In rural England today, “scrumpy” refers to a rustic cider fermented from windfallen apples.</p>



<p>Dominy and Hobaiter argue that the linguistic lineage is perfect for apes pilfering fermented fruit. Both activities involve the opportunistic gathering of overripe produce with elevated alcohol content.</p>



<p>The name matters because, until now, field notes have lumped floor-foraging events with canopy foraging under the bland heading of “fruit feeding.” That lumping masks the ecological stakes. </p>



<p>Once fruit hits the ground, it becomes a microbial playground where yeasts convert sugars into alcohols. This process often gives the fruit an ethanol punch of a few percent.</p>



<p>For a 220-pound chimp eating ten pounds of such fruit per day, that may add up to a low but steady dose of alcohol. If the capacity to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-at-high-altitude-leads-to-longer-life-by-changing-metabolism/">metabolize</a> that ethanol confers a survival advantage, then scrumping could have exerted evolutionary pressure on primate digestive enzymes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-linking-scrumping-apes-to-alcohol-genes">Linking scrumping apes to alcohol genes</h2>



<p>In 2015, geneticists reported that the primary enzyme humans use to break down ethanol - ADH4 - underwent a pivotal amino acid tweak in the last common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees and gorillas.</p>



<p>That mutation boosted the enzyme’s efficiency fortyfold. The genetic timeline aligns suspiciously well with fossil and climatic evidence suggesting early apes were spending more time on the ground, perhaps because <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-cooling-wont-be-a-quick-fix-for-the-state-of-our-oceans/">global cooling</a> was fragmenting forest canopies.</p>



<p>Dominy’s team suspected that scrumping, not tree foraging, was the behavior that turned the genetic key. To test the prevalence of ground-level fruit snacking, they combed through thousands of feeding observations for chimpanzees, western gorillas, mountain gorillas, and orangutans.</p>



<p>Every record pairing ground-level apes with a fruit species normally found higher in the canopy counted as a scrumping event. African apes did it routinely. </p>



<p>Orangutans of Southeast Asia, by contrast, almost never did - and tellingly, the 2015 gene study shows orangutans have a far less efficient version of ADH4.</p>



<p>These weren’t differences of nuance - African apes scrump on a regular basis, but orangutans do not. The contrast strengthens the idea that processing dietary ethanol was an adaptive edge for African lineages.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-escaping-competition-avoiding-falls"><a></a>Escaping competition, avoiding falls</h2>



<p>Why would a large ape bother with windfall fruit instead of plucking fresher pieces overhead? Dominy points to two incentives. </p>



<p>First, avoiding the highest branches reduces the risk of potentially fatal falls - a risk he and co-author Luke Fannin quantified in a 2023 study showing that accidents in the canopy exact serious tolls on primate skeletons.</p>



<p>Second, staying on the ground lets apes sidestep competition with smaller, more nimble monkeys that strip trees of unripe fruit. If ethanol metabolism means an ape can safely eat the fermented fare, it gains a foraging niche all its own.</p>



<p>“A fundamental feature of our relationship with alcohol is our tendency to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-social-drinking-feels-so-different-from-drinking-alone/">drink together</a>," said Hobaiter. She wonders whether shared ape scrumping sessions reinforce social bonds in apes the way communal drinking does in humans.</p>



<p>Future fieldwork will track whether group foraging for windfallen fruit correlates with grooming, alliance formation, or mating opportunities.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-happy-hour-in-the-jungle">Happy hour in the jungle</h2>



<p>The next empirical frontier is chemistry. Researchers plan to sample ethanol concentrations in fruits still hanging versus fruits lying on the forest floor. They will also monitor ape breath or urine for ethanol metabolites to estimate intake more precisely.</p>



<p>If chronic low-level exposure proves common, it could reshape narratives about ancient hominin diets and even the timing of the agricultural revolution, when humans began deliberately fermenting grains and grapes.</p>



<p>“Scrumping by the last common ancestor of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/gorillas-are-digging-for-a-surprising-food-in-the-jungle-soil/">gorillas</a>, chimpanzees, and humans about 10 million years ago could explain why humans are so astoundingly good at digesting alcohol,” Dominy noted.</p>



<p>He suggests that long before our ancestors brewed beer, natural selection had already equipped them with biochemical bar tabs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-will-scrumping-stick">Will scrumping stick?</h2>



<p>Scientific neologisms catch on only if they fill a conceptual gap - think “symbiosis” in the 19th century or Richard Dawkins’s “meme” in 1976. Dominy believes scrumping meets that test.</p>



<p>It instantly conveys a specific behavior - ground foraging for fermented fruit - that generic terms cannot. If colleagues adopt the label, datasets will soon be searchable, hypotheses testable, and evolutionary stories clearer.</p>



<p>“We never knew we needed the word until we did. That’s natural selection at work,” Dominy said. Whether scrumping becomes a staple of primatology vocabulary remains to be seen. </p>



<p>But the paper makes a compelling case: name the behavior, and the science of why we drink - and how we evolved - may gain a fresh ferment of insight.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/advance-article/doi/10.1093/biosci/biaf102/8215783"><em>BioScience</em></a>.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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"Scrumping" apes may explain how humans started drinking alcohol

Walk through any African rainforest at the height of fruit...

<p>An ancient encounter between distant plant relatives forever changed agriculture. About nine million years ago, natural interbreeding between a tomato ancestor and a South American Etuberosum species led to the first true potato. </p>



<p>This unexpected hybridization created a plant with one powerful trait: the ability to grow tubers underground.</p>



<p>Published in the journal <em>Cell</em>, the study reveals how this hybrid event transformed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-psychoactive-plants-helped-build-an-ancient-empire/">evolution</a>. Tubers enabled plants to store nutrients below the surface, helping them survive climate shifts and colonize new terrains.</p>



<p>“Our findings show how a hybridization event between species can spark the evolution of new traits, allowing even more species to emerge,” said co-author Sanwen Huang of the <a href="https://www.caas.cn/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences</a>. “We’ve finally solved the mystery of where potatoes came from.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-potatoes-are-more-tomato-than-expected">Potatoes are more tomato than expected</h2>



<p>While the potato resembles some tuberless Chilean <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-seeds-reveal-plant-migration-path-from-asia-to-australia/">species</a>, it shares more genetic ties with tomatoes. To investigate, the researchers sequenced 450 cultivated potato genomes and 56 wild relatives.</p>



<p>They discovered that all potatoes carry a stable genetic blend from both Etuberosum and tomato-like ancestors. </p>



<p>The two lineages diverged around 14 million years ago, yet still interbred after 5 million years of separation. This compatibility led to the birth of the modern potato lineage with tuber-forming capabilities.</p>



<p>“Wild potatoes are very difficult to sample, so this dataset represents the most comprehensive collection of wild potato genomic data ever analyzed,” said study first author Zhiyang Zhang.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origins-of-modern-potatoes">Origins of modern potatoes </h2>



<p>By tracing the source of tuber-related genes, the study showed how specific gene combinations enabled tuber development. One gene, SP6A, came from the tomato ancestor. It acts like a timer, signaling when to begin tuber formation. </p>



<p>Another gene, IT1, came from Etuberosum and drives the actual growth of the underground stem structures.</p>



<p>Without these two genes, tubers would not exist. Their presence in the hybrid offspring gave the new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/evidence-of-ancient-plant-farming-found-in-east-africa/">lineage</a> a nutritional edge.</p>



<p>This combination also solved a long-standing contradiction. While tuberless Etuberosum plants resemble modern potatoes, they lacked these hybrid genes. Potatoes, on the other hand, inherited the best of both parents.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tubers-helped-potatoes-survive">Tubers helped potatoes survive</h2>



<p>The potato’s evolutionary breakthrough matched a dramatic environmental shift. The Andes mountains were rising rapidly during this period. These changes brought colder, harsher conditions. </p>



<p>Underground tubers allowed the hybrids to store energy and survive drought, frost, and low oxygen.</p>



<p>Tubers gave potatoes another advantage: asexual reproduction. A single tuber can sprout new plants without seeds or flowers. This helped the species spread across diverse&nbsp;<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/world-turtle-day-2025-ancient-creatures-with-modern-challenges/">ecosystems</a>, from mountain slopes to temperate grasslands.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewiring-of-plant-hormone-systems">Rewiring of plant hormone systems</h2>



<p>The research uncovered even deeper changes. Potato hybridization did not just merge genes. It altered hormonal pathways. Tuber formation involves a shift from flowering-focused reproduction to underground storage growth.</p>



<p>The researchers found reduced expression of flowering genes and increased activation of genes that promote storage organ formation. These changes involved key hormones like gibberellins, which control plant development. </p>



<p>The hybrid lineage adjusted hormone balances to support tuber growth while limiting flower formation when necessary.</p>



<p>The SP6A and IT1 genes did not act alone. They interacted with regulators of sugar transport and underground stem expansion. This suggests that tuber evolution affected entire physiological networks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-hybridization-fuels-plant-diversity">How hybridization fuels plant diversity</h2>



<p>Hybridization between distant plant lineages is rare, but powerful. It can bypass reproductive barriers, create new species, and introduce useful traits. In the potato’s case, hybridization created an entirely new reproductive strategy using vegetative propagation through tubers.</p>



<p>This ability allowed potatoes to diversify rapidly. The Andes became a hotspot for wild potato speciation. Each species adapted to different altitudes and climates.</p>



<p>“Evolving a tuber gave potatoes a huge advantage in harsh environments, fueling an explosion of new species and contributing to the rich diversity of potatoes we see and rely on today,” Huang said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tomatoes-helped-create-potatoes">Tomatoes helped create potatoes</h2>



<p>The potato is now one of the world’s most essential crops, feeding billions. But its success began with one wild encounter between tomato-like and Etuberosum ancestors.</p>



<p>Through ancient hybridization, potatoes gained the ability to thrive underground, reproduce without seeds, and adapt to varied environments. Their tubers became both survival tools and culinary staples.</p>



<p>Scientists have finally traced that origin story, showing how a distant botanical union shaped the potato and our diets.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(25)00736-6" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Cell</em></a>.</p>



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<p>-----</p>

Potato origins mystery solved after 9 million years

An ancient encounter between distant plant relatives forever changed agriculture....

<p>Tiny plastic particles surround us daily. We can’t see them, but we inhale the plastic dust constantly. </p>



<p>A new study by Nadiia Yakovenko and colleagues at <a href="https://www.univ-tlse3.fr" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Université de Toulouse</a> uncovers how much more exposure we face indoors than previously assumed.</p>



<p>Published in the journal <em>PLOS ONE,</em> the research reveals just how dense microplastic pollution has become inside homes and vehicles.</p>



<p>Earlier studies showed that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scented-products-release-indoor-air-pollutants/">plastics</a> float in the air almost everywhere. These fragments, called microplastics, often come from synthetic clothes, car interiors, packaging, and household items. Indoor air contains more of them than outdoor air. </p>



<p>Until now, most research focused on larger particles that rarely enter deep lung tissue. This study takes a sharper look at smaller particles - the ones that can reach the lungs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tiny-plastics-harm-your-lungs">Tiny plastics harm your lungs</h2>



<p>When particles are smaller than 10 micrometers (µm), or 0.0004 inches, they become a threat to deep lung tissue. They slip past our natural filters and can reach the bronchi and even enter the bloodstream.</p>



<p>These particles also carry toxic chemicals and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/millions-of-people-die-from-air-pollution-each-year-yet-theres-still-a-lack-of-monitoring/">pollutants</a>. Once inside the body, they may harm vital systems.</p>



<p>Yakovenko’s team studied both apartments and cars using Raman spectroscopy, a method capable of detecting particles as small as 1 µm. They found that the average indoor air contains thousands of these tiny particles per cubic meter.</p>



<p>Homes and cars had different compositions. Polyethylene dominated in homes, while polyamide was more common in cars due to the types of fabrics and plastics used in vehicle interiors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smaller-particles-bigger-problem">Smaller particles, bigger problem</h2>



<p>Most previous studies used µFTIR spectroscopy, which detects particles no smaller than 10 µm. This left out the most common size range found in indoor air. </p>



<p>The new study used a more sensitive method and found microplastic concentrations up to 100 times higher than earlier estimates.</p>



<p>More than 90% of all detected particles were smaller than 10 µm. These particles followed a pattern where smaller particles appeared more often. </p>



<p>The distribution pattern followed a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-mechanics-uncovers-hidden-patterns-in-the-stock-market/">power law</a>, meaning particle numbers rose sharply as size dropped. That means we are breathing in large quantities of the smallest, most hazardous plastics.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-indoor-dust-is-mostly-plastic">Indoor dust is mostly plastic</h2>



<p>Sampling revealed a median of 528 particles per cubic meter (~15 particles/ft³) in homes and 2,238 particles per cubic meter (~63 particles/ft³) in cars.</p>



<p>These particles were mostly fragments rather than fibers. Their size typically ranged from 1 to 10 µm.</p>



<p>Based on combined data from this and other studies, researchers estimated that adults inhale about 3,200 larger microplastics and 68,000 smaller ones on a daily basis.</p>



<p>These smaller particles can cross biological barriers, reach the bloodstream, and impact organs. They may also release additives and chemicals that disrupt hormones and affect immunity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-the-gut-and-beyond">Role of the gut and beyond</h2>



<p>Larger <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cutting-super-pollutants-could-quickly-cool-the-planet/">particles</a> usually get trapped in mucus and are removed by coughing or swallowing. This process introduces plastics into the digestive system. </p>



<p>This secondary ingestion route could rival or exceed plastic exposure from food and drinks. In fact, people may absorb more microplastics through air than through meals.</p>



<p>Children may be even more vulnerable due to higher air intake relative to their body weight. Inhalation rates vary, but on average, children may inhale up to 47,000 small plastic particles daily. These particles can reach places in the body where they don’t belong.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-dust-found-everywhere">Plastic dust found everywhere</h2>



<p>“We found that over 90% of the microplastic particles in indoor air across both homes and cars were smaller than 10 µm, small enough to be inhaled deep into the lungs," noted the researchers.</p>



<p>This was also the first study to measure microplastics in the car cabin environment. Overall, the team detected indoor concentrations up to 100 times higher than previous extrapolated estimates, revealing indoor air as a major and previously underestimated exposure route of fine particulate microplastic inhalation.</p>



<p>“Everywhere we looked, we find microplastics, even in the air we breathe inside our homes and cars," the researchers said.</p>



<p>The biggest concern is how small these particles are completely invisible to the naked eye. "We inhale thousands of them every day without even realizing it," the team pointed out. </p>



<p>Deep inside our lungs, microplastics release toxic additives that reach our blood and cause multiple diseases.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-step-in-microplastic-research">Next step in microplastic research</h2>



<p>This study also estimates potential exposure to nanoplastics, which are particles smaller than 1 µm (0.00004 inches). These may reach even deeper parts of the lungs and possibly cross into cells.</p>



<p>Though no direct measurements were made, the study extrapolated a likely exposure rate of over 33 million nanoplastics per day in the smallest size range.</p>



<p>Inhaled <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-happens-when-nanoplastics-get-into-the-soil-many-things-none-of-them-are-good/">nanoplastics</a> may behave differently than microplastics. They are smaller, more reactive, and harder to detect. Future research must develop better ways to observe and measure these invisible invaders.</p>



<p>The takeaway is clear. Indoor air carries more microplastics than we assumed, especially in the most harmful size ranges. </p>



<p>This study urges regular monitoring and a closer look at how these particles move, settle, and affect health. Until then, the invisible plastic dust in our homes and cars remains an open hazard. We breathe it in with every passing moment.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0328011" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.</em></p>



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<p>-----</p>

Plastic dust is making indoor air more polluted than outside

Tiny plastic particles surround us daily. We can’t see them,...

<p>Most of us think empathy is either something you have or do not. A new study from the University of Southern California shows that this social glue can be taught through simple emotional rewards.</p>



<p>After just a few minutes of watching a cartoon stranger enjoy small victories, volunteers started to feel happy for the character and even gave up money to keep that happiness going. </p>



<p>Psychologist Yi Zhang of <a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USC Dornsife</a>, who led the project, says the brain learns to link another person’s good mood to its own internal payoff.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewards-can-train-empathy-faster">Rewards can train empathy faster</h2>



<p>The study reports that empathy can grow when positive feelings are consistently paired with personal gains. This finding challenges the idea that empathy only comes from shared experience or moral instruction.</p>



<p>Instead, the brain appears to treat another person like a favorite object whenever their smile predicts a benefit. That habit stays intact even when the benefit disappears.</p>



<p>In previous decades, empathy training focused on perspective taking workshops. The new data suggest that pairing emotion with reward may work faster and reach people who resist verbal lessons.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cartoons-helped-people-care">Cartoons helped people care</h2>



<p>Researchers asked 1,500 adults to view short clips of a stick figure hero who sometimes played with a dog and other times fell off a bike. After each scene, a counter on the screen rose or fell, telling viewers they had won or lost cents.</p>



<p>People whose counters rose during the happy scenes later rated the hero’s feelings as more important and even pressed keyboard keys longer to see new happy clips. Their extra effort showed that the emotional link was now a small but real motivational push.</p>



<p>Importantly, the hero had no voice or facial features, so participants could not read expressions or mirror emotions. That design choice helped isolate learning from automatic mimicry.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smiles-taught-empathy-like-pavlov-s-bell">Smiles taught empathy like Pavlov’s bell</h2>



<p>“It’s a social twist on Pavlov’s classic experiment,” said Professor Leon Hackel, the study’s senior author. By swapping food for smiles, the team demonstrated a form of Pavlovian conditioning that applies to mental states rather than bells and steaks.</p>



<p>Earlier work on associative learning in social settings found that humans and animals easily connect gestures and voices with reward, but this project is among the first to show that abstract <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/acts-of-kindness-social-brains-are-wired-to-help/">emotions</a> can serve the same role. </p>



<p>The research opens the door to training compassion without relying on shared background or ideology.</p>



<p>Because the effect survived a delay period and new scenarios, the authors argue that the brain builds a flexible template rather than a narrow stimulus response chain. In practical terms, caring can expand beyond the original situation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-empathy-led-to-kind-actions">Empathy led to kind actions</h2>



<p>In a later task, participants picked digital gift cards for the cartoon hero, knowing exactly which cards the hero liked. Selecting the preferred card sometimes drained their own point balance.</p>



<p>Those who had learned the happiness reward link were more willing to lose points or at least hesitated before being selfish. The behavior matched their self reported feelings, suggesting that empathy and prosocial behavior can spring from the same learning rule.</p>



<p>The finding matters because many real world prosocial acts, from tipping to blood donation, involve small personal costs. Building the reward link could tip the scales toward generosity in those moments.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cooperation-competition-and-classrooms">Cooperation, competition, and classrooms</h2>



<p>The findings help explain why empathy thrives in groups where one person’s win lifts everyone. Studies of cooperative learning in schools show that children who share grades and goals also show sharper gains in caring for peers.</p>



<p>Competitive arenas do the opposite, because a rival’s success predicts personal loss, making the empathic pathway harder to condition. Workplace reward <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-customer-courtesy-kindness-transforms-service-quality-and-job-satisfaction/">systems</a> could unknowingly shape compassion by choosing between winner-takes-all bonuses and team incentives.</p>



<p>Sports teams and military units, which bond players through shared wins and losses, might naturally leverage the same circuit. Recognizing that link could inspire training programs that cultivate empathy alongside skill.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-empathy-training-can-help-therapy">Empathy training can help therapy</h2>



<p>“Understanding how people form emotional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/little-benjamina-the-oldest-evidence-of-social-empathy-in-humans/">bonds</a> could help us design AI that responds in more human-like ways,” said Yi Zhang. Engineers could teach chatbots to value user joy by aligning system rewards with human smiles, rather than relying on canned politeness.</p>



<p>Therapists might also use reward-based exercises to help clients with social anxiety practice noticing and valuing other people’s positive emotions. Because the intervention is brief and game like, it could slot into digital mental health tools.</p>



<p>Parents might reinforce caring by celebrating siblings who cheer each other on. Small rewards paired with shared happiness could be stronger than many lectures on kindness.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-real-world-tests-are-needed">Real world tests are needed</h2>



<p>The experiments ran online with small monetary stakes, so scientists still need to check whether the same pattern appears in face to face settings. They also want to know how long the effect lasts when real time passes instead of computer rounds.</p>



<p>Brain imaging could reveal whether the reward circuits light up in sync with empathic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bonobos-and-chimps-express-empathy-much-like-humans/">feelings</a>, or if new networks come online. That work may point toward therapies for disorders marked by low empathy, such as psychopathy.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09567976251351304" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Psychological Science</em></a>.</p>



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<p>-----</p>

Empathy can be taught through simple reward training

Most of us think empathy is either something you have...

<p>The ocean is slowly losing its breath, and fish that spend their days in the twilight depths are starting to pay the price. </p>



<p>A new study tracking 10,000 years of fossil ear bones shows that some of the most numerous vertebrates on Earth vanished whenever deep water oxygen fell below a critical threshold.</p>



<p>Lanternfish expert Sven Pallacks of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (<a href="https://portalrecerca.uab.cat/en/organisations/institut-de-ci%C3%A8ncia-i-tecnologia-ambientals-icta-uab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UAB</a>) says the pattern is a clear warning for today’s warming seas. </p>



<p>The disappearance of a group with such enormous biomass would likely put many other marine <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-fish-bones-reveal-clues-about-the-evolution-of-eating/">species</a> at risk as well.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lanternfish-need-deep-sea-oxygen">Lanternfish need deep sea oxygen</h2>



<p>Oxygen dissolves into seawater at the surface and is carried downward by currents and mixing. In parts of the mid water column, consumptive microbes form an oxygen minimum zone that can drop to just a few micromoles per liter.</p>



<p>Since the 1960s, the global ocean has already lost roughly two percent of its oxygen inventory, an amount equivalent to the volume needed to supply every person on the planet for a year. Less mixing and warmer water both make it harder for fresh oxygen to reach depth.</p>



<p>When that deficit climbs, the low oxygen layer expands upward, squeezing habitat for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-fish-had-flexible-joints-like-humans/">organisms</a> caught between breathless water below and surface predators above. Fish that once sheltered hundreds of feet deep end up in plain sight, exposed and stressed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-lanternfish-are-important">Why lanternfish are important</h2>



<p>The slim, glowing lanternfish make nightly ascents of up to 2,600 ft to feed, then retreat to 660 ft or deeper before sunrise. Their combined weight may reach six hundred million tons.</p>



<p>Because they commute between surface and depth, lanternfish shuttle carbon in their bodies into long term storage - a service called the biological pump. </p>



<p>A 2019 <a href="https://kids.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frym.2023.926063" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">synthesis</a> estimated that their nightly rise moves roughly four gigatons of carbon downward each year. That is more than the annual carbon emissions of the European Union, highlighting why the loss of lanternfish would weaken a key climate stabilizer. </p>



<p>Lanternfish also feed whales, tuna, and many squid, so their absence would ripple through commercial fisheries.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fossils-reveal-what-happened">Fossils reveal what happened</h2>



<p>Pallacks and colleagues recovered a sediment core from 1,835 feet down in the Aegean Sea. They sorted more than 3,200 fossil otoliths - the tiny calcified ear stones that record a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/living-fossil-reveals-clues-about-how-animals-learned-to-breathe/">fish</a>’s identity like fingerprints.</p>



<p>Each layer of mud offered a snapshot of who was living above at the time it settled. Because the Aegean toggled between well oxygenated and suffocating states over the past ten millennia, it served as a natural experiment.</p>



<p>During the most severe low oxygen phase, called Sapropel S1, lanternfish counts plummeted to near zero. Anchovies and other surface dwellers filled some of the gap, but overall fish abundance stayed low until oxygen crept back.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-past-loss-warns-the-present">Past loss warns the present</h2>



<p>Archaeological <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02568-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> shows that early coastal cultures around the Mediterranean suffered reduced fish catches during the same sapropel interval, hinting at cascading effects on human food security. </p>



<p>Historical records suggest that once oxygen levels recovered, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-fish-coelacanth-presumed-extinct-for-60-million-years-before-rediscovery/">fish</a> markets rebounded within a few generations.</p>



<p>The core indicates that oxygen rebounded about 6,000 years ago, and lanternfish stormed back, tripling total fish abundance within a few centuries.&nbsp;</p>



<p>"Our findings corroborate expectations that future expansion of midwater deoxygenation could severely deplete mesopelagic fish communities," noted the study authors.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-lanternfish-vanish">When lanternfish vanish</h2>



<p>Lanternfish sit at a crucial hinge in food webs. Many whales, seabirds, and predators such as swordfish depend on them for calories.</p>



<p>Lose the commuters, and both seafood supply and natural carbon sequestration take a hit. Models show that removing lanternfish from global ecology would cut twilight zone carbon export by at least twenty five percent.</p>



<p>Such a reduction would accelerate atmospheric warming, creating a feedback loop that drives oxygen even lower. The biological pump is not a luxury. It is planetary life support.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-models-point-to-steeper-declines">Climate models point to steeper declines</h2>



<p>Earth system simulations that include projected emissions paths suggest oxygen minimum zones could grow by up to seven percent by 2100. </p>



<p>The upper boundary of low oxygen water could climb from roughly 1,300 feet today to less than 650 feet in some basins.</p>



<p>That shift would erase the safe daytime refuge for many mid-water species, forcing them closer to nets and predators. Warmer water also speeds fish metabolism, so they need more oxygen just as it becomes scarce.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-can-do-now">What we can do now</h2>



<p>Cutting greenhouse gas emissions remains the fastest lever for stabilizing ocean oxygen. Local steps, like reducing nutrient runoff that fuels coastal dead zones, protect regional fisheries while the planet decarbonizes.</p>



<p>Monitoring programs that deploy autonomous sensors into the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24509953/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mesopelagic zone</a> now give managers early warning when oxygen starts to fall. Data from these floats already help reroute fishing effort away from emerging hypoxic patches</p>



<p>Scientists are also testing marine protected areas designed around depth bands rather than coastlines, preserving critical migration corridors. Protecting the pathways lanternfish use may buy time while global actions take hold.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-don-t-know-about-lanternfish">What we don’t know about lanternfish</h2>



<p>Lanternfish biomass estimates still span an order of magnitude, and only a handful of regions have been sampled with modern acoustics. Expanding surveys will refine how much organic carbon these fish ferry to depth.</p>



<p>Meanwhile, paleo records such as the Aegean core offer rare, long term baselines against which future change can be measured. More sediment cores from other basins will reveal whether regional oxygen thresholds line up globally.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-coming-next">What’s coming next</h2>



<p>Technology that tracks individual fish with miniaturized tags is beginning to map their vertical routes in three dimensions. Combining that data with oxygen sensors will reveal tipping points beyond which migration breaks down.</p>



<p>Policy makers armed with such thresholds can set clearer targets for climate mitigation and fishery protection. The past cannot predict every detail, but it shows how sharply deep sea life responds when the ocean runs short of air.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02568-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Communications Earth &amp; Environment</em></a>.</p>



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Lanternfish fossils warn of looming ocean oxygen crisis

The ocean is slowly losing its breath, and fish that...

<p>Picture the entire food system as an intricate relay race, except the baton is invisible. Trillions of microbes - bacteria, fungi, and viruses - pass nutrients, flavor compounds, and disease-fighting molecules down the line.</p>



<p>These microscopic transfers move from soil to crops, from animals to processing plants, and finally to our own digestive tracts.</p>



<p>A sweeping review has now drawn the first full map of these “agri-food microbiomes,” revealing both the magnitude of their quiet labor and the growing cracks that threaten to slow the handoff.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbes-mirror-earth-s-decline">Microbes mirror Earth’s decline</h2>



<p>Lead author Paula Fernández-Gómez of Ireland’s <a href="https://teagasc.ie/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Teagasc Food Research Center</a> has spent years tracing microbes through cheese vats and barley fields.</p>



<p>What she sees lately is disturbing. Soils are losing their bacterial richness, rivers are overloaded with fertilizer-fed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-algae-in-lake-erie-may-be-hiding-toxic-deadly-compounds/">algal blooms</a>, antibiotic-resistant genes are spreading from feedlots, and people are developing chronic gut disorders fed by ultra-processed diets.</p>



<p>“Declining microbial health is mirrored in the health of people and the planet,” said Fernández-Gómez.</p>



<p>The team’s survey of more than 250 “omics” studies confirms that climate stress, chemical overuse, and a taste for sterile convenience foods are unraveling microbial diversity at nearly every stop along the chain.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-subway-of-hidden-microbes">A subway of hidden microbes</h2>



<p>To make sense of the tangle, Fernández-Gómez and study senior author Paul Cotter stitched together data from horticulture, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/aquaculture-impacts-wild-fish-much-more-than-we-thought/">aquaculture</a>, livestock operations, and global food-distribution hubs.</p>



<p>Imagine a subway diagram in which one line begins beneath a wheat field, ducks under a flour mill, loops through a bakery, and ends in your gut. Another starts in a mangrove, hops into shrimp ponds, weaves through a freezing facility and surfaces in a seafood soup.</p>



<p>Overlaid on those tracks are warning signs where microbial “stations” are shutting down. These range from pesticide-scorched root zones to refrigerated warehouses that select for spoilage organisms.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-restoring-the-microbe-food-chain">Restoring the microbe food chain</h2>



<p>The map also points to success stories. A yeast spray trimmed post-harvest loss in strawberries by crowding out decay fungi. </p>



<p>Drought-tolerant bacteria boosted yields in desert test plots without extra water. Probiotic feed reduced infections in poultry flocks, letting farmers cut <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-in-livestock-are-major-drivers-of-antibiotic-resistance/">antibiotics</a>.</p>



<p>Each example shows how fostering friendly microbes can save money, slash waste, and keep pathogens in check. </p>



<p>“Just as microbes work together, so must we - at every point in the food system - to make microbe-friendly choices,” Cotter said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-simple-swaps-with-outsized-impact"><a></a>Simple swaps with outsized impact</h2>



<p>What does that collaboration look like? Consumers can favor fresh, minimally <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/breaking-free-from-ultra-processed-foods-the-surprising-health-benefits/">processed foods</a> and support local growers who nourish soil life instead of drenching fields in chemicals.</p>



<p>Food companies can scale up living biofertilizers, smart packaging that suppresses spoilage, and fermentation processes that add beneficial cultures to everyday staples.</p>



<p>Regulators can build clear safety pathways for microbial products so innovators can move faster. Educators can demystify microbes, shifting public perception from “germs to kill” toward “partners to cultivate.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-threats-one-microbial-crisis">Two threats, one microbial crisis</h2>



<p>The stakes stretch beyond taste and shelf life. Heavy fertilizer runoff rewires aquatic microbial communities until oxygen-starved “dead zones” form. </p>



<p>Antibiotics used in aquaculture breed resistance genes that later show up in human hospitals. Heat waves and droughts favor plant pathogens just when crops are already stressed.</p>



<p>The researchers noted that protecting microbial diversity is a double win: it cushions agriculture against climate shocks while also curbing the spread of antimicrobial resistance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-microbe-roles-in-detail">Mapping microbe roles in detail</h2>



<p>Despite high-powered DNA sequencing, many microbes remain strangers; scientists know their names but not their jobs. </p>



<p>The authors call for pairing genetic surveys with old-school culturing, synthetic biology experiments, and high-throughput screening to tease out who does what.</p>



<p>By isolating a desert-soil bacterium that fixes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nitrogen-was-plentiful-for-early-life-on-earth/">nitrogen</a> or a lactic acid strain that prolongs cucumber freshness, researchers can design “microbial consortia” tailored to specific challenges.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-profit-meets-planetary-health">Profit meets planetary health</h2>



<p>Investors are noticing the trend. Markets for biofertilizers and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/beer-vs-probiotics-how-drinking-a-pint-is-great-for-gut-health/">probiotics</a> are expanding as governments restrict chemical inputs.</p>



<p>A farm that inoculates seeds with growth-promoting microbes spends less on synthetic nitrogen. A retailer that uses bacteriophage sprays loses fewer heads of lettuce to rot.</p>



<p>"Healthy microbial networks underpin our existence. They drive nutrient cycling, disease resistance, and environmental resilience," explained study co-author Tanja Kostic of the <a href="https://www.ait.ac.at/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Austrian Institute of Technology</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-depends-on-microbes">The future depends on microbes</h2>



<p>The new map is both a cautionary tale and a hopeful blueprint. We can continue eroding the webs of microbes that keep foods nutritious, ecosystems resilient, and our bodies in balance - or we can choose to ally with the unseen workforce that has sustained life for millennia.</p>



<p>A slice of sourdough made with wild cultures, a policy that rewards farmers for planting nitrogen-fixing clover, a wastewater standard that curbs antibiotic discharge - each small decision helps retie the threads. Each one contributes to restoring balance in the microbial web.</p>



<p>In the end, embracing our microbial partners may be the surest way to nourish nine billion people while healing the planet we all share.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/science/articles/10.3389/fsci.2025.1575468/full" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Frontiers in Science</em></a><em>.</em></p>



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Hidden microbes powering our entire food system are under threat

Picture the entire food system as an intricate relay race,...

<p>A massive pocket of unusually hot rock buried deep under the Appalachian Mountains might be a lingering echo of ancient tectonic shifts that split Greenland from North America 80 million years ago.</p>



<p>This strange heat zone - known as the Northern Appalachian Anomaly (NAA) - sits about 200 kilometers beneath New England.</p>



<p>For a long time, scientists thought it was a remnant from when North America tore away from Northwest Africa around 180 million years ago. </p>



<p>But new research from scientists at the <a href="https://www.southampton.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Southampton</a>, the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences in Germany, and the University of Florence in Italy points to a different story.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-appalachian-mountains-are-still-rising">Appalachian Mountains are still rising</h2>



<p>The Northern Appalachian Anomaly spans about 350 kilometers and is hotter than the surrounding mantle. But it likely didn’t form where it is today.</p>



<p>According to the researchers, this zone of heat may have originated over 1,800 kilometers away, near the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxygen-flow-from-the-labrador-sea-sustains-life-globally/">Labrador Sea</a> - between Greenland and Canada - when those landmasses began to split apart between 90 and 80 million years ago.</p>



<p>Since then, the anomaly has likely crept southwest across the base of the North American continent, traveling at roughly 20 kilometers per million years.</p>



<p>“This thermal upwelling has long been a puzzling feature of North American geology,” said Professor Tom Gernon from the University of Southampton. </p>



<p>“It lies beneath part of the continent that’s been tectonically quiet for 180 million years, so the idea it was just a leftover from when the landmass broke apart never quite stacked up."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-helps-the-appalachians-rise">Heat helps the Appalachians rise</h2>



<p>According to Professor Gernon, the team's research suggests the heat zone is part of a much larger, slow-moving process deep underground that could potentially help explain why <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-mountain-range-under-antarctica-is-older-than-dinosaurs/">mountain ranges</a> like the Appalachians are still standing. </p>



<p>"Heat at the base of a continent can weaken and remove part of its dense root, making the continent lighter and more buoyant, like a hot air balloon rising after dropping its ballast." </p>



<p>"This would have caused the ancient mountains to be further uplifted over the past few million years.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-heat-moves-under-continents">How heat moves under continents</h2>



<p>The researchers used seismic imaging, geodynamic simulations, and tectonic plate reconstructions to understand how the anomaly formed and where it came from. </p>



<p>The team's work leans on a recent theory they’ve proposed, known as “mantle wave” theory. It describes how pieces of hot, dense rock peel away from the base of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-earth-tectonic-plates/">tectonic plates</a> and migrate slowly under <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earth-only-has-six-continents-not-seven-tectonic-plates-under-iceland-study/">continents</a> - similar to blobs floating in a lava lamp.</p>



<p>The slow, deep movements can have surprising effects at the surface, from creating areas of uplift to triggering rare volcanic activity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-heat-beneath-the-appalachians-is-moving">Heat beneath the Appalachians is moving</h2>



<p>“These convective instabilities cause chunks of rock, several tens of kilometers thick, to slowly sink from the base of the Earth’s outer layer known as the lithosphere,” said Professor Sascha Brune of the Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences. </p>



<p>“As the lithosphere thins, hotter mantle material rises to take its place, creating a warm region known as a thermal anomaly."</p>



<p>“Our earlier research shows that these ‘drips’ of rock can form in series, like domino stones when they fall one after the other, and sequentially migrate over time. The feature we see beneath New England is very likely one of these drips, which originated far from where it now sits.”</p>



<p>If their model is correct, the Northern Appalachian Anomaly will likely continue its slow southwestward journey. In about 15 million years, it may sit directly beneath the New York region. Its current size and depth match what models predict for these types of migrating thermal zones.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-mirror-beneath-greenland">A mirror beneath Greenland</h2>



<p>Interestingly, the team believes a similar heat anomaly exists beneath north-central Greenland - likely formed at the same time, on the opposite side of the Labrador Sea, when the landmasses split.</p>



<p>Beneath Greenland, this heat zone affects how the ice sheet above moves and melts. "Ancient heat anomalies continue to play a key role in shaping the dynamics of continental <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antarctic-ice-sheet-patterns-point-to-rapid-melting-risks/">ice sheets</a> from below,” said Professor Gernon.</p>



<p>According to Dr. Derek Keir, a co-author from the University of Southampton, the idea that rifting of continents can cause drips and cells of circulating hot rock at depth that spread thousands of kilometers inland makes us rethink what we know about the edges of continents both today and in Earth’s deep past.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-deep-earth-forces-remain-active">Deep Earth forces remain active</h2>



<p>The findings add to a growing body of evidence showing that deep Earth processes can stay active long after surface plate movements have stopped. </p>



<p>Even places like the Appalachians -geologically quiet for millions of years - are still shaped by what’s happening far below.</p>



<p>“Even though the surface shows little sign of ongoing tectonics, deep below, the consequences of ancient rifting are still playing out,” said Professor Gernon. “The legacy of continental breakup on other parts of the Earth system may well be far more pervasive and long-lived than we previously realised.”</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geology/article/doi/10.1130/G53588.1/659899/A-viable-Labrador-Sea-rifting-origin-of-the">Geology</a></em>.</p>



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Deep heat zone may be lifting the Appalachian Mountains

A massive pocket of unusually hot rock buried deep under...

<p>Earth is unusually lucky: its global magnetic field deflects harmful charged particles from the Sun and deep space, shielding the atmosphere and life at the surface. </p>



<p>By contrast, cosmic radiation constantly batters worlds like Mars, which lack a comparable shield.</p>



<p>For decades, geophysicists have explained Earth’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/magnetism-at-earths-core-simulations-offer-breakthrough-insights/">magnetism</a> with the dynamo theory. As the planet slowly cools, molten iron-nickel in the outer core circulates in vast convection currents. </p>



<p>Earth’s rotation twists these flows into helical, screw-like patterns. Moving metal generates electric currents, and those currents, in turn, generate the magnetic field.</p>



<p>There has been a nagging problem, though. Early in Earth’s history, before the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-inner-core-proven-to-be-rapidly-changing-and-now-rotating-backwards/">inner core</a> crystallized (roughly a billion years ago), the core was entirely liquid. Could the geodynamo have operated back then without the extra energy sources and structure provided by a solid inner core?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetism-without-a-solid-core">Magnetism without a solid core</h2>



<p>A team of three geophysicists from <a href="https://ethz.ch/en.html">ETH Zurich</a> and the <a href="https://www.sustech.edu.cn/en/">Southern University of Science and Technology</a> (SUSTech) in China, built a new computer model of the core that shows a completely liquid core could have generated a stable magnetic field in much the same way it does today.</p>



<p>To get there, the researchers tackled a long-standing modeling hurdle: the influence of viscosity - the internal “thickness” or resistance to flow - on the simulated core.</p>



<p>In the real core, viscosity is believed to be extremely small. Yet most numerical models must exaggerate it for computational stability, potentially skewing the physics.</p>



<p>Using high-performance computing (including runs on the Piz Daint supercomputer at the <a href="https://www.cscs.ch/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swiss National Supercomputing Center</a> in Lugano), the team simulated the correct physical regime where viscosity becomes negligible for the dynamo.</p>



<p>The result: a robust, self-sustaining magnetic field can emerge even when the core is fully molten. “Until now, no one has ever managed to perform such calculations under these correct physical conditions,” said lead author Yufeng Lin.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetic-field-no-inner-core">Magnetic field, no inner core</h2>



<p>In the model, the same core ingredients that drive today’s dynamo - buoyancy-driven convection and the twisting effect of rotation - were sufficient to organize flows and magnetic fields even in the absence of a solid inner core.</p>



<p>By minimizing viscosity to effectively “get out of the way” of the physics, the team reproduced a realistic dynamo regime. In this regime, microscopic fluid resistance doesn’t control the outcome - large-scale convection and rotation do the heavy lifting.</p>



<p>That means the early Earth could plausibly have sustained a magnetic shield long before inner-core growth added extra energy from crystallization.</p>



<p>This advances a key idea: the geodynamo is surprisingly resilient. A solid core isn’t required - just the right heat loss, composition, and rotation to drive and organize metal flows.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rethinking-early-earth-s-defenses">Rethinking early Earth’s defenses</h2>



<p>“This finding helps us to better understand the history of the Earth’s magnetic field and is useful in interpreting data from the geological past,” said co-author Andy Jackson, a professor of geophysics at ETH Zurich.</p>



<p>If magnetism arose with a liquid core, Earth’s protective shield may have formed earlier and lasted longer than thought. That, in turn, reframes how we think about early habitability.</p>



<p>A magnetic umbrella blocking high-energy radiation would have helped preserve the atmosphere and supported the conditions under which life could emerge and evolve.</p>



<p>Because the approach captures the essential physics of a low-viscosity dynamo, it could help scientists probe magnetic fields elsewhere. These include the Sun’s sprawling magnetism and the intense fields of Jupiter and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saturns-rings-beautiful-iconic-will-disappear-this-weekend-ring-plane-crossing/">Saturn</a>. </p>



<p>Lower-viscosity models let scientists test how composition, rotation, and cooling shape magnetism across the solar system.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-magnetism-protects-technology">Magnetism protects technology</h2>



<p>Modern civilization quietly depends on Earth’s magnetic field. It safeguards satellites and power grids from space weather, stabilizes navigation, and underpins countless technologies.</p>



<p>“It is therefore important to understand how the magnetic field is generated, how it changes over time, and what mechanisms maintain it,” Jackson noted. “If we understand how the magnetic field is generated, we can predict its future development.”</p>



<p>Earth’s field has flipped polarity thousands of times, and in recent decades the magnetic north pole has migrated rapidly toward geographic north. Understanding the dynamo’s resilience helps scientists predict future magnetic shifts, from gradual drifts to full reversals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-tougher-shield-than-expected">A tougher shield than expected</h2>



<p>By refining core simulations, scientists show Earth’s magnetic shield could ignite without a solid inner core. A fully molten, vigorously convecting, rapidly rotating core would have done the job.</p>



<p>That insight tightens our picture of early Earth, strengthens links between biodiversity and a protective <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/earths-magnetic-field-origin-structure-and-impact-on-humanity/">magnetosphere</a>, and equips researchers to explore magnetic lifecycles on other worlds. </p>



<p>It also offers a firmer foundation for anticipating how our planet’s magnetic shield might evolve in the centuries to come.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09334-y" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature</em></a>.</p>



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How Earth’s ancient magnetic shield may have sparked life

Earth is unusually lucky: its global magnetic field deflects harmful...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The hidden science behind tickling.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-discover-the-brain-s-tickling-command-center">Scientists discover the brain's 'tickling command center'</h2>



<p>Researchers have finally solved one of humanity's most enduring mysteries: why we can't <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/after-centuries-of-debate-we-still-dont-know-how-tickling-works/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tickle</a> ourselves and what makes some people incredibly ticklish while others barely react? Recent scientific discoveries are revolutionizing our understanding of this peculiar human behavior.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breakthrough-discovery-in-the-brain">Breakthrough discovery in the brain</h2>



<p>In 2023, Dr. Michael Brecht's team at <a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Humboldt University</a>-<a href="https://www.hu-berlin.de/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Berlin</a> made a major discovery published in the <a href="https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(22)01991-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">journal <em>Neuron</em></a>. They identified the brain's actual "tickling command center" – specific neurons in a region called the periaqueductal gray that control both tickling responses and play behavior.</p>



<p>When researchers used cutting-edge optogenetic technology to shut down these neurons in laboratory rats, something remarkable happened. The animals completely lost their ability to be tickled or engage in playful behavior.</p>



<p>"We found that global blockade of the rat periaqueductal gray with either muscimol or lidocaine interfered with ticklishness and play," the research team reported in their study.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-types-of-tickling-revealed">Two types of tickling revealed</h2>



<p>What we call "tickling" is two completely different phenomena, according to the latest research. Light tickling – that feathery sensation that makes you want to scratch – is essentially your body's sophisticated bug detection system. This alerts you to potential insects or parasites on your skin.</p>



<p>Deep tickling – the kind that makes you laugh uncontrollably – involves complex brain circuits and is fundamentally social. You literally cannot tickle yourself with this type of stimulation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-self-tickling-is-impossible">Why self-tickling is impossible</h2>



<p>Your cerebellum acts like a prediction machine, recent findings show. When you move your own hand to touch yourself, your brain generates precise predictions about what you will feel and then cancels out the tickling sensation through neural inhibition.</p>



<p>When someone else tickles you, your brain can't predict their movements, so the full tickling response activates. It's like your brain's way of distinguishing between self and others.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-individual-differences-explained">Individual differences explained</h2>



<p>Individual differences in ticklishness depend on genetics, psychology, and even trust. Dr. Xinzhong Dong at <a href="https://www.jhu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Johns Hopkins University</a> notes that people with denser nerve endings tend to be more sensitive.</p>



<p>Psychological factors matter just as much. You respond more strongly when tickled by people you trust, and anxiety completely shuts down tickling responses. This explains why the same physical stimulus can produce completely different reactions depending on who's doing the tickling.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-controlling-your-ticklishness">Controlling your ticklishness</h2>



<p>Science offers answers for controlling your ticklishness. You can reduce tickling sensitivity through systematic desensitization – gradual exposure in controlled settings.</p>



<p>Dr. Konstantina Kilteni's 2025 research, published in <em><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adt0350" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science Advances</a></em>, reveals another technique: place your hand on the tickler's hand. This allows your brain to partially predict the sensations, reducing the tickling response by up to 90 percent.</p>



<p>"Your brain is essentially learning to override its own reflexes," Kilteni explained in her review of tickling research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolutionary-purpose-discovered">Evolutionary purpose discovered</h2>



<p>From an evolutionary perspective, tickling serves vital functions according to <a href="https://www.umd.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Maryland</a> researcher Dr. Robert Provine's extensive studies. It trains our defense reflexes for vulnerable body areas and facilitates social bonding between family members.</p>



<p>Tickling-induced laughter is actually one of the first forms of communication between infants and caregivers. "Tickle involves a neurological self/nonself discrimination, providing the most primitive social scenario," Provine noted in his research.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clinical-applications-emerge">Clinical applications emerge</h2>



<p>Research shows people with autism spectrum disorder perceive touches as more ticklish than people without the condition. Investigating this difference could provide insight into brain differences and help advance autism research.</p>



<p>People with schizophrenia tend to experience self-touches similarly to external tickles, allowing them to essentially tickle themselves. This suggests altered sensory prediction mechanisms in the condition.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-animal-research-reveals-universal-nature">Animal research reveals universal nature</h2>



<p>Scientists have discovered that many species beyond humans are ticklish. Rats emit ultrasonic "laughs" when tickled, while chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans all respond to tickling stimulation.</p>



<p>This widespread occurrence across species suggests that tickling serves fundamental biological and social functions that evolved long before humans developed complex language and culture.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-research-directions">Future research directions</h2>



<p>Dr. Kilteni argues that tickling research deserves more scientific attention. "It is a complex interplay of motor, social, neurological, developmental, and evolutionary aspects," she stated in her recent review.</p>



<p>New haptic technologies and advanced research methodologies now permit scientists to investigate tickle sensation with unprecedented precision. Standardized experimental methods using mechanical tickling devices ensure consistent results across studies.</p>



<p>Recent findings published in <em>Science Advances</em> show that tickling research is opening new doors in neuroscience, potentially leading to a better understanding of social behavior, sensory processing, and neurological conditions.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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Scientists solve the mystery of tickling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4 The hidden science behind tickling. Scientists discover the brain's...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals secret mission to create working time travel device.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-could-an-equation-truly-bend-time-a-physicist-s-decades-long-quest-to-rewrite-reality">Could an equation truly bend time? A physicist's decades-long quest to rewrite reality</h2>



<p>Imagine the impossible: stepping back through time in a time machine, not in fantasy, but through a scientific endeavor driven by profound personal loss. For <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astrophysicist-says-hes-cracked-the-equation-for-time-travel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Ronald Mallett</a>, a distinguished astrophysicist and professor emeritus at the <a href="https://uconn.edu/">University of Connecticut</a>, this deeply human longing has fueled a lifelong mission. He claims to have discovered the equation that could unlock temporal displacement, pushing boundaries once deemed purely science fiction.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-profound-grief-that-forged-a-vision">A profound grief that forged a vision</h2>



<p>Mallett's extraordinary pursuit began with devastating tragedy in 1955. At merely 10 years old, he endured his father Boyd's sudden death—a television repairman whose passion for science had ignited a similar spark in his young son. Boyd Mallett, only 33, succumbed to a heart attack, leaving behind a grief-stricken child searching for solace.</p>



<p>That solace came through H.G. Wells' <em>The Time Machine</em>. Within its pages, Mallett found a captivating concept: "Time is only a kind of Space." These words transformed from a literary phrase into a guiding principle, becoming the driving force behind his unwavering commitment to unraveling time's fundamental mysteries.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-humble-beginnings-to-academic-heights">From humble beginnings to academic heights</h2>



<p>Mallett's journey was far from straightforward. After serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War era, he utilized the GI Bill for higher education, earning his Ph.D. in physics from Pennsylvania State University in 1973 at the age of 28.</p>



<p>In 1975, he made history as the first African American professor in the University of Connecticut's physics department, achieving full professorship in 1987 before retiring in 2024 as professor emeritus.</p>



<p>Throughout these successful academic years, Mallett harbored his radical ambition as a closely guarded secret. "I kept my time travel goal a secret," he confessed. "I worried people would think I was nuts." His public research centered on black holes, serving as a "cover story" while he quietly developed his revolutionary time travel theory.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-breakthrough-moment">The breakthrough moment</h2>



<p>His pivotal insight arrived while hospitalized for a heart condition—a profound irony given his father's heart attack started this journey. The breakthrough was elegantly simple yet revolutionary: "If gravity can bend time, and light can create gravity, then light can bend time."</p>



<p>"It turns out that black holes can create a gravitational field that could lead to the creation of time loops that could allow us to go back in time," he explained.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-blueprint-for-a-temporal-vortex">The blueprint for a temporal vortex</h2>



<p>Mallett's vision for a functioning time machine replicates spacetime-warping phenomena around black holes. He offers a compelling analogy: "Picture a cup of coffee. Stir it with a spoon, and the coffee swirls. A spinning black hole does the same to spacetime."</p>



<p>In Einstein's general relativity, the universe is a dynamic fabric woven from space and time. Massive objects like black holes warp this fabric—an effect we perceive as gravity. Mallett theorizes that an intense, continuous, circulating beam of light from a ring of powerful lasers could replicate this gravitational torsion, effectively twisting time into a loop.</p>



<p>This "time loop" would theoretically allow information—or perhaps matter—to travel backward in time. He detailed this mathematical concept in his 2006 autobiography, <em>Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality</em>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-published-research-and-recognition">Published research and recognition</h2>



<p>His work, published in respected journals including <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/physics-letters-a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Physics Letters A</a></em> and <em><a href="https://link.springer.com/journal/10701" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Foundations of Physics</a></em>, suggests circulating laser light could generate gravitational fields potent enough to create closed timelike curves, enabling time travel for data.</p>



<p>Mallett's research has gained worldwide media attention, featured on <a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National Public Radio's <em>This American Life</em></a>, the <a href="https://www.history.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">History Channel</a>, and <a href="https://www.today.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NBC's <em>Today Show</em></a>. The widespread interest reflects both his compelling personal story and rigorous scientific approach.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-galactic-hurdles-and-persistent-skepticism">The galactic hurdles and persistent skepticism</h2>



<p>While Mallett's equations captivate imagination, the path to reality faces immense obstacles. The energy requirement is staggering—Mallett acknowledges needing "galactic amounts of energy," far beyond current technological capabilities.</p>



<p>There's also a poignant limitation: even if realized, his machine could only send information back to when it was first activated, meaning it couldn't transport him to 1955 to prevent his father's death.</p>



<p>The scientific community remains skeptical. Physicists Ken Olum and Allen Everett argue that Mallett's proposed laser ring would need to be larger than the observable universe to achieve the necessary spacetime distortion. They invoke Stephen Hawking's chronology protection conjecture, suggesting physics may prevent macroscopic time travel.</p>



<p>Astrophysicist Paul Sutter has voiced doubts about Mallett's underlying mathematics, while science writer Brian Clegg finds the concept intriguing enough to warrant experimental investigation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-legacy-that-transcends-time">A legacy that transcends time</h2>



<p>Now approaching 80, Dr. Mallett remains steadfast. "I believe my work will show time travel is possible," he asserts. "Future generations will build on it in ways we can't yet imagine."</p>



<p>His equations, though yet to physically bend time, have bent our collective imagination. Ongoing public interest, evidenced by his continued media appearances and Spike Lee's film adaptation of his memoir, underscores his ideas' profound impact.</p>



<p>More than a scientific pursuit, Mallett's story testifies to human resilience, intellectual courage, and hope's enduring power. Whether his theoretical time machine ever materializes, his legacy is immeasurable—inspiring countless individuals to challenge conventional limits and perceive time not as an unyielding barrier, but as a boundless frontier awaiting exploration.</p>



<p></p>



<p>-----</p>



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Retired professor claims he solved time travel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elr4948_uOU Dr. Ronald Mallett from the University of Connecticut reveals...

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Acid rain and a crisis solved.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-don-t-we-ever-hear-about-acid-rain-anymore-the-environmental-crisis-that-was-solved">Why don't we ever hear about "acid rain" anymore? The environmental crisis that was solved</h2>



<p>Remember the 1980s when acid rain dominated headlines? Dire warnings about rain eating buildings, killing fish, and destroying forests filled every news cycle. Then, almost like magic, acid rain vanished from public discourse. What happened? Did we actually solve one of the late 20th century's most pressing environmental challenges?</p>



<p>The answer might surprise you. Unlike many environmental issues that drag on indefinitely, acid rain represents one of modern history's most successful ecological recovery stories. It's a tale of science, politics, and technology working together to tackle what seemed impossible.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What was acid rain?</strong></h2>



<p>Acid rain isn't regular rain having a bad day – it's precipitation that became significantly more acidic due to air pollution. When power plants, factories, and vehicles burn fossil fuels, they release sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) into the atmosphere.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The science behind it</strong></h2>



<p>Think of acid rain as nature's chemistry experiment gone wrong. These compounds react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids. When mixed with water vapor in clouds, they create precipitation with dangerously low pH levels.</p>



<p>While clean rain has a pH of about 5.6, acid rain could drop as low as 4.2 to 4.4 – roughly as acidic as tomato juice or coffee. According to US Geological Survey documentation, Scottish chemist Angus Smith first coined "acid rain" in 1872, but it didn't become a household phrase until the 1960s and 1970s when Swedish scientist Svante Odén documented its devastating effects on Scandinavian lakes and European forests.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The crisis at its peak</strong></h2>



<p>During the height of public concern, environmental damage was both widespread and visible. This wasn't some abstract future threat – people could see destruction happening in real-time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Environmental devastation</strong></h2>



<p>The most dramatic impacts were impossible to ignore. Research documented by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation shows that in the Adirondack Mountains, more than 200 lakes became so acidic they couldn't support fish life. The Adirondack Council reports that 409 lakes once supported brook trout, but many lost their fish populations due to acid rain.</p>



<p>By 1976, when scientists cataloged all acidified lakes in the Adirondack Park, researchers found that half of the lakes over 2,000 feet above sea level had no fish, according to studies published in environmental journals. The acidification process worked like a slow-motion disaster. As acid rain fell into watersheds, it gradually lowered pH levels. Fish couldn't survive in acidic water, and their food sources died off too.</p>



<p>Trees at high elevations showed stress directly linked to acid rain. It weakened them by leaching nutrients and making them susceptible to disease. Historical records show Germany's Black Forest saw nearly half its trees damaged by the mid-1980s.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Economic impact</strong></h2>



<p>Acid rain wasn't just environmental – it was expensive. Acidic precipitation corroded infrastructure, buildings, and monuments. Historic stone structures deteriorated at accelerated rates. Tourism suffered as lakes became fishless and forests declined. EPA economic analyses from the period documented repair costs mounting into billions annually.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The solution: government action and technology</strong></h2>



<p>Transformation from crisis to success required unprecedented cooperation between governments, industries, and environmental groups.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>The Clean Air Act of 1990</strong></h2>



<p>The turning point came with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990, signed by President George H.W. Bush. This represented a fundamentally new approach to environmental regulation, as documented in EPA historical records.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Cap-and-trade success</strong></h2>



<p>Instead of mandating specific technologies, the 1990 amendments introduced something revolutionary: a cap-and-trade system for sulfur dioxide emissions. EPA program documentation shows this market-based approach set overall limits but allowed companies to trade emission allowances.</p>



<p>The genius was harnessing market forces to find cost-effective pollution reduction. Companies reducing emissions cheaply could sell excess allowances to those facing higher costs. Research published in environmental economics journals and EPA progress reports shows this resulted in dramatic SO2 reduction at a fraction of projected costs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Technology advances</strong></h2>



<p>Policy provided the framework, but technology made reductions possible. Studies in atmospheric science journals document the widespread adoption of flue gas desulfurization systems ("scrubbers") that removed sulfur dioxide before it reached the atmosphere. By the 2000s, new installations could remove over 95% of SO2 emissions, according to EPA technical reports.</p>



<p>The push coincided with cleaner energy development. Natural gas produces fewer sulfur compounds than coal. Wind and solar, emerging in the 1990s, captured growing market share, reducing reliance on high-sulfur coal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-we-don-t-hear-about-it-today"><strong>Why we don't hear about it today</strong></h2>



<p>Why did acid rain disappear from headlines? Simple: the problem was largely solved.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Success doesn't make news</strong></h2>



<p>There's an old journalism saying: "If it bleeds, it leads." Environmental success stories don't generate urgency like crisis reporting. Media attention shifted to other challenges: climate change, plastic pollution, and biodiversity loss. There's only so much environmental anxiety the public can absorb, and newer concerns replaced acid rain.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Mission accomplished</strong></h2>



<p>The primary reason is beautifully simple: interventions worked. EPA monitoring data shows sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990. Academic research published in environmental science journals confirms pH levels in formerly affected areas returned closer to normal. This represents one of history's most dramatic environmental recoveries. Studies by the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation show fishless lakes now support healthy populations. Forests recovered, and building damage slowed dramatically.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-is-it-really-gone"><strong>Is it really gone?</strong></h2>



<p>The crisis is largely resolved, but monitoring data shows the problem isn't completely eliminated – it's managed to acceptable levels. Some areas still experience occasional events during high pollution periods. International environmental research indicates that rapidly industrializing Asian countries face similar problems to what we experienced decades ago, though they're implementing successful strategies.</p>



<p>EPA research shows nitrogen oxide emissions proved more challenging than sulfur dioxide, coming from vehicles and mobile sources. Climate science studies suggest changing weather patterns add complexity to how acid rain forms and falls.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>What this teaches us</strong></h2>



<p>The acid rain experience proves that seemingly intractable environmental problems can be solved with scientific understanding, political will, and technological innovation. Environmental monitoring data shows recovery speed was remarkable – within a decade, measurable improvements appeared in air quality and ecosystem health.</p>



<p>Success came from bipartisan support across party lines. Policy analysis studies show the market-based approach appealed to those preferring economic incentives while achieving environmental goals. This support created lasting policy surviving political changes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Conclusion</strong></h2>



<p>Acid rain's disappearance from public consciousness represents environmental science's greatest success stories. Through effective regulation, technological innovation, and international cooperation, we transformed an overwhelming crisis into a manageable challenge.</p>



<p>Today's silence isn't because we forgot – it's because we solved it. The 1990 Clean Air Act, combined with technology and energy market changes, reduced acid rain emissions over 90%, according to comprehensive EPA data analysis.</p>



<p>This success offers hope for current challenges. It proves complex problems can be solved when science, policy, and technology work together. As we face climate change and plastic pollution, acid rain reminds us that dramatic positive change is possible.</p>



<p>Next time someone asks whether environmental regulations work, remember acid rain. It's proof that sometimes, we get it right.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p><strong>Sources:</strong> <em>This article draws from EPA official documentation and progress reports, peer-reviewed research published in environmental and atmospheric science journals, historical data from the Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation records, US Geological Survey publications, policy analysis studies, and environmental monitoring data collected over three decades.</em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>Frequently Asked Questions</strong></h2>



<p><strong>1. Is acid rain completely gone?</strong> No, but EPA monitoring shows it's reduced to manageable levels. US sulfur dioxide emissions dropped over 90% since 1990, making acid rain much less severe than the 1980s crisis.</p>



<p><strong>2. How long did solving take?</strong> Environmental monitoring data shows significant improvements began within 5-10 years of 1990s emission controls. Full ecosystem recovery took longer – some areas need 20-30 years for complete recovery.</p>



<p><strong>3. What made the solution successful?</strong> Clear scientific understanding, visible damage motivating action, bipartisan support, available technology, and innovative market-based policies like cap-and-trade.</p>



<p><strong>4. Do other countries have acid rain problems?</strong> Yes, particularly rapidly industrializing Asian countries. However, international environmental research shows many implement similar successful control strategies.</p>



<p><strong>5. Could acid rain return?</strong> Potentially, if regulations weaken or we return to high-sulfur coal without controls, though effects would take years to become severe according to environmental projections.</p>



<p><strong>6. Can you recommend any teaching tools on the subject of "acid rain"?</strong> The United States Environmental Protection Agency produced a wonderful teacher's guide for ages 14 and under that you can find on the EPA website here: <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2017-03/documents/teachersguide.pdf</a></p>



<p>-----</p>



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The environmental problem we actually solved

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prrq8Ql81zk Acid rain and a crisis solved. Why don't we...

Hands,Of,Little,African,Child,Girl,And,Father,Holding,Soil

Transform bad garden soil into black gold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnGVGFtkRrY Successful food gardening begins beneath the surface, where proper...

Fresh,Radish,Harvest,On,Soil,In,Garden.

<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://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>



<p></p>



<p>Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving fall garden, and this guide lays out the best vegetables and herbs to plant now for a fruitful autumn harvest. </p>



<p>Fast-growing leafy greens such as spinach, lettuce, kale, and arugula perform especially well in the waning summer heat, with harvests beginning as soon as 30 days. </p>



<p>These cool-season crops relish the transition into fall, offering repeated yields with cut-and-come-again methods.</p>



<p>Root vegetables like radishes, carrots, and beets also excel during this period. Radishes deliver satisfaction in under a month, while carrots and beets mature in about two months. Employing succession planting ensures a continuous stream of produce deep into the cooler months. </p>



<p>For a boost of fresh flavor, herbs like cilantro, basil, dill, and chervil are excellent picks. These heat-loving varieties flourish in July’s warmth and are harvest-ready in about 30 days, especially when sown continuously.</p>



<p>Gardeners in zones 6 through 9 can benefit from planting bush beans and snap peas, which don’t require trellising and are ideal for compact plots. </p>



<p>Maturing in 50–60 days, they’re a smart choice for quick, protein-rich harvests. For those in hotter regions, heat-tolerant crops such as okra and southern peas provide reliable yields and thrive in scorching conditions.</p>



<p>This guide emphasizes more than crop selection—it highlights the importance of timing, soil preparation, and ongoing sowing techniques. </p>



<p>With thoughtful planning and attention to regional climate needs, even late-summer gardeners can enjoy fresh salads, hearty stews, and the satisfaction of a robust, homegrown harvest well into fall.</p>



<p>-----</p>



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex Mid-July is an opportune time to kick-start a thriving...

Green,Ecoduct,Over,An,Empty,Highway,During,Sunset.

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<p>A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that wildlife tunnels significantly reduce amphibian road mortality during seasonal migrations. </p>



<p>Frogs and salamanders often cross roads to reach breeding ponds each spring, but many are killed by vehicles. </p>



<p>Researchers from the <a href="https://www.uvm.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Vermont</a>, in collaboration with local citizens and the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, installed two underpass tunnels in 2015. </p>



<p>Over a 12-year monitoring period, they observed an 80.2% reduction in amphibian deaths, and up to 94% for non-climbing species like salamanders. </p>



<p>The study used a before-after-control-impact design and documented more than 5,200 amphibians, highlighting the tunnels’ effectiveness even in nearby buffer zones.</p>



<p>Funded at $342,397 - far cheaper than wildlife crossings for large mammals - the project showcased the power of community-led conservation.</p>



<p>Local groups initiated the effort after observing mass amphibian deaths. Wildlife cameras later captured over 2,200 amphibians using a tunnel in just one spring, along with other species like raccoons and bobcats, indicating wider ecosystem benefits.</p>



<p>This marks the first peer-reviewed, long-term data set in the northeastern U.S. confirming amphibian-specific underpasses work. </p>



<p>The study urges transportation departments to incorporate these designs into road planning and highlights how community action, thoughtful infrastructure, and persistence can make a real difference for biodiversity.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the <em><a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1617138125000780" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal for Nature Conservation</a></em>.</p>



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU A new long-term study in Monkton, Vermont, reveals that...

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