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 Zion National Park in southwestern Utah. The photograph was captured on June 30, 2022 by an astronaut onboard the International Space Station (ISS).&nbsp;



"Note the predominantly south-up orientation of the image," says NASA. "While opposite of many maps, the rotated image depicts the terrain more clearly by minimizing an optical illusion known as relief inversion."



More than four million people visit Zion National Park each year. The region is known for its sharp peaks and deep canyons.&nbsp;



The park is home to more than 1,000 plant species, a number of endangered animals, and tens of thousands of acres of protected wilderness.&nbsp;



"Zion provides a sanctuary to endangered animals, such as the California condor, Mexican spotted owl, and the Southwestern willow flycatcher," notes NASA.



There are also archeological sites throughout Zion National Park.



"Zion shares geologic history with the Grand Canyon. Both sites include the Kaibab Formation, which is a limestone and siltstone deposit formed in an ancient inland sea," says NASA.



"The significantly younger Navajo Sandstone exposed at Zion forms most of the prominent cliffs throughout the park. Evidence of human life in the Zion National Park area dates to the Ancestral Puebloan people, who inhabited the region between 2,000 and 8,000 years ago."



"Deep, narrow slot canyons branch off the North Fork of the Virgin River. Zion is prone to flash floods during monsoon season, between July and September, posing a threat to hikers in the slot canyons."



In he summer heat, cyanobacteria blooms in the rivers of Zion pose an additional threat to hikers and wildlife, according to NASA.



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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Zion National Park in southwestern Utah

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

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features a dust storm over the southwestern United States on February 26, 2023.



"In late February 2023, a sprawling storm system that brought rare snowfall to parts of California also fueled violent thunderstorms and tornadoes in the Southern Plains," says NASA.



"In the wake of the cold front, strong winds lofted a huge amount of dust into the air and darkened skies across parts of northern Mexico, eastern New Mexico, and northwestern Texas."



Wind gusts exceeded 70 miles per hour in Lubbock, and a gust of 114 miles per hour was recorded in Memphis, Texas. The massive storm reduced visibility as parts of West Texas were completely blanketed in dust.&nbsp;



The photo was captured by the Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) on the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite 16 (GOES-16), which is operated by NOAA.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/ NOAA



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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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Massive dust storm blows through the southwestern U.S.

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features snow across the San Gabriel Mountains just north of Los Angeles on February 26, 2023. As a powerful winter storm moved down the West Coast, rare blizzard warnings were issued for the mountains, while surrounding areas experienced heavy rainfall and strong winds.&nbsp;



"High-elevation areas saw blizzard conditions and large accumulations. A ski resort at an elevation of 7,000 feet recorded nearly 8 feet (2 meters) of snow, according to National Weather Service data. At lower elevations (5,000 - 6,000 feet), Mount Wilson, Lockwood Valley, and Frazier Park saw between 1-3 feet," says NASA.



"Even low-elevation areas where snow is uncommon saw substantial accumulation. Two inches fell in La Crescenta (elevation 2,000 feet), a suburban community north of Los Angeles. Closer to sea level, Beverley Hills saw 6 inches of rain, and downtown Los Angeles saw 4 inches."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory



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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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Powerful storm dumps snow in southern California

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Orontes River in Syria, which flooded in the days following 7.8 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes in the region.&nbsp;



The photo, captured by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9, shows flooded farmland and communities along the river on February 14, 2023.&nbsp;



According to NASA, much of the flooding occurred about 60 miles south of the epicenter of the quake in the Idlib governorate of Syria.



"Observations collected daily by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites indicate that floodwaters likely covered the most area on February 8-12. Significantly less floodwater was visible by February 20," says NASA.



"News outlets reported damage to some bean and wheat crops in the area, and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that thousands of people were forced to evacuate their homes. Communities affected by the flooding include Et Tloul, Jisr al Maksūr, Al Mashrafīyah, Jakara, and Hamzīyah."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory



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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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Flooding along the Orontes River in Syria

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Lake Paiku, a deep lake on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The photograph is part of a series of wintertime images captured by astronauts on the International Space Station



"Thousands of lakes dot the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau—the planet’s largest and highest alpine lake system. Sometimes called the 'world’s largest water tower,' the plateau supplies freshwater for billions of people living downstream. Changes in lake levels can affect this important water resource, as well as influence precipitation and temperature patterns in the region," says NASA.



Lake Paiku has been shrinking in recent years, declining by about four meters since 1972. When this photo of Paiku was taken, ice had formed on shallower parts of the lake.&nbsp;



The image was captured on February 19, 2022.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Lake Paiku on the Tibetan Plateau

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Iberá National Park in northeastern Argentina, where fires have been burning since late December 2022. The photograph shows smoke rising from fires on the northwest side of Iberá National Park in the Corrientes province on February 19, 2023.&nbsp;



"Iberá National Park is a protected area of wetlands and grasslands established in 2018 with land acquired by conservation groups and then donated to the government of Argentina. Encompassing 1,370 square kilometers (530 square miles) of the Corrientes region, the park is part of a 'rewilding' program which aims to reintroduce keystone species to the oasis such as jaguars and capybaras that have previously been driven away by hunting, ranching, and other human activities," says NASA.



"This area of Argentina is no stranger to fires. Last year more than 520,000 hectares (1.3 million acres) were burned in the Corrientes region and surrounding provinces. In 2022 and so far in 2023, fire activity has been unusually high in the region, according to Mark Parrington, senior scientist at the Copernicus <a href="http://atmosphere">Atmosphere</a> Monitoring Service (CAMS)."



Parrington said that, for the second year in a row, Corrientes province is experiencing much higher fire activity than experienced over the last two decades. “So far this year, the fires seem to be much more localized around the Iberá wetlands compared to more widespread fires across northern Argentina and southern Paraguay in 2022.”



While the exact cause of the fire outbreak is not known, intense heat and drought are keeping the fires burning. On February 13, Argentina’s National Meteorological Service issued warnings when temperatures exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The agency reports that this is the eighth heatwave in the country this summer.



The image was captured by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on the Landsat 9 satellite.&nbsp;



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory/ Lauren Dauphin



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Summer heat fuels fires in Argentina’s Iberá National Park

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which made landfall on the east coast of Madagascar on February 21, 2023.&nbsp;



"As Freddy made landfall north of Mananjary around 7:20 p.m. local time, its winds measured about 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour, but precise wind speeds at landfall were yet to be confirmed. The coastal town of Mananjary, home to 25,000 people, was previously hit hard in February 2022 by the deadly Cyclone Batsirai," says NASA.



"Forecasts called for Freddy to bring damaging winds, storm surge, and heavy rains as the storm moves inland. Rainfall may be especially damaging in places still recovering from Cyclone Cheneso, which killed dozens of people and left thousands homeless in the island nation in January 2023."



According to the UK Met Office, Freddy formed near Indonesia on February 6 and traveled about 7,200 kilometers across the Indian Ocean.



"The 15-day lifespan of the cyclone is unusual; few cyclones travel so far and are sustained for so long. The longest-lived tropical cyclone in the southern hemisphere was Leon-Eline in 2000, which was sustained for 18.5 days and traveled a similar path to Freddy," says NASA.



The image was captured by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite.&nbsp;



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 reaches Madagascar

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features dust streaming from the Bodélé Depression, which is located at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert.



"About 7,000 years ago, the Bodélé Depression was the northernmost part of Lake Megachad, an enormous body of water in north-central Africa that spanned an area larger than all the Great Lakes combined," says NASA.



"Today, the sandy depression and former lake bed is among the world’s most prolific sources of atmospheric dust. According to one estimate, it generates about half of the mineral dust that leaves the Sahara Desert."



A natural wind tunnel is created by mountains to the northeast of the Bodélé Depression. According to NASA, dust storms in this region peak in the fall and spring.&nbsp;



The image was captured on February 15, 2023 by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua 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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Dust streaming from the Bodélé Depression

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>



Dr. Hammond continued, “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," added 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," says 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,” says 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,” she concluded.



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...

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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...

Rainbow,Lorikeets

North America’s birds are disappearing, and they're vanishing at the fastest rate in the places they dominate. A new study using nearly two decades of data from citizen scientists reveals that birds are declining where they should be thriving.



The findings spotlight an ecological emergency but also highlight recovery potential. 



The analysis, conducted by researchers at the <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cornell Lab of Ornithology</a>, tracked 495 bird species between 2007 and 2021 using over 36 million observations submitted to the <a href="https://ebird.org/home" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">eBird</a> platform.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-declining-across-north-america">Birds declining across North America</h2>



The researchers sought to build a detailed picture of population trends across North America. The result was sobering: in 83% of species, <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/nature-might-repeat-evolution-under-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> declines were steepest in areas where the birds were most abundant.



“We're not just seeing small shifts happening, we're documenting populations declining where they were once really abundant," said Alison Johnston, one of the researchers. 



"Locations that once provided ideal habitat and climate for these species are no longer suitable. I think this is indicative of more major shifts happening for the nature that's around us." 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-birds-decline-most-where-they-once-thrived">Birds decline most where they once thrived</h2>



Previous studies warned us about overall losses. Since 1970, North America has lost more than 25% of its breeding <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/big-brains-and-wide-ranges-cant-save-birds-from-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">birds</a>. But knowing where declines are happening is crucial to respond effectively. 



Until now, efforts to pinpoint local declines faced a major hurdle: lack of fine-scale, consistent data across species' ranges.



Johnston’s team tackled this with a machine learning model that could handle vast and varied data inputs. It accounted for human observation behavior, which often distorts raw counts. 



The model separated real population changes from observer differences, enabling a clearer picture of regional trends.



The result: a high-resolution map of shifting <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/birds-living-in-cities-are-usually-more-colorful-and-less-brown/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">bird populations</a>, not just across North America, but also Central America and the Caribbean.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-even-thriving-birds-face-local-losses">Even thriving birds face local losses</h2>



While the big picture shows 75% of bird species are in decline - with 65% declining significantly - the local view is more complex.



Nearly every species (97%) shows areas of both gain and loss. That’s a hopeful sign. It suggests some areas offer refuge, while others face stress from climate change and habitat degradation.



“This is the first time we’ve had fine scale information on <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/saving-americas-birds-scientists-declare-a-full-on-emergency-in-the-us/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">population</a> changes across such broad spatial extents and across entire ranges of species. And that provides us a better lens to understand the changes that are happening with bird populations,” said Amanda Rodewald, co-author of the study.



Even birds considered stable at a regional level may be struggling in their core areas. And species in low-density zones sometimes fare better. 



These patterns suggest strongholds are now vulnerable, and previously marginal areas may serve as safe havens.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-role-of-habitat-climate-and-human-action">Role of habitat, climate, and human action</h2>



Birds that breed in grasslands and drylands face the sharpest declines. These ecosystems are especially sensitive to habitat disruption and climate shifts. 



The findings suggest abundance itself doesn’t guarantee resilience. In fact, pressure may concentrate in places with high population density, degrading quality faster.



Not all regions show loss. The Appalachians and western mountain ranges host stable or growing populations. These areas might offer clues for restoration efforts elsewhere.



“Areas where species are increasing where they're at low abundance may be places where conservation has been successful and populations are recovering, or they may point to locations where there may be potential for recovery,” said Johnston.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-scale-of-bird-decline">The scale of bird decline</h2>



“We employed causal machine learning models and novel statistical methodologies that allowed us to estimate changes in populations with high spatial resolution while also accounting for biases that come from changes in how and where people go birding,” said Daniel Fink.



The study ran over 500,000 simulations, requiring more than 6 million hours of computing. That equates to about 85 years of work on a standard laptop. This technical effort was matched by the public’s commitment to citizen science.



“Knowledge is power. Because of the volunteers that engage in programs like eBird, because of their enthusiasm and engagement, and generosity of time, we now know more about bird populations and more about the environment than we ever have before,” said Rodewald.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-smarter-conservation-starts-here">Smarter conservation starts here</h2>



The study's maps and methods help policymakers make sharper choices. 



“It’s this kind of small-scale information across broad geographies that has been lacking and it’s exactly what we need to make smart conservation decisions,” said Rodewald.



By seeing exactly where birds are declining or doing well, conservation groups can act with more precision. The insights allow them to focus on recovery where it’s most needed - and most possible.



The message is clear: North America’s birds are in crisis, even in their safest places. But with detailed insight and active stewardship, recovery is within reach.



This research was supported by foundations, <a href="https://www.nsf.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">NSF grants</a>, and supercomputing resources from <a href="https://www.psc.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center</a> and <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Purdue University</a>. Together, they’ve made a detailed, actionable map for the future of bird conservation.



The study is published in the journal <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn4381" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Science</a>.



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Birds are declining fastest where they were once common

North America’s birds are disappearing, and they're vanishing at the...

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



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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

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