<p><br>Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features Hurricane Erin, the first major storm of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Hurricane Erin tore across the ocean, intensifying from a modest Category 1 storm into a ferocious Category 5 system in just over a day.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/once-in-a-thousand-years-extreme-storms-are-becoming-much-more-frequent/">storm</a> stayed offshore, but its power rippled across the Caribbean and along the Eastern Seaboard, bringing dangerous weather to millions of people.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-erin-s-massive-wind-field">Erin’s massive wind field</h2>



<p>At its peak, Hurricane Erin grew into a truly massive storm - not just because of its strength, but due to how far its winds spread. </p>



<p>The National Hurricane Center reported that hurricane-force winds extended roughly 575 miles from the storm’s center. That meant the storm’s reach was enormous, touching wide stretches of ocean and coastal regions even without making landfall.</p>



<p>Coastal regions braced as Erin sent pounding surf, intense rain, and strong winds to Puerto Rico, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Bahamas, and U.S. states from Florida to New York.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rapid-intensification-of-hurricane-erin">Rapid intensification of Hurricane Erin</h2>



<p>Erin reached hurricane strength on August 15 and then stunned forecasters with a rapid intensification rarely seen. </p>



<p>By the following day, it had exploded into a Category 5 monster, with sustained winds topping out at 160 miles per hour northeast of Puerto Rico. That speed put it among the most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in the Atlantic.</p>



<p>“Several environmental factors facilitated Erin’s rapid intensification, including light wind shear and a compact storm structure, according to a blog post by meteorologist Bob Henson,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154694/hurricane-erin-roils-in-the-atlantic">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>Warm waters across the Atlantic served as fuel, and the storm’s swift pace over the ocean meant it didn’t churn away its own heat source. The combination gave Erin the perfect environment to gain <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-has-amplified-hurricane-strength/">strength</a> almost overnight.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-rare-and-early-event">A rare and early event</h2>



<p>Erin joined a small group of storms in history. Since official records began in 1851, only 43 Atlantic hurricanes have reached Category 5.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Erin also stood out as the earliest storm of this intensity in its part of the basin. For scientists who track weather extremes, it was another reminder of how unusual <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/what-causes-the-rapid-intensification-of-hurricanes/">conditions</a> can line up to create powerful storms.</p>



<p>As the hurricane continued westward, it went through eyewall replacement cycles. This process often weakens peak wind speeds but spreads the force over a broader area.&nbsp;</p>



<p>By August 18, satellite images from NASA’s Terra spacecraft captured a strikingly clear eye, a hallmark of its strength even as it began to lose some intensity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-islands-feel-the-outer-bands">Islands feel the outer bands</h2>



<p>Though Erin never came ashore, outer bands from the storm slammed into nearby islands. Puerto Rico endured heavy rain and high winds on August 17, leaving more than 147,000 customers without power.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Residents in the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas faced tropical storm conditions, with coastal flooding and strong wind gusts persisting into August 19.</p>



<p>These impacts showed how storms hundreds of miles offshore can still disrupt daily life, from flooded streets to downed power lines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-u-s-east-coast-on-alert">U.S. East Coast on alert</h2>



<p>Forecasts projected Erin would curve northward and run parallel to the U.S. coast as a Category 2 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-hurricanes-help-oceans-fight-climate-change/">hurricane</a>, with warnings stretching from Florida to Canada.</p>



<p>Officials across the region acted quickly. North Carolina’s Outer Banks came under an evacuation order, and the state declared a state of emergency.&nbsp;</p>



<p>In New York and New Jersey, authorities urged people to stay out of the ocean as conditions grew increasingly dangerous.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-2025-hurricane-season">The 2025 hurricane season</h2>



<p>Hurricane Erin may be the first of 2025, but experts expect more storms before the season ends.&nbsp;</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coastal-hurricanes-are-intensifying-faster-due-to-climate-change/">Warmer waters</a> and shifting weather patterns continue to set the stage for powerful hurricanes that could impact communities from the Caribbean to the Atlantic.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Erin’s sudden growth highlights the challenge of predicting storm behavior and the importance of staying prepared, even when landfall seems unlikely.</p>



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



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Hurricane Erin explodes into first Category 5 storm of 2025

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 smoke plumes stretching across the Iberian Peninsula, as wildfires suddenly intensified across Spain and Portugal.</p>



<p>The image was captured on August 15 by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor on NASA’s Terra satellite.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-record-breaking-fire-season-nbsp">Record-breaking fire season&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Hot, dry conditions pushed fire risk to extreme levels, leaving vast landscapes scorched. The fires aren’t just dramatic visuals - they are shaping the year’s record-breaking <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fire-weather-seasons-are-overlapping-more-than-ever-before/">fire season</a>.</p>



<p>“As of August 19, fires in Spain had scorched more than 382,000 hectares (944,000 acres) since the start of the year, according to the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS),” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154691/smoke-blankets-the-iberian-peninsula" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>This exceeds any previous yearly total in the EFFIS records, which date back to 2006. Firefighters were stretched thin, tackling roughly 20 major blazes nationwide, with a particularly severe cluster near Ourense.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fire-devastation-in-portugal">Fire devastation in Portugal</h2>



<p>Portugal faced a similarly devastating season. By mid-August, more than 347,000 hectares (857,000 acres) had been consumed by fire.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The European Commission’s Emergency Response Coordination Centre reported 10 large fires burning across the country at that time. The largest fire, near Trancoso, alone had already scorched over 39,000 hectares.</p>



<p>The blazes forced thousands of residents to evacuate their homes. Essential services were disrupted, including the high-speed rail line between Madrid and Galicia, which had been closed for nearly a week.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Firefighters worked tirelessly under extreme conditions, navigating both flames and smoke to protect people and property.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smoke-pollution-and-far-reaching-effects">Smoke, pollution, and far-reaching effects</h2>



<p>The fires didn’t stay local. <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-delivers-a-double-hit-to-air-quality/">Smoke</a> from the Iberian Peninsula carried high into the atmosphere, drifting across France, the United Kingdom, and Scandinavia.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It even mixed with smoke from wildfires in Canada, creating hazy skies across parts of Europe. Carbon emissions from these fires hit record levels in Spain and near-record levels in Portugal, according to the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service.</p>



<p>Black carbon, a component of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) released by wildfires, poses serious health risks. These tiny particles can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, potentially aggravating respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Residents in affected regions were warned to limit outdoor activity and monitor air quality as smoke lingered.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-wildfires-in-spain-and-portugal">Wildfires in Spain and Portugal </h2>



<p>Spain and Portugal are no strangers to wildfires, but the 2025 season is unusual for its speed and scale.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Heatwaves have become more frequent in southern Europe, with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/state-of-the-climate-2024-record-heat-and-rising-seas/">rising temperatures</a> and prolonged droughts creating tinderbox conditions for forests and grasslands.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Experts link this increase to ongoing climate change, which has amplified the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events in the region.</p>



<p>The EFFIS database shows that Spain’s burned area this year surpassed previous records, while Portugal’s figures ranked second only to the catastrophic fires of 2017. These trends highlight the growing challenge of managing wildfires in a warming climate.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-human-toll-of-wildfires-nbsp">The human toll of wildfires&nbsp;</h2>



<p>Beyond environmental impacts, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfires-are-changing-the-quality-of-our-air/">wildfires</a> take a heavy toll on communities. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced, and homes, farms, and critical infrastructure have suffered extensive damage.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Emergency services scrambled to coordinate evacuations and protect residents, while volunteers and local authorities provided support on the ground.</p>



<p>Firefighters faced particularly difficult conditions, battling flames under record heat and through thick <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-is-making-wildfire-smoke-more-deadly/">smoke</a>. The work was physically demanding and dangerous.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-satellite-technology-and-firefighting">Satellite technology and firefighting</h2>



<p>NASA’s Terra satellite and the MODIS sensor provide crucial monitoring for wildfire activity. These tools allow authorities to track the spread of fires in near-real time, identify hotspots, and deploy resources more efficiently.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The data feeds into systems like EFFIS and the Fire Information for Resource Management System (FIRMS), offering a broader picture of wildfire patterns and trends across Europe.</p>



<p>This combination of satellite monitoring, on-the-ground firefighting, and coordination among emergency services is vital for managing the ongoing crisis. As wildfires continue to grow in frequency and intensity, technology can help limit damage and protect communities.</p>



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



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Wildfires scorch Spain and Portugal amid extreme heat

<p>Today's Image of the Day from NASA features the spiral galaxy NGC 2566, which is located 76 million light-years away in the constellation Puppis. </p>



<p>The striking image was captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.</p>



<p>“A prominent bar of stars stretches across the center of this galaxy, and spiral arms emerge from each end of the bar. Because NGC 2566 appears tilted from our perspective, its disk takes on an almond shape, giving the galaxy the appearance of a cosmic eye,” said <a href="https://phys.org/news/2024-12-hubble-spies-spiral-galaxy-ngc.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.</p>



<p>“As NGC 2566 appears to gaze at us, astronomers gaze right back, using Hubble to survey the galaxy's star clusters and star-forming regions.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-appearance-of-ngc-2566">Complex appearance of NGC 2566</h2>



<p>NGC 2566 lies at a considerable distance from Earth, making it a challenging object for amateur astronomers to observe in detail without powerful telescopes.&nbsp;</p>



<p>It can be seen in the Southern Hemisphere sky and is better observed from locations with minimal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-light-pollution-influences-interest-in-astronomy/">light pollution</a>. </p>



<p>The galaxy's arms are populated with young, bright stars, regions of active star formation, and interstellar gas and dust - giving it a dynamic and complex appearance.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-ages-of-stars">Measuring the ages of stars</h2>



<p>According to NASA, data from Hubble is especially valuable for studying stars that are just a few million years old. “These stars are bright at the ultraviolet and visible wavelengths to which Hubble is sensitive.”</p>



<p>“Using these data, researchers can measure the ages of NGC 2566's stars, which helps piece together the timeline of the galaxy's star formation and the exchange of gas between star-forming clouds and the stars themselves.”</p>



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



<p>Star formation in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shapes-of-one-million-galaxies-hint-at-the-universes-origins/">galaxies</a> is a fascinating and complex process that unfolds over millions of years. It begins in vast clouds of gas and dust, known as molecular clouds, which are often found in the spiral arms of galaxies or in regions of irregular or starburst galaxies. </p>



<p>These clouds provide the raw material for star formation, consisting primarily of hydrogen and helium, with trace amounts of heavier elements.</p>



<p>As the molecular clouds collapse under their own gravity, regions within them begin to condense and fragment, forming dense clumps. Within these clumps, protostars emerge. Their formation is driven by the gravitational pull drawing in surrounding gas.&nbsp;</p>



<p>During this process, the gas heats up due to increasing pressure, eventually igniting nuclear fusion in the core, signaling the birth of a new star.</p>



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



<p>The rate of star formation varies across galaxies is influenced by numerous factors. In spiral galaxies like the Milky Way, star formation is most active in the spiral arms, where density waves compress gas and dust, triggering the collapse of molecular clouds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Elliptical galaxies, which often have little cold gas and dust, typically exhibit low rates of star formation or none at all.</p>



<p>On the other hand, starburst galaxies experience episodes of exceptionally high star formation, often triggered by <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/webb-captures-a-galaxy-collision-with-a-radiant-smile/">galactic collisions</a> or interactions.</p>



<p>These events can funnel large amounts of gas into central regions, leading to intense star-forming activity. However, such bursts are usually short-lived on cosmic timescales, exhausting the available gas quickly.</p>



<p>The environment within a galaxy also plays a significant role. Stellar winds and supernova explosions from existing stars can both inhibit and promote star formation. They may disperse gas, preventing further collapse, or compress nearby clouds, triggering new star formation.&nbsp;</p>



<p>As galaxies evolve over time, the availability of gas diminishes, leading to a gradual decline in star formation activity.</p>



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



<p>The Puppis constellation in the southern sky represents the stern of a ship. It was once part of a larger constellation known as Argo Navis, which depicted the mythical ship of Jason and the Argonauts.&nbsp;</p>



<p>However, Argo Navis was later divided into three separate constellations: Puppis, Carina (the keel), and Vela (the sails). Puppis is the largest of these three and contains many notable celestial objects.</p>



<p>This constellation is home to several bright stars, including Naos (Zeta Puppis), a hot, massive star that emits intense ultraviolet radiation. Puppis also hosts a wide variety of deep-sky objects, such as open <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stunning-star-clusters-captured-in-the-extreme-outskirts-of-the-milky-way/">star clusters</a> and nebulae. </p>



<p>Among these, Messier 46 and Messier 47 stand out. Both are beautiful star clusters that are visible through binoculars or small telescopes. The region is dense with stars because it lies along the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-collision-may-change-everything-we-know-about-our-galaxy/">Milky Way</a>, making it a prime area for stargazing and astrophotography.<br></p>



<p>Image Credit: NASA</p>



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Eye in the sky: A galaxy that appears to be gazing back

Today's Image of the Day from NASA features the spiral...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Giant bloom in the Gulf of Maine signals change

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Lake Chad: A vanishing lifeline in Central Africa

<p>Today's <strong>Image of the Day</strong> from NASA Earth Observatory features the Bear Gulch Fire, which has persisted for weeks on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington.  </p>



<p>The fire was ignited on July 6, 2025. Over the past month, it has grown into one of the most significant wildfires in the region's recent history. </p>



<p>The <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154682/fire-burns-through-olympic-wilderness">image</a> was captured by the Landsat 8 satellite on August 12. “On that day, smoke reached a height of nearly 30,000 feet because of significant fuel consumption and unstable atmospheric conditions,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-progression-of-the-bear-gulch-fire-nbsp">Progression of the Bear Gulch Fire&nbsp;</h2>



<p>By August 12, the fire had expanded by approximately 1,200 acres in just 24 hours, burning a total of 7,390 acres.  </p>



<p>This <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-wildfires-are-gaining-even-more-speed/">rapid growth</a> was fueled by a combination of high temperatures - reaching 93°F - and dry vegetation that had been primed by weeks of drought. Firefighting efforts were further complicated by the region's rugged terrain, making containment challenging. </p>



<p>The fire's progression into the forest canopy in certain areas has been particularly concerning.  Flames have spread with the help of hanging moss. </p>



<p>Rock outcrops - which normally act as natural firebreaks - have been consumed due to the burning of moss on them. This behavior demonstrates the fire's intensity and the unusual conditions contributing to its spread. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community-and-environmental-response">Community and environmental response</h2>



<p>In response to the fire's advancement, the Staircase area of Olympic National Park, along with several trails and campgrounds in the adjacent Olympic National Forest and Mount Skokomish Wilderness Area, were closed as of August 14, 2025.  </p>



<p>These closures aim to protect <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-is-an-escalating-public-health-emergency/">public safety</a> and allow firefighting efforts to proceed without interference. As of the latest reports, no structures have been damaged, but the situation is still evolving. </p>



<p>Firefighters continue to battle the Bear Gulch Fire. They are using a number of strategies to contain its spread, including bucket drops from helicopters.  </p>



<p>The coming days will be critical in determining the fire's trajectory and the effectiveness of suppression efforts.  Residents and visitors are urged to stay informed through official channels and to follow all safety advisories. </p>



<p>The Bear Gulch Fire serves as a stark reminder of the challenges posed by wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, especially under the influence of climate change.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>



<p>The wildfire highlights the need for ongoing vigilance, preparedness, and adaptation in the face of evolving environmental conditions.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-human-and-ecological-toll">The human and ecological toll</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fear-and-anxiety-the-mental-health-impacts-of-wildfires/">Wildfires</a> don’t just threaten trees and wildlife - they disrupt communities. Evacuations and road closures become part of life during fire outbreaks. </p>



<p>Residents often have to adjust daily routines to reduce exposure to smoke, taking steps ranging from keeping windows closed to limiting outdoor activities. Local health services may see an increase in respiratory issues, particularly among children, the elderly, and those with preexisting conditions. </p>



<p>At the same time, fire crews and emergency responders face heightened risks as they work to contain the flames - highlighting the human effort required to protect both communities and the environment during these events.</p>



<p>Smoke can travel miles from the blaze, affecting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/wildfire-smoke-delivers-a-double-hit-to-air-quality/">air quality</a> and public health in nearby towns. </p>



<p>Wildlife faces habitat loss, and even small changes to forest ecosystems can have ripple effects on biodiversity, soil health, and water quality.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-change-and-wildfire-risks">Climate change and wildfire risks</h2>



<p>The Bear Gulch Fire reflects a broader pattern affecting the Pacific Northwest. Increasing temperatures, prolonged droughts, and shifting precipitation patterns are making forests more susceptible to wildfires.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Over the past few decades, wildfire seasons in Washington and neighboring states have lengthened, and fires have become more intense and harder to control.</p>



<p>Scientists say climate change doesn’t just make fires more likely - it changes the way they behave.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Forests stressed by heat and dry conditions burn faster and hotter, with flames that can leap into tree canopies and travel across areas that would have naturally slowed a fire in the past.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The combination of high winds and dry vegetation can turn small ignitions into <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fast-wildfires-are-gaining-even-more-speed/">fires</a> that cover thousands of acres within days.</p>



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



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

Bear Gulch Fire rages across Washington forests

<p>Tarantula hawks produce large quantities of venom and their stings produce immediate, intense, excruciating short term pain in envenomed humans. Although the instantaneous pain of a tarantula hawk sting is the greatest recorded for any stinging insect, the venom itself lacks meaningful vertebrate toxicity.   Photo Credit: Sari ONeil</p>

Tarantula Hawk Spider Wasp

Bandung,,Indonesia,:,People,Collect,Trash,That,Can,Be,Recycled

<p>Efforts to hammer out a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution have once again hit a wall. After years of work and six formal negotiation rounds, talks wrapped up in Geneva without an agreement. </p>



<p>Delegates from 185 countries worked past the deadline and into the early hours, but the gap between two opposing sides proved too wide to bridge.</p>



<p>This round of negotiations - billed as a last-chance summit after a similar breakdown in South Korea last year - was seen as a potential turning point. Instead, frustration ruled.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-holding-back-a-plastic-treaty">What's holding back a plastic treaty?</h2>



<p>The main split was clear. One group, known as the <a href="https://hacfornatureandpeople.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">High Ambition Coalition</a>, includes countries like Canada, the UK, and members of the EU. </p>



<p>They’re pushing for limits on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastics-treaty-talks-slow-progress-yet-restored-hope/">plastic</a> production and a gradual phase-out of harmful chemicals used in plastics.</p>



<p>On the other side, oil-producing nations grouped under the "Like-Minded Group" - including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, Kuwait, and Malaysia - want a treaty focused only on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/international-day-of-zero-waste-a-global-commitment-to-a-sustainable-future/">waste management</a>, not production cuts. </p>



<p>These countries argue that targeting production would penalize resource-rich developing nations.</p>



<p>"Our views were not reflected without an agreed scope, this process cannot remain on the right track and risks sliding down a slippery slope," said Kuwait.</p>



<p>Bahrain added that it supported a treaty that "does not penalize developing countries for exploiting their own resources."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tensions-boil-over">Tensions boil over</h2>



<p>The emotional toll was visible. France's Ecological Transition Minister, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, didn’t mince words. "I am disappointed, and I am angry," she said. </p>



<p>"A handful of countries, guided by short-term financial interests, had blocked the adoption of an ambitious treaty. Oil-producing countries and their allies have chosen to look the other way."</p>



<p>Tuvalu, speaking on behalf of 14 Pacific island nations, voiced deep frustration.</p>



<p>"For our islands this means that without global cooperation and state action, millions of tons of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-think-their-biotech-breakthrough-could-end-plastic-waste-forever/">plastic waste</a> will continue to be dumped in our oceans, affecting our ecosystem, food security, livelihood and culture."</p>



<p>Colombia was equally direct, nothing that the negotiations were consistently blocked by a small number of states who simply don't want an agreement.</p>



<p>"We have missed a historic opportunity but we have to keep going and act urgently. The planet and present and future generations need this treaty," said Cuba. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-plastic-treaty-process-in-chaos">Plastic treaty process in chaos</h2>



<p>Midweek, as talks looked increasingly fragile, the chair of the negotiations, Luis Vayas Valdivieso, issued a draft treaty based on overlapping areas. It was rejected across the board.</p>



<p>The High Ambition Coalition said it was too weak. The Like-Minded Group said it was too broad.</p>



<p>Valdivieso scrambled to salvage the talks with closed-door meetings and a revised draft. But shortly before sunrise, it was clear: no deal.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-plastic-problem-by-the-numbers">The plastic problem, by the numbers</h2>



<p>Over 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally each year. Half of that is used once and tossed.</p>



<p>Only 15% of plastic waste is even collected for <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/global-recycling-day-creating-a-healthier-planet-for-all/">recycling</a>. Of that, only 9% ends up actually recycled.</p>



<p>Nearly half goes straight to landfills. Another 17% is incinerated. The remaining 22% ends up polluting landscapes, oceans, and waterways.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/microplastics-pose-a-greater-threat-to-some-ocean-animals/">Microplastics</a> have now been found on Mount Everest and in the Mariana Trench. They’re in our lungs, our blood, and our food.</p>



<p>And the problem is accelerating. </p>



<p>According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (<a href="https://www.oecd.org/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OECD</a>), plastic production could nearly triple by 2060, reaching 1.2 billion tons a year. </p>



<p>Plastic waste is expected to top one billion tons annually.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-next-for-plastic-talks">What happens next for plastic talks?</h2>



<p>No one is quite sure what happens next. Some countries called for a seventh round of talks. South Africa insisted that it cannot end here. The EU called the latest draft a "good basis for a resumed session."</p>



<p>Whether or not countries return to the table will depend on political pressure, shifting alliances, and the mounting cost of inaction. </p>



<p>Scientists and environmental groups are urging negotiators not to let the momentum slip away.</p>



<p>In the meantime, national governments may move forward with their own <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/food-packaging-is-leaking-harmful-chemicals-into-meals/">plastic</a> restrictions, bans, or recycling mandates. </p>



<p>But without a global plan, the patchwork approach will struggle to keep up with a problem that knows no borders.</p>



<p>Consumers, too, are becoming more vocal. The failure to reach a deal may only fuel public demand for action, transparency, and accountability from industries driving plastic production.</p>



<p>The urgency remains. Plastic pollution isn't slowing down - and neither should the effort to stop it.</p>



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



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Global plastic treaty negotiations end in failure with no solution in sight

Efforts to hammer out a global treaty to tackle plastic...

conciertos-madrid-2026-fechas-artistas-entradas - 1

<p>New analysis of ancient household burners from Qurayyah in northwest Saudi Arabia points to smoke from <em>Peganum harmala</em> seeds being inhaled in daily life nearly 2,700 years ago. </p>



<p>The work opens a window onto how Iron Age communities used scent, smoke, and bioactive plants to manage health and mood without leaving written manuals.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12102341/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">evidence</a> comes from residues preserved inside clay fumigation devices recovered in domestic courtyards and storage areas. Researchers report plant signatures that hold up even after centuries of heat and decay.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.gea.mpg.de/person/100725/2944" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dr. Barbara Huber</a>, Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology (MPI GEA), and <a href="https://uha.univie.ac.at/en/about-us/staff-members/scientific-staff/associate-and-assistant-professors/marta-luciani/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prof. Marta Luciani</a>, University of Vienna, led the study with the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peganum-harmala-residue"><em>Peganum harmala</em> residue</h2>



<p>The team detected two beta-carboline alkaloids, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-arabians-burned-harmal-plants-to-heal-and-protect/">harmine and harmane</a>, inside three Iron Age burners from Qurayyah. These molecules are hallmarks of <em>Peganum harmala</em>, a hardy desert shrub often called Syrian rue.</p>



<p>One additional burner from the same settlement lacked those alkaloids but held a different class of plant compounds, α-amyrin and β-amyrin. That pattern hints at alternating or mixed substances burned in the same kinds of devices.</p>



<p>“Our findings represent chemical evidence for the earliest known burning of harmal, not just in Arabia, but globally,” said Barbara Huber, lead author of the study.</p>



<p>The devices were not found in graves or temples, but in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/home-fragrances-impact-indoor-air-quality-and-the-health-risks-are-alarming/">houses</a>. That domestic context suggests ordinary uses tied to health, sanitation, or mood rather than large public rites.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-identifying-the-evidence">Identifying the evidence</h2>



<p>The study used targeted <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2359828/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HPLC-MS/MS</a> to read a molecular fingerprint from residue trapped in the clay matrix. In short runs, the instrument looked for specific ion transitions that match harmine and harmane with high confidence, even at low abundance.</p>



<p>“The integration of biomolecular analysis with archaeology has allowed us to identify not just what kind of plants people were using, but also where, how, and why,” said Prof. Luciani. </p>



<p>In archaeology, this kind of precise mass spectrometry helps answer not only what plant was there, but also how it was used.&nbsp;</p>



<p>Three burners carried harmine and harmane, while a fourth did not. That contrast matters because it rules out random contamination and points to intentional selection of materials for specific effects.</p>



<p>The context also matters. One burner with harmala signatures sat in a household courtyard, and another was linked to food production areas. Those findspots align with routine, indoor smoke use.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-peganum-harmala-does">What <em>Peganum harmala</em> does</h2>



<p>Harmine and harmane are reversible inhibitors of <em><a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antidepressants-may-help-the-immune-system-fight-cancer/">monoamine oxidase A</a></em>, an enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine. </p>



<p>Temporarily slowing that enzyme can lift neurotransmitter levels, which helps explain mood and sensory shifts.</p>



<p>These alkaloids occur in several plants, but regional distribution narrows the list of plausible sources for Iron Age Arabia. </p>



<p>Reviews catalog harmala alkaloids across taxa, including South American vines and some Passiflora species, yet those grow far from ancient Qurayyah.</p>



<p>Dose and route shape the experience. Small exposures can relax or mildly stimulate, while larger exposures can bring on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-humans-were-drinking-beer-in-china-over-10000-years-ago/">vivid effects</a>. </p>



<p>High amounts may cause sickness, which modern case <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4075715/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a> document in clinical settings after ingestion of concentrated seeds.</p>



<p>Smoke is a different route than tea or tincture. Inhalation can deliver a quick, shorter-lived exposure in rooms where airflow, fuel, and seed load all change the outcome.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-signals-from-other-residues">Signals from other residues</h2>



<p>The amyrin-rich burner adds another layer. Pharmacology reviews note anti-inflammatory and analgesic actions for these isomers in preclinical models.</p>



<p>Finding amyrins without harmala alkaloids in one device, and together in another, suggests people alternated recipes or blended resins with seeds depending on purpose. That kind of flexibility lines up with practical home use.</p>



<p>These chemical signatures do not name a resin to species. They do, however, flag a class of botanicals that humans have burned for centuries for their scent and perceived health effects.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Peganum-harmala_psychoactive-plant_arabians_2700-years-ago_Nature-journal_1m.jpg"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Peganum-harmala_psychoactive-plant_arabians_2700-years-ago_Nature-journal_1s.webp" alt="The oasis settlement of Qurayyah, in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Dried fruits of Peganum harmala, which, as shown here, were already used 2,700 years ago for their therapeutic and psychoactive properties. One of the old fumigation devices used to inhale harmal. Credit: A. M. Abualhassan/Barbara Huber/Hans Sell" class="wp-image-1982804"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"><em>The oasis settlement of Qurayyah, in northwestern Saudi Arabia. Dried fruits of Peganum harmala, which, as shown here, were already used 2,700 years ago for their therapeutic and psychoactive properties. One of the old fumigation devices used to inhale harmal. Click image to enlarge. Credit: A. M. Abualhassan/Barbara Huber/Hans Sell</em></figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-wider-cultural-thread">A wider cultural thread</h2>



<p>Ethnobotany and pharmacognosy track how communities use plants both as medicine and as part of everyday life. <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4075715/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Reviews</a> of <em>Peganum harmala</em> describe continued roles in West Asia and North Africa, including pain relief, calming, and household fumigation traditions.</p>



<p>The antimicrobial angle has support, too. A laboratory study of smoke condensates from <em>P. harmala</em> seeds reported clear antibacterial activity and identified harmine as a major constituent in the smoke matrix.</p>



<p>Households in an oasis settlement needed tools to manage pests, odors, and illness in tight quarters. A pungent seed with antimicrobial constituents and mood effects would be a practical choice.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-peganum-harmala-adds-to-arabian-history"><em>Peganum harmala</em> adds to Arabian history</h2>



<p>Written sources for medicinal plants in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-used-lava-tubes-for-homes-middle-east-saudi-arabia/">Arabia</a> become richer much later. For the Iron Age, physical residues tell the story. </p>



<p>They show people selecting a local shrub with psychoactive and antibacterial properties, then burning it in domestic spaces.</p>



<p>The <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/6575/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qurayyah</a> finds help to push beyond broad claims about ancient drugs. They connect a plant to a device, a device to a room, and a room to routines that touch health and emotion.</p>



<p>This work also shows how careful chemistry can recover silent practices. Even when seeds are gone and recipes are lost, compounds cling to clay and speak for themselves.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-the-research-goes-next">Where the research goes next</h2>



<p>Future work can test more burners from other rooms and towns to see if this pattern holds. It can also examine how resin mixtures changed the experience, from scent to smoke quality to perceived relief.</p>



<p>The method can scale. Each new residue map helps reconstruct a more precise history of household care, sanitation, and sensory life across ancient Arabia.</p>



<p>Modern science can also reevaluate forgotten botanicals. Some may carry leads for safe, targeted therapies, while others serve as cautionary tales about dose and context.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08096-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Communications Biology</em></a>.</p>



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



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

People were getting high and hallucinating from smoking this psychoactive plant 2,700 years ago

New analysis of ancient household burners from Qurayyah in northwest...

<p>The most complete view yet of the human genome has arrived, and it tackles the messy parts scientists used to skip. </p>



<p>The new work assembles nearly all of the repeat-rich, shape-shifting DNA that helps explain disease risk and drug response across different people.</p>



<p>It is not a single tidy sequence, but rather 65 complete genomes drawn from diverse ancestries and resolved with unusual clarity. </p>



<p>That scale and quality move the field toward practical use in precision medicine, where care adjusts to each person’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/missing-parts-of-the-human-genome-have-finally-been-decoded/">genetic</a> wiring.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-uncovering-dna-s-hidden-changes">Uncovering DNA’s hidden changes</h2>



<p>The hardest regions to read are home to structural <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-an-organism-that-defies-the-definition-of-life-sukunaarchaeum/">variants</a>. These include large insertions, deletions, inversions, duplications, and translocations that often change how genes work. </p>



<p>If you ignore these variants, risk models fall short, and rare disease diagnoses stall. Getting them right is the difference between a vague genetic hint and a confident clinical answer.</p>



<p>The study was co-led by Christine Beck of The Jackson Laboratory and <a href="https://health.uconn.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UConn Health</a>, as part of the Human Genome Structural Variation Consortium (<a href="https://www.internationalgenome.org/human-genome-structural-variation-consortium/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HGSVC</a>).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-the-genome-map-shows">What the genome map shows</h2>



<p>Across 130 haplotypes, the team reports closing 92 percent of the assembly gaps that lingered after earlier references and bringing 39 percent of chromosomes to telomere to telomere status. </p>



<p>That level of finish lets researchers track long, tangled stretches end to end instead of guessing across voids.</p>



<p>The experts resolved 1,852 previously intractable complex structural variants that older methods could not untie. </p>



<p>The team also validated 1,246 human centromeres - the control hubs needed for proper chromosome segregation in cell division. These regions long stymied assemblies because of their repeating DNA.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sequences-that-rewire-gene-activity">Sequences that rewire gene activity</h2>



<p>The team cataloged 12,919 insertions from transposable elements, the mobile <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ground-oaks-genetic-secrets-may-inspire-new-medicines-and-pesticides/">sequences</a> that can rewire gene activity - accounting for nearly 10 percent of all structural variation detected here. </p>



<p>This catalog turns what used to be background noise into an interpretable signal for disease studies.</p>



<p>The research provides contiguous sequences for the immune related Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), along with other regions that influence digestion and development. Each of those regions matters directly to diagnosis or treatment decisions in clinics.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-representation-matters-in-genetics">Representation matters in genetics</h2>



<p>For many years, genetic reference data left out large parts of the world’s population. This new study was designed to address that gap by creating a more inclusive and complete resource.</p>



<p>Only recently has technology advanced enough to allow scientists to sequence entire genomes without the large gaps that once limited the field. </p>



<p>Using these tools, researchers estimate they can now capture more than 95 percent of structural variants within each genome they study.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hard-places-practical-payoffs">Hard places, practical payoffs</h2>



<p>The MHC carries dense immune variation associated with more than 100 human diseases, so fully charting it helps clinicians weigh risk with more nuance across populations. </p>



<p>When the reference is biased or incomplete, those associations skew toward the few ancestries that dominate the data.</p>



<p>The study delivers complete sequences for the following genes: SMN1 and SMN2, which are the drug targets in spinal muscular atrophy. That matters because therapies like nusinersen improve infant survival, and better maps speed diagnosis and treatment eligibility.</p>



<p>The researchers also finished especially stubborn parts of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/y-chromosome-is-disappearing-may-already-be-causing-problems-for-men/">Y chromosome</a>, building on a 2023 effort that first produced a gapless Y sequence. </p>



<p>Closing and comparing many Ys provides cleaner baselines for fertility research and forensic work that depend on those repeats and palindromes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-global-genome-map">Building a global genome map</h2>



<p>This breakthrough research stands on two recent pillars. In 2022, the Telomere to Telomere Consortium published the first complete sequence of a single human genome. </p>



<p>This achievement proved that full chromosomes were feasible with the latest approaches.</p>



<p>In 2023, the Human Pangenome Reference expanded representation by assembling 47 individuals from many ancestries - a shift from a one genome yardstick to a family of references that reflect global diversity.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-genome-map-and-health">The genome map and health</h2>



<p>When reference genomes miss common variations, clinical pipelines struggle. Expanding structural variant catalogs improves read mapping, variant calling, and interpretation. </p>



<p>Ultimately, this strengthens rare disease diagnosis and risk prediction across ancestries.</p>



<p>When a rearrangement sits next to a dosage-sensitive gene or flips an enhancer away from its target, the biological effect can be large, and it can be missed by short-read tools. This study makes those events visible at a scale that finally matches clinical need.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-moving-parts-of-genomes">The moving parts of genomes</h2>



<p>The new assemblies also clarify how endogenous <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-viruses-can-reactivate-and-fuel-cancer-development/">retroviruses</a> and other transposable elements to contribute regulatory switches.</p>



<p>Recent work shows that long terminal repeats from ancient viruses form distinct subfamilies with their own enhancer motifs. These motifs can rise or fall across primate lineages in ways that influence gene regulation.</p>



<p>At everyday scales, the finished amylase region helps connect gene dosage to diet. People from high starch diet populations tend to carry more copies of salivary amylase - an example of structural variation with clear physiological impact.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-for-the-genome-map">What’s next for the genome map</h2>



<p>Open methods and shared datasets mean other teams can now reach the same level of completeness. That is essential if the benefits of precision medicine are going to reach everyone, not just those already overrepresented in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/giant-dormant-virus-punuivirus-discovered-in-algae-could-revolutionize-gene-editing/">genetic research</a>.</p>



<p>The muscle, immune, and neurodevelopmental regions that used to be black boxes are now spelled out with far fewer interruptions. This clarity sets a new bar for reference genomes, clinical pipelines, and the science that connects DNA to health outcomes.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.ads9164" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Nature</em></a>.</p>



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New human genome map could transform medicine

The most complete view yet of the human genome has...

<p>In the depths of&nbsp;Costa Rica’s tropical forests, a surprising story has emerged. Spectral bats - the world’s largest carnivorous bats - are not the solitary hunters many once believed them to be. Instead, these creatures lead richly social lives, filled with affection, cooperation, and care.</p>



<p>A new study led by Marisa Tietge at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.museumfuernaturkunde.berlin/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Museum für Naturkunde</a> - Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science&nbsp;in Germany has revealed remarkable details about their behavior. The findings, published in&nbsp;<em>PLOS One</em>, provide the first clear window into the private world of these elusive animals.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hidden-cameras-capture-bat-lives">Hidden cameras capture bat lives</h2>



<p>Studying bats is never simple. Their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geomagnetic-disturbances-throw-nocturnal-birds-off-course/">nocturnal</a> lifestyle and hidden roosts make close observation challenging. </p>



<p>To overcome this, the researchers installed a motion-sensitive infrared camera inside a hollow tree in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Here, a family of four spectral bats (<em>Vampyrum spectrum</em>) became the focus of months-long monitoring.</p>



<p>These bats, with wingspans reaching up to three feet, were once thought to forage alone. But three months of footage told a different story - one of social cooperation and emotional bonds.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rare-affection-documented">Rare affection documented</h2>



<p>The researchers observed that the bats displayed eight distinct behaviors, ranging from grooming and vocal exchanges to playful interactions and even a unique form of greeting. </p>



<p>In this greeting, one bat would wrap its wings around another in a gesture resembling a hug, a form of physical affection rarely documented in wild carnivorous species.</p>



<p>Beyond social gestures, food sharing also emerged as a central behavior. Adult bats returning from hunts often transferred their prey to younger members of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bats-have-acoustic-mental-maps-to-navigate-total-darkness/">colony</a>. </p>



<p>This not only provided nourishment but also served as a form of training, allowing the younger bats to practice handling prey.</p>



<p>At the same time, it eased their gradual transition from relying on milk to consuming a carnivorous diet, preparing them for independence as skilled hunters.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-family-cooperation-revealed">Family cooperation revealed</h2>



<p>Surprisingly, the recordings captured instances of cooperative foraging. Adults sometimes left or returned to the roost together, and males transferred prey to females nursing young. </p>



<p>These behaviors suggest teamwork, which is a rarity among carnivorous mammals. The observations also revealed a long-term family structure. </p>



<p>The presence of two young bats, likely born in different years, showed that offspring may remain with parents longer than expected. This hints at extended parental care beyond what is typical for many bat species.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-complex-bonds-and-care">Complex bonds and care</h2>



<p>The study paints a picture of spectral bats as deeply connected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/bats-dont-get-cancer-now-scientists-think-they-know-the-reason/">animals</a>. Both parents participate in raising the young, forming strong monogamous bonds and investing heavily in offspring survival. </p>



<p>Such biparental care is uncommon in bats and especially rare among carnivorous mammals.</p>



<p>“Spectral bats exhibit a level of cooperative behavior and biparental care that is rarely documented in bats - a fascinating area for future research,” Tietge said. “We were astonished by how gentle and cooperative these apex predators are.” </p>



<p>“The most endearing behavior was forming a tight cuddle-ball when falling asleep: each bat wrapping one wing around its nearest neighbor, all snouts touching.”</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spectral-bats-even-recognize-humans">Spectral bats even recognize humans</h2>



<p>Their social complexity extended beyond family life. Tietge herself experienced something extraordinary. </p>



<p>"I was astonished to find that the bats seemed to recognize me after several consecutive weeks of visiting the roost," she said. "At first, I was greeted with threat-like calls, and the bats broke their roosting formation to hide in the corners." </p>



<p>"But over time, their response shifted to just a few curious looks - no <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marmosets-call-each-other-by-names-with-distinct-vocalizations/">vocalizations</a>, and they remained in a relaxed roosting formation. Even after nine months away, they appeared to recognize me immediately when I returned the following season."</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-spectral-bats-teach-us">What spectral bats teach us</h2>



<p>These findings transform our understanding of spectral bats. Rather than solitary hunters, they appear as nurturing creatures that rely on cooperation and affection.</p>



<p>“Rather than hunting and raising young in isolation,&nbsp;<em>V. spectrum</em>&nbsp;shows complex cooperation behavior, strong <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-show-signs-of-divorce-before-the-breeding-season/">monogamous pair</a> bonds, as well as extended parental investment and biparental care - traits highly unusual in carnivorous mammals, especially bats,” Tietge concluded.</p>



<p>The study is published in the journal <em><a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0321338" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">PLOS One</a>.</em></p>



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Spectral bats lead social lives with hugs, play, and food sharing

In the depths of&nbsp;Costa Rica’s tropical forests, a surprising story...

<p>Slimy layered microbial mats in Shark Bay are more than seaside oddities. They are living laboratories where bacteria and archaea still work side by side, much as they may have done long ago.</p>



<p>A new co-culture from these mats shows a bacterium and an archaeon physically connecting through tiny tubes while trading metabolites in ways that make both partners tick. That kind of teamwork fits neatly with ideas about how complex <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/life-was-thriving-before-earths-greatest-mass-extinction/">cells</a> arose.</p>



<p><a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/staff/brendan-burns" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brendan P. Burns</a> at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) led the study with colleagues including <a href="https://profiles.uts.edu.au/Iain.Duggin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Iain G. Duggin</a> at the University of Technology Sydney.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shark-bay-microbes-survive-extremes">Shark Bay microbes survive extremes</h2>



<p>Shark Bay, Western Australia, holds thriving stromatolites, the rock-like piles that grow when layered microbial communities trap and bind sediments in harsh, salty water. </p>



<p>In Malgana language, Shark Bay is called <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep46160" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gathaagudu</a>, which means two waters, a name still used by Traditional Owners and regional agencies.</p>



<p>The southern basin can be roughly twice as salty as the open ocean, and the mats ride out heat, desiccation, and intense UV under those conditions. </p>



<p>Modern mats are not time capsules, but they are useful stand-ins for ancient ecosystems where <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rocks-reveal-the-turning-point-when-oxygen-changed-earth-forever/">microbes</a> built layered structures and forged partnerships that shaped the planet.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbial-mat-microbes-team-up">Microbial mat microbes team up</h2>



<p>Back in the lab, researchers enriched a two-member community from those mats: the bacterium <em>Stromatodesulfovibrio nilemahensis</em> and a newly named Asgard archaeon, <em>Nerearchaeum marumarumayae</em>. </p>



<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5875740/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Asgard archaea</a> are widely viewed as the closest known prokaryotic relatives of eukaryotes, the lineage that includes animals, plants, and fungi.</p>



<p>The team sequenced both genomes and grew the partners under high-salt, low-oxygen settings that fit the mats’ tough environment. </p>



<p>Each partner seems to cover what the other lacks, a classic sign of syntrophy, where two microbes share metabolic tasks to make <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/timeline-of-lifes-evolution-extended-by-nearly-1-5-billion-years/">life</a> work.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genes-show-nutrient-sharing">Genes show nutrient sharing</h2>



<p>Genome analysis indicates the archaeon releases hydrogen, acetate, formate, and sulfite, while the bacterium supplies amino acids and vitamins that the archaeon needs. </p>



<p>These characteristics and interactions may represent an early step in the symbiotic evolution of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/eukaryote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eukaryotic</a> cells.</p>



<p>That statement does not claim a perfect replay of early evolution. It argues that the features they see line up with long-standing models that link archaeal hydrogen producers and bacterial sulfate reducers to the rise of complex cells.</p>



<p>Those models gained traction after the first enrichment and later formal isolation of an Asgard archaeon, <a href="https://www.microbiologyresearch.org/content/journal/ijsem/10.1099/ijsem.0.006435" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum</em></a>, a slow-growing anaerobe that depends on partner microbes.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-microbial-mat-shows-nanotube-connections">Microbial mat shows nanotube connections</h2>



<p>With cryotomography, the researchers observed chains of budded vesicles attached to the archaeal cell by extracellular fibers, plus internal tube and cage-like elements inside the archaeon. </p>



<p>They also saw intercellular nanotubes apparently assembled by the bacterium that contact the archaeal surface, hinting at direct physical links during resource sharing.</p>



<p>Archaea in other systems build similar connections, and a 2024 <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-51159-2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> reported nanotubes in a co-culture that bridged cytoplasms and appeared to serve as conduits for molecular exchange. </p>



<p>That study counted an average of 4.4 nanotubes per host-symbiont contact, showing how dense and structured these links can become under the microscope.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hints-at-complex-cells">Hints at complex cells</h2>



<p>If partners swap metabolites through persistent contacts, selection can push them toward tighter dependence. </p>



<p>That is the kind of ratchet some researchers think nudged early archaea and bacteria toward the cell-in-cell <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/third-state-of-existence-beyond-life-and-death-confirmed-by-scientists/">arrangement</a> that defines eukaryotes.</p>



<p>The new Shark Bay culture does not show one cell engulfing the other. It does, however, put plausible building blocks on the table: complementing metabolisms, physical tethers, and vesicle traffic that could knit cells into a more integrated unit over time.</p>



<p>That interpretation sits alongside earlier work that first enriched and then formally described <em>Prometheoarchaeum</em>, strengthening the case that Asgard lineages sit near the root of eukaryotic features.</p>



<p>More broadly, archaeal communities are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10117752/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">known</a> to trade vesicles and tube-like structures, which can shuttle proteins, lipids, and genetic material and may help build cooperative networks in extreme habitats.</p>



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



<p>First, replication matters. Independent teams will want to reproduce the nanotube contacts and metabolite exchanges and test whether those tubes move specific molecules in real time, not just correlate with growth.</p>



<p>Second, comparative context helps. Asgard cultures and co-cultures are slowly expanding, and every new system gives biologists another angle on the relationship between archaeal cell biology and eukaryotic traits.</p>



<p>Finally, place still matters. Shark Bay’s mats are rugged, hypersaline, sunlit, and dynamic, a mix of stresses that can reward tight microbial alliances and keep them around across seasons and storms.</p>



<p>The study is published in <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.22.663070v2" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>bioRxiv</em></a>.</p>



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Strange microbial bedfellows offer clues to how complex life evolved

Slimy layered microbial mats in Shark Bay are more than...

Platelet,In,The,Blood,And,Thrombocyte,Anatomy,Concept,As,Activated

<p>Tiny structures in our blood called platelets are best known for helping to stop the bleeding after we get a cut or a scrape, but that is only part of the story. </p>



<p>A new study reports that platelets collect bits of DNA that float around in the blood and may help the body keep inflammation in check, while also offering a fresh source of genetic clues for disease detection.</p>



<p>Those fragments include cell-free DNA from tumors and from a fetus during pregnancy. </p>



<p>Early cancer screens often struggle because <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-024-02021-w" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">circulating tumor DNA</a> is scarce, especially when disease is small, so tapping platelet cargo could raise the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/junk-dna-found-to-play-a-powerful-role-in-the-human-body/">signal</a> when it counts most.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blood-platelets-clean-up-trash">Blood platelets clean up trash</h2>



<p>This work was led by <a href="https://www.ludwigcancerresearch.org/scientist/bethan-psaila/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bethan Psaila</a> at Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, <a href="https://www.ox.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Oxford</a>, with first author Lauren Murphy, working with collaborators across Oxford and the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Edinburgh</a>.</p>



<p>Platelets lack a nucleus, yet they are laced with an internal network of surface connected channels known as the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29442528/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">open canalicular system</a>, which helps them take up and release molecules as they circulate.</p>



<p>That architecture makes them well suited to encounter DNA fragments shed by cells throughout the body.</p>



<p>They're also abundant, with a normal adult count of roughly 150,000 to 450,000 per microliter of blood, and they turn over quickly in about a week. </p>



<p>That constant traffic gives platelets countless chances each day to sample what the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/womens-egg-cells-shield-dna-from-the-effects-of-aging/">body</a> is shedding.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-platelets-absorb-tumor-and-fetal-dna">Platelets absorb tumor and fetal DNA</h2>



<p>“We found that, despite lacking a nucleus, platelets contained a repertoire of DNA fragments mapping across the nuclear genome,” wrote Murphy. </p>



<p>The researchers tracked DNA moving from nucleated cells into platelets in lab co-cultures and then looked for the same phenomenon in people. </p>



<p>They examined platelets from pregnant individuals and detected <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/y-chromosome-is-disappearing-may-already-be-causing-problems-for-men/">Y chromosome</a> DNA when the fetus was male, confirming <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pregnancy-stress-may-have-lasting-effects-on-fetal-development/">fetal DNA</a> uptake in maternal platelets. </p>



<p>In mice and in patients with very low platelet counts, plasma cell-free DNA rose, a pattern consistent with platelets normally helping clear that DNA from circulation.</p>



<p>The group also found tumor derived mutations inside platelets from people with advanced cancers and even from those with <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/they-found-colon-polyps-now-what" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">precancerous colonic polyps</a>. That last result points straight at early detection opportunities where today’s tests fall short.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-blood-platelets-fight-cancer">How blood platelets fight cancer</h2>



<p>Today’s liquid biopsy tests usually analyze DNA floating in plasma after cells, including platelets, are removed, which means a chunk of useful information may be discarded at the very first step. </p>



<p>If labs analyze DNA within platelets as well, they could detect low-burden disease that plasma-based methods often overlook.</p>



<p>Prior <a href="https://www.cell.com/cancer-cell/fulltext/S1535-6108%2815%2900349-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">work</a> already hinted that platelets act as messengers for cancer biology. </p>



<p>Researchers showed that tumor educated platelets carry altered RNA profiles that can classify tumor types and key mutations, proof that these cells can encode disease signals in their cargo. </p>



<p>The new paper extends that idea to DNA and positions platelets as a second reservoir of genomic material.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-boost-for-prenatal-screening">Big boost for prenatal screening</h2>



<p>Noninvasive prenatal testing built on maternal plasma cell-free <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/altering-rice-dna-improves-its-growth-rate-and-could-end-world-hunger/">DNA</a> has already reshaped obstetric care over the past decade. </p>



<p>One <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30067923/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">review</a> called this shift “a success story of modern genomic medicine,” noting rapid global adoption and clinical impact.</p>



<p>Sequencing cell-free DNA in maternal plasma now reduces invasive procedures such as amniocentesis by an estimated 50 to 70 percent worldwide, according to recent <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11711700/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyses</a> of clinical practice. </p>



<p>If platelets also harbor fetal DNA, as the <em>Science</em> study shows, laboratories may be able to extract more information from the same blood draw.</p>



<p>Any gains would be most valuable where signal is weakest, such as early gestation or in individuals with lower fetal DNA fractions. </p>



<p>Platelet based workflows will need careful controls to avoid contamination and to normalize for platelet counts and activation states, but the path is clear for method development.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-aiding-immunity-and-inflammation">Aiding immunity and inflammation</h2>



<p>Platelets are not bystanders in immunity. They sense pathogens, interact with white blood cells, and influence inflammation, a role recognized across cardiovascular and infectious disease <a href="https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/CIRCRESAHA.121.319821" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">research</a>.</p>



<p>That biology helps explain the new findings. When platelet numbers drop, <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/thrombocytopenia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">thrombocytopenia</a> can coincide with higher levels of cell-free DNA, which is known to stimulate immune pathways; when numbers are normal, platelets may help buffer that stimulus. </p>



<p>The team also observed that platelet encapsulated DNA is shielded from external DNases (enzymes that degrade DNA by hydrolyzing the phosphodiester bonds in the DNA backbone), suggesting a protected, controlled cargo rather than debris.</p>



<p>Taken together, the picture is of a blood cell that patrols widely, picks up DNA fragments, and releases contents when activated at the right place. </p>



<p>That's a plausible way to limit background inflammation while still enabling targeted responses at sites of injury or infection.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-blood-platelets-and-future-health">Blood platelets and future health</h2>



<p>The technical work is now straightforward in concept but demanding in practice. </p>



<p>Labs will need robust protocols for platelet isolation, DNA extraction, and bioinformatic filtering that distinguish platelet encapsulated sequences from plasma contaminants, all while keeping pre analytical variables tight across sites.</p>



<p>Clinical trials must show added value over existing plasma tests. That means head to head comparisons in screening cohorts with adjudicated outcomes and clear metrics like sensitivity at fixed specificity in stage I cancers or low fetal fraction pregnancies.</p>



<p>None of this diminishes the central insight. Platelets may be more than clot makers and immune sentinels, they could be practical, easy to isolate biosensors that carry DNA signals from across the body, ready to be read out in a standard blood draw.</p>



<p>The full study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp3971" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Science</em></a>.</p>



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Blood platelets play a critically important role in the body that was unknown until now

Tiny structures in our blood called platelets are best known...

<p>Astronomers have discovered a bizarre “lava world” spiraling towards its doom. TOI-2431 b is an Earth-sized exoplanet orbiting its star in a different solar system.&nbsp;</p>



<p>A consortium of astronomers led by Kaya Han Tas from the <a href="https://www.uva.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Amsterdam, Netherlands</a> characterized the exoplanet. </p>



<p>They predict the planet is on a death spiral and will be torn apart by its star in just 31 million years, a blink of time on cosmic scales.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fate-of-toi-2431-b">Fate of TOI-2431 b</h2>



<p>The Earth-sized <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exoplanet-found-orbiting-the-closest-star-to-our-sun-barnards-star/">exoplanet</a> stands out as the shortest-period rocky world with astronomers having precisely measured both its mass and radius. These are also called ultra-short-period planets.</p>



<p>Unlike Earth’s year-long path around the Sun, this world completes a year in less than a quarter of an Earth day, once every 5 hours, 22 minutes.</p>



<p>It is also “tidally locked” - the same side always faces its star. One side is in endless day, while the other remains dark. <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10569-017-9783-7" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Models</a> suggest proximity to the star locks rotational and orbital periods together.</p>



<p>Being so close to its star puts it at the edge of survival because its orbit is unstable and shrinking. </p>



<p>Researchers estimate that in only 31 million years, TOI-2431 b will cross the Roche limit. Crossing this threshold will let the star’s tidal forces overpower the planet’s self-gravity and rip it apart.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-was-toi-2431-b-characterized">How was TOI-2431 b characterized?</h2>



<p>Astronomers discovered TOI-2431 b with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exotic-worlds-tess-unveils-126-new-exoplanets/">NASA’s TESS</a> telescope. TOI refers to “TESS object of interest.” The planet is named after its host star, TOI-2431, which is about two-thirds the size of our Sun. It’s a late K star.</p>



<p>They measured the planet’s size indirectly. Like insects casting shadows across a light bulb, the planet creates regular dips in starlight as it passes in front. Astronomers used this ‘shadow effect’ to determine the planet’s radius.</p>



<p>To measure its mass, scientists turned to the NEID and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/habitable-exoplanet-gliese-12-b-only-40-light-years-away-earth-like-temperatures/">Habitable-zone Planet</a> Finder instruments.&nbsp;</p>



<p>These detect tiny wobbles in the star’s movement, which the planet’s gravity causes. Combining mass with size showed TOI-2431 b is rocky and unusually dense.</p>



<p>For astronomers, the Earth-sized exoplanet is a benchmark case, revealing how extreme orbits reshape planets.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earth-sized-exoplanet-shaped-by-tides">Earth-sized exoplanet shaped by tides</h2>



<p>Unlike Earth, which is nearly spherical, TOI-2431 b has a distorted, football-like shape. Just as the Moon pulls the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-warming-is-subtly-changing-the-tides/">Earth’s oceans</a>, this planet faces tides – but on a catastrophic scale.</p>



<p>It orbits so close that the star’s pull on its near side is much stronger than on its far side. The result is an elongated body. Its longest axis, pointing toward the star, is about 9% longer than its shortest axis.</p>



<p>Astronomers have measured such an extreme tidal deformation in a rocky exoplanet for the first time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-lava-world-with-no-atmosphere">A "lava world" with no atmosphere</h2>



<p>If its orbit and shape weren’t extreme enough, TOI-2431 b’s surface is even harsher. With an equilibrium temperature above 2,000 Kelvin (3,600°F), it is hot enough to melt rock. It is likely covered in oceans of lava.</p>



<p>Stellar radiation stripped away any <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1304197111" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hydrogen-helium atmosphere</a> the planet once had. For millions of years, UV rays heated the gases until they escaped into space.</p>



<p>What remains is a dense, rocky world with a measured density of 9.4 grams per cubic centimeter, higher than Earth’s. It may represent the first well-studied case of a rocky core that atmospheric loss has exposed.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-did-it-come-from">Where did it come from?</h2>



<p>TOI-2431 b’s orbit is so close to its star that it could not have formed there. Forming solid rocks needs cooler temperatures. Astronomers believe that the planet formed farther away. It then migrated inward, being pushed and pulled by different gravitational forces along the way.</p>



<p>One possibility is that TOI-2431 b began as a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article/479/4/5012/5049314" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">gas giant or mini-Neptune</a>, later losing its atmosphere. Another is that it started as a rocky super-Earth, gradually pushed inward by gravitational interactions.</p>



<p>Evidence suggests it may belong to a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/six-planet-system-discovered-just-270-light-years-away-named-toi-1136/">multi-planet system</a>. Gravitational tugs from worlds arising from the same start may have helped drive its migration. A little like the three-body problem in the science fiction series.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-world-in-its-final-chapter">A world in its final chapter</h2>



<p>TOI-2431 b is unlike any world astronomers have studied before.&nbsp;</p>



<p>For scientists, it offers a unique laboratory to study planetary migration, atmospheric loss, and tidal interactions. For the rest of us, it is a reminder of the fragile balance that allows Earth to exist in a stable orbit.</p>



<p>By observing TOI-2431 b’s death spiral in real time, astronomers gain insight into how planets live and die. It is also a glimpse into the extraordinary diversity of worlds across the galaxy.</p>



<p>The study has been submitted to <em>Astronomy and Astrophysics</em> and is available as a preprint on <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.08464" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">arXiv.</a></p>



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



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Earth-sized exoplanet is spiraling toward destruction

Astronomers have discovered a bizarre “lava world” spiraling towards its...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



<p></p>

Social modeling affects our food choices

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Worms dominated seas before dinosaurs

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New York is the site of the world's oldest forest.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-385-million-year-old-trees-discovered">385-million-year-old trees discovered</h2>



<p>Scientists have uncovered something extraordinary just two hours north of New York City. The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/worlds-oldest-forest-discovered-close-to-new-york-city/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">world's oldest forest</a>, dating back 385 million years, offers a window into how Earth's first complex forests shaped our planet's atmosphere.</p>



<p>Located near <a href="https://townofcairo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cairo, New York</a>, in Greene County, these weren't merely primitive plants struggling to survive. These were sophisticated trees with root systems remarkably similar to modern forests. This ancient woodland predates dinosaurs by 140 million years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-cairo-forest-discovery">The Cairo forest discovery</h2>



<p>385 million years ago, upstate New York was a tropical paradise near the equator. Thanks to continental drift, this ancient forest has traveled thousands of miles to its current location.</p>



<p>The fossil forest sits in an abandoned quarry, roughly half the size of a football field. This represents just a slice of what was likely a massive forest system stretching from New York into Pennsylvania.</p>



<p>Charles Ver Straeten, curator of sedimentary rocks at the <a href="https://www.nysm.nysed.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New York State Museum</a>, made the discovery in 2009. While scouting the former highway department property, his trained eye spotted wandering patterns in the stone that looked like marine features.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-revolutionary-age-and-preservation">Revolutionary age and preservation</h2>



<p>The site contains 385-million-year-old rocks with fossilized woody roots forming horizontal patterns up to 18 feet (5.5 meters) wide. As Christopher Berry, a paleobotanist at Cardiff University, explains: "You are walking through the roots of ancient trees."</p>



<p>This discovery pushes back advanced tree evolution by millions of years. The research, published in <em><a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Current Biology</a></em> in December 2019, fundamentally changes our understanding of when complex forests first emerged.</p>



<p>Researchers believe a massive flood buried the forest floor, creating perfect fossilization conditions. Over millions of years, sediment hardened into rock, preserving these root patterns like nature's time capsule.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-meet-archaeopteris-the-first-modern-tree">Meet <em>Archaeopteris</em>: the first modern tree</h2>



<p>The star of this ancient forest is <em>Archaeopteris</em> – not to be confused with the feathered dinosaur <em>Archaeopteryx</em>. This tree was far older and more revolutionary.</p>



<p>William Stein from <a href="https://www.binghamton.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Binghamton University</a> describes the roots as "strikingly modern, essentially what you'd see outside in my yard right now." These weren't simple root systems you'd expect from ancient plants.</p>



<p>Some fossilized roots are six inches (15 centimeters) in diameter, forming 36-foot-wide (11-meter) patterns. These giants grew up to 65 feet (20 meters) tall with five-foot-diameter (1.5-meter) trunks.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-climate-changing-impact">Climate-changing impact</h2>



<p>These trees fundamentally changed Earth's environment. Kevin Boyce, a Stanford University geoscientist, explains how their deep roots triggered "weathering," chemical reactions that pulled carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.</p>



<p>This process dropped atmospheric CO2 levels from 10-15 times higher than today to roughly modern concentrations. These ancient trees helped create atmospheric conditions that made complex life possible.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ancient-forest-ecosystem">Ancient forest ecosystem</h2>



<p>The forest was remarkably diverse. Scientists identified <em>Eospermatopteris</em>, palm tree-like plants with short roots that reached 30 feet (9 meters) tall but lacked woody structure. The forest also housed cladoxylopsids and a mysterious third species still being studied.</p>



<p>All reproduced through spores rather than seeds – millions of years before seeds evolved. This tropical environment had no grass, flowers, or flying insects, just towering trees creating Earth's first complex forest canopy.</p>



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



<p>Before this finding, the Gilboa forest, located 25 miles (40 kilometers) away, held the "oldest forest" title. Cairo's trees are 2-3 million years older, showing that complex forest ecosystems developed much faster than scientists believed possible.</p>



<p>Patricia Gensel, a <a href="https://www.unc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of North Carolina</a> paleobotanist, notes: "The size of those root systems is really changing the picture. Even 20 years ago, researchers assumed trees with such complex root systems didn't evolve so early."</p>



<p>The Cairo site presents three unique root systems, suggesting Devonian period forests were diverse ecosystems with different trees occupying different environmental niches, much like today's forests.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-modern-preservation-efforts">Modern preservation efforts</h2>



<p>In 2022, New York State Senator Michelle Hinchey secured a $170,000 grant for the town of Cairo to construct specialized fencing around the fossil forest site. The town plans to conduct a feasibility study exploring the possibility of creating an educational center and working lab on-site.</p>



<p>Joe Hasenkopf, chair of the Cairo Planning Board, hopes to partner with educational institutions to create a research facility serving scientists, students, and the public.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-lessons-for-today-s-climate">Lessons for today's climate</h2>



<p>Why does a 385-million-year-old forest matter today? It shows how dramatically forests can change Earth's climate. These ancient woodlands created the atmospheric conditions supporting complex life.</p>



<p>Understanding how prehistoric forests transformed the planet helps us appreciate modern forests' critical role in addressing climate change. Forests remain Earth's most effective carbon capture systems.</p>



<p>These prehistoric trees changed Earth's atmosphere by pulling massive amounts of carbon dioxide from the air. As we face modern climate challenges, this ancient forest reminds us of trees' incredible power to transform our planet's environment.</p>



<p>The next time you walk through a forest, remember you're experiencing an ecosystem whose blueprint was established 385 million years ago in upstate New York. These ancient pioneers didn't just survive – they thrived and changed the world forever.</p>



<p>The full study was published in the journal <em>Current Biology</em>.</p>



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



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

Earth's oldest forest found in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow3JH03PqEQ New York is the site of the world's oldest...

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veg4HmmRVZY
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-scientists-map-exact-ages-when-your-body-rapidly-ages">Scientists Map Exact Ages When Your Body Rapidly Ages</h2>



<p>Scientists have <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/human-bodies-begin-breaking-down-two-very-precise-ages/#google_vignette">discovered that aging</a> isn't the gradual, steady process many assume it to be. Instead, researchers from Stanford Medicine have found that our bodies undergo dramatic molecular changes at two specific ages: 44 and 60. This research, published in Nature Aging, reveals that aging happens in sudden bursts rather than smooth transitions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-two-waves-of-rapid-aging">Two waves of rapid aging</h2>



<p>The Stanford study tracked over 135,000 different molecules and microbes in 108 participants aged 25 to 75 over several years. Results showed that 81% of all molecules studied exhibited non-linear changes, meaning they shifted dramatically at certain ages rather than changing gradually over time.</p>



<p>Michael Snyder, chair of genetics at Stanford School of Medicine and the study's senior author, noted significant findings. "We're not just changing gradually over time; there are some really dramatic changes. It turns out the mid-40s is a time of dramatic change, as is the early 60s. And that's true no matter what class of molecules you look at."</p>



<p>The first wave of changes occurs around age 44, affecting molecules related to alcohol metabolism, caffeine processing, lipid <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/age-related-changes-in-metabolism-dont-match-our-expectations/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">metabolism</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/heart-disease-remains-the-leading-cause-of-death-worldwide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cardiovascular disease</a>, and skin and muscle function. The second wave hits around age 60, involving changes in carbohydrate metabolism, immune regulation, kidney function, and again cardiovascular and muscle health.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-happens-during-these-aging-bursts">What happens during these aging bursts</h2>



<p>During the mid-40s transformation, researchers observed significant changes in how the body processes alcohol and fats. This period often coincides with increased stress levels in many people's lives, potentially contributing to lifestyle factors that accelerate these molecular shifts.</p>



<p>"It's possible some of these changes could be tied to lifestyle or behavioral factors that cluster at these age groups, rather than being driven by biological factors," Snyder explained. For instance, alcohol metabolism dysfunction might result from increased consumption during the typically stressful mid-40s period.</p>



<p>The changes at age 60 are perhaps less surprising, as this is when many age-related diseases begin to manifest more prominently. The molecular shifts affect immune function and kidney health, both critical for maintaining overall wellness as we enter our senior years.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-latest-research-confirms-aging-patterns">Latest research confirms aging patterns</h2>



<p>Recent 2025 studies have validated these findings. Research examining tissue samples from 76 people found similar aging patterns, noting an "inflection point" between ages 45 and 55.</p>



<p>Scientists discovered that blood vessels, particularly the aorta, age fastest among all body tissues. This vascular aging may drive aging in other body parts, highlighting cardiovascular health's central role in the aging process.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cellular-changes-and-microbiome-shifts">Cellular changes and microbiome shifts</h2>



<p>The Stanford research revealed that these aging bursts affect our microbiome – the trillions of bacteria, viruses, and fungi living in and on our bodies. These microbial communities undergo substantial shifts during both aging periods, potentially affecting everything from digestion to immune function.</p>



<p>Additionally, researchers found that protein production and gene expression begin to fall out of sync as we age. This breakdown in cellular communication becomes especially pronounced during the two aging waves, contributing to the accumulation of damaged proteins associated with diseases such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/alzheimers-may-not-be-brain-disorder-important-data-was-fabricated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alzheimer's</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-implications-and-longevity-considerations">Health implications and longevity considerations</h2>



<p>Understanding these aging patterns has important implications for healthcare strategies. Research suggests that people should pay particular attention to their health during their 40s and 60s, when these dramatic molecular changes occur.</p>



<p>Snyder emphasized the importance of proactive health measures. "I'm a big believer that we should try to adjust our lifestyles while we're still healthy," he noted. This might include increasing exercise to protect heart health and maintain muscle mass, or reducing alcohol consumption in the 40s as the body's ability to metabolize it declines.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-approaches-to-anti-aging-treatment">New approaches to anti-aging treatment</h2>



<p>Aging research has seen notable advances in 2025. Harvard Medical School scientists developed chemical cocktails that reverse cellular aging without genetic modification. These six combinations restored aged cells to youthfulness in under a week, offering safer alternatives to gene therapy.</p>



<p>Researchers identified new biomarkers like "InflammAge," a saliva-based test measuring chronic inflammation associated with aging. This non-invasive approach could change how we monitor aging and intervention.</p>



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



<p>Emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, cellular reprogramming, and senolytic therapies, are opening new possibilities for extending healthspan. Companies develop treatments targeting aging's fundamental mechanisms rather than just managing age-related diseases.</p>



<p>The Stanford findings provide a roadmap for implementing preventive measures. Rather than waiting for symptoms, people can prepare for and potentially mitigate these predictable aging waves.</p>



<p>As aging understanding evolves, one thing becomes clear: aging isn't inevitable decline, but specific biological events we may learn to prevent or reverse. The key is recognizing when these transitions occur and taking proactive health steps during vulnerable periods.</p>



<p>The study was published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.nature.com/nataging" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Aging</a></em>.</p>



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Scientists discover we age in bursts

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Veg4HmmRVZY Our bodies hits two 'aging cliffs' at these ages....

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqlF0XKzHY4
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The hidden science behind tickling.</figcaption></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Scientists solve the mystery of tickling

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


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