<p>Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the Cat's Eye Nebula (NGC 6543), located about 3,300 light-years from Earth in the constellation Draco. </p>



<p>The nebula's name comes from its eye-like appearance when viewed through a telescope. This particular image, which reveals the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/horsehead-nebula-webb-telescope-captured-unprecedented-detail/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nebula</a> in stunning detail, was captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planetary-nebulae-nbsp">Planetary nebulae&nbsp;</h2>



<p>According to ESA, the Cat's Eye Nebula is one of the most complex planetary nebulae that has ever been discovered.</p>



<p>“A planetary nebula forms when Sun-like stars gently eject their outer gaseous layers to form bright nebulae with amazing twisted shapes," explained <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>"Until recently, it was thought that shells around planetary nebulae were a rare phenomenon. However, astronomers have instead shown that these rings are likely to be the rule rather than the exception."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-appearance-of-the-cat-s-eye-nebula-nbsp">Appearance of the Cat's Eye Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The central focus of the Cat's Eye is a hot, dying star that has shed its outer layers to form the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dragons-egg-nebula-is-a-truly-stunning-sight-to-behold/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nebula</a>. It is surrounded by concentric gas shells, jets of high-speed gas, and unusual shock-induced knots of gas.</p>



<p>“Although the rings may be the key to explaining the final ‘gasp’ of the dying central star, the mystery behind the Cat’s Eye Nebula’s nested ‘Russian doll’ structure remains largely unsolved,” noted ESA.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rings-around-the-cat-s-eye">Rings around the Cat’s Eye</h2>



<p>“This image, taken with Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS), reveals the full pattern of eleven or more concentric rings, or shells, around the Cat’s Eye. Each ‘ring’ is actually the edge of a spherical bubble seen projected onto the sky - which is why it appears bright along its outer edge.”</p>



<p>According to ESA, observations suggest that the star ejected its mass in a series of pulses at 1,500-year intervals. “These convulsions created dust shells that each contains as much mass as all of the planets in our solar system combined.”</p>



<p>Several explanations have been proposed for this phenomenon, including cycles of magnetic activity similar to our Sun's sunspot cycle, the influence of companion stars orbiting the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dying-stars-may-be-a-source-of-gravitational-waves/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dying star</a>, or stellar pulsations.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Another theory suggests that the material is ejected smoothly from the star, with the rings forming later due to the creation of waves in the outflowing material.</p>



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



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extrasolar-ocean-planet-discovered-in-the-draco-constellation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draco</a> is a constellation in the northern sky that represents a dragon. It's one of the largest constellations, winding between the Big and Little Dippers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In Greek mythology, Draco is often identified as the dragon Ladon, who guarded the golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides.</p>



<p>Draco is a circumpolar constellation for most northern hemisphere observers, meaning it never sets below the horizon and can be seen all year round.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-famous-planetary-nebulae">Famous planetary nebulae </h2>



<p>Planetary nebulae are some of the most beautiful and intriguing objects in the universe.&nbsp;</p>



<p>One of the most famous is the Ring Nebula, or M57, located in the constellation Lyra. This nebula is renowned for its nearly perfect ring shape, which is the result of a dying star shedding its outer layers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Another well-known planetary nebula is the Helix Nebula, or NGC 7293, often referred to as the "Eye of God" due to its eye-like appearance. The Helix Nebula is one of the closest planetary nebulae to Earth, making it a popular target for amateur astronomers.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Dumbbell Nebula, or M27, in the constellation Vulpecula, is another striking example. It is named for its resemblance to a dumbbell and is notable for being the first planetary nebula ever discovered, by Charles Messier in 1764.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The Butterfly Nebula, or NGC 6302, is located in the constellation Scorpius. Its name comes from its distinctive bipolar structure, resembling the wings of a butterfly. The nebula's central star is one of the hottest known, with a surface temperature of around 250,000 degrees Celsius.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Finally, the Eskimo Nebula, or NGC 2392, in the constellation Gemini, is known for its resemblance to a face surrounded by a fur parka, which gives it its name. Its intricate structure, including filaments and bubble-like shapes, makes it a fascinating object of study.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These nebulae not only captivate us with their beauty but also provide valuable insights into the life cycles of stars and the processes that shape our galaxy.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope</p>



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Cat's Eye Nebula in the constellation Draco

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

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features the Southern Ring Nebula, also known as NGC 3132, located about 2,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Vela. This remarkably detailed image was created using data from Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam).</p>



<p>The Southern Ring Nebula is one of the more famous examples of planetary nebulae, often studied for its beauty and valuable insights into the end stages of stellar evolution.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stars-power-the-southern-ring-nebula">Stars power the Southern Ring Nebula </h2>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dragons-egg-nebula-is-a-truly-stunning-sight-to-behold/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nebula</a> is powered by two central stars in a binary system. The brighter star in visible light is actually a less massive companion, while the fainter, dimmer star is the dying, hot central star that has shed its outer layers to form the nebula. This star is a white dwarf and is responsible for the ionization of the gas in the nebula, causing it to glow.</p>



<p>“The bright star at the center of NGC 3132, while prominent when viewed by NASA’s Webb Telescope in near-infrared light, plays a supporting role in sculpting the surrounding nebula. A second star, barely visible at lower left along one of the bright star’s diffraction spikes, is the nebula’s source. It has ejected at least eight layers of gas and dust over thousands of years,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>“But the bright central star visible here has helped ‘stir’ the pot, changing the shape of this planetary nebula’s highly intricate rings by creating turbulence. The pair of stars are locked in a tight orbit, which leads the dimmer star to spray ejected material in a range of directions as they orbit one another, resulting in these jagged rings.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-characteristics-of-the-southern-ring-nebula-nbsp">Key characteristics of the Southern Ring Nebula&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The Southern Ring Nebula displays a complex structure with multiple layers of gas and dust. The outer shells of the nebula consist of hydrogen and other elements that were ejected from the dying star in previous stages of its <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/young-stellar-objects-observing-the-early-lives-of-stars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evolution</a>.&nbsp;These layers are illuminated by ultraviolet radiation from the central white dwarf.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-coloration">Coloration</h3>



<p>The colors seen in the Southern Ring Nebula come from the different gases present. For example, hydrogen emits red light, while oxygen emits blue-green light. These colors help astronomers study the composition and dynamics of the nebula.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-size-and-shape">Size and shape</h3>



<p>The nebula spans about half a light-year in diameter. Its intricate, symmetrical structure provides valuable insights into the late stages of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/star-collapse-black-hole-instead-of-supernova-vanish-from-sky/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stellar evolution</a>, especially the processes involved in the shedding of outer layers by dying stars.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spotlights-from-the-bright-star">Spotlights from the bright star</h2>



<p>ESA noted that hundreds of straight, brightly-lit lines pierce through the rings of gas and dust. “These ‘spotlights’ emanate from the bright star and stream through holes in the nebula like sunlight through gaps in a cloud.</p>



<p>“But not all of the starlight can escape. The density of the central region, set off in teal, is reflected by how transparent or opaque it is. Areas that are a deeper teal indicate that the gas and dust are denser - and light is unable to break free.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-the-image">More about the image</h2>



<p>According to ESA, this is not only a crisp image of a planetary nebula - it also shows us objects in the vast distances of space behind it. The transparent red sections of the nebula are filled with distant <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-have-hearts-and-lungs-that-help-them-live-longer/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a>.</p>



<p>“Look for the bright angled line at the upper left. It is not starlight - it is a faraway galaxy seen edge-on. Distant spirals, of many shapes and colors, also dot the scene. Those that are farthest away - or very dusty - are small and red,” said ESA.</p>



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



<p>Vela is a southern constellation that represents the sails of a ship. It was once part of a larger constellation called Argo Navis, which depicted the ship of the mythological hero Jason and the Argonauts. In the 18th century, Argo Navis was divided into three separate constellations: Vela (the sails), Carina (the keel), and Puppis (the stern).</p>



<p>Vela is notable for containing several interesting astronomical features. One of its most prominent stars is Gamma Velorum, also known as Suhail or Regor, which is a bright, massive star system consisting of multiple stars.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The constellation also hosts the Vela Supernova Remnant, the remains of a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a> explosion that occurred about 11,000 years ago. This remnant is associated with the Vela Pulsar, a neutron star formed from the supernova explosion, which is one of the brightest pulsars in the sky.</p>



<p>Vela is best observed in the Southern Hemisphere, where it can be seen in the summer months, though it is partially visible in the Northern Hemisphere as well. Its position along the Milky Way makes it a popular region for both amateur and professional astronomers to explore.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI</p>



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Southern Ring Nebula in the constellation Vela 

<p>Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features Harrat Khaybar, one of the largest volcanic fields in Saudi Arabia. This extensive lava field, which covers 5,400 square-miles, was formed by eruptions over the last five million years.</p>



<p>“According to the Smithsonian’s Global Volcanism Program, the volcanic field is still active, and eight lava flows are less than 1,500 years old. The last known eruption was reported in Harrat Khaybar in the 7th century,” said <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>A couple of the youngest volcanic vents in Harrat Khaybar can be seen in this <a href="https://eoimages.gsfc.nasa.gov/images/imagerecords/152000/152839/harratkhaybar_oli2_20240425_lrg.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">image</a>, which was captured by the OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jabal-qidr-nbsp">Jabal Qidr&nbsp;</h2>



<p>“These volcanoes resulted from different eruptive styles: Jabal Qidr is a stratovolcano (or composite cone); Jabal Abyad is a felsic dome; and Jabal Bayda is a tuff cone,” explained NASA.</p>



<p>“Jabal Qidr, in the northern part of the volcanic field, is built from several generations of dark, basaltic lava flows. Qidr has a 400-meter-diameter summit crater and exhibits the textbook cone shape of a stratovolcano. This is the only stratovolcano in the harrats of western Saudi Arabia.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jabal-abyad-nbsp">Jabal Abyad&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Visible in the center of the image, Jabal Abyad was formed from a more viscous, silica-rich lava classified as rhyolite, noted NASA.</p>



<p>"While Jabal Qidr exhibits the cone shape of a stratovolcano, Jabal Abyad is a lava dome - a rounded mass of thicker, more solidified lava flows. Abyad’s dome reaches over 2,090 meters above sea level, the highest elevation amongst all the surrounding harrats.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-jabal-bayda-nbsp">Jabal Bayda&nbsp;</h2>



<p>To the west of Jabal Abyad is Jabal Bayda, a tuff cone <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mysterious-aspect-of-volcanic-eruptions-observed-for-the-first-time/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">volcano</a> with a much larger summit crater measuring 1,400 meters in diameter, stated NASA.</p>



<p>"Tuff cones form from the interaction of rising magma with water. When heated rapidly by lava, water turns to steam and expands violently, fragmenting the lava into plumes of very fine grains of ash.”</p>



<p>In Arabic, abyad and bayda are the masculine and feminine words for “white.” The lighter color of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/mount-erebus-breaks-through-the-clouds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mountains</a> is associated with lava that has high silica content. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-harrat-khaybar-nbsp">More about Harrat Khaybar&nbsp;</h2>



<p>One of the notable features of Harrat Khaybar is its striking contrast between the black basaltic lava fields and white-colored rhyolitic lava domes. This contrast creates a visually stunning terrain, with some areas of the field resembling a lunar or Martian landscape.</p>



<p>Harrat Khaybar is part of a larger series of harrats, or lava fields, which are prevalent in the Arabian Peninsula. The largest of these volcanic fields is Harrat Rahat, which stretches over 20,000 square kilometers.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/volcanic-eruptions-play-an-overlooked-role-in-earths-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">volcanic activity</a> in Harrat Khaybar began millions of years ago and has continued into relatively recent times, with the last known eruptions occurring several thousand years ago.</p>



<p>The field is also notable for its archaeological sites, including ancient rock art, which provide insights into the early human habitation of the area. </p>



<p>The harsh environment of Harrat Khaybar has shaped both the natural ecosystem and the human activities throughout its history, making it a place of interest not only for volcanologists but also for archaeologists and ecologists.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volcanic-activity-in-saudi-arabia">Volcanic activity in Saudi Arabia </h2>



<p>Saudi Arabia, despite being more commonly associated with vast deserts, has a surprising history of volcanic activity.</p>



<p>Volcanic eruptions have occurred over the past few thousand years, with the most recent major eruption occurring in the year 1256. That eruption, from a series of fissures, sent lava flowing towards the city of Medina, but it stopped before reaching the urban area. Historical records document the panic that followed, as people feared the destruction of the city.</p>



<p>While there hasn't been a significant eruption since, there are still signs of geothermal activity, such as hot springs and occasional minor <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-music-will-yellowstones-seismic-activity-produce/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">seismic activity</a>. </p>



<p>Researchers monitor the volcanic fields for any signs of future eruptions, though none are currently expected. Despite the long periods of dormancy, Saudi Arabia's volcanic landscape remains an important part of the country's natural history.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;</p>



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Harrat Khaybar: An active lava field in Saudi Arabia

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

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from NASA Earth Observatory features the Wapiti Fire in central Idaho, which was ignited by lightning on July 24, 2024.&nbsp;</p>



<p>More than a month later, the fire continues to devastate areas across the Boise, Sawtooth, and Salmon-Challis National Forests.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-explosive-fire-activity">Explosive fire activity</h2>



<p>In its first month, the Wapiti Fire burned about 9,000 acres. It has now grown twelve times larger, burning more than 108,000 acres.</p>



<p>“Fire activity ramped up in late August, expanding its footprint to over 100,000 acres (400 square kilometers) by early September. The Wapiti fire, as well as the Middle Fork Complex fires burning nearby, have spurred evacuation orders and highway and public lands closures,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/153274/wildland-fires-scorch-idaho-wilderness" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>By September 3rd, the Wapiti Fire was 2% contained, with firefighting efforts heavily focused on protecting nearby structures and communities, particularly around Stanley and Lowman.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unpredictable-behavior-of-the-wapiti-fire-nbsp">Unpredictable behavior of the Wapiti Fire&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The fire's behavior has been unpredictable, intensifying during periods of unstable weather, especially when <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/thunderstorms-are-becoming-more-intense-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thunderstorms</a> with strong winds have passed through. This has made containment difficult and forced the evacuation of multiple areas, including the communities along Idaho Highway 21.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Efforts to manage the fire include using air tankers to drop fire retardant and creating containment lines to prevent further spread. However, the fire continues to threaten homes and critical infrastructure, with many structures already lost. </p>



<p>Local authorities have emphasized the importance of residents being prepared for evacuation, advising them to gather essential documents and possessions in advance.</p>



<p>The fire has led to the closure of vast sections of national forest land, with restrictions expected to remain in place until at least the end of the year, depending on the fire's progression.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-intensity-of-the-wapiti-fire-nbsp">Intensity of the Wapiti Fire&nbsp;</h2>



<p>According to media reports, the intensity of the Wapiti Fire can be largely attributed to certain types of vegetation in the area that rapidly fuel fire. The main fuel in this case is timber in forests that already have “60-80% tree mortality from insects and disease,” </p>



<p>To make matters worse, the Wapiti Fire is burning in areas that are difficult to reach. The fire is located in steep and rugged terrain within the Boise National Forest that is challenging for firefighting crews to access. The difficult terrain and limited access routes have greatly complicated firefighting efforts.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lightning-caused-wildfires-nbsp">Lightning-caused wildfires&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Lightning is often responsible for igniting large, destructive fires, particularly in remote and forested areas. These <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-in-siberia-are-a-growing-global-threat/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfires</a> occur when a lightning strike, typically from dry thunderstorms, ignites dry vegetation like grass, leaves, or trees.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-contributing-factors">Contributing factors</h3>



<p>The intensity and frequency of these wildfires are influenced by several factors, including the amount of available dry fuel, the local climate, and the specific characteristics of the lightning strike itself, such as its intensity and duration.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-western-united-states-nbsp">Western United States&nbsp;</h3>



<p>In some regions, like the western United States, lightning is responsible for the majority of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-threaten-environmental-gains-in-the-amazon/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfires</a>, especially during the summer months when thunderstorms are more common. These fires can spread rapidly, driven by winds and the availability of dry fuel, making them difficult to control.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Lightning-caused wildfires can also lead to the formation of large fire complexes, where multiple fires merge into one, further complicating firefighting efforts.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ecological-role">Ecological role</h3>



<p>Interestingly, while lightning-caused wildfires can be destructive, they also play a crucial role in certain ecosystems. These fires can help to clear out dead vegetation, promote new growth, and maintain the health of fire-adapted ecosystems.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-future-of-fire-weather">The future of fire weather</h2>



<p>The future of fire weather is deeply concerning, as climate change is expected to significantly worsen the conditions that lead to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/canadian-wildfires-of-2023-were-a-global-environmental-setback/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">wildfires</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-climate-paradox">The climate paradox</h2>



<p>As global temperatures rise, the atmosphere will hold more moisture, but paradoxically, many regions will experience more intense and prolonged droughts. This will dry out <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/increased-co2-is-making-wildfires-more-severe-and-frequent/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vegetation</a>, turning forests and grasslands into tinderboxes ready to ignite.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Additionally, higher temperatures will increase the likelihood of extreme heat waves, which can further desiccate landscapes and create the perfect conditions for fires to spread rapidly and uncontrollably.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-precipitation-patterns-nbsp">Changing precipitation patterns&nbsp;</h3>



<p>Another factor influencing fire weather is changing precipitation patterns. While some areas might experience more rain, others will become drier, with rain increasingly falling in intense, short bursts rather than steady, prolonged periods. This leads to rapid runoff, reducing soil moisture and leaving the ground dry and more susceptible to fire. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wind-events-nbsp">Wind events&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The intensity and frequency of wind events, driven by shifting atmospheric patterns, are also expected to increase, which can fan the flames of wildfires, causing them to spread more quickly and making them harder to control.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-extended-fire-seasons">Extended fire seasons</h3>



<p>In the future, fire seasons will likely become longer, and fires will grow in both size and intensity. Regions that have historically been less prone to wildfires may begin to see more frequent fire events as their climates change.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The combination of these factors will make managing wildfires more challenging, putting greater pressure on firefighting resources and leading to increased risks to human life, property, and ecosystems. </p>



<p>The future of fire weather is a harsh reminder of the broader impacts of climate change, and the urgent need to adapt to our new reality.</p>



<p>The Wapiti Fire image was captured on August 31, 2024 by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;</p>



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

Wapiti Fire in Idaho: Unpredictable and difficult to contain

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from the European Space Agency features the star-forming region NGC 604, which is located 2.73 million light-years away from Earth in the Triangulum Galaxy (M33). The image was captured by the James Webb Space Telescope.</p>



<p>By studying regions like NGC 604, astronomers can gain insights into the complex interactions between stars and the interstellar medium, as well as the conditions that lead to the birth of stars. This, in turn, helps in understanding the evolution of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-like-our-own-milky-way-are-not-unique/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> and the universe as a whole.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-massive-stars-of-ngc-604">Massive stars of NGC 604</h2>



<p>"Sheltered among NGC 604’s dusty envelopes of gas are more than 200 of the hottest, most massive kinds of stars, all in the early stages of their lives," said <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.</p>



<p>"These types of stars are known as B-types and O-types, the latter of which can be more than 100 times the mass of our own Sun. It’s quite rare to find this concentration of them in the nearby universe. In fact, there’s no similar region within our own Milky Way galaxy."</p>



<p>According to ESA, this concentration of massive stars, combined with its relatively close distance, means NGC 604 gives astronomers an opportunity to study these objects at a fascinating time early in their life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gigantic-region-of-ionized-hydrogen">Gigantic region of ionized hydrogen</h2>



<p>NGC 604 is one of the largest known regions of ionized hydrogen, also known as an H II region. This nebula is significantly larger than the Orion Nebula, which is one of the most well-known H II regions in our own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/large-amount-of-dark-matter-may-be-missing-from-the-milky-way/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way galaxy</a>.&nbsp;</p>



<p>NGC 604 spans about 1,500 light-years across, making it one of the largest H II regions in the Local Group of galaxies, which includes the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy, and about 54 other smaller galaxies.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ngc-604-starburst-phenomenon">NGC 604 starburst phenomenon </h2>



<p>Within NGC 604, there are hundreds of young, hot, massive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stars-at-the-edge-of-our-milky-way-galaxy-travel-more-slowly/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a>. These stars have ionized the surrounding gas, causing it to glow and creating the nebula. The region is a prime example of a starburst phenomenon, where stars form at a much higher rate than in typical galactic conditions.</p>



<p>“The bright orange streaks in this image signify the presence of carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs," explained ESA.</p>



<p>"As you travel further from the immediate cavities of dust where the star is forming, the deeper red signifies molecular hydrogen. This cooler gas is a prime environment for star formation. Ionized hydrogen from ultraviolet radiation appears as a white and blue ghostly glow."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-about-star-formation">More about star formation </h2>



<p>Star formation is crucial for the evolution of galaxies and the synthesis of heavy elements. In the cores of stars, elements heavier than helium are created.</p>



<p>The elements are spread throughout the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-stars-shakti-shiva-shaped-milky-way-galaxy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxy</a> when stars reach the end of their lives and expel their material - either gently through winds or violently via supernova explosions. This enriching process allows for the formation of new stars and planets, and ultimately, the potential for life.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-process-of-star-formation">Process of star formation</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Cloud collapse</h3>



<p>The process begins when part of a molecular cloud becomes unstable and starts to collapse under its own gravity. This can be triggered by events like shock waves from nearby <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernovae</a>, galactic collisions, or the influence of other massive stars.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Formation of a protostar</h3>



<p>As the cloud collapses, it fragments into smaller clumps. Each clump will eventually form one or more stars. </p>



<p>The material within these clumps continues to fall inward, heating up as it does so, eventually forming a warm core called a protostar. At this stage, the protostar is not yet hot enough for nuclear fusion (the process that powers stars) to occur.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Accretion disk</h3>



<p>Around the protostar, material from the surrounding cloud continues to fall inward, forming a rotating disk. This material slowly accretes onto the protostar, increasing its mass.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Nuclear fusion begins</h3>



<p>Once the core of the protostar reaches a high enough temperature and pressure, hydrogen atoms begin to fuse into helium, releasing energy in the process. This marks the transition from a protostar to a main sequence star, like our sun.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Main sequence and beyond</h3>



<p>The star will spend the majority of its life in the main sequence stage, where it balances the gravitational forces trying to collapse it and the outward pressure from nuclear fusion. </p>



<p>Eventually, the star will exhaust its hydrogen fuel. Its subsequent evolution will depend on its initial mass, leading to various end stages such as red giants, supernovae, neutron stars, or black holes.</p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope</p>



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NGC 604 is home to hundreds of hot, massive stars

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from NASA Earth Observatory features an astronaut view of the northeast coast of Somalia. This region, which borders the Indian Ocean, has a mix of sandy beaches and rugged cliffs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-closer-look-at-northeast-somalia">A closer look at Northeast Somalia </h2>



<p>"The detailed image reveals a desert landscape etched by wind and water," said NASA. "Over time, streams have cut canyons into the earth. But streams in this region are ephemeral, making groundwater the main source of fresh water."&nbsp;</p>



<p>"The water table is shallow (wells are typically drilled less than 20 meters deep) and meets the surface toward the coast, creating springs."</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>, bidirectional winds sculpted the tan, brown, and reddish sand into transverse <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sand-dunes-hold-a-record-of-fire-history/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sand dunes</a> visible near the stream’s deltas. "The orientation of the sand dunes indicates that they were likely formed by summer winds blowing up the coast from the southwest."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economy-of-northeast-somalia">Economy of Northeast Somalia </h2>



<p>The economy of northeast Somalia, specifically the autonomous region of Puntland, is primarily based on fishing, livestock, and trade. </p>



<p>Puntland has a long coastline along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, and the waters are home to various types of fish, including tuna, mackerel, and lobster. </p>



<p>However, the fishing industry is underdeveloped and faces challenges such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dark-fleets-hidden-industrial-fishing-activity-exposed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fishing</a> by foreign vessels.</p>



<p>The arid and semi-arid lands are well-suited for raising goats, sheep, camels, and cattle. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-in-livestock-are-major-drivers-of-antibiotic-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Livestock</a> is the main export, with animals being sold to markets in the Middle East.</p>



<p>The region is home to important port cities like Bosaso, which is a hub for trade and commerce. These ports are vital for both the local and national economy.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-of-northeast-somalia">Wildlife of Northeast Somalia </h2>



<p>The region includes a mix of desert-adapted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/even-desert-plants-are-not-immune-to-climate-stress/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">species</a> and those that thrive in the more fertile areas near the coast and highlands. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mammals">Mammals</h3>



<p>Large mammals such as the Somali wild ass, a critically endangered species, and the gerenuk, a long-necked antelope, are among the most notable inhabitants. </p>



<p>The Somali wild ass is particularly suited to the harsh desert environment, while the gerenuk can survive long periods without water by feeding on moisture-rich vegetation.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds">Birds</h3>



<p>Birdlife in Northeast Somalia is also abundant, with a variety of species adapted to different habitats ranging from coastal areas to dry savannahs. </p>



<p>Raptors such as the Somali ostrich and various eagles can be spotted, along with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-do-migratory-birds-navigate-with-such-accuracy/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">migratory birds</a> that pass through the region during seasonal changes. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-marine-life-reptiles-and-insects">Marine life, reptiles, and insects</h3>



<p>The coastal waters, especially along the Gulf of Aden, are home to dolphins, whales, and a variety of fish species.</p>



<p>The region's reptiles include various species of lizards, snakes, and tortoises, many of which are well-adapted to the arid conditions. Insects, particularly locusts and butterflies, play significant roles in the local ecosystem.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildlife-conservation">Wildlife conservation </h3>



<p>Despite its arid climate, Northeast Somalia's diverse ecosystems support a surprising range of wildlife, although many species face threats from habitat loss, overgrazing, and hunting. </p>



<p>Conservation efforts are ongoing, but the region's political instability has often hampered effective wildlife management and protection.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture-of-northeast-somalia">Culture of Northeast Somalia </h2>



<p>Northeast Somalia's culture is a mosaic of tradition, religion, and external influences, reflecting the resilience and adaptability of its people.</p>



<p>The region's culture is deeply intertwined with Islam, which influences daily life, social norms, and celebrations. Poetry and storytelling are highly valued, with oral traditions serving as a key method for passing down history and values. </p>



<p>Somalis from this region are known for their hospitality, with the concept of "sooryo" emphasizing the importance of welcoming guests.</p>



<p>Family ties and clan affiliations play a significant role in the social structure, dictating everything from marriage to conflict resolution. </p>



<p>The people of Northeast Somalia have a strong sense of identity and pride, which is often expressed through traditional dances, music, and clothing. Despite modern influences, there is a conscious effort to preserve traditional customs, especially in rural areas.</p>



<p>The photograph was captured on August 9, 2023 as the International Space Station orbited over the Horn of Africa.</p>



<p><em>Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;</em></p>



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Northeast Somalia: A landscape shaped by wind and water

<p>In our animated world, life teems with activity day and night. Unseen to the human eye, tiny bacteria - the oldest life forms on Earth - have a secret internal rhythm that they use to sense the arrival of new seasons. Bacteria are, in fact, able to "set" their internal 24-hour clocks to predict the coming cold.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-biological-clock-of-bacteria">Biological clock of bacteria</h2>



<p>Findings from a recent study could give a fresh insight into adapting to climate change. The focus of the study was cyanobacteria, a type of blue-green algae. Researchers created an artificial environment with varying day lengths at a constant warm temperature to see how these tiny organisms would react. </p>



<p>The bacteria were exposed to either short days, equinox days (equal light and dark), or long days - all part of an "ice bucket challenge."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-icy-stress-test">Icy stress test</h2>



<p>After eight days, the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turning-plants-into-carbon-capture-machines-with-cyanobacteria/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cyanobacteria</a> were subjected to an ice bath for two hours, and survival rates were observed. </p>



<p>These microscopic organisms, which had been conditioned to a sequence of short days before the icy stress test, had survival rates of 75%. Astoundingly, this was up to three times higher than those that had not been prepped in this way.</p>



<p>Just one short day wasn't enough to boost their cold resistance. It took a series of short days, ideally six to eight, for their chance of survival to notably improve.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-biological-clocks-in-bacteria">Role of biological clocks in bacteria</h2>



<p>Interestingly, when these bacteria had their biological clock genes removed, their survival rates were the same regardless of day lengths. </p>



<p>What does this tell us? It shows that their ability to measure the day-night cycle - known as photoperiodism - is crucial for adapting to longer-term environmental changes such as a new season or climate shifts.</p>



<p>"After a certain number of short days, similar to autumn, they 'switch' to a different physiology in anticipation of the wintry challenges that lie ahead," explained Dr. Luísa Jabbur, the first author of the study.</p>



<p>Dr Jabbur conducted this research under the guidance of Professor Carl Johnson at <a href="https://www.vanderbilt.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vanderbilt University</a>, Tennessee, and currently holds a BBSRC Discovery Fellow at the John Innes Centre.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bacteria-clocks-and-seasons">Bacteria, clocks, and seasons</h2>



<p>Previous studies have shown that bacteria possess a version of a biological clock, which could offer an evolutionary advantage by measuring differences in day-night length. But this research is the first of its kind to demonstrate that photoperiodism in bacteria evolved to anticipate seasonal cues.</p>



<p>The question that this uncovers is, how does an organism with a lifespan of just six to 24 hours evolve a mechanism not merely to react to, but to anticipate, future conditions?</p>



<p>"It’s like they are signaling to their daughter cells and their granddaughter cells, passing information that the days are getting short, you need to do something," said Dr. Jabbur.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-our-tiny-organisms">What's next for our tiny organisms?</h2>



<p>The John Innes Centre, where Dr. Jabbur is currently based, will further use cyanobacteria to understand how photoperiodic responses might evolve in other species during climate change.</p>



<p>Dr Jabbur believes that unlocking the secrets of these tiny organisms could hold the key to major future advancements, such as improving crop resilience in the face of climate change.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bacteria-clocks-and-agriculture">Bacteria clocks and agriculture</h2>



<p>The implications of this research extend far beyond the microscopic world of cyanobacteria. Understanding how these organisms adapt their physiological responses in anticipation of environmental changes could potentially transform agricultural practices.</p>



<p>If we can harness the mechanisms of photoperiodism in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-and-imprint-new-era-dna-transformation/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a>, we might be able to enhance crop resilience against climate variances and extreme weather patterns. </p>



<p>By selectively breeding or genetically modifying crops to respond similarly, we can create varieties that are better equipped to handle sudden changes in temperature or precipitation, thus ensuring food security in a tumultuous climate landscape.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broadening-our-perspective">Broadening our perspective</h2>



<p>This discovery on the biological clock of bacteria also encourages a re-evaluation of the role that microbial life plays within ecosystems. Traditionally, bacteria have been viewed largely through the lens of their immediate impacts on health and decay.</p>



<p>Yet, as these findings illustrate, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bacteria-pass-down-memories-to-future-generations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a> exhibit remarkable adaptations to environmental shifts, suggesting a more profound ecological intelligence than previously acknowledged. </p>



<p>This broadened perspective invites us to consider the contributions of microorganisms in not only maintaining ecosystem balance but also in addressing the challenges posed by climate change.</p>



<p>Through a collaborative effort that merges microbiology, ecology, and agricultural science, we can better appreciate and leverage the incredible capabilities of these tiny life forms in our quest for sustainability.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-laugh-and-a-legacy">A laugh and a legacy</h2>



<p>This discovery is indeed a promising scientific breakthrough for Dr Jabbur, who faced initial skepticism from her scientific mentor, Professor Carl Johnson. But as they say, the proof is in the pudding, and her experiments were successful.</p>



<p>“As well as being a fascinating person and an inspiration, Carl sings in the Nashville Symphony Chorus, and he has an operatic laugh! It echoed round the department when I first outlined my idea for the icy challenge, to see if photoperiod was a cue for cyanobacteria in their natural element,” said Dr. Jabbur. </p>



<p>“To be fair he told me to go away and try it, and as I went, he showed me a sign on his door with the Frank Westheimer quote: ‘Progress is made by young scientists who carry out experiments that old scientists say would not work.’&nbsp;</p>



<p>“It did work, first time. Then I repeated the experiments. There is something very precious about looking at a set of plates with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hungry-bacteria-will-devour-plastic-waste/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bacteria</a> on them and realizing that in that moment you know something that nobody else knows.”&nbsp;</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado8588" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Science</em></a>.</p>



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Bacteria use biological clocks to predict and survive cold weather

In our animated world, life teems with activity day and...

<p>The universe is an infinite abyss filled with curiosities that have been puzzling humankind since we first craned our necks to the moonlit sky. Among these mysteries, the origins and mergers of supermassive black holes hold a special place.</p>



<p>Imagine a celestial entity with mass a million times that of the sun, tucked away in the center of a galaxy. That's not just any old space mystery - it's one of the grandest enigmas of the cosmos.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-black-hole-merger-events">Black hole merger events</h2>



<p>Researchers from the Nevada Center for Astrophysics at UNLV (NCfA) have recently made some intriguing revelations about these mighty <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/jwst-has-detected-most-distant-black-hole-merger-ever/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cosmic phenomena</a>.</p>



<p>The focus of their study was the supermassive black hole at the heart of our Milky Way galaxy, known as Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). The evidence points to an enticing possibility - Sgr A* is likely the offspring of a past cosmic merger.</p>



<p>Published in the journal <em>Nature Astronomy</em>, the study explored recent observations from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). In 2022, the EHT achieved something phenomenal - it procured the first direct image of Sagittarius A*.</p>



<p>By syncing data from eight existing radio observatories worldwide, scientists created a mammoth Earth-sized virtual telescope.</p>



<p>Two astrophysicists from UNLV, Yihan Wang and Bing Zhang, leveraged this invaluable EHT data to probe how Sgr A* might have come into existence. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spin-and-misalignment-mystery">Spin and misalignment mystery</h2>



<p>Supermassive black holes are believed to grow either via the gradual accumulation of matter or by two existing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-holes-are-not-the-secret-source-of-dark-matter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black holes</a> merging.</p>



<p>Wang and Zhang examined various growth models to comprehend the peculiar rapid spin and misalignment of Sgr A* in regard to the Milky Way’s angular momentum. </p>



<p>After rigorous research, they established that these odd traits hint at a significant merger event involving Sgr A* and another <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supermassive-binary-black-holes-secrets-revealed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive black hole</a>, most likely from a satellite galaxy.</p>



<p>“Our understanding of how supermassive black holes grow and evolve will greatly benefit from this discovery,” said Wang, the lead author of the study.</p>



<p>"The misaligned high spin of Sgr A* indicates that it may have merged with another black hole, causing a dramatic alteration in its amplitude and orientation of spin.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-black-hole-merger-theory">Black hole merger theory</h2>



<p>The researchers didn’t just make these claims on a whim. They ran sophisticated simulations and tested numerous scenarios consistent with the observed spin properties of Sgr A*<em>. </em></p>



<p>The results suggested that a merger with a 4:1 mass ratio and a highly inclined orbital configuration could potentially replicate Sgr A's spin specifics.</p>



<p>“Around 9 billion years ago, after the Milky Way merged with the Gaia-Enceladus galaxy, this merger probably took place,” said Zhang, a distinguished professor of physics and astronomy at UNLV and the founding director of the <a href="https://ncfa.physics.unlv.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NCfA</a>.</p>



<p>“Not only does this event back the hierarchical black hole merger theory, but it also enlightens us on our galaxy's dynamic history.”</p>



<p>Sgr A* is not just any old celestial entity. It is perched at the center of our galaxy, more than 27,000 light-years from Earth. And to visualize this massive player, we need advanced tools like the EHT that facilitate direct imaging and help scientists test their predictive theories.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-unraveling-galactic-history">Unraveling galactic history</h2>



<p>The implications of understanding the formation of supermassive black holes extend far beyond the singularities themselves; they offer insights into the evolutionary narrative of galaxies. </p>



<p>The merger events that lead to the creation of these cosmic titans may also reveal how galaxies like our Milky Way have sculpted their environments over billions of years. When we witness black holes of immense scale, we are essentially gazing back through time to comprehend pivotal epochs of cosmic history.</p>



<p>These phenomena serve as markers of significant interactions with other celestial bodies, allowing astrophysicists to piece together a more comprehensive picture of the galactic tapestry we inhabit.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-impact-and-implications">Impact and implications</h2>



<p>The researchers anticipate that their findings will bear substantial implications for future observations. In particular, they would be valuable for upcoming space-borne gravitational wave detectors like the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).</p>



<p>Slated for launch in 2035, LISA is predicted to detect similar <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/merging-quasars-cosmic-dawn-reveal-how-early-universe-formed/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supermassive black holes</a> mergers across the cosmos. </p>



<p>The researchers concluded: "The inferred merger rate, consistent with theoretical predictions, suggests a promising detection rate of SMBH mergers for the space-borne gravitational wave detectors expected to operate in the 2030s."</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02358-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Astronomy.</em></a></p>



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Milky Way's black hole formed through a merger

The universe is an infinite abyss filled with curiosities that...

<p>Imagine this: with just a focus on 0.7% of the world's land, we could safeguard a third of the world's endangered tetrapod species. How? The answers lie in a recent study from Imperial College London, On the Edge, and ZSL.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-era-of-conservation-efforts">New era of conservation efforts</h2>



<p>We live in a world teeming with biodiversity, where 0.7% of our planet's land can house a stunning one third of threatened tetrapod species. </p>



<p>The team at <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Imperial College London</a>, backed by supporting organizations, On the Edge and ZSL, have adopted a new perspective for conservation. </p>



<p>Focused on regions boasting wondrous biodiversity and species with unique evolutionary traits and global endangerment, they're setting the stage for a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/are-we-failing-the-worlds-most-threatened-species/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new era of conservation efforts</a>.</p>



<p>The list of endangered species in their radar ranges from a very unique lemur in Madagascar, called the aye-aye, and a bird that seems like it’s put on high heels and a cape, the secretary bird. </p>



<p>There’s also a frog that looks like it’s preparing for a masquerade ball with a pig nose, known as the purple frog, and let's not forget the gharial, an endangered crocodile species from India with a nose so long it would give Pinocchio a run for his money.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-proactive-protection-or-persistent-pressure">Proactive protection or persistent pressure?</h2>



<p>Despite these identifiable hotspots of biodiversity, the unfortunate truth is that only 20% of these areas are under any form of protection. Human activities continue to exert growing pressures on these regions, almost like tightening a noose around our own natural wealth.</p>



<p>Sebastian Pipins, a PhD candidate at the Grantham Institute, Imperial College London, and the lead author of this study, provides his insights. He emphasizes the immediate concern these regions pose due to their exceptional biodiversity richness. </p>



<p>"Our research highlights the regions of the world that are of immediate concern. Furthermore, it shows that in protecting just a fraction of the Earth’s land surface, huge gains can be made for the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nasa-is-tracking-endangered-animal-habitats-from-space/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">preservation</a> of nature," said Pipins.</p>



<p>"Given the global importance of the biodiversity found within these regions, high-income countries must mobilize funding to facilitate sustainable development that can benefit both humans and nature."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-on-the-edge-of-extinction">On the edge of extinction</h2>



<p>This project isn’t about conservation alone. It's also about preserving the evolutionary narrative of our world, written over millennia. </p>



<p>EDGE is short for Evolutionarily Distinct (ED) and Globally Endangered (GE) species. These are creatures that have few or no close relatives today, carrying unique evolutionary stories on the brink of being silenced forever.</p>



<p>With nearly 3,000 EDGE species mapped out, the team identifies 25 "EDGE Zones" for impactful conservation efforts. </p>



<p>These areas are biodiversity-rich hotspots, such as large portions of Southeast Asia and the Indo-Gangetic plain, the Amazon basin, the Atlantic Forest, Hispaniola, Cameroon's highlands, and the Eastern Arc mountains of East Africa.</p>



<p>Interestingly, the greatest concentration of EDGE species was found in less than 100 square kilometers in Madagascar. Along with Mexico and Indonesia, it hosts the highest number of EDGE species. It's almost like they're the VIP lounges for the world's most <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/the-12-endangered-birds-most-at-risk-of-extinction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unique creatures</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-saving-unique-endangered-species">Saving unique, endangered species</h2>



<p>Dr. Rikki Gumbs, a co-author of the study from the ZSL’s EDGE of Existence program, drops a stark reality check on us: Three-fourths of the world's most unique animals are confined to a single country.</p>



<p>Most EDGE Zones, especially in Southeast Asia, face an impending biodiversity disaster due to human disturbances. </p>



<p>It's not just about protecting our unique creatures; we're also dealing with a scenario where humans residing in these EDGE Zones face deprivation in health, education, and living standards.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-priceless-biodiversity-of-endangered-species">Priceless biodiversity of endangered species</h2>



<p>Governments often struggle to strike a balance between addressing human needs and preserving biodiversity. The researchers emphasize that high-income countries must step up to the plate, mobilizing funding for sustainable development benefiting both humans and nature.</p>



<p>The team's ambitious global goal? Get more EDGE Zones under protected status, with the current figure standing at a dismal 20 percent. As the planet gears up for COP16 Biodiversity Conference, it's time to push for increased commitments and resources to preserve and restore our shared natural world.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-bigger-picture-for-biodiversity">Bigger picture for biodiversity</h2>



<p>This study isn't about conservation of endangered species alone. It's about preserving the library of life on Earth, where every creature holds a unique tale of evolution. Our researchers strongly believe that the EDGE Zone approach can be extended to other important groups of wildlife, including plants and fish.</p>



<p>The charitable organization On the Edge and the ZSL's EDGE of Existence program are already using the research findings to guide their activities. Here's hoping that these campaigns and regional efforts, combined with storytelling and increased funding, will turn the tide for the unique species of the world.</p>



<p>In the end, we're talking about securing 0.7% of our planet's land to protect a third of our threatened tetrapods. It's a small shift in perspective, but it carries a massive potential for positive change. </p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51992-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Communications</a>.</em></p>



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



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Protecting just 0.7% of land can save many unique species

Imagine this: with just a focus on 0.7% of the...

<p>Ever had that moment when you throw a rock into a pond and observe the ripples moving away from the spot? Now, imagine something similar happening, but on a much bigger scale - in space. That's what happened when NASA's DART spacecraft made history by altering the path of a gigantic space rock hurling through the cosmos.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dart-mission-makes-history">DART mission makes history</h2>



<p>In 2022, DART made more than just ripples, it made waves of debris in space. It strategically collided with the Dimorphos asteroid, causing a ripple effect that shifted its orbit around its larger sibling, the Didymos asteroid.</p>



<p>The interaction didn't just stop there. The impact kicked up an astronomical dust storm, a cloud of debris that may soon become a tad bit personal for us Earthlings and our rusty neighbor, Mars. The most recent models suggest that some of the smaller meteoroids from this debris might make their way to both Earth and Mars.</p>



<p>Not to worry, though. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/turning-moon-soil-lunar-regolith-space-debris-into-building-materials/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">debris</a> shower won't be disastrous, but rather a sight to behold, quite safely from our terrains.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-planetary-defense-collaboration">Planetary defense collaboration </h2>



<p>With a diameter of about 160 meters, the small moon Dimorphos orbits the larger body Didymos in what is known as a binary asteroid system. </p>



<p>The DART <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/dart/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">spacecraft</a>, or the Double Asteroid Redirect Test, made contact with Dimorphos on September 26, 2022.</p>



<p>The outcome? A significant shortening of Dimorphos' orbit around Didymos by half an hour. It was the first act in an international planetary defense collaboration - a literal game-changer.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hera-will-investigate-further">Hera will investigate further</h2>



<p>Now, who's going to clean up this mess? Enter ESA's <a href="https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Hera" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hera spacecraft</a>. Scheduled for launch this October, Hera will reach Dimorphos for a close-up "crash scene investigation," following the DART mission's impact.</p>



<p>"The DART impact offers a rare opportunity to investigate the delivery of ejecta to other celestial bodies, thanks to the fact that we know the impact location and that this impact was observed by the Italian LICIACube deployed from DART as well as by Earth-based observers," said ESA Hera mission scientist and co-author of this exciting development, Michael Kueppers.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-will-dart-debris-reach-earth">Will DART debris reach Earth?</h2>



<p>To understand how the debris from the Dimorphos impact might reach us, it's essential to assess its speed. </p>



<p>“Our results indicate the possibility of ejecta reaching the gravitational field of Mars in 13 years for launch velocities around 450 m/s, while faster ejecta launched at 770 m/s could reach its vicinity in just seven years," explained Eloy Peña-Asensio, lead author of the study.</p>



<p>"Particles moving above 1.5 km/s could reach the Earth-Moon system in a similar timescale.”</p>



<p>However, whether the debris would indeed make it to Mars or Earth is subject to several factors. In essence, the location of the debris in the impact plume plays a deciding role.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-human-made-meteor-shower">A human-made meteor shower</h2>



<p>“In the coming decades, meteor observation campaigns will be crucial in determining whether fragments of Dimorphos, resulting from the DART impact, will reach our planet. If this happens, we will witness the first human-made meteor shower,” noted Peña-Asensio.</p>



<p>As for the consequential meteoroids, the largest ones would likely be about the size of a softball. These larger particles would burn up in Earth’s atmosphere. However, they might manage to slip through the thinner <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sky-cranes-are-shaping-the-future-of-mars-missions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Martian</a> atmosphere.</p>



<p>However, it's the smaller particles that move at higher speeds which stand a chance to reach the Earth's atmosphere. But there's no need to panic. We have plenty of time and resources to track the debris and ensure our safety.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-significance-of-the-dart-mission">Significance of the DART mission</h2>



<p>The significance of the DART impact is not solely about potential meteor showers or altered space debris routes. It's also about the human spirit of curiosity, exploration, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-first-lunar-earth-flyby-gave-juice-spacecraft-successful-gravity-boost-to-jupiter/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">conquering new frontiers</a>.</p>



<p>"Our accurate knowledge of the impact site and impactor properties in terms of size, mass, and velocity plus the observations of the ejecta are what allowed us to estimate the long-term fate of the material leaving the Didymos system," said Michael Kueppers.</p>



<p>Hera, named after the Greek goddess of marriage, is expected to begin its investigation of the asteroid pair in late 2026. According to ESA, the spacecraft will perform high-resolution mapping of Dimorphos, providing extremely valuable information for future asteroid deflection missions and science.</p>



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



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DART mission debris will create a human-made meteor shower

Ever had that moment when you throw a rock into...

<p>Dinosaur fossils have revealed an astonishing discovery - collagen, the protein found in bones, skin, muscles, and ligaments, has been detected in specimens as old as 195 million years. This far exceeds the expected half-life of peptide bonds, which usually break down within 500 years.</p>



<p>Such a remarkable finding challenges long-held assumptions about how biological materials degrade over time.</p>



<p>Typically, proteins are some of the first components to disappear from fossils, leaving behind only hard minerals like bone. </p>



<p>Yet, in the case of these ancient dinosaurs, collagen has somehow persisted, offering scientists a unique opportunity to explore molecular preservation in an entirely new way.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinosaur-collagen-defies-time">Dinosaur collagen defies time</h2>



<p>A recent study from the <a href="https://www.mit.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Massachusetts Institute of Technology</a> (MIT) explains how collagen can survive far beyond its expected lifespan. </p>



<p>The researchers uncovered a special atomic-level interaction that defends collagen from water molecule attacks, forming a barricade that prevents peptide bonds from being broken through hydrolysis.</p>



<p>Study senior author Ron Raines, the Firmenich Professor of Chemistry at MIT, collaborated with lead author and postdoc Jinyi Yang, postdoc Volga Kojasoy, and graduate student Gerard Porter.</p>



<p>"We provide evidence that that interaction prevents water from attacking the peptide bonds and cleaving them. That just flies in the face of what happens with a normal peptide bond, which has a half-life of only 500 years," explained Professor Raines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-flexibility-of-dinosaur-collagen">The flexibility of dinosaur collagen</h2>



<p>Collagen is essential to biological structures, particularly due to its tough, fibrous composition. Made of long, intertwined protein strands forming a triple helix, collagen is remarkably stable.</p>



<p>"Collagen is the scaffold that holds us together," said Professor Raines. "What makes the collagen protein so stable, and such a good choice for this scaffold, is that unlike most proteins, it’s fibrous."</p>



<p>Evidence of collagen has even been found in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extraordinary-dinosaur-fossils-discovered-from-the-end-of-cretaceous-era/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dinosaur fossils</a>, including an 80-million-year-old <em><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/t-rex-was-about-70-percent-bigger-than-we-thought/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tyrannosaurus rex</a></em> fossil and a nearly 200-million-year-old sauropodomorph fossil.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-secrets-behind-collagen-s-longevity">Secrets behind collagen's longevity</h2>



<p>Collagen's peptide bonds, formed between carbon and nitrogen atoms, are resistant to hydrolysis because of their structure. These bonds also include a double bond with oxygen, creating a molecular structure known as a carbonyl group.</p>



<p>The carbonyl oxygen can share its unbonded electrons with the neighboring <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/did-the-building-blocks-of-life-form-inside-of-water-droplets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">peptide bond</a>, preventing water from disrupting the structure.</p>



<p>To test this, the team created two collagen mimics. One mimic formed the triple helix (trans), while the other had rotated peptide bonds (cis). The researchers found that water could infiltrate and disrupt the cis form, while the trans form resisted water damage.</p>



<p>"A peptide bond is either cis or trans, and we can change the cis to trans ratio. By doing that, we can mimic the natural state of collagen or create an unprotected peptide bond. And we saw that when it was unprotected, it was not long for the world," noted Professor Raines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-immortal-protein">The immortal protein</h2>



<p>Unlike other <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rare-dinosaur-protein/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">proteins</a>, collagen is composed entirely of triple helices, with no weak links. "Collagen is all triple helices, from one end to the other. There’s no weak link, and that’s why I think it has survived," said Professor Raines.</p>



<p>While other hypotheses suggest dehydration or other factors may contribute to collagen’s longevity, the MIT research points to the unique molecular protection as a key factor. </p>



<p>"I can’t discount the contributions from other factors, but 200 million years is a long time, and I think you need something at the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/discrimination-speeds-up-aging-molecular-level/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">molecular level</a>, at the atomic level in order to explain it," noted Raines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dinosaur-collagen-and-protein-preservation">Dinosaur collagen and protein preservation</h2>



<p>The discovery of dinosaur collagen and its ability to survive for hundreds of millions of years opens new doors in the study of protein preservation and fossilization. </p>



<p>These findings could revolutionize how scientists approach the study of ancient life, enabling more accurate reconstructions of prehistoric biology. </p>



<p>Furthermore, in fields such as paleobiology and biotechnology, understanding how proteins withstand degradation over time can inspire new technologies and applications.</p>



<p>As researchers continue to explore the intricacies of collagen, the mysteries of how ancient proteins defy time could lead to broader scientific breakthroughs that span multiple disciplines, from archaeology to bioengineering.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acscentsci.4c00971" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ACS Central Science</a></em>.</p>



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How dinosaur collagen survived the test of time

Dinosaur fossils have revealed an astonishing discovery - collagen, the...

<p>Honesty is usually considered the best policy, but there are moments when telling the truth isn’t always the right choice. Social norms help humans decide when to be truthful and when to bend the truth to spare someone’s feelings or avoid harm. But how do these norms translate to robots, which are becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives? </p>



<p>To explore whether humans are comfortable with robots lying, researchers asked nearly 500 participants to evaluate and justify different types of robot <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-happens-when-robots-lie/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deception</a>.</p>



<p>“I wanted to explore an understudied facet of robot ethics, to contribute to our understanding of mistrust towards emerging technologies and their developers,” explained lead author Andres Rosero, a PhD candidate at <a href="https://www.gmu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">George Mason University</a>. </p>



<p>“With the advent of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/could-generative-ai-go-mad-and-wreck-internet-data/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">generative AI</a>, I felt it was important to begin examining possible cases in which anthropomorphic design and behavior sets could be utilized to manipulate users.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-distinct-types-of-deceptive-robot-behavior-nbsp">Distinct types of deceptive robot behavior&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The researchers selected three common work scenarios involving robots - medical, cleaning, and retail - and tested three distinct types of deceptive behavior.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These behaviors were categorized as external state deceptions (lying about the outside world), hidden state deceptions (concealing the robot’s capabilities), and superficial state deceptions (exaggerating the robot’s abilities).</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-external-state-deception-nbsp">External state deception&nbsp;</h3>



<p>In the external state deception scenario, a robot acting as a caretaker for a woman with Alzheimer’s lies, telling her that her late husband will be home soon.&nbsp;</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-state-deception-nbsp">Hidden state deception&nbsp;</h3>



<p>The hidden state <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ai-deception-is-a-growing-issue-that-we-cannot-control/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">deception</a> scenario involves a woman visiting a house where a robot is cleaning, unaware that the robot is secretly filming her. </p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-superficial-state-deception-nbsp">Superficial state deception&nbsp;</h3>



<p>In the superficial state deception scenario, a robot in a store complains about feeling pain while helping move furniture, prompting a human to ask someone else to take over for the robot.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-people-view-robot-deception-nbsp">How people view robot deception&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The team recruited 498 participants, asking each to read one of the scenarios and respond to a questionnaire.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The participants were asked whether they approved of the robot’s actions, how deceptive they considered the behavior, whether the deception was justifiable, and who, if anyone, they believed was responsible for the lie. The researchers then analyzed the responses to identify patterns in how people viewed each type of deception.</p>



<p>Of the three scenarios, participants were most disapproving of the hidden state deception involving the house cleaning robot that was secretly filming. They rated it as the most deceptive and found it largely unjustifiable.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In contrast, while the external and superficial state deceptions were also seen as deceptive, the superficial deception - where the robot pretended to feel pain - was viewed more negatively, likely because it seemed manipulative.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-some-lies-are-justified">Some lies are justified</h2>



<p>Interestingly, participants were most supportive of the external state deception, where the robot lied to the Alzheimer’s patient. Many justified the lie by saying it protected the patient from emotional pain, prioritizing compassion over truthfulness.</p>



<p>While participants could offer justifications for all three forms of deception - some suggested that the hidden state deception might have been for security reasons - most were firmly against the idea of robots lying about their capabilities without disclosure.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-robots-that-manipulate-users-nbsp">Robots that manipulate users&nbsp;</h2>



<p>More than half the participants who encountered the superficial state deception, where the robot faked pain, also found it unacceptable. When it came to these unacceptable deceptions, participants often pointed the blame at the robot’s developers or owners rather than the robot itself.</p>



<p>“I think we should be concerned about any technology that is capable of withholding the true nature of its capabilities, because it could lead to users being manipulated by that technology in ways the user (and perhaps the developer) never intended,” Rosero said.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“We’ve already seen examples of companies using web design principles and artificial intelligence chatbots in ways that are designed to manipulate users towards a certain action. We need regulation to protect ourselves from these harmful deceptions.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-gauging-human-reactions-to-robots">Gauging human reactions to robots</h2>



<p>However, the researchers acknowledged that this study represents just a first step in understanding human responses to robot deception. They noted that future experiments should use real-life scenarios - such as videos or roleplay simulations - to better gauge human reactions.</p>



<p>“The benefit of using a cross-sectional study with vignettes is that we can obtain a large number of participant attitudes and perceptions in a cost-controlled manner,” Rosero explained.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“Vignette studies provide baseline findings that can be corroborated or disputed through further experimentation. Experiments with in-person or simulated <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-will-humans-react-to-coexisting-with-robots/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">human-robot interactions</a> are likely to provide greater insight into how humans actually perceive these robot deception behaviors.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emerging-technologies-and-ethical-decisions">Emerging technologies and ethical decisions</h2>



<p>The research opens the door to understanding how we navigate the ethics of deception when it comes to emerging technologies like robots and AI.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As robots increasingly interact with humans in caregiving, service, and other industries, it's crucial to explore how comfortable we are with their behaviors, particularly when they involve deception.</p>



<p>With this study, the researchers have started a conversation about the ethical complexities of robot deception, pushing us to consider not just what robots can do, but what they should do. And as AI and robotic technologies continue to evolve, the need for clear regulations to protect users from potential manipulation becomes ever more pressing.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2024.1409712" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Frontiers in Robotics and AI</em></a><em>.</em></p>



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

Digital deception: How do humans respond to lying robots?

Honesty is usually considered the best policy, but there are...

<p>A new study sheds light on how the brain initiates spontaneous actions without any external triggers. </p>



<p>The research not only explains how these actions emerge but also offers insight into the mysterious ramping of neural activity before movement - a phenomenon that has puzzled scientists for years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-origins-of-spontaneous-action-nbsp">Origins of spontaneous action&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The study was led by Jake Gavenas during his time as a PhD student at the Brain Institute at <a href="https://www.chapman.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chapman University</a>. He collaborated with two faculty members, Uri Maoz and Aaron Schurger, to explore the origins of spontaneous action. </p>



<p>Together, the researchers simulated activity in neural networks and compared the results to real human intracortical recordings during spontaneous movement.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The findings offer a fascinating explanation for how the brain's <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/neurons-can-predict-human-speech-before-we-say-a-word/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">neurons</a> work together to trigger movement without any clear external signal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-signals-and-conscious-actions">Brain signals and conscious actions</h2>



<p>One of the study's key discoveries is that rapid fluctuations in the activity of individual neurons can combine within a network, resulting in much slower fluctuations when viewed at the population level.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This helps explain a phenomenon that many people have experienced but never fully understood - such as when you're standing on a diving platform, contemplating a jump. Nothing outside of you is telling you to jump, but at some point, you make the decision internally, and then you move.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The brain, specifically the motor cortex, is coordinating muscle contractions to make this happen, but the question is: where do the initial signals to jump come from, and how do they relate to your conscious decision to act?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spontaneous-voluntary-actions">Spontaneous voluntary actions</h2>



<p>Since the 1960s, neuroscientists have observed that electrical activity in the brain begins to increase one to two seconds before a spontaneous voluntary action. </p>



<p>Many researchers believed this slow ramping up of activity represented the brain preparing to move, following a preconscious decision. But what remained unclear was how this ramping process starts, as it seemed to emerge from nowhere.</p>



<p>This slow-ramping brain activity has sparked years of debate among neuroscientists and philosophers about <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/humans-do-not-have-free-will-stanford-scientist-robert-sapolsky/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">free will</a> and conscious control. </p>



<p>The big question has been whether this ramping signals that the brain is preparing to move even before we consciously decide to act, raising concerns that our actions might be predetermined at an <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/eating-behavior-is-influenced-by-the-unconscious-mind/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unconscious</a> level. Understanding where this ramping activity comes from has been a central problem in neuroscience.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-neural-activity-before-spontaneous-actions-nbsp">Neural activity before spontaneous actions&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Researchers like Maoz and Schurger have challenged the view that the brain makes a preconscious decision to move.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In 2012, Schurger proposed an alternative explanation, suggesting that the slow ramping in neural activity is part of a broader process. In this process, slow background fluctuations in the motor cortex accumulate until they hit a certain threshold, triggering movement.</p>



<p>In this framework, the key moment isn't when the slow ramping begins, but rather when the fluctuations cross a threshold to initiate action. This would explain why scientists see ramping activity before movement - because, looking back from the point of action, slow fluctuations would have been leading up to the threshold crossing all along.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This explanation, while compelling, left one crucial question unanswered: where do these slow background fluctuations in neural activity, often called 1/f noise, come from, considering that individual neurons fluctuate quite rapidly?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-slow-ramping-signals-nbsp">Slow-ramping signals&nbsp;</h2>



<p>The study is the first to provide an explanation for how slow background fluctuations arise from networks of neurons, none of which, individually, operate on such slow timescales.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The research shows that when neurons interact in a network, their fast, individual fluctuations can combine into slower, population-level fluctuations. These slow fluctuations can then lead to a threshold-crossing event, triggering movement and giving rise to the ramping activity that appears before spontaneous actions.</p>



<p>“We see similar slow-ramping signals before other kinds of spontaneous behaviors, like coming up with creative ideas or freely remembering things that have happened to you. A similar process might therefore underlie those phenomena, but only time and further research will tell,” Gavanas said.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-brain-triggers-movement">How the brain triggers movement</h2>



<p>In short, this study provides a possible explanation for the slow, spontaneous fluctuations in neural activity, which are widespread in neural systems and critical to understanding how the brain triggers movement without external cues.</p>



<p>Moreover, the study highlights an important point about how researchers interpret their findings. According to Maoz, it reveals the bias we have as researchers to think that our results uncover a causal mechanism, when it may really be just a correlation.</p>



<p>This observation reminds us that in neuroscience, understanding the difference between correlation and causation is crucial for making sense of how the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-does-creativity-start-in-the-brain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brain</a> functions.</p>



<p>The research is published published in the journal <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-51401-x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature Communications</em></a>. </p>



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What causes the brain to initiate spontaneous actions?

A new study sheds light on how the brain initiates...

<div class="wp-block-sendtonews-playerselector">[sendtonews key="0ynNMYkMKa-2340414-12187" type="single"]</div>



<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: ESA</em></p>



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



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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.</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>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.</p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;</em></p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> 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;</p>



<p>"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.</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p>"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."</p>



<p><em>Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;</em></p>



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



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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<p>Today's <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from the <a href="https://www.acs.org/">American Chemical Society</a> describes a new self-powered nanosensor that can instantly detect mercury contamination with the tap of a finger.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The oxidized form of mercury can be harmful when it is ingested through contaminated water or food. This makes it necessary for experts to develop sensors that can quickly and accurately detect the presence of mercury.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Zong-Hong Lin and colleagues have now created a triboelectric nanosensor (TENS) that can detect mercury by simply by touching a sample. According to the researchers, their TENS could serve as the basis for similar devices to safely and remotely monitor other pollutants.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;</em></p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features Kainji Lake, a reservoir on the Niger River.</p>



<p>In 1968, Kainji Lake was created by the construction of the Kainji Dam. The Niger River, the third longest in Africa, enters the lake in the north.&nbsp;</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rivers-in-the-american-west-are-a-lifesaving-resource-for-birds/">ESA</a>, the creation of the lake submerged Foge Island and the town of Bussa and permanently flooded other riverine settlements, leaving around 50,000 people displaced.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Large parts of Foge Island are temporarily exposed during low water tides, and the land is often used by migrating fishermen. Kainji Dam is a dam across the Niger River in Niger State of Central Nigeria. </p>



<p>Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.</p>



<p>Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest of its kind in Nigeria. The park contains three distinct areas: a part of the Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve to the west of the lake, and the Zugurma Game Reserve to the southeast. The park is home to around 65 mammal species, 350 bird species, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians. </p>



<p><em>Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;</em></p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

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<p>Today’s <strong>Video of the Day</strong> from <a href="https://www.igb.illinois.edu/">Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology</a> reveals how scientists can modify common crops like soybean, rice, and wheat to protect them from heat stress.</p>



<p>“We need to double crop production by 2050 to feed a growing global population, and not only are we not on track to do that, but climate change is further complicating things,” said Amanda Cavanagh, a lecturer at the University of Essex. </p>



<p>The study is part of Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE), an international research project that aims to develop food crops that turn the sun’s energy into food more efficiently.</p>



<p>“Using an engineering approach we designed multiple alternative metabolic pathways to photorespiration. Testing them in the field showed increases in productivity which led Amanda to significantly move the project forward by showing our engineered plants can withstand pretty extreme temperature stress,” said study co-author and RIPE researcher Paul South.&nbsp;</p>



<p>“As the climate changes and temperature stresses increase the pressure on our global food supply, farmers will need every tool available including engineering approaches like the synthetic biology used here to maintain safe and productive harvests.”</p>



<p>The experts tested plants modified to have more efficient photorespiration to see if they were better adapted to warmer temperatures.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The team found that the engineered plants produced 26 percent more biomass than the wild-type plants exposed to the same temperatures, and had 15 percent less yield loss under the higher temperatures.</p>



<p><em>Video Credit: Amanda Nguyen/University of Illinois</em></p>



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



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



<p>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.</p>

Designing crops that can beat the heat

[sendtonews key="QGPzYnXEtN-1712599-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from Carl...


<p>When it came time for Thomas to get his license, he was overly excited. On his sixteenth birthday, he passed his driving test and his mom practically had to pry away the set of keys from his hands. She couldn’t stand the thought of her son becoming a dangerous driver.</p>


Licensed