Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a dazzling view of the globular cluster NGC 1786, which was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.&nbsp;



Unlike open <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/trio-of-star-clusters-may-be-the-same-system-at-different-ages/">clusters</a>, which are younger and more loosely arranged, globular clusters are tightly concentrated and typically located in a galaxy’s halo.



The globular cluster NGC 1786 is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) - a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way about 160,000 light-years from Earth.&nbsp;



“NGC 1786 itself is in the constellation Dorado. It was discovered in the year 1835 by John Herschel,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images">ESA</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-observing-globular-clusters-nbsp">Observing globular clusters&nbsp;</h2>



Globular clusters are densely packed, spherical groups of stars that orbit the cores of galaxies like satellites.&nbsp;



Each cluster can contain tens of thousands to millions of stars, all bound tightly together by gravity. These stars are generally very old - often over 10 billion years - making globular clusters some of the oldest known structures in the universe.



The image of NGC 1786 is part of a broader observing program aimed at comparing old globular clusters in nearby dwarf galaxies with those found in the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/milky-way-galaxy-may-be-inside-a-giant-void-in-the-universe-explains-hubble-tension/">Milky Way</a>.&nbsp;



“Our galaxy contains over 150 of these old, spherical collections of tightly-bound stars, which have been studied in depth - especially with Hubble Space Telescope images like this one, which show them in previously-unattainable detail,” said ESA.



“Being very stable and long-lived, they act as galactic time capsules, preserving stars from the earliest stages of a galaxy’s formation.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stars-in-globular-clusters">Stars in globular clusters</h2>



For many years, astronomers believed that the stars in globular clusters all formed at roughly the same time. However, studies of Milky Way clusters have revealed multiple <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/zhulong-spiral-galaxy-like-milky-way-discovered-at-edge-of-universe-should-not-exist/">stellar populations</a> of different ages.&nbsp;



To better understand how globular clusters form - and how they can be used to trace galactic evolution - researchers are now investigating whether clusters like NGC 1786 in external galaxies also show signs of multiple stellar generations.&nbsp;



This research sheds light on the origins and development of the Large Magellanic Cloud. It also helps scientists study the formation history of the Milky Way itself.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-large-magellanic-cloud-nbsp">Large Magellanic Cloud&nbsp;</h2>



The Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) is one of the most prominent and intriguing galaxies in our cosmic neighborhood. It is the largest satellite galaxy of the Milky Way and is visible to the naked eye from the Southern Hemisphere.&nbsp;



A <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dozens-of-ghost-galaxies-may-be-orbiting-the-milky-way/">satellite galaxy</a> is a smaller galaxy that orbits a larger one due to gravitational attraction. Just as the Moon orbits the Earth, satellite galaxies are bound to larger galaxies and can slowly orbit them over billions of years. 



These satellites can range in size from relatively massive dwarf galaxies to tiny, faint collections of stars.



Though classified as a dwarf galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud spans roughly 14,000 light-years across and contains billions of stars, nebulae, and star clusters.&nbsp;



One of its most famous features is the Tarantula Nebula - the most active star-forming region in the entire Local Group of galaxies. This stellar nursery is so intense that it's forming some of the most massive stars ever observed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dynamic-interaction-with-the-milky-way-nbsp">Dynamic interaction with the Milky Way&nbsp;</h2>



The Large Magellanic Cloud is also of great interest to astronomers because of its dynamic relationship with the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/our-solar-systems-journey-through-the-milky-way-may-have-altered-earths-climate/">Milky Way</a>. It’s not just a passive companion - it’s interacting gravitationally with both the Milky Way and the Small Magellanic Cloud, another nearby dwarf galaxy.&nbsp;



These interactions have created long streams of gas, such as the Magellanic Stream, that arc across the sky. In fact, recent studies suggest the Large Magellanic Cloud may be on its first infall into the Milky Way’s halo, rather than orbiting it for billions of years as once thought.&nbsp;



This motion could have significant effects on the structure of our galaxy, possibly even perturbing the Milky Way’s dark matter halo.



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



The detailed observations of NGC 1786 not only showcase the stunning capabilities of the <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/">Hubble Space Telescope</a> but also deepen our understanding of how galaxies like the Milky Way and the LMC evolve over time.&nbsp;



By examining ancient globular clusters in both the Milky Way and its neighboring galaxies, astronomers are uncovering vital clues about star formation and the processes that shaped our universe.



Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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Glittering cluster is home to some of the oldest known stars

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a dazzling view of the globular cluster NGC 1786, which was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.&nbsp; Unlike open clusters, which are younger and more loosely arranged, globular clusters are tightly concentrated and typically located in a galaxy’s halo. The globular cluster NGC 1786 is located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) - a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way about 160,000 light-years from Earth.&nbsp; “NGC 1786 itself is in the constellation...

Today's Image of the Day from NASA features the spiral galaxy NGC 2566, which is located 76 million light-years away in the constellation Puppis. The image was captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Image Credit: NASA



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

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

However, we still don't know a&nbsp;ton&nbsp;about the reason behind bear interbreeding. Though, it is telling that the genetic research confirmed polar bears and grizzlies have been mating for thousands of years! While scientists hope to unravel that mystery through further study, there&nbsp;are&nbsp;other naturally occurring hybrid species that they can observe for answers. Photo Credit: webidrole/Pixabay

Other Natural Species Hybrids?

However, we still don't know a&nbsp;ton&nbsp;about the reason behind bear...

Just as fascinating-looking as the pizzly bear hybrid, this mystical-eyed animal is the cross between a male jaguar and a female lion. Funny enough, it was actually unintentionally bred when a jaguar and lion lived together in the same zoo enclosure. Photo Credit: Bear Creek Sanctuary / YouTube

Jaglion

Just as fascinating-looking as the pizzly bear hybrid, this mystical-eyed...

This rare hybrid is a mix between a killer whale and a bottlenose dolphin. They breed naturally and exist in the wild, but you don't have to go for a swim to find them — there's one living at Sea Life Park in Hawaii. Photo Credit: emorlie / Instagram

Wholfin

This rare hybrid is a mix between a killer whale...

This cute little four-legged fella is the cross between a zebra and a donkey. While he may be all donkey from the torso up, those striped legs scream zebra all the way. Photo Credit: Oast House Archive / Wiki Commons

Zonkey

This cute little four-legged fella is the cross between a...

These grazing animals are the offspring of American buffaloes and domestic cattle. The first accidental crossing of these species occurred about 300 years ago, but scientists deliberately engineered the specimen to help with the beef production industry in 1880. Photo Credit: Mark Spearman / Flickr

Beefalo

These grazing animals are the offspring of American buffaloes and...

This animal is a cross between a domestic cow and a yak. They originated in Mongolia and Tibet. They tend to be stronger and larger than cows and yaks, and they also produce larger quantities of milk and meat. Photo Credit: Petr Meissner / Flickr

This animal is a cross between a domestic cow and...

This equestrian beauty is what you get when you mix a zebra and a horse. They were first bred in the nineteenth century by Charles Darwin, but nowadays, they're extremely rare because they're either sterile or infertile. Photo Credit: Wiki Commons

Zorse

This equestrian beauty is what you get when you mix...

Anyone who's seen the film&nbsp;Napoleon Dynamite&nbsp;knows this was Napoleon's favorite animal, but it's also one of the world's most popular hybrids, too. A male lion and female tiger make up this unique beauty. Photo Credit: Maxitup16 / Wiki Commons

Liger

Anyone who's seen the film&nbsp;Napoleon Dynamite&nbsp;knows this was Napoleon's favorite...

Five layers of carbon can still surprise physics. When researchers cooled a precisely stacked film of graphene to near absolute zero, they watched <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/shape-of-electrons-revealed-first-time-through-big-advance-in-quantum-physics/">electrons</a> glide around its perimeter as if they carried only fragments of their usual charge.



That curious flow sits at the heart of a fresh report from Assistant Professor Zhengguang Lu of Florida State University, whose team found previously unseen electronic phases that ignore energy loss and laugh at stray magnetic fields. 



The work, carried out with collaborators at <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MIT</a> and <a href="https://www.nims.go.jp/eng/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Japan’s National Institute for Materials Science</a>, suggests a path toward computers that sip rather than guzzle power.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-graphene-continues-to-surprise">Graphene continues to surprise</h2>



Graphene is a single‑atom sheet of carbon arranged in a honeycomb, a lattice so flat and stiff that quantum behavior shows up at macroscopic scales. 



Because electrons cannot hop out of the plane, their wave functions spread sideways, amplifying subtle interactions that are washed out in bulk materials.



A decade of experiments has shown that squeezing or twisting graphene can spawn superconductivity, magnetism, or insulating gaps on command. 



The new study turns the spotlight on the <a href="https://journals.aps.org/rmp/abstract/10.1103/RevModPhys.95.011002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">quantum anomalous Hall effect</a>, where current races along the edge without resistance, even when no external magnet is present.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-electron-behavior-in-graphene">Electron behavior in graphene</h2>



The surprise is that Lu’s device also enters a fractional version of that state, something theorists once thought impossible outside colossal magnetic fields. 



Electricity flowed in unusual ways, with measurements showing that sometimes five electrons acted as if they shared nine or 11 units of charge. 



This strange behavior means the electrons were strongly influencing each other instead of acting independently.



Such fractions mirror the older fractional <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-achieve-teleportation-between-quantum-computers-for-the-first-time-ever/">quantum</a> Hall effect discovered in gallium arsenide in 1982, yet the carbon system needs neither magnetic coils nor expensive semiconducting wafers. 



Instead, it relies on the natural stacking order of rhombohedral graphite, a symmetry that keeps the electronic bands almost perfectly flat.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-edge-currents-to-charged-carriers">Edge currents to charged carriers</h2>



MIT researchers first <a href="https://news.mit.edu/2024/electrons-become-fractions-graphene-study-finds-0221" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> fractionalization in pentalayer graphene in 2024, calling the observation “so exotic” and praising its simplicity, noted Long Ju, one of the study authors. 



Lu’s group has now shown that the exotic state sits right next to an electron crystal in the same device, separated only by a narrow range of gate voltage.



Picture a river of fractional charges meandering between frozen banks of integer charges; that is the coexistence Lu detects through vanishing longitudinal resistance and sharp plateaus in the Hall signal.&nbsp;



“If the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect is combined with a superconductor, the resulting quantum computer will be more efficient than current quantum computers and free of error,” said Lu.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-electron-ice-allows-control">Electron ice allows control</h2>



The coexistence matters because it offers a built‑in laboratory for swapping between liquid‑like and solid‑like behaviors without altering the crystal. 



By nudging the displacement field, engineers can melt the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/swirling-electrons-could-power-future-technology/">electron</a> ice into a conductive stream or refreeze it, a level of control long sought by condensed‑matter physicists.



Even the crystalline phase, dubbed “extended <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/quantum-entanglement-a-simple-way-to-grasp-this-impossible-concept-carl-kocher/">quantum</a> anomalous Hall,” shows zero resistance across a broad density window, hinting at hidden orders that theory is only starting to chart. Turning that window into a switch could enable lossless interconnects inside future chips.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-twistronics-in-graphene">Twistronics in graphene</h2>



The magic ingredient is the <a href="https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/moire-patterns" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">moiré pattern</a> formed when graphene meets hexagonal boron nitride at a slight rotational mismatch. 



That nanoscale beat note reshapes the electronic landscape and slows carriers until their mutual repulsion dominates, a strategy broadly known as twistronics, where changing the twist angle controls conductivity like a dial.



This strategy has revolutionized two‑dimensional materials by letting experimenters “dial in” electronic phases with a protractor. 



In Lu’s architecture the twist is small enough that the pattern repeats every few nanometers, carving the flat bands needed for fractionalization.



Because the moiré potential is robust against bending or stretching, devices can be integrated onto flexible substrates, opening possibilities for curved sensors or cryogenic wiring that cannot tolerate magnetic fields. 



Scaling that pattern to wafer size, however, demands atomic‑level alignment tools that industry is only beginning to deploy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fault-tolerant-quantum-computing">Fault‑tolerant quantum computing</h2>



Quantum <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/scientists-achieve-teleportation-between-quantum-computers-for-the-first-time-ever/">computers</a> are limited today by errors that creep in every microsecond. 



One proposed remedy is the topological qubit, which stores information in collective excitations that are immune to local noise. Technology firms hope that this concept will slash overhead for error correction.



Fractional quantum anomalous Hall states already satisfy key topological criteria, supporting anyon‑like <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-category-of-particles-discovered-in-the-subatomic-realm-paraparticles/">quasiparticles</a> whose braiding implements logic gates.



If paired with superconductivity, those anyons could become non‑Abelian, meaning exchanging two of them alters the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/new-form-of-quantum-entanglement-discovered-will-transform-next-gen-technology/">quantum</a> state permanently, which is the basis of fault‑tolerant operations.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-graphene-stack-with-zero-field-edges">Graphene stack with zero field edges</h2>



Lu’s zero‑field platform removes a longstanding roadblock: superconductors collapse under magnetic fields, so earlier schemes required unwieldy shielding. 



A graphene stack that hosts both superconductivity and fractional edges at zero field would let engineers pattern <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-are-josephson-juncti/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Josephson junctions</a> directly on top, bringing the hardware footprint closer to classical chips.



The immediate challenge is temperature. Present devices operate below 40 millikelvin, reachable only with dilution refrigerators that cost millions of dollars and fit in a room. 



Teams are experimenting with substrate engineering and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/am201557" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">high‑κ dielectrics</a> to lift the critical temperature into the range of pumped helium. 



Another task is reproducibility, because fractional plateaus appear only when the moiré pattern is nearly perfect, so fabricators are refining dry‑transfer methods that leave fewer wrinkles and contamination pockets.



Progress in twisted bilayer photonics suggests that sub‑degree alignment across inches is feasible with robotically controlled rotation stages. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-graphene-and-future-supercomputers">Graphene and future supercomputers</h2>



Theorists aim to pin down why electron ice coexists with fractional rivers, weighing explanations involving <a href="https://research.princeton.edu/news/quantum-crystal-frozen-electrons%E2%80%94-wigner-crystal%E2%80%94-visualized-first-time" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wigner crystals</a>, composite fermions, or Chern band instabilities.



Systematic deformation studies, possibly inside diamond anvil cells, could settle the debate and guide engineers to the most stable phase for qubit wiring. 



No single breakthrough will turn these films into laptops overnight, yet history shows how quickly materials science can leap, once a knob for tuning interactions appears.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08470-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature</a>.



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Unexpected physics breakthrough could lead to a new generation of supercomputers

Five layers of carbon can still surprise physics. When researchers...

The growing number of rocket launches may pose a threat to Earth’s ozone layer. While the expanding space industry holds great promise, researchers warn that its environmental impacts are being overlooked.



With thousands of satellites now cluttering low Earth orbit, emissions from launches and back-end debris are making alarm bells ring over atmospheric well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-space-boom-comes-with-a-cost">Space boom comes with a cost</h2>



A team of scientists from the <a href="https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/">University of Canterbury</a> and ETH Zurich investigated how pollution from rocket launches and falling space junk could slow the ozone layer’s recovery. 



The researchers used a chemistry-climate model developed at ETH Zurich and the Physical Meteorological Observatory in Davos (PMOD/WRC) to forecast rocket emission impacts through 2030.



Back in 2019, there were only 97 orbital launches. By 2024, that number had nearly tripled to 258 - and it's expected to rise to over 2,000 per year by the end of the decade. 



This increase is concerning because emissions in the upper atmosphere linger much longer than those released at ground level. 



Without natural washout processes like rain or clouds, these pollutants can circle the globe and remain in the air for years.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-ozone-layer-s-fragile-recovery">The ozone layer’s fragile recovery</h2>



The model predicts that, if current growth trends continue, the global ozone layer could thin by nearly 0.3 percent by 2030. Over Antarctica, seasonal losses could reach up to four percent.



These might seem like small numbers, but context matters. The ozone layer is still recovering from the damage caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), banned in 1989 by the Montreal Protocol. 



Global ozone levels are still about two percent below pre-industrial levels and aren’t expected to fully recover until 2066. 



According to the researchers, unregulated rocket emissions could delay this timeline by several years - or even decades.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-the-ozone-layer-still-matters">Why the ozone layer still matters</h2>



The ozone layer may seem like a distant part of the atmosphere, but it plays a vital role in shielding life on Earth. It absorbs most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which can cause skin cancer, cataracts, and immune system damage in humans.



 It also affects ecosystems, particularly marine life, by influencing the health of phytoplankton - tiny organisms that form the base of the ocean’s food chain.



Even modest declines in ozone can boost the amount of UV radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface. That is to say, any quantifiable decrease is more than a number - it’s an alarm. 



Ongoing harm could bring about additional UV-related health threats, upset delicate ecosystems, and undermine the gains achieved since CFCs were banned. 



Simply put, every percentage point of recovery counts, and every delay threatens human and environmental well-being.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-fuel-type-matters-more-than-you-think">Fuel type matters more than you think</h2>



The problem lies mainly with emissions of chlorine gas and soot. Chlorine breaks apart ozone molecules, and soot particles heat the middle atmosphere, speeding up ozone-damaging reactions. 



Solid rocket motors are the main source of chlorine emissions, while most rocket types release soot.



Only rockets using cryogenic fuels - like liquid oxygen and hydrogen - are nearly ozone-neutral. But these fuels are tricky to handle, and only about 6 percent of current launches use them. 



That means the vast majority of launches still contribute to ozone depletion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-re-entry-the-hidden-threat">Re-entry: the hidden threat</h2>



The study focused on emissions during rocket ascent, but what about the return journey? Most satellites burn up when they re-enter the atmosphere, releasing nitrogen oxides and metal particles. 



Nitrogen oxides are already known to harm the ozone, while metals could form clouds or act as chemical surfaces that accelerate ozone loss.



Scientists still poorly understand these effects and often leave them out of climate models. But with satellite constellations growing rapidly, more and more debris will re-enter the atmosphere, making this an urgent area for further research.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-clean-fuels-offer-a-path">Clean fuels offer a path</h2>



“There is a risk that the rapid rise in global rocket launches could slow the recovery of the vital ozone layer,” said Sandro Vattioni. “The problem is being underestimated - yet it could be mitigated by forward-looking, coordinated action.”



The researchers believe there’s still time to act. Better monitoring of emissions, using cleaner fuels, and encouraging the switch to cryogenic systems could help protect the ozone layer. 



Setting international regulations would allow the space industry to grow sustainably.



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Rocket launches threaten Earth's ozone recovery

The growing number of rocket launches may pose a threat...

Imagine you're standing on the deck of a ship in the middle of the ocean. The waves are rough, but it's the ocean, so you're used to that feeling. Suddenly, a monstrous wall of water, two or even three times taller than all the other waves, rises up and crashes down - that’s a rogue wave.



These surreal behemoths are so massive and unexpected that for centuries sailors told stories about them that people simply didn't believe. 



That was until 1995, when a freak wave with a height of 85 feet - now known as the Draupner wave - crashed into an oil-drilling platform off the coast of Norway.



This monster became the first scientific evidence that rogue waves were more than just fiction. Now scientists are now trying to understand exactly what makes <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ocean-waves-can-get-much-bigger-taller-than-we-ever-imagined/">ocean waves</a> get that big and how often we can expect them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-understanding-the-ucluelet-wave">Understanding the Ucluelet wave</h2>



The <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666818125000130" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Draupner wave</a> towered over its neighbors at a staggering 85 feet, as the surrounding waves were 39 feet tall.



In comparison, another enormous rogue wave recorded off the coast of Vancouver Island - known as the Ucluelet wave - was only 58 feet tall in comparison, but it grew to over three times the height of its surrounding waves.



"Proportionally, the Ucluelet wave is likely the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded," noted physicist Johannes Gemmrich from the <a href="https://www.uvic.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Victoria</a>. 



Such a remarkable size difference has researchers scratching their heads about how these rogue waves form.



The buoy that captured data from the Ucluelet wave was one of many deployed by <a href="https://marinelabs.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MarineLabs</a>. 



Their mission is to gather more information about the deep-sea hazards that can wreak havoc on marine operations, wind farms, oil rigs, and potentially even beachgoers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-perils-of-rogue-waves">Perils of rogue waves</h2>



While neither the Ucluelet nor Draupner waves caused any significant damage, the history books are full of tales of rogue waves causing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/collapse-of-main-atlantic-ocean-circulaton-current-amoc-is-already-happening/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">destruction</a>. 



It has even been speculated that several ships which vanished in the 1970s could have been taken down by rogue waves.



With a predicted increase in wave heights in the North Pacific due to climate change, the Ucluelet wave's record might not stand for long.



Rogue waves can cause serious damage, sinking ships and disrupting marine activities, which is why understanding and predicting them is a big focus in oceanography.



"Capturing this once-in-a-millennium wave, right in our backyard, is a thrilling indicator of the power of coastal intelligence to transform marine safety," stated <a href="https://marinelabs.io/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MarineLabs</a> CEO Scott Beatty.



The push for improved safety and decision-making in marine operations and coastal communities is an ongoing one.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rogue-waves-vs-shore-waves">Rogue waves vs. shore waves</h2>



Normal shore waves and rogue waves are like night and day when it comes to their behavior. Shore waves are those predictable, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/square-waves-the-deadly-chessboard-pattern-threatening-sailors/">rolling waves</a> you see at the beach.



They’re usually generated by winds blowing over the ocean’s surface and are shaped by the depth and contour of the seabed as they approach land. 



These waves arrive in regular intervals, and you can usually see them coming from a distance -- great for surfers and beachgoers who like to play it safe.



Rogue waves, on the other hand, are the wildcards of the ocean. As mentioned previously, they don’t follow the usual patterns and can appear suddenly, even in relatively calm seas. 



These giants aren’t tied to the shoreline -- they can pop up in the open ocean, towering over everything around them. 



While shore waves are influenced by steady, consistent factors like wind and tides, rogue waves are the result of chaotic conditions, like multiple waves combining their energy in just the right (or wrong) way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-antarctica-and-rogue-waves-mystery">Antarctica and rogue waves mystery</h2>



An expedition by scientists from the <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Melbourne</a> to the waters around Antarctica has uncovered more about the formation of rogue waves. 



Their research has found that wind plays a significant role in the formation of these oceanic giants.



The team, led by <a href="https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/771507-alessandro-toffoli" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Professor Alessandro Toffoli</a>, took to the Antarctic waters in 2017, armed with state-of-the-art technology.



With stereo cameras mounted on the South African icebreaker SA Agulhas II, they captured unprecedented insights into rogue waves. 



Their three-dimensional imaging of the ocean's surface provided unique insights into the dynamics of rogue waves.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-critical-role-of-wind">Critical role of wind</h2>



The observations revealed that rogue waves arise during the "young" stage of waves when they are most receptive to the wind.



"The wind creates a chaotic situation where waves of different dimensions and directions coexist," explained Professor Toffoli.



Wind causes young waves to grow higher, longer and faster. During this self-amplification, a wave grows disproportionately at the expense of its neighbors." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nonlinear-effects-drive-size">Nonlinear effects drive size</h2>



When waves get larger, they start to interact in more complicated ways. For example, the peak of a wave might get sharper and the trough (the dip between waves) might get shallower. 



These changes aren’t just from adding waves together - they’re from the waves physically changing each other. Scientists call these “nonlinear effects,” and they can make big waves even bigger.



At the second level of this kind of theory - called second-order theory - waves can get about five times more intense than the simple models predict. 



That means that rogue waves are much more likely than older models thought. But even that doesn’t fully explain the monsters like the Draupner wave.



To get closer to the truth, scientists turn to “fourth-order Stokes theory.” This includes even more complicated interactions between waves, especially when lots of energy builds up in the ocean during storms. 



This is where things get especially weird - waves can feed off each other, like bullies ganging up, making one wave grow huge by sucking energy from its neighbors. 



This process is called modulational instability, and it helps explain why rogue waves sometimes seem to come out of nowhere.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-predictive-tools-for-rogue-waves">Predictive tools for rogue waves</h2>



The research in the choppy seas of Antarctica has emphasized the need to integrate wind dynamics into predictive models for rogue wave forecasting.



How can we predict these events? That’s where something called <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-crest-trough-correlation-r-is-higher-in-groupy-lowbandwidth-sea-states-Shown_fig1_351790066" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">crest-trough correlation</a> comes in. It sounds technical, but it’s actually a pretty intuitive idea: it measures how closely the highest parts (crests) of the waves are related to the lowest parts (troughs).



When this correlation is strong, the waves tend to form in tight groups - like a pack of waves with one or two giants in the middle. These “groupy” sea states are perfect for rogue waves.



The cool part? Crest-trough correlation can be calculated using existing weather and wave models. That means we might be able to add rogue wave risk forecasts to the same kinds of systems that predict weather or ocean currents.



Advancing our knowledge of rogue waves and their connection to wind dynamics opens up a world of possibilities for improving predictive tools in ocean safety. 



By incorporating wind data into forecasting models, we can enhance our ability to anticipate and prepare for these formidable <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/unprecedented-heat-is-popping-up-in-hotspots-across-the-globe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">natural phenomena</a>. 



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-05671-4" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Most extreme 'rogue wave' ever recorded was so big it's difficult to comprehend

Imagine you're standing on the deck of a ship in...

A swirl of gas and dust hangs around the young star HD 135344B, 440 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. Inside that haze, astronomers have spotted telltale spirals that most theories link to the tug of a growing world. 



Now, fresh images from the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (<a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">VLT</a>) point to a compact object exactly where one of those spirals begins. That bright signal, embedded deep in the disc, is likely a planet <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/astronomers-catch-exact-moment-when-planets-form-around-a-star-hops-315/">still gathering mass</a>.



Many teams have chased such a sight, yet clear proof has stayed just out of reach. A planet is small and faint compared with the glare of its star, and the surrounding dust adds another curtain. 



The new observations slice through that curtain with the sharpest infrared vision yet, revealing what looks like a cosmic sculptor caught in the act.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-a-newborn-star-feeds">How a newborn star feeds</h2>



“We will never witness the formation of Earth, but here, around a young star 440 light-years away, we may be watching a planet come into existence in real time,” says Francesco Maio of the <a href="https://www.unifi.it/en" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Florence</a>, lead author of the study published in <a href="https://www.aanda.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astronomy &amp; Astrophysics</a>. 



The team used ERIS, the VLT’s newest infrared imager and spectrograph, to zero in on the inner disc.



The suspected planet sits about as far from HD 135344B as Neptune does from the Sun - roughly 2.8 billion miles. 



Models suggest it already holds twice the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/super-jupiter-discovered-in-the-great-bear-constellation/">mass of Jupiter</a>. At that heft, it can carve lanes in the surrounding gas, forcing material into striking spiral arms that wind outward across the disc.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-spiral-clues-from-hd-135344b">Spiral clues from HD 135344B</h2>



Spirals first turned up in 2018 images captured by the earlier <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/sphere/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SPHERE instrument</a>. 



Theory predicted that a hidden planet would lurk at the base of one arm, shepherding dust the way a snowplow makes ridges on a road. ERIS has now revealed a pin-bright knot right on that spot.



“What makes this detection potentially a turning point is that, unlike many previous observations, we are able to directly detect the signal of the protoplanet, which is still highly embedded in the disc,” says Maio, now based at Italy’s <a href="https://www.arcetri.inaf.it/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Arcetri Astrophysical Observatory</a>. 



“This gives us a much higher level of confidence in the planet’s existence, as we’re observing the planet’s own light.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hd-135344b-vs-v960-mon">HD 135344B vs. V960 Mon</h2>



The same instrument has also probed <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/stunning-revelation-new-image-sheds-light-on-the-birth-of-giant-planets/">V960 Mon</a>, a star that surprised astronomers in 2014 when it flared almost overnight. Such outbursts define a rare class called <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mystery-orion-erupting-fuor-stars-solved-after-100-years/">FU Orionis</a> objects. 



The sudden brightening happens when a heap of gas plummets onto the star, releasing energy like a campfire fed fresh wood.



Earlier snapshots from SPHERE and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (<a href="https://www.almaobservatory.org/en/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ALMA</a>) showed that V960 Mon’s disc is laced with multiple spirals and dense clumps - hallmarks of gravitational instability. 



This process can cause parts of a disc to collapse under their own weight, potentially giving birth to <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiny-brown-dwarfs-discovered-inside-the-flame-nebula/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">brown dwarfs</a> or gas-giant planets far from the central star.



Using ERIS, a separate team led by Anuroop Dasgupta of ESO and <a href="https://diegoportalesuniversity.udp.cl/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Diego Portales University</a> detected a warm, compact source tucked beside one of those spirals. 



“That work revealed unstable material but left open the question of what happens next. With ERIS, we set out to find any compact, luminous fragments signaling the presence of a companion in the disc - and we did,” says Dasgupta. 



The newcomer might be a forming planet or a brown dwarf, but whichever it is, the object offers a rare snapshot of collapse in progress.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why-hd-135344b-matters">Why HD 135344B matters</h2>



Planet formation usually follows the slower core-accretion route: dust grains stick together, build rocks, then grow into full-sized planets over millions of years. 



Gravitational instability, by contrast, can whip up a gas giant in a few thousand years, especially in the chilly outskirts of a massive disc. The candidate around V960 Mon is prime evidence that instability sometimes wins the race.



The planet inside HD 135344B’s disc highlights a different stage. Here, the disc is stable enough that a single hefty planet sculpts spirals as it circles the star. 



By catching the object while it still glows in infrared, astronomers can test how quickly such worlds capture gas and clear lanes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tools-that-sharpen-the-view">Tools that sharpen the view</h2>



The <a href="https://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/paranal-observatory/vlt/vlt-instr/eris/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ERIS instrument</a> on the VLT combines adaptive optics with a sensitive detector that covers a wavelength range where warm dust shines brightest. It builds on the legacy of SPHERE, which excels at high-contrast imaging closer to visible light. 



ALMA fills in longer wavelengths, mapping cold dust and molecular gas. Together, the trio can track both the scaffolding and the newborn objects inside.



Future upgrades promise even finer detail. The next-generation Extremely Large Telescope (<a href="https://elt.eso.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ELT</a>), set to open in the late 2020s, will have a main mirror 128 feet across, four times wider than any existing optical telescope. 



Its first-light instruments should spot planets smaller than Saturn inside nearby discs and measure their mass through the tiny wobbles they induce in gas lanes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-young-stars-and-bright-knots">Young stars and bright knots</h2>



Confirming the true nature of the bright knots around both stars will take time. Astronomers need to watch how the signals move. 



A bound planet will trace a steady orbit; a transient dust clump will disperse. Follow-up spectra can also reveal whether the light comes from hot gas falling onto a solid core or simply from heated dust.



No single discovery rewrites the story of how worlds emerge, yet each new image adds weight to ideas once left to computer simulations. 



By pairing sharper instruments with long-term monitoring, researchers are starting to catch planets in their messy, luminous infancy rather than piecing the tale together after the fact.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/J6SgH5LsG2I?si=IMEYFsKFwQLkOkop
</div><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Zooming into the young star HD 135344B and its planet candidate. Credit: ESO</figcaption></figure>



The full study was published in the <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ade996" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Astrophysical Journal Letters</a>.



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-----

Astronomers capture a new planet during the final stages of its formation process

A swirl of gas and dust hangs around the young...

Autism spectrum disorder has long challenged both science and medicine. Each type presents differently - from speech delays to social difficulties to repetitive behaviors - making it hard to define and diagnose in a clear, unified way.



Parents, clinicians, and researchers have often worked with uncertainty, relying on broad categories that mask the condition’s <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/autism-and-adhd-disorders-directly-linked-amount-of-time-kids-spend-on-screens/">complexity</a>.



Researchers at <a href="https://www.princeton.edu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Princeton University</a> and the <a href="https://www.simonsfoundation.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Simons Foundation</a> have reshaped our understanding of autism. They identified four distinct clinical and biological subtypes using data from over 5,000 children in the SPARK autism cohort. 



This shift toward a person-centered view may change how autism is diagnosed and treated in the future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-autism-types-mapped-with-big-data">Autism types mapped with big data</h2>



Instead of linking individual traits to single genes, the team used a computational model that considered each child’s entire profile. 



The researchers analyzed over 230 traits per child - spanning developmental milestones, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/toddler-screen-time-linked-to-atypical-sensory-behaviors/">social</a> challenges, and repetitive behaviors.



This approach allowed them to group individuals into categories that reflect meaningful differences in both behavior and biology.



“Understanding the genetics of autism is essential for revealing the biological mechanisms that contribute to the condition, enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis,” said Olga Troyanskaya, senior author of the study.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-four-distinct-autism-types-emerge">Four distinct autism types emerge</h2>



The study defined four categories of autism. The Social and Behavioral Challenges group includes children with classic autism traits but typical developmental progress. 



The Mixed ASD with Developmental Delay group features children who reach milestones later but often lack anxiety or disruptive behaviors.



The Moderate Challenges group has milder autism traits, no delays, and few psychiatric <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-the-brain-learns-study-reveals-an-unexpected-twist/">conditions</a>. The Broadly Affected group shows a wide range of severe symptoms including delays, repetitive behaviors, and mood disorders.



“These findings are powerful because the classes represent different clinical presentations and outcomes, and critically we were able to connect them to distinct underlying biology,” said Aviya Litman, Ph.D. student at Princeton and co-lead author.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-clues-behind-autism-types">Genetic clues behind autism types</h2>



Traditional genetic testing explains only a small portion of autism cases. This study went further by revealing distinct genetic profiles for each subtype. 



The Broadly Affected group showed the highest rate of damaging mutations not inherited from parents. 



In contrast, the Mixed ASD with Developmental Delay group had more rare inherited variants. Though the two groups share some traits, their genetic origins differ.



“While genetic testing is already part of the standard of care for people diagnosed with autism, thus far, this testing reveals variants that explain the autism of only about 20% of patients,” said Jennifer Foss-Feig of the Simons Foundation. 



This study begins to bridge that gap by offering a clearer map of which variants relate to which traits.



“These findings point to specific hypotheses linking various pathways to different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-prepares-the-brain-for-the-future-while-protecting-memories-of-the-past/">presentations</a> of autism,” said Litman.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-developmental-timing-matters">Developmental timing matters</h2>



The genetic influences behind each subtype do not act at the same time in development. In children with social and behavioral challenges, key gene mutations become active after birth. This matches the clinical picture of late diagnosis without early developmental delays.



In contrast, children in the Mixed ASD group carry mutations that affect the brain during fetal development. These genetic timelines correspond to the children’s milestones, diagnoses, and symptom severity.



“By integrating genetic and clinical data at scale, we can now begin to map the trajectory of autism,” said Chandra Theesfeld of Princeton.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-direction-for-autism-research">New direction for autism research</h2>



This classification of autism types builds on years of collaborative research and was made possible through integration across genetics, psychology, and computation.



The work is part of Princeton Precision Health’s mission to connect biological insight with clinical care.



“It’s a whole new paradigm, to provide these groups as a starting point for investigating the genetics of autism,” said Theesfeld. 



Instead of searching for one common cause of autism, researchers can now examine the distinct mechanisms behind each group.



Natalie Sauerwald, co-lead author, explained, “The ability to define biologically meaningful autism subtypes is foundational to realizing the vision of precision medicine for neurodevelopmental conditions.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-this-means-for-families">What this means for families</h2>



For families, this research may offer new clarity and direction. Knowing a child’s autism subtype could help with planning school support, medical care, and therapies. 



“Understanding genetic causes for more individuals with autism could lead to more targeted developmental monitoring, precision treatment, and tailored support and accommodations at school or work,” said Foss-Feig.



Families may gain insight into what symptoms to expect and how to better plan for the future.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-autism-model-can-work-for-other-issues">Autism model can work for other issues</h2>



While this study focused on autism, its methods may apply to other complex conditions. 



By combining clinical traits with genetic data, researchers can now identify clear subtypes where once there was only disorder-level confusion. 



“This opens the door to countless new scientific and clinical discoveries,” said Theesfeld.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-025-02224-z" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nature Genetics</a>.



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Four biologically distinct types of autism discovered in major new study

Autism spectrum disorder has long challenged both science and medicine....

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Fi2OeEwuzRM?si=vTyd2m9FMmtyWkex
</div></figure>







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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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What to plant in your garden in mid-July

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

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

<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/XYgiPzmNBTU?si=eFYY7gPHU1JznLvU
</div></figure>



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Wildlife tunnels save millions of amphibians

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

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



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
</div></figure>



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>.

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