Today's Image of the Day from the <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/">European Southern Observatory</a> (ESO) features a stunning view of the Sculptor Galaxy, one of the brightest spiral galaxies visible from Earth.



The ultra-detailed image, which was captured using ESO’s Very Large Telescope, reveals features in the Sculptor Galaxy that have never been seen before.&nbsp;



ESO researcher Enrico Congiu led a new study on the Sculptor Galaxy that is published in the journal Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-galaxy-wide-view-of-sculptor-nbsp">A galaxy-wide view of Sculptor&nbsp;</h2>



The team observed the galaxy in thousands of wavelengths at once, collecting an immense amount of data from every point across its structure. This allowed them to build a comprehensive, galaxy-wide view of how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-stars-may-be-billions-of-years-older-than-estimated/">stars</a> live and evolve within Sculptor.



"Galaxies are incredibly complex systems that we are still struggling to understand," said Congiu.



“The Sculptor Galaxy is in a sweet spot. It is close enough that we can resolve its internal structure and study its building blocks with incredible detail, but at the same time, big enough that we can still see it as a whole system.”



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



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxygen-detected-in-the-most-distant-and-primitive-galaxy-ever-analyzed/">Galaxies</a> span hundreds of thousands of light-years, yet their evolution is shaped by processes unfolding on much smaller scales.&nbsp;



The fundamental components of a galaxy - stars, gas, and dust - each emit light in distinct colors. The more shades of color captured in an image, the deeper the insight into a galaxy’s internal structure.&nbsp;



Traditional images typically contain only a few colors, but the new map of the Sculptor Galaxy includes thousands.&nbsp;



This rich spectrum provides astronomers with detailed information about the galaxy’s stars, gas, and dust - from their ages and chemical makeup to how they’re moving through space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-mapping-the-sculptor-galaxy-nbsp">Mapping the Sculptor Galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



The research team spent more than 50 hours observing the Sculptor Galaxy using the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) on the Very Large Telescope.&nbsp;



To capture the full view - spanning roughly 65,000 light-years - they combined over 100 separate exposures into a single, detailed mosaic.&nbsp;



According to study co-author Kathryn Kreckel from Heidelberg University, Germany, this makes the map a potent tool.&nbsp;



“We can zoom in to study individual regions where stars form at nearly the scale of individual stars, but we can also zoom out to study the galaxy as a whole,” said Kreckel.&nbsp;



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



In their initial analysis of the data, the team identified around 500 planetary <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/">nebulae</a> scattered throughout the Sculptor Galaxy.



Study co-author Fabian Scheuermann, a doctoral student at Heidelberg University, emphasized the significance of the discovery.&nbsp;



Scheuermann noted that when astronomers study galaxies outside of our own cosmic neighborhood, they normally detect fewer than 100 planetary nebulae in each one.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-galaxy-of-extremes">A galaxy of extremes</h2>



The Sculptor Galaxy, also known as NGC 253, is located about 11.4 million light-years away in the constellation Sculptor. It’s classified as a starburst galaxy, meaning it’s undergoing an exceptionally high rate of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/fluffy-molecular-clouds-may-change-our-understanding-of-star-formation/">star formation</a>.&nbsp;



This vigorous star-making activity is especially intense in its central regions, where dense clouds of gas and dust feed the birth of new stars.&nbsp;



The galaxy is tilted at a steep angle from our perspective, which gives it a striking, elongated appearance when viewed through telescopes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-notable-features-of-the-sculptor-galaxy-nbsp">Notable features of the Sculptor Galaxy&nbsp;</h2>



Discovered in 1783 by Caroline Herschel, the Sculptor Galaxy has become a popular target for both professional astronomers and amateur skywatchers due to its brightness and relative proximity.&nbsp;



It’s part of the Sculptor Group, one of the nearest groups of galaxies to our Local Group. Despite being rich in star-forming regions, much of its inner structure is veiled by thick dust lanes.&nbsp;



However, infrared and X-ray observations have helped scientists peer through the obscuring material to study the galaxy’s core, revealing a wealth of activity including supernova remnants and a possible central <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/largest-ultramassive-black-hole-ever-seen-cosmic-horseshoe-lrg-3-757/">black hole</a>.



The Sculptor Galaxy is also notable for its extended halo of stars and gas, which suggests past interactions or mergers with smaller galaxies.&nbsp;



This halo, along with its active central region, makes NGC 253 a valuable subject for understanding how galaxies evolve, form stars, and recycle gas over time. Its combination of beauty and scientific richness continues to make it a focus of galactic studies.



Image Credit: European Southern Observatory&nbsp;



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Thousands of colors in the Sculptor Galaxy

Today's Image of the Day from the European Southern Observatory...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features Messier 82, a starburst galaxy located in the constellation Ursa Major. This galaxy is actively forming new stars at a rate ten times that of the Milky Way.



In a study using the <a href="https://webb.nasa.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Webb Space Telescope</a> (JWST), an international team of astronomers has taken an unprecedented look at Messier 82 (M82), revealing intricate details about its frenzied star formation.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-nircam">The power of NIRCam</h2>



The study, led by Alberto Bolatto, utilized Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) to penetrate the thick dust and gas covering the galaxy's core, a region critical to understanding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-stars-release-sneezes-of-gas-and-dust-as-they-develop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>.&nbsp;



"M82 has garnered a variety of observations over the years because it can be considered as the prototypical starburst galaxy," noted Bolatto. “With Webb’s size and resolution, we can look at this star-forming galaxy and see all of this beautiful new detail.”



Webb's NIRCam has proven crucial for observing areas like M82’s center, where layers of dust typically obscure the view in other wavelengths. The camera's ability to capture infrared light allows it to reveal the galaxy's core and its dynamic processes.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-messier-82-image">Messier 82 image </h2>



“This image shows the power of Webb. Every single white dot in this image is either a star or a star cluster. We can start to distinguish all of these tiny point sources, which enables us to acquire an accurate count of all the star clusters in this galaxy,” noted study co-author Rebecca Levy from the University of Arizona.



One of the NIRCam's innovative features is its mode that prevents bright sources from overwhelming the detector, which was particularly useful in studying the intensely active center of Messier 82.&nbsp;



In the image, dark brown tendrils of dust weave through the galaxy's glowing white core, interspersed with small green specks that represent concentrated areas of iron from <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernova</a> remnants. Red patches highlight regions where molecular hydrogen is illuminated by the radiation from nearby young stars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-insights-into-galactic-winds">Insights into galactic winds</h2>



The study also focused on understanding how <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/spin-of-a-new-black-hole-is-unlocking-galactic-mysteries/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galactic wind</a>, driven by the rapid rate of star formation and subsequent supernovae, influences M82’s environment. 



The NIRCam images showed clumpy streams of gas, appearing in red, which extend above and below the galaxy's plane, marking the path of this wind rushing out from the starburst's core.



A key revelation came from the NIRCam’s tracing of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), sooty chemical molecules that map out the structure of the galactic wind. 



To the surprise of researchers, the PAH emissions closely resembled the patterns of the hot, ionized gas, suggesting a more complex interaction within the wind than previously understood. 



"It was unexpected to see the PAH emission resemble ionised gas," said Bolatto. "PAHs are not supposed to live very long when exposed to such a strong radiation field, so perhaps they are being replenished all the time. It challenges our theories and shows us that further investigation is required."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-future-observations-of-messier-82">Future observations of Messier 82</h2>



The findings from Webb are just the beginning. The team plans to further analyze Messier 82 with additional data, including spectroscopic observations, to determine the ages of the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxy-collisions-hubble-spots-a-string-of-pearls-star-cluster/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star clusters</a> and the duration of each star formation phase within the starburst environment.&nbsp;



These observations will also assist in a broader understanding of similar processes in early <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ceers-2112-ancient-galaxy-looks-strikingly-similar-to-ours/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a>, which were common in the young universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-broader-implications-of-the-study">Broader implications of the study</h2>



Study co-author Torsten Böker of the <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European Space Agency</a> emphasized the broader implications of these findings.&nbsp;



“With these amazing Webb images, and our upcoming spectra, we can study how exactly the strong winds and shock fronts from young stars and supernovae can remove the very gas and dust from which new stars are forming,” explained Böker.&nbsp;



“A detailed understanding of this ‘feedback’ cycle is important for theories of how the early universe evolved, because compact starbursts such as the one in M82 were very common at high redshift.”



Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA



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Messier 82: Unlocking the mysteries of star formation

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

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features a blanket of dust over the Tarim Basin - a vast, arid region in northwestern China. 



Mountain peaks are visible through a break in the dust. These peaks are part of Tekilik Shan, a subrange of the Kunlun Mountains.



Though not as widely known as some other mountain ranges in the area, Tekilik Shan plays a significant role in shaping local <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-pushing-nature-toward-a-breaking-point/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">weather</a> patterns and geography.



Its snow-covered peaks can rise above 13,000 feet, contributing to the dramatic elevation differences that define the basin’s borders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dust-storms-in-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Dust storms in the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



Spring marks the height of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sahara-desert-dust-storms-carry-harmful-bacteria-and-fungi-around-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dust storm</a> activity in the Tarim Basin, particularly in its southern region.&nbsp;



“It’s a time of year when regional wind patterns shift in ways that cause winds and storm systems to sweep in from the northwest,” noted <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/154126/a-curtain-of-dust-over-the-tarim-basin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA</a>.



“In early spring, when landscapes in this region are especially dry and have minimal vegetation, land surfaces warm rapidly under the Sun’s heat every morning, fueling convection that can help loft dust upward by the afternoon.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fingerlike-dust-formations-nbsp">Fingerlike dust formations&nbsp;</h2>



Satellite images revealed dust formations with fingerlike shapes that mirrored the landscape below. These projections aligned with valleys, which channeled and directed the airborne dust.&nbsp;



Ralph Kahn is an atmospheric scientist at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder and scientist emeritus at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.



According to Kahn, the dust may have been “self-lofting.” In this process, sunlight heats recently stirred-up surface dust, creating pockets of convection that lift it even higher into the air.



This interpretation is supported by hourly observations from Japan’s Himawari-9 geostationary satellite, which showed dust gradually rising into the Tekilik Shan throughout the day. By late afternoon, the storm had grown dense enough to obscure the mountains.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-decline-in-atmospheric-dust">Decline in atmospheric dust</h2>



Long-term satellite data from MODIS suggest that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dust-storms-in-the-gulf-of-alaska-help-shape-the-global-climate/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atmospheric dust</a> levels in this region have declined by about 1.5 percent each year since the early 2000s.&nbsp;



NASA researcher Hongbin Yu attributes this trend mainly to springtime changes - such as altered wind speeds, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-soil-moisture-can-predict-severe-storms/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">soil moisture</a>, or vegetation cover - rather than shifts in other seasons.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rainfall-in-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Rainfall in the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



“The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Takla-Makan-Desert" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Takla Makan Desert</a> is one of the driest, most barren expanses on Earth. Flanked by mountain ranges on three sides and parched by the resulting <a href="https://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Rain_shadow" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rain shadow</a>, parts of the Tarim Basin receive no more than 10 millimeters (0.4 inches) of rain per year,” noted NASA.



“Dust storms can lead to public health problems in populated areas downwind by transporting small particles, bacteria, and viruses that infiltrate human respiratory systems.”&nbsp;



NASA added that dust storms can also affect Earth’s climate by scattering and absorbing incoming solar radiation and changing the properties of clouds.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-landscape-of-the-tarim-basin-nbsp">Landscape of the Tarim Basin&nbsp;</h2>



The Tarim Basin is one of the largest endorheic basins in the world, meaning that its rivers do not drain into the sea but instead flow into interior lakes or evaporate.&nbsp;



The basin is encircled by three mountain ranges: the Tien Shan to the north, the Kunlun Mountains to the south, and the Pamirs to the west. These ranges create a powerful rain shadow effect, making the region exceptionally dry.



At the heart of the Tarim Basin lies the Taklamakan Desert, one of the most extreme deserts on Earth. The desert is known for its high dunes, intense temperature swings, and minimal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-rainfall-will-wreak-havoc-on-mountain-ranges-as-warming-climate-turns-snow-to-rain/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rainfall</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-history-and-geology">History and geology</h2>



Despite its harsh environment, the basin has been historically significant. It was a key section of the ancient Silk Road, with several oases such as Kashgar, Khotan, and Loulan serving as vital trading and cultural centers for centuries.



Geologically, the basin is rich in natural resources, particularly oil and natural gas, and has become a focal point for China's energy exploration and development.&nbsp;



The region’s challenging climate and remote location, however, make infrastructure development and human habitation difficult.&nbsp;



The image was captured on March 27, 2025 by the Operational Land Imager instrument on Landsat 8.



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Blanket of dust covers China’s Tarim Basin

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

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features Messier 78 (M78), a reflection nebula located in the constellation Orion about 1,350 light-years away from Earth.&nbsp;



This image was released as part of the initial series of observations from ESA's <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Euclid space mission</a>.&nbsp;



All data collected during these early observations, including a series of incredible <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Euclid/Euclid_s_first_images_the_dazzling_edge_of_darkness" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">new views</a> of the nearby universe, is available to the public.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-image-of-messier-78">Image of Messier 78</h2>



Messier 78 is a dynamic region of star formation that is obscured by cosmic dust in this high-resolution image captured by the Euclid space telescope.



This specific view highlights how young stars generate winds of charged particles, carving out “cavities” in the molecular clouds around them.&nbsp;



The blue hues in the image represent ionized atomic hydrogen, which is a primary component of the cloud, while the red indicates the absorption and scattering of light by dust particles.



The image captures hundreds of stars varying in brightness, illuminating their nebulous, purple surroundings. A dark, arch-like structure stretches from the upper left to the bottom right of the frame, merging into the densest, darkest clouds at the image’s base.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-active-site-of-star-formation-nbsp">Active site of star formation&nbsp;</h2>



Messier 78 is not just a single nebula but part of a larger complex of stars and nebulous regions in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/orion-nebula-destroys-an-oceans-worth-of-water-every-month/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Orion</a>, which includes various other objects like dark nebulae that are visible as patches blocking light from behind.



This region is an active site of star formation, featuring many young stars and protostars, which are stars in the early stages of formation.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-viewing-messier-78">Viewing Messier 78</h2>



M78 is easily observable with small telescopes, and it appears as a hazy patch of light with two prominent stars near its center, which illuminate the surrounding dust.&nbsp;



The nebula is also a favorite among amateur astronomers for its beauty and relatively bright appearance.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-subject-of-scientific-interest-nbsp">Subject of scientific interest&nbsp;</h2>



Messier 78 is fascinating not only for its visual beauty but also for its scientific interest, particularly in the study of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/baby-stars-release-sneezes-of-gas-and-dust-as-they-develop/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a> and interstellar matter.&nbsp;



The nebula consists of dense, cold gas and dust, which are essential ingredients for the birth of new stars.&nbsp;



The intense blue light that characterizes M78 is due to the reflection of starlight off these dust particles - a process known as scattering.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-region-surrounding-messier-78-nbsp">Region surrounding Messier 78&nbsp;</h2>



The region surrounding M78 includes several other interesting features. For instance, there are Herbig-Haro objects within it, which are small patches of nebulosity associated with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-molecule-detected-in-space-where-stars-are-born/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">newly born stars</a>.&nbsp;



These objects are formed when gas ejected by young stars collides with clouds of gas and dust at high speeds, creating shock waves that glow brightly.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-earliest-stages-of-star-development-nbsp">Earliest stages of star development&nbsp;</h2>



Additionally, infrared observations of M78 have revealed much about the dust and colder objects in the area, which are not visible in optical light.&nbsp;



The observations have helped astronomers identify numerous young stars and brown dwarfs (objects that are too large to be planets and too small to be stars) within the nebula.&nbsp;



This makes M78 a critical area for studying the earliest stages of star development and the properties of the interstellar medium.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-euclid-space-mission-nbsp">Euclid space mission&nbsp;</h2>



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-batch-of-brilliant-images-from-the-euclid-mission-live-up-to-the-hype/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Euclid space mission</a> is designed to study the dark universe, particularly focusing on dark energy and dark matter. These components are believed to drive the accelerating expansion of the universe and shape its large-scale structure. 



The mission aims to map the geometry of the dark universe and better understand the physics of the cosmos.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-billions-of-galaxies-nbsp">Observing billions of galaxies&nbsp;</h3>



Euclid uses two primary scientific instruments: a visible light camera (VIS) and a near-infrared spectrometer and photometer (NISP).&nbsp;



These instruments will allow Euclid to measure the shapes and redshifts of galaxies at distances of up to 10 billion light-years. By surveying more than a third of the sky, the mission is expected to observe several billion galaxies.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-studying-the-dark-universe-nbsp">Studying the dark universe&nbsp;</h3>



The data collected will help astronomers in studying the effects of dark matter and dark energy in depth, testing cosmological models, and exploring new theories about the nature of the universe.&nbsp;



The mission, named after the ancient Greek mathematician Euclid, seeks to address key questions related to the structure of the universe and the fundamental laws of physics governing its evolution and expansion.



Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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Young stars shine through dense dust

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the star-forming region NGC 604. The nebula is located 2.73 million light-years away from Earth in the Triangulum Galaxy (M33). 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



This enriching process allows for the formation of new stars and planets, and ultimately, the potential for life.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Image Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope



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Young, massive stars in the Triangulum Galaxy

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features NGC 1792, a spiral galaxy located in the constellation Columba about 43 million light-years away from Earth.&nbsp;



This galaxy, discovered by British astronomer James Dunlop in 1826, is part of the larger NGC 1808 group of galaxies.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-intimate-view-of-ngc-1792">Intimate view of NGC 1792</h2>



“An orange glow radiates from the center of NGC 1792, the heart of this stellar forge. Captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, this intimate view of NGC 1792 gives us some insight into this galactic powerhouse,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



“The vast swathes of tell-tale blue seen throughout the galaxy indicate areas that are full of young, hot stars, and it is in the shades of orange, seen nearer the center, that the older, cooler stars reside.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-vigorous-star-formation-nbsp">Vigorous star formation&nbsp;</h2>



NGC 1792 is notable for its vigorous star formation, classifying it as a starburst galaxy. The high rate of star birth is thought to be triggered by gravitational interactions with neighboring galaxies, though the exact cause is still under study.



“Nestled in the constellation of Columba (The Dove), NGC 1792 is both a spiral galaxy, and a starburst galaxy,” said ESA. 



“Within starburst galaxies, stars are forming at comparatively exorbitant rates. The rate of star formation can be more than 10 times faster in a starburst galaxy than in the Milky Way.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fierce-bursts-of-star-formation">Fierce bursts of star formation</h2>



ESA noted that when galaxies have a large reservoir of gas, like NGC 1792, these short-lived starburst phases can be sparked by galactic events such as mergers and tidal interactions.&nbsp;



“One might think that these starburst galaxies would easily consume all of their gas in a large forming event. However, supernova explosions and intense stellar winds produced in these powerful starbursts can inject energy into the gas and disperse it.”&nbsp;



“This halts the star formation before it can completely deplete the galaxy of all its fuel. Scientists are actively working to understand this complex interplay between the dynamics that drive and quench these fierce bursts of star formation.”



Due to its distance and brightness, NGC 1792 can be observed with medium-sized telescopes under favorable conditions.



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



Galaxy evolution refers to the process by which galaxies form and change over time. It begins in the early universe, shortly after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-observations-disprove-big-bang-theory-universe-began-tired-light-theory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Big Bang</a>, when small density fluctuations in the primordial gas led to the collapse of matter into the first galaxies.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxy-mergers">Galaxy mergers</h3>



Early galaxies were small and irregular, and were composed mostly of gas and dark matter. Over billions of years, galaxies grew larger by merging with one another and by accreting gas from the surrounding space.&nbsp;



These interactions often triggered bursts of star formation, and collisions between galaxies sometimes led to the creation of new, more massive galaxies.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-structural-changes">Structural changes</h3>



As galaxies evolve, their morphology - shape and structure - can change. Early galaxies were often irregular or disk-shaped, but over time, many galaxies formed into the elliptical or spiral shapes we see today.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-formation">Star formation</h3>



Star formation is a key driver of galaxy evolution, but it gradually slows down as galaxies age. 



The gas that fuels <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-is-starving-its-host-galaxy-of-star-forming-fuel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a> can be used up, or it can be heated and pushed out of galaxies by supernovae or black holes, reducing the galaxy's ability to form new stars.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxy-environment-nbsp">Galaxy environment&nbsp;</h3>



The environment in which a galaxy resides also plays a role in its evolution. Galaxies in dense clusters are more likely to interact with their neighbors, which can alter their shape or trigger bursts of star formation.&nbsp;



In contrast, galaxies in more isolated regions of space evolve more slowly and without as many dramatic interactions.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dark-matter">Dark matter</h3>



Dark matter also plays a crucial role in galaxy evolution. It provides the gravitational framework that holds galaxies together and influences their interactions with one another.&nbsp;



Supermassive <a href="https://www.earth.com/search-results/?search=Galaxies%20merge&amp;start=0" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">black holes</a>, found at the centers of most large galaxies, can also affect their evolution by releasing energy that impacts star formation and the movement of gas within the galaxy.



Overall, galaxy evolution is a complex and ongoing process driven by interactions between stars, gas, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/study-dark-matter-does-not-exist-and-the-universe-is-27-billion-years-old/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter</a>, and black holes, and shaped by both internal processes and external influences.



Image Credit: ESA/Hubble &amp; NASA, J. Lee



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Starburst galaxy in the constellation Columba

With no predators to fear, the deer population absolutely exploded. They could eat and overgraze all they wanted without worrying about wolves. Soon, the forests and meadows were barren, but the deer and their ilk kept at it.

Overgrazing

Prescriptions for antibiotic medications have fallen in recent years. Yet the genes that let bacteria shrug off these drugs remain stubbornly common in rivers and streams. 



A new investigation shows that less medicine in people does not always mean less antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in nature.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tracking-antibiotic-resistance">Tracking antibiotic resistance </h2>



Scientists at the <a href="https://www.bath.ac.uk/">University of Bath</a> traced both antibiotic use and AMR genes by sampling wastewater from four treatment plants in southwest England. 



The researchers studied two years of samples taken during the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/covid-disrupts-gut-health-increasing-risk-of-other-infections/">COVID-19</a> pandemic and compared them with data gathered before 2019. The team matched every sewage sample to medical prescription records from the same period.



The experts noted a clear seasonal dip in prescriptions between 2017 and 2019. Drug levels in wastewater decreased too. But the load of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pigs-and-humans-are-sharing-antibiotic-resistance-genes/">resistance genes</a> in the wastewater remained high. 



Even a sharp drop in prescriptions during the 2020 lockdown brought only a brief fall in AMR genes in wastewater. Once social contact rose, both prescriptions and resistance genes bounced back up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-reducing-antibiotic-use-isn-t-enough">Reducing antibiotic use isn’t enough</h2>



“The spread of antimicrobial resistance is a huge <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/climate-change-increases-threat-antimicrobial-resistance/">threat</a> to all our lives - we rely on antibiotics for treating common infections and to safely carry out surgical procedures," said Professor Barbara Kasprzyk-Hordern, director of CWBE.



“The main focus globally on combatting AMR has been to reduce the amount of antibiotics used, but our research findings show that this alone might not be enough to tackle the problem."



She pointed out that once resistance genes are out there in the environment, they can be transferred between <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antibiotic-resistant-bacteria-can-jump-between-healthy-pets-and-owners/">bacteria</a>, increasing the populations of microbes that are resistant to treatment with antibiotics.



“This is really worrying because we had previously assumed that less usage would result in less AMR, but our results show the problem is more complex than that,” noted Professor Kasprzyk-Hordern.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-resistance-spreads-without-antibiotics">How resistance spreads without antibiotics</h2>



Bacteria swap genes with each other in soil, water, and the human gut. Once a resistance gene enters that pool, it can spread even when antibiotic pressure falls.



The study suggests that public-health plans must look beyond prescribing habits and consider farming, wastewater treatment, and environmental cleanup.



The research team urges policy makers to adopt a One Health approach. That means looking at people, animals, and ecosystems together in an any attempt to reduce populations of resistant microbes.



Better drug stewardship in hospitals and clinics is still vital. But it must be joined by limits on antibiotics in livestock, upgrades to sewage plants, and surveillance of rivers and soils.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-building-a-real-world-lab">Building a real-world lab</h2>



The Bath group and partners have launched the Centre of Excellence in Water-Based Early-Warning Systems for Health Protection. 



The team's first “living lab” will follow microbes and chemicals from wastewater to human health outcomes over many years. This long view should reveal how resistance moves through entire communities.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antibiotic-resistance-genes-in-wastewater">Antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater</h2>



“Our work shows that wastewater-based epidemiology is an innovative and cost-effective monitoring tool that can be used to understand antibiotic usage and how antibiotic-resistant genes spread,“ said Dr. Like Xu, first author of the&nbsp;study.



Antimicrobial resistance is a growing concern and the presence of persistent concentrations of antibiotic-resistant genes in the environment could potentially lead to serious and widespread health issues. 



“Through wastewater analysis, this approach helps identify new resistance patterns, understand their transmission and establish baselines at community level," confirmed Dr. Xu.



“This evidence can support decision makers in developing coordinated interventions and assessing their effectiveness in near-real time.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-shared-responsibility">A shared responsibility</h2>



Antibiotic resistance isn’t just a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/antimicrobial-resistance-projected-to-kill-10-million-people-each-year/">problem</a> for doctors or scientists - it affects everyone. The study shows that resistance can spread in ways we don’t always see or expect.



To reduce the threat, we need to focus on where resistance is hiding and how it travels - not just how we can reduce the use of antibiotic medications. 



This also calls for broader action. Clean water systems, responsible farming, and better tracking of resistance in communities all play a role. It’s not just about changing how we use antibiotics - it’s about changing how we think about the connections between health, the environment, and society.



Everyone has a part to play, from governments and hospitals to farmers and families. If we want to protect the power of antibiotics for the future, we’ll need to take a smarter, more connected approach today.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213716525001092?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance</a>.



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Genes for antibiotic resistance lurk in our wastewater and streams

Prescriptions for antibiotic medications have fallen in recent years. Yet...

Brain,Neurons,,Synapses,,Reasoning

When you juggle a phone number, an address, and directions - all while driving - you will notice that stray memory details, like the jingle on the radio, try to muscle their way in and vie for space and attention in your brain.



Neuroscientists have long suspected that the brain employs an internal "memory janitor" that's able to sweep that clutter away, and a new study finally catches the cleanup crew in action.



The evidence comes from cognitive neuroscientists <a href="https://postlab.psych.wisc.edu/staff/shan-jiangang/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jiangang Shan</a> and <a href="https://psych.wisc.edu/staff/postle-brad/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bradley Postle</a> at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, who traced how volunteers intentionally dropped one memory item to make room for another and then mapped the electrical ripple that followed the internal command.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-brain-clears-memory-space">Why the brain clears memory space</h2>



<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11515286/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Working memory</a> is famously stingy, holding only about four independent chunks before performance crashes. Because that ceiling never grows across adulthood, clearing stale or distracting content is the only way to keep goals on course.



The idea that we can store seven plus or minus two items dates to <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4486516/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">George Miller’s 1956 essay</a>, but later work shows that number shrinks once chunking tricks and rehearsal are stripped away. 



Active deletion therefore matters even more than passive forgetting when the cognitive stakes are high.



Failing to clear the cache can feed <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11122689/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">rumination</a> and other intrusive thought loops tied to depression, anxiety, and hallucinations. 



Pinning down the neural broom that prunes irrelevant data may expose a direct <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-brain-has-a-meal-memory-that-controls-hunger/">therapeutic target</a> for disorders that hijack the mind’s limited spotlight.



A 2019 <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31054444/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">meta‑analysis</a> found that intrusive memories dog 76 percent of adults with major depressive disorder, underscoring how common and stubborn unwanted recollections can be. An efficient erase signal could help break that cycle.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-brain-waves-that-erase-memory">Brain waves that erase memory</h2>



Using scalp electroencephalogram (<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.09.632207v1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EEG</a>) sensors, Shan and Postle spotted an anterior‑to‑posterior traveling wave that surged down the cortex roughly 160 milliseconds after a “forget” cue. 



The rapid sweep looked like a top‑down shout from executive regions toward the visual areas that first encoded the now‑irrelevant detail.



That directional burst was markedly stronger than the weak hum seen when participants simply ignored an item, hinting that active deletion is a distinct operation rather than a slow fade powered by neglect. 



A separate analysis showed that stronger waves predicted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/your-brain-literally-changes-based-on-daily-activities-and-lifestyle/">cleaner recall</a> of the surviving item, tying the electrical surge to practical memory benefits.



Early animal studies link traveling waves to attention shifts, but the new human data confirm that the same mechanism can serve a more radical purpose, silencing content outright. 



By converting an attention tool into a forgetting tool, the cortex re‑uses existing circuitry instead of inventing a bespoke system.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-test-showed-memory-deletion">How the test showed memory deletion</h2>



Twenty‑nine adults stared at two colored bars on a screen, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-discover-a-better-way-for-kids-to-learn-math/">memorizing</a> their orientations, and then received a cue naming which bar to discard before a third bar appeared. 



The tricky part: all bars shared the same format, so participants had to surgically erase only the flagged target while preserving everything else.



Because EEG captures brain rhythms at millisecond resolution, the team watched the decision and its aftermath unfold in real time. 



They also fired a brief “ping,” a flash matching the banished color, during the delay to probe any lingering excitability in the relevant neural channels.



A control condition left forgetting to happen passively, giving the researchers a baseline trace for comparison. That contrast let them separate mere inattention from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/">active‑removal process</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-the-brain-silences-old-info">How the brain silences old info</h2>



“Active removal led to decreased excitability in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-time-and-space-interact-in-the-brain/">perceptual circuits</a> centered on the unwanted information,” report Shan and Postle. 



After active removal, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482504/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">visual cortex</a> barely flinched at the ping, evidence that its circuits had been deliberately dampened. 



That engineered silence contrasts with passive forgetting, where the same probe evokes a modest after‑shock that slowly decays, suggesting the trace lingers and can still meddle with new material. 



The neural hush also predicts smaller interference effects on later trials, confirming that the brain’s tidy‑up translates into cleaner behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-active-brain-memory-deletion-beats-fading">Active brain memory deletion beats fading</h2>



Passive forgetting starves a detail of attention until it slips below awareness, much like muting a television you no longer watch. 



Active forgetting uses the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36072093/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">adaptation‑hijacking</a> mechanism, throttling neuronal gain so the discarded feature cannot compete later.



Behaviorally, items erased in this way leave a measurable repulsive after‑effect on subsequent perception, a fingerprint that never appears after passive withdrawal and one that further underscores the existence of two cleanup tools inside the same brain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-it-matters-for-mental-health">Why it matters for mental health</h2>



People who ruminate struggle to swap out emotional memory information and commit more false alarms in brain memory tasks, underscoring how sticky thoughts hamper cognitive control. 



Training the brain’s active‑removal memory circuit could give these individuals a concrete method to quench spirals of negativity.



<a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10658640/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hallucinations</a> in psychosis, intrusive memories in post‑traumatic stress disorder, and even compulsive cravings might also flare when unwanted content refuses eviction. 



Boosting the frontal wave, or mimicking its effect with targeted stimulation, could tip the balance back toward flexible, goal‑directed thinking.



Clinical teams already experiment with cognitive‑control exercises and non‑invasive brain stimulation; the new findings supply a physiological marker to gauge whether those interventions truly engage the forgetting pathway.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-this-works-in-daily-life">How this works in daily life</h2>



The <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9400626/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ABC‑retrocuing task</a> uses abstract shapes, yet the principle probably scales to everyday situations, such as clearing a coworker’s outdated instructions before a meeting pivots to a new agenda. 



Ordinary forgetfulness may hinge less on storage capacity and more on how quickly the cleanup signal fires when priorities flip.



Understanding that signal could even inform workplace design: regular micro‑breaks might allow the brain to issue its erase order before the next demand floods in, shaving off mistakes rooted in lingering clutter.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-next-in-brain-and-memory-research">What’s next in brain and memory research</h2>



Shan and Postle now plan to pair <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/transcranial-magnetic-stimulation/about/pac-20384625" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">transcranial magnetic stimulation</a> with EEG to test whether amplifying the anterior‑to‑posterior wave speeds forgetting and improves downstream recall accuracy. 



Meanwhile, computational neuroscientists are adding adaptive gain control to artificial networks, hoping to build machines that forget with the same finesse as humans.



“It is surprisingly hard to teach an algorithm to know what not to remember,” Postle notes in a university briefing. 



If that memory challenge is cracked, voice assistants and self-driving cars could avoid brain overload by erasing sensor snapshots the instant they become obsolete.



The study is published in the <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2025/06/04/JNEUROSCI.2414-24.2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Journal of Neuroscience</a>.



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Scientists find a built-in 'memory janitor' that helps your brain forget some things on purpose

When you juggle a phone number, an address, and directions...

A visual feast of galaxies

It is astounding how a single image can hold such a wealth of information. This new view from the James Webb Space Telescope (<a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JWST</a>) showcases a crowded landscape of stars and galaxies, each one shedding a little more light on the story of the universe.



The scene includes objects that lie near and far, stretching across billions of years in cosmic time. 



The <a href="https://cosmos.astro.caltech.edu/page/cosmosweb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">COSMOS-Web group</a>, led by Dr. Ghassem Gozaliasl from the <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Helsinki</a>, has focused on the largest concentration of galaxies seen in the central region, where a cluster dazzles with a white-gold glow.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-captures-unknown-galaxies">Webb captures unknown galaxies</h2>



Scientists use the term "light-year" to describe the distance light travels in one year, roughly 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers). Because light takes time to travel, instruments like Webb can glimpse conditions that existed eons ago.&nbsp;



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hubble-finds-uranus-full-of-surprises-after-20-years-of-observations/">Hubble</a> and other observatories have contributed to this deep-sky survey, yet Webb’s infrared detectors are revealing structures that were previously unseen. 



Observing so many diverse galaxies in a single region helps researchers trace how these mighty star cities evolve over cosmic time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dynamics-of-new-galaxy-clusters">Dynamics of new galaxy clusters</h2>



Over half of all galaxies in our universe exist in groups, making these <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1205.5556" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clusters</a> valuable for understanding galactic evolution. 



When galaxies interact in such close quarters, gravity can pull them into surprising shapes or even merge them altogether.



Many such groups in the COSMOS-Web sample likely formed alliances that shifted their histories forever, resulting in collisions or new star-forming bursts.



Some of these groupings are so large that they can significantly bend the path of light from objects behind them. 



Researchers studying these systems piece together patterns that help explain how matter is distributed across huge stretches of space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxies-in-a-crowded-neighborhood">Galaxies in a crowded neighborhood</h2>



When galaxies live in crowded settings like groups, their environments tend to strip gas away from the outer edges. This gas loss limits future star formation and can cause galaxies to grow old faster. 



Researchers have seen this process, called <a href="https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/*/Ram+Pressure+Stripping" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ram pressure stripping</a>, in many nearby clusters.



In some cases, galaxies that pass through the dense center of a group get pulled apart by gravity or collide with neighbors. 



These events often trigger sudden starbursts or reshape galaxies completely. Over time, the group’s conditions shape what each member becomes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-detecting-the-glow-of-ancient-objects">Detecting the glow of ancient objects </h2>



The X-ray data gathered by older telescopes captures scorching clouds of gas in these galaxy groups. That hot gas would be invisible without specialized instruments. 



Separately, Hubble's visible and infrared <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/image-detail/hubble-monkeyhead-ngc2174-vis-ir-stsci-01evvkxvw1mwr1g6h844xm5p03/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">images</a> capture stars within closer galaxies and the shimmering cores of far-off ones. 



Webb pushes even deeper by detecting the faint infrared glow from ancient objects that might otherwise slip by unnoticed.



Scientists compare all these <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxygen-detected-in-the-most-distant-and-primitive-galaxy-ever-analyzed/">observations </a>to identify each galaxy’s distance, shape, and star content. Younger stars shine with a bright blue appearance, while older stars glow red.&nbsp;



“The more distant a galaxy, the redder it appears,” noted the COSMOS-Web team. Each color variation helps confirm ages and reveals star formation rates across vast eras.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-glimpse-of-the-early-universe">A glimpse of the early universe</h2>



The COSMOS-Web initiative spans 0.54 square degrees of sky, which may sound small, but it covers an area over twice the size of three full moons put side by side. 



This 255-hour program employs <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/nircam/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Webb’s Near-InfraRed Camera</a> to gather data that can support multiple studies on galaxy assembly, <a href="https://elt.eso.org/science/cosmodm/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dark matter</a>, and star formation.



Researchers want to pinpoint galaxies born during the <a href="https://www.mpia.de/en/gc/research/epoch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">epoch of reionization</a>, a critical era when early stars reionized hydrogen in the young universe. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/COSMOS-Web_thousands-galaxies_Webb-telescope_NASA_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/COSMOS-Web_thousands-galaxies_Webb-telescope_NASA_1s.webp" alt="An area of deep space with thousands of galaxies in various shapes and sizes on a black background. Most are circles or ovals, with a few spirals. More distant galaxies are redder in color and smaller, down to being mere dots, while closer galaxies are a bit larger and white or blueish. A few gold-colored galaxies are bunched closely together in the center. Bright stars surrounded by spikes lie in our galaxy. Credit: NASA/ESA" class="wp-image-1973689"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">An area of deep space with thousands of galaxies in various shapes and sizes on a black background. Most are circles or ovals, with a few spirals. More distant galaxies are redder in color and smaller, down to being mere dots, while closer galaxies are a bit larger and white or blueish. A few gold-colored galaxies are bunched closely together in the center. Bright stars surrounded by spikes lie in our galaxy. Credit: NASA/ESA</figcaption></figure>



This project also seeks insights on how the mass of a galaxy’s stars connects with the mass of its broader <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/physics-and-astronomy/galactic-halos" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galactic halo</a>.



Unraveling that relationship can illuminate how galaxies stay stable and where new stars might spring up. While many questions remain open, this collaborative effort has enlarged our ability to examine the vast landscape of space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-galaxies-change-over-time">Galaxies change over time</h2>



The sheer variety of galactic forms in Webb’s new image stands out. Some swirl elegantly with spiral arms, others are smooth like bright blobs, and still others appear to interact or overlap in intricate ways. 



Each arrangement tells a story of turbulence, star birth, or gravitational tug-of-war that shaped its final outline.



Astronomers <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-galaxies-discovery-would-upend-current-understanding-of-universe/">track</a> these structural clues to see how galaxies change with time. Observing group environments is part of that puzzle. 



When multiple galaxies crowd together, they can share resources or disrupt one another’s development, adding layers to the cosmic tapestry unfolding across billions of light-years.



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



Future research will keep refining distance measurements, star formation histories, and the distribution of dark matter across these new galactic groupings. 



Webb is already inspiring new hypotheses about how quickly galaxies reach maturity, and fresh data can confirm or correct these early models.



Experts rely on synergy among instruments like the NASA/ESA <a href="https://esahubble.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hubble Space Telescope</a>, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission/chandra-x-ray-observatory/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory</a>, and <a href="https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/XMM-Newton" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA’s XMM-Newton</a>, making each mission’s contribution vital. 



Piecing together all of these perspectives enriches our understanding of the galactic web that stretches beyond our home in the Milky Way.



You can find more photos from this study <a href="https://esawebb.org/images/potm2504a/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">on the ESA website here...</a>



Image Credit: ESA



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Thousands of galaxies captured in a single photograph by the Webb telescope

It is astounding how a single image can hold such...

Nearly every modern gadget relies on metals that behave exactly as textbooks predict. Gallium refuses to play along. Nearly 150 years after French chemist <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul-%C3%89mile_Lecoq_de_Boisbaudran" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran</a> added the element to the periodic table, researchers are still sorting out why this silvery liquid shifts its personality when the heat is on. 



A spoon made of gallium will liquefy in a cup of tea, yet the same element anchors semiconductors, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/floating-solar-panels-could-power-every-home-in-the-u-s/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">solar panels</a>, and laser diodes that withstand scorching factory conditions.



For more than 30 years, physicists have wrestled with gallium’s structure in the liquid state. Competing studies have offered clashing explanations, especially around the role of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/covalent-bond" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">covalent bonding</a> - a type of electron-sharing connection that metals rarely show. 



Fresh simulations have now stitched the puzzle pieces together and point to what scientists believe to be the decisive proof they've been searching for.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-gallium-melts-early">Why gallium melts early</h2>



Gallium melts at 85 °F, far below the temperature of a warm summer day. That quirky transition happens because solid gallium forms tiny two-<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-chemistry-of-wine-what-actually-shapes-its-texture/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atom pairs</a> called dimers, and those pairs pack less densely than the liquid. The moment the dimers break apart, density rises and the metal flows. 



The story becomes stranger at higher heat. At temperatures well above the phase change, the dimers re-form, but not in ways scientists expected.



“Thirty years of literature on the structure of liquid gallium has rested on a fundamental assumption that is evidently not true,” says Professor Nicola Gaston of Waipapa Taumata Rau, <a href="https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Auckland</a>, and the <a href="https://www.macdiarmid.ac.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MacDiarmid Institute</a> for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. 



Her team combined ab initio molecular-dynamics data with decades of experimental records to see how individual atoms mingle at several checkpoints on the thermometer.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-liquid-gallium-myths-overturned">Liquid gallium myths overturned</h2>



Conventional wisdom held that <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/water-molecule-discovery-will-force-textbooks-to-be-rewritten/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">covalent bonds</a> fade out once gallium liquefies and play only a minor role afterward. 



The fresh computational work shows the opposite: covalency matters more as the temperature climbs. In other words, the tighter electron sharing that disappears at 85 °F re-emerges and strengthens when the metal is pushed hundreds of degrees hotter.



The insight explains a long-standing electrical oddity. Gallium’s resistivity dips as it first passes the melting line - counter to most metals - then creeps upward in a nonlinear fashion. 



If covalent bonds regroup at elevated heat, they create a conduction bottleneck that raises resistivity, squaring experimental curves with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/poorly-understood-force-helps-keep-atomic-nuclei-stable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">atomic-level theory</a>.



Textbook melting points depend on the tug-of-war between internal order and random motion. When the dimers dissolve, entropy shoots up, giving atoms the freedom to shift. 



That entropy spike accounts for gallium’s unusually low melt point without invoking mysterious bonding tricks at 85 °F. 



Once the liquid sits comfortably above the transition, the atomic sea settles just enough for bonds to snap back together - only this time within a looser, more disordered framework.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-zinc-crystals-from-liquid-gallium">Zinc crystals from liquid gallium</h2>



Gallium’s renewed covalency at high temperatures also clarifies why the liquid can pull other metals into solution with minimal energy input. 



The shared-electron environment encourages elements such as <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zinc-plays-an-overlooked-role-in-ocean-processes/">zinc</a>, copper, and tin to mix, forming room-temperature liquid alloys that engineers mold into stretchable circuits, heat-free solders, and microfluidic pumps.



A few years ago, researchers crystallized zinc inside a bath of molten gallium and watched delicate six-sided plates snowball outward. That project hinted at liquid gallium’s knack for directing complex shapes without external templates. 



The new structural roadmap shows that covalent rebonding supplies the subtle forces that align dissolved atoms as they solidify, making it easier to predict - and exploit - growth patterns.



Gallium-based liquids already act as catalysts that shuffle reactants into greener chemical pathways. The updated model will help chemists tune alloy recipes for faster charge transfer or sharper selectivity. 



In battery prototypes, thin films of gallium alloys spread across electrodes, filling microscopic cracks that normally kill capacity. Knowing when the liquid switches bonding modes could lengthen <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-created-carbon-14-battery-that-lasts-5700-years-without-a-recharge/">battery lifetimes</a> and lower manufacturing temperatures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-quirks-in-fabrication">Quirks in fabrication</h2>



Gallium’s solid compounds, including gallium arsenide and gallium nitride, drive radio-frequency amplifiers, high-brightness LEDs, and fast chargers. 



Fabricating those compounds sometimes involves droplets of pure gallium that remove heat or transport precursor atoms. 



Process engineers need precise viscosity, density, and conductivity data at every stage, and the re-emergence of covalent links at high heat feeds directly into those parameters.



Understanding gallium’s behavior also safeguards supply chains. The metal is mined as a by-product of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/exposing-the-hidden-climate-costs-of-everyday-materials/">aluminum production</a>, mainly from bauxite ore. 



Global output hovers around 460 tons per year, and demand surges whenever display or photovoltaic markets expand. Tailoring alloys that use less gallium, yet keep its liquid perks, will ease strain on future inventories.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-does-any-of-this-matter">Why does any of this matter?</h2>



Beyond Earth, gallium could help planetary scientists sniff out ancient microbes. Because the element forms stable bonds with <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/moon-volcanoes-left-sparkling-clues-behind-in-form-of-tiny-glass-beads/">oxygen and sulfur</a>, it may lock biosignatures into Martian rock layers. 



Some geochemists argue that gallium traces could outlast fragile carbon compounds, providing a longer-lived clue to life. The revamped structural picture supplies the chemical logic behind that durability.



As liquid metals step into flexible electronics, soft robotics, and low-carbon chemistry, knowing exactly how gallium’s atoms dance under heat will pay dividends.



Gallium still bends spoons for party tricks, but its greater trick lies in how a simple temperature dial rewrites atomic rules. 



By showing where covalent bonds vanish and return, the research clears fog from a field that fuels countless technologies, from phone screens to satellite links. 



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/mh/d4mh00244j/unauth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Materials Horizons</a>.



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Previously unknown properties discovered in a metal that is crucial to modern life

Nearly every modern gadget relies on metals that behave exactly...

Steel is the skeleton of modern life, yet the iron that makes it has a backstory far older than the first nail. For decades, geologists thought the world's richest and largest iron ore deposits formed not long after breathable oxygen spread through Earth’s air some 2.2 billion years ago.



Fresh evidence now knocks that timing sideways, suggesting the world-class reserves in the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Simplified-geological-map-of-the-Hamersley-Province_fig1_366035930" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pilbara’s Hamersley Province</a> of Australia are about 1.4 to 1.1 billion years younger than previously believed.



The billion-year gap isn’t a rounding error - it reshapes both scientific thinking and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chinas-rare-earth-jackpot-1-15-million-tons-of-minerals-uncovered/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mining strategy</a>.



Across the red plains east of the coastal town of Karratha, open-pit mines peel back ancient rock like pages in a weather-worn diary. Their iron feeds furnaces from Indiana to India. 



Western Australia alone supplied 38 percent of global iron ore in 2023, far out-muscling every other region on the planet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-a-1-3-billion-year-iron-ore-correction">A 1.3 billion-year iron ore correction</h2>



<a href="https://www.earth.com/earthpedia-articles/what-the-heck-is-iron-ore/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hematite</a>, the lustrous mineral that drives these operations, occasionally traps a whisper of uranium inside its lattice. That radioactive speck decays into lead at a steady pace, letting scientists read the mineral’s “birth certificate.” 



Using that method, Dr. Liam Courtney-Davies and colleagues from <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Curtin University</a> dated crystals from every major banded iron formation in the Hamersley. Their clock pointed stubbornly to a younger era, long after the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/it-took-200-million-years-for-earth-to-get-its-oxygen/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Great Oxidation Event</a>. 



“The energy from this epic geological activity likely triggered the production of billions of tons of iron-rich rock across the Pilbara,” Dr. Courtney-Davies said.



The team’s timeline ties high-grade ore to a stretch when the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1342937X17300485" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supercontinent Columbia</a> had ripped apart and new continental mash-ups were brewing. 



Crustal plates heaved, mountains rose, and faults opened, pumping hot, oxygen-laden fluids through pre-existing iron beds. 



Those fluids stripped out silica, leaving hematite that tops 60 percent iron - twice the grade of the original sea-floor rust.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-tectonics-forged-treasure">How tectonics forged treasure</h2>



Plate motion rarely draws headlines, yet its fingerprints sit on everything from fossil-fuel reservoirs to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/geologists-discover-the-largest-copper-gold-and-silver-deposit-in-the-last-three-decades/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">copper belts</a>. The Hamersley story adds one more chapter: bulk commodities. 



Associate Professor Martin Danišík, part of the Curtin University group, noted, “Our research indicates these deposits formed in conjunction with major tectonic events, highlighting the dynamic nature of our planet’s history and the complexity of iron ore mineralization.”



Before that remark, his team spelled out the scale of the upgrade. 



“Until now, the exact timeline of these formations changing from 30 percent iron as they originally were, to more than 60 percent iron as they are today, was unclear, which has hindered our understanding of the processes that led to the formation of the world's largest ore deposits,” Danišík continued.



Their solution - a fine-point uranium-lead probe inside single grains - sidesteps the guesswork of dating surrounding rocks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-this-helps-iron-ore-miners">How this helps iron ore miners</h2>



Age is more than trivia. If a deposit formed in a tectonic “sweet spot” 1.3 billion years ago, explorers can hunt elsewhere for the same recipe: ancient banded iron reworked by heat and fluid flow during that window. 



In practice, that means following suture zones and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/most-dangerous-part-of-this-west-coast-earthquake-fault-cascadia-subduction-zone/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fault corridors</a> that lit up when Columbia fell apart and its successor, Rodinia, took shape.



For the industry, timing meets money. The value of Western Australia’s iron ore exports hit $136 billion in the 12 months to June 2024, with China absorbing about four-fifths of that haul. 



Federal forecasters expect Australia’s iron ore earnings to fall to about $107 billion in 2024–25 as prices retreat. Efficiency matters when margins tighten, so guidance on where to drill next carries real weight.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fluid-highways-in-ancient-rock">Fluid highways in ancient rock</h2>



To grasp why fluids matter, picture an interstate highway system beneath solid rock - not a puddle here or there, but branching paths that cut through thousands of feet of crust. 



When supercontinents crunch or tear, pressure and heat send chemically rich water racing along those paths. 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/iron-ore_deep-blue_Hamersley-Province-Map_credit-Curtin-University_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/iron-ore_deep-blue_Hamersley-Province-Map_credit-Curtin-University_1s.webp" alt="Geologic map of the Pilbara craton with sample locations marked by blue stars (Left). Stratigraphic column (Right) showing the Hamersley Group, which hosts all martite-microplaty hematite deposits and overlying groups hosting hematite ore clasts. Credit: Curtin University" class="wp-image-1974248"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Geologic map of the Pilbara craton with sample locations marked by blue stars (Left). Stratigraphic column (Right) showing the Hamersley Group, which hosts all martite-microplaty hematite deposits and overlying groups hosting hematite ore clasts. Click image to enlarge. Credit: Curtin University</figcaption></figure>



In the Pilbara, such pulses ferried extra oxygen, converting magnetite and siderite into hematite far purer than the original mix. 



Those same highways are visible in other cratons, from Brazil’s Quadrilátero Ferrífero to India’s Singhbhum region, hinting that younger ages could emerge elsewhere once geochronologists put them under the microscope.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-economic-iron-ore-ripples">Economic iron ore ripples</h2>



Global <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/decarbonizing-worlds-industrial-emissions-possible-with-current-technology/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">steel demand</a>, already recovering after pandemic doldrums, is forecast to edge up 1.2 percent to about 1.815 billion metric tons in 2025. 



Meeting that appetite without <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/chatgpts-carbon-footprint-is-astronomical-and-not-sustainable/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ballooning emissions</a> pushes producers toward higher-grade feedstock; richer ore needs less coke per ton of metal. Western Australia’s stash, upgraded by billion-year-old fluids, stands out in that carbon calculus.



Green-steel projects now pepper feasibility studies on three continents. Australia believes converting its ore into hydrogen-reduced “green iron” before shipping could more than double export value - potentially topping $250 billion a year. 



While those numbers rely on policy shifts and infrastructure build-outs, the geologic backstory underpins the commercial lure: ore that almost smelts itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-detective-work-never-ends">The detective work never ends</h2>



“By using an emerging technique to date <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/phantom-nutrient-the-secret-force-that-fuels-plant-growth/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iron oxide minerals</a> through uranium and lead isotope analysis within the mineral grains, we directly dated all the major giant BIF-hosted iron ore deposits in the Hamersley Province.” 



That line from the research team reads like a footnote, yet it signals a methodological leap. Asking the rocks directly, rather than their neighbors, can overturn decades of assumption in a single lab session.



“The discovery of a link between these giant iron ore deposits and changes in supercontinent cycles enhances our understanding of ancient geological processes and improves our ability to predict where we should explore in the future.” 



With that, Dr. Courtney-Davies closes the loop between academic insight and drill-bit decisions. The story of iron is still being written, one crystal at a time.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2405741121" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences</a>.



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Earth's largest iron ore deposits exposed a 1.3-billion-year-old secret to geologists

Steel is the skeleton of modern life, yet the iron...

Every year, mosquito-borne diseases cut short more than a million lives across the globe, outpacing every other animal threat to humanity. The rising toll has public-health teams scrambling for fresh combat tools, especially as traditional chemical sprays lose their edge.



That loss stems from two hard truths. First, the very <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7692614/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">pyrethroid insecticides</a> that once worked wonders now linger in soil and water, nudging delicate ecosystems off balance. 



Second, mosquitoes adapt fast. Larvae soaking in tainted puddles and adults drifting through treated neighborhoods increasingly shrug off doses that once killed them. 



<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquito-repellents-that-actually-work-yes-thanks-to-ai-machine-learning/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Controlling the pests</a> at their waterborne stage is vital, yet options that stay potent without harming everything else remain limited.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cannabis-cbd-and-mosquitoes">Cannabis, CBD, and mosquitoes</h2>



Recent research published in the journal Insects points to a solution hiding in plain sight: the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. 



After air-drying and grinding ordinary hemp leaves, scientists at <a href="https://www.osu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Ohio State University</a> led by Erick Martinez Rodriguez extracted <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-reduces-the-unwanted-side-effects-of-thc/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cannabidiol (CBD)</a> and added the concentrate to cups of water teeming with yellow fever mosquito larvae. 



Within 48 hours, both a strain that laughs at <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/rising-temperatures-could-make-insect-repellents-less-effective/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">common insecticides</a> and a non-resistant strain were wiped out.



“Mosquitoes are one of the deadliest animals in the world, mainly because as adults they serve as vectors of disease,” Rodriguez explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-from-resistance-to-vulnerability">From resistance to vulnerability</h2>



Two important findings jumped out. The first was total mortality: every mosquito larva exposed to sufficient CBD died by the two-day mark, regardless of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-learn-how-mosquitoes-use-sound-to-outsmart-and-evade-human-defenses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">its genetic armor</a>. 



The second was efficiency. While industrial chemicals often push resistance higher with every generation, CBD’s effect cut straight through those defenses. Doses varied, but even modest concentrations proved lethal to all mosquito larvae.



“If you compare the amount of hemp extract needed to kill 50 % of the population to other synthetic conventional insecticides, it is on the high side, but when you compare it side by side to other natural extracts we have tested in our lab, only a relatively low amount is required to produce high mortality values in larvae,” said Martinez Rodriguez.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-cbd-kills-mosquitoes">How CBD kills mosquitoes</h2>



Chemical sleuthing showed that CBD dominated the hemp extract, and terpene fractions did little damage on their own. 



Larvae were judged dead once they stopped moving under a gentle nudge, confirming the cannabinoid’s direct impact on vital systems.



Insects lack the endocannabinoid receptors that give <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/cbd-can-help-ease-chronic-pain-anxiety-and-mood-disorders/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CBD its wellness reputation</a> among humans, so the compound must strike different molecular targets - possibly ion channels that govern nerve impulses or enzymes tied to muscle control. 



Whatever the route, CBD skirts the metabolic tricks that shield many larvae from pyrethroids.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hemp-economics-meet-public-health">Hemp economics meet public health</h2>



Hemp is no niche crop. U.S. farmers planted about 27,680 acres in 2023, and the total value of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hemp-seeds-could-be-a-game-changer-as-an-alternative-protein-source/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hemp products</a> topped $291 million.



Leaves, often left as low-value waste after flowers and seeds are harvested, could become raw material for larvicides. 



Turning those leaf cast-offs into mosquito-control pellets would give growers an extra revenue stream while trimming refuse piles.



The crop’s adaptability sweetens the deal. Hemp thrives across a wide climate range, grows quickly, and rarely needs harsh pesticides of its own. 



Rural communities looking to diversify incomes and urban growers cultivating indoor micro-hemp could both feed a supply chain aimed at vector-control programs from Texas to Tanzania.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-strains-and-waterway-safety">Strains and waterway safety</h2>



Field trials must still answer hard questions: How long does CBD linger in ponds? Does it bother tadpoles, fish fry, or helpful insects? 



Early lab work hints at selectivity, yet natural habitats are complex. Regulators will demand data showing that CBD pellets, briquettes, or slow-release films silence mosquito larvae without tipping aquatic ecosystems.



A second layer of testing will match different hemp strains for efficacy. Plants bred for fiber deliver more stalk than cannabinoid, while floral varieties boast <a href="https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Cannabidiol" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">richer CBD profiles</a>. 



Selecting cultivars that maximize larvicidal punch and minimize unwanted compounds will keep costs down and environmental margins wide.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-next-steps-for-cbd-and-mosquito-control">Next steps for CBD and mosquito control</h2>



Scientists plan to refine dosage, explore formulations that stick to the water’s surface, and probe how CBD interacts with other biocontrol measures like Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. Combining modes of action could slow resistance even further. 



Teams will also map out manufacturing pipelines - picture hemp-leaf extract concentrated at regional facilities, then shipped as shelf-stable granules to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-some-people-are-mosquito-magnets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mosquito-control districts</a>.



Policy makers, meanwhile, need clear guidelines. Approving a botanical larvicide means balancing urgent disease threats against conservation goals. Transparent monitoring and community engagement will help keep public trust.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-another-weapon-in-the-mosquito-wars">Another weapon in the mosquito wars</h2>



Hemp-derived CBD will not single-handedly end malaria, dengue, or Zika. Yet the discovery that a familiar wellness compound doubles as a larval assassin widens the playbook. 



By uniting agriculture, chemistry, and entomology, researchers have opened <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mosquito-habitats-are-expanding-due-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a practical path</a> toward safer mosquito control. 



If larger-scale tests confirm the promise seen in the lab, those humble hemp leaves could soon guard countless backyard birdbaths, drainage ditches, and rice paddies - one cup of water at a time.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/7/517" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Insects</a>.



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Cannabis extract proves to be highly effective at killing the most dangerous animals in the world

Every year, mosquito-borne diseases cut short more than a million...

Feeling fulfilled and in control might help preserve memory as you age. A major study tracking over 10,000 UK adults aged 50 and older for 16 years found a clear trend. Those with higher well-being consistently scored better on memory tests.



The research used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA). Participants without dementia at baseline were tested every two years on memory and self-reported well-being. 



The results showed that higher well-being predicted better memory, but not the other way around.



“In the context of an aging population, understanding factors that may protect and maintain healthy cognitive <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/where-does-happiness-come-from-it-depends-on-who-you-are/">function</a> is critical for enhanced population health and health policy development,” said lead author Dr. Amber John from <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCL</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotional-well-being-supports-memory">Emotional well-being supports memory</h2>



Well-being included four dimensions: control, autonomy, self-realization, and <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/judging-your-happiness-makes-you-less-happy/">pleasure</a>. Each domain had its own influence on memory.



Control was consistently tied to both immediate and delayed recall across nearly all time points. Autonomy and self-realization followed a similar pattern, with strong ties to future memory performance. Pleasure also showed predictive value, especially in delayed recall.



This adds nuance. It's not just “feeling good” in general that matters. Specific aspects of well-being, like having choices or enjoying life, each play roles in protecting memory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-good-memory-does-not-boost-well-being">Good memory does not boost well-being</h2>



The team used cross-lagged models to check whether memory influenced <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/happiness-influences-online-shopping-habits/">well-being</a>. Their results showed no consistent evidence that memory scores predicted later well-being.



Dr. John explained this in the paper. The lack of evidence may reflect that memory loss must reach a certain threshold before it affects well-being. People in this study had healthy brain function when it started.



Delayed memory scores at a few early waves did predict well-being at the next round, but the pattern was not stable across all nine waves.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-memory-link-remains-after-adjusting-factors">Memory link remains after adjusting factors</h2>



One key strength of the research is its handling of other influencing factors. The authors adjusted for depression, age, gender, ethnicity, and education. They also excluded participants who later developed dementia or died during the follow-up.



Even after these adjustments, the link between higher <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/who-is-happier-being-single-men-or-women/">well-being</a> and better memory was consistent. This suggests that the association is not merely due to low mood or health decline.



The study authors also noted that people with lower baseline well-being, poorer memory, and lower education were more likely to drop out. This highlights the real-world challenge of studying ageing populations over time.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-protecting-against-memory-loss">Protecting against memory loss</h2>



The results support the view that emotional and psychological resources matter for brain health. They add to earlier findings that link positive mental health with lower dementia risk.



Well-being may serve as a protective buffer against memory decline. It may support brain health through biological mechanisms like reduced inflammation or healthier cardiovascular systems.



This finding echoes previous studies showing that depression and anxiety speed up cognitive decline. Promoting well-being might serve as a protective measure.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-study-limitations-and-future-research">Study limitations and future research </h2>



Although the study spans 16 years and includes over 10,000 participants, it has limits. The well-being measure was self-reported, and the memory tests were simple.



The results show association, not causation. As the authors note, future research could use methods like Mendelian randomization to explore causality. Genetic data may reveal whether well-being plays a direct role in protecting memory.



Also, third factors such as lifestyle habits or socioeconomic background might influence both well-being and memory.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-targeted-mental-wellness-programs">Targeted mental wellness programs</h2>



“This study represents an important step toward understanding the interplay between wellbeing and memory over time,” said Professor Joshua Stott.



“Going forwards it would be fantastic if this research can build on the foundations of ongoing memory research to potentially inform strategies supporting cognitive health in aging populations - that is the aim,” noted Dr. Emily Willroth.



The findings open up the possibility of designing targeted mental wellness programs. Structured mindfulness, increased social connection, and life-purpose coaching could become tools for healthy cognitive aging.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13607863.2025.2468408" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Aging &amp; Mental Health</a>.



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Positive life outlook helps protect memory in later life

Feeling fulfilled and in control might help preserve memory as...

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

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



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



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



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



Video/Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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

Lake Trasimeno in Central Italy

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



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



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



Video Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Detecting mercury contamination with the tap of a finger

[sendtonews key="LvS8v8bp9z-2564889-12187" type="single"] Today's Video of the Day from the...

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



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



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



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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: European Space Agency&nbsp;



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



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

Kainji Lake in north central Nigeria

[sendtonews key="iuA5mpp3jv-1641775-12187" type="single"] Today’s Video of the Day from the...

No one saw another wolf until 1977 — about&nbsp;50 years&nbsp;later — but, even then, it was a lone wolf or two merely wandering through. Oddly, it was the lack of these wolves that led to the park&#8217;s decline. Photo credit: Brian Pas

Half a Century

Before 1926, Yellowstone National Park was full of wolves. They thrived in the park, but within the first few decades of the 1900s, government predator control programs wiped them out entirely. This was a problem.

Half a Century

News coming your way