Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the Eagle Nebula, also known as Messier 16, which is located about 7,000 light-years away in the constellation Serpens.



The Eagle Nebula is one of the most iconic star-forming regions in our galaxy.&nbsp;It’s a vast cloud of gas and dust stretching roughly 70 light-years across.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pillars-of-creation-nbsp">Pillars of Creation&nbsp;</h2>



What makes it especially famous is a portion of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebula</a> captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1995 - an area called the "Pillars of Creation."&nbsp;



Some of these towering columns of gas are several light-years tall. The towers resemble sculpted fingers reaching out into space. Inside these pillars, new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/serpens-nebula-image-reveals-how-stars-are-born/">stars</a> are being born as gravity pulls material together into dense cores that eventually ignite nuclear fusion.



The Pillars of Creation are often cited as a poetic example of the cosmic cycle of birth and destruction - where new stars are born even as the surrounding material is slowly destroyed by radiation.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hubble-image-of-the-eagle-nebula-nbsp">Hubble image of the Eagle Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



“This towering structure of billowing gas and dark, obscuring dust might only be a small portion of the Eagle Nebula, but it is no less majestic in appearance for it,” said <a href="https://esahubble.org/images/heic2507a/">ESA</a>.



“The new Hubble image is part of ESA/Hubble’s 35th anniversary celebrations. The cosmic cloud shown here is made of cold hydrogen gas, like the rest of the Eagle Nebula. In such regions of space new stars are born among the collapsing clouds.”&nbsp;



The hot, energetic stars emit intense ultraviolet light and powerful stellar winds that erode and sculpt the surrounding gas. The result is the creation of fantastical structures - like the narrow pillar with a blossoming head featured in the Hubble image.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-light-and-shadow-in-the-eagle-nebula">Light and shadow in the Eagle Nebula</h2>



The thick material in the pillar blocks most light, appearing dark and heavy against the backdrop. However, its edges glow where light from the more distant nebula shines through.&nbsp;



The striking colors reflect the chemistry and physics at play: blues signal ionized oxygen, reds indicate glowing hydrogen, and orange shows where starlight has managed to pierce the dust.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-structure-under-siege">A structure under siege</h2>



Just out of frame lie the very stars responsible for shaping this dramatic pillar. Their radiation and winds continue to batter the cloud, compressing the gas and potentially triggering the birth of even more stars within.



For now, the pillar holds firm, but this stability is temporary. Over time, the relentless energy from newly formed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">stars</a> will eventually erode the entire structure.



“While the starry pillar has withstood these forces well so far, cutting an impressive shape against the background, eventually it will be totally eroded by the multitude of new stars that form in the Eagle Nebula,” explained ESA.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-cycle-of-the-milky-way">Life cycle of the Milky Way</h2>



The nebula’s location in the Sagittarius Arm - one of the Milky Way’s major spiral arms - places it in a zone bustling with similar star-forming regions. This highlights the role of the Eagle Nebula in shaping the structure and the future of our galaxy.



Studies of the Eagle Nebula have revealed that the region is rich in young, hot stars - some of which are only a few million years old. These stars are in various stages of development, providing a natural laboratory for astronomers to study stellar life cycles.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-evolution-of-the-eagle-nebula-nbsp">Evolution of the Eagle Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



Within the Eagle Nebula, there is a variety of stellar processes occurring in close proximity. Some stars are still forming within dense clouds of gas, while others have already matured and begun to emit powerful ultraviolet radiation.&nbsp;



The ongoing interaction between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-formation-reignited-in-the-galaxy-leo-p-after-billions-of-years/">young stars</a> and their environment drives the evolution of the nebula itself.&nbsp;



As newly formed stars heat and disperse the gas and dust around them, they trigger further waves of star formation - or in some cases, halt it altogether.&nbsp;



This feedback loop not only influences the pace of star birth in the Eagle Nebula but also contributes to the broader life cycle of matter within the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-collision-may-change-everything-we-know-about-our-galaxy/">Milky Way</a>, enriching the galaxy with heavier elements forged in stellar cores.



Image Credit: ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA, K. Noll



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Eagle Nebula: Carving light from darkness

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

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a satellite view of smoke from fires burning in Manitoba, Canada on July 9, 2025.&nbsp;



Manitoba is facing its most severe <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-seasons-are-now-overlapping-worldwide/">wildfire season</a> on record - driven by extreme heat, drought, and strong winds.



By mid‑May, five fires in Manitoba were already classified as out of control, including one north of Whiteshell Provincial Park that rapidly consumed more than 100,000 hectares.



A record‑breaking heat wave around May 13, which was the hottest day Winnipeg has seen in 125 years, further accelerated the spread of the fires.



“Large fires have burned in Canada’s Manitoba province since May 2025, but the intensity of activity escalated in July,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154531/manitoba-burning">NASA</a>. 



“The province’s wildfire service reported 98 active fires burning on July 8, including 16 that were listed as out of control across the northern, western, and eastern parts of the province.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-plumes-are-shifting-directions-nbsp">Smoke plumes are shifting directions&nbsp;</h2>



The fires have blown across vast swaths of northern Manitoba, at times closing in on urban centers like Flin Flon and The Pas. 



Dense smoke rendered aerial firefighting efforts dangerous or impossible, forcing firefighting crews to focus on protecting lives and infrastructure from the ground. 



Smoke plumes drifted south into the U.S. Upper Midwest, degrading <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-are-changing-the-quality-of-our-air/">air quality</a> in states like Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin, where conditions reached unhealthy levels and outdoor activities were limited.



“At the time the image was acquired, dense smoke plumes from several of the largest fires streamed north; however, satellites have often observed plumes from Manitoba’s fires blowing east in recent weeks and months,” noted NASA.



Persistent smoke has caused air alert levels to spike across North America. A growing collection of research links <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/">wildfire smoke exposure</a> to long‑term health risks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-escalating-fire-crisis-in-manitoba-nbsp">Escalating fire crisis in Manitoba&nbsp;</h2>



“As of July 9, fires in 2025 had charred 4.8 million hectares across Canada, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Center. That’s an area about twice the size of New Jersey and nearly four times the 25-year average,” said NASA.



“Manitoba accounted for about 1 million hectares of burned area, about 20 times more than at the same point in 2024 and 13 times more than the 25-year average.”



Despite brief relief from cooler weather and scattered rain, officials caution that full containment of the fires remains a long way off. The threat of flare-ups grows as temperatures continue to rise.



Authorities in Manitoba have emphasized the importance of fire‑smart behavior and compliance with restrictions in what continues to unfold as a historic wildfire emergency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-remote-communities-face-greater-risks">Remote communities face greater risks</h2>



First Nations communities have been hit especially hard by Manitoba’s wildfire crisis. Many of these communities are located in remote areas with limited road access, which complicates evacuation efforts and delays emergency response.&nbsp;



Critical firefighting infrastructure - such as water tanks, hoses, and trained personnel - is often lacking. In some cases, airstrips are too small to accommodate large aircraft needed for evacuations or supply drops.



These challenges stem from long-standing systemic inequities. Chronic underfunding of infrastructure, healthcare, housing, and emergency services has left many Indigenous communities more vulnerable to climate-related disasters.&nbsp;



When <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-wildfires-are-gaining-even-more-speed/">wildfires</a> strike, the impacts on these remote communities are often more severe and long-lasting.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-rise-of-extreme-fire-seasons">The rise of extreme fire seasons</h2>



Climate change is intensifying wildfire activity across Canada and beyond. Rising global temperatures have led to longer and more severe fire seasons, as warmer air draws more moisture from vegetation and soil, leaving forests drier and more flammable.&nbsp;



In Manitoba, an early onset of heat and persistent drought created ideal conditions for ignition and rapid spread - conditions that are becoming increasingly common in a warming world.



In addition to fueling drier landscapes, climate change has altered atmospheric patterns that influence fire behavior. Shifts in jet streams and the frequency of high-pressure systems can trap <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-heat-is-pushing-parts-of-earth-beyond-human-survival/">heat</a> over regions for prolonged periods.&nbsp;



These effects compound the risks, turning what might once have been manageable fire seasons into widespread and persistent emergencies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-future-with-more-megafires">A future with more megafires </h2>



While wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems, the scale and intensity now being observed point to a system pushed beyond historical norms.&nbsp;



Experts warn that without major cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, Canada will face more frequent megafires - especially in fire-prone provinces like Manitoba. 



These escalating fires are expected to bring greater health risks from smoke and increasing strain on emergency response systems.



The image was captured on July 9, 2025 by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) on NASA’s Aqua satellite.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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From drought to disaster: Manitoba’s fire crisis escalates

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

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a stunning reflection nebula known as GN 04.32.8 in the constellation Taurus.



Reflection nebulae are cosmic clouds of fine dust that become visible not by producing their own light, but by reflecting the light of nearby stars.&nbsp;



Unlike emission <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-rogue-worlds-discovered-inside-a-young-star-forming-nebula/">nebulae</a>, which glow due to ionized gases radiating light, reflection nebulae shine more subtly.&nbsp;



The light from nearby stars strikes the dust particles within the cloud and scatters in many directions - especially shorter, bluer wavelengths. This scattering effect, similar to the way Earth’s sky appears blue, often gives reflection nebulae their characteristic bluish hue.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-taurus-molecular-cloud">The Taurus Molecular Cloud</h2>



“GN 04.32.8 is a small part of the stellar nursery known as the Taurus Molecular Cloud. At only roughly 480 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus, it's one of the best locations for studying newly forming stars,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images">ESA</a>.



The Taurus Molecular Cloud is one of the closest and most extensively studied regions for low-mass star formation.&nbsp;



Unlike larger star-forming regions like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/">Orion</a> that produce many high-mass stars, the Taurus Molecular Cloud is dominated by the formation of Sun-like and smaller stars, making it a prime analog for understanding the conditions that led to the birth of our own solar system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-energetic-stars-in-the-constellation-taurus-nbsp">Energetic stars in the constellation Taurus&nbsp;</h2>



“This reflection nebula is illuminated by the system of three bright stars in the center of this image, mainly the variable star V1025 Tauri in the very center," ESA noted. 



“One of those stars overlaps with part of the nebula: this is another variable star that is named HP Tauri, but is classified as a T Tauri star, for its similarity to yet another variable star elsewhere in the Taurus Molecular Complex.”&nbsp;



T Tauri stars are young, energetic stars in the earliest stages of stellar evolution, just beginning their journey toward becoming stable main sequence stars like our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discovery-sun-like-stars-with-secret-companions/">Sun</a>.&nbsp;



These stars are highly variable, often exhibiting strong stellar winds and flares as they settle into equilibrium. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-dynamic-star-system">A dynamic star system</h2>



In this case, the trio of T Tauri stars - named HP Tau, HP Tau G2, and HP Tau G3 - are believed to be gravitationally bound, forming a dynamic triple star system.



“Eagle-eyed viewers might notice the small, squashed, orange spot, just left of center below the clouds of the nebula, that’s crossed by a dark line. This is a newly-formed protostar, hidden in a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">protoplanetary disc</a> that obstructs some of its light,” explained ESA.



“Because the disc is edge-on to us, it’s an ideal candidate for study. Astronomers are using Hubble here to examine it closely, seeking to learn about the kinds of exoplanets that might be formed in discs like it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-light-of-hot-young-stars">The light of hot, young stars</h2>



Reflection nebulae are usually found in regions where new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/10-billion-white-dwarf-stars-in-milky-way-galaxy-might-have-habitable-planets/">stars</a> are forming, often near or within dense molecular clouds.&nbsp;



Some reflection nebulae can span light-years across and serve as markers of stellar nurseries - places where future generations of stars are taking shape.



Reflection nebulae offer astronomers a valuable glimpse into the structure and composition of the interstellar medium and help trace the life cycles of stars from birth to maturity.



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



One well-known example is the reflection nebula surrounding the Pleiades star cluster, also called the Seven Sisters.&nbsp;



The Iris Nebula, located in the constellation Cepheus about 1,300 light-years from Earth, is a striking reflection nebula illuminated by the young star SAO 19158.



This nebula is a popular target for astrophotographers due to its vivid colors and intricate structure.



Found about 1,600 light-years away, M78 is the brightest reflection nebula in the Orion constellation and one of the easiest to observe with amateur telescopes. It’s illuminated by two young stars, HD 38563A and HD 38563B.&nbsp;



M78 is part of a larger complex of gas and dust that includes many other star-forming regions within the Orion Molecular Cloud.



Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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Young stars illuminate the constellation Taurus 

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a large phytoplankton bloom in the Gulf of Maine.



The image was captured on June 21, 2025, by the Ocean Color Instrument (OCI) on NASA’s PACE satellite.&nbsp;



“In summer 2025, waters in the Gulf of Maine popped with vivid swirls of blue and green. The cause was a massive bloom of phytoplankton - microscopic plant-like organisms that often float near the ocean surface,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154472/a-booming-bloom-returns-to-the-gulf-of-maine">NASA</a>.



“Scientists say it was one of the largest blooms of its kind to show up in the Gulf’s waters in recent years.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bloom-in-the-gulf-of-maine">Bloom in the Gulf of Maine </h2>



Catherine Mitchell is a satellite oceanographer at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences. She noted that the Gulf of Maine bloom contained coccolithophores, a type of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-phytoplankton-that-feed-ocean-life-are-rapidly-disappearing/">phytoplankton</a> that makes the water appear milky blue.



“The tiny organisms, along with other types of phytoplankton, including diatoms that bloom here in spring, lie at the base of the marine food web,” explained NASA.



“Their presence - or absence - in Gulf of Maine waters can affect the entire ecosystem, from finfish to shellfish, and the region’s fisheries that depend on them.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shifting-conditions-and-plankton-communities-nbsp">Shifting conditions and plankton communities&nbsp;</h2>



Mitchell said that coccolithophore blooms like this one became less common in the Gulf’s waters starting around 2010. But in recent years, they’ve started to come back.&nbsp;



Scientists have also seen more dinoflagellates (a type of phytoplankton that move with tiny tails) and an overall drop in phytoplankton productivity over the past few decades.



These changes in plankton are linked to shifting ocean conditions. For instance, heavy rainfall from 2006 to 2009 made the Gulf’s waters fresher. Then, starting in 2008, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/invisible-forest-of-phytoplankton-thrives-in-a-warming-climate/">warm water</a> from deep in the North Atlantic began heating the Gulf from the bottom up.&nbsp;



However, by spring 2025, bottom-water temperatures were cooler than they’ve been in 20 years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ongoing-research-efforts">Ongoing research efforts</h2>



“The relationship between these changing water conditions and phytoplankton communities in the gulf remains unclear, but ongoing research could begin to provide some answers,” noted NASA.



“In fact, Mitchell and colleagues scrutinized this PACE image just days before heading out on a research expedition to study the bloom and other ocean properties up close. The cruise, the third so far this year, offers scientists the chance to validate ocean color data collected by PACE with real-world ocean samples.”



Mitchell pointed out that a major benefit of the PACE satellite is its ability to “see the rainbow,” which makes it easier for scientists to distinguish between groups of phytoplankton.



“With our continuing field measurements, we will validate ocean color observations from PACE, enabling satellite observations in the Gulf of Maine and supporting the region’s fisheries and aquaculture industries.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vital-signs-of-ocean-health">Vital signs of ocean health</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-from-africa-sparked-a-massive-phytoplankton-bloom/">Phytoplankton blooms</a> like the one captured in the Gulf of Maine are vital signs of ocean health. These microscopic organisms form the foundation of marine food webs, feeding everything from tiny zooplankton to large fish, whales, and seabirds.&nbsp;



When conditions are right - such as warm temperatures, abundant sunlight, and available nutrients - phytoplankton populations can grow rapidly, creating colorful blooms that are visible from space.



The Gulf of Maine is particularly sensitive to environmental change. Located at the intersection of cold northern currents and warmer waters from the south, it’s a dynamic ecosystem where small shifts in temperature or salinity can have outsized effects.&nbsp;



This region is also one of the fastest-warming ocean areas on the planet, with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-temperatures-are-rising-faster-than-expected-and-likely-to-accelerate/">temperatures</a> rising more than three times the global ocean average in some years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-forecasting-changes-with-ocean-monitoring-nbsp">Forecasting changes with ocean monitoring&nbsp;</h2>



Changes in water temperature and salinity have ripple effects across the food chain. Warmer waters can favor certain types of phytoplankton over others, shifting the balance of species in ways that affect what fish and shellfish are available to predators - and to the region’s fisheries.&nbsp;



For example, coccolithophores may thrive in clearer, warmer waters, while traditional spring-blooming diatoms do better in colder, more nutrient-rich conditions.



Long-term monitoring is essential to understand and predict these shifts. Satellites like PACE provide a global view of ocean color, which reflects the presence and composition of phytoplankton.&nbsp;



By combining these observations with ship-based sampling, scientists can get a more complete picture of how plankton communities are evolving and how that affects everything from carbon cycling to fisheries sustainability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-warming-in-the-gulf-of-maine-nbsp">Warming in the Gulf of Maine&nbsp;</h2>



The Gulf’s warming trend has already caused noticeable ecological changes. Some species of fish have moved farther north or into deeper waters in search of cooler temperatures.&nbsp;



Lobsters, a key commercial species, have shifted their range as well. Meanwhile, harmful <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/green-algae-in-lake-erie-may-be-hiding-toxic-deadly-compounds/">algal blooms</a> - caused by certain types of phytoplankton - have become more frequent in some parts of the Gulf, threatening shellfish harvests and public health.



Scientists are working to better predict how blooms will respond to future climate conditions.&nbsp;



Understanding which species are likely to dominate under warmer, fresher, or more acidic conditions can help predict changes in fish stocks, shellfish safety, and ecosystem stability.&nbsp;



This kind of forecasting is especially important in the Gulf of Maine, where marine resources are closely tied to local economies.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Giant bloom in the Gulf of Maine signals change

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the Cat's Paw Nebula - a massive, active star-forming region in the constellation Scorpius. Also known as NGC 6334, the nebula is located about 4,000 light-years away from Earth.



The nebula’s name comes from its appearance. When viewed in visible or infrared light, it resembles a cat’s paw with bright lobes that look like giant toe beans.



“To celebrate the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s third year of highly productive science, astronomers used the telescope to scratch beyond the surface of the Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a massive, local star-forming region,” said <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images">ESA</a>.



“This area is of great interest to scientists, having been subject to previous study by NASA/ESA’s Hubble and retired NASA Spitzer Space telescopes, as they seek to understand the multiple steps required for a turbulent molecular cloud to transition to stars.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-activity-in-the-cat-s-paw-nebula-nbsp">Activity in the Cat’s Paw Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



The Cat’s Paw Nebula is a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/80-million-pixels-reveal-the-brilliance-of-a-star-cluster/">stellar nursery</a>, teeming with young, hot stars that are still forming from clouds of gas and dust. It spans roughly 50 light-years across and glows red, primarily due to the presence of ionized hydrogen gas illuminated by ultraviolet radiation from the newborn stars.&nbsp;



Much of the star formation remains hidden in visible light because of dense dust clouds, but observations in infrared and radio wavelengths have revealed an incredible amount of ongoing activity beneath the surface.



NGC 6334 is particularly rich in massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planet-forming-disks-surrounding-stars-often-last-much-longer-than-expected/">stars</a>, including some that are over ten times the mass of the Sun.&nbsp;



Because of this, it's often used by astronomers to study the early stages of high-mass star formation, which are less understood than the processes that form lower-mass stars.&nbsp;



The region is also home to a number of protostars and clusters still wrapped in dusty cocoons, making it a dynamic and evolving part of our galaxy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-details-in-the-cat-s-paw-nebula-nbsp">New details in the Cat’s Paw Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



“With its near-infrared capabilities and sharp resolution, the telescope 'clawed' back a portion of a singular 'toe bean,' revealing a subset of mini toe bean-reminiscent structures composed of gas, dust, and young stars,” noted ESA.



“Webb’s view reveals a chaotic scene still in development: massive young stars are carving away at nearby gas and dust, while their bright starlight is producing a bright nebulous glow represented in blue.”&nbsp;



Although only recently recognized in modern astronomy, the Cat’s Paw Nebula has become iconic - not just for its curious shape, but also for the insight it offers into how massive stars form in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-ways-thin-disk-is-billions-of-years-older-than-we-thought/">Milky Way</a>.



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



Scorpius is one of the most striking constellations in the night sky, especially visible during the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere and lower latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere.&nbsp;



Its shape is unusually recognizable, forming a long, curving line that resembles a scorpion with a curled tail and extended claws.&nbsp;



In mythology, Scorpius is often associated with the story of Orion, the great hunter. According to one version of the myth, Orion boasted that he could kill all the animals on Earth, which angered the goddess Artemis. To punish him, she sent a giant scorpion to defeat him.&nbsp;



After a fierce battle, both <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-solar-system-once-drifted-through-orions-star-forming-region/">Orion</a> and the scorpion were placed among the stars on opposite sides of the sky. To this day, Orion sets as Scorpius rises, as if the hunter is still fleeing from the celestial scorpion.



Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, is a red supergiant whose name means "rival of Mars" due to its reddish hue and brightness. Antares serves as the scorpion's heart and is one of the most prominent stars in the night sky.&nbsp;



Because Scorpius lies along the plane of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cosmic-map-reveals-that-the-milky-ways-dust-has-very-unusual-properties/">Milky Way</a>, it is filled with dense star fields and deep-sky objects. This part of the sky is exceptionally rich in detail, offering a glimpse into the crowded heart of our galaxy.



Image Credit: ESA



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Webb reveals the Cat's Paw Nebula in stunning detail

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>



According to ESA, the data was collected by the <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/phangs/home">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, the Hubble Space Telescope, and more.&nbsp;



"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 stellar evolution and 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

Assateague Island is a 37-mile (60 km) long barrier island located off the eastern coast of the Delmarva Peninsula facing the Atlantic Ocean. The northern two-thirds of the island is in Maryland while the southern third is in Virginia. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/assateague-island-national-seashore-maryland-2/">Maryland</a> section contains the majority of Assateague Island National Seashore and Assateague State Park. The Virginia section contains Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and a one-mile stretch of land containing the lifeguarded recreational beach and interpretive facilities managed by the National Park Service (or NPS). It is best known for its herds of feral horses, pristine beaches and the Assateague Lighthouse. The island also contains numerous marshes, bays, and coves, including Toms Cove.



Camping is available only in the Maryland district of Assateague Island. Reservations are required from March 15 through November 15. Campsite reservations are available six months in advance.&nbsp; Oceanside Drive-in:&nbsp;Tents, trailers and recreational vehicles (no hookups). Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring.&nbsp;Oceanside Walk-in:&nbsp;Tent-only sites, located 100-200 feet from centralized parking areas. Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. Walk-in sites are closed from November 16 through March 14. Bayside Drive-in:&nbsp;Tents, trailers and recreational vehicles (no hookups). Sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. A Drive-In "Generator-Free Zone" is located in Bayside B Loop. Horse Camp:&nbsp;There are 2 campsites for horse camping available October 16 through April 14. Each site accommodates up to 6 people and 6 horses.&nbsp;Assateague has two oceanside and four bayside camping areas in Maryland for visitors who wish to backpack or paddle the island.

Assateague Island

Butterflies are slipping away from the British countryside. Yet hope may lie in some of its most familiar sights: thorny hedges, pocket-sized woods, even a single oak in the middle of a field.



A new study led by the <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/">University of Oxford</a> and <a href="https://butterfly-conservation.org/">Butterfly Conservation</a> shows that these modest features can lift <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/butterflies-can-adapt-quickly-but-evolution-has-its-limits/">butterfly</a> numbers in ordinary farmland.



This gives species such as the Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown a fighting chance just as national counts have hit historic lows.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-ten-year-countryside-snapshot">A ten-year countryside snapshot</h2>



The research team mined ten years of records from the <a href="https://butterfly-conservation.org/our-work/recording-and-monitoring/wider-countryside-butterfly-survey">Wider Countryside Butterfly Survey</a>, in which volunteers stroll one-kilometer routes around farmland and record every butterfly they see.



Altogether, they analyzed more than a thousand routes scattered across England. They then matched each one to habitat maps that reach three kilometers in every direction.



Wherever hedgerows, groves, or field trees took up more space on that map, the counts rose. The pattern was clearest in arable regions where otherwise tidy fields leave few wild corners.



Dr. Ruth Feber, lead author of the study, pointed out numbers told only part of the story. 



“As well as demonstrating the importance of trees and hedgerows for biodiversity on farmland, our results also highlighted the relatively lower numbers of butterflies on intensively managed grassland compared to arable land," said Dr. Feber.



Those silage pastures, cut and fertilized for maximum yield, now cover more than a quarter of the country. Even small changes in how they are managed could tip the scales for wildlife.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farmers-want-to-help-and-need-support">Farmers want to help, and need support</h2>



The scientists also spoke with 31 farmers who manage land near the survey squares. Most recognized the upside of hedges and shade trees - from sheltering <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/livestock-grazing-is-changing-soil-plants-and-insect-populations/">livestock</a> to soaking up floodwater.



But nearly expressed concern about the cost and commitment of planting, trimming, and replacing them. That tension sits at the heart of the study.



“It is clear that farmers recognize the importance of these crucial habitats," noted Dr. Feber. "But they need to be supported. We need to recognize that these trees and hedgerows provide public goods which benefit <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/un-report-disturbing-details-about-the-state-of-earths-wildlife/">wildlife</a> and people."



She noted that agri-environment payments must stretch beyond basic prescriptions and cover the true expense of keeping woody features healthy for decades. Otherwise, good intentions can wither the moment grain prices tighten.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farmland-hedges-are-butterfly-highways">Farmland hedges are butterfly highways</h2>



Hedges do more than mark a boundary. Their tangled branches serve as food plants for caterpillars and provide adult butterflies with a buffet of nectar. Thick growth breaks the wind, allowing butterflies to warm up and fly on cooler days. 



Above all, lines of woody cover act as green corridors, guiding insects from one flower-rich patch to another so that no colony becomes isolated.



That highway network is exactly what common butterflies need right now. Fresh figures show that 2024 ranks among the worst years on record. For the first time, more than half of U.K. species have slipped into long-term decline.



“We know that butterflies are in desperate trouble, including our common countryside species. Butterflies are important indicators of wider biodiversity, so actions that help butterflies will also help other declining wildlife,” said Dr. Feber.



“With 70 percent of the U.K.'s land area being farmland, our farmers and landowners play a vital role in helping these species recover, through protecting and restoring hedgerows and trees.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-farming-with-butterflies-in-mind">Farming with butterflies in mind</h2>



Dr. Feber’s group is already probing one promising route. At Northfield Farm near Oxford, cattle are moved daily in a “mob grazing” system that leaves each paddock to regrow for weeks.



“My current project is investigating regenerative <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/feeding-the-world-without-harming-nature-the-complex-balance-of-farming/">farming</a>, which uses livestock grazing and other practices to help promote soil health and increase soil carbon,” said Dr. Feber. 



“This is receiving increasing attention as an approach to grassland management that might contribute to tackling some <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-and-agriculture-are-locked-in-a-destructive-feedback-loop/">climate impacts of agriculture</a>."



Dr. Feber added that more research is needed on how this may impact biodiversity, particularly above-ground invertebrate groups, such as butterflies, moths, and other pollinators.



Early surveys will track whether butterflies bounce back when lush grass is replaced by more varied, flower-rich swards.



“In this system, areas of land are grazed for a short period of time before the cattle are moved on and the pasture allowed to recover,” Dr. Feber said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-butterflies-need-better-farmland">Butterflies need better farmland</h2>



The study’s message is disarmingly simple: keep - or better yet, expand - the scruffy, butterfly-friendly edges of Britain’s farmlands. A single thorn hedge or an untidy willow clump can be enough to connect the dots for butterflies.



For farmers, the next step is clear financial backing that rewards the effort year after year. For policymakers, it means seeing hedges and field trees as green infrastructure every bit as vital as roads and drains.



Butterflies respond quickly; give them corridors and they will return. The countryside may look pared to the bone, but its recovery could begin with nothing fancier than a line of hawthorn left to bloom or a young oak allowed to stand. Recognizing that these small gestures stitch life back into the land is the first step.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2688-8319.70042">Ecological Solutions and Evidence</a>.



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Simple farmland features can reverse butterfly declines

Butterflies are slipping away from the British countryside. Yet hope...

New scans of two small predatory dinosaurs reveal a pea-sized wrist bone once thought unique to birds. The research suggests that the engines of flight were revving inside dinosaur arms long before any creature flapped skyward.



The study was led by James Napoli of <a href="https://www.stonybrook.edu/">Stony Brook University</a> with colleagues at the <a href="https://www.amnh.org/">American Museum of Natural History</a> and the <a href="https://mas.ac.mn/en/">Mongolian Academy of Sciences</a>. 



The research overturns earlier claims that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-theropod-dinosaurs-thrived-in-polar-environments/">theropods</a> lacked a bird-like pisiform and raises the possibility that the path to powered flight was, as the authors put it, “all in the wrist.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinosaur-wrist-bone-on-the-move">Dinosaur wrist bone on the move</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earliest-modern-bird-lived-in-antarctica-69-million-years-ago/">Modern birds</a> fold their wings automatically when the elbow bends. The hinge works because a tiny carpal called the pisiform migrated from the edge of the wrist to replace another bone, the ulnare. 



Its new spot lets a V-shaped notch clamp the hand bones and stop them from popping loose during vigorous flapping.



For years, paleontologists assumed non-avian dinosaurs never made that switch. Napoli’s team tested the dogma by CT-scanning an exquisitely preserved troodontid, a quick, velociraptor-like hunter. They also scanned an oviraptorid, a beaked omnivore with a long neck.



Digital slices peeled away surrounding rock, isolating each pebble-sized carpal in three dimensions. The images showed a bead-like bone tucked where the pisiform sits in modern birds.



“We believe this is the first time a migrated pisiform in a non-bird meat-eating dinosaur has been identified,” Napoli said. 



The discovery pushes the joint’s redesign back to Pennaraptora, a diverse branch of feathered theropods that includes velociraptors, troodontids, and oviraptorosaurs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-flight-link-to-wrist-evolution">Flight link to wrist evolution</h2>



“While we currently do not know precisely how many times dinosaurs learned to fly, it is intriguing that experimentation with flight in these creatures appears only after the pisiform migrated into the wrist joint,” Napoli explained.



“Therefore, it is possible this established the automated mechanisms found in current living birds, though we would need to test this hypothesis with more research and analysis of dinosaur wrist bones.”



The scientists argue that the pisiform’s relocation was gradual. Early pennaraptorans still carried a small ulnare. Later species lost that bone entirely as the pisiform enlarged and took over its role.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gradual-wrist-bone-replacement">Gradual wrist bone replacement</h2>



The replacement mirrors other avian traits - hollow bones, enlarged brains, filamentous feathers - that spread outward through theropod evolution before coalescing into true birds.



According to the authors of the study, the findings make clear that the topological and functional replacement of the ulnare by the pisiform occurred much deeper in theropod history than has been previously understood and was a stepwise process.



“Over the past few decades, our knowledge of theropod <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dinosaur-extinction-theories-are-challenged-by-new-research/">dinosaur</a> anatomy and evolution has increased exponentially, much of it revealing that classically ‘avian’ traits such as thin-walled bones, an enlarged brain, and feathers, all characterize more inclusive groups of theropod dinosaurs," noted the researchers.



"Our results suggest that the construction of the avian wrist is no exception and follows topological patterns laid down by the origin of Pennaraptora.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scans-reveals-hidden-features">Scans reveals hidden features</h2>



Identifying the bone took both luck and technology. The fossils - discovered in Mongolia’s Cretaceous rocks - had escaped crushing, so their wrist bones lay undisturbed. 



Micro-CT resolution below 50 microns allowed the researchers to trace delicate sutures, distinguishing the pisiform’s spoon-like head and its telltale notch. 



Without such scans, the structure would look like one of several nubs commonly lumped together as generic carpals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wrist-bone-shaped-evolution">Wrist bone shaped evolution</h2>



Flight appears to have evolved at least twice within Pennaraptora and perhaps as many as five times. If the pisiform swap predates those experiments, it may have primed the limb for aerial feats in separate lineages. 



That echoes convergent “upgrades” seen in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pterosaurs-mastered-land-before-dominating-the-sky/">pterosaurs</a>, bats, and birds, where wrist and shoulder tweaks unleash new kinematic possibilities.



The finding also casts fresh light on grounded relatives like Velociraptor. Though too heavy to fly, such animals wielded feathered arms for display, brooding, or balance.



A bird-style pisiform would have let them tuck and unfurl their limbs with mechanical efficiency. This hints that the crouched, wing-guarding pose seen in some fossil nests used the same automatic folding action modern roosters employ.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-fossil-finds">Future fossil finds</h2>



Future work will scan additional fossils to see exactly when the pisiform first slid into place. The researchers want to investigate whether the move coincided with feather lengthening or muscle shifts.



They also hope to model forces across the joint to test how much stability the new bone adds during flapping or mantling motions.



For now, the lesson is clear: tiny parts can steer colossal evolutionary leaps. A marble-sized bone drifting a few millimeters may have set the stage for the skies to fill with beating wings. It began inside dinosaur wrists millions of years before the first true birds appeared.



Image credit: Henry Sharpe



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09232-3">Nature</a>.



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Flight may have started with a tiny dinosaur wrist bone

New scans of two small predatory dinosaurs reveal a pea-sized...

In 1960, a young woman walked into the forests of Gombe with a notebook and binoculars. Jane Goodall didn’t have formal scientific training, but she had a question: what are chimpanzees really like? Her observations would change science forever. 



On July 14 of that year, Goodall saw her first chimp using a stick to fish for termites. Until then, tool use was considered uniquely human. Today, we remember that moment with World Chimpanzee Day.



But this day is not just about honoring Jane’s legacy. It’s about recognizing who chimpanzees are and why they matter. They’re not just fascinating <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-curiosity-starts-young-and-helps-us-survive/">animals</a>. They are our closest living relatives, and they need our help.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-day-to-focus-on-chimpanzees">A day to focus on chimpanzees </h2>



Chimpanzees don’t just live in the wild. They live full, emotional lives. They use tools, share food, form friendships, and sometimes even hold hands. 



In some places, chimps use leaves like sponges. In others, they sharpen sticks to hunt. Every <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-select-the-best-materials-for-termite-fishing/">group</a> has its own habits and culture, passed down through generations.



Chimpanzees care for their young for years. They play, tease, and comfort each other. And when a chimp dies, others mourn. One mother carried her infant’s body for days, unable to let go. 



These aren’t instincts on repeat. These are actions driven by memory, emotion, and thought. The more we watch chimps, the more familiar they feel.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-threats-to-chimpanzees">Threats to chimpanzees </h2>



Despite all this richness, chimpanzees are vanishing. Habitat loss is their biggest enemy. Forests are cleared for farming, roads, and mining. As the trees fall, so do the homes and feeding grounds of chimpanzees. 



Illegal hunting also takes a toll. Some chimps are killed for bushmeat. Others are captured and sold as pets or performers.



Diseases passed from humans spread quickly among <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/social-chimpanzee-mothers-raise-babies-more-successfully/">chimps</a>. Unlike us, they don’t have the immunity to fight back. What feels like a harmless cold to a human can be deadly for them. 



Climate change adds pressure too, shrinking food sources and drying up water. Fewer than 200,000 wild chimpanzees remain, and that number is dropping fast.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jane-goodall-changed-everything">Jane Goodall changed everything</h2>



<a href="https://janegoodall.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jane Goodall</a> broke the rules of science. She named chimps instead of numbering them. She saw personalities, not data points. There was David Greybeard, the first chimp she saw using a tool. There was Flo, a strong mother, and Flint, her emotional son. 



Goodall didn’t just watch - she listened, and that made all the difference. Her compassionate approach lives on through the Jane Goodall Institute and conservation efforts around the world. 



These programs safeguard forests, support education, and empower future generations. Her legacy proves the power of one person who chooses to truly care.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-take-action-on-world-chimpanzee-day">Take action on World Chimpanzee Day </h2>



You don’t have to be a scientist to make a difference. Start small - learn something new about chimpanzees. Watch a documentary, share a story, or tell a child that chimps laugh and grieve just like we do. The more we understand them, the harder it becomes to ignore their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chimpanzees-copy-strange-useless-trends-just-like-humans-do/">struggles</a>.



Supporting trusted conservation groups can help protect wild habitats. Speaking out against wildlife trade and unethical animal shows can also help. 



Even simple choices, like avoiding unsustainable palm oil, can reduce pressure on forests. Every action matters, no matter how small it seems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-safe-places-new-beginnings">Safe places, new beginnings</h2>



Across Africa, sanctuaries now give rescued chimpanzees a second chance. In Uganda, Ngamba Island houses chimps rescued from illegal trade. 



In Liberia, hundreds of chimps once used in medical research now roam protected river islands. These places do more than provide safety. They offer peace, freedom, and healing.



Many of these chimpanzees arrive fearful and malnourished. With time, they climb again. They play again. They trust again. Sanctuaries remind us that healing is possible - not just for animals, but for the people who help them too.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-this-day-still-matters">Why this day still matters</h2>



World Chimpanzee Day isn’t just a date on the calendar. It’s a moment to stop and remember that chimpanzees are still here - but they’re in danger. 



If we let them disappear, we lose more than animals. We lose their stories, their intelligence, and a part of our own history.



Chimpanzees are more than a species in decline - they’re a reflection of who we are and what we choose to value. World Chimpanzee Day isn’t about sympathy; it’s about connection, respect, and a promise to protect a future we still share.



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World Chimpanzee Day 2025: Protecting our closest relatives

In 1960, a young woman walked into the forests of...

Hearing,Sounds,Concept,With,Sound-wave,And,Era,Close-up

Roughly one in seven people worldwide hears a ringing, buzzing, or hissing that no one else can detect - a condition known as tinnitus. The sound can fade into the background for many, yet for millions it barges into meetings, movies, and moments of silence alike, stealing focus and fraying patience.



That constant noise often chips away at sleep, mood, and productivity. School-age kids may crank up earbuds to drown it out; <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hearing-loss-linked-to-a-greater-risk-of-dementia/">older adults</a> sometimes skip dinners out because clattering dishes feel unbearable. 



By the time most folks reach a specialist, the phantom tone has already woven itself into daily routines, with no sign of moving out.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-you-can-t-tune-out-tinnitus">You can't tune-out tinnitus</h2>



“Not being able to get away from tinnitus often results in clinically significant stress and anxiety," comments Christopher Cederroth, a researcher at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the <a href="https://ki.se/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Karolinska Institutet</a>. 



"Some people have problems sleeping, experience social difficulties, and struggle at work; the risk of sick leave and disability pension increases.” 



Every second person with tinnitus also wrestles with sound hypersensitivity that can turn a closing door into a jab of pain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-your-brain-rings">When your brain rings</h2>



The working theory of what causes tinnitus begins deep in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/can-hearing-loss-be-reversed-in-humans/">ear’s cochlea</a>. 



When hair cells tuned to high pitches die - after a loud concert, a blast, or decades of wear - the brain misses their usual input and cranks up its internal gain. That runaway activity zips along the auditory pathway. 



“Animal studies have shown increased activity in the brain’s <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10900/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">auditory center</a>, but the emotional and cognitive areas of the brain can also contribute to reinforcing tinnitus," explains Cederroth. 



"If we feel stressed, anxious, or think about tinnitus, the activity in the brain’s auditory center increases and the burden accompanying tinnitus is exacerbated."



A <a href="https://ki.se/en/research/research-infrastructure-and-environments/core-facilities-for-research/the-swedish-twin-registry" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Swedish Twin Registry</a> study adds another layer: genes appear to carry as much weight as decibels. In men, bilateral tinnitus shows high heritability, hinting that biology can rival environment in shaping risk. 



That genetic backdrop may explain why two friends leave the same concert with different long-term fates - one fine, the other stuck with a whistle that never quits.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-sleep-is-no-refuge">When sleep is no refuge</h2>



Many people with tinnitus describe thin, broken sleep. Lab recordings back them up, showing fewer deep sleep waves and more midnight awakenings than peers without the ringing. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/deep-sleep-how-slow-waves-boost-memory-formation/">Slow-wave sleep</a> normally hushes large swaths of cortex, yet the relief rarely lasts past sunrise. Stripped of solid rest, the brain’s plasticity can slide in the wrong direction, further locking in the misfiring loops.



Unsurprisingly, those bleary mornings feed a feedback cycle. Fatigue heightens stress, stress heightens the ringing, and round it goes. 



“This ringing is a sign that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/drugs-may-be-available-to-prevent-hearing-loss/">damage has occurred</a>, and repeated exposure to noise can result in permanent tinnitus. This even applies to music that you listen to at a moderate volume, because it’s also a question of how often you listen,” Cederroth explains.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-minimizing-the-impact-of-tinnitus">Minimizing the impact of tinnitus</h2>



Avoiding fresh injury is step one. “Many people listen to earphones at high volume in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/video-gamers-may-be-at-risk-of-irreversible-hearing-loss/">noisy environments</a>, even though their phones warn them with a red indicator when the sound exceeds 85 decibels. This is not good, especially if you are young,” Cederroth adds. 



A single fireworks mishap can do lasting harm, yet everyday habits matter too. Occupational safety experts point out that eight hours at 85 decibels, roughly the roar of heavy traffic a few feet away, already flirts with danger. 



Drop just 3 decibels and the safe exposure time doubles; climb 3 decibels and it is cut in half. The math favors earplugs, breaks, and a finger on the volume slider.



Public-health officials in the United States have tried nudging behavior with smartphone warnings and workplace rules, but uptake remains uneven. 



Hearing-conservation campaigns stress that, once those hair cells die, they don’t grow back. For teens who clock hours of streamed music daily, the advice can sound like another lecture - until the first late-night whistle creeps in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-hopeful-notes">New hopeful notes</h2>



Treatment has shifted far beyond “learn to live with it.” <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/about/pac-20384610" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cognitive-behavioral therapy</a> helps patients reframe the sound and lower distress, even if it doesn’t mute the signal itself. 



Cochlear implants, built for profound hearing loss, sometimes silence tinnitus altogether by feeding precise electrical pulses to the auditory nerve. 



German clinics have leaned on Notch music therapy, filtering a listener’s favorite tracks to exclude the narrow band that matches the phantom tone, aiming to starve overactive neurons.



Across the Atlantic, <a href="https://www.lenire.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lenire tinnitus treatment</a> reached U.S. clinics after the Food and Drug Administration cleared it in March 2023. The handheld device pairs gentle electrical taps on the tongue with customized sounds. 



Large-scale trials showed that the pairing can outperform standard sound therapy, and follow-ups in 204 patients echoed the gains. Demand shot up as more centers adopted the approach.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-of-tinnitus-treatment">Future of tinnitus treatment</h2>



Researchers now test wearable sound generators that sync clicks to deep-sleep waves, hoping nighttime rhythms will steer plasticity toward quieter maps. 



Others probe targeted magnetic pulses, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/vagus-nerve-stimulation-offers-new-hope-for-severe-depression/">vagus-nerve stimulation</a>, and drug candidates designed to calm hyperactive auditory cortex. 



“Through our discovery, I hope that we will be able to develop an effective drug against tinnitus. But we also know that tinnitus is sustained and enhanced by thoughts and emotions," Cederroth concludes.



"I therefore believe that, in order to provide optimal treatment, we must look at tinnitus from an interdisciplinary perspective, and consider tackling the problem from several angles at the same time."



Tinnitus may be a private sound, yet its public cost - missed workdays, strained evenings, empty café tables - adds up fast. 



The sooner society treats tinnitus as a genuine health priority, the sooner that stubborn ring can fade from center stage.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/braincomms/article/4/3/fcac089/6563428?login=false" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brain Communications</a>.



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New hope for hundreds of millions of people who suffer from constant ear ringing

Roughly one in seven people worldwide hears a ringing, buzzing,...

Many rocky planets from beyond our solar system glow with volcanic scars, yet their crusts sit frozen in place, locked together like a single giant shield. Is it possible that these planets host conditions that would be friendly to life?



<a href="https://planets.stanford.edu/people/matthew-reinhold" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Matthew Reinhold</a>, a doctoral researcher, and <a href="https://sustainability.stanford.edu/people/laura-schaefer" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Laura Schaefer</a>, an assistant professor at Stanford University, created detailed computer models showing that such static‑crust planets, which they call Ignan Earths, can still nurture liquid water, mild air, and potentially thriving ecosystems.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planets-need-to-lose-heat">Planets need to lose heat</h2>



Earth regulates temperature partly through <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/inside.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">plate tectonics</a>. This involves the slow rafting of rigid lithospheric slabs over the mobile asthenosphere, a motion driven by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/earths-mantle-chemistry-has-remained-stable-for-billions-of-years/">mantle convection</a>. 



Moving plates recycle carbon, build mountains, open ocean basins, and refresh the seafloor, continually giving life new niches and chemical feedstocks.



Without that conveyor belt, heat must still escape, or a planet risks turning into a pressure‑cooked Io where lava fountains blanket the ground. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microbial-life-may-exist-on-one-of-jupiters-moons/">Jupiter’s</a> volcanic moon, <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/jupiter/jupiter-moons/io/">Io</a>, loses roughly 1.5 watts of heat per square yard, about twenty times Earth’s average output.



Reinhold and Schaefer explored planetary interiors that pump out between 1 and 15 watts per square yard. This is well below Io’s extreme, yet well above <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-simulate-what-the-first-days-of-early-earth-were-really-like-after-it-formed/">Earth</a>’s gentle glow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ignan-earths-may-favor-life">Ignan Earths may favor life</h2>



Their models indicate that the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-earths-mantle-shapes-surface-topography/">mantle</a> of an Ignan Earth remains mostly solid, so globe‑spanning lava oceans are not inevitable or even likely. 



Instead, on these <a href="https://searchworks.stanford.edu/view/jt673zb0893" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">types of planets</a>, magma threads upward through narrow conduits in a process called heat‑pipe tectonics. The process carries energy and gases to the surface while leaving the crust largely intact.



Surprisingly, simulated surface temperatures stayed under 185°F (85°C), even when interior heat rose an order of magnitude above Earth’s. 



Efficient atmospheric feedbacks kept the climate within a stable range by balancing volcanic outgassing with rapid chemical weathering.



That range overlaps the “<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259264907_A_cool_early_Earth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cool early Earth</a>” window revealed by 4.4 billion‑year‑old zircons. This evidence points to liquid seas and temperate air long before modern continents formed and photosynthesis began.



In other words, a fiery heart does not doom a planet to lifelessness. It may mimic the balmy warmth that our own world enjoyed while life gained its first biochemical foothold.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-internal-heating-on-ignan-earths">Internal heating on Ignan Earths</h2>



Heat‑pipe tectonics vents gases continually, replacing the sporadic eruptions that are familiar on a plate‑bearing world with a ceaseless planetary simmer. 



The researchers’ simulations show <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-captures-first-direct-image-of-co2-outside-our-solar-system-hr-8799/">carbon dioxide</a> bubbling out through thousands of mini‑volcanoes, yet rainfall and rock weathering lock much of that gas away within newly formed basalts.



That exchange forms a vertical version of the <a href="https://personal.ems.psu.edu/~jfk4/PersonalPage/ResInt2.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">carbonate‑silicate cycle</a>, a global thermostat that balances greenhouse warming against chemical drawdown, and keeps oceans from evaporating.



“We find that Earth‑mass planets with internal heating fluxes below 15 W m⁻² produce average surface temperatures that Earth has experienced in its past, below 30°C (86°F),” noted Reinhold. 



At higher heat loads, the thermostat still holds, never pushing oceans to a boil or stripping a planet of habitability.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-feedbacks-keep-climate-friendly-for-life">Feedbacks keep climate friendly for life</h2>



Atmospheric models linked to the interior calculations revealed negative feedbacks almost identical to those on Earth, despite the lack of sliding plates. 



As volcanic outgassing raises carbon dioxide levels, weathering rates accelerate, scrubbing the air and lowering temperatures until equilibrium returns.



If a planet edges toward the <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.11149" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">runaway greenhouse limit</a>, added heat expands the atmosphere, thickening cloud decks that bounce sunlight back into space and slow further warming. 



The team’s hottest test cases stayed safely below one‑twentieth of that threshold, keeping average seas from surpassing 212°F (100°C), a conservative benchmark for surface sterilization.



Even tidal heating scenarios, such as a planet locked in a close dance with a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/planets-orbiting-red-dwarf-stars-may-not-be-habitable-ultraviolet-uv-radiation/">red dwarf</a>, left room for clement oceans and long‑term climate stability. 



This suggests that synchronous rotation and internal heat from tidal forces don’t automatically preclude a planet from hosting life-friendly environments.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-ignan-earths-matter">Why Ignan Earths matter</h2>



Almost one‑third of rocky exoplanets discovered so far orbit stars in zones where tidal forces or radioactivity can supercharge their interiors, producing heat budgets similar to those on Ignan Earths. 



Traditional habitability filters often dismissed these planets, assuming static lids meant sterile magma deserts with no recycling of nutrients.



The Stanford study widens the pool of targets for observatories like JWST, ELT, and the upcoming <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/programs/habitable-worlds-observatory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Habitable Worlds Observatory</a>, all of which can sniff atmospheric chemistry from light‑years away. 



Future spectra that catch volcanic gases alongside water vapor could hint at continents weathering out of fresh basalt. This would potentially signal vertical recycling that distinguishes Ignan Earths from stagnant, Venus‑like planets.



If Ignan Earths prove common, they may resemble our <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-announce-evidence-suggesting-that-our-solar-system-has-nine-planets-again/">planet</a> during the Hadean, when a young Sun shone dimmer yet internal fires burned brighter and chemistry set the stage for biology. 



Such parallels could mean that life on planets elsewhere begins not in calm, stable conditions but in heat-driven chaos that gradually cools into habitability.



The study is published in the <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023JE008029" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets</a>.



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Scientists find rocky planets that appear inhospitable, but discover they could harbor life

Many rocky planets from beyond our solar system glow with...

Eighty‑three years after a torpedo tore it away, the 150‑foot steel bow of USS New Orleans reappeared, this time as pixels on sonar and video, sitting about 2,215 feet down in the <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/news/oer-updates/2025/iron-bottom-sound.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Solomon Islands’ Iron Bottom Sound.</a>



The heavy cruiser lost nearly one‑third of her hull and 182 sailors during the November 1942 <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/browse-by-topic/wars-conflicts-and-operations/world-war-ii/1942/guadalcanal/battle-of-tassafaronga.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Battle of Tassafaronga</a>, yet damage‑control teams braced the jagged wound with coconut logs and steered the ship home in reverse to Puget Sound for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-copper-deposits-in-tibet-are-fueled-by-an-ancient-tectonic-collision/">repairs</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-bow-lost-for-eight-decades">A bow lost for eight decades</h2>



“This imagery was viewed in real time by hundreds of experts around the world, who all worked together to make a positive identification of the findings. The discovery highlights the power of having multiple scientists and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/archaeologists-find-hallucinogenic-seeds-in-ancient-bones-black-henbane/">technologies</a> work together to achieve a common goal,” said <a href="https://nautiluslive.org/people/daniel-wagner" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Daniel Wagner</a>, chief scientist with <a href="https://nautiluslive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ocean Exploration Trust</a>.



“By all rights, this ship should have sunk,” retired <a href="https://www.history.navy.mil/about-us/leadership/director.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Rear Admiral Samuel J. Cox</a>. Japanese “<a href="https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2019/april/massive-torpedo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Long Lance</a>” torpedoes struck after midnight, detonating forward magazines and shearing off turrets one and two.



With steering gone and compartments flooding, electricians jury‑rigged power, sailors shoved timber through shattered frames, and the crippled vessel crawled into <a href="https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/127930/Tulagi-Harbor.htm" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tulagi Harbor</a> before the makeshift bow fell apart.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uss-new-orleans-wreck-site">USS New Orleans wreck site</h2>



Five night battles raged here between August and December 1942, claiming 20,000 lives, 111 naval vessels, and 1,450 aircraft from Allied and Japanese forces.



Most wrecks rest inside a corridor only 25 nautical miles wide, turning the sound into a condensed <a href="https://www.deeperblue.com/lost-bow-of-uss-new-orleans-found-in-depths-of-iron-bottom-sound/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">graveyard</a> of steel and sacrifice.



So far just 30 of those wartime hulks have been located, leaving dozens more for future surveys and the families who still wait for closure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-robots-share-the-workload">How robots share the workload</h2>



Discovery began with <a href="https://nautiluslive.org/tech/usv-drix" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USV DriX</a>, a 25‑foot uncrewed surface vessel developed by <a href="https://www.exail.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Exail</a> and operated by the <a href="https://www.unh.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of New Hampshire</a>.



Running pre‑programmed lawn‑mower lines, DriX beamed high‑resolution seafloor mosaics back to <a href="https://nautiluslive.org/tech/ev-nautilus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">E/V Nautilus</a>, where pilots dispatched Hercules, a tethered remote‑operated vehicle, to inspect an intriguing 150‑foot shadow the sonar had painted.



“NOAA Ocean Exploration’s mission is to explore the ocean for America’s benefit,” said <a href="https://gulfcoast23.oceansconference.org/bill-mowitt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Captain William Mowitt</a>, acting director of <a href="https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NOAA Ocean Exploration</a>, adding that pairing DriX with deep‑diving ROVs “has the potential to reshape our understanding of what lies in the deep ocean.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-inside-the-drix-toolbox">Inside the drix toolbox</h2>



A carbon‑Kevlar composite hull lets the craft slice waves at 13 knots while weighing only 1.4 tons, light enough for a single point lift.



Seven‑day endurance at 7 knots means the boat can map while the crew sleeps, delivering coverage impossible for a conventional ship and burning a fraction of the fuel.



Twin <a href="https://geo-matching.com/products/em-712-2-x-2-degree-multibeam-echo-sounder" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EM‑712</a> and <a href="https://www.kongsberg.com/discovery/seafloor-mapping/em/EM2040-Mk2/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EM‑2040</a> multibeam sonar units sweep frequencies from 40 kHz to 400 kHz, detailing contours from tidal flats out to 1,600 feet, while an <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/west-coast/science-data/ek80-adaptive-logger" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EK‑80 fisheries</a> echosounder tracks mid‑water life that often crowds wreck sites.



Real‑time kinematic GPS, lidar, and long‑range marine broadband radios stitch the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-mantle-plume-created-a-60-million-year-volcanic-trail-from-iceland-to-ireland/">surface</a> plot to ROV video, so historians can consult, annotate, and archive images as they stream ashore.



The team’s approach, pairing autonomous surface vessels like DriX with real-time feedback from ROVs, could be applied to other unexplored maritime graveyards around the world.



From the Arctic to the <a href="https://coral.org/en/where-we-work/coral-triangle/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coral Triangle</a>, wreck sites hold historical and ecological significance that often go unstudied because of depth, cost, or geopolitical sensitivity.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-honoring-uss-new-orleans-crew">Honoring USS New Orleans crew</h2>



Cox called the find “an opportunity to remember the sacrifice of this valiant crew, even on one of the worst nights in U.S. Navy history,” underscoring that exploration is as much about people as hardware.



Telepresence let descendants in Louisiana, naval architects in Japan, and students in Australia witness the anchor still stamped “Navy Yard” on live video, knitting a dispersed community around a single rusted artifact.



Archaeologists photographed but did not disturb the site, treating it as a war grave and deep‑sea reef now colonized by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rocks-reveal-the-turning-point-when-oxygen-changed-earth-forever/">corals</a>, anemones, and basket stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-wrecks-near-uss-new-orleans-nbsp">More wrecks near USS New Orleans&nbsp;</h2>



DriX will continue to grid the 1,400‑foot‑deep basins of Iron Bottom Sound through mid‑July, queuing new ROV dives for wrecks long rumored but never confirmed.



Each stitched mosaic whittles down the unknown, proving that small autonomous craft and human curiosity can retrieve lost chapters of history, one sonar ping at a time.



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



Shipwrecks like USS New Orleans serve as underwater time capsules that link global history with modern identity. They’re not just remnants of war, they’re markers of engineering, courage, and diplomacy that shaped the present.



Their rediscovery helps nations reconcile with shared pasts, especially in regions like the South Pacific where legacy and loss are deeply intertwined. 



These missions renew collective memory and allow younger generations to engage with stories often left out of textbooks.



Click here to see more images of this <a href="https://nautiluslive.org/album/2025/07/08/first-photos-uss-new-orleans-bow-80-years" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">historic discovery of the USS New Orleans</a>.



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USS New Orleans bow found 83 years after it was sunk by a torpedo in World War II

Eighty‑three years after a torpedo tore it away, the 150‑foot...

Today's flagship processor packs more than 100 billion transistors, yet <a href="https://lab.semi.ac.cn/library/upload/files/2023/2/acf548c67ad377a9.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">squeezing</a> them any closer is turning design into a wrestling match with quantum physics. 



As the footprints of silicon switches approach the dimensions of a few dozen atoms, stray electrons tunnel across barriers that once looked rock‑solid, wasting power and scrambling <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-material-could-make-computers-1000-times-faster/">signals</a>.



Physicists are asking whether that unruly behavior can be steered instead of suppressed, and a new study from the University of California, Riverside (<a href="https://www.ucr.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCR</a>), claims the answer is yes. 



The team shows that by shaping atom‑perfect <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/silicon-cluster" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">silicon clusters</a> they can turn electron flow off and on through <a href="https://quantum.microsoft.com/en-us/insights/education/concepts/interference" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum interference</a>, the same wave effect that makes light cancel itself in noise‑canceling headphones.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-silicon-molecule-switches-current">How silicon molecule switches current</h2>



<a href="https://teamsu.org/about-tim" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tim Su</a> of UC Riverside and colleagues built their switch by assembling silicon atoms into a molecule called <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1118981" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sila‑adamantane</a>, a miniature copy of the crystal motif found in commercial chips.&nbsp;



“We found that when tiny silicon <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/schrodingers-cat-put-into-silicon-chip-may-be-holy-grail-for-error-proof-quantum-computing/">structures</a> are shaped with high symmetry, they can cancel out electron flow like noise‑canceling headphones,” said Su.



Aligning gold electrodes with the cage’s short branches lets the two electron waves reinforce one another, raising conductance, while contacting the long branches flips the phase and wipes the current out. The measured on–off ratio averages 5.6, rivaling single‑molecule devices built from <a href="https://frontierspecialtychemicals.com/product-category/porphyrins/?srsltid=AfmBOoravB_JvFtNx_jSvUG1FmsYvNKAQjNrdqclAEHDXcT2L5e64jzw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">exotic porphyrins</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smaller-chips-don-t-work-as-well">Smaller chips don't work as well</h2>



Conventional scaling relies on etching <a href="https://lab.semi.ac.cn/library/upload/files/2023/2/acf548c67ad377a9.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ever‑narrower channels</a> and then doping them with other atoms so voltage can police the charge carriers. 



Once those channels dip below about five nanometers, electrons act less like marbles and more like waves, slipping through the gate oxide by tunneling and driving leakage to costly levels.



<a href="https://resources.system-analysis.cadence.com/3d-electromagnetic/msa2021-the-constructional-and-dimensional-details-of-finfets" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Three‑dimensional FinFETs</a> and gate‑all‑around stacks help but still fall victim to quantum leakage once dimensions hit the atomic wall. 



That stalemate pushes designers toward switches that exploit interference rather than brute electrostatics, trading geometry for wave control.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-silicon-switches-atom-by-atom">Silicon switches, atom by atom</h2>



Instead of carving bulk wafers with ultraviolet light, the Riverside team used classical synthetic chemistry to snap <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-17815-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">silicon-silicon bonds</a> into the exact three‑dimensional orientation prescribed by their design. 



Bottom‑up growth means every device is born identical, a sharp contrast to <a href="https://www.columbiamuseum.org/news/lithography-its-process" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lithography</a> at atomic limits, where dropping a single atom can make neighboring transistors behave like strangers.



The cluster’s perfect C3 symmetry proved crucial. When electrodes were anti‑aligned with the long cage branches, destructive interference slashed conductance nearly threefold relative to a trimmed control structure that lacked one silicon link.



Flipping to the short path realigned the wave phases and restored current, creating a mechanically tunable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-computing-giant-leap-forward-breakthrough-ultra-pure-silicon-discovery/">molecular switch</a>. 



The low torsional barrier of the attached linkers means a modest stretch can toggle the molecule between off and on states like a lever.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-silicon-switch-turns-heat-into-usable-energy">Silicon switch turns heat into usable energy</h2>



The same interference physics could also sharpen silicon‑based <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542529324001287" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thermoelectric generators</a> that tap temperature gradients for power. 



Porous silicon <a href="https://www.inredox.com/technology/si-nanowires/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nanowire arrays</a> have already shown higher efficiency than any previous nanostructured silicon thermoelectric at 801°F, according to a 2024 <a href="https://www.energy.ca.gov/publications/2024/low-cost-high-reliability-thermoelectrics-waste-heat-conversion" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a> for the <a href="https://www.energy.ca.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">California Energy Commission</a>.



Bulk silicon once posted a meager figure of merit near 0.01, yet early nanowire <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/silicon-nanowires-turn-heat-to-electricity" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">experiments</a> boosted that number up to 0.6, roughly matching <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-microscopic-mineral-ehrigite-discovered-could-revolutionize-geological-exploration/">bismuth telluride</a>, the industry’s workhorse material. 



Berkeley Lab’s porous carpets have since multiplied the figure of merit eighteenfold, suggesting that interference‑tuned carrier paths could raise it even further by trimming parasitic heat flow.



A switchable junction between hot and cold ends could throttle charge flow on the fly, matching output to load conditions without external electronics. 



That adaptive behavior is attractive for industrial waste‑heat recovery, where temperatures and demand vary minute by minute.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uses-in-memory-and-quantum-tech">Uses in memory and quantum tech</h2>



Because the molecule mimics the lattice that hosts spin‑based qubits, symmetry‑controlled interference may serve future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-teleportation-communication-achieved-on-regular-internet-cables/">quantum‑information</a> hardware. 



In principle, the same silicon cage could ferry spin or valley states protected from decoherence by the selection rules that make interference possible, dodging many of the troubles that plague superconducting circuits.



Industry can test the chemistry inside familiar clean‑room lines, because the cluster is built from the element fabs already master. 



A cross‑bar memory woven from such switches would store data at densities far beyond what FinFETs allow, without rewriting fabrication playbooks from scratch.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scaling-silicon-switches">Scaling silicon switches</h2>



<a href="https://teamsu.org/">Su’s lab</a> is already tweaking the cage with different linkers to raise the on-off ratio and studying whether flexible leads can turn the molecule into a piezoresistive sensor that toggles under strain. 



Colleagues in device physics are evaluating whether the molecule’s switching noise stays low enough for logic thresholds at room temperature.



The bigger challenge lies in wiring billions of identical silicon clusters onto substrates while preserving their three‑dimensional orientation. 



Directed self‑assembly and DNA‑templated placement are among the approaches on the table, and progress there will decide whether molecular interference moves from the benchtop to production.



The study is published in the <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jacs.5c04272" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of the American Chemical Society</a>.



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Physicists learn to control electricity at the quantum scale

Today's flagship processor packs more than 100 billion transistors, yet...

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

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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. 



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. 



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



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. 



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.



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. 



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.



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



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.



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



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



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. 



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. 



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.



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



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.



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



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.



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



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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...

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing it with probiotics and prebiotics, aiming to create a treat that satisfies cravings while supporting gut health. 



The challenge lies in maintaining chocolate's beloved texture and flavor while adding health benefits.



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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



Prebiotics act as food for these microbes, helping them thrive. Together, they form "synbiotics," a powerful health combination.



Researchers Smriti Gaur and Shubhi Singh from India's Jaypee Institute of Information Technology took an innovative approach, using natural prebiotics like corn and honey instead of complex processing methods. 



They created five chocolate varieties: a control and four synbiotic versions containing different combinations of prebiotics, probiotics (Lactobacillus strains), and flavor enhancers (cinnamon or orange).



Laboratory simulations of human digestion showed the probiotics remained viable for over five hours, suggesting they could survive long enough to benefit gut health.



Taste tests were positive, with researchers particularly enjoying the orange-flavored variety, describing it as having "vibrant citrus notes" complementing the "rich cocoa" with a "luxurious" texture.



This research represents just the beginning. With further refinement of strains, textures, and flavors, chocolate could evolve beyond mere indulgence to become a functional food that nourishes while it delights.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.4c00741" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Food Science &amp; Technology</a>.

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

Scientists are transforming chocolate into a functional food by infusing...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Nushagak Bay, a large estuary in southwest Alaska. Nushagak runs mainly north to south and exits in Bristol Bay, a large body of water in the Bering Sea.



"The bay is primarily fed by the Nushagak River, which begins in the Alaska Range and flows southwest approximately 450 km. The bay is also fed by several additional rivers including the Wood, Igushik, Snake and Weary rivers," says ESA.



"The dark colors of the Nushagak River are most likely due to tannins or lignins (chemical substances found in plants). Tannins and lignins from roots, leaves, seeds, bark and soil can leach into the water and give it a brown or even black colour. The sediments then flow southwards where it is mixed with the bluer waters of the bay."



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

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Today's Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> (ACS) reveals that proteins on flu viruses are actually flexible, tilting and waving in a “breath-like” motion. According to the experts, these proteins could be used to better defend against the flu.



"The main antigenic targets of influenza virus are two surface glycoproteins, hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA). Whereas the structural and dynamical properties of both glycoproteins have been studied previously, the understanding of their plasticity in the whole-virion context is fragmented," wrote the researchers.



To investigate, the team conducted detailed simulations of the influenza A H1N1 virion, or the swine flu. The experts concluded that the visualizations show many new vulnerable states of flu viruses, which could improve future vaccines and antiviral drugs.



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

[sendtonews key="G9bUoxcjr4-2511624-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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Today’s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Lake Trasimeno, which is located west of Perugia in central Italy. It is the fourth largest lake in the country. While Trasimeno’s water level varies, it has a maximum depth of approximately six meters.&nbsp;



"In this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image, captured on 6 August 2022, the lake’s emerald green colour is likely due to the presence of phytoplankton. Streaks in the water, particularly visible in the west, indicate the presence of soil and sediments which have been stirred up by winds. Dark colored waters in the southern part of the lake indicate a presence of submerged and floating macrophytes (aquatic plants) as well as algae," says ESA.



"Surrounded by hills on three sides, Trasimeno is subject to heavy storms created by winds, especially from the north and west. There are three islets in the lake: Maggiore, Minore and Polvese (the largest). The lake’s shores are sparsely inhabited with only two popular villages: Castiglione del Lago and Passignano sul Trasimeno."



"Italy is experiencing its worst drought in 70 years which has affected drinking water supplies, hydroelectric power and agricultural production. High temperatures, hot winds and lack of rainfall are the main causes of drought in the Umbrian region which saw Lake Trasimeno’s drop 1.3 m, reaching the limit of the hydrometric zero in July 2022."



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

[sendtonews key="3upvlAaHgO-2256633-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland

Arches National Park&nbsp;is a&nbsp;national park&nbsp;in eastern&nbsp;Utah, United States. The park is adjacent to the&nbsp;Colorado River, 4 miles (6&nbsp;km) north of&nbsp;Moab, Utah. More than 2,000&nbsp;natural sandstone arches&nbsp;are located in the park, including the well-known&nbsp;Delicate Arch, as well as a variety of unique geological resources and formations. The park contains the highest density of natural arches in the world.



Devils Garden Campground is the only campground at Arches National Park. You can reserve campsites for nights between March 1 and October 31.&nbsp;During this busy season, the campground is usually full every night.&nbsp;If you're arriving at Arches without a reservation, you'll probably have to&nbsp;look for a campsite outside the park. Between November and February, campsites are first-come, first-served. You can backpack at Arches in a small number of designated sites and zones. Backpacking at Arches is more challenging than other places. It requires off-trail travel and route finding. Get a permit at the visitor center.

Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland

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