Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a galaxy that is located about 600 million light-years away in the constellation Gemini. The Hubble Space Telescope observed a supernova in this galaxy - which appears as a bright blue dot in the photograph.



“This picture was taken roughly two months after a supernova named SN 2022aajn was discovered in this galaxy. The supernova is visible as a blue dot at the center of the image, brightening the hazy body of the galaxy,” noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-is-a-supernova">What is a supernova?</h2>



Supernovae are spectacular explosions marking the violent deaths of stars. These cosmic events are so luminous they can briefly outshine entire <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/galaxies-are-much-bigger-than-we-originally-believed-gas-clouds/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> and radiate more energy in a few weeks than our Sun will in its entire lifetime.&nbsp;



Supernovae explosions release heavy elements like carbon, oxygen, and iron into the interstellar medium. This stellar debris becomes the building blocks for new stars, planets, and even life itself. 



Supernovae also produce neutron stars or black holes, depending on the remaining core’s mass after the explosion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-types-of-supernovae-nbsp">Types of supernovae&nbsp;</h2>



There are two main types of supernovae, classified based on their causes. Type I supernovae occur when a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/white-dwarf-stars-may-be-billions-of-years-older-than-estimated/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">white dwarf</a> in a binary system accretes material from its companion star, eventually reaching a critical mass and triggering a runaway nuclear reaction.&nbsp;



Type II supernovae happen when a massive star, at least eight times the mass of the Sun, exhausts its nuclear fuel. Unable to support its own gravity, the core collapses, resulting in a massive explosion that ejects the outer layers into space.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-measuring-the-distance-to-faraway-galaxies-nbsp">Measuring the distance to faraway galaxies&nbsp;</h2>



According to ESA, SN 2022aajn is a Type Ia supernova. “Supernovae of this type help astronomers measure the distance to faraway galaxies. This is possible because Type Ia supernovae are thought to be of the same intrinsic luminosity - no matter how bright they seem from Earth, they put out the same amount of light as other Type Ia supernovae.”



This means that researchers can calculate the distance to the supernova and its host galaxy by comparing the observed brightness to the expected brightness.



“This seemingly simple measurement method is complicated by cosmic dust. The farther away a supernova is, the fainter and redder it will appear - but intergalactic dust can make a supernova appear fainter and redder as well,” explained ESA.



“To understand this complication, researchers will use Hubble to survey a total of 100 Type Ia supernovae in seven wavelength bands from the ultraviolet to the near-infrared.”



By analyzing the brightness of supernovae across multiple wavelengths, researchers can distinguish between the influences of dust and distance, refining our measurements of galaxies that exist billions of light-years away.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-many-galaxies-exist">How many galaxies exist?</h2>



The number of galaxies in the universe is estimated to be around two trillion, based on observations from Hubble and more recent data from the James Webb Space Telescope. 



This estimate is derived from deep-field surveys that reveal countless galaxies, each containing billions to trillions of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/interstellar-tunnel-found-that-connects-our-solar-system-to-other-stars/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stars</a>.&nbsp;



However, because our observations are limited by current technology and the vastness of the cosmos, the actual number could be even higher.&nbsp;



Many <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/ancient-galaxies-formed-from-the-earliest-elements-in-the-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">galaxies</a> remain unseen due to their extreme distances, faintness, or obstruction by cosmic dust.



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



Gemini is one of the 12 zodiac constellations and is best known for representing the mythological twins Castor and Pollux. It is located in the northern celestial hemisphere and is most visible during winter in the Northern Hemisphere.&nbsp;



The constellation is bordered by Taurus to the west, Cancer to the east, and Orion to the south.



The two brightest stars in Gemini - Castor and Pollux - represent the heads of the twins and are easy to spot. Pollux, the brighter of the two, is an orange giant star about 34 light-years from Earth, while Castor is a more complex system made up of six stars. 



The constellation also contains several notable deep-sky objects, including the open cluster Messier 35, which is a beautiful collection of young stars located near Gemini’s western border.



Image Credit: ESA&nbsp;



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Hubble spots a supernova in the constellation Gemini 

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features a galaxy that is located about 600 million light-years away in the constellation Gemini. The Hubble Space Telescope observed a supernova in this galaxy - which appears as a bright blue dot in the photograph. “This picture was taken roughly two months after a supernova named SN 2022aajn was discovered in this galaxy. The supernova is visible as a blue dot at the center of the image, brightening the hazy body of...

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1559, located around 35 million light-years away in the southern constellation Reticulum. The image was captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. 



"The data featured in this portrait make use of two of Webb’s instruments: the Mid-InfraRed Instrument (MIRI) and Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam)," noted <a href="https://www.esa.int/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ESA</a>.



"Here MIRI captures the glow of interstellar dust grains, which trace out the interstellar medium, the fuel for future star formation. NIRCam shows the light from stars, even young stars hidden behind prodigious amounts of dust. NIRCam also captures emission from ionized nebulae around young stars."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-webb-reveals-galaxies-in-new-light">Webb reveals galaxies in new light</h2>



According to ESA, the data was collected by the <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/phangs/home">PHANGS team</a> as part of a program in which Webb will observe 55 <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/james-webb-captures-galaxies-that-are-too-old-to-exist/">galaxies</a> that have also been mapped by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, and more.&nbsp;



"By combining Webb’s unprecedented view of the dust and stars with data from these other facilities, the team aims to obtain a new, highly detailed view of how stars are born, live, and die in galaxies across the Universe."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ngc-1559-a-loner-in-space">NGC 1559: A loner in space</h2>



Although NGC 1559 appears to sit close to one of our nearest neighbors in the sky - the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) - this is just a trick of perspective, noted ESA.



While it is part of the Reticulum constellation, NGC 1559 is not part of the Local Group of galaxies but instead resides in a more distant region of space.



"In reality, NGC 1559 is physically nowhere near the LMC in space; in fact it truly is a loner, lacking the company of any nearby galaxies or membership of any galaxy cluster."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-star-formation-in-ngc-1559">Star formation in NGC 1559</h2>



NGC 1559 is notable for its active star formation and strong magnetic fields. It has also been the site of several <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/supernova-explosions-could-damage-distant-planets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">supernovae</a>, making it of particular interest to astronomers who study stellar evolution and the life cycle of stars.



The structure of NGC 1559 includes well-defined spiral arms that contain young, hot stars and regions of ionized gas, indicative of ongoing <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/black-hole-is-starving-its-host-galaxy-of-star-forming-fuel/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">star formation</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-an-extragalactic-wonder">An extragalactic wonder</h2>



Despite being relatively small compared to larger galaxies like the Milky Way, NGC 1559 is an important object for understanding how barred spiral galaxies evolve and the processes that trigger supernovae.



The galaxy’s remote location and active nature make it a fascinating subject of study in the field of extragalactic astronomy. 



The isolation of NGC 1559 allows for a clearer view of its structure without much interference from neighboring galaxies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-barred-spiral-galaxies">Barred spiral galaxies</h2>



Barred spiral galaxies are a type of spiral galaxy characterized by a central bar-shaped structure composed of stars. This bar extends out from the core and connects to the galaxy's spiral arms, which swirl outward in a graceful pattern.



Scientists believe that the bar plays a crucial role in the evolution of the galaxy, funneling gas towards the core and potentially triggering star formation or feeding a central black hole. 



The <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/newly-discovered-stars-milky-way-are-old-as-universe/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Milky Way</a>, our own galaxy, is an example of a barred spiral. These galaxies are quite common in the universe, making up about two-thirds of all observed spiral galaxies.



The bar itself is thought to be a temporary feature, developing as the galaxy matures and possibly disappearing over time as the dynamics of the stars change. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-reticulum-constellation">The Reticulum constellation</h2>



The Reticulum constellation is a small, faint constellation in the southern sky. Its name means "the reticle" in Latin, which refers to the crosshairs in an eyepiece of a telescope. 



The constellation was named in the 18th century by the French astronomer Nicolas Louis de Lacaille to honor the reticle he used in his scientific instruments. It is one of the 88 modern constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union.



Image Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA &amp; CSA, A. Leroy, J. Lee and the PHANGS Team



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Spiral galaxy glows with young stars and interstellar dust

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

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the aftermath of wildfires that burned across central and southern Chile in early February 2023.



"The blazes killed dozens, injured thousands, and left many people homeless. The smoke that previously poured over the Pacific Ocean has since lessened, but the scars on the landscape remain," says NASA.



"Though fire numbers decreased by February 13, some activity continued in the Biobío, Ñuble, Araucanía, and Maule regions, and a state of emergency declared by the Chilean government on February 3 remained in place. Favorable fire conditions persisted amid low humidity, high temperatures, and winds."



The false color image was captured by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&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



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Chile's burn scars are visible from space

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

Today's Image of the Day from the <a href="https://www.esa.int/">European Space Agency</a> features the frozen landscape of Graham Coast, which is located on the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula.



"The Antarctic Peninsula is the northernmost and warmest region of the Antarctic continent. It resembles a 1000-km-long arm, stretching towards the southern tip of South America," says ESA.



"The west coast of the peninsula is home to over 100 large glaciers, some of which are visible in this image; from the right: Murphy, Wilkinson, Drummond, Erskine, Widmark, Hugi, Lawrie, Weir and Comrie."



A team of scientists used satellite data to measure the speed of glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula. The experts determined that these glaciers are flowing faster than expected in the summer months.



"While some ice melts into the ocean, some breaks off into icebergs," says ESA. "The dark color of the waters in the image allows us to easily spot many icebergs floating along the coast, as well as fragmented sea ice."



Image Credit: ESA



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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



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Icy landscape on the Antarctic Peninsula

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in the southeastern corner of Spain.



"The park’s semi-arid climate and volcanic features contribute to the peculiar landscape along more than 60 kilometers of the Mediterranean coastline," reports NASA.



The Tabernas Desert, which is considered mainland Europe’s only desert, lies 30 kilometers to the north of Cabo de Gata-Níjar Park.



"Both the desert and the park are part of Spain’s Almería Province, the driest area of Europe. The region receives just 20 centimeters (8 inches) of rain per year, though the coastal areas are somewhat more humid," explains NASA. "There is enough moisture to support nearly 1,000 species of plants, such as the European fan palm and a thorny shrub known as jujube."



"When viewed from orbit, the park’s most obvious features are volcanic - that is, the 5 percent of the volcanic complex that rises above the water. The remaining 95 percent is hidden from view below the sea’s surface."



According to NASA, volcanic activity began here about 16 million years ago and ended about 8 million years ago.&nbsp;



"Wind and seawater have eroded some of the lava flows into smooth, strange shapes. Other structures just offshore have partially crumbled away. For instance, the tall, jagged rocks jutting from the water at Arrecife de la Sierena are thought to be remains of an old volcanic structure."



The image was captured on May 17, 2022 by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&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



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Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Spain

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which has been churning in the Indian Ocean for more than a month.&nbsp;



"The storm first developed off the North Australian coast on February 6, 2023, and then tracked across the entire Indian Ocean before striking the east coast of Madagascar on February 21, 2023," says NASA.



"It then crossed the Mozambique Channel and made landfall in Mozambique’s Inhambane province near Vilankulo, where it stalled and dropped a huge amount of rain before doubling back and nearly hit the west coast of Madagascar again. As of March 8, 2023, the weakening storm was following a northwesterly track toward a likely second landfall in Mozambique - this time in the Zambezia province."



"Over the course of Freddy’s 32-day journey, the World Meteorological Organization says the storm likely became the longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record. The previous record holder, Hurricane John, persisted for 31 days in the Central Pacific in 1994."



The image was captured on March 8, 2023 by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&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



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Tropical Cyclone Freddy persisted for more than a month

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Peyto Glacier in Banff National Park, which is among the most closely monitored glaciers in the world.&nbsp;



"In 1968, the United Nations selected Peyto as a reference glacier for the International Hydrological Decade research initiative. Ever since, teams of scientists have traveled to the Canadian Rockies regularly to conduct field work and calculate changes in the mass of the glacier, providing the scientific community with a longer and more detailed data record for Peyto than most other glaciers," reports NASA.



According to data published by the World Glacier Monitoring Service, Peyto loses more mass than it gains in most years. Over the last five decades, Peyto has lost about 70 percent of its mass.



"Most observers attribute the ice losses to rising summer temperatures. In 2021, this area faced a record-breaking summer heat wave, while wildfires raged west of Banff National Park," says NASA.



"According to some scientists, heat-absorbing soot from wildfire smoke has been accumulating on top and may be accelerating the rate of ice loss. Winter snowfall accumulation, in contrast, has remained roughly the same over the decades."



It is estimated that by 2100, Peyto Glacier will lose about 85 percent of its current mass.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&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



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Peyto Glacier in Banff National Park

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features an oblique photo of New York City that was taken by an astronaut as the International Space Station orbited over the Gulf of Maine.&nbsp;



"Shadows from skyscrapers and other city buildings give the photograph a sense of three-dimensionality," says NASA.



"The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, an important historic immigration hub into the United States, are within the New York Harbor at the top of the photograph."&nbsp;



"The harbor, busy with ship traffic, is the terminus of the Hudson River that forms a segment of the border between New Jersey and New York."



According to NASA, four out of the five boroughs of New York are visible, as well as neighborhoods in New Jersey.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory



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Astronaut captures striking view of New York City

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Florida Keys, which are visited by several million tourists each year. The Keys have a population of more than 80,000 people across 30 populated islands.



"The chain of hundreds of low-lying islands, also called cays or keys, that extend from southern Florida are relics of a time when global sea levels were higher than today. About 125,000 years ago, during a warm interglacial period, water covered the area," explains NASA.



"However, the sea was shallow enough that big communities of coral flourished just below the surface and built up reefs. As time passed and an ice age took hold, sea levels dropped and the tops of some reefs—as well as some sand bars—began to poke above the water surface. Over time, material from these exposed reefs and sand bars hardened and fossilized, forming the sedimentary rocks that make up the modern Florida Keys."



Many of the Florida Keys are located within the boundaries of national parks, including the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Several of the northern keys are in Biscayne National Park, and most of the islands within Florida Bay are part of Everglades National Park.



"Still, some parts of Big Pine Key and several other islands retain patches of pine rockland, an unusual ecosystem found exclusively in southern Florida. In these areas, scattered slash pine soars over an understory of palms, palmettos, berries, grasses, and several types of herbaceous plants," says NASA.



"While falling sea levels brought the Florida Keys into existence, rising seas now pose a threat to their long-term existence. Sea level rise projections from the Interagency Sea Level Rise Scenario Tool (published by NASA’s Sea Level Change Team) indicate that Key West could experience between 0.45 and 2.16 meters (1 and 7 feet) of sea level rise by 2100."



The image was captured on March 30, 2022 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Hundreds of low-lying islands make up the Florida Keys

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the coast of São Paulo in southeast Brazil, where heavy rainfall and flooding triggered deadly landslides. 



The beach communities of Jaqueí and Praia da Baleia in São Sebastião were among the hardest hit areas. The São Paulo state government said that more than 23.6 inches of rain had fallen in a single day.&nbsp;



Robert Emberson, a landslide expert with NASA’s Earth Applied Sciences Disasters program, said that areas with very dense concentrations of landsliding are quite unusual but not unprecedented.



“South Brazil is a bit of a landslide hotspot at this time of year; high seasonal rainfall, combined with steep slopes, lead to characteristically high landslide hazards,” said Emberson.&nbsp;



“This amount of rainfall will leave nearly all of the hillslopes saturated, destabilizing the soils and underlying bedrock. Unfortunately, these landslides have also impacted homes and infrastructure, leading to major loss of life.”



The image was captured on February 26, 2023 by the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/ Allison Nussbaum/ USGS



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Torrential rainfall triggers landslides in southeast Brazil

Can a sea lion really feel the beat like we do? That question has fascinated scientists exploring biomusicality - how different species respond to rhythm and music.



One famous sea lion is helping provide surprising answers. Ronan, the rhythm-savvy sea lion who once bobbed her head to pop tunes, is back in the spotlight. And according to new research, her sense of rhythm is not only real - it may be sharper than most humans’.



Ronan the sea lion lives at the Long Marine Laboratory, part of the <a href="https://www.ucsc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California, Santa Cruz</a>. In 2013, she gained global attention when researchers showed that she could synchronize her head bobs to music, even unfamiliar songs with new tempos. 



Now, a new study confirms that Ronan has kept her skills sharp over the years - and her rhythmic timing might just outperform ours.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dancing-sea-lion-surprises-scientists">Dancing sea lion surprises scientists</h2>



In the latest experiment, scientists set out to test Ronan’s timing accuracy. They designed a beat-keeping task that closely matched how she naturally responds - through head bobbing.



To compare her abilities with humans, the team asked 10 UC Santa Cruz undergraduates to move one arm up and down in sync with a simple metronome <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-are-born-with-the-ability-to-recognize-the-beat-in-music/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat</a>. Three tempos were used: 112, 120, and 128 beats per minute. 



Ronan had only been trained at 120 bpm, so the other two were new to the sea lion. Even so, she didn’t miss a beat. At her practiced tempo of 120 bpm, she was incredibly precise, hitting the beat within just 15 milliseconds on average. That’s roughly a tenth the duration of a human blink.



“She is incredibly precise, with variability of only about a tenth of an eyeblink from cycle to cycle,” said Peter Cook, one of the study's authors. “Sometimes, she might hit the beat five milliseconds early, sometimes she might hit it 10 milliseconds late. But she's basically hitting the rhythmic bullseye over and over and over again.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ronan-volunteers-for-rhythm-training">Ronan volunteers for rhythm training</h2>



The researchers are quick to point out that Ronan chooses to take part in these sessions. She’s never forced or deprived of food. 



If she doesn’t feel like working, she’s free to swim off. Before each session, she climbs onto a special ramp where she waits calmly. When she’s ready, she signals the team, and the experiment begins.



Ronan’s rhythm training spans over a decade. Since joining the lab in 2010, she’s completed about 2,000 short rhythm tasks - each just 10 to 15 seconds long. There were even years when she didn’t practice at all. That’s not a lot compared to a typical <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/babies-prefer-listening-to-live-music-than-to-a-recording-of-the-same-performance/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">child’s exposure to music</a>.



“She definitely wasn’t overtrained,” Cook said. “Realistically, if you added up the amount of rhythmic exposure Ronan has had since she’s been with us, it is probably dwarfed by what a typical 1 year old kid has heard.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dancing-her-way-to-fame">Dancing her way to fame</h2>



Ronan’s path to stardom began with hardship. Born in the wild in 2008, she stranded repeatedly due to malnutrition and was eventually deemed non-releasable. 



UC Santa Cruz took her in and made her part of their Pinniped Lab, where researchers explore the cognitive and sensory abilities of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/marine-mammals-in-the-us-are-highly-vulnerable-to-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">marine mammals</a>. The lab uses positive reinforcement to encourage cooperation. 



Ronan has participated in a wide range of projects, from rhythm and memory to diving physiology. And she’s still going strong. At 16 years old and 170 pounds, she’s considered to be in her prime.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-rewriting-the-rules-of-rhythm">Rewriting the rules of rhythm</h2>



The original 2013 study on Ronan challenged a leading theory in biomusicality. That theory said only vocal mimics - such as humans and some birds - could synchronize to music because their brains are wired for vocal learning. 



Ronan, however, isn’t known to learn new vocalizations. The sea lion's ability to keep time raised new questions.Despite early praise, some researchers doubted Ronan’s rhythm <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/seals-can-perceive-rhythm-early-in-life/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">skills</a>. 



They argued that her performance wasn’t as consistent as human timing. This led to the new study, which set out to compare Ronan’s beat-keeping abilities directly with humans using the same test conditions. The results were clear. 



Ronan wasn’t just keeping up - she was outpacing her human peers. She showed greater precision and less variability at every tested tempo. To further confirm this, the researchers used student data to model the theoretical performance of 10,000 humans. Ronan placed in the 99th percentile.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-than-talent-it-s-a-choice">More than talent - it's a choice</h2>



The team that works with Ronan has built a strong bond with her over the years. They know her moods, her enthusiasm, and her intelligence. They also know she performs best when she’s motivated.



“One of the most important outcomes of the study is the fact that maturation and experience matter,” said Colleen Reichmuth, a lead researcher at the lab. “It's not just a test of rhythmic performance. It reflects her cognitive behavior and her ability to remember and refine it over time.”



And she wants to succeed. Every time she climbs the ramp and signals she’s ready, it’s because she chooses to. “She's motivated. To her, it's a game she knows how to win,” Reichmuth said, “and she likes the fish that come with it.”



Ronan’s contribution to science goes far beyond her head bobs. Her work is helping researchers rethink which species are capable of perceiving and producing rhythm. 



Since her debut, follow-up studies have explored rhythm in birds, primates, elephants, and more. She’s sparked new discussions in the scientific community and shifted how we view <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/animals-and-possibly-even-insects-have-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">animal cognition</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-not-just-a-party-trick">Not just a party trick</h2>



The researchers stress that this isn’t about teaching animals cute tricks. It’s about understanding the evolution of intelligence. 



Rhythm and pattern recognition are key parts of how brains process information. And these traits may be more widespread in the animal kingdom than we thought.



Cook often gets asked why dogs don’t dance. His answer: maybe no one’s tried. "If you're going to say dogs can't dance, you have to empirically assess that - really give the dog many opportunities to receive very precise feedback on rhythmic movement and see how they do,” he said. 



“I would be very surprised if you couldn't get a border collie to do something like what Ronan does if you spend enough time on it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sea-lion-changed-the-beat-forever">Sea lion changed the beat forever</h2>



This new study reinforces what her team already knew - Ronan is extraordinary. But her story also carries a broader message. Intelligence comes in many forms. 



With the right training, environment, and support, animals like Ronan can reveal abilities we once thought were uniquely human.



“Ronan’s new study highlights the importance of experience, maturity, and really fine-grained training in a controlled laboratory setting to assess these questions,” Cook concluded.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-95279-1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



Image Credit: Photo by Colleen Reichmuth; NMFS 23554



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Can animals feel the beat? Ronan the sea lion might just prove it

Can a sea lion really feel the beat like we...

The ground is moving underfoot across large swaths Africa, even when the weather is calm. Over the past few decades, engineers have had to mend warped highways, farmers have felt hot springs pop up in old fields, and GPS receivers reveal that the land itself is stretching. 



These shifts trace a long, snaking scar known as the East African Rift, which now runs about 2,000 miles from the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/why-the-shores-of-the-red-sea-turn-pink-every-year/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Red Sea</a> to central Mozambique.



The latest three‑dimensional seismic models show that the split is anything but tidy. 



Beneath certain valleys, the crust is already threadbare, while nearby blocks of rock remain thick and stubborn. Deep magma rises to exploit every weakness, pushing from below while gravity pulls from above.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-african-rift-stretches-2-000-miles">African rift stretches 2,000 miles</h2>



"What we do not know is if this rifting will continue on its present pace to eventually open up an ocean basin, like the Red Sea, and then later to something much larger, like a small version of the Atlantic Ocean," said Ken Macdonald, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara (<a href="https://www.ucsb.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UCSB</a>). 



"Or might it speed up and get there more quickly? Or it might stall out, as the Atlantic did before it commenced to true seafloor spreading? At the present rate, a sea about the size of the current Red Sea might form in about 20‑30 million years.”



According to a February 2025 study published in the scientific journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2024JB030417" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGR Solid Earth</a>, the northern branch, called the Main Ethiopian Rift, narrows to a canyon flanked by steep faults that slip in bursts. 



Farther south, the valley widens; seismic waves lose energy there faster than expected, marking pockets of molten rock that prop the crust open from below.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-volcanic-processes-at-work">Volcanic processes at work</h2>



About 22 million years ago, the Somali and Nubian plates began to creep apart. A recent simulation argues that a rising plume of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/mantle-heat-shaped-earths-crust-3-billion-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">super‑heated mantle</a> thins the overlying plate “like taffy left on a dashboard,” according to researchers. 



“We confirmed previous ideas that lithospheric buoyancy forces are driving the rift, but we’re bringing new insight that anomalous deformation can happen in East Africa,” said Tahiry Rajaonarison of <a href="https://nmt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New Mexico Tech</a>.



At the time, some geologists believed the rift was the beginning of a new ocean as two parts of the African continent pulled apart, but the claim was controversial.



Now, scientists from several countries have confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the <a href="https://www.earth.com/image/visualizing-the-seasons-of-central-ethiopia/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethiopian rift</a> are nearly identical to those at the bottom of the world’s oceans, and the rift is indeed likely the beginning of a new sea. 



Another study published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2019GL085598" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Geophysical Research Letters</a>, suggests that the highly active volcanic boundaries along the edges of tectonic ocean plates may suddenly break apart in large sections, instead of little by little as has been predominantly believed.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-african-rift-cracks-in-real-time">African rift cracks in real time</h2>



The first vivid and obvious clue to what was happening arrived in September 2005, when a 35‑mile fissure up to 25 feet wide ripped open in Ethiopia in just 10 days. 



“Eventually this will drift apart,” Dr. James Hammond of the <a href="https://www.bristol.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Bristol</a> told the BBC World Service. “The sea will flood in and will start to create this new ocean.” 



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/East-African-Rift-System_map-graph_credit-JGR-Solid-Earth_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/East-African-Rift-System_map-graph_credit-JGR-Solid-Earth_1s.webp" alt="(a) Structural map of our interest region, showing the location and extent of the Archean cratons, Tertiary volcanism and EARS main structures. Red triangles are volcanoes (modified from Global Volcanism Program (2013)). Structures are from Globig et al. (2016). (b) Map of the EARS showing the main rifts and volcanic provinces. Abbreviations: KVVP Kivu Virunga Volcanic Province, KQVP Kenya Quaternary Volcanic Province, RVP Rungwe Volcanic Province, MER Main Ethiopian Rift." class="wp-image-1967992"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(a) Structural map of our interest region, showing the location and extent of the Archean cratons, Tertiary volcanism and EARS main structures. Red triangles are volcanoes (modified from Global Volcanism Program (2013)). Structures are from Globig et al. (2016). (b) Map of the EARS showing the main rifts and volcanic provinces. Abbreviations: KVVP Kivu Virunga Volcanic Province, KQVP Kenya Quaternary Volcanic Province, RVP Rungwe Volcanic Province, MER Main Ethiopian Rift. Click image to enlarge. Credit: JGR</figcaption></figure>



“It will pull apart, sink down deeper and deeper, and eventually…parts of southern Ethiopia, Somalia will drift off, create a new island, and we’ll have a smaller Africa and a very big island that floats out into the Indian Ocean.”



Heavy rain in 2018 exposed a similar crack in Kenya, forcing road closures and startling residents. Geologist David Adede, from the <a href="https://www.uonbi.ac.ke/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Nairobi</a>, linked the event to the region‑wide tug‑of‑war between the two plates, showing that even everyday weather can uncover tectonic scars.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-model-predicts-a-slowly-forming-ocean">Model predicts a slowly-forming ocean</h2>



Computer models at <a href="https://www.vt.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Virginia Tech</a> lend weight to the plume‑driven theory. 



“If you hit Silly Putty with a hammer, it can actually crack and break. But if you slowly pull it apart, the Silly Putty stretches. So on different time scales, Earth’s lithosphere behaves in different ways," explained Virginia Tech's <a href="https://geos.vt.edu/people/Everyone/Sarah-Stamps.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">D. Sarah Stamps</a>.



Her team’s work points toward a future ocean spreading along the current rift line. Africa will not tear completely for at least another five million years, but the groundwork is happening fast enough for satellites to watch.



“This work is a breakthrough in our understanding of continental rifting leading to the creation of new <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/the-same-process-that-is-raising-sea-levels-today-sank-them-millions-of-years-ago/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ocean basins</a>. For the first time they demonstrate that activity on one rift segment can trigger a major episode of magma injection and associated deformation on a neighboring segment," noted Ken Macdonald of UCSB.



"Careful study of the 2005 mega‑dike intrusion and its aftermath will continue to provide extraordinary opportunities for learning about continental rifts and mid‑ocean ridges," Macdonald concluded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-current-hazards-caused-by-the-african-rift">Current hazards caused by the African rift</h2>



“In addition, such sudden large-scale events on land pose a much more serious hazard to populations living near the rift than several smaller events would," said Cindy Ebinger, professor of earth and environmental sciences at the <a href="https://www.rochester.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of Rochester</a>.



Rapid injections of magma can shove the surface upward, fracture highways, and rattle towns with earthquakes.



Another threat lurks in the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Afar-triangle-a-depressed-area-surrounded-by-the-Nubian-Yemen-and-Somalian_fig1_345985550" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Afar Depression</a>, parts of which already lie below sea level. Only a 65‑foot‑high ridge in Eritrea blocks the Red Sea. If that barrier fails, seawater will surge inland long before full‑fledged seafloor spreading begins.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ocean-laboratory-above-ground">Ocean laboratory above ground</h2>



The Afar region and Iceland are the planet’s only places where a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/megastructure-ancient-buried-seafloor-dinosaur-age-found-under-pacific-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">mid‑ocean‑ridge system</a> stands above water. 



“The whole point of this study is to learn whether what is happening in Ethiopia is like what is happening at the bottom of the ocean where it’s almost impossible for us to go,” said Ebinger.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/East-African-Rift-System_global-map_credit-JGR-Solid-Earth_1m.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img src="https://www.earth.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/East-African-Rift-System_global-map_credit-JGR-Solid-Earth_1s.webp" alt="Regional and global datasets. Stations from global data set are shown in red (Ekström, 2011), stations from regional data set are shown in green. Regional stations are mainly located along eastern Africa, with a particularly dense coverage over the Afar rift (Ethiopia)." class="wp-image-1967989"/></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Regional and global datasets. Stations from global data set are shown in red (Ekström, 2011), stations from regional data set are shown in green. Regional stations are mainly located along eastern Africa, with a particularly dense coverage over the Afar rift (Ethiopia). Click image to open. Credit: JGR</figcaption></figure>



“We knew that if we could establish that, then Ethiopia would essentially be a unique and superb ocean‑ridge laboratory for us. Because of the unprecedented cross‑border collaboration behind this research, we now know that the answer is yes, it is analogous."



Instruments now blanket the desert, logging every shuffle of the ground and every whisper of magma. The data will refine forecasts for future <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/hidden-forces-discovered-cause-earths-continents-to-rise-great-escarpment/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">continental breakups</a> and help geologists understand how today’s oceans first opened.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-global-impact-of-the-african-rift-system">Global impact of the African Rift System</h2>



To sum it all up, geologic change does move at such a slow pace it makes skyscraper construction seem fleeting, yet the sum of tiny annual motions adds up. It causes hazards that can be felt and seen during our lifetimes, while also redrawing maps. 



Rarely do we get to see geological processes in action, but in this instance, we are the lucky ones. From the sudden 2005 fissure to today’s steady one‑inch‑per‑year drift, the African Rift System offers a rare front‑row seat to continental breakup in action.



Whether this continental rip stalls, accelerates, or marches on unchanged, one fact remains: the ground beneath East Africa is restless, and each year of careful observation brings scientists one step closer to explaining how whole oceans are born.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2024JB030417" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGR Solid Earth</a>.



An earlier study with images was published in the journal <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2021JB023570" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JGR Solid Earth</a> (Images of the rift found here).



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Entire continent is splitting open and forming 'an ocean basin' like the Red Sea

The ground is moving underfoot across large swaths Africa, even...

Animal,And,Technology.,Curious,Fluffy,Labrador,Lying,On,Floor,At

Dogs have been at our side for centuries, and many of us believe they catch on to much of what we say. Some animal lovers have turned to special devices that supposedly help dogs “speak.” Yet, recent scientific findings hint that these gadgets might not work as well as people hope.



At <a href="https://www.elte.hu/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eötvös Loránd University</a> in Budapest, researchers in the Department of Ethology set out to see whether certain recorded words truly register in a dog’s mind. Dr. Tamás Farago explained that these study results highlight how audio fidelity plays a key role in <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-understand-words-even-in-monotone-speech/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canine</a> word recognition.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-hear-more-speech-frequencies">Dogs hear more speech frequencies</h2>



Dogs hear a wider band of <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-human-speech-changes-when-we-talk-to-dogs/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">frequencies</a> than humans do. Their range starts near 65 Hz and stretches to around 45,000 Hz, while people typically only reach about 20,000 Hz. 



This difference means that when we play recorded speech to dogs, equipment quality matters. If important sonic details go missing, dogs may seem confused or unresponsive.



Many devices are built for humans. They often focus on our usual speech range, between 300 Hz and 3,400 Hz, without going too high. That might help with phone calls or podcasts, but it leaves out some of what dogs may need to pick up on words.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-struggle-to-hear-poor-audio">Dogs struggle to hear poor audio</h2>



Researchers tested different ways of delivering recorded words, comparing common tools like phone-linked speakers and “talking” buttons. Their study revealed that poor sound quality from certain devices undercuts a <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/talking-slower-helps-dogs-understand-what-humans-are-saying/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">dog</a>’s ability to act on those recorded commands. 



“The frequency analysis showed that the loudspeaker preserves most sound frequencies of the human speech, the AIC button loses frequencies that would be necessary to convey human speech to dogs,” explained Dr. Farago.



When live speech was used, the dogs almost never missed the mark. But once the words came through lower-grade electronics, many of them struggled. That suggests a dog recognizes a speaker’s real voice more easily than hollow, tinny recordings with missing frequencies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-speech-clarity-even-affects-smart-dogs">Speech clarity even affects smart dogs</h2>



Some dogs are labeled <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2024.0208" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gifted Word Learner canines</a>. They build an extra-large vocabulary and can link multiple words with specific actions or objects. 



Even so, the research found their success drops when they hear certain audio distortions. While these bright pups remain better at identifying words than other dogs, they still slip up if the playback is missing key frequency signals.



In one segment of the research, owners taught new names for toys by using a recorded voice. After a set period, the same owners tried requesting these toys either with the same recorded track or with regular speech. 



The results showed that when the new words came straight from the person’s mouth, dogs picked them out more often.



This ability to transfer knowledge suggests that real-time <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/how-speech-speed-can-signal-brain-health/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">vocal cues</a> may help dogs latch onto words more effectively, perhaps because the live voice contains subtle frequencies that matter to them.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-popular-talking-buttons-often-confuse-dogs">Popular talking buttons often confuse dogs</h2>



“Initially, I was genuinely surprised to see dogs looking puzzled and struggling to respond,” said lead author <a href="https://www.pada-icofa.com/about/fumi-higaki" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Fumi Higaki</a>. 



<a href="https://fluent.pet/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Button devices</a> got a lot of buzz on social media, thanks to videos where dogs seemingly press buttons to “say” words. But these gadgets often compress sounds in ways that strip away the lower or higher parts of speech. When the dogs in the study heard such heavily degraded cues, their performance sank.&nbsp;



“We hope our research will help improve methodologies in canine research that utilize recorded human speech,” noted project leader Dr. Claudia Fugazza. That doesn’t mean dogs never connect the dots. But it does suggest that a direct human voice might be more reliable for training, especially if you’re teaching brand-new vocabulary. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-dogs-respond-best-to-live-speech">Dogs respond best to live speech</h2>



For everyday folks trying to communicate better with their <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/dogs-can-recognize-familiar-human-voices-even-in-recordings/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">canine</a> friends, live voice cues might be the more reliable method. 



Owners who rely on recorded tools may find that their dogs don’t respond as expected. Such outcomes are not because the dogs are clueless; it’s that the essential audio frequencies simply aren’t there.



Anyone eager to teach commands with digital devices should be aware that an inexpensive mic and speaker may fail to reproduce the exact vocal signals a dog needs. 



If you still want to experiment with dog “speech” tools, keep an eye on audio quality. Speaking directly may bring greater clarity for your pup, even if it seems old-fashioned.



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



This work shows that sound fidelity is not a minor detail. It might shape a dog’s entire experience of human speech. 



Manufacturers who sell “talking” buttons might need to rethink their design to keep more of the original voice frequencies. That might help dogs pick up words more consistently.



Researchers also hope this exploration spurs new technologies that consider how dogs hear. The findings suggest that with the right equipment and plenty of live interaction, dogs could keep expanding their ability to understand us. 



Each step brings owners closer to forging meaningful communication across the species divide.



The study is published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96824-8" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scientific Reports</a>.



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Speech gadgets for dogs aren’t always reliable or clear

Dogs have been at our side for centuries, and many...

Close-up,Image,Featuring,A,Row,Of,White,,Oval-shaped,Pills,Scattered

For people struggling with opioid addiction, the ability to enjoy life’s simple pleasures - such as the sound of laughter, the warmth of the sun, or the sight of a smiling baby - can slowly fade. Cravings for opioids can be eased due to a new form of therapy. 



This emotional numbness is one of addiction’s cruelest effects, often pushing people deeper into dependence in a desperate attempt to feel something again. But now, there’s a new kind of therapy that appears to help.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opioid-recovery-boosted-by-new-therapy">Opioid recovery boosted by new therapy</h2>



In a new study, researchers from the <a href="https://ucsd.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of California San Diego</a> explored a treatment called Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement, or MORE. This therapy is designed to change how the brain processes pleasure. 



The team found that it not only improves mood and emotional awareness, but also helps reduce opioid cravings. The findings, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, add to growing evidence that MORE may be an effective tool in the fight against opioid use disorder (OUD).



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-how-pain-treatment-fuels-opioid-use">How pain treatment fuels opioid use</h2>



Every year, millions of people are prescribed opioids to help manage <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/people-with-chronic-pain-have-high-rates-of-depression-and-anxiety/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chronic pain</a>. But for some, what begins as a treatment can spiral into dependency. 



As the body builds tolerance, individuals often need higher doses to feel the same relief. Over time, their ability to feel <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/pets-increase-life-satisfaction-as-much-as-marriage-or-close-friendships/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">joy in everyday life</a> begins to disappear. This emotional flattening becomes a powerful driver of addiction.



The researchers explain that MORE offers a different approach. Developed by a professor of psychiatry at UC San Diego School of Medicine, this therapy blends mindfulness training, cognitive behavioral techniques, and positive psychology. 



The goal is to help people better manage their cravings, reduce their pain, and, perhaps most importantly, rediscover joy.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-opioids-reshape-brain-activity-patterns">Opioids reshape brain activity patterns</h2>



In the study, 160 participants with chronic pain - some with OUD and some without - were enrolled from primary care and pain clinics. They were asked to complete a task designed to measure their emotional response to positive imagery. 



These included pictures of things such as sunsets, puppies, or happy faces. They also filled out surveys tracking their cravings and emotional states.



For a subset of these participants who were at risk of misusing opioids, the researchers randomly assigned them to one of two groups. 



One group received eight weeks of one-on-one MORE therapy. The other participated in a standard supportive group therapy. Afterward, all of the participants repeated the emotional task and filled out follow-up surveys for up to three months.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-restoring-the-capacity-to-feel-pleasure">Restoring the capacity to feel pleasure </h2>



The results were telling. People with OUD showed a much weaker response in the brain when looking at pleasant images. This blunted reaction was directly tied to stronger opioid cravings. 



However, those who went through the MORE program experienced a shift. Their brains responded more strongly to positive stimuli - and their cravings were cut in half compared to those in standard therapy.



“<a href="https://www.earth.com/news/brain-discovery-offers-hope-for-tackling-opioid-addiction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Opioid addiction</a> decreases the brain’s ability to experience natural healthy pleasure, driving increased cravings for the drug,” said Eric Garland, the study’s lead author. “Our research shows that MORE helps restore this capacity, reducing cravings and potentially preventing opioid misuse.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-power-of-one-on-one-therapy">The power of one-on-one therapy </h2>



This isn’t the first time the therapy has shown promise. Over the past two decades, MORE has been tested in more than 10 randomized clinical trials, involving over 1,000 participants. 



In a 2022 study of 250 patients, the therapy reduced opioid misuse by 45% at a nine-month follow-up - almost three times more effective than group therapy alone. Half of the patients also reported less chronic pain.



In 2023, another study found that when MORE was added to standard <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/oxytocin-cuddle-hormone-fosters-love-boosts-memory-and-may-cure-addiction/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">addiction</a> care, the relapse rate dropped by 42%, and treatment dropout was 59% lower compared to standard care alone.



The therapy has also gained attention for its potential economic impact. Backed by the National Institutes of Health, Garland’s research estimates that for every dollar spent on MORE, there’s an estimated $798 in cost savings. 



These savings come from fewer fatal <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/tiktok-videos-provide-a-lifeline-to-prevent-opioid-overdoses/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">overdoses</a>, lower healthcare expenses, less criminal justice involvement, and improved work productivity. Over a lifetime, the benefit per person treated is projected to exceed $320,000.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-more-therapy-helps-alleviate-opioid-cravings">MORE therapy helps alleviate opioid cravings</h2>



While the findings are promising, the researchers say more work is needed. “This study is a crucial step, but we need more large-scale and long-term research to fully understand how treatments like MORE can help heal the brain to enhance recovery from opioid addiction,” noted Garland.



“Multiple rigorous, well-controlled clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of the MORE therapy. It is now the right moment to partner with policymakers, healthcare organizations and administrators of the opioid legal settlement to disseminate this evidence-based treatment nationwide to help alleviate the opioid crisis.”



As the opioid epidemic continues to affect families across the country, therapies like MORE offer a fresh and much-needed approach - one that doesn’t just target the symptoms, but helps people reconnect with the joy of living.



The full study was published in the journal <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/2833307" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JAMA</a>.



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Finding joy again: New therapy eases opioid cravings

For people struggling with opioid addiction, the ability to enjoy...

The concept of karma has deep roots across cultures and religions. It promises that moral actions will eventually bring fitting consequences - good deeds yield rewards, and bad ones lead to punishment.



For many, this belief adds meaning and structure to life’s random events. When fortune smiles or tragedy strikes, karma offers an explanation that feels fair and satisfying.



But beneath this comforting idea lies a curious paradox. While people often believe in karma as a universal law of justice, they don’t apply it equally to themselves and to others. 



Instead, they use it in ways that serve different <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/acts-of-kindness-social-brains-are-wired-to-help/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">psychological</a> needs - self-esteem on the one hand, and a sense of justice on the other.



Recent research from <a href="https://www.yorku.ca" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">York University</a>, published by the American Psychological Association, explores this phenomenon in depth. The study reveals how karma becomes a mirror for self-worth and a judgment tool for others’ misfortunes.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-karma-for-me-justice-for-you">Karma for me, justice for you</h2>



A research team led by Cindel White conducted three large studies with more than 2,000 participants across the United States, India, and Singapore. They examined how people described karmic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/sleep-increases-feelings-of-hope-happiness-and-gratitude/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">events</a> in their lives compared to those in others’ lives.



The results pointed to a consistent psychological pattern: when people think about karma in their own life, they recall positive experiences that feel earned. When thinking about others, they tend to describe misfortunes and punishments.



In the first study, 86 percent of participants wrote about events in their own lives. Most of these events were positive and interpreted as rewards for good actions. 



However, when participants chose to write about others, 92 percent focused on negative outcomes. This contrast wasn’t subtle - it showed up in their language, emotional tone, and evaluations of who deserved what.



“We found very similar patterns across multiple cultural contexts, including Western samples, where we know people often think about themselves in exaggeratedly positive ways, and samples from Asian countries where people are more likely to be self-critical,” said White.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-psychological-needs-shape-karma-thinking">Psychological needs shape karma thinking</h2>



The divide makes sense when viewed through the lens of psychological <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/who-is-happier-being-single-men-or-women/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">motivation</a>. People want to see themselves as good, competent, and deserving of success.



This is known as self-enhancement. When something good happens, attributing it to karmic merit boosts one’s self-image. The thinking is simple: I must have done something right.



But when bad things happen to others, a different motive comes into play. People also want to believe the world is fair. The belief in a just world helps explain suffering and reduces the discomfort of seeing innocent people in pain. 



In that context, karma becomes a convenient explanation for misfortune - those people must have done something wrong.



“Thinking about karma allows people to take personal credit and feel pride in good things that happen to them even when it isn’t clear exactly what they did to create the good <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/facial-expressions-arent-enough-to-understand-human-emotions/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">outcome</a>, but it also allows people to see other people’s suffering as justified retribution,” White explained.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-cultural-background-matters">Cultural background matters</h2>



The researchers didn’t stop at general trends. They wanted to know whether this self-other gap in karma interpretation varied across cultures. Study participants came from religiously diverse backgrounds: American Christians, nonreligious people, Indian Hindus, and Singaporean Buddhists.



As expected, the bias was strongest among Americans. Seventy-one percent described their own karma-related experiences as positive, while only 18 percent saw others’ experiences that way. In contrast, Indian and Singaporean participants were less likely to frame their own experiences so positively. 



In Singapore, only 52 percent did so. This aligns with previous research showing that self-enhancement is more common in individualistic <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/coping-with-eco-anxiety-turning-climate-worry-into-action/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">cultures</a> like the U.S., and less so in collectivist cultures that value modesty and self-criticism.



Still, the same general pattern held everywhere. Even in cultures with deep-rooted karmic traditions, people were more likely to think of others’ misfortunes as punishment and their own blessings as earned rewards.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-emotion-memory-and-power-of-narrative">Emotion, memory, and power of narrative</h2>



The research team used both human coders and computer sentiment analysis to examine how people described karmic events. The emotional tone of the stories was strikingly different depending on who the story was about. 



Descriptions of self-related karma were more upbeat, containing more positive words and emotional language. In contrast, stories about others were often colder, more negative, and less nuanced.



In Study 3, participants were also asked to rate how they felt about these events. Those recalling their own karmic experiences reported more pride, optimism, and contentment. 



They also felt stronger emotions overall. This suggests that thinking about karma can do more than explain events - it can reinforce identity, shape memory, and even regulate feelings.



Importantly, even participants who denied believing in karma showed similar patterns. This points to an implicit bias in how people interpret life events, suggesting that karma functions as more than a religious belief - it acts as a psychological framework, deeply woven into how people make sense of the world.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-seeing-the-good-in-ourselves">Seeing the good in ourselves</h2>



These studies add to a broader body of work on self-serving attributions. People tend to explain their own successes as a result of internal qualities like talent or effort, while attributing failures to outside forces. When it comes to karma, this self-protective tendency shows up as an overemphasis on personal virtue.



At the same time, people are more willing to blame others for their misfortunes. This may stem from a desire to protect the belief that the world is fair. If others suffer due to bad karma, then justice has been served. This logic, while comforting, can also lead to victim-blaming and moral disengagement.



The research also found that people viewed themselves as more moral than others, saw their own karmic outcomes as more deserved, and were quicker to attribute negative karma to others’ actions than to their own. 



This confirms that belief in karma, while seemingly spiritual and impartial, can be used in biased, self-protective ways.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-finding-life-meaning-through-karma">Finding life meaning through karma </h2>



While the idea of karma has ancient roots, its modern function appears more psychological than theological. 



Karma gives people a way to interpret good and bad events when other explanations fail. It offers a path to take credit, protect self-esteem, and explain injustice without confronting randomness or chance.



“This satisfies various personal motives - to see oneself as good and deserving of good fortune, and to see justice in other people’s suffering - and supernatural beliefs like karma might be especially good at satisfying these motives when other, more secular explanations fail,” noted White.



Even in an age of science and reason, these findings show that people still lean on supernatural thinking to make sense of their world. Karma remains powerful, not just because it explains things, but because it does so in a way that protects the self and affirms a moral universe.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-when-beliefs-shape-reality">When beliefs shape reality</h2>



The researchers caution that while most participants believe karma applies equally to everyone, their actual thinking shows otherwise. 



Positive experiences are more quickly linked to one’s own past virtues. Negative events are often assigned to others’ misdeeds. This pattern has consequences beyond personal comfort. It shapes how we judge others, form opinions, and decide who is worthy of help or blame.



These findings raise important questions about how beliefs shape perception. Karma, like many supernatural concepts, doesn’t just sit passively in the background. It actively colors how people interpret events, make moral judgments, and understand themselves in relation to others.



While karma may claim to be impartial, the way people invoke it is anything but. Its moral logic bends to the needs of the believer - rewarding the self and punishing the other.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/rel-rel0000565.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Psychology of Religion and Spirituality</a>.



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Most people believe they deserve good karma more than others

The concept of karma has deep roots across cultures and...

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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https://youtu.be/Ug657J67iEo?si=w96YjGMsg939LD_3
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Probiotics - beneficial microbes that balance gut bacteria and aid digestion - are typically fragile and can be destroyed by stomach acid or processing. 



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

Is chocolate the next nutritional powerhouse?

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: ESA



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

Nushagak Bay in southwest Alaska

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

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



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



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



Video/ Image Credit: American Chemical Society&nbsp;



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



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

Flu viruses are more flexible than expected

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

Hubble spots a supernova in the constellation Gemini

News coming your way